MONTCLAIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
87 MT. HEBRON ROAD ~ MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY 07043
WWW.MONTCLAIR.K12.NJ.US
NAOMI KIRKMAN
PRINCIPAL
Bradford School News
September 13, 2019
"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without all the words - and never stops at all." - Emily Dickinson
Notice 1: Please see the attached 2019-20 AHERA Letter.
Notice 2: Please pull all the way up in the cut-out on College Ave. for morning drop-off. Do not park your car in the cut-out! Remember that College Ave. is one way going north during morning drop-off.
Follow us on Twitter @BradfordSchool to receive daily photos and updates about school!
Corrections
• The New Families Coffee/Kindergarten Orientation has been changed to Oct. 4th at 9:00 a.m.
• Child Study Team case managers for students with IEPs are as follows: Sharon LaBate is case manager for Grades 1 and 4. Tiffany Buffa is case manager for Grades K, 2, and 5. Arianna Spatidol is case manager for Grade 3. You can contact the Child Study Team at (973) 509-4154 if you have any questions about your child’s IEP or special education program. Please keep in mind that the case managers are only at Bradford part-time.
Back to School Night
• Mark your calendars! Back to School Night is Wednesday, Sept. 18th, at 7:00 p.m. It is important for you to attend to meet your child’s teacher and hear about the curriculum and classroom routines. If transportation or childcare is an issue that evening, please reach out to Ms. Kirkman confidentially so that we can help.
Free/Reduced Lunch Application – You must reapply every year!
• The online free/reduced application is currently available to parents on the district website (click “Food Service” under the “Parents” section) or click here. A new application MUST be completed every year for a student to continue to receive either free or reduced lunch. Your application status from last year only carries over until October 21st. If a new application is not on file by then, the student’s account will be changed to full pay meals.
Family Movie Night
• Join us for the first PTA family event of the year...Family Movie Night! We are so excited to be showing Disney's ALADDIN (2019 Live action adaptation) on Friday, September 20th at 6:30 p.m. on the Bradford field (gym if raining). This is a fun, family activity for all grades/ages and a perfect way to kick off the school year! Admission is free; concessions and pizza will be on sale. Please bring folding chairs or lawn blankets if you can. We look forward to seeing you there! Please sign up to help that night here.
After-School Enrichment (ASE)
• After-School Enrichment (ASE) sign up has begun! ASE classes meet once a week for eight weeks on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday and Fridays (3:15 to 4:15 p.m.) at Bradford (beginning immediately after the school day ends) and will begin on September 23rd. Choose from classes in STEM, music, dance, sports and more for all grades. Check out the brochure for more details on the classes and enrollment procedures, and click here to enroll. If you have any questions, contact Megan McGrath.
Kindergarten Parents
• Kindergarten parents may walk their children to class until Friday, Sept. 20th. We’ll have plenty of staff in place in the hallways after that to ensure that students reach their destination safely.
Kindergarten and First Grade Lunch
• Starting Sept. 18th, parents of students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 may join their child for lunch in the lunchroom every Wednesday. Kindergarten lunch is from 11:10-11:35, and first grade lunch is from 11:35-12:00. Please sign in and out at the office (and you must leave your driver’s license or other form of identification). No siblings are allowed, as the lunchroom is very crowded. Please do not walk your child back to their classroom after lunch so that we may help our students stick to their regular routines.
School Safety
• Student safety is our top priority. Visitors can only enter through the front door on Mt. Hebron Rd. You will be asked to state your name and reason for the visit before being buzzed in; sometimes we ask a series of questions to verify identity and the visit’s purpose. You must come to the office to sign in and you must leave a picture i.d. with the secretary. You also must wear a visitor's badge at all times. No doors are to be left open during the day, and we discourage anyone from holding the door for someone else behind them. Adults in the building after school hours must wear an i.d. badge. All security procedures are reviewed in depth with after-care and after-school enrichment staff. We regularly practice lockdown, evacuation, and fire drills regularly, and teachers are experienced at reviewing drill protocols.
Student Council
• Student Council is an elected team of representatives in Grades 3-5. Members must demonstrate good citizenship and represent the Bradford CARES values through their positive behavior. Senora Grodner is the Student Council Advisor and leads the Council in seven or eight meetings per year to discuss school issues and develop plans for school-wide activities. Council members play an important leadership and service role in our school community. Your child (Grades 3-5 only) will bring information home soon on the process and criteria for running for office.
Dismissal Procedures
• If there is a change in your child’s usual dismissal routine, please send a note to the classroom teacher. This is preferable to calling the office. If you forget to send a note, we kindly request that you do not wait until dismissal time, as this is a very busy time for the office staff. Calls regarding changes in dismissal must be received before 2:30. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
School Spirit Days
• Fridays are “School Spirit Days,” at Bradford! Students are encouraged to wear either a Bradford or a favorite college/university shirt. Or just wear blue and yellow! Please encourage your child to show his or her school spirit every Friday.
Upcoming Dates
• Sept. 18th: Back-to-School Night 7:00 p.m.
• Sept. 20th: Family Movie Night 6:30 p.m.
• Sept. 20th: Last day to walk Kindergartners to classrooms
• Sept. 23rd: After-School Enrichment begins
• Sept. 30th: District Closed for Rosh Hashanah
• Oct. 2nd: International Walk-to-School Day and Healthy Breakfast for Kindergarten
• Oct. 3rd: Early (1:40) Dismissal for Curriculum Meetings
• Oct. 5th: Pancake Breakfast and Fall Book Fair begins
Have a great weekend!