High School Newsletter

This week, we wrap up our final Friday Skiing and start to get ready for trimester exams and Parent-Teacher conferences.  Speaking of skiing, thanks to Mother Nature and the enthusiasm of our CHS skiers, Mt. Peter’s was a blast.  Big thanks to Mr. Furlong for pulling this together and extending such a wonderful opportunity to bring our community together on the slopes. 

We will have 12PM Closes for the entire week of March 16th. This will allow for final trimester exam prep, Parent-Teacher Conferences, and 2nd trimester grading.  Below you will find dates, times, and the process for signing up for your virtual Parent-Teacher Conference. 

And let’s not forget that this weekend is our least favorite of our Daylight Saving Time.  Don’t forget to give back the hour that we have been enjoying for the past few months.  Enjoy your weekend and spring your clocks  forward,

Dr. Cap

THIS WEEK AT CHS

3/9, Sunday: Daylight Saving Time (Spring Forward)

3/10, Tuesday: Afterschool Volley Ball (3-4:30 PM, CHS

3/10, Tuesday:  Proud of Our Past.  Building Craig’s Future ~ Day of Giving 

3/11, Wednesday: ESPORTS League Play (3-4:30 PM, Room 107)

3/11, Wednesday: Afterschool Art Workshop (3-4:30 PM, CHS Art Studio)

3/12, Thursday: National Pi Day (really 3.14 but unfortunately, that's a Saturday)

3/13, Friday: St. Patty’s Day (special lunch courtesy of Ms. Jahn) 

THE WEEK AFTER THAT

3/16-3/20, Monday-Friday: 12 PM DISMISSALS, Trimester Exams/Parent-Teacher Conferences/Faculty Forums 

THE REST OF MARCH

3/24, HOME-Tuesday: Afterschool Volley Ball-CRAIG CUP  (3-4:30PM, CHS Gym)

3/25, Wednesday: Afterschool Art Workshop (3-4:30PM, CHS Art Studio)

3/25, Wednesday: ESPORTS League Play (3-4:30PM, Room 107)

3/26, AWAY-Thursday: Afterschool Volley Ball-CRAIG CUP (3-4:30PM, Mt. Lakes) 

3/30, Monday: SCHOOL CLOSED: Start of Spring Break! 

This week we  celebrated the 96th birthday of our founder, Alice Gleason. When Alice opened the doors of The Craig School on January 2, 1980, she did more than start a school—she built a sanctuary for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR FOUNDER

Alice still speaks fondly of her time here, and we are just as proud to carry her torch. Her vision is alive in every student who finds their voice and every "Badger" who walks our halls with confidence.

Happy Birthday, Alice! Thank you for showing us what it means to lead with purpose.

96 years of wisdom, heart, and a legacy that continues to change lives. 

High School Art Teacher for the Day 

CHS 10th grader, Peyton, took the reins as High School Art Teacher for the Day, an experience won at The Craig School’s Badger Bowl-a-Rama fundraising auction. She designed and led an air-dry clay workshop focused on form, structure, and creative expression.

Peyton selected the vase style, prepared materials for each student, portioned the clay in advance, and created a prototype to model the technique and vision. She also developed a concise slide presentation outlining each step, then guided students through a hands-on demonstration. Within one class period, every student completed a vase, a testament to her thoughtful planning and clear instruction.

In addition to her workshop, Peyton worked with seniors on yearbook design and with 11th-grade students on the cover of this year’s all-school literary magazine. Peyton embraced the opportunity with creativity, preparation, and leadership.  We are so proud of you, Peyton!

Scheduling Your CHS Winter Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences, March 18-20

In a couple of weeks, we will be hosting our March Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences. Every day of the week of March 16th will be 12PM CLOSE days with PT Conference Days being held on Wed-Friday, March 18-20. You will have a choice of a one-hour morning or afternoon block on the following days: 

Wednesday, March 18th

7:45AM-8:45AM

1PM-2PM

2PM-3PM

3PM-4PM

Thursday, March 19th

7:45AM-8:45AM

1PM-2PM

2PM-3PM

3PM-4PM

Friday, March 20th

7:45AM-8:45AM

To schedule your virtual Parent-Teacher conference, you can email Mrs. Mershimer at DMershimer@craigschool.org or call CHS at (973)334-1234 and share your day and time.  We will do our best to accommodate your schedule. Once you choose your day and time, you can expect to receive the necessary teacher Zoom links and the schedule that you will follow during your conference block by Monday, March 17th. 

For those whose teens have one-on-one reading, please let Mrs. Mershimer know if you would like to touch base with Mrs. Blount or Ms. Gallagher, depending on who your teen has for one-on-one reading.  For those that would like to touch base with Mrs. Henry for speech, she will be available on THURS March 19th at 7:45-8:45AM and 1-2PM so let Mrs. Mershimer know that as well.

Bottle Cap Drive for Montville Township Women's Club/Aluminum Soda Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House

Our Craig School National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society are partnering with two local organizations to support two worthy causes.  And all it takes is a bottle cap or a soda pop tab!  

The CHS NHA and NAHS have joined forces with the Montville Township Women's Club to collect plastic bottle caps. Water bottle caps, Gatorade bottle caps, or any other plastic packaged beverage cap is acceptable. Please, no bottle caps from large containers, and plastic material only.  The bottle caps are collected and sent to a processing plant, where they are made into certified PCR - Post Consumer Resin for new packaging, new caps, and other assorted applications.

As we have done for the past few years, we continue to collect aluminum soda pop tabs to send to the Ronald McDonald House to support families battling pediatric cancer. Both collection containers can be found in The Craig School Gym. Thank you so much for collecting these items at home & here during the school day to support this endeavor! 

Join the PACS Board for 2026–2027 

Serving on the PACS Board for 2026–2027 is a wonderful way to deepen your connection to the Craig School community and play a direct role in shaping the events and experiences that make our school so special. 

PACS (the Parent Association of The Craig School) is an all-volunteer, parent-run organization dedicated to enhancing our children’s educational experience, fostering community, and supporting faculty through enriching activities and celebrations throughout the year—from social events and spirit traditions to teacher appreciation and family gatherings. If you’re passionate about sharing ideas, strengthening community, and helping plan meaningful programs, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out with interest or questions to pacs@craigschool.org

Community Events for Craig Student Families:

The Sensory Friendly Dress rehearsal for the production of Fiddler on the Roof.

A wonderful invitation shared by a parent:

Meghan's brother and sisters are very active in the Morristown High School Theater program; her older sister Ally, who will be a Special Education (Masters) major next year at TCNJ, is Tech Director for this performance; Cate her other older sister who also has dyslexia and ADD, does the cast Hair & Make-up, and Bobby, her older brother with ADD and also going to TCNJ as a Music Education (Masters) major, is the First Chair trombone for the pit orchestra.

The Morristown Company is absolutely amazing, and inclusive performances for all are very important to these HS actors.

Craig School Chili Throwdown Update

Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in this year’s Chili Throwdown and our chili chefs who extended themselves to put forth their top-secret family recipes to vie for chili gold. 

At this time, we have decided not to move forward with the Chili Throwdown as originally planned, as we have not had enough registrations to create the kind of Craig School Community event experience we were hoping for.   We do truly appreciate the enthusiasm and support, and hope to revisit this event in the future when the timing might be better and the participation a little stronger. We will keep you posted.