☔April showers bring…much learning and fun at Nishuane!🌈
Throughout this week, we began our school wide celebration of Neurodiversity and Autism Acceptance Month. Each day featured a special theme that actively engaged our learners in celebration and meaningful conversations focused on neurodivergence. On Monday, our entire school community participated in a lesson that guided learners in defining neurodiversity and neurodivergence. Students were also introduced to and created their own infinity symbol. Collectively, these infinity symbols are at the center of a beautiful bulletin board titled “Be Happy in Your Own Shell.” We also read the text Just Ask by Sonia Sotomayor. A big thank you to Tara Wentzell, Denise Kolenovic, and all the staff members that facilitated this month’s beautiful celebration!
We also kicked off the first week of April with a virtual visit to all of our students from children's author Valerie Bolling! Ms. Bolling shared BING, BOP, BAM: TIME TO JAM, LET’S DANCE, and part one of RAINBOW DAYS. The children shared many thoughtful questions and expressed how cool it was to see an actual author! A big thank you to Alliah Agostini Livingstone and Laura Schrager for organizing this wonderful literacy experience for our students. We will be adding many of these books to our school library. Talk with your child to see which book they enjoyed. Check out these titles the next time that you are in the local library or a bookstore to add these very vibrant stories children can relate to in your library at home.
This week we also focused on sharing Arab countries as we partake in our celebration of Arab American Heritage Month. We are gearing up for our virtual visit next week to learn more about Arab American culture from the Arab American National Museum. Additionally, you will want to check your child’s backpack for the Arab American Heritage Month handout that was sent home today! The handout provides an overview of the curated book list, map of Arab countries, videos from the Arab American National Museum, and the directions for the Arab American Heritage enrichment activity due on April 19th. Through this activity, students will select a country from the map, create the flag, and with help from a grown-up share one fact they learned about the country. These wonderful projects will be displayed on our Arab American Heritage Month bulletin board for all to see!
As a reminder, school will be closed for Spring Recess from Monday, April 8th through Friday, April 12th. School will reopen on Monday, April 15th. We wish all families a very happy and relaxing Spring Recess next week! Enjoy!
The district will also be closed on Wednesday, April 10th in observance of Eid al-Fitr. We wish all families celebrating a very happy Eid al-Fitr!
🎉National Assistant Principal & Paraprofessional Appreciation Day🎉
This week we celebrated National Assistant Principal Week and Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. Please join us in extending a very special THANK YOU to Assistant Principal Brenda Coe and all our amazing paraprofessionals for going above-and-beyond each day to serve our learners and school community. We greatly appreciate all that you do! THANK YOU!!!
Important Nishuane School Arrival & Dismissal Safety Reminders!
● Please remain mindful to maintain the flow of traffic, particularly when traveling down Cedar Avenue and/or when making a left onto High Street after dropping off your child(ren) on the car line.
● Please remain mindful of pedestrians and the crosswalk at all times.
● It is strongly recommended not to park on both sides of Cedar Avenue. You are strongly encouraged not to park across from the car line on Cedar Avenue. Parking on the opposite side poses a safety hazard and disrupts the flow of the car line.
● Families are encouraged to use the carline during drop off as a safe option.
● Always stop when you see a bus stop sign.
● If crossing Cedar Avenue, please always use the crosswalk. As a reminder, the crosswalk must be used to ensure that you are legally crossing the street. Not using the crosswalk poses a major safety hazard.
● K turns cannot be made on Cedar Avenue when the car line is underway.
● Only allow your chil(dren) to exit your vehicle on the right passenger side of your vehicle directly onto the sidewalk in front of Nishuane. Similarly, only allow your child(ren) to exit your vehicle directly onto the sidewalk when dropping off on High Street for the YMCA before and after care program. When buses are not present, it is strongly encouraged to drop off on the side of the street closest to the school building.
● Do not block driveways.
● Please do not park in the staff parking lots as spaces are needed for staff to park. Please also do not block the entrance to the staff parking lot on High Street.
● Carefully monitor your vehicle speed at all times.
● Cones are set up each morning along the curb of Cedar Avenue across from Nishuane. These cones help to prevent parking/stopping in critical areas and maintain the flow of traffic.
*The Montclair Police Department enforces all traffic laws pertaining to buses and traffic. The Montclair Police Department will support with monitoring the car line, as well as to ensure that everyone is legally parking and crossing Cedar Avenue.
Lost and Found Spring Cleaning
Our Lost & Found is becoming quite full and is in much need of a good spring cleaning! Beginning in late-April we will donate all unclaimed items. We encourage students and families to visit the Lost & Found prior to this time. The Lost & Found containers are set up between the custodian’s office and the art room in the basement. Items that children have misplaced are placed in the containers/on the table. Your children are welcome to check the containers/table for lost items after school until 4:30 pm.
Aesthetics Requests
Hello Kindergarten and First Grade Families,
It is almost time to pick Aesthetics Courses for your child(ren) for the 2024-2025 school year!
We will open up Genesis for the Aesthetics requests from Wednesday, April 24th through Friday, May 17th. Scheduling of these classes will take place over the summer.
We will be holding a Parent/Caregiver Information Session about the Aesthetics requests process via Zoom on Wednesday, April 17th at 6:30 pm to go over how the process will work this year.
*Course information is on our website at: https://nishuane.montclair.k12.nj.us/academics/c_i_aesthetics
*Registration Information and an FAQ are posted on our website at:
https://nishuane.montclair.k12.nj.us/academics/c_i_aesthetics/c_i___aesthetics_registration_2022-2023
April 17th Zoom Info - Aesthetics
Topic: Nishuane Aesthetics Registration
Time: Apr 17, 2024 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Zoom Link: https://mpsdnj.zoom.us/j/7388709487
Meeting ID: 738 870 9487
Passcode: nish
Pennies for Pages & Literacy Night
“Pennies for Pages,” Nishuane School’s literacy outreach project in which students will read and raise funds for the Montclair Public Library, is underway! Pennies for Pages began on Monday, March 4th and will end on Friday, May 17th. Please click here for the family letter that was sent to families.
Nishuane Visitor Form & Protocols
● Please click here to review Nishuane’s visitor protocols. Visitors must complete the visitor form prior to a visit.
○ Please remember that visitors must report only to the location of the building that was indicated on the visitor form. Visitors may not visit other locations in the building. Thank you for your support with this important safety measure!
○ Please wear a visitor’s badge for the duration of your visit. The visitor’s badge must be visible at all times.
○ Please do not prop doors open under any circumstance.
○ Please do not hold open the door for anyone behind you when entering or exiting the building.
Nishuane Instagram
Nishuane is on Instagram! Follow us @nishschool for a peek into the learning and fun we have in our community. Our account is private for everyone's safety. When requesting to follow us, please send a message with your child's name and we will accept you.
Spirit Wear Fridays
Every Friday at Nishuane is School Spirit Day! On Fridays students may participate by wearing blue and white, as well as Nishuane spirit wear. Spirit wear is available for purchase through our PTA.
Nurse’s Notes
Please see the below reminders from Nurse Anne Ndungu
(Phone: 973-509-4236 or E-mail: [email protected]):
Friendly Reminders from the Health Office:
*****Please click here for a spring update from Nurse Anne Ndungu!*****