Birthday Celebrations
Please contact your child's teacher to make arrangements to celebrate your child's birthday. In accordance with new Montclair Public Schools Food Guidelines (attached to the back of the Handbook), no food is allowed for birthday parties, other individual student celebrations, or to be used as student rewards. You may choose to read a favorite story, plan a craft or bring in a small treat such as a pencil or stickers for students. You can plan in coordination with your child's teacher.
In addition, please note that birthday party invitations cannot be distributed in school unless each child from the class is being invited and all invitations are provided to the classroom teacher at the same time to ensure this.
Dogs
Dogs are NOT allowed on school property. The exception is allowed for "visitors" who come to our Paws and Claws classes given special permission.
Dress Code
Nishuane School does not have a dress code, but we do ask parents to consider their children's safety and comfort when selecting school clothes. Play clothes are recommended, including sneakers or other rubber-soled shoes. Please avoid flip-flops, crocs, and other backless shoes. Keep in mind your child's physical education and art schedule in selecting the day's attire.
Emergency Contact Information
Please be sure to complete (and update accordingly) your correct contact information on the Genesis portal. It is critical that you provide us with a working phone number so that we may reach you in the event of an emergency.
Field Trips
Part of the Nishuane experience is to provide enrichment through field trips. A few weeks before a class field trip, parents will receive a permission slip and notice of any admission or bus fees. Lunches from home must be packed in a paper bag marked with the child's name (no lunch boxes) and may not include a thermos, soda cans or glass bottles. Parents chaperoning on field trips are discouraged from bringing siblings or other family members.
Lost and Found
There are containers set up between the custodian's office and the art rooms in the basement. Items that children have misplaced are placed in the containers. You and your children are welcome to check the containers for lost items.
PLEASE NOTE: The Montclair Board of Education will not be responsible for cell phones, IPods, or other valuable items that are brought to school and are lost or stolen.
Lunch Program
The lunch program is run by Pomptonian Food Services in each school. Emails re: the lunch program may be sent to [email protected].
Students may either bring a lunch from home or purchase a lunch at school. All students eat in the cafeteria. School menus are posted on the district website.
There are "peanut free" tables in the cafeteria. Students who have an Individual Health Plan developed with the nurse will be seated here. Children may invite friends to join them who do not have any nut items in their lunches. Students are constantly reminded not to share food-please reinforce this at home.
Photo Consent/Web Consent
Please be sure to complete the information regarding parental consent for use of students' photos for media and web use on the Genesis portal. https://parent.montclair.k12.nj.us/genesis/parents?gohome=true
Recess
We believe in the importance of movement for child development and learning. As such, there are multiple opportunities for children to move throughout the learning day. Teachers facilitate different exercises or movement activities for periods of time, including some fun movements with Go Noodle! In addition, many of our CI and Aesthetic classes are movement based. Kindergarten classes are scheduled for 30 minutes of additional movement daily when not participating in Aesthetics.
All students have a scheduled twenty-five minute daily recess period. The children will go outside even during the winter months, so please send your child dressed for winter weather.
The times that we will have inside recess are under the following conditions: ·
- Real feel temperature is below 28 degrees ·
- Precipitation ·
- High winds ·
- Icy or messy surface conditions
Even during indoor recess days, recess supervisors facilitate movement activities in combination with student directed activities. Recess is not taken away as a consequence for behavior decisions. A child may have a "quiet lunch (eating time)" as per our Code of Conduct, but will be included in the recess/movement time listed above.
Registration
Any eligible child shall be admitted to the Kindergarten provided:
- The child will have attained the age of five years on or before Oct. 1 of that school year;
- Proof shall be furnished of immunization against the communicable diseases at the time of enrollment or such immunization shall be completed within 30 days from entry into the school, or the pupil is exempted from immunization in accordance with policy.
- The child shall have been examined by either the school or a private physician, and the results shall be furnished to the school on the form provided.
- Pupils transferring into the district are expected to present copies of records from the previously attended school (or district) to aid in placement. Also required are proof of immunization and proof of identity.
- Initial placement shall be made on the basis of the records, but adjustments may be made at the discretion of the administration when assessment indicates that such adjustments would be beneficial to the child. Parents/guardians shall be informed of this policy on registration.
Residency Hotline: (973) 509-4128
Those with questions or concerns regarding non-residency of students may call the above listed hotline number. All reports may be made anonymously and will be kept strictly confidential. Callers do not have to identify themselves when leaving a message.
Snacks
Since the school day is long and children need to refuel, the classroom teachers allow for snack time as part of the instructional day. As per the MPS Food Guidelines, all snacks must be tree nut and peanut free. Please make sure that you provide your child with a healthy choice, which can include: fruits, veggies, whole grain crackers, pretzels, yogurt, cheese/ hard-boiled eggs, low-fat muffins, icing-free animal crackers, granola bars, water.
*See MPS Food Guidelines at the end of this handbook for USDA Smart Snack Standards.