MOUNT ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

235 Howard Boulevard

Mount Arlington, New Jersey 07856

(973) 398-4400

Fax (973) 398-5726

Stuart Mason, M.A. Ed.                                                                                                                         Summer 2008

Dear Parents,

Henry James believed the two most beautiful words in the English language were, "summer afternoon." Many of our students might argue that what the author actually meant to say was, "summer vacation." Summer is here, although it is difficult to believe how quickly the school year went by. The year could not have been such a tremendous success without the combined efforts of our teachers, parents and students. I am proud of the academic achievement our students have made and have even higher expectations for next year.

While our students are away for summer vacation, our schools remain very busy. We are determining schedules, updating instructional materials and curriculum, and developing new goals and objectives for the upcoming year. We are working hard to complete maintenance projects and prepare classrooms and facilities.

I hope all of you have the opportunity to relax and spend some time with family and friends. Summer is a time to deviate from your routine and recharge your batteries. Even if you are relaxing by the pool, taking some time to start preparing for the upcoming school year can help your child to stay ahead. The summer is a great opportunity to incorporate learning experiences without the pressure of grades and due dates.

As your children enjoy their summer, encourage and support them to keep a journal. Keeping a diary or a chronological timeline is a great way to teach sequencing. The memories of the summer can also be organized and collected to summarize a specific event or period of time in their lives. Creating both structured and unstructured ways of pulling the summer memories together help children learn to take the skills acquired in school and use them in their daily lives. These activities support both reading and language arts tasks that students are assigned throughout the school year. Whenever learning takes place, children are always preparing for school.

I also need to remind all of our students to make sure they complete their summer reading project. Books can found at the Mount Arlington Public Library or Barnes and Noble. Grade level book lists are on file at both locations or on our school website. The summer reading project is an excellent way to sustain reading levels while not in school.

I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable summer and look forward to seeing you in the fall!

                                                                                                           Sincerely,

                                                                                                           Stuart Mason