Dear Badger Families,
Welcome to March! This month brings many exciting activities with it in our Craig Community. Please make sure you read through today’s Newsletter to get the details on everything that is going on around campus this month.
Today you will receive an email with our Spring Parent-Teacher Conference letter and sign-up links. They will all be the week of March 18th during the scheduled noon dismissals.
Yesterday an email went out about our annual Chili Cook-Off. This is a fun, laid back event with good food, good conversation, and some fun activities in the gym. It is a perfect opportunity to mingle with other families in the Craig community.
Saturday Basketball sign-ups are available! This is a clinic for all ages and siblings are welcome to join us. Please see the Athletics section for the sign-up form and the dates.
Today, PACS kicked off Read Across America week with a waffle breakfast for our students. They truly outdid themselves this year in creating a space that transports our students into a Dr. Seuss book. We cannot thank you enough for your devotion to our students and activities! Next week has many fun activities planned by our peer leaders. Please see the Community News section so you are prepared for next week’s spirit days!
PACS has many opportunities for involvement coming up. One of which is the annual Scholastic Book Fair. Please see their section in the Newsletter for more information about the Book Fair and how you can be involved.
Have a great weekend,
Jennifer Guthrie
Director of the Lower & Middle School
March
Wednesday, March 6th: Speaker Series 6:45 pm- Confident and Curious: How to help anxious students reduce worrying and develop the confidence they need.
Wednesday, March 13th: Trimester 2 Ends
Monday-Friday, March 18th-22nd: 12:00 pm Dismissal: Parent Teacher Conferences/Faculty Forum Friday
Wednesday, March 20th: Coffee with the Head of School (8:30 am - 9:15 am) Head of School Office
Thursday, March 21st: Trimester 2 Goals & Objectives/Report Cards Available
Saturday, March 23rd: ALL School Annual Chili Throwdown [Wilson Cafeteria, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm]
Wednesday, March 27th: Speaker Series 6:45 pm- When nothing seems to work: How to help students with ADHD get unstuck and build resilience.
Friday, March 29th: School Closed: Good Friday
April
Monday-Friday, April 1st-5th: School Closed: Spring Break
Monday, April 8th: Classes Resume
Wednesday, April 10th Speaker Series 6:45 pm- Support for Parents: Navigating Special Education and Understanding Available Supports and Resources.
Wednesday, April 17th: Coffee with the Head of School (8:30-9:15 am) Head of School Office
Friday, April 19th: 12:00 pm Dismissal: Faculty Forum
May
Saturday, May 4th: Teacher Appreciation Community Celebration Event (6:30 pm - 9:30 pm) Craig High School Gymnasium
Leadership Council:
Upcoming Events:
March 4-8 - Read Across America Week
We will have a spirit day each day
Monday - Cat in the Hat - Crazy Hat Day
Tuesday - Oh, The Places You’ll Go- Wear a Favorite School Shirt or a Place you Visited
Wednesday - Dr. Seuss Sleep Book - Wear Your PJ’s to School
Thursday- Wacky Wednesday - Teacher Student Switch Day.
Friday- Color War
2nd, 3rd, 4th - Orange
5th Purple
6th Green
7th Red
8th Pink
We will also host a Dr. Seuss Themed Minute to Win it for 2-6th Grade and a murder mystery for 7th-8th grade.
The day will end with a pep rally.
Open House - March 5th Leadership Ambassadors will welcome prospective families and share a bit about their experiences at The Craig School.
Laura Given
Leadership Advisor
Craig School Chili Throwdown NEWS-Time to RSVP: The countdown clock to the Craig School “Chili Throwdown” stands at a little over two weeks and counting. We “SAVED THE DATE” (Saturday, March 23rd on our Lower-Middle School Campus in Mountain Lakes from 11AM-1 PM).
We sent out the “CALL TO ALL CHILI CHEFS”. You can still register your family chili at Calling Craig Chili Chefs and no worries if you don't know what category or even what type of chili you are making at this point. Just check the TBD box.
Now it's time for the final and most important check on our list. To fill that Throwdown room with the Craig Community! Calling all Craig School families and friends of the Craig School, your company is requested for our Annual Craig School Chili Throwdown so RSVP NOW!
RSVP to Attend the Chili Cook-Off 2024
This year, we are going well beyond chili with a NACHO BAR, DESSERT TABLE, and SMASHING PINATAS so it should be a fun couple of hours for every member of the family! And know that it’s not a Craig community event if you aren’t part of it. Hope to See you on the 23rd!
Girls Volleyball Clinic grades 6th, 7th, and 8th
Monday, March 4th, 3:05-4:00 clinic
Thursday, March 7th, 3:05-5:30 at Red Oaks game/away.
Pick up at Red Oaks is at 5:00 pm at 238 Speedwell Ave Morristown.
Saturday Basketball is Back! This program is for all grades! We need at least 25 players to run this program. Don’t delay… sign-up today! Go Badgers!
Please use the link below to sign up. Starts March 9, 2024
SUMMER ACADEMY
Registration for the 2024 Summer Academy is now open! Reserve your spot today!
Summer Academy will be held at our High School Campus: 24 Changebridge Road in Montville, NJ. All summer medical forms are due by June 1st.
Contact Kelly Wiederlight at kwiederlight@craigschool.org for more information.
Spring is around the corner, let's celebrate, and spread joy and cheer by supporting Craig School's Annual Giving!!
Thank you to all who've donated! We're working hard to reach our goal and need everyone's support.
Every gift matters. Annual Giving covers essential enhancement programming like photography, script handwriting, social and emotional learning, athletics, and more, beyond tuition. Your support isn't just about today; it's about securing tomorrow's opportunities.
Additionally, achieving 100% participation opens doors to additional grant funding.
Together, let's keep Craig thriving!!
Donate Here - Every Gift Matters!
If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to Mary Calvano, Advancement, at mcalvano@craigschool.org or call 973-334-1234 x229.
Thank you for being a key ingredient to Craig's success!
18th Annual Golf Outing
Save the date! Our 18th Annual Golf Outing, Dinner & Auction is on Tuesday, June 18, 2023. Even in winter, it's never too early to dream about hitting the course. Get ready for a fantastic event – more details are coming soon!
Dates
Monday, March 4th
Wednesday, March 6th
Thursday, March 7th
Pick-up is at 3:55 pm
Please contact Stephen Vaporis, svaporis@craigschool.org, for more information.
March 20-22nd 2024
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PACS. This event is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
Here’s what you need to know about the Fair, which will take place March 20-22nd. Click here to go to our very own book fair homepage. This is where you will find our info on dates, and eWallet. Please click here to volunteer to help run the fair.
Our Book Fair offers a cash-free payment option called eWallet. It’s a convenient digital account that your child can use for shopping at our Fair. Grandparents, friends, and others can contribute, too! Click here for more information on eWallet.
March 23, 2024
All School Chili Cook-Off will take place March 23rd from 11:00AM-1:00PM in the Mt Lakes Cafeteria.
SAVE THE DATE-Wednesday, March 6th-Craig School Speaker Series-Confident and Curious: How to help anxious students reduce worrying and develop the confidence they need with Dr. Sharon Saline (6:45 pm Zoom-REGISTER and ZOOM LINK): Living in a world that’s increasingly unpredictable, today’s children and teens are more anxious than ever before. Dr. Sharon Saline, veteran psychologist and author of “What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life” and “The ADHD Solution Card Deck” discusses the grip of anxiety and what parents and educators can do to help reduce students' worries.
After reviewing the physiology, psychology, and types of anxiety, she will show you how to help kids change their relationship to worry and avoid the pitfalls of negative thinking. Instead of reassurance and rationalization, you will learn techniques for separating the person from the anxiety, talking to the worry itself, and creating effective responses to ‘what ifs’. Dr. Saline offers tools for teaching children and teens how to realistically evaluate situations, tolerate uncertainty, and decrease anxiety in a variety of educational and social environments. You'll learn how to transform worry and insecurity into curiosity and confidence. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
PARKING MESSAGE
Mountain Lakes Campus
We are very grateful to have such an involved community! As with any large family, we can overwhelm those around us sometimes. Please help us by doing your best to be considerate of our neighbors whenever you come to campus.
As you come to campus for drop-off, pick-up, and various activities, please continue to be good neighbors to our community. Ideally, when picking up at regular dismissal time, please try to come as close to 3:00 as possible. It is even fine to plan to be here at 3:10. I certainly understand that not all family schedules allow for waiting until 3:00 and just ask that you do what you can. If you must line up before 3:00, please be very mindful of not blocking the road or driveways on either side of Laurel Hill Road and obey idling laws by turning off your car.
When coming onto the Mountain Lakes campus for activities, whether they are during the day or after school, please continue to be considerate of our community. Please only park in lined spots in our lot, in empty spots in the Blue House parking lot, or across the Boulevard at the Masonic Lodge.
We truly appreciate your support of and commitment to your children and The Craig School!
For more information on ways of giving or to make a donation online you can clicking here.
