Please join us at our annual “Artstanding” program held on the indoor and outdoor campus of Lounsberry Hollow School on Friday, May 19th, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, one of our largest community activities of the year.
This annual art festival is an event you and your family do not want to miss. “Artstanding” features student artwork, student performances, interactive opportunities, tie dye station, mural creation, drum circle, and food.
Food is for purchase, cash only, as well as other novelties. This fantastic night out is a free event, open to the public, designed to highlight the VTSD students’ work within the visual, performing, and practical arts from grades K-12. This program would not be possible without the generous support and a Pride Grant from the Vernon Township Education Association and the NJEA, as well as the support of the parents and guardians of the Executive School and Community Association. This festival, featuring music, visual art, theatrical productions, dancing, robotics, technology, culinary creations, virtual reality, and hands-on activities, is fun for the whole family. Don’t miss it!
Information From our Superintendent Mr. Rogers
March 24, 2023
Dear Vernon School Community,
As you know from previous correspondences and discussions at recent board meetings, Vernon is in a budget shortfall, losing $8.5 million in annual state aid over the past six years and over $6 million in grants and stabilization aid. This eventuated us to make very difficult decisions about our programs and overall instruction. Unfortunately, one of those decisions impacted many of our district faculty and staff members. Regretfully, we are writing to let you know that we spoke with many faculty and staff members yesterday to let them know they will not be with us for the 23-24 school year. Please note that affected faculty and staff will continue to work for the rest of the 22-23 school year. Below are the many questions that we have received from the community. We want to provide as many answers as possible.
Why weren’t parents notified first?
To show respect and dignity to faculty and staff who will no longer be with us at the close of the current school year, we needed to let the affected staff know first. An email was sent out before last week’s board of education meeting to inform the faculty and staff that if their employment status was affected by the cuts, they would be informed later the following week. At theMarch 16th board meeting, discussions occurred concerning our significant reduction in state aid and increased operating costs. As a result, we discussed that we would have to reduce faculty and staff and make reductions in all operational areas across the district. For details on the budget and state aid reductions, the March 16th board meeting can be viewed on the link above or at vtsd.com. Click on the Board of Education tab, and click on BOE Video Archive. HERE are the slides of the 23-24 Budget Presentation.
Why were teachers spoken to during school hours?
We understand how difficult this is for teachers and students; however, this had to take place during the teacher’s contracted school hours. Substitute teachers were in place to cover teachers’ classes if they could not return to their classrooms. Our goal was to ensure all staff members were notified on the same day if possible and began meeting with teachers at 7:00 AM, ending at 3:45 PM. We chose to begin on Thursday because we were uncertain if we could reach out to everyone during one day and wanted everyone to know before the weekend.
Why aren’t administrators being let go?
Faculty and staff cuts were made across all certified and non-certified areas, which include administrators, teachers, support staff, aides, secretarial staff, and custodial staff.
Are other staff or programs being cut?
Details regarding the overall 23-24 budget will be discussed at future board of education meetings. Our next Work Session meeting will be on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 7:00 pm, at Lounsberry Hollow School, and our next Public Session will be on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 7:00 pm, at Lounsberry Hollow School. HERE is the budget presentation.
Thank you for your continued understanding during these difficult times in the Vernon Township School District.
Sincerely,
Russell Rogers
Superintendent
School Board Appreciation Month and VTSD Student Achievements
Dear Vernon School Community,
This month NJ public schools celebrate Board Appreciation Month. This is a time when we pause and thank our Board of Education members for serving our schools and students. Board of Education members set the policies for our schools and make important decisions affecting curriculum, financing, and staffing. Our Board of Education is made of nine members and one Vernon Township High School Senior. Meet our Board members…
Kelly Mitchell- Board President
Justin Annunziata- Board Vice President
John Kraus
Adina Leuthner
Martin O’Donnell
Jennifer Pellet
Theresa Scura Coughlin
Joseph Sweeney
Ray Zimmerman
Colin Giesen- VTHS Student Representative
This month we also celebrate the young readers of our district that participated in the Mind Travelers Program. The Mind Travelers program encourages our students in preschool through grade five to read books, books that can take us to places that can give us clues about our world and characters to like or fear or admire and look up to. In each book, there are discoveries about the world and about ourselves. Our district celebrates the students that “got lost in books, as it’s a great place to be found”! The students listed below were recognized at the January 19, 2023, Board of Education meeting. Congratulations to all of our readers!
LH, 5thGrade – Tristan Talerico
LH, 5th Grade – Noah Ponsica
LH, 5th Grade – Caleb Ponsica
LH, 4th Grade – Jon Pandel
LH, 4th Grade – Jacob Oeters
RH, 3rd Grade – Joshua Cadou
RH, 3rd Grade – Lucas Vasilic
RH, 2nd Grade – Jayson Moore
RH, 2nd Grade – Brayden Handal
CM, 1st Grade – CaraMia Morley
CM, 1st Grade – Jasper Lukasik
CM, Kindergarten – Mason Hostler
CM, Kindergarten – Efetobo Alakpa
WR, Preschool – Patrick Murphy Flood
WR, Preschool – Panayiotis Portela
WR, Preschool – Afroditi Portela
WR, Preschool – Carter Montgomery
WR, Preschool – Harlow Kuhn
Congratulations to our Vernon Township High School students who competed at the NJ Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competition on January 21st, at Passaic County Technical School, under the direction of Mr. Matt Bergh. HOSA prepares future health professionals for the health industry. Many of our HOSA students also serve locally in our first aid squads, so while they are learning in school, they are also receiving practical, real-life, hands-on training in our community.
Juniors Avery Crafton and Sophie Van Den Broek received FIRST PLACE in the First Aid and CPR Skills category. Avery and Sophie are both volunteers at Vernon Ambulance squad.
Seniors Marissa Ajamian and Daniel Lovett were fifth-place green medal winners for EMT Skills. Marissa is a volunteer at the Vernon Ambulance Squad, and Dan is a volunteer at the Glenwood Pochuck Ambulance Squad. In addition to learning in school, Marissa and Daniel devoted many hours to training on their own to prepare for scenarios they would encounter at this competition.
Senior Aiden Lubeck finished sixth place in Pharmacology and is the HOSA President.
Senior Jessica Lefort finished 8th place in Sports Medicine and is the HOSA treasurer.
Here are some pictures of our students receiving their awards…
Lounsberry Hollow School 5th grade art students, under the direction of art teacher Mr. Erik Villanueva, created maps based on the idea of “self”. In this art project, students practiced many art forms. Each island surrounding their face island represents something about themselves. Students learned to create and center block letters. They learned about Photoshop and using filters. They learned about transfer methods, silhouettes, and symbols. Finally, students learned about mixed media, conceptual art, and deconstruction.
\
Speaking of art…SAVE THE DATE…VTSD’s annual Artstanding Program will be held on Friday, May 19th, at Lounsberry Hollow School. This program that features our fine, practical, and performing arts is under the direction of Mr. Villanueva and is partially being funded by a very generous Pride grant from the Vernon Township Education Association.
A few reminders…
We will have upcoming Early Dismissal Days on Wednesdays throughout the winter as follows
January 25, 2023
February 15, 2023
March 29, 2023
Marking Period 2 closes on January 30th
Vernon Township High School will have Early Dismissal Days the week of January 30th for mid-term exams
School will be closed on Monday, February 20th for President’s Day
Thank you for partnering with our schools, our teachers, and our administration!
Sincerely,
Rosemary Gebhardt
Assistant Superintendent
Happy Holidays from the Acting Superintendent and Acting Assistant Superintendent
Dear Vernon School Community:
As we enjoy the holiday season in our six schools through the eyes of your children, we would like to wish our Vernon School community a wonderful holiday season! We hope your family has a safe and enjoyable winter break, a time to spend time with family and re-energize as we prepare for the second half of our school year.
We have much to celebrate in our district as we continue our efforts in each classroom to meet the needs of our students. Congratulations again to our teachers across the district who have been chosen to represent their school as Teacher of the Year and Educational Services Professional of the Year as well as other award recipients. We will be celebrating all of our teachers in a ceremony at the April Public Board of Education meeting, where we will honor the many district-wide professionals who represent the best of the best in our schools. Congratulations again to:
Teacher of the Year…
Walnut Ridge School: Miss Allison Weber, Preschool Teacher
Cedar Mountain Primary School: Ms. Mary Ollert, Special Education Teacher
Rolling Hills Primary School: Mrs. Christina Weiss, Third Grade Teacher
Glen Meadow Middle School: Dr. Christopher Jensen, Eighth Grade Science Teacher
Vernon Township High School: Ms. Marianne Longchamp, English Teacher
Educational Services Professionals of the Year…
Walnut Ridge School: Mr. Nik Lasso, Technology Coach
Cedar Mountain Primary School: Mrs. Sherry Polhemus, CST Social Worker
Rolling Hills Primary School: Mrs. Jennifer Gallant, School Nurse
Lounsberry Hollow School: Mrs. Debbie Lisa, School Nurse
Glen Meadow Middle School: Mrs. Carol Gonzalez, School Nurse
Vernon Township High School: Mr. Ray Loughren, School Counselor
NJ Department of Education Exemplary Elementary Educators…
Mrs. Lois Battista, Math Interventionist, and Mrs. Maureen Sweeney, kindergarten teacher, both Cedar Mountain Primary School teachers
NJEA Frederick L Hipp Foundation for Excellence in Education…
Mrs. Lisa Hirkaler, Glen Meadow Middle School art teacher
District Educational Support Professional of the Year…
Mrs. Diane Alfonso, the Administrative Assistant to the Principal at Rolling Hills Primary School
Our district saw much joy lifting holiday spirits this month as our band, choir, and orchestra music teachers put many, many hours of work into teaching their students pieces of literature and staging our winter concerts. Please give our music teachers a special round of applause for creating these special holiday memories for our students and their families. Winter performances are one of the ways we engage families, and it’s heartwarming to see our families in our schools once again.
Some health reminders…
We care deeply about everyone in our community and want to keep each other safe and healthy.
As a reminder, HERE is the letter sent to our families regarding Covid/Flu Practices and Protocols.
If your family needs free Covid test kits HERE is the link to order them.
Your Up-to-Date Contact Information:
Our schools must have up-to-date contact information for all students. We need to be able to contact you in case of an emergency and to make sure you are aware of when we have snow days and scheduled closings. If you have not been receiving messages from the district or your school, you can check with your school building office to make sure we have the correct information in Genesis for your family.
A few reminders…
School will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
There will be a Board of Education Reorganization Meeting on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at 7:00 pm, at Lounsberry Hollow School. The snow date will be on Thursday, January 5, 2023, at 7:00 pm. At this meeting, we will be honoring our fall retirees.
School will be closed on Monday, January 16, 2023, in observance of Martin Luther King Day
Vernon Township High School will have mid-term exams during the week of January 30, 2023; the high school ONLY will have Early Dismissal Days, all other schools will have regular school days
We will have upcoming Early Dismissal Days on Wellness Wednesdays throughout the winter as follows
January 25, 2023
February 15, 2023
March 29, 2023
School will be closed on Monday, February 20, 2023, in observance of Presidents’ Day
We wish you a restful and enjoyable holiday with your family. Thank you for sharing your children with us! We wish you good health and the hope that 2023 is an amazing year for all that are part of the Vernon Township School District. As always, we appreciate our partnership with you!
We have so much to be thankful for as a school community! We have great Vernon Pride! Mr. Rogers, our Acting Superintendent, and I would like to honor and recognize some of the outstanding individuals in our district doing great things for our students, starting with our 2022-2023 NJ Governor’s Teacher of the Year and Educational Services Professional of the Year, NJ DoE Exemplary Educators, and the VTEA Educational Support Professional of the Year.
Congratulations to our district Teachers of the Year…
Those selected for this prestigious award have demonstrated the following qualities:
Serves as an exceptionally skilled and dedicated educator;
Inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn;
Demonstrates leadership and innovation in and outside the classroom;
Has the respect and admiration of students, parents, administrators and colleagues; and
Plays an active role in the community as well as the school.
Drum Roll, Please…
Walnut Ridge School: Miss Allison Weber, Preschool Teacher
Cedar Mountain Primary School: Ms. Mary Ollert, Special Education Teacher
Rolling Hills Primary School: Mrs. Christina Weiss, Third Grade Teacher
Glen Meadow Middle School: Dr. Christopher Jensen, Eighth Grade Science Teacher
Vernon Township High School: Ms. Marianne Longchamp, English Teacher
Allison Weber
Mary Ollert
Christina Weiss
Cheryl Reed
Christopher Jensen
Marianne Longchamp
Congratulations to our district Educational Services Professionals of the Year…
Walnut Ridge School: Mr. Nik Lasso, Technology Coach
Cedar Mountain Primary School: Mrs. Sherry Polhemus, CST Social Worker
Rolling Hills Primary School: Mrs. Jennifer Gallant, School Nurse
Lounsberry Hollow School: Mrs. Debbie Lisa, School Nurse
Glen Meadow Middle School: Mrs. Carol Gonzalez, School Nurse
Vernon Township High School: Mr. Ray Loughren, School Counselor
Nik Lasso
Sherry Polhemus
Jennifer Gallant
Debbie Lisa
Carol Gonzalez
Ray Loughren
Congratulations to our NJ Department of Education Exemplary Elementary Educators…
Mrs. Lois Battista, Math Interventionist, and Mrs. Maureen Sweeney, kindergarten teacher, both Cedar Mountain teachers, were awarded the Exemplary Elementary Educator Award. Mrs. Battista and Mrs. Sweeney have been identified as educators who are valued by our school community and have exhibited strong knowledge and leadership skills, have an inspiring presence and have a clear vision for quality teaching. Mrs. Battista and Mrs. Sweeney have been vetted in a rigorous process to earn this prestigious NJ Department of Education recognition.
Congratulations to Ms. Lisa Hirkaler Award Recipient: Ms. Lisa Hirkaler, art teacher at Glen Meadow Middle School, has been awarded the prestigious 2022-2023 NJEA Frederick L Hipp Foundation for Excellence in Education for her project, Social Justice Art and Book Club. Ms. Hirkaler, a fierce advocate for all students, inspires her burgeoning artists through the art curriculum using the Principles of Art and Design as they express themselves in many art forms.
Congratulations to the Vernon Township School District Educational Support Professional of the Year! Mrs. Diane Alfonso, the Administrative Assistant to the Principal at Rolling Hills Primary School, was selected by her peers from the Vernon Township Education Association for this distinguished honor. Mrs. Alfonso is one of the first people they see when entering Rolling Hills; Mrs. Alfonso is a kind and helpful person who represents the building so proudly. Mrs. Alfonso is hard-working, dedicated, and the Office Manager of the Rolling Hills Main Office. Mrs. Alfonso never fails to greet everyone with a cheery smile or a “Good morning, sunshine!” She will help anyone, no matter how long her to-do list is and immediately makes newcomers feel welcome to the school.
Diane Alfonso
Speaking of the Vernon Township Education Association, this educational organization brings thousands of dollars to our district through a Pride Grant from the NJEA. Thank you to Mrs. Lesley Lombardi, Chair of the Pride Committee, for working with fellow VTEA members to write grants that secure funds for many school programs that build community support and involvement bringing families into our schools. So far this year, the following programs have been funded:
Cedar Mountain Fall Harvest Open House
Walnut Ridge Preschool Back to School Night-art activities provided to students during the program
Vernon Pump Track Grand Opening- provided refreshments for this community event
Cedar Mountain and Vernon Township High School International Nights
Cedar Mountain Math Night
Vernon Turkey Trot- provided water to participants
Glen Meadow TREP$ Night- providing bags to all patrons
Rolling Hills and Cedar Mountain Literacy Nights
Vernon High School STEM Night
Vernon Tree lighting
Cedar Mountain Celebrates Vets on Veteran’s Day- Thank you to the Vernon Township High School Marching Band under the direction of Mrs. Jody Young, Mr. Max Taylor, and Mr. Casey Dziuba, for bringing the award-winning VTHS Marching Band to Cedar Mountain for its annual Veteran’s Day Parade. The parade helped celebrate patriotism and honored the Veterans of the families of Cedar Mountain students. The VTHS matching band escorted the veterans through the schoolyard and played the Armed Forces Medley; each guest was recognized as his or her branch was played. The program concluded with first-grade students conducting a performance for the honored guests.
VTHS Baseball Team Cleans Up Vernon Yards: As part of the VTHS Baseball Team’s annual service learning project, the team raked… and raked… and raked… and raked leaves throughout our town to assist families who needed help with this daunting task. Thank you to all the team members that selflessly came to the need of others. The VTHS Baseball Team coaches, Stephen Myhren, Stephen Down, and Steve Fitzsimmons, were on hand to lend a hand, too.
5th Grade Mayflower STEM Challenge: Students in Mr. Wilson and Ms. Leitner’s classes were tasked with the challenge: “How can I create a boat out of foil that will hold the most “pilgrims” possible and get them to the new world the fastest?”. Students then researched different types of boat designs; students planned, sketched, and labeled their designs, and then they built their boats! Students tested their boats, and here are the results…
The AM class winner is Nickolas Willey in both capacity and speed!
The PM class winner is Gabby Musto, Kaylee Murphy, and Jenna Hopping in both capacity and speed!
Meet the Board of Education Student Representative, Colin Geisen: Colin is a senior at Vernon Township High School and was elected by his peers to serve as this year’s Board of Education representative. Colin likes to be busy and is involved throughout Vernon Township High School. Colin is the President of the Key Club, the Historian of the Student Council, the Social Media Manager of my senior class, and the Historian of HOSA. Colin is also the Secretary of the Marching Band and the Drill Section Leader of the Saxophones. Colin is in Mock Trial and Model UN. Through all of Colin’s activities, he also works at Dunkin’ Donuts! Colin thoroughly enjoys all of his classes this year, but his favorites two classes are AP Statistics and AP Government and Politics. Colin is looking at various schools to apply to, including Rutgers, University of Washington, Georgetown, University of California Los Angeles, and Columbia. Colin’s goal is to major in something Political Science oriented, possibly Political Science Statistics, or Economic Political Science. Golin’s goal is to follow a Pre-Law path, and he plans to attend law school after college. Colin is very grateful for the amazing opportunity to be the Student Representative for the Board of Education and hopes to leave a legacy for many representatives in the future
His duties include:
Attending all board meetings
Representing all high school students within the district and presenting student proposals and concerns to the board for its consideration; and
Keeping high school students informed of the business of the board by providing a monthly report to the student council concerning the activities of the board.
Walnut Ridge Students Launch Pumpkins: Thank you to Mr. Matthew Behre, Career and Technical Education Teacher (CTE) of the Construction and Facilities Management courses (CFM) at the high school, who built two Trebuchets with his students, aka “pumpkin launchers”, and demonstrated the science and physics behind using the Trebuchet using leftover Halloween pumpkins. Students cheered with glee as pumpkins were launched far and wide across the blacktop at Walnut Ridge. Check out the pictures from this fun cross-grade activity.
Congratulations to our winners of the Center for Prevention and Counseling, “What’s Your Anti-Drug?” and “What Makes You Happy” Contest: This year’s “What’s Your Anti-Drug?” contest had nearly 500 entries representing 28 schools in Sussex County. All the entries were wonderful, and the judges at the Center for Prevention and Counseling had the tough job of selecting 65 winning entries across the county. Winning entries will be featured in the Sunday, December 4, 2022, edition of the New Jersey Herald in the “What’s your anti-drug?” section. This year, for the second year, the Center for Prevention and Counseling included “What Makes You Happy?” For students in K-3rd grade. Congratulations to…
Lounsberry Hollow School:
Alana Bessette
Ellie Harmon
Jacen Dearolf
Delilah Taylor
Glen Meadow Middle School Students:
Arianna Johnson
Adriana Bonilla
Joseph Heintz
Cedar Mountain Primary School:
Emily Musco
Meet Granger and Faith, the Therapy Dogs: Granger and Faith have visited various VTSD schools to say hello. This is part of our Social Emotional Learning program; students enjoy connecting with the visiting therapy dogs while taking a short break from learning. Thank you to Mrs. Gudenkauf for organizing this program for our district.
Glen Meadow Middle School Art Students Win Poster Contest: Congratulations to 6th-Grade Glen Meadow Middle School art students Alison Getz and Carmen Olsen for winning the West Milford Lions Club’s “Lead with Compassion” Peace Poster art contest. Alison Getz received first place, and Carmen Olsen received second place. Students participating in this program are under the direction of art teacher Mrs. Hirkaler.
Thank you to all of our School and Community Associations! Each building’s SCAs do so much for our schools by volunteering and bringing in special programs to our schools to enhance our curriculum; they donate hundreds of hours to make our schools great. Check the picture of the Cedar Mountain SCA Father/Special Person-Daughter Dance. The SCA will be very busy this week at Cedar Mountain, as they will be assisting with Grandparent’s Day and the Book Fair.
Thanksgiving Came Early at VTHS: Thank you to the Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers of the Culinary Arts Program, Ms. Jennifer Ryder, Ms. June Jalbert, and Mr. Mike Rizzo, for hosting a Thanksgiving dinner with their students for the faculty and staff of the high school. Students learned how to prepare seasonal foods for a large number of people turning the event into a time for “Friendsgiving”!
Rolling Hills Students Become 1:1 with Chromebooks: As technology becomes more and more integral to all students’ learning, Rolling Hills students were recently issued their own Chromebooks to use at school and at home. It is the goal of Dr. Anderson, Principal of Rolling Hills, for students to become proficient using various online applications. One online tool that Dr. Anderson and the teachers are looking forward to having students use at home is our new reading diagnostic tool called Amira. Amira uses artificial intelligence to listen to students read and analyzes any miscues the students may have, giving teachers a reading level for the student. Students can use this tool in school and now at home to practice their reading skills. A shout-out to Mr. Anthony Vitrano, a valued member of the VTSD IT staff, who worked long hours to get the new 2nd-grade Chromebooks up and running for the students. 182 students received a new Chromebook to use at school and home. While this would normally be a summer project, the Vernon Township High School “Chromebusters” helped Mr. Vitrano get the Chromebooks set up for Rolling Hills. Check out the box truck full of Chromebooks that were processed and distributed!
Preschool through Grade 5 Mind Traveler’s Program:CLICK HERE for information on the Mind Traveler’s Reading Program that has been a tradition in Vernon for almost 20 years! Students in preschool through 5th grade are encouraged to participate. Two students per grade will be selected to win a book to recognize their reading achievement. Students will be honored at the January Public Board of Education meeting on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 7:00 pm, at Lounsberry Hollow School.
Shout out to the GM eSports Club and Kristin Petrucci – the picture below shows students playing both Nintendo Switch Sports and Occulus Quest Virtual Reality. Every week 15-20 students participate in gaming together!
“It’s Not Pestering, It’s Parenting” Tips for Parents: Thank you to Lisa DeRitter, the Vernon Coalition Coordinator, for sharing THIS PARENT HANDOUT that gives families practical tips to stay connected to your children and ways to say no to activities that are unsafe or can lead children not to make good choices. We thank the Vernon Coalition for the activities they bring to our schools with engaging after-school and in-school programming that develop leadership skills and help students with making healthy choices in their lives.
PAL Quiet Time with Santa Program: Please click HERE to read more on the flyer below to learn how you can arrange for a child in Vernon to have a special visit from Santa that needs a quiet environment. We thank the Vernon PAL for providing this wonderful program to our families.
Mark your calendar for a few reminders to all of our VTSD families…
We will have an Early Dismissal on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. Check out each building’s website for the specific early release times.
Now that winter will be setting in; you are reminded to update your contact information in Genesis. You should also make sure that you have all checked the boxes for the phones you want to receive school information. You can receive emails in addition to phone calls. Parents and guardians can always update their own contact info on the Genesis Parent Portal. In addition, you can always choose your own notification preferences in School Messenger directly at vtsd.com/infocenter; this will take you to the Contact Preferences Page. Please call your children’s schools if you need any assistance; we’d be happy to help you!
We will have an Early Dismissal on Thursday, December 22, 2022, to begin our Winter Break. School will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
There will be a Board of Education Reorganization Meeting on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at 7:00 pm, at Lounsberry Hollow School. The snow date will be on Thursday, January 5, 2023, at 7;00 pm.
We will have upcoming Early Dismissal Days on Wellness Wednesdays throughout the winter as follows
We wish you a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving with your family. Thank you for sharing your children with us! We appreciate our partnership with you!
The Vernon Township Education Association, School and Community Association, and Vernon Township Administrators Association cordially invite the Vernon community to attend the Vernon Township Board of Education Meet the Candidates Night on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, at 7:00 pm, at Vernon Township High School.PLEASE CLICK HEREto see the attached flyer for more information.
Rolling Hills October Blog
Welcome to the Acting Principal of Cedar Mountain School, Mrs. Kristin Gudenkauf!
Dear Cedar Mountain Families:
Welcome to Fall! I would like to welcome Mrs. Kristin Gudenkauf, who will be serving as Cedar Mountain’s Acting Principal, as I move to the Vernon Board of Education office to serve in the role of Acting Assistant Superintendent. Mrs. Gudenkauf is a Vernon graduate and has been an elementary teacher at Walnut Ridge and Cedar Mountain. In addition, she has served as a Math Coach, Assistant Principal at Lounsberry Hollow, Glen Meadow, and VTHS, and Supervisor of School Counseling. Mrs. Gudenkauf will begin her transition from her current role as Assistant Principal at VTHS to Cedar Mountain Acting Principal during the week of September 26th. Mrs. Gudenkauf’s email address is kgudenkauf@vtsd.com. As always, please call the main office at 973-764-2890 if you would like to speak with Mrs. Gudenkauf.
A few reminders of upcoming dates:
School will be closed in observance of Yom Kippur on Wednesday, October 5th
School will be closed for students on Monday, October 10th for our Teacher In-Service
Early Dismissal Days will be on Tuesday through Friday, October 11-14th. Parent pick up is at 1:10 pm. Buses will leave the driveway at approximately 1:25 pm
Zoom Parent Conferences are listed below, you will soon be invited by your child’s teacher to select a conference date and time:
Tuesday, October 11th: 4:00 to 7:00 pm
Wednesday, October 12th: 2:15-4:00 pm
Thursday, October 13th: 2:15-4:00 pm
Friday, October 14th: 2:15-4:00 pm
Fall Harvest Open House: We had a very successful Fall Harvest Open House! Below are some pictures from this event. Thank you to the Glen Meadow National Junior Honor Society and the VTHS Key Club students that volunteered at this program.
Principal’s Forum: Thank you to Mrs. Battista, Math Interventionist, Mrs. Gibson, Speech Therapist, Ms. Green, School Counselor, and Mrs. Krops, Reading Specialist, for presenting at this year’s program that described our academic programs at Cedar Mountain. PLEASE CLICK HERE to access the slides that were presented.
Teacher of the Year Program: You are invited to nominate a teacher for the annual NJ Department of Education Governor’s Teacher of the Year and Governor’s Educational Services Professional of the Year. Please use THIS FORMto nominate a teacher at Cedar Mountain. Our building selection will be made in early November. There are so many outstanding professionals in Cedar Mountain for you to consider! Last year’s recipients were Mrs. Diana Czergovits, kindergarten teacher, and Mrs. Ashley Karlewicz, Speech/Language Specialist.
Each candidate should:
Inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn;
Serves as an exceptionally skilled and dedicated educator in a public or charter school;
Expresses themselves in an engaging and articulate way;
Plays an active role in the community as well as the school;
Demonstrates leadership and innovation in and outside the classroom;
Has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues
Amira- Our first-grade students are taking their fall baseline reading assessment using Amira. Amira is an Artificial Intelligence online tool that assesses oral reading fluency and analyzes errors to pinpoint strengths and areas in which a student needs growth. Amira generates diagnostic reports that help teachers understand each student’s reading needs to place students in appropriate reading groups. Our first-graders will use Amira three times this year to continue to measure students’ reading growth including comprehension. Below are pictures of Mrs. Krops, Reading Specialist, and Ms. LaBar, teacher, administering Amira to students. Kindergarten students will be using Amira later this year. Please ask your child’s first-grade teacher more about this assessment. If you would like to read more about Amira, PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK.
Fundations: Fundations is our Word Study/Phonics program used in grades K-3. Please access the DIGITAL BACKPACK, scroll down to Cedar Mountain and click on the Fundations Parent Support Pack. You can follow along unit-by-unit with your child’s class. There are multiple activities you can do with your child at home to support this program.
Morning Meeting: Every day our students begin the day with a Morning Meeting. During this special time of the day, students greet one another in unique ways to learn each other’s names through games and chants, receive a peek of the day’s learning, practice math using Calendar Math, and develop important social skills to learn how to be a good citizen in the classroom and throughout Cedar Mountain. Morning Meeting helps students prepare for the day to become a ready learner and develop their self-regulation skills. Below are some pictures during Morning Meeting time.
Artists of the Day: Our art teacher, Mrs. Patchell, has so many talented art students! This year Mrs. Patchell is selecting Artists of the Day. Please enjoy these photographs of our proud students as they pose for their pictures.
What Makes You Happy? Annually, The Center for Prevention and Counseling sponsors the “What Makes You Happy?” campaign. Mr. Hernandez, our Physical Education teacher, will be working with students on this project. Mr. Hernandez will be having students draw pictures of some of the favorite things our students like to do and the hobbies we are developing as youngsters. Students’ pictures will be entered into this contest. ATTACHED HERE IS THE INFORMATIONon this campaign if you would like your child to work on this at home as well. Our Vernon Schools always has many winners in this contest that will be published in The NJ Herald.
Field Trip to Pennings in Warwick: Thank you to our generous Cedar Mountain SCA, which has funded the buses for our fall trip to Pennings to have a fall experience. Our kindergarten students will be attending this trip on Tuesday, October 18th and our first-graders will be attending on Wednesday, October 19th. There are two rain dates, if needed, on Thursday and/or Friday, October 20th and 21st. The cost of the trip is $10.00 per student. Permission slips will be sent home the week of September 26th. If you would like to sponsor a student whose family may not have the funds for this trip, you will be receiving a special envelope for your generous donation.
Week of Respect: The week of October 3rd is our annual Week of Respect- it is a week that we focus on how we can show kindness to each other in many ways. Our classroom teachers will be conducting short activities with their students in commemoration of this week. Each day during this week we will celebrate The Week of Respect in a special way. We will also have a concert by Kira Willey a children’s songwriter, author, and yoga instructor who writes stories for children and how they can develop their self-regulation skills and ways to stay calm in challenging times.
Monday, October 3: “Stomp Out Bullying”-Wear a Blue Shirt for World Day of Bullying Prevention
Tuesday, October 4: Wear your pajama pants- to “put bullying to bed”
Wednesday, October: No School
Thursday, October 6: Vikings Stand United Against Bullying Day- “Team Vernon” wear your favorite Vernon gear
Friday, October 7: Dare to be Different Day-Wear a crazy hairstyle or a hat
Vernon VFW 1st Grade Coloring Contest: All first-graders are invited to participate in the annual VFW Patriotic Coloring Contest. Your child will receive a choice of coloring pages. Each student should place his/her name on the back. First, second, and third-place winners will be announced by Mrs. Auberger from the VFW Ladies Auxiliary at the Veteran’s Day Parade in November.
Online Safety for Your Children: It has come to the attention of our teachers that some students have developed a curiosity about a social media character called “Huggy Wuggy”. After doing some research, which you can read below, Cedar Mountain teachers are requesting that you speak to your child to reinforce to them that we will not be encouraging conversations or any activities that include “Huggy Wuggy” or “Poppy’s Playtime”. PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT LINK. Thank you for your assistance and support with this matter. Here is a helpful PARENT NEWSLETTER regarding online safety for your children.
HELP YOUR CHILD IN SCHOOL – BUILD THE HABIT OF GOOD ATTENDANCE!
Did you know?
Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.
Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.
Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
What You Can Do
Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session. •
Keep in mind that complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home. If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
SCA Meetings
I would like to thank our 22-23 SCA officers for serving our school this year, their dedication to our school is greatly appreciated! They are…
President: Megan Kapusta
Vice President: Rose Ahearn
Recording Secretary: Ericka Petrucci
Treasurer: Rachel Cawley
Corresponding Secretary: Viviana Quiros
Our next SCA meeting will be held on October 6th, at 9:45 am, in the cafeteria. The meeting will also have a Zoom link open for anyone who cannot attend the in-person meeting. HERE IS THE ZOOM LINK. Those online are encouraged to be active participants with our parents and guardians who are in person. If you would like to read the minutes of September’s meeting. Please go to the Cedar Mountain website and click on PARENT GROUPS/SCA. This will take you to the district SCA page where you can read our minutes and access other Cedar Mountain information. Please note the following upcoming SCA events:
Pretzels/Popcorn/Pizza Fundraiser will run from September 19 through October 4, 2022-order forms will be given to homeroom teachers shortly
Puravida Bracelets Spirit wear sale- Fundraiser- CLICK HERE for the order form
“Smencils” Fundraiser begins on October 3rd- form to order pencils will follow
SCA Hoe Down- Friday, October 7th from 5:30 to 7:00 pm, held in the lower parking lot. There will be a food truck and a “caller” who will lead our students in various dances. HERE IS the sign-up sheet.
Here are some helpful memos and information for the beginning of the school year
DIGITAL BACKPACK– this page contains many district letters, scroll down to read Cedar Mountain-specific letters. Remember, this is where the Fundations Parent Support Pack can be found as well.
As always, thank you for partnering with all of us at Cedar Mountain School! Our school year is off to a great start!
Sincerely,
Rosemary Gebhardt
Fall News from “The Mountain”
September 2022
Dear Cedar Mountain Families:
We have had a great opening at the home of Vernon’s kindergarten and first-grade students. Under rainy skies, we began the day by greeting each student as they came off their buses and lined up by teacher. Ms. Mariconda’s class led our school in the flag salute and rang our school bell to begin the new school year. This has become a very special annual tradition!
Thank you for following The Cedar Mountain Blog to stay informed of our school and our district events! As a reminder, you will receive a Friday School Messenger email that provides upcoming information and school reminders. You can link more than one email address to this weekly email so all parents and guardians can stay informed. Please call the Cedar Mountain Main office if we can assist you with anything with Genesis or any other questions you may have. Our number is 973-764-2890.
First days of School
As our students are settling into school routines, enjoy some pictures of our students in their classroom learning.
Thank you to our Cedar Mountain Administrative Assistants! Please join me in thanking our office staff at Cedar Mountain- Mrs. O’Keefe, Mrs. Donovan, and Ms. Speight, who worked tirelessly this summer to make sure our school was ready to be opened, that our classrooms were stocked with materials and supplies, and that all students were registered. Look closely at their t-shirts that say it all… “I’ll be there for you”!! We couldn’t run our school without them!
Bus Safety Program: Thank you to our bus drivers Mrs. Anthony and Mrs. Blackburn along with our School Counselor, Ms. Green, who taught our students about bus safety during our first week of school. Thank you for reinforcing our bus rules with your children to keep your child and every passenger safe on our buses.
Please join us for our annual…
Cedar Mountain Fall Harvest Open House -Saturday, September 17th, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Come enjoy some refreshments, tour our building, explore our curriculum in demonstrations throughout various classrooms, experience the computer lab as your child would in computer class, visit our library and stop at stations from different community organizations, and learn about our music program. There will be crafts, food, and games. We will also have various community organizations with us such as the Vernon Police Vernon PAL, the Vernon Coalition, The Center for Prevention and Counseling, Project Self Sufficiency, Girls Scouts, and UMAC Karate school. This program has been made available through a generous NJEA Pride grant organized by Mrs. Lombardi one of our preschool teachers at Walnut Ridge. We are very excited to collaborate with the VTEA and NJEA for this special activity.
School Picture Day
As a reminder, School Picture Day is Tuesday, September 20! Retakes will be held on October 27th. 2022.
Principal’s Forum
Please join me along with other building experts for the Cedar Mountain Principal’s Forum on Wednesday, September 21, at 6:00 pm, held in the cafeteria. At the Principal’s Forum, you will hear about ways to stay involved in and support your child’s education as well as the academic programs at Cedar Mountain. You will be hearing from the following building experts, Mrs. Gibson, Speech/Language Therapist, Ms. Green, Professional School Counselor, and Mrs. Krops, Reading Specialist, and Mrs. Battista, Math Interventionist.
News from the Art Room: For those families whose children are in currently in art this marking period. Please CLICK HERE for an informative newsletter from Mrs. Patchell, our art teacher. You will learn how to access your child’s artwork in Artsonia. Artsonia is a digital portfolio of all the artworks your child is creating in art. The best part is you can now share your child’s creative accomplishments with friends and family both near and far. As your child grows, so will their art portfolio as many other art teachers in Vernon also use Artsonia and their student account transfers year to year!
SCA Meetings
I would like to thank our 22-23 SCA officers for serving our school this year, their dedication to our school is greatly appreciated! They are…
President: Megan Kapusta
Vice President: Rose Ahearn
Recording Secretary: Ericka Petrucci
Treasurer: Rachel Cawley
Corresponding Secretary: Viviana Quiros
Our first SCA meeting was held on September 8th. If you would like to read the minutes of this meeting. Please go to the Cedar Mountain website and click on PARENT GROUPS/SCA. This will take you to the district SCA page where you can read our minutes and access other Cedar Mountain information. Our meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month at 9:45 am. We also will be opening a Zoom link so you can join us live wherever you are, HERE IS THE ZOOM LINK. Those online are encouraged to be active participants with our parents and guardians who are in person. All parents and guardians are always invited to attend. Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, October 6th. Please note the following upcoming SCA events:
Mum fundraiser going on until September 16, 2022. Pick up your mums at Pappa’s Garden Supply on Route 94 in McAfee. HERE IS THE LINK to the online order
Pretzels/Popcorn/Pizza Fundraiser will run from September 19 through October 4, 2022-order forms will be given to homeroom teachers shortly
Puravida Bracelets Spiritwear sale- Fundraiser ends on September 23, 2022. CLICK HERE for the order form
SCA Hoe Down- Friday, October 7th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, held in the lower parking lot. There will be a food truck and a “caller” who will lead our students in various dances
Heggerty Kindergarten Assessment: Our kindergarten students will be receiving a Heggerty baseline screening from their teacher this month. This screening will identify each student’s phonological and phonemic awareness skills, the results will be used to plan for instruction when using our Heggerty and Fundations instruction.
Fountas & Pinnell Baseline Assessment System: Our Reading Test
At the end of this month, each student in first-grade is will be receiving a one-on-one reading assessment, called The Baseline Assessment System, to determine each student’s reading level, areas of reading strength, as well as where a student may require additional reading/literacy support. The Baseline Assessment System is used in the classroom to level reading instruction and teach the student at his or her level. Our kindergarten students will receive their first Baseline Assessment System screening in January 2023. Thank you for continuing to read to and with your child on a daily basis. There will be many opportunities this year for you to learn ways that you can support literacy at home beginning with The Principal’s Forum that will be held on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, at 6:00 pm, in the cafeteria.
Teacher of the Year Program
You are invited to nominate a teacher for the annual NJ Department of Education Governor’s Teacher of the Year and Governor’s Educational Services Professional of the Year. Please use THIS FORM to nominate a teacher at Cedar Mountain. Our building selection will be made in early November. There are so many outstanding professionals in Cedar Mountain for you to consider! Last year’s recipients were Mrs. Diana Czergovits, kindergarten teacher, and Mrs. Ashley Karlewicz, Speech/Language Specialist.
Each candidate should:
Inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn;
Serves as an exceptionally skilled and dedicated educator in a public or charter school;
Expresses themselves in an engaging and articulate way;
Plays an active role in the community as well as the school;
Demonstrates leadership and innovation in and outside the classroom;
Has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues
Some information on communication and the proper channels… As school begins, it is very important that we promote communication with you via this blog, emails, phone calls, our calendar, Friday School Messenger emails, and the occasional memos that will be sent home with students. With this in mind, below are the steps to use as reference if you need to reach someone at school to discuss an educational matter. These steps support direct, open, and respectful interactions so that problems and concerns can be worked out quickly and efficiently. Any question or concern should always start with the person listed in Step 1, as that person will usually have the most information on the topic. If you have a question or concern, please follow the steps listed below for the relevant topic.
Classroom Issues Involving an Individual Child (Classroom procedures, behavior, grades, schedule, etc.) OR Curriculum and Instruction (Subject matter being taught, teaching strategies, textbooks and materials used, etc.)
STEP 1: Classroom Teacher; if not resolved…
STEP 2: School Counselor, Ms. Ingrid Green, 973-764-4509; if not resolved…
STEP 3: Principal
STEP 4: Supervisor of ELA/Humanities, Dr. Cris Slotoroff, or Director of Math, Science and STEM, Dr. Hollyce Schoepp
STEP 5: Building Principal; if not resolved…
STEP 6: Director for Curriculum, Mr. Vincent Gagliostro if not resolved…
STEP 7: Acting Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Russ Rogers
Special Education, 504 Plans, and IEPs
STEP 1: Teacher, Specialist, or Child Study Team Member (Psychologist, School Counselor, Social Worker, Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist); if not resolved…
STEP 2: Case Manager; if not resolved…
STEP 3: Building Principal; if not resolved…
STEP 4: Supervisor of Special Services – Mrs. Suzanne MacDougall; if not resolved…
STEP 5: Director of Special Services- Mr. Russel Fay
STEP 6: Acting Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Russ Rogers
Medical Concerns
STEP 1: School Nurse; if not resolved…
STEP 2: Building Principal; if not resolved…
STEP 3: Acting Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Russ Roges
School Counseling and Related Services
STEP 1: School Counselor, Social Worker, School Psychologist; if not resolved…
STEP 2: Supervisor of School Counseling- Mrs. Susan Matteson; if not resolved…
STEP 3: Building Principal; if not resolved…
STEP 4: Director of Curriculum, Mr. Vincent Gagliostro; if not resolved…
STEP 5: Acting Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Russ Rogers
Transportation Concerns
(Behavior on school buses, etc.)
STEP 1: Building Principal; if not resolved…
STEP 2: Supervisor of Transportation, Mrs. Marisa Broesder; if not resolved…
STEP 3: Acting Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Russ Rogers
General Housekeeping Information
School Calendar: Please note our school will be closed on Wednesday, October 5th for Yom Kippur and on Monday, October 10th for our Teacher In-Service Day. We will have Early Dismissal Days from Tuesday, October 11th through Friday, October 14th. CLICK HERE for our 22-23 calendar.
Parent Handbook: A lot of school and district information can be found the Cedar Mountain Parent Handbook. The handbook can be found on the Digital Backpack for Cedar Mountain. HERE IS THE LINK FOR THE HANDBOOK.
Digital Backpack: Please see the Cedar Mountain DIGITAL BACKPACK for other important school information and the many district letters and forms that live on the Digital Backpack.
School Closings: It’s never too early to prepare for school closings! Please CLICK HERE for our district school closing information. Always start by looking at our district’s main page vtsd.com. We post our closing, delayed openings, and early dismissals here in addition to you receiving an automated call on the phone that you connected in Genesis.
Our year is off to a great start! I hope to see you at our school events…
Mrs. Gebhardt
Principal
The Cedar Mountain School Bell Will Be Ringing Soon!
Hello Cedar Mountain Families!
Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year that is just around the corner! The Cedar Mountain faculty, staff, and I are very excited to begin a new year with your child!
Our highly-skilled and devoted teachers have been planning and preparing for your child to enter Cedar Mountain School. Our very talented office staff, Mrs. O’Keefe, Mrs. Donovan, and Ms. Speight are registering many new families, ordering needed materials, and updating student information in Genesis. Our hard-working and conscientious custodians have spent the entire summer thoroughly cleaning our school. I would like to take a moment to welcome our new Coordinating Custodian, Mrs. Natalia Sandoval, who is eager to get to know our students while ensuring our school is safe, clean, and well cared for. Our much-appreciated School and Community Association (the SCA) is gearing up to welcome families, provide volunteer opportunities, and offer other exciting events and programs throughout the school year. Cedar Mountain is a caring community with the common goals of nurturing responsible, caring students and promoting high-level learning.
At Cedar Mountain, we will continue with our Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered Support System model to help students at all learning levels. We will be using data to track students’ progress. Our first-graders will be taking benchmark assessments in the fall, winter, and spring, and our kindergarteners will be taking one assessment at the end of the year so that Cedar Mountain teachers can monitor the progress of each student as he/she develops specific academic skills in the areas of literacy and math. These benchmark assessments will not be used as a grading instrument; our goal with these benchmarks will be to carefully use the assessment data as a tool for us to determine how we can adjust our instructional practices to meet the needs of our students. We will continue using the Fountas and Pinnell Baseline Assessment reading test three times throughout the year for first graders and two times a year for kindergarteners. These assessments, as well as our daily teaching and anecdotal notes, checklists, and assessments help guide our teachers when completing the rubric on the Standard-Based Report Card. Please CLICK HERE to access our report card so you will know what your child is expected to know by the trimester. We are also introducing a brand new Language Art series to all K-5 students this year called Into Reading. This program was carefully selected by multiple teachers in the district and it is based on the most current research on how children learn to read; this research is called The Science of Reading. You will be learning more about this throughout the year and the Principal’s Forum as well as various SCA meetings.
CEDAR MOUNTAIN REGULAR, DELAYED OPENING, EARLY DISMISSAL SCHEDULE:
Daily
Delayed Opening
Early Dismissal
9:20 am Students Enter
11:20 am Students Enter
9:20 am Students Enter
3:40 Parent Pick Up
3:40 Parent Pick Up
1:10 Parent Pick Up
4:00 Students Dismissed
4:00 Students Dismissed
1:20 Students Dismissed
4:05 Buses Depart
4:05 Buses Depart
1:25 Buses Depart
INFORMATION ON PARKING AND DROP OFF AT CEDAR MOUNTAIN PRIMARY SCHOOL
Parents that drop off and pick up their child(ren) will be required to park in an available spot in the parking lot OR on Sammis Road and escort their child to either the ramp in the main parking lot or by the front playground. For ease of parking, you are encouraged to park on Sammis Road. Please be aware that Cedar Mountain Primary School does not have the personnel to supervise students who are dropped off early; therefore, students will only be permitted to enter the building at 9:20 AM when students are dismissed from their bus. If you are picking up your child at the end of the school day, students will be dismissed at the front side door at 3:40 pm. As part of our required chain of custody, you must present a proper ID to Mrs. Donovan, who will bring your child (ren) to you. No child will be brought to a parent or a family delegate without proper identification. We appreciate your patience as we get to know all of our families that pick up children.
INTRODUCING OUR NEW FACULTY AT CEDAR MOUNTAIN SCHOOL
Each year we are very fortunate to bring on new teachers to our building. Below are the bios of our new faculty members. We welcome Mr. Christopher Cook, Ms. Jamilee Holly, Mrs. Kielty (who will be covering for Mrs. Megnin), Mrs. Courtney Rose, Mrs. Christine Taylor-Eccles, and Mrs. Cara Zimnik
Jamilee Holly:
Ms. Holly graduated from Vernon schools in 2005 and is returning to the community with her daughter this fall. She attended Rider University, graduating in 2009 with Bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education and Dance, and again in 2012 with a Master’s degree in Special Education. Ms. Holly has worked in a variety of educational settings, including as a preschool director and as a classroom teacher for K-2 students in Howell, NJ. She enjoys the beach, dancing, and spending time with her family. Ms. Holly cannot wait to join the Cedar Mountain team and work closely with students and families! Ms. Holly will be teaching first grade in room 215 this year.
Christopher Cook:
Chris Cook is excited to get to know the students and families this year as well as to join the Cedar Mountain Primary School family. This is Mr. Cook’s fourth year teaching first grade. Mr. Cook graduated from William Paterson University with a degree in Elementary Education as well as Special Education. Mr. Cook’s passion is making learning fun through hands-on exploration and projects. He enjoys challenging students and meeting them where they’re at, and helping his students persevere through difficult tasks to ensure that they can achieve their goals! Mr. Cook will be teaching first grade in room 211 this year.
Courtney Rose:
Mrs. Rose grew up in Vernon and graduated from Vernon High School in 2004. She attended Sacred Heart University, graduating in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Mrs. Rose later obtained her teaching certifications in Elementary Education and Teacher of Students with Disabilities, as well as a Master’s in Elementary Education in 2014 from Felician University. Since then she has been working in Paterson Public Schools with special education students in grades 1-6. Mrs. Rose is ecstatic to be a part of the Cedar Mountain Family and can’t wait to instill a love for learning in her students. Mrs. Rose currently lives in Vernon with her husband and two-year-old daughter. She enjoys being outside, reading a good book, and spending time with her family. Mrs. Rose will be co-teaching kindergarten this year with Ms. Thomas in room 103.
Christine Taylor-Eccles:
Christine Taylor-Eccles is a lifelong resident of Vernon Township and Alumni of Vernon Township High School, She is very excited to join the Cedar Mountain team as a Kindergarten and First Grade Special Education Teacher. Mrs. Taylor-Eccles attended Ramapo College of New Jersey, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Information Technology. Mrs. Taylor-Eccles has two children who currently attend the Vernon Township School District. Mrs. Taylor-Eccles’ passion for teaching developed in 2014, when she became an aide. In 2018, she began her education track through Liberty University where she completed a dual Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education and a Master’s Certificate in Autism Education. Mrs. Taylor-Eccles looks forward to her first year as a classroom teacher where she will plan meaningful activities, and create a classroom setting that is both inviting and conducive to each student’s learning style while increasing academic, social, and emotional learning. Mrs. Taylor-Eccles will be teaching K-1 special education in room 201 this year.
Eleanor Kielty:
Mrs. Eleanor attended Kutztown University, where she received her BA in elementary education. She started her teaching career at Hamburg Elementary School. In her thirteen years there she spent the majority of those teaching first grade and the remainder teaching middle school social studies. Mrs. Kielty stepped out of teaching for a bit to raise her twins, one of the most important jobs she has ever done. When Mrs. Kielty returned to the classroom she had a new respect and understanding of what it means to send your child to school and entrust someone else to their care. Mrs. Kielty has had the unique opportunity to teach in England, as well as, Barnaul Siberia. She returned with a number of life experiences that have certainly affected her and enriched her teaching. As a result, she has received several awards to celebrate her work in the classroom. She recently returned from five memorable weeks of service work with high school students in Hawaii. Mrs. Kielty loves to travel, backpack in the mountains, and spend time outside with her dogs and her family. Mrs. Kielty will be teaching first-grade in room 209 this fall, filling in for Mrs. Megnin.
Cara Zimnik:
Mrs. Cara Zimnik, our new Speech/Language Pathologist, is looking forward to this upcoming school year and working with all of the wonderful families and students at Cedar Mountain. Mrs. Zimnik received a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Zimnik has worked with students of varying ages and within multiple school settings and is passionate about the field of Speech-Language Pathology. Mrs. Zimnik is dedicated to providing a supportive environment and fostering meaningful interactions to encourage the growth of new skills and enhance overall communication for students. Mrs. Zimnik spent the majority of her childhood and young adult life in Randolph, New Jersey. After getting married last year, Mrs. Zimnik moved to Vernon. Mrs. Zimnik and her husband have loved exploring all that Vernon has to offer! She is very excited to meet the students at Cedar Mountain and learn all about their goals and hobbies too! Mrs. Zimnik will be one of two Speech and Language Therapists working in room 202 this year.
Natalia Sandoval:
Ms. Natalia Sandoval is Cedar Mountain’s new Coordinating Custodian. Ms. Sandoval was born and raised in Columbia, South America. Ms. Sandoval has a degree in early childhood that she earned in Columbia before coming to the United States. Ms. Sandoval has experience as a Head Custodian in other districts in NJ. Ms. Sandoval is a hardworking individual. She is a very positive and eager to always transmit joy and calm to her working environment. As a Vernon resident, Ms. Sandoval is very proud to call Cedar Mountain her new home where she leads and collaborates with her fellow custodians implementing best practice techniques of deep cleaning a school of approximately 420 students. Ms. Sandoval is very excited to greet the students of Cedar Mountain and get to know each one! You will see Ms. Sandoval everywhere in our school!
Rhiannon Lubas:
Miss Rhiannon Lubas is currently attending William Paterson University pursuing a degree in Elementary Education. She is very excited to be a student teacher at Cedar Mountain in Mrs. Sweeney’s class this school year! In her free time, Miss Lubas enjoys going to the gym, playing with her five bunnies, or spending time with my family and friends. Miss Lubas am looking forward to meeting everyone, learning about the “art of teaching”, and having an awesome school year! Miss Lubas will be working closely and learning from Mrs. Sweeney in room 102 this year.
Erica Meichsner:
Miss Erica Meichsner is a Senior at Ramapo College of New Jersey earning a Bachelor’s degree in their Social Work program. In addition to being a student at Ramapo College, Miss Meichsner is also the Co-vice President of the Social Work Club where she and her club mates are able to host social events for different causes and connect with peers. Miss Meichsner’s work experience includes lifeguarding at the Highland Lakes Country Club in the summer for the last seven years. This year, Miss Meichsner is serving as Assistant Supervisor at the Highland Lakes Country Club where she leads 50 employees with schedules and day-to-day tasks. In addition to this work, Miss Meichsner teaches swimming lessons where she uses her aquatic training to analyze children’s swimming capabilities and teach them different skills. Miss Meischsner also serves as a Vernon Township School district substitute; she is looking forward to her internship this fall where she will be shadowing Mrs. Polhemus our MSW on the Child Study Team.
Francesca Amati:
Miss Francesca Amati is a Vernon resident and proud alumni of the Vernon Township School District. She graduated from Centenary University in 2021 with a BA in Elementary Education, earned in conjunction with a CEAS in Elementary Education (K-6) and a Teacher of Students With Disabilities (TOSD) certification. She completed her Practicum and Student Teaching at Hardyston Elementary School in a 3rd-grade classroom, after which she taught 2nd grade as a full-time long-term substitute from January – June 2022. She enjoys reading, coffee, and spending time with her family. Miss Amati will be working with Ms. Jamilee Holly as she covers for Mrs. Erin Brady from October 2022 – February 2023. She is honored and excited to have the opportunity to work in Cedar Mountain, one of the schools where her love of education began!
Important Reminders for August and September:
As school approaches, below are a few important dates for the month of August and early September to mark on your family calendar. Please note, if you do not have everything satisfied for your child’s registration in Genesis, you will not be able to see your child’s bus number/bus stop and pick up time, or your child’s teacher.
August 22nd– The Genesis portal will open to see your child’s teacher name
Thursday, August 25th AND Monday, August 29th – Open House 10:00 am- 12:00 pm -on both of these days, Cedar Mountain Primary School will be open for a self-guided tour/visit. Please bring your child, walk the hallways, and help your child locate his or her classroom. Having your child find his or her classroom will ease the first day of school transitions. I will also be available to say hello and meet you and your child.
The building will be closed for visits on September 1-2, 2022, in order for our faculty to give its undivided attention to the important work of preparing for the new school year.
Back to School Night- Thursday, September 1st as follows:
3:30 pm Kindergarten Back to School Night- Please bring your kindergarten child with you
5:00 pm First Grade Back to School Night- This program is only for parents and guardians- you are kindly requested to please not bring your child
First Day of School- Tuesday, September 6th
Friday, September 16th– School Spirit Day- Wear your Class of shirt or other Vernon spirit wear
Fall Harvest Open House- Saturday, September 17th, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm- come enjoy a light refreshments, tour the building, explore our curriculum in demonstrations throughout various classrooms, experience the computer lab as your child would in computer class, visit our library, learn about our curriculum, and stop at stations from different community organizations. We thank the VTEA for receiving a Pride Grant from NJEA to fund this program!
Picture Day- Tuesday, September 20th
Principal’s Forum- Wednesday, September 21st, at 6:00 pm, in the cafeteria
Kindergarten Class of 2035 t-shirts: As a reminder to all kindergarten parents, please have your child where his or her Class of 2035 t-shirt on the first day of school. This will be a way to promote school spirit and feel welcome in a new school as a new student. Please contact the office if you did not receive a t-shirt. Your child will have opportunities to wear this shirt on many school spirit days this year. It will also serve as a nice memento for you and your child for years to come.
Please reference the Digital Backpack for important district notices as well as information related to Cedar Mountain. You can also access our Parent Handbook for a lot of other important school information. You can also find a list of suggested school supplies for each grade. The Cedar Mountain website contains all of our school information. The links on the left side of the page have many helpful topics. Many activities for the year are on the Cedar Mountain Calendar, check them out!
I look forward to seeing you for visits in the coming weeks as you prepare for the new school year. If I can help you with any questions about the new year, please do not hesitate to call Cedar Mountain at 973-764-2890 or email me directly atrgebhardt@vtsd.com Enjoy the end of the summer!
Blue Shirt Day-Better Together!
World Day of Bullying Prevention is a national initiative held on the first Monday of October. Stomp Out Bullying created this exciting initiative where people are asked to wear a blue shire in an effort to join together in solidarity to stop bullying and cyberbullying
Tuesday October 3
All Day
CM Wear your favorite color!
Put the I in KIND! Wear your favorite colors to show off your individuality!
Wednesday October 4
All Day
CM Wear your favorite team jersey or shirt!
Stronger as a TEAM!
Thursday October 5
All Day
CM - Wear your pajamas to school!
Put Name Calling to Bed! Wear your pajamas to school (no slippers please)
