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Elysian Charter School
Weekly Newsletter
A Positively Different Public School
March 27, 2017 Vol. 12 Issue 28
The school newsletter is sent out on Mondays. When there is a holiday, the newsletter is sent the following day.
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| Harry's Corner
Probably because of our just completed Annual Meeting, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about the way that our school is governed. The term used is “Board Governance.” As a public institution, a great deal of how we are organized is dictated by law and by Department of Education regulation. Below are some bullet points on Elysian governance process, and the roles of the various players: - Why A Board of Trustees?
- Boards fulfill a legal responsibility.
- As a public school, charters cannot be operated for personal gain.
- They are required to have a governing board to ensure that its operations continue to focus on serving the public.
- Boards provide an oversight function.
- Boards act as “guardians of the public trust.”
- School management is responsible to a group of people who have the general interest of the charter school at heart.
- Board membership is voluntary so that there is no personal financial gain involved.
- Boards promote a charter school’s mission.
- Members believe and support the school’s mission.
- Members believe in it’s educational philosophy.
- Board helps to raise funds.
- Members are influential in community and can often successfully elicit major contributions.
- Members can create an active group of donors.
- Board Member Role
- Board members are state officials
- Power derived from legislature, not local community
- Members represent their local community
- Board does not run the school (this is frequently cited as one of the reasons for ineffective boards)
- Board makes policies
- Policies guide Chief School Administrator (CSA)
- As individuals, Board members cannot make decisions
- Chain of Command
- If approached by a parent on an individual issue, refer parent to child’s teacher or director
- With unresolved issues, parents may go to the Board, which acts as the final arbiter
- Issues that affect the school are placed on the agenda
- CSA as Chief Executive Officer (at Elysian, this is the Director)
- CSA is responsible for
- Educational Program
- Hiring
- Evaluation of staff
- Professional development
- Monitoring of expenditures
- Follow all legal requirements
- Establish good communication
- Board-CSA Relationship
- The Board
- Consults with CSA
- Sets policy…does not run schools
- Does not surprise the CSA
- The CSA
- Keeps Board fully informed
- Implements Boards policies
- Recognizes Board as final authority
- CSA does not surprise the Board
- Together plan activities such as Strategic Planning
- Board Committees
- Board organized into committees
- Committees report back to the Board
- Committees can make recommendations to Board
- Budget Development
- The budget is developed based upon the amount of money we get from our feeding districts as determined by the Department of Education (unlike local districts who receive money based on taxes)
- Board approves budget
- Board monitors spending (Finance Committee)
The chart below shows the roles of the various components of Elysian’s management and describes how they maintain a balance in a healthy relationship with each other:
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| Elysian Girl's Basketball Team Wins Third Championship! They are fierce and undefeated! We are so proud!
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You're invited to see.... Something at the New Victory Theater
Wednesday, April 5, 4:30 Performance
New Victory Theater, New York City
"A stunning fusion of dance, circus and physical theatre"Something aerial. Something funny. Something beautiful. A troupe of seven skilled acrobats fuses circus, dance, physical theater and clowning into a singular, captivating performance that appears comically effortless. From reading a book to playing a game of poker, these inventive performers create silly, surreal scenes out of everyday ordinary acts. This show has something for everyone! From Milan Italy _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ SOMETHING Please note: - Wednesday, April 5 – the day of the trip - is a half day of school at Elysian.
- There is a pre-circus workshop on Tuesday, April 4, 3:15 – 4:15 (with New Vic teaching artists) for those who attend the April 5 performance the following day.
Everyone’s invited! If you want tickets – and you will be travelling with your child, phone Lynne Shapiro or shoot her an email: lynne.shapiro@ecsnj.org.
If your child attends After School, you will need to complete this form to have/him or her go to the theater with the After School Program.
I give permission for my child, ______________________________________, to attend SOMETHING on Wednesday, April 5 at the New Victory Theater. I understand that he/she will be travelling to and from the theater by public bus with the After School staff.
_________________________________________________________________________
Parent signature Date
______ My child will attend both the April 4 workshop and the April 5th
performance in New York.
______My child will attend the performance only, on April 5th (in New York)
_______Attached is the $20 fee. (Cash or check only.)
_______I need help. Attached is:________________
_______I can help. Attached is an extra: ____________________
SEE FRANCINE FOR A COPY OF THE PERMISSION SLIP.
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Friends of Elysian Update
It was sweaty but generous group that came out to support Elysian at Local Barre this weekend! Thank you to everyone who participated in this fundraiser, which raised $450 for the Campaign For Elysian! Also, a special nod to Elysian parent Amy Whelton who coordinated the event. (You rock, Amy!) And of course we want to extend our appreciation to our Hoboken neighbor Local Barre for their support of Elysian. Thank you very much!
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| AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT CLUBS
Monday Clubs: March 27
Tuesday Clubs: March 28
Wednesday Clubs: Chess will continue to run through May 10 (this is a 14 week club)
Thursday Clubs: March 30
Creative Clay will also meet on April 6th (makeup class)
Friday Clubs: Beginning Jewelry Making will end on March 31
The Spring Session of clubs will being the week of April 24 and run through the end of school. If you have questions, or would like more information, please email pam.clubs@ecsnj.org. Thanks!!
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| Lunchtime and at Dismissal This Week: 5th Grade Grilled Cheese Fundraiser
Thursday, March 30 (grades K-3) and Friday, March 31 (grades 4 - 8)
We are selling Grilled Cheese to raise money for our Mystic, CT trip. These tasty treats, prepared and grilled up by our very own 5th grade students, will be available for the low, low cost of $2 per sandwich. We’re selling these tasty treats at lunchtime for grades K-3 on Thursday, March 30th and then at lunchtime for grades 4-8 on Friday, March 31st. Sandwiches will also be available for purchase on BOTH days at dismissal. Please help us out and buy some grilled cheese awesomeness!
Thanks, John & Cristina
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PTSO Corner
iGIVE MONEY-MAKER - Every new member who joins iGive and makes their first purchase by March 31st earns a $5 Bonus for Elysian! All you have to do is click on this link to join: https://www.iGive.com/ElysianCharter For those who are already members, join our recruiting efforts!
And don't forget about Box Tops (box on Deb's desk in the office!) and our AmazonSmile and Shutterfly no-brainer money-makers!
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Next at Mile SquareTheater! Mile Square Theatre, Hudson County’s leading professional theatre, presents Harold Pinter’s Betrayal. Darkly humorous and charged with emotion, Betrayal explores marriage and infidelity among the entangled trio of Robert, Emma, and Jerry. Robert and Jerry are best friends and partners in a publishing firm. But an affair between Emma (Robert’s wife) and Jerry creates a tense world of deception and mistrust. Famous for its structured timeline reversal, Betrayal cinematically unravels the plot, ingeniously using dramatic irony to build tension. Betrayal is directed by Elysian parent Chris O’Connor. We encourage you to support the arts and see this play. Special Curtains and Cocktails Opening Night fundraiser: March 30 Performance run: March 30-April 23
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| ELYSIAN SUMMER CAMP 2017 Does the thought of figuring out your child's summer camp plans each year put you in a state of anxiety? Is your child destined to sit in front of video games all summer because the thought of 2 hours a day on a camp bus isn't very appealing? Well, we have the answer.... The Elysian Charter Day Camp!! - The camp will be open to Elysian children entering kindergarten (Fall 2017) through current 5th grade.
- Daily activities will include science, arts & crafts, sports, woodworking, field trips and much more.
- The camp staff will be Elysian employees.
- For our inaugural summer, there will be 2 one week sessions -- the weeks of July 31st and August 7th. You can sign up for one or both weeks.
The camp is being organized by John Rutledge (renowned 5th grade teacher and everyone's favorite Mystic tour guide!) and Pam Gorode (enrichment club organizer and Assistant Business Manager).
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| Elysian Collects Box Tops and LABELS for Education: Look for the container near Deb's desk in the office! Thank you!
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As per state law, we no longer publish the exact location of trips for security reasons.
Please read the calendar weekly, as changes are updated regularly. MARCH CALENDAR Monday, March 27- Board of Trustees Meeting
Thursday, March 30- Grilled cheese fundraiser for students, K- 3, lunchtime
Friday, March 31 Grilled cheese fundraiser for students grades 4-8, lunchtime. APRIL CALENDAR Monday, April 3 - Friday, April 7- Parent Conferences
Tuesday, April 4
- After SchoolCircus Workshop with New Victory Theater visiting artists, 3:15 - 4:15 PM. For students attending Wednesday's performance of SOMETHING. See newsletter above for details
Wednesday, April 5- Half day of school for conferences, 12:30 dismissal. After School Program available as usual.
- After School Program trip to 4:30 performance of SOMETHING at The New Vic in NY. Students who attend this performance must be enrolled in Elysian's After School Program and have a signed permission slip.
- Tickets to SOMETHING are available for non-after school students who travel to and from theater with families and friends. Email Lynne.shapiro@ecsnj.org to arrange tickets (no permission slip necessary for children travelling with families). Everyone is invited to Tuesday, April 4th workshop. See April 4 for workshop info.
Monday, April 10 - Friday, April14 Elysian closed for Spring Break.
Friday, April 28- 6th grade trip, 7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
- 8th grade trip
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| Please make note of the following calendar changes:
1. May 19—the Community Meeting will be the 6th grade concert and will begin at 9:00 AM
2. The June 9th Community Meeting is changed to June 16th
3. On June 9th there will be the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade concert which will begin at 9:00 AM
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1460 Garden Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Harry Laub, Ph.D., Director
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harry.laub@ecsnj.org
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Phone:201.876.0102
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Fax:201.876.9576
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