Dear Rolling Hills Parents and Guardians:

Welcome to April! As you read this newsletter, our Spring Break has just begun and I hope that everyone is enjoying some rest and relaxation with family and friends! Thank you for your participation in all of last month's activities and to those of you who were able to join us for our Someone Special Day visitation. It was fun to share our students, our staff and our lovely school with all of you!

There are a few more "thank you" messages for March

• We would like to thank the Rolling Hills SCA for their continued support and generosity! We would especially like to thank them for the recent work done on our lovely garden at the side of the school. The garden will be ready for spring thanks to your time and energy!
• Many thanks Ms. Rhiannon Lubas for last month's Read Across America Spirit Week and for organizing the fabulous Spring Scholastic Book Fair.

• Ms. Alexa Stokes organized the enjoyable SEL Yoga activity for all of our students on SEL Day. She could not have done it if she did not have the Special Area teachers that day!

• Mrs. Monschauer and her many volunteers held another successful Math Night last month. Thank you to all who volunteered at the event and to all of the families who came out that night to enjoy it!

• We would also like to thank all of our faculty and staff members for making this year's Someone Special Days so memorable for so many. We appreciate all of you and thank you for making Rolling Hills such a special place for our students!

• Finally, a huge thanks to our talented art teacher, Mrs. Sarah Ulrich, who guided our families to create lovely masterpieces at our second annual "Paint with Me" event!

Please be sure that you have carefully reviewed your child's progress report on the Parent Portal. Progress Reports for the second trimester have been visible since March 20th. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to contact your child's teacher.

We would greatly appreciate your assistance with the following:

• Please be sure that your contact information--especially all of the phone numbers listed in Genesis to be used in an emergency--are kept up-to-date and accurate.

• If you are driving your child to school, please plan to arrive at Rolling Hills between 9:00 and 9:10 AM. Students arriving after 9:15 AM will be marked "tardy". When you arrive at the school, please follow the directives of the staff members who are outside assisting with this process. There is no need to park your car for morning drop-off, just drive up to the front door and your child may depart from your vehicle. If you could have your child ready to exit from the passenger side, that would provide a safer procedure for all students.

• If you are picking up your child from school, please visit Genesis and then follow the procedure below before noon on the day of the pick up. If you arrive to pick up your child without informing the school office, it delays dismissal for the entire school. If your child is picked up each day, there is no need to follow this procedure daily, as they will be listed on the Daily Pickup List. Thank you very much for your help!

• When you pick up your child, you will need to park and walk to the front door of the school, where there will be a spreadsheet to sign out your child. Students will be called for pick-up dismissal at approximately 3:30 PM. We would sincerely ask your patience and understanding in waiting until that time for your child to be dismissed from if you are picking them up from school. Please avoid all early pick-ups unless there is an emergency, as it is very disruptive to the dismissal process.

• Thank you for your assistance. Your cooperation will ensure that everyone receives quality instruction--from bell to bell!

• We will continue to focus on the importance of regular attendance as we move into the final trimester of the 2023-2024 school year. Please take some time to review the flyer listed below and encourage your child to be in school each and every day--unless they are ill. Thank you!

• A "LOST AND FOUND" table is located outside the nurse's office. If your child is missing any items, please have them stop by the table sometime during the day to retrieve their lost belongings.

Although I strongly encourage you to reach out directly to your child's teacher(s) first regarding any issues pertaining to instruction or classroom routines, please be assured that I remain committed to every students' educational experience and encourage you to reach out to me if I may be of assistance throughout the school year.

Thank you for your dedication to your child's education and your anticipated cooperation.

With sincere appreciation,

Pauline F. Anderson, Principal

P.S. If you are the parent/guardian of a second grade student and would like to opt your child out for the comprehensive health curriculum, which will be taught at Rolling Hills in April, please click here to complete the Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Opt Out Form. This Vernon Community Health Update letter from Mr. Vincent Gagliostro explains more about the curriculum as it relates to second grade.

Friday, March 29th

VTSD Closed

Monday, April 1st

VTSD Closed

Tuesday, April 2nd through Friday, April 5th

School Closed - Office Open

Monday, April 8th

School Resumes

Solar Eclipse of the Sun

Wednesday, April 10th

RH SCA Meeting - 9:30 AM - Principal’s Office or via Zoom

Thursday, April 11th

Board of Education Work Session - 7:00 P.M. - Lounsberry Hollow School

Friday, April 12th

Early Dismissal for Students

Professional Development for Faculty

Monday, April 15th

Deadline for all Sussex Miners Reading Logs to be turned in to school.

Wednesday, April 17th

Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) Community Presentation - 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Everyone is welcome to attend. Dinner will be provided! Please feel free to bring a dessert to share!

Wednesday, April 24th

make-up date is Thursday, April 25th

Music is a Treat 2024 Spring Concerts

Rolling Hills Second Grade Spring Concert Information

A 5:30 PM Concert with: Mrs. Hintzen's class, Mrs. Leichtweisz's class, Mrs. Monschauer's class, Mrs. Reinhardt's class & Mrs. Zicopoulos's class

Students should report to their teacher's classroom by 5:30 PM.

Concert is to begin promptly at 5:45 PM with doors opening at 5:15 PM.

A 7:00 PM Concert with: Mrs. Lynch's class, Mrs. Moskovitz's class, Miss Owens's class & Mrs. Strongosky's class

Students should report to their teacher's classroom by 7:00 PM.

Concert is to begin promptly at 7:15 PM with doors opening at 6:45 PM.

All students are encouraged to dress nicely for their performance.

Concert performances will be held in the gym. Once the concert has concluded, please report to your child's classroom where they will be dismissed.

Thank you for your assistance and cooperation!

Thursday, April 25th

Board of Education Public Board Meeting (Public Budget Hearing)

7:00 PM - Lounsberry Hollow School

A LOOK AHEAD…

Save the date: Rolling Hills Primary School Game at Skylands Stadium is Tuesday, July 30th - Ceremonial First Pitch (about 15 minutes before the 7:05 PM game)

This year’s NJSLA testing dates for third grade will be as follows:

NJSLA ELA - Tuesday, May 7th and Wednesday, May 8th

NJSLA Math - Tuesday, May 14th, Wednesday, May 15th and Thursday, May 16th

If you are the parent/guardian of a third grade student, please mark your calendars and make every effort to ensure that your child is in school on testing days.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

...will be shared with you each month. They truly bring messages of hope and are replete with exceptional ideas to enrich your life--and the lives of those around you! Be sure to take a moment to review and/or print them out for your use throughout the month.

Active April's calendar encourages us to "find ways to get moving and stay happy and healthy".

On World Water Day,, Girl Scout Troop #98712 Brownies read a pledge

about saving water to the Rolling Hills Primary School students and staff.

The pledge and the video appear below.

Enjoy!

Using sidewalk chalk,

our students have created a chalk mural under the watchful eye of their art teacher!

The students participated in Leap Year Day--a day late during their Fun Friday period--

as they participated in Leap Year Line Plots and Leap Day Catapults!

We completed a St. Patrick's Day STEM activity

during which students created leprechaun traps in groups.

Last Friday,

the students worked in groups to "Fill the Grid" with March Madness themed math review problems. They also got to shoot baskets for correct rounds!

Mrs. Sousa’s students have been working on reading stamina all year.

For DEAR time during Love of Reading Week they were able read for 40 uninterrupted minutes!

Mrs. Sousa’s students dressed as their favorite book characters during Love of Reading Week.

As part of the Positive Action program,

students worked together to play a board game involving making positive choices.

Mrs. Sousa’s students completed a science sorting activity on pushes and pulls.

Mrs. Sousa’s students had fun “adopting a Peep!”

First we watched a video to learn about the history of Peep and how they’re made.

Then each student chose an egg. After their eggs “hatched” each student drew their Peep,

wrote adjectives and a haiku about them and even created a birth certificate for them.

Our class used a compass to find treasure on a scavenger hunt in order to practice using cardinal directions. We found the treasure in the garden!

The class enjoyed working in groups on a 3-D version of Sudoku during our math class

using our Innovamat curriculum for an adventure!

Our class enjoyed Colleen's dad's visit as our mystery reader this month!!

While learning about weather and discussing cause and effect relationships, we used shaving cream, food dye and water to simulate how rain occurs when a cloud fills up with water droplets.

In Fundations we reviewed the many different spelling options that we have learned for long and short vowel sounds with a game of "Go Fish."

On March 4th, New York Times Bestselling Author, Marc Colagiavanni visited Rolling Hills Primary School, where he read his latest book, The Reflection in Me, to the students. He also talked about his journey to becoming a published author and his collaboration with the world famous author and illustrator, Peter H. Reynolds.

We were very proud of our students, who were wonderful audience participants!

Every Rolling Hills student participated in yoga and mindfulness throughout SEL Day on March 8th!

Time with the Footprints Program...

and erupting volcanoes...

...practicing phonics skills

...and Innovamat Adventure Makes Math Lots of Fun!

Rolling celebrated Love of Reading Week with a fun spirit week.

Mrs. Reinhardt's kids did a great job with their Book Character costumes!

The 2nd grade teachers dressed as the different crayons from The Day the Crayons Quit.

This month Mrs. Reinhardt's class welcomed a Mystery Scientist into the classroom.

Brantley's grandma taught the class about the different layers of soil.

As we learned about each layer, the kids filled a cup with a snack item that matched the layer.

When the lesson was over, the students had a delicious treat to represent all the layers of soil.

We were lucky enough to be surprised by not 1, but 3 mystery readers for Fun Friday!

Sam's mom and sisters surprised him and came to read 3 fun stories to our class!

One of his sisters was a former student of Mrs. Reinhardt's, which made the surprise even more exciting!

Ms. Alexa Stokes continues the very popular Caring Kids program at Rolling Hills Primary School, which allows students to be nominated by staff members and/or their own peers when they demonstrate kindness. The students who are nominated each week are announced via the intercom on Fridays during the morning announcements.

Students also receive a "Caring Kids" certificate to take home.

This month's Caring Kids are:

March Caring Kids

Announced on March 1st

Olivia Butterworth

Cruz Couamin

Max Suarez

Announced on March 8th

Abraham Barr

Hunter Bock

Jermaine Brown

Jeyla Delarosa

Nick Eikhorst

Alexander Escalon Handelong

Jaxson Kapusta

Noah Mercedes

Antonella Monaco

Aiden Montgomery

Jayden Rivera

Gavin Rodriguez-Escorsa

Joseph Sampogna

Alexis Torres

Olivia VanOrden

Danielle Villacis

Announced on March 15th

Maisie Sanchez

Announced on March 22nd

Lola Ball

Kaitlyn Brierty

Abbie Canal

Aragorn Chegne

Raegan Connelly

Braelyn Cushman

Leo D’Antuono

Zachary Hill

Audric Jean-Baptiste

Owen Portillo

Jacob Stachura

Elizabeth Tierney

AJ Gordon-Hunt

Luke Kapusta

Adelaide Montena

Jayden Rivera

Mia Rosa

Emmett Wood

Announced on March 28th

Riley Avellaneda

Matthew Bonilla

Caiden Castillo

Rylee DeValue

Adriana Haase

Brayden Handal

Henry O'Brien

Drew Pelak

Jacob Stachura

Ella Staudinger

Ethan Wagoner

Olivia Whang

Milena Wojtowicz

Footprints for Life is sponsored by the Center for Prevention & Counseling and is implemented by two program facilitators over a six-week period. This classroom-based primary prevention program is researched-based and designed to build developmental assets and teach skills through the use of puppets. Rolling Hills Primary School’s second grade students are participating in this program on Fridays and are separated into two groups, with each group receiving six 45-minute lessons from January through May 2024.

Our students follow the story of a children’s soccer team as the animal characters experience real-life situations. The Footprints for Life program offers many opportunities to practice new skills they have learned in a fun and open way. Topics covered in the program include: “I” messages, feelings conflict resolution, decision making, tobacco and other drugs, coping methods and inclusion.

Rolling Hills Primary School's SCA board members for 2023-2024:

President - Ericka Petrucci

Vice President - Christina Schreiner

Treasurer - Kristin Connington

Corresponding Secretary - Josie Osorio

Recording Secretary - Christine DeBonte

Let's continue to work together for the benefit of our students and families!

We officially began the third trimester of the 2023-2024 school year on March 14th! Although the school year is more than two-thirds finished, there are still a lot of educational opportunities to experience, memories to create and fun to enjoy! Please help your child end the school year on a positive note by having them attend school each and every day! Attendance Counts at Rolling Hills!

Please be assured of my continued support and appreciation for all you do to send your children to school prepared and ready to learn. When the school and home work together, students thrive!

Never hesitate to reach out to me if you ever have questions and/or concerns. No concern is insignificant if it is causing you or your child anxiety or disrupting the quality of your family time.

Thank you for the privilege of working with your children,

Pauline F. Anderson

Email: panderson@vtsd.com
Website: www.vtsd.com
Location: Rolling Hills Primary School, Sammis Road, Vernon Township, NJ, USA
Phone: (973) 764-2784