|
|
|
|
|
Elysian Charter School
Weekly Newsletter
A Positively Different Public School
November 30, 2015 Vol. 11 Issue 12
Please note that the school newsletter is sent out on Mondays. When there is a holiday, the newsletter is sent the following day. Please send news to lynne.shapiro@ecsnj.org by 1:00 PM on Mondays.
The weekly newsletter is archived on Elysian's website, www.ecsnj.org, so that you can always access both the most recent newsletter as well as all previous ones.
| |
|
Harry's Corner
Renewal
Charter Schools are public schools that provide parents an opportunity to choose how their children are educated. Unlike district schools, we are not required to follow district mandates or approaches. Elysian’s “goal is to educate children to become curious, lifelong learners with an appreciation of the arts, the diversity of all peoples in the world, and the self-confidence to fulfill his or her life's dreams” (from www.ecsnj.org, Elysian’s Philosophy page).
Within this framework the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) expects us to maintain academic excellence including participation in State required testing, fiscal responsibility and adherence to all rules of charter school governance. To this end the NJDOE completes an intensive review of the school that addresses all areas of education, management and governance on a five year cycle. This year is a renewal year for us.
Preparing for the renewal is a team effort, with committees of teachers, other staff and board members writing in response to prompts. It has already begun with the submission of a thirty page report in which we responded to questions that included a description of our demographics and leadership, our mission and vision, our curriculum and instruction and the tools we use for assessment. We also discussed our staff evaluation procedures, our staff development program and our school culture and climate. Additionally a comprehensive financial report was completed which included funding and spending projections for the next five years. There was also a section on the role of the Board of Trustees and their procedures. These responses will be reviewed by the renewal team with the possibility of generating further questions.
The next step is a site visit by a team from the NJDOE. This is scheduled for January 25th. Up to eight Department of Education monitors will visit us. Because we are a Tier I school (all New Jersey schools are rated in either Tier 1, 2 or 3, with Tier 1 being the best) our site visit will be shortened and is expected to be less intense. During that visit the monitors will be visiting classrooms, meeting with teachers and other staff members, administration, Board members, business office staff and parents. They will conduct an exit conference with us and give us a preliminary report of their findings.
We hope for and expect to receive a full renewal for five years (please note that there has been some talk of extending that to ten years, but this legislation has not yet been passed). Other possible outcomes include a conditional renewal for a year or two, where corrective action must be taken and another renewal process completed. The final possible outcome is the closing of the school (not likely for us, but this has occurred a number of times throughout the State in the past few years).
Although it seems like the renewal process is a burden—and it is, since it occurs at the same time we are trying to maintain a program of excellence—it is also an opportunity for all of us to reflect upon the school, the values we espouse and the way we provide education to our children. Because we are a Tier 1 school, the NJDOE has asked us to participate in the collection of “Best Practices” in education. We have begun providing them with some of the reasons we are so successful.
| |
|
Parents’ Night Out
When: FRIDAY, December 4, from 6-9pm
WHERE : Elysian Charter School Why: Fundraising for the class of 2016 Cost: Flat Rate fee -$20 $10 per additional child Pizza contribution: $5 per child
| |
| Sibling Applications are Due
If you have a child at Elysian already, and you are planning to enroll a sibling in the 2016-17 school year, please complete an application form and return it to Susan Gilbertson in the office. You can find the form on Elysian's website or stop by the office to pick it up. We must have an application on file before the January 13th Lottery in order for you to receive sibling preference.
| |
|
Reminder: Basketball Registration and Tryouts
Hello Elysian,
If you haven't already done so please register your child for basketball through Hoboken recreation. The deadline for online registration is today.
With that being said I also need to have the Elysian basketball registration form that I sent home last week. The regular school medical form that was submitted in the beginning of the school year needs to be on file with the office.
Thank you for your cooperation and patience. We are going to begin basketball tryouts shortly after the Thanksgiving break. Here are the tryout dates, 3:00 - 4:00 PM in our gymnasium:
December 3rd: 7-8th grade team
December 4th: 6 grade team
December 7th: 5th grade team
December 8th: 4th grade team
December 9th:3rd grade team
December 10th: 6,7,8 All girls team
Adam
| |
|
PTSO Corner
It is Cyber Monday! For all of you shopping from home, please remember to sign up for Target, AmazonSmile and iGive as an easy way to help earn money for your school while you shop. It only takes a few moments to sign up! And if shopping at TinyPrints, use TPPHX3Z437 for 40% off through 12/31/15. Please email elysianptso@gmail.com for a 40% code for use on Shutterfly products. Just be sure to go through our storefront! Please refer to No Brainer Moneymaker section of this newsletter for all the details. Happy shopping!
Please mark your calendars for Middle School Night on Wednesday, December 9 at 6:30 p.m. (for parents of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders)
There will be a powerpoint presentation and discussion on everything you need to know about Elysian's Middle School.
• Meet teachers from 6th, 7th and 8th grade
• Hear about the curriculum
• Ask your questions! Please RSVP to elysianptso@gmail.com by noon on December 9 if you need babysitting services for this event to help with headcount for pizza.
| |
|
No Brainer Moneymakers
Easy Ways To Raise Money for Our School At No Extra Cost To You. Shop through our storefront for Shutterfly and sign up for Amazon Smile, iGive and Target and just shop as usual!! It just takes two minutes!! Pass along to your friends and family too!- Shutterfly, TinyPrints and more - Go to http://elysiancharter.shutterflystorefront.com. Shop as usual. No need to sign up, just use this link.
- Amazon Smile - http://smile.amazon.com/ Click on ‘change your charity’. Select Elysian Charter. Bookmark this address. Shop as usual.
- iGive -Go to www.iGive.com/ElysianCharter . Fill out name, Password and email. Click ‘Register Now’ button, install iGive button. Shop! You might have to click on a pop-up screen to verify at certain online stores.
- Target - Go to www.target.com , click on REDcard and then ‘Learn about REDcard’. Page down to ‘Take Charge of Education’ and click on ‘Learn More’. Enter information under ‘Sign me up’ and click ‘Enroll’.
| |
|
Hoboken Homeless Shelter Paper Drive
Daniel Henson and Henry Plotka from the eighth grade are conducting a paper goods drive for the local homeless shelter. We are asking for paper goods such as paper cups, towels, plates, bowls, plastic forks, knives and spoons. In the downstairs lobby/entrance of the school, there is a box with a sign that says “middle school food drive". The shelter is in need of these items so we encourage you all to donate. Thanks!
| |
| Elysian Collects Box Tops and LABELS for Education: Look for the container near Deb's desk in the office! Thank you!
| |
| November Calendar Monday, November 30- Deadline for Basketball registration
December Calendar Tuesday, December 2- Arts to Grow After School Theater Program, 3:00 - 4:30 (for Middle School students who are registered)
Thursday, December 3- Basketball tryouts, 7th and 8th grade team, 3:00 - 4:00, in the gym
Friday, December 4- Basketball tryouts, 6th grade team, 3:00 - 4:00, in the gym
- Parents Night Out, 6:00 - 9:00 PM (See above for details).
Saturday, December 5- 11:30 AM Open House for prospective families
Monday, December 7- Basketball tryouts, 5th grade team. 3:00 - 4:00, in the gym
Tuesday, December 8- 3rd grade parents "Meet and Greet" with Yahaya Kamate, African Dance teacher
- Arts to Grow After School Theater Program, 3:00 - 4:30 (for Middle School students who are registered)
- Basketball tryouts, 4th grade team. 3:00 - 4:00, in the gym
Wednesday, December 9
- Basketball tryouts, 3rd grade team. 3:00 - 4:00, in the gym
- 6:30 PM, Middle School Night (PTSO)
Thursday, December 10- Basketball tryouts, All girls team/ 6th, 7th and 8th grades, 3:00 - 4:00, in the gym
Friday, December 11- 8:30 AM, Community Meeting in gym. All are welcome.
Tuesday, December 15- Arts to Grow After School Theater Program, 3:00 - 4:30 (for Middle School students who are registered)
Wednesday, December 16- Half day of school for staff development; students will be dismissed at 12:30 PM. The Afterschool Program is available as usual
Monday, December 21- 7:00 PM Board of Trustees Meeting
Tuesday, December 22- 5th grade trip
- 8th grade trip
- Arts to Grow After School Theater Program, 3:00 - 4:30 (for Middle School students who are registered)
Wednesday, December 23- Half Day of School for Winter Break. Afterschool Program is available until 4:00 PM
Thursday, December 24 - Friday, January 1 January 2016 Calendar
KUUMBA Day is Saturday, January 9 - mark your calendars! A Y...... is Saturday, January 9!
| |
|
|
1460 Garden Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Harry Laub, Ph.D., Director
|
harry.laub@ecsnj.org
|
Phone:201.876.0102
|
Fax:201.876.9576
|
|
|
