Dear families,
This past week, I was honored to represent The Craig School at the annual NJIDA conference. The New Jersey International Dyslexia Association (NJIDA) is a state-level organization focusing on dyslexia. It likely operates to raise awareness, provide support, and advocate for individuals with dyslexia in the state. The NJIDA offers professional development and training for teachers. It also provides guidance for parents and educational advocates about how to best secure resources for students.
Mrs. Kelly Wiederlight and I hosted an informational table about Craig School. We met so many educators and advocates from across the state who not only knew of Craig School but raved about its reputation for serving students with language-based learning differences. We were both so pleased by the reception of leading experts in the field and their enthusiasm for the Craig School. Many lawyers and educational advocates who spoke with us asked specifically about students they had referred to or helped to place at Craig. Most reported that Craig School is their number one recommendation when a family seeks their guidance for an out-of-district placement.
It was refreshing and encouraging to hear rave reviews from outside folks about the inspiring work our teachers at Craig School perform daily. Of course, we knew that, but hearing it from strangers reinforced this message.
Teachers from Craig School also attended the conference to learn about various new assessment and teaching strategies. Representing Craig at the NJIDA were Cara Di Ubaldi, Laura Given, Beth Perry, and Michele Olinto.
Warmly,
Susan Schmitt
This week’s CHIL will lead us into our holiday break and the New Year. But at Craig High, we don’t need to wait for our holiday break to start celebrating our school community. This past week, we collaborated, brainstormed, and game-planned for our 1st annual COACH Door Decorating Contest. We have included some pics but will be holding off announcing our winning doors until closer to the week's end. We also held our UGLY SWEATER CONTEST and to be even more inclusive and fashionable, we have extended it to include UGLY HOODIES!
This upcoming week is trimester exam week and each day will be a 12 PM Close. Monday’s 12PM close will be our last day of classes and exams will officially start up TUES and wrap up THURS. We will close out our week with our annual Winter Spirit Day on FRI. We held a school-wide community planning meeting to decide on our Spirit Day format and events and here is what we came up with:
Many of the above events have become a tradition at Craig High over the years so we are looking forward to continuing them for this year’s Spirit Day! And lastly, just a reminder that we are still accepting trimester treat donations (Trimester Treats 2023 Sign-Ups) and that our JANUARY LUNCH DELIVERY ordering window (www.myfooddays.com) is now open through Dec 18th.
To all of our families that make the Craig Community such a special group to be a part of, we wish you an amazing Holiday Break and a Happy New Year!
Dr. Cap
December -January Calendar
1st Annual COACH Classroom Decorated Door Contest: All of our students and teachers took part in our 1st Annual COACH Door Decorating Contest. Some of the doors were finalized as this week’s CHIL went to print.
Here is a sample of the creativity and collaborative work of our CHS Community. More to come after the student-teacher door votes are tabulated.
Ugly Sweater and Hoodie Contest 2023: Votes will not be tallied until later today but in the meantime, we thought we would share some of the greatest Ugly Sweaters and Hoodies to ever grace the hallways of CHS!
Our contestants will be vying for various Ugly Sweater titles including UGLY BUT CLASSY, MOST LIKELY BELONGED TO GRANDMA, MOST FLAMMABLE, MOST DISTURBING, and BEYOND UGLY
3-D Printing
3D printing has opened up inspiring and exciting opportunities to go from an idea to a physical object for items previously only possible using complicated and expensive processes. Students at Craig High School can now explore the use of computer-aided design to turn their ideas into reality. Please join us in this elective, where your creativity can become a reality. No prior experience is needed. Just arrive eager to learn and explore.
Intro to 3-D Printing: This course will demonstrate how 3D printers work and how they are used today. Students will learn how to design, create and print their very own 3-D models. (Mr. Simpson)
Badger Hoops Starting Up After the New Year: The CHS JV Basketball Team will be starting its winter season when we get back from Holiday Break. The team is CO-ED, open to all Craig High students, and a great opportunity to improve fitness and basic basketball skills while being a part of a dynamic and supportive team.
All practices will be held at the CHS Gym from 3-4:30 PM on the following Tuesdays:
CHS Basketball Practice Dates
We are currently checking for interest and if we have enough interest, we will then start working on our home hoop schedule and will share that when we finalize it. We are also looking at the possibility of making Basketball an elective so that more students would be able to be a part of the team. We will keep you posted on that.
Craig School Annual Giving Campaign is in Full Swing!
Our goal this year is simple yet impactful: 100 % participation from our incredible Craig community. Every gift, regardless of size, contributes to the success of Craig School. You are a crucial ingredient in the recipe that makes Craig thrive!
Ready to be part of something amazing? Click the Donation Button to make your contribution.
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 the key to Craig's success!
LAST CALL-“Trimester Treats” Sign-Ups: All snacks will need to be in before exams, so that gives us now through this MONDAY, Dec 11th for snack drop off. Below is a link for parents to sign up to donate snacks, including quantities requested (based on Costco-sized boxes, so no worries if you are over/under the requested amounts) Trimester Treats 2023 Sign-Ups
Ordering CHS Lunch Delivery for January: The ordering window for January Lunches is now open starting today, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8th and will stay open through MONDAY, DECEMBER 18th. To place orders, go to www.myfooddays.com If you have any questions, reach out to our CHS Lunch Program Chair, Amanda Jahn at AJahn@craigschool.org
For more information on ways of giving or to make a donation online you can clicking here.
