PARENTS & SCHOOL VISITORS

To ensure the safety and welfare of our students and staff, the district has initiated the following procedures.

• All doors will be locked. School visitors will be admitted through the front door via electronic entry. Visitors should sign the Visitor's Log in the Main Office and obtain a Visitor's Badge before visiting any area of the school. In this way, unnecessary classroom interruptions can be avoided and safety ensured. Do not park any vehicles in the areas around the school marked by the yellow striped lines (these are fire zones) or in spaces designated for the handicapped only.

• All doors will be locked throughout the day.  The only entrance to Kennedy School will be through the Main Entrance Door.  You will need to be buzzed in and you MUST identify yourself by stating your name.  After being identified, the Principal or the School Secretary will let you in.  We then ask that you sign in at the Main Office.

• All side and back doors will be locked immediately by Ms. Hernandez after the children enter in the morning.

• All children have been instructed not to open the doors for anyone.  This includes faculty and staff.

• CHILDREN ARE NOT to be accompanied by parents in the morning to their classrooms.  Teachers and teacher aides are on duty in the mornings for that purpose.

• Mrs. Sutton has created a classroom badge to wear during the individual classroom parties.  The only people who should be in the school are people who have received security badges from the teachers.

• Please be reminded that classes begin at 8:35 AM.  Children arriving after that time when the doors have been locked are counted as Tardy.

• All school personnel will be wearing photo identification.

These procedures have been initiated after extensive planning to ensure a safe school environment.

All these steps are being taken because we are concerned about the safety and well being of all of our children.  School safety will be discussed on an Administrative level.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

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NEW PARENTS

Please stop by to say hello. I encourage you to become involved in your child’s education. If I can help you in anyway, please give me the opportunity to answer any of you questions. The door is always open and I promise to always return your phone calls. Additionally, if you need a quick answer to a few questions check out the “Parent Information” page on our web site.

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COMMUNICATION

Please be mindful that much of our communication has been left up to the children to carrying home notices to make you aware of various happenings. Always check the Kennedy School sign out front as this will always have up to date information as to upcoming events at the school. 

On our web site (http://kennedyelementary.com), a calendar of the month and the various activities that will be going on during that month. This will be the best place for up to date information. Of course we will still be sending home written notices so please remember to check that back pack. Your communication with us is very important, too. Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or me whenever you have a question or concern, or need information. The school phone number is 908-754-4620 ext. 330 or 331.

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FRIDAY FOLDERS

All of our children will be provided with Friday Folders. Each teacher will place the child’s works in the Friday Folder for the given week. Along with the child’s work will be a check sheet on various issues concerning your child. The paper must be signed by you and returned to the teacher on Monday morning. If the folder does not come back signed on Monday, most likely the child will be given another chance to obtain the signature. If the child continues to not produce the folder, you will receive a communication from the teacher.

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2010-2011 LUNCH ROOM INFORMATION

Children who were eligible for free or reduced price meals during the previous school year, may continue to receive the same benefits during the beginning of the current school year while their new applications are being completed and approved. For children who will be purchasing lunch and milk, the prices are as follows:

Lunch:    $2.00

Reduced Lunch:  $ .40

Milk:  $ .55

 

Grab & go breakfast:  $1.35

Reduced grab & go breakfast:  $ .30

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  KENNEDY SCHOOL BELL SCHEDULE

The bell schedule indicating the beginning and ending of the students’ school day is as follows:

Grades K - 4 and Special Needs - 8:35 AM - 2:55 PM

*I DO ASK THAT CHILDREN ARRIVE TO SCHOOL ON TIME -

BUT NOT BEFORE 8:25 AM.

Please be aware that the Fire Department has designated the area directly in front of the school as a fire zone. Therefore, the use of the curved driveway in front of the school is prohibited. Permission may be granted for special circumstances only. Due to students being transported on buses and vans, no permission will be granted during the following times:

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

2:30 PM  - 3:25 PM

For the safety of all, students and parents should use the walkways to approach the building entrances.

 

 

General Homework Tips for Parents

 

Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.

Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available.
Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get them in advance.

Help your child with time management.
Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don't let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates.

Be positive about homework.
Tell your child how important school is. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.

When your child does homework, you do homework.
Show your child that the skills they are learning are related to things you do as an adult. If your child is reading, you read too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.

When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers.
Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him or her.

When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it.
Cooperate with the teacher. It shows your child that the school and home are a team. Follow the directions given by the teacher.

If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away.
Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.

Stay informed.
Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure you know the purpose of homework and what your child's class rules are.

Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy homework.
Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue begins to set in.

Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration.
Let your child take a short break if she is having trouble keeping her mind on an assignment.

Reward progress in homework.
If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to the park) to reinforce the positive effort.  

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  Reading Homework Tips For Parents

Have your child read aloud to you every night.

Choose a quiet place, free from distractions, for your child to do his nightly reading assignments.

As your child reads, point out spelling and sound patterns such as cat, pat, hat.

When your child reads aloud to you and makes a mistake, point out the words she has missed and help her to read the word correctly.

After your child has stopped to correct a word he has read, have him go back and reread the entire sentence from the beginning to make sure he understands what the sentence is saying.

Ask your child to tell you in her own words what happened in a story.

To check your child's understanding of what he is reading, occasionally pause and ask your child questions about the characters and events in the story.

Ask your child why she thinks a character acted in a certain way and ask your child to support her answer with information from the story.

Before getting to the end of a story, ask your child what he thinks will happen next and why.  

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  Math Homework Tips For Parents

Encourage your child to use a daily math assignment book.

Follow the progress your child is making in math. Check with your child daily about his homework.

If you don't understand your child's math assignments, engage in frequent communication with his or her teacher.

If your child is experiencing problems in math, contact the teacher to learn whether he or she is working at grade level and what can be done at home to help improve academic progress.

Request that your child's teacher schedule after-school math tutoring sessions if your child really needs help.

Advocate with the principal for the use of research-based peer tutoring programs for math. These tutoring programs have proven results, and students really enjoy them.

Use household chores as opportunities for reinforcing math learning such as cooking and repair activities.

Try to be aware of how your child is being taught math, and don't teach strategies and shortcuts that conflict with the approach the teacher is using. Check in with the teacher and ask what you can do to help. Ask the teacher about online resources that you can use with your child at home.

At the beginning of the year, ask your child's teacher for a list of suggestions that will enable you to help your child with math homework.

 

 

Legal Stuff

 

Kennedy School Web Site Liability Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY:

In preparation of this site, every effort has been made to offer the most current, correct, and clearly expressed information possible. Nevertheless, inadvertent errors in information may occur. In particular but without limiting anything here, the South Plainfield Board of Education and John F. Kennedy Elementary School disclaims any responsibility for typographical errors and accuracy of the information that may be contained on the John F. Kennedy Elementary School Web pages. John F. Kennedy Elementary School also reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice.

The information and data included on this site have been compiled by John F. Kennedy Elementary School staff from a variety of sources, and are subject to change without notice. The South Plainfield Board of Education, South Plainfield Public School District and the John F. Kennedy Elementary School makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the quality, content, completeness, or adequacy of such information and data. In any situation where the official printed publications of the South Plainfield Board of Education, the South Plainfield Public School District and/or John F. Kennedy Elementary School differ from the text contained in this system, the official printed documents take precedence.

If misleading, inaccurate or otherwise inappropriate information is brought to our attention, a reasonable effort will be made to fix or remove it. Such concerns should be addressed to the John F. Kennedy Elementary School.

DISCLAIMER OF RELIABILITY:

The South Plainfield Board of Education, South Plainfield Public School District, and John F. Kennedy Elementary School makes no representations or warranties regarding the condition or functionality of this Web site, its suitability for use, or that this Web service will be uninterrupted or error-free.

DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES:

By using the John F. Kennedy Elementary School Web pages, you assume all risks associated with the use of the site including any risk to your computer, software or data being damaged by any virus, software, or any other file which might be transmitted or activated via a John F. Kennedy Elementary School Web page or your access to it. The South Plainfield Board of Education, South Plainfield Public School District and John F. Kennedy Elementary School shall not be liable for any special, incidental, or consequential damages, including, without limitation, lost revenues, or lost profits, resulting from the use or misuse of the information contained in John F. Kennedy Elementary School Web pages.

DISCLAIMER OF ENDORSEMENT:

Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the South Plainfield Board of Education, the South Plainfield Public School District and John F. Kennedy Elementary School. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the South Plainfield Board of Education, the South Plainfield Public School District, and John F. Kennedy Elementary School shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.