“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss
As we reflect on this past week, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for the incredible strength and resilience demonstrated by our Cucinella community.
Last week marked our return to school after the tragic loss of our esteemed colleague, Ms. Sue Driscoll. While the pain of this loss remains deeply felt, I am inspired by the way our school community has come together to support one another during this challenging time.
In the face of adversity, our staff, students, and families have shown extraordinary compassion, empathy, and unity. From comforting one another to providing unwavering support to our students, each member of our Cucinella community has played a vital role in creating a supportive and nurturing environment for all.
Together, we have navigated this difficult week with grace and resilience, honoring the memory of Ms. Driscoll and upholding the values of compassion, kindness, and unity that define our school community.
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every member of our Cucinella community for your strength, your compassion, and your unwavering dedication to supporting one another during this time of grief. Your actions have made a profound difference in the lives of our students and have helped us to heal and grow stronger together.
On the lighter side of things, we celebrated Read Across America last week. Starting on Monday, our students immersed themselves in a whirlwind of reading adventures and literary fun, all in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday and the joy of reading.
I am thrilled to report that our Read Across America activities were a tremendous success, thanks to the enthusiasm and participation of our students, teachers, staff, and families. Together, we embraced the magic of storytelling and celebrated the power of literacy in our school community.
Throughout the week, our students engaged in a variety of exciting activities that sparked their imaginations and fostered a love of reading. From themed dress-up days and special guest readers to reading challenges and book-themed crafts, there was something for everyone to enjoy.
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the students who participated wholeheartedly in the festivities, as well as to our dedicated teachers and staff who went above and beyond to make Read Across America a memorable experience for our students. Your creativity, enthusiasm, and commitment to promoting literacy are truly commendable.
A special shout out goes to Mrs. Dawn Mackenzie for her tremendous job organizing the many events around Cucinella last week for Read Across America, without her dedication, this event would not have been the smashing success it was, and for that we owe you a big THANK YOU!
As we look ahead to this upcoming week, it's going to be another busy week at Cucinella. Monday night our teachers take on the Harlem Wizards in a charity game to help raise money for our Cucinella PTO. For ticket information, click here: https://www.cucinellapto.com/boosterthon. To show our support for the teachers playing in the game, wear your Cucinella spirit gear or red, white, and blue to school on Monday.
Our 1st through 3rd graders will be taking the mid-year MAP assessments starting this week. Our 4th and 5th grade students will be assessed next week. The MAP assessment is an invaluable tool that allows us to measure each student's academic growth and identify areas where additional support may be needed. This computer-adaptive test provides valuable insights into your child's strengths and areas for improvement, helping us tailor our instructional strategies to meet their individual needs.
It is important that our students come to school well-rested, prepared, and ready to showcase their skills and knowledge. Our dedicated teachers and staff will be providing support and encouragement to help our students feel confident and empowered during the testing process.
I encourage you to talk to your child about the importance of doing their best on the MAP test and reassure them that it is an opportunity for them to demonstrate all that they have learned throughout the school year. Parents, you play a crucial role in supporting your child's education, and I want to thank you in advance for your partnership and encouragement during MAP testing. Your ongoing support and involvement in your child's education make a world of difference and contribute to their success.
If you have any questions or concerns about MAP testing, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or myself. Together, we can ensure that our students have a positive and successful testing experience.
We appreciate your ongoing support, and stay tuned for more exciting events and updates from Cucinella! If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me at cperruso@wtschools.org.
Christopher J. Perruso
Principal
RELATED ARTS SCHEDULE: Monday starts our Related Arts schedule on a DAY 5.
Cucinella PTO Happenings:
Nellie's News Flash: Click here for this week's version of Nellie's News Flash.
Next General Membership Meeting:
Monday, April 8th @ 7pm
BAC Library
Memberships 2023-2024 School Year
PTO Memberships for the 2023-2024 School Year are still available! Follow the MemberHub link below to pay for a Family or Staff Membership. We are looking forward to another fantastic year!
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION - SY 2024-2025
Online Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-2025 SY, is now open!
If you are the parent/guardian of a child eligible for kindergarten, or know of any township residents with eligible kindergarten children for the 2024-2025 school year, please note the following:
Child must be 5 years of age on or before October 1, 2024 – no exceptions.
Child’s original birth certificate showing that he/she is five years old on or before October 1, 2024.
Four (4) proofs of residence. One (1) of the following; deed or a rental/lease agreement and three (3) of the following; property tax bill, voter registration card, drivers license, homeowner insurance bill or utility bills.
Immunization records for measles, mumps, rubella, DPT, polio (including one dose of DPT and polio vaccine on or after the child’s fourth birthday), varivax, hepatitis B, and HIB vaccinations.
Register ONLINE HERE.
Should you have any questions, you may contact the school your child will be attending.
Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School - (908) 850-3161
Flocktown-Kossmann Elementary School - (908) 850-1010
Old Farmers Road School - (908) 876-3865
At anytime, enrollment forms can be downloaded from our website by clicking HERE.
23-24 Cucinella Yearbook News
Attention 5th Grade families:
All toddler pics are now submitted. Thank you for your help in the submission of these. They're going to make for a great yearbook memory!
Yearbook sales run until March 29th.
Please feel free to reach out to Liz (emschwartz624@gmail.com) with any questions.
Terracycle Fundraiser
WE WANT YOUR TRASH!!!
The PTO's Terracycle Committee has placed a new recycling collection box in the vestibule, to the left of the doors as you enter the building. The mission of this program is to collect home care and air care plastics, spray bottles and air fresheners. These are all items that would normally be thrown in the trash, but through Terracycle, we're able to keep these items out of landfills and raise money for the school in the process. This program will run throughout the school year, so start collecting your items to be recycled and contribute them to the collection box at your convenience.
For more information about this collection, visit https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/febreze-air-care?viewPDOInfo=false.
For more information about the PTO Terracycle Committee and to volunteer, please contact Lindsey Mason at lindseymason.m@gmail.com.
Pick Up Patrol
PickUp Patrol has been in effect for the past year and we are very happy with the positive feedback we have been receiving from the community. PickUp Patrol is used not only for drop off and pick up procedures, but also for recording your child's absences.
Please click here to review how to use the program to record absences.
Click here for more information about Pickup Patrol
If you have not received a "Welcome" email with details on how to download the app and set up your account, please contact our school secretaries and ask for a new one to be resent. If you have not downloaded the app or set up your account yet, please do so as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the secretaries, Mrs. Deanna Dargel or Mrs. Boomi Varathrajan.
Cucinella Lost and Found
If your child is missing something - coats, sweatshirts, hats, water bottles, etc. - please remind them to check our ever-growing lost and found. It is currently overflowing with items. The lost and found is currently located outside of the main office, near the main entrance. We are happy to help students if they are looking for something in particular. Please notify either your child's teacher or the main office secretaries if you need assistance.
Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School
Email: cperruso@wtschools.org
Website: https://www.wtschools.org/o/bac
Location: 470 Naughright Road, Long Valley, NJ, USA
Phone: (908)-850-3161
