Dear Parents and Guardians,
We made it to the winter break! Ordinarily, this would not be remarkable but this year I feel it's cause for celebration. Thanks to everyone's diligence, we have made hybrid teaching and learning work for Boonton Township students with a minimum of interruptions.
I think we can all agree that we need this break from school and schedules. I hope that everyone is able to have happy holidays, lots of down time for resting and merry making and that safety remains a top priority. As of this writing, school will reopen on January 4 and we look forward to the new year with new energy and a positive outlook on the future!
The winter months stretch ahead with fewer opportunities to get outside and more limitations, this year, on what we're able to do. Our colleagues in the Parsippany Schools have created a collection of fun learning activities you can explore at home with PreK - 8th grade students. You can find a document under the parent tab with instructions and links for everything from science and STEM activities to reading, music and art. Look through the booklet and pick out a few activities you can all do together (or parent tip: gather up some supplies ahead of time for some of these suggestions and be ready for when "there's nothing to do.") As this booklet shows, there's always something to do! Enjoy exploring and learning!
Here are some points to keep in mind as we head into the new year:
1. There will be state testing this year in grades 3-8 sometime in the spring. Stay tuned for dates and details.
2 We will continue our efforts to infuse opportunities for anti-bias education across the curriculum.
3. We can keep school open as long as we're all vigilant; you know what to do (and what not to do)!
And finally, as you may have already heard, Mr. Cocca who has taught math to RVS middle school students since 2014 is retiring on January 11. We wish him all the best with the next chapter in his life and thank him for his service at Rockaway Valley School. We will let you know staffing updates in January.
I want to sincerely thank everyone in our school community for being the team players that you are. I appreciate the choices you've been making to keep your families safe even when it means giving up some of the things that are normal and traditional for you. I know how hard this is and how extraordinary this year has been for all. Now that the end of 2020 is clearly in sight, we can now look forward to the new year and being able to begin to see the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel." Know that we will continually evaluate how best to meet the needs of our students and staff with safety as our first priority.
While this year has been anything but traditional, we have so much for which to be thankful. I wish each and every member of our Falcon family the best for a wonderful break and look forward to continuing to work together as a school community dedicated to the academic, social and emotional well-being of all of our students!
Happy New Year!
Christian Angelillo, Ed.D.