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High School Newsletter

THE CRAIG SCHOOL

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Message from the Head Of School

Dear Families, 

Many of you were able to join us for the first installment of our Speaker Series where we welcomed Dr. Sharon Saline, a well-known expert in ADHD,  to discuss the challenges and joys of raising children with ADHD. She spoke of the 5 Cs she has developed to help parents navigate these tricky waters. Below is a summary of the 5 Cs. Sometimes it helps to have some guidance when we feel frustrated as parents– and we all do! These principles aim to create a supportive and effective environment for children with ADHD:

  1. Self-Control: As a parent, practice self-regulation and model emotional control. Respond calmly and thoughtfully to challenging situations.
  2. Compassion: Understand that ADHD-related behaviors are not intentional. Show empathy and patience toward your child’s struggles.
  3. Collaboration: Involve your child in decision-making. Offer choices and negotiate solutions together to reduce frustration and enhance cooperation.
  4. Consistency: Establish clear routines and boundaries. Consistency helps children with ADHD feel secure and understand expectations.
  5. Celebration: Acknowledge small victories and progress. Celebrate achievements, no matter how minor, to boost your child’s self-esteem and motivation

 

At Craig, we are committed to supporting you as you navigate your child’s educational journey. If you would like to discuss the 5 Cs, or any other concept that might help the work you are engaged in at home, please feel free to reach out to me or Dr. Cap. We would be happy to discuss these strategies or others. 

 

Please save the date of March 6th at 6:45 pm for our next session with Dr. Saline which will focus on mitigating anxiety in our students! It’s sure to be a thought-provoking and informative session!

 

Warmly,

Susan Schmitt

 

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

This week at Craig High, we wrapped up our basketball and bowling seasons.  Congrats to all of our players and a big thanks to our bowling coaches, Ms. Crum and Mrs. Tartaglia, for all of their support and encouragement.   

 

Our 12th graders seized the opportunity to see what they were reading in British Lit come to life as they joined high school students from around the state to see a production of Macbeth at the Pax Amicus Theatre.  This was all thanks to Ms. Gallagher and Ms.Knutsen who have already started pitching out our next Shakespeare play for the Spring (we think it is Romeo and Juliet).  

 

Also, this week we have a couple of important outreaches to you, our parents.  We will be hosting our Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences in mid-March so check the days and times below and see what works best for you.  We are starting up our RSVP’ing to attend our Craig School Chili Throwdown.  The RSVP link is in this week's CHIL.  We are also still looking for Chili Chefs to represent CHS as well.  Info to register your chili can also be found in this week's CHIL  

 

And we wrap up our week with a couple of reminders.  One is for summer school which is open for registration and the other is our next speaker in the Craig School virtual speaker series which will be this WEDS March 6th.  Here is to a great week, 

Dr. Cap



CALENDAR INFO

OUR UPCOMING WEEK

Monday, March 4th  

Afterschool Art Workshop (3-4:15PM, CHS Art Studio)

 

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

 

Saturdays, March 9th

Saturday Basketball: HS Volunteers (9AM-11AM, Mt. Lakes)

 

Sunday, March 10th 

Daylight Savings Time! (Spring Forward) 

 

THE WEEK AFTER THAT

Mondays, March 11th, 18th 

Afterschool Art Workshop (3-4:15PM, CHS Art Studio)

 

Saturdays, March 16th, and 23rd 

Saturday Basketball: HS Volunteers (9AM-11AM, Mt. Lakes)

 

Thursday, March 14th 

National Pi Day 

 

THE REST OF MARCH  

Monday-Friday, March 18th-22nd

12PM Close: PT Conferences and 2nd Trimester Exams*

 

Saturday, March 23rd 

Craig School Annual Chili Throwdown (11AM-1PM)

 

Wednesday, March 27th

Craig School Speaker Series: When Nothing Seems to Work- How to help students with ADHD get unstuck and build resilience with Dr. Sharon Saline  (6:45 pm Zoom-REGISTER and ZOOM LINK

 

Friday, March 29th 

School Closed: Good Friday

 

COMMUNITY NEWS

CHS March Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences:  Towards the end of March (Tues-Thurs, March 19-21),  Craig High will be hosting our Winter Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences.  Similar to our December Conferences, you will have a choice of a one-hour block in either the morning or afternoon and the opportunity to Zoom with your teen’s teachers one-on-one.  Days and Hour-Blocks to choose from are:

 

TUES, March 19th 

7:45AM-8:45AM 

1PM-2PM

2PM-3PM

3PM-4PM

 

WEDS, March 20th    

7:45AM-8:45AM 

1PM-2PM

2PM-3PM

 

THURS, March 21st   

7:45AM-8:45AM 

 

To schedule a virtual conference, you can email Mrs. Mershimer at DMershimer@craigschool.org or call CHS at (973)334-1234. Once we have set our schedule, we will send you the necessary Zoom links and specific times that you will follow during your conference block.  

 

Also, let Mrs. Mershimer know if you would like to touch base with any of our CHS specialists (READING Mrs. Blount, COUNSELING Mrs. Brown, COLLEGE COUNSELING Mrs. Skerker, and SPEECH Mrs. Henry (TUES and THURS 7:45-8:45 AM ONLY)) and we will do our best to schedule them right before or after your one hour PT block.  



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! 

 

NEWSLETTER GALLERY
FACULTY

ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS

CHS 12th Graders Enjoy Performance of Macbeth at Pax Amicus Castle Theatre: Our CHS 12th grade was given a fantastic opportunity to attend a live performance of Macbeth at PaxAmicus Castle Theatre and the timing couldn’t have been any better.  Our seniors had just finished reading Macbeth in their British Literature class and were excited to see the play in person.  

They enjoyed bonding with their classmates and shared that the play storyline was easy to follow.  The students also felt like they were part of the action because, at times, the actors were in the aisle. Everybody agreed the acting and special effects were great.  The 200-seat theatre was filled with students from all over the tri-state area, and the director was on hand to explain the significance of the acts which made the experience more personalized.   



ATHLETICS

Craig High Hoops Hit the Road to Take on Winston Prep High School (WPHS):  The Craig High Basketball team headed down Route 10 East early this week to take on Winston Prep High on their Whippany campus.  Also making the trek were quite a few CHS parents who gave our players an amazing cheering section throughout the game.  

The Badgers split their season series with WPHS with each team winning on their home court with WPHS taking the most recent game, 42-25.  Craig High was led by senior Captain Nate who dropped 17 points and pulled down 5 boards.  Adding to the CHS scoring total was freshmen sensation, Conner who put up 8 points and led the team in rebounds with 6.   5’3 senior Captain Grace pulled down 4 rebounds, junior Mary added two boards and a steal, and Freshman EV grabbed 2 rebounds and a couple of bigtime steals.  Sophomore Ava added a rebound and a steal to the stat sheet.  This wraps up the Badger season for 2024.  A big thank you to all of the parents who were able to join us for a game this season.  Your presence made each game even more special. 





ADMISSIONS

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 kwiederlight@craigschool.org for more information. 

Registration Form 

 



Advancement

 

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!

 

PACS

HIGH SCHOOL

Craig High School students will be taking exams March 18-22, 2024.  PACS is organizing treats and drinks for the students to enjoy between exams.  Please sign up below to bring something in. Treats are due by MONDAY, MARCH 18.

Sign Up

 

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Lee Yohanan at pacshs@craigschool.org

March 23, 2024

All School Chili Cook-Off  will take place March 23rd from 11:00AM-1:00PM in the Mt Lakes Cafeteria. 



IMPORTANT INFO

Afterschool Art Studio on MONDAYS in March:  Afterschool Art Studio is happening on Mondays throughout March and there is still time to join.  The next dates are Mondays March 4th, 11th, and 18th. Pick-up will be at 4:15 PM at the first-floor middle doors. Interested students should see Mrs. T (KTartaglia@craigschool.org

 

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.

 

CHS Summer Program July-August  2024:  The Craig High School Summer Program will be held at our Montville facility during the month of July through early August(July 10-August 3, Mon-Thurs 9AM-12PM) and registration is now open.   

The CHS Summer Program offers a personal and dynamic academic summer experience that promotes and continues to build organizational, writing, comprehension, and research skills.  There are also opportunities for students to work on and in most cases, complete their HS summer reading assignments.  For more information on our summer program, you can visit our website at https://www.craigschool.org/academics/summer-academy/ and click on the High School tab.  To register, click on CHS Summer Registration Forms



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!



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The Craig School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate based on race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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