Upcoming Events
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November 25
Thanksgiving
School closed
November 26 and 27
Strategic Planning Session III
November 30
BOE Meeting
December 2
Borough Holiday Tree Lighting
December 2
BOE Meeting
December 15
Minimum Day
December 23
Holiday Recess
December 24-January 1
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Franklin Lakes Public Schools
School News and Views November, 2015
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Dear Community Members,
Happy Thanksgiving! It is hard to believe that we are heading into the last few days of November. Leaves are changing color and there is just a bit of a chill in the air. There so are many things happening in our schools that are new and exciting. In this month's issue of School News and Views, you will find articles about Red Ribbon Week, The Patriot's Pen Writing contest, fall activities, and Peer Leadership. You will also read about parent presentations made by Mrs. Steines, our Director of Curriculum and Instruction on the topic of understanding PARCC score reports. We expect to be able to mail Individual Student Reports, containing results of the Spring 2015 PARCC to parents, no later than December 16, 2015.
As you know, the District is engaged in Strategic Planning. The last of three sessions facilitated by the New Jersey School Boards Association will take place on November 30, 2015 at 6:30 pm at FAMS. As I have said before, we welcome everyone to join us. If you have not been able to participate yet, I encourage you to come to this final session. We will be working on writing the goals and objectives that will guide our work for the next three to five years. Please be sure to contact Mrs. Gonzalez at Kgonzalez@franklinlakes.k12.nj.us or by calling my office to let us know that you plan to attend.
Please remember that the Thanksgiving recess is designated as our first Wellness Weekend for the 2015-2016 school year. There will be no homework for students during this time and no tests scheduled for Monday, November 30th. The Franklin Lakes Public Schools wish all of our families, students, and staff a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday.
Sincerely,
Lydia Furnari
Lydia Furnari, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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District News
Curriculum & Instruction: Getting to Know PARCC Student Scores
Mrs. Liesel Steines, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, led four information sessions to help parents understand what they could expect to learn about their student(s) based on the score reports from the Spring 2015 PARCC assessments, administered to Franklin Lakes Public Schools students in Grades 3-8.
The sessions provided parents with an opportunity to:
- interpret mock student score reports
- learn how PARCC data informs instruction
- view resources to support the home-school connection
Any parent who was unable to attend a session is encouraged to click here to view a screencast of the presentation on our District website. Note: At this time, we anticipate the availability of the Grades 3-8 PARCC student scores in mid-December 2015.
Curriculum & Technology: Working Together E-Textbooks in the World Language Dept.
The World Language department has adopted a new resource for French and Italian: the Vista Higher Learning Language program.
For years, textbook publishers have been promising online versions of their textbooks. For the most part, in the K-8 environment, their solution has been to merely digitize the existing text, with little, if any use of interactive technology. In  contrast, Vista Higher Learning (VHL) maximizes leading-edge technology with, text and media. Students have access to film, video and reading selections as well as opportunities to practice speaking in their target language. Teachers can customize activities and resources that come with the program, use them as is, or create their own. Teachers can allow students' to have unlimited individual and partner vocal practice with enhanced feedback, so assessments and assignments become instant learning tools. VHL also allows teachers to adapt students' experiences to allow for differentiation.
This new resource is a valuable enhancement to the interactive instruction already provided in our World Language classes at FAMS. Bon Apprentissage and Buon Apprendimento - Happy Learning to our students!
Business & Operations: Planning for a Heat Wave
Although the winter and cold weather is approaching, the Business & Operations unit is well into planning and implementing improvements for the Spring. Most recently, air conditioning was added to the HMR and WAS gyms. The enhancement should make programs, assemblies, and gym classes much more comfortable on those hot end of school year days!
Special Services: Character Education Update
October was a busy month for school-wide Character Education! The 3 elementary schools celebrated the Week of  Respect early in October and Red Ribbon Week to close out the month. During the week of respect, children focused on respect in their classroom meetings, participated in a "mix it up" at lunch day, enjoyed assemblies in each building, and made an extra effort to each commit random acts of kindness.
Red Ribbon Week, a nationally recognized anti-drug campaign, was celebrated at the elementary schools from October 26-30th. Students focused on making healthy choices through a fun spirit week. They also enjoyed hand-outs, generously funded by the Franklin Lakes Municipal Alliance and Bergen County Prosecutor's office. Detective Sergeant Jost, from the Franklin Lakes Police Department, came to talk to upper grades at each school about the origins of Red Ribbon week and also Halloween Safety. Students had a great week and pledged to make only healthy choices for their bodies!
Our character education focus has now turned to November's theme of Friendship!
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FAMS News
As always, the PLC has been busy hosting several different events for FAMS. In October, students had the opportunity to enter the annual VFW Patriot's Pen Writing Contest, and we're please to have submitted over 75 essays in the competition. The students were asked to write about what freedom means to them. Among our applicants, four were chosen to move on and compete at the district 2 level in December. Congratulations to the following students for their excellent writing: Allison Lounsbury, Tyler Hupart, Tiffany Becker, and Shivani Patel. Best of luck as you compete at the next level!
The Peer Leadership Corps hosted a Veterans' Day Remembrance Ceremony on Tuesday, November 10th outside on the FAMS Plaza. We streamed this ceremony live to every homeroom in FAMS, as well as the community. The ceremony included a faculty drumline, presentation of the colors, an  official flag raising routine, and some reflective remarks by some members of the 8th grade core group. The PLC, in close partnership with the VFW, honored and thanked the veterans of our community. The PLC also played a tribute slideshow showcasing the dozens of past and present military members in our FAMS family. This movie played all day long in the office, MPR, and channel. We are forever grateful for the service veterans provided to our country.
The Peer Leadership Corps 8th Grade Core Group traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on November 11th - 13th for their Annual Leadership Training Conference. This three-day learning opportunity included lessons on the region's rich history, leadership training seminars facilitated by the PLC Advisors and Gettysburg College Leadership Program, project planning sessions, and Gettysburg College CHEERS activities.
Our students enjoyed tours by licensed guides including stops at the National Military Park, Cyclorama, Seminary Ridge Museum, Battlefield Tours, and Gettysburg College. The Core Group will bring this leadership training back to FAMS to help plan, prepare, and carry out the dozens of service projects the PLC hosts throughout the school year. Our upcoming activities include the Warm Winter Clothing Drive and Holiday Mail for Heroes. As always, all the details are available on the PLC website.
FAMS: Red Ribbon Week
This year, Red Ribbon Week was celebrated during the week of October 26th through 30th. This purpose of this week is to provide awareness to students regarding drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. Throughout the week at FAMS, students participated in a variety of activities and events. During FAMS Live, students learned about the history of Red Ribbon Week and participated in trivia questions each day during homeroom, with prizes awarded to the homerooms with the most correct responses. On Tuesday and Wednesday during each lunch period, students pledged to remain drug-free on a large banner on display outside the main office and students also signed their names to red ribbons that were hung up in the MPR. Red lanyards and pencils and sharpeners with a drug-free message were also distributed. On Thursday, students and staff were asked to wear red and attend assemblies regarding drug and alcohol awareness and safety. 6th Grade students listened to a presentation provided by Detective Jost while 7th and 8th grade students attended an assembly regarding heroin abuse. They heard firsthand accounts about the dangers of heroin and other drugs. Overall, this was a successful week that provided drug awareness to our students and staff.
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CRS News
CRS: Halloween Celebrations
CRS recently hosted our annual Halloween Parade. This enjoyable experience allowed students of all ages and their teachers to dress up in very creative and unique costumes and
 around the school for our audience of families andfriends. In addition, our students enjoyed Halloween parties sponsored by our PTA class parents. We would like to thank all of our many parents who contributed to making these events so successful.
The CRS PTA recently funded and ran a wildly successful Halloween Bash! Students of all ages and their families had the chance to dress up in their costumes and experience a Trunk Or Treat followed by a night of festivities. The bash was highly attended and enjoyed all around. A very special thanks to the CRS PTA for putting on such a ghoulish spectacle!
On Thursday, October 29th CRS was pinked out in honor of breast awareness. This day was inspired by "Go Passionately Pink for the Cure!" an event run by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. We were so pleased to see that students and teachers wore as much pink as they possibly could. In addition, a donation was made to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure on behalf of Colonial Road School.
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HMR News
HMR: Red Ribbon Week
HMR celebrated Red Ribbon Week along with the other schools across the district from October 26th - October 30th t. Red Ribbon week is intended to teach students about living a healthy lifestyle and making healthy choices. In addition to exciting team building school spirit days, there were many classroom and grade level activities. The students eagerly  participated in an exciting grade level workout with our gym teacher, Mr. Scognamiglio. Students learned about making healthy choices with collaborative lessons from our school nurse and guidance counselor. These lessons were age appropriate and included important conversations about the dangers of drugs and alcohol in the upper grades. Students were reminded of these important lessons through visuals, such as stickers, water bottles, and key chains. They also signed a school-wide pledge poster to make healthy-choices. The week also included a visit from Detective Jost, who spoke to the 5th graders about the importance of healthy choices. This important message will continue throughout the school year!
HMR: Bucket Fillers
HMR students and staff strive to be bucket fillers! What does this mean? As a supplement to our Olweus program, students  earn about what it means to be a bucket filler. They learn the idea that we all have an imaginary bucket that we carry around with us. It can be filled with positive feelings and people can help to fill our buckets by doing or saying kind things. Classrooms have literature to teach the concept and each homeroom has a colorful bucket outside of the main office. Students and staff are encouraged to complete bucket filler slips when someone fills their bucket and place it in the proper bucket. We periodically choose some slips from the buckets and celebrate our bucket fillers over the loudspeaker by sharing their kind action or words. Want to learn more about how you can support this initiative at home? Check out this link for more details: http://www.bucketfillers101.com/.
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WAS News
WAS: Breaking the Magician's Code: Second Graders Learn Magic with Science
The Second Grade at Woodside Avenue School is the winner of the Franklin Lakes Education Foundation's Apple Fundraiser. Students in these classes sold the most apples at  the Town Fair and were the recipients of an exciting prize from FLEF, designed and executed by our very own enrichment teachers, Mrs. Hatley and Mrs. Mascharka. Our magicians in residence explored the secret science behind the illusions we see in magic tricks and practiced a little bit of magic on their own! From bouncing bubbles to underwater sand that stays dry, students put their new talents to the test. Thank you Mrs. Hatley, Mrs. Mascharka, and FLEF for providing our students with this opportunity and for sending home all the supplies we need to dazzle our families and friends!
WAS: First Graders Celebrate Pumpkin Day
First grade pumpkins sitting in the school;
The first one said, "Oh my this will be cool".
The second one said, "There are children everywhere".
The third one said, "And parents and teachers that really care".
The fourth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"
The fifth one said, "Let's work together on math, science, reading and writing until we are done".
"Wooooooo" went the wind,
And out went the lights.
And all the first graders smiled with delight.
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FL Borough News
Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
Wednesday, December 2, 7:00 PM
Join Mayor Bivona and Council Members to light the Annual Christmas Tree, located between the Borough Hall and the Library on DeKorte Drive, on Wednesday, December 2, at 7:00 PM sponsored by the Franklin Lakes Public Library and the Borough of Franklin Lakes. Be there to sing along with the students from the Franklin Avenue Middle School Chorus and welcome our "special visitor" from the North Pole. Following the tree lighting, all are invited to continue the festivities and proceed to the Franklin Lakes Public Library for more entertainment and refreshments, and a special personal visit and photo opportunity with the man in red himself. It promises to be a wonderful family evening. Please mark your calendar and be sure to join us, rain or shine.
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