Dear families of The Craig School,
Parent-teacher conferences will be held the week of March 16th. We will again use Sign-Up Genius to arrange the conference time and Google Meet to hold the conferences.
All conferences include the Reading, Language Arts, and Math teachers. If the student is involved in an Orton program that teacher will also be present. The majority of the focus is spent on Reading, Language Arts, and Mathematics, therefore either the Science or Social Studies teacher will be present. If your child’s Science teacher was present in the fall, then the Social Studies teacher will be present in the spring, and vice versa. Rather than sign up with each individual teacher, you will meet with all of your child’s teachers at once.
The parent/teacher conference is a time for parents to receive important information about their child and for teachers to hear your perspective about your child’s needs. Our main goal is to explain and answer questions about your child as well as address your concerns. If there is anything you know you want to discuss or questions you want answered, feel free to email your child’s team before the conference so we can use your time to best help you. The parent-teacher connection truly helps the teacher-student connection. We look forward to meeting with you and sharing your child’s progress thus far.
Please watch Monday’s email for the letter with additional information and the links to sign up for your conference.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Guthrie
Lower & Middle School Director
March 2026 Important Dates
3/2 (Mon) BHWH & After School Art Club 3:05 pm - 3:55pm
3/3 (Tues) After School Music Club and Dance 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3 /4 (Wed ) BHWH & After School Swim 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3 /5 (Thurs) BHWH & After School Robotics 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/6 (Fri) - Twilight Skiing at Mt. Peter 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
3/9 (Mon) BHWH & After School Art Club 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/10 (Tues) After School Music Club and Dance 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/11 (Wed) BHWH & After School Swim 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/12 (Thurs) BHWH & After School Robotics 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/13 (Fri) Trimeter 2 Ends
3/15- (Sun) - Chili Throwdown at Craig High, Montville, 12-2PM
3/16-3/20 (Mon-Fri) -No BHWS - Noon Dismissals: Parent-Teacher Conferences in the afternoons
3/17-3/19 (Tues-Thur) Book Fair
3/23 (Mon) BHWH 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/25 (Wed) BHWH 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/26 (Thurs) BHWH 3:05pm - 3:55pm
3/30-4/6 (Mon-Mon) - No School: Spring Break
April 2026 Important Dates
3/30 - 4/6 (Mon-Mon) - No School: Spring Break
4/7 (Tues) - Classes Resume for Students
Head of School for the Day
Gideon G. (4-S) recently stepped into leadership as our “Head of School for the Day,” an experience won at the Craig Badger Bowl-a-Rama Auction.
He kicked off the morning by picking up donuts for the seniors and leading a planning meeting, thoughtfully working through ideas and logistics like a true leader. Embracing his Head of School duties, Gideon even surprised a few friends with a quick trip to the diner. Later, he stopped by Ms. Schmitt’s pickleball club to pick up team shirts, keeping school spirit front and center. It was clear that both Gideon and Ms. Schmitt had a ball!
Throughout the day, Gideon visited classrooms across campus, handing out Badger cards and connecting with students and faculty. He capped off his leadership experience with a Zoom meeting alongside Craig School Board President Mr. Maciejewski, gaining insight into the partnership between school leadership and the Board of Trustees.
Gideon embraced every moment with confidence, enthusiasm, and pride, making the day truly unforgettable!
We are so proud of you, Gideon!
CALLING ALL CHILI CHEFS-The Craig School Chili Throwdown (Sunday, March 15th)
We have crowned quite a few Chili Champs in the past 20 years and its time crown a few more.
On Sunday, MARCH 15th, the best Chilis in the Craig Community will be converging at CHS from 12-2 PM, so we are looking for our Craig Families to break out that family chili recipe and put it to the test.
We are looking for Mild to Spicy, traditional to one-of-a-kind. We are also looking to crown a student champ in our “Master Chef Junior” category! You can use the following link to register your Chili (Chili Chefs 2026).
All you need is a Crock Pot, a Ladle, and a great name for your family chili!
Any questions, email Mr. Furlong at NFurlong@craigschool.org
REGISTRATION: Craig LSMS Summer Program July-August 2026
Summer School registration is now open, so here is what you need to know.
The Craig School Summer Academic Program will be held at our MOUNTAIN LAKES campus during July (July 6-July 30, Mon-Thurs 9 am-12 pm).
In addition to the morning academic program, you can also register for the AFTERNOON ENRICHMENT Program, which follows the morning academics, M-TH from 12-3:30 PM.
The afternoon enrichment program offers all-day field trips on Fridays throughout July (Fridays, 9AM-4PM).
For more information on our summer program, visit our website and click on the Lower/Middle School tab.
Any summer questions, reach out to our Director of Admissions, Kate Tartaglia, at KTartaglia@craigschool.org
Volunteers Needed!!!!
Dr. Seuss Breakfast
March kicks off Read Across America with our beloved Annual Read Across America Breakfast on March 6th, celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss! This special breakfast is a student-only event. We are looking for parent volunteers to help with setup, assist during the event, and handle breakdown. It’s a joyful morning and a fun way to support our students and celebrate a love of reading.
Dr. Seuss Volunteer Sign Up Link
Book Fair
Our annual Book Fair is coming the week of March 16 during Parent-Teacher Conference half days (8:30 AM–12:00 PM). We’re looking for volunteers to help make this special week a success!
We need help to:
Book Fair Volunteer Sign Up Link
Join the PACS Board for 2026–2027!
Serving on the board is a meaningful way to share ideas, strengthen our school community, and help continue the events and experiences that make Craig so special. Reach out: pacs@craigschool.org
CRAIG COMMUNITY EVENTS
The Craig High School- Spotlight Program
NAHS Volunteers at Renaissance Nursing Home in Lincoln Park
We are incredibly proud of our National Art Honor Society (NAHS) members who participated in a recent community service visit to the Renaissance Nursing Home in Lincoln Park. During their visit, students had the opportunity to meet residents and bring a little extra joy to our senior neighbors.
Led by Ms. Steinel and Dr. Skerker, our NAHS students led an art workshop for the Renaissance residents to create beautiful mosaic snow globes. Throw in some meaningful conversations, shared stories, and even a few Super Bowl predictions, and what we ended up with is a perfect day.
Thank you to our NAHS members and the CHS community for supporting this wonderful experience. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the amazing staff and residents at Renaissance and returning in the spring for future community service opportunities.
Our CHS winter college road trip to Vermont was an unforgettable weekend filled with campus exploration, new experiences, and plenty of fun along the way. Over three days, CHS students got a real taste of college life while exploring the beauty of Vermont.
The group started the day with regular drop-off at CHS and departed during 1st period. After battling a winter storm that added a few hours to their first stop, they arrived at Landmark College in Putney. Their Landmark exploration began with a guided campus tour followed by lunch in their student center. They wrapped up their visit with some time in the student rec center. During their time at Landmark, our students were introduced to academic programs, learned about student life, gained insight into what makes Landmark so unique, and had the opportunity to see a smaller college campus environment up close.
After the campus visit, they traveled to Burlington and checked into their AirBnB, which served as our home base for the rest of the weekend.
Our group spent the next day on the campus of Champlain College attending their Winter Open House. Students participated in campus tours, visited residence halls, explored facilities connected to their potential majors and interests, attended information sessions, and had lunch in the dining hall alongside current Champlain students. They had the chance to meet faculty members, speak with current students, and ask questions about academics, internships, and campus life. After the day on the Champlain Campus, students headed to downtown Burlington for dinner and some local exploration.
To get out ahead of the winter storm that awaited them back in NJ, our CHS crew hit the road early Sunday morning and grabbed breakfast and a full loaf of bread at Panera along the way. By 1 PM, they were pulling into the CHS lots. Thanks to Mr. Furlong and Ms. Schmitt, our road trip crew returned from Vermont safe and sound with new insights, great memories, and a clearer vision of college possibilities.
CO-ED Volleyball Sign-Ups Grades 6 to 8
3/3/26-Tuesday/Game/Away/RedOaks 3:05-5:30 Pick at away site 5:00 pick up at The Craig School 5:30
(Red Oaks School 238 Speedwell Ave, Morris Plains)
3/5/26-Thursday/Practice 3:05-4:30
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