Randolphville Review
Randolphville School Newsletter October 2016
Visit us at: www.piscatawayschools.org
It is my distinct privilege and pleasure to welcome students, families, and staff to our 16-17 school year!
Similar to last school year (15-16), the objective of “Slivko’s Shout Outs” is to recognize members of the
Randolphville Family who have regularly gone above and beyond in their shared mission to both educate
our students and cultivate a warm, nurturing and safe environment. There is so much time that our
community gives in addition to their “regular” schedules. This goes a very long way to ensuring student
success here at Randolphville. As such, I want to again dedicate this time and space in our monthly
newsletter to “shout out” and thank individual members of our school community for their hard work and
dedication as displayed throughout the month.
At this crucial time of year, as we begin to get into the flow and routines here at Randolphville, it is
important to recognize all of the hard work and dedication that goes into making the school year begin on
a successful and safe note. To this regard, it is exceedingly difficult to single-out specific individuals for
their hard work. Indeed, the hard work, extra hours, attention to detail, and unceasing efforts needed to
start the year on the “right foot” is truly an all-around group effort.
Therefore, please accept this “Shout Out” to all of our teachers, staff, and community members who have
worked so hard to establish our routines, work with our students, and assist wherever needed in putting
our students’ needs first. Without this emphasis on teamwork and shared/proactive accountability this
time of the year would be an insurmountable challenge, and I am grateful for everyone’s assistance and
dedication.
Dr. Avi Slivko
Principal
Parents: Kindly note that you can follow Piscataway Schools via Twitter (@pwayschools) and Facebook
(Piscataway Schools). These communication venues can be accessed on the district homepage. By following us on
these social media sites, you can get a better glimpse into what is happening every day in our schools, as well as
receive announcements about programs, events and information such as school closings.
Randolphville School Contact Information
Phone 732-699-1573
Fax 732-699-1985
Dr. Avi Slivko, Principal [email protected]
Mrs. Jennifer Sernotti, Acting Assistant Principal [email protected]
Mrs. Lisa Kabus, Secretary ext. 5950 [email protected]
Mrs. Stephanie Burk, Clerk ext. 5975 [email protected]
Mrs. Evangeline Marzan, Nurse ext. 5953 [email protected]
A Minute with Acting Assistant Principal, Mrs. Sernotti
Dear Randolphville Family,
Welcome back to the 2016-2017 school year! I hope
that your summer was filled with new experiences and
quality time with family and friends. I’m happy to be
working as Acting Assistant Principal while Mrs. Messina
is on maternity leave. I am so excited to serve in this
new role in the school that I love.
Many of you know me as the music teacher at
Randolphville, where I have taught for the past 12
years. In addition, I have also held supervisory roles
with Piscataway Community Education in After Care and
Summer Camp. I received my Masters of Education with
Principal and Supervisor certification in 2012 from The
College of New Jersey. This year I was selected as a New
Jersey Department of Education Achievement Coach
and work to develop teacher practice and teacher
leadership.
We call ourselves the Randolphville Family here, and for
good reason. We all strive to provide a safe, nurturing
and welcoming environment for all of our students and
their families. In addition to providing an academically
rigorous curriculum across grade levels and content
areas, we continue our commitment to developing
character traits such as fairness, respect and
responsibility.
I am always available for any questions, concerns or
suggestions. Randolphville is a great place to be. We
welcome all, embrace each and hope you find
yourselves better for having been here. I know I have.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Jen Sernotti
Acting Assistant Principal
From the Secretary’s Desk
Happy Fall Y’all!! Once again, I’d like to welcome our new families to
Randolphville School and say welcome back to our
returning families. I hope everyone has settled in to the
new school year.
As I mentioned at Back to School Night, communication
is key. Please inform us of any changes – updated phone
numbers, emergency contacts or changes in dismissal
plans. The safety of your children is our top priority.
Also, please be sure to notify us if your child is going to
be absent from school by leaving a message on the
attendance line. When your child returns, please be sure
to send in a note (parent or doctor) letting us know why
your child was absent. Please familiarize yourself with
the attendance policy. It can be found on our website
under the Parent Center tab, then Student Handbook. In
addition, if you will be traveling, please reach out as well
so the proper paper work is completed.
The Lost and Found has quite a few items in it already.
If your child is missing anything, please feel free to come
in and take a look. To guarantee lost items are returned
to your child, please be sure to label all items (lunch
bags, coats, etc.) with your child’s name on it.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach
out.
Thank you,
Lisa Kabus
Secretary
Reading Tips from Room 28 (Mrs. Cunningham, M. Ed. & Mrs. Ritchie-Ruta, M. Ed.)
Please be on the lookout for easy, yet effective
ways for you to support your child’s reading
development at home.
Good readers are active readers. When your child has
a difficult time understanding what he or she reads,
you can help. Here is a strategy to try:
Ask questions.
Asking questions will make your child want to look for
clues in the text. Pose questions that will spark your
child’s curiosity as you read aloud. Be sure to ask your
child, “What are you wondering?” Write down those
“wonderings”, and see how they turn out. Remind your
child that good readers challenge what they are
reading by asking questions. Good readers generate
questions before, during, and after reading to clarify
meaning, make predictions, and focus their attention
on what’s important.
Osewalt, Ginny. 6 Tips for Helping Your Child Improve Reading
Comprehension
Health & Physical Education News
Happy Fall & welcome back to all students and families! Throughout the month of September, students have been learning about boundaries, personal space, and general rules in the gym. They have had a blast playing team-building games and are looking forward to learning soccer skills. Please be reminded that students must wear sneakers to participate in all activities. Also, as it cools down slightly, we may have class outdoors so a sweatshirt or light jacket may come in handy! Mrs. Moore
Mrs. Moore
Show your spirit on Fridays during Randolphville Spirit Days!
October 7th – Pink Pride October 14th – Hat Day
October 21st – Randolphville Pride October 28th – Black and Orange Pride
Please look for our Randolphville PTO Facebook page
and “follow” it to keep updated on our school!
Attendance
If your child is going to be absent, please be sure to call the attendance line at 732-699-1573 option 2 before 9:30AM. Please speak slowly and clearly. Give your child’s name, teacher’s name and the reason your child will be out. When your child returns to school, please send in a note stating why your child was absent.
Mrs. Sernotti is the recipient of a 2016 Inspire Grant
from the Piscataway Education Foundation! The
Piscataway Education Foundation is a non-profit
corporation that is committed to establishing and
maintaining a positive relationship between the
Piscataway Township School District, and the business,
residential, and academic communities of Piscataway
Township. Mrs. Sernotti’s grant, “Community
Connectivity” was awarded to develop stronger
community connections through technology, including
live streamed morning announcements and school
events.
Look for more information coming home soon!
Congratulations, Mrs. Sernotti!!!
PTO General
Membership Meeting
Monday, October 10th
at 6PM in the Library
Babysitting will be provided
for our students
Thank you to all the families who had a part in this
year’s Walk-a-Thon!! Thank you for your donations and
for volunteering your time.
A big thank you to Mr. Peterson and Rutgers University
for donating the cups for our thirsty walkers!!
A big thumbs up to Mrs. Moore for always being the
backbone to this fun event. We couldn’t have done it
without you!!
It’s all about teamwork. We are off to a great start this
year!!
“Many hands make light work.”
PTO BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR
WE NEED YOU!!!
We are looking for volunteers to keep making our school GREAT!!! There are PTO board positions vacant
for this school year. If you are interested in helping out – in any way – please attend the next PTO meeting
on Monday, October 10th at 6PM in the Media Center.
¡Hola! ¡Bienvenidos a la clase de Español! Welcome to Spanish class!
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome your child to Spanish this year. My name
is Sra. Vasiliadis. It is with great pleasure that I am teaching your child Spanish this year
making it a fun and meaningful experience for him/her. Besides learning Spanish in class
the students are learning about Hispanic Heritage Month. Here is some information on
what Hispanic Heritage Month is.
In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National
Hispanic Heritage Week. The observance was expanded in 1989 to a month long celebration
(September 15th - October 15th).
America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their roots to
Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the
Caribbean. September 15th was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it
is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate
their independence days on September 16th and September 18th respectively. Don’t forget
to ask your child what they learned about Hispanic Heritage Month!
Learn some Spanish with your Child
Ask your child to teach you the following in Spanish,
and look for more expressions in the next newsletter.
¡Hola! ¿Cómo te llamas? Hello! What’s your name?
Me llamo ____________. My name is ___________.
Room 9 Happenings
The students in Mrs. Pish’s first grade class began the new school year by studying the life cycle of Monarch
Butterflies. Thanks to Mrs. Erikson, who found the caterpillars and eggs in her garden, the children were able to
observe the cycles from egg to caterpillar, to chrysalis, to emerging butterflies.
How excited the children were when we released “Richard” and “LaLa” who are now off to Mexico!
This month, we will be kicking off our school wide Pillars of Character Program. Throughout the year,
Randolphville students will learn about the six pillars of character (respect, responsibility, fairness,
citizenship, caring, and trustworthiness) and will be encouraged to practice each trait.
For the month of October, we will be focusing on being respectful Randolphville raccoons. We will be
celebrating the Week of Respect (October 4-October 7) and School Violence Awareness Week (October
17-21) by having assemblies, morning announcements about respect, and various other activities. At the end
of the month, teachers will nominate students who are exceptionally respectful and those students will be
recognized by the school community.
We are looking forward to building great character this year!
This summer was my 4th year volunteering with a non-profit organization called Uplift Humanity India. This
amazing organization aims to end the cycle of juvenile recidivism which is the cyclical rate at which a juvenile is
released from a detention facility, commits another crime, and is then sentenced to another term at the facility. In
July, I accompanied 30 high school age students on a 3 week mission to India to do our part in ending this cycle.
During those 3 weeks, we worked at a juvenile detention facility where our high school students taught juveniles
lessons in character education. These lessons, from a curriculum I wrote for the organization, were taught in hopes
that they will use what they learn to help them make positive, healthy life choices in the future. We used read-
alouds, games, and crafts to teach various life skills such as attitude management, anger management, conflict
resolution, sharing, and bullying. The whole experience has been life changing not only for the children we work
with in India, but also for myself and the high school students who donate their time to help make a difference in
the world. We went to India to teach them about life, and left having learned so many lessons of our own. They
say: "The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others" - Mahatma Gandhi, and it is through
this life changing experience that I HAVE found myself.
Ms. Rajvi Kamdar
Second Grade Teacher
What your teachers do when they aren’t at school
Multicultural Day will take place on October 19th. Students are encouraged to wear their countries
traditional clothing to school.
In celebration of this day, there will be a Flag Contest for all third grade students.
Rules and regulation information was sent home by their homeroom teachers.
The winning flag design will be chosen by the Multicultural Day Committee and
the building Art Teachers.
Good luck third graders!! Be creative and have fun!!
Multicultural Day Committee
Schoolstore.com Fundraiser
This fundraiser is an exciting one for all - teachers, kids and you!!
When you share this opportunity by sending emails to family and friends, your child has an opportunity to win
prizes and everyone gets the chance to shop at participating stores like Kohl’s, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, Sears
and BestBuy. You also have an opportunity to purchase Caring for the Classroom gift cards which allows
teachers the opportunity to buy materials and games for their classrooms!! Last but not least, the golden ticket in
every envelope allows parents the opportunity to win $100.00!
Everybody is a winner with this fundraiser!! So don’t forget to send out those emails!!
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
2
3
No School
4 5
Walk your
Child to
School Day
8:15AM
Byrne Park
6 7
Spirit Day
Pink Pride
Walk-a-Thon (Rain or Shine)
8
9 10
PTO Meeting
6PM
Media Center
11 12
No School
13 14
Spirit Day
Hat Day
15
16 17 18
1:20PM
Dismissal
Teacher
Inservice
Day
19
National
Multicultural
Diversity Day
20 21 Spirit Day
Randolphville
Pride
Fall Festival &
Family Book
Fair
4PM –
5:30PM
22
23
24 25 26 27 28
Spirit Day
Black &
Orange Day
29
30 31
Halloween
Parade
1:30PM
Randolphville School
October 2016
*** Fall Book Fair *** *** Fall Book Fair ***