Thomas Jefferson School

September 2026

To Our Thomas Jefferson School Families,

Happy new school year to all of our families! I am proud to serve as TJ’s principal and feel fortunate to work with the students, families, and community of Rockaway Borough. It has been a great first month at Thomas Jefferson School. Our students have settled into their routines, reconnected with friends and teachers, and brought a great deal of positive energy into the building. I have been especially impressed by how well our fourth grade students, as well as students who are new to our district, have adjusted to TJ. Our seventh and eighth grade students have also done an excellent job serving as role models for our younger students, demonstrating leadership through their actions and helping set a positive tone throughout the building. Thank you to our staff members for helping our students feel welcome and supported, and to our families for your continued partnership. I look forward to building on this strong start as the school year continues.

As we begin the school year, please review the following important information so that you are in the loop and informed:

Parent Portal - Attendance, discipline, and grades are all recorded through RealTime and are available to view on the parent portal.
Student absence reporting - Enter absences through the parent portal before 8:10am on the day of the absence. Calling the main office remains an option.
The RealTime Parent App, available for free, allows parents to easily access the parent portal from their mobile device.
Student Portal - Students in grades 6-8 can access the student portal to view and track their grades.
Student Pick Up- As a reminder, photo identification is required when picking up your child from school.
Physical Education - Please view your child’s schedule and ensure they come to school in PE-appropriate attire on those days so they can participate.

Upcoming Events

October

HSA: Please consider joining the HSA and attending monthly meetings when you can. Our HSA is a great group of parents who work hard to create community events and raise money — all of which benefits our students.
Extracurriculars: Fall sports are underway, and our teams are competing well! Clubs will begin in the first few weeks of October. See our website for more information.
No School - Monday, October 12th (Staff In-Service)
HSA Sponsored Book Fair - TJ students will be attending the book fair on the morning of October 13th at AOG. Please note that this is only a one-day event. The HSA also plans on offering an evening session for families to shop. More information is forthcoming.
Picture Day will be on October 14th. Dress your best!
Early Dismissal - 12:45pm Wednesday, October 21st. (Staff In-Service)
Talent Show will be on the evening of October 23rd. All TJ students are welcome to attend! All students attending must be present in school that day. Auditions will begin on October 13th.
SGO Halloween Dances - Friday - 10/30 (Students must be present in school to attend)
Grades 4 and 5 will take place between 3:00pm to 4:30pm.
Grades 6-8 will be held in the evening from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Halloween Parade - Weather permitting, the parade will begin on Friday, 10/30 at 2:00pm in the back field area for grades 4 and 5.
Recognition Weeks - October includes several recognition weeks, many of which include various events. An October events calendar was emailed to all families tonight (9/30) and is also part of this Newsletter.
Respect Week - October 5th-9th.
Peace in Our Schools Awareness Week - October 13th-16th
Red Ribbon Week - October 26th-30th

November

Picture Make-Up Day -November 16th
Marking Period One Grades in the Parent Portal - November 19th
Early Dismissal - November 20th-24th Conferences - Teachers will contact families directly when they believe a conference would be beneficial. However, any parent or guardian who would like to meet with their child’s teacher is welcome to request a conference.
Early Dismissal - 12:45pm November 25th.
No School - November 26th-27th, Thanksgiving Break

December

Early Dismissal - 12:45pm Wednesday, December 9th. (Staff In-Service)
TJ Winter Concerts
Tuesday, December 15th - Grades 6-8 Concert 7:00pm @AOG
Wednesday, December 16th - Grades 4-5 Concert 9:00am @AOG

Thank you all for partnering with our school and staff to benefit each child! Please reach out with any questions.

Leon Samuels

Principal

Nurses Corner

Welcome Back! I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe summer!

Just a friendly reminder for the school year:

If your child is not feeling well, please do not send them to school. If they have a temperature of 100.4 they MUST be kept home for 24hrs and must be fever free for 24 hours. If your child vomits or has diarrhea during the night they must also stay home for 24 hours with no vomiting and diarrhea.

If your child needs to take medication during the school day, whether it be prescription or over the counter a signed medical form must be signed by the prescribing healthcare provider. The forms are found on the District website (under forms and links), or you can request one be sent home with your child. All medication must be brought in by an adult and in its original packaging.

Any student who needs an Inhaler must have a signed Asthma Action Plan by the prescribing healthcare provider. The Inhaler must be brought to the Health Office unless the prescribing healthcare provider states the student is capable of self carrying and self administering the inhaler.

EpiPens must have a signed healthcare provider order and the EpiPen must be brought to the Health Office.

If your child needs cough drops during the school day a note from the parent and cough drops must be brought in and kept in the Health Office.

Last but not least remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day, please make sure your child eats breakfast prior to coming to school and they should also bring a refillable water bottle.

If you need to reach me the best way is through email: lsavercool@rockboro.org or you may leave a message on my office phone # 973-625-8603 ext. 305.

I hope everyone has a great 26-27 school year.

Mrs. Savercool

Meet Our New Staff

Hi TJ Community! My name is Ryan Pacheco, and I'm taking over as the Leave of Absence Physical Education and Health teacher while Ms. Bogart is away through at least the end of December.

With a background in Health and Wellness, I've spent the past few years working closely with young athletes through training, coaching, and internships. Between my background and watching my younger brother (a 7th grader at East Hanover Middle School) and his friends grow up, I've gained a solid understanding of how kids think, learn, and stay motivated at different age levels.

My goal is to help students build confidence in physical activity and develop healthy habits that last. I believe that teaching PE is the perfect evolution of that passion.

I'm excited to get to know everyone and looking forward to a great rest of the semester!

Warmly,

Ryan Pacheco

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Hi! I'm Becci Marin, I'm the new Secretary to the Principal. I have over 20 years of experience as a school secretary in an elementary school and central office. I'm a writer, an avid reader, and have recently started piano lessons. I'm also a mom of two great kids, Grades 2 & 5. I'm thrilled to be joining you here at TJ and look forward to meeting you all!

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So excited to become part of the Ram Family! I have been an ESL teacher for 4 years and have worked in Millburn & New Providence. I have two children: Maximus 8, Ryan 6, and a husband who is also a teacher. We love watching and playing soccer together, hanging out at the lake or beach, and just relaxing outside with our chickens. I have a love for the world and a wonder to travel and learn about different cultures. I grew up playing soccer in college and have coached high school and club levels. I feel that my coaching has complemented my teaching, where you meet students where they are, build their confidence, and push them to achieve more than they thought possible. I hope that I can bring a strong culture of teamwork and dedication to the school community. --Hailey Hogan

From Miss Selikoff...

From Mr. Bova...

Musical Notes...

Welcome back! Band Lessons are meeting at this point, along with before school full band rehearsals. Students are scheduled once a week for Band Lessons. Check the lesson schedule for any recent updates and changes and to find your lessons!

Please note the following schedule for before school bands:

Mondays = Beginner Bands (starting 10/5/26)
Tuesday = Junior Band
Wednesday = Concert Band
Thursday = Jazz Band (starting 10/1/26)

Band students should check in to the band Google Classroom regularly to check their lesson schedule, and to access their student materials folder, where practice materials have been uploaded. Feel free to contact Mr. Bova with any questions, any time at nbova@rockboro.org

Jazz Band Info: Experienced instrumentalists in Grades 6-8 are invited by audition and students need not be in the band program currently. Let Mr. Bova know if you play piano/keyboard, drumset, guitar, or any other band instrument and would like to audition for Jazz/Stage Band.

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Come join us for several district wide musical performances that are free and open to the public, featuring members of our TJ Band and Choirs!

- District Vocal Concert at Morris Knolls High School = Tuesday November 3rd at ~ 1 pm

- District Instrumental Concert at Morris Hills High School = Tuesday November 10th at ~ 11 am

TJ Winter Concert:

Concert Band, Jazz Band, and TJ 6th-8th Grade Choir = Tuesday 12/15 at 7pm
4th/5th Grade Chorus, Beginner Band, and Junior Band = Wednesday 12/16 at 9am

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This year's annual TJ Talent Show is on! Want to show off your hidden skill or ability?

All acts showcasing something cool about you are welcome: singing, playing instruments, magic shows, dancing, DJ-ing, artwork showcases with spoken poetry, science experiments, and more!

If interested, sign up for an audition time slot on the form outside of the music room; sign-ups starting in October

Auditions will be held in the music room on Oct. 13th, 14th, and 15th - (5 minute limit for audition)

If accepted into the Talent Show, attend at least one rehearsal on either Oct. 20th, 21st, or 22nd.

The Talent Show will be at 7PM, Friday October 23rd.

Get ready for a showcase of our school's talent!