Community Park News
January 25, 2012
Vol. 40 No. 9
From the heart of the community
I m po rt an t D at e s
From the Principal's Office
1/23
Third Grade Residency
begins and Princeton
Rotarians present student
dictionaries to 3rd grade
1/27
Everybody Wins!
Foundation book
presentation for 3rd, 4th and
5th grade
2/02
Winter Band Concert for
students at 1:45 p.m.
2/03
Career Day
Something to Ponder
Children who have been read to for 30 minutes a day from
birth through age five receive over 900 hours of brain food.
Children who have been read to for 30 minutes a week from
birth through age five receive 130 hours of brain food…which
is great…but a 770 hour deficit when compared to the first
group.
Children who are read to less than 30 minutes weekly enter
kindergarten with less than 60 hours of the same brain food.
Fewer nursery rhymes, fairy tales, stories, etc. Even the most
gifted teacher cannot always bridge the gap that exists
between the cognitively undernourished and the young minds
which have been saturated with literacy.
.
The good news is that reading to your child is powerful, no
matter what age they are. Experts recommend that parents
read to their children through high school. It is never too late
to read to your child, no matter what age they are. So grab
the comics, the newspaper, or a really great novel, curl up on
the couch…and read! (www.thedailycafe.com)
Have a perfect day!
Dineen Gruchacz
r
372 Witherspoon Street ● 609.806.4230 ● Dineen Gruchacz, Principal
News for the class of . . . .
Mr. Rodos
Terracycle Correction!
Grade 3
The Princeton Education Foundation has approved a
grant to purchase membership for every Community
Park 3rd grader in the First in Math program.
First in Math is an online program created by the
makers of The 24 Game. Each student is assigned a
unique ID and password with which he or she can
access the activities from school and home. Beginning
first with addition and subtraction of single digit
numbers, expanding to double digits, fractions,
decimals, and multiplication and division, students are
given a target number to reach using a set of numbers
and operations.
Reversing the normal order of
repetitive math practice by giving students the answer
and having them work towards it, this program
encourages problem solving and creative thinking
while providing ample practice for memorizing math
facts.
Mastery of the four basic mathematical operations is
integral to confident and engaged mathematical
learners. While the concepts that underlie addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division are easily
understood by our third grade students, it is extended
practice and repetition that will confer a thorough
recall of math facts and the ability to manipulate
numbers quickly and accurately.
Look for your 3rd grader’s user ID and password, along
with a parent welcome letter to be sent home this
week!
Over the last two years we have raised $630.54 for
the CP Edible Garden by collecting juice boxes,
chip bags, glue sticks, pens, pencils, Ziploc bags,
shampoo bottles and plastic cups. That means we
have turned in 33,677 trash things.
Keep the “trash” coming!
KINDERGARTEN / PRE-KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Children are eligible for kindergarten in September if their fifth birthday occurs by October 1, 2012.
Children are eligible for pre-K if their fourth birthday occurs by October 1st.
Kindergarten / pre-K registration will take place in February as follows:
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Tuesday, February 7
Wednesday, February 8
Thursday, February 9
8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
To register your child, the following items must be presented at the time of registration: original birth
certificate or passport, proof of residency (up-to-date lease, new home Agreement of Sale, current tax bill,
official letter from Princeton University Housing Office or Princeton Theological Seminary) and up-to-date
immunization records of student. We will not be able to register your child without these required items. It is
not necessary to bring your child at this time. Please remember to bring your calendar or daytime planners to
sign up your child for upcoming kindergarten programs.
372 Witherspoon Street ● 609.806.4230 ● Dineen Gruchacz, Principal
On another note…
Trip Update from our Fifth Graders!
The fifth grade students were invited to a
wonderful assembly at Littlebrook on Friday,
January 20, 2012. Mrs. Sarah Schwimmer
invited all of the District’s fifth graders to
watch bread dough being made by a
representative from King Arthur’s Flour. We
learned about the bread making process and
how to shape different loaves of bread. In the
end, we all had homework! We took home all
of the necessary ingredients to make two
loaves of bread. One loaf we get to keep
and eat at home. The other loaf we must turn
in to our teachers on Friday. We will donate
our fresh loaves of bread to the Crisis Ministry.
Mrs. Klimczuk’s fifth grade class entered a poetry contest held by
Creative Communication.
Mayowa Ayodele’s poem, “Earth Pledge” has been published in their
anthology, A Celebration of Poets. Congratulations!
Death or life
Do you stand
To take this task of effect to all?
To become a animal’s heart
Pressured by sorrow
To not murder one of yourself
To never have to be guilty?
Do you not join the useless
Ending with nothing
But to join the help?
Of all, we are earthlings
Will you be the nature tribe
Of hope and blesses
Allowing to take in cries to mend?
The decisions are yours at your risk
To pass will award your name
Not only in fame but in bold green
Mrs. Gaynor’s Class during math
372 Witherspoon Street ● 609.806.4230 ● Dineen Gruchacz, Principal
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other
one thing.” - Abraham Lincoln
Career Day, Friday, February 3, 2012
Career Day introduces our students to a broad range of career ideas and inspirations. Our CP
community includes: nurses, doctors, artists, writers, chefs, journalists and much more. You
might inspire a child, or help him or her answer that age old question, “What do I want to be
when I grow up?”
Around Town
In-person Registration for Princeton Adult School ESL Classes, PHS, January 26 th, 7 to 8 p.m.
Cotsen Children’s Library hosts Tiger Tales for ages 3 – 5, Princeton University, January 27th, 11 to 12 noon.
Café Improv, Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, January 28 th, 7 p.m.
Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival’s 16th Annual Chili Cook-Off, 560 Union Square Drive, New Hope, January 29th, 1 to 4
p.m.
Emergency Closing or Delayed Opening
The following are procedures to follow in case of a closing or delayed opening of school:
The superintendent will make a decision as early as possible. Cancellations and delays will be announced over
radio stations: WKXW (NJ 101.5 FM), WHWH (1350 AM), on television Channel 6 Action News, WCAU Channel 10
NBC, or Comcast Channel 25. You can call the district’s emergency closing message line at 806-4202 or check
online notices at www.prs.K12.nj.us.
A delayed opening will constitute a 90 minute delay. Buses will run approximately 90 minutes later than usual
pick-up time. Walkers should not arrive at school before 9:30 a.m. If it is necessary to close school early (1:00
p.m.) during the day because of severe weather or other emergency, the superintendent will make a decision
by approximately 10:30 a.m. Please call 806-4202 for the decision, not our main office.
Welcome to Community Park!
We would like to welcome Child Psychologist, Dawn Brzozowski to the Community Park Child Study Team. She
is replacing Claudine O’Brien while she is on maternity leave.
Congratulations to Claudine O’Brien on the birth of her son on January 20, 2012. He weighs 8lbs. 4 oz. and is 21
½ inches long!
372 Witherspoon Street ● 609.806.4230 ● Dineen Gruchacz, Principal
CP-PTO NEWS
Please visit http://www.cppto.org/ for timely information about PTO events
IMPORTANT DATES & ACTIVITIES
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Career Day
Fri Feb 3, 2012
PTO Meeting
Wed Feb 8, 2012
PTO Music Recital
Thu Feb 23, 2012
Spaghetti Dinner/Party Boards Thu Mar 8, 2012
All day
8:30 am APR
7pm APR
5:30pm
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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Party Boards - Please consider hosting a party this year for our Party Board fundraiser! If your party idea
is ready, you can sign up on our website (under Party Boards on the left) or fill out the form that was
sent home last week. Email megrenda@yahoo.com with questions or to discuss ideas!
Career Day- Please consider speaking in your child’s class about what you do during the day. It’s very
rewarding and we cannot do this wonderful activity without your help! Please contact Andrea Spalla
(andreaspalla@verizon.net) to participate.
Spaghetti Dinner Co-Chair - We are looking for someone who would be interested in learning how to run
this event from the current chair, as it will be her last after many wonderful years! Please email Donna
Pilenza if you are interested at dpilenza@verizon.net.
ANNOUNCEMENTS/ONGOING PROGRAMS & FUNDRAISERS
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Science Fair - It’s never to early to start planning your experiment with your child for the Science Fair
on March 29. Please watch out for a flier with more information. The info can also be found on our
website under Clubs/Fairs from the L menu bar.
PTO Meetings & Minutes - Please join us for the next PTO meeting and hear about our music program at
CP from Mrs. Chorba. Please visit the website for the latest PTO meeting minutes. You can find them
under L menu bar/Meeting Minutes.
Food for Friday – ***SPECIAL NEED*** A recent fire has left a local food pantry and community in great
need of food. Consider sending your child with non-perishable food to school each Friday to support local
food pantries in Mercer County.
Green Tip - Cover stove -top pots to stop heat from escaping. This can reduce cooking energy by up to
66%.
THANKS
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Thanks to Jennifer Suarez and her group of parent volunteers for hosting a very fun Family Game Night!
Hope everyone had fun with BINGO and board games!
AROUND PRS
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The Princeton High School Boys Basketball Team is hosting its 4th Annual Pasta Dinner on Thu, Feb 9 at 5:30, in
the high school cafeteria. Dinner is $10 pp in advance, $15 pp at door, $5 for under 8yo. All net proceeds go to
PHS Boys Basketball Booster Club. Contact Sara Braverman
at http://us.mc1646.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=sara.braverman@gmail.com
372 Witherspoon Street ● 609.806.4230 ● Dineen Gruchacz, Principal
372 Witherspoon Street ● 609.806.4230 ● Dineen Gruchacz, Principal
372 Witherspoon Street ● 609.806.4230 ● Dineen Gruchacz, Principal