Dear Parents,

As Thanksgiving break approaches, I want to offer some suggestions on maintaining consistency for our students. Consistency is crucial for their well-being and continued progress (and your sanity!). 

Firstly, encourage a structured daily routine during the break. While flexibility is important, a consistent schedule can provide a sense of security. Keep meal and sleep times as regular as possible. This may be difficult if there are visitors in your home or if your family is traveling. You might see some behaviors you aren’t expecting if sleep and meal times are different.

Secondly, consider providing a quiet space where your child can engage in activities that help them relax and focus. This can be especially beneficial if family gatherings become overwhelming.

Lastly, incorporate educational elements into holiday activities. Encourage reading holiday-themed books, involving them in cooking to enhance math skills, or playing games that stimulate cognitive functions. You might be surprised to know that they have some excellent suggestions for games! 

By maintaining a balance between relaxation and structure, we can ensure our students have a fulfilling and consistent Thanksgiving break as well as a smooth transition back to school. Your collaboration is invaluable in fostering an environment that supports our students when they are away from school! 

Wishing you and your family a joyful and restful Thanksgiving. 

Warmly,

Susan Schmitt

Dear Badger Families,

There is always so much going on at The Craig School! Our annual Grandfriends’ Day event is right around the corner. On November 21st, we will host a Willy Wonka inspired day celebrating literacy for your children and their VIPs. It is our annual tradition on the day before we break for Thanksgiving. It is such a fitting way to spend the day, as I know we all leave feeling all the more grateful for our Craig community. Invitations and an RSVP form with full details are included just below this letter. PACS is looking for volunteers to help with set up prior to the event and help the day of; please see the PACS newsletter to see how you can lend a hand!

Our parent-teacher conferences wrapped up this morning. It was wonderful to connect with all of you and discuss your child’s programming and progress. Partnering with our families is a very important piece to The Craig School's commitment to your child’s education. For those of you new to The Craig School, this round-robin type of conference was probably new to you. I hope you found the well-rounded picture of your child to be helpful and informative. As one of our new teachers said this week, “Every school should do conferences this way.” I hope you agree.

As we look ahead to Thanksgiving next week, it is a perfect time to reflect on all to be thankful for at The Craig School. I am thankful for our loving staff, who work so tirelessly to give the best care and education for each child on this campus. I am thankful to our administration and Board of Trustees for all of the behind-the-scenes work that keeps The Craig School going. I am thankful for the families who entrust their children to our care. Finally, I am thankful for our students, who put in the effort and use the tools and strategies they are learning at The Craig School. I wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving and hope you are able to take a few moments to relax, recharge, and reflect on all you are grateful for.

Have a great weekend,

Jennifer Guthrie

Director of the Lower & Middle School

 Grandfriends RSVP link.

November

12:00pm Dismissal: GrandFriends Day - 11/21/23 - Tuesday - (9:00am-12:00pm) - LSMS

School CLOSED: Thanksgiving Break - 11/22/23 - 11/24/23 - Wednesday-Friday - All Divisions

December

12:00pm Dismissal: Faculty Forum/Trimester 1 Ends - 12/1/23 - Friday - LSMS

Goals & Objectives/Report Cards Emailed Home & to Districts - 12/15/23 - Friday - LSMS

12:00pm Dismissal: Gingerbread STEM Day - 12/15/23 - Friday - LSMS

School CLOSED: Holiday Break - 12/18/23-1/2/23 - Monday-Tuesday - All Divisions

January

School CLOSED: New Years Day - 1/1/23 - Monday - All Divisions

School CLOSED: Faculty Forum - 1/2/23 - Tuesday - All Divisions

Classes Resume for Students - 1/3/23 - Wednesday - All Divisions

Alumni Reception Grade 8 - 1/5/23 - Friday - (6:00pm - 8:00pm) - LSMS

School CLOSED: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - 1/15/23 - Monday - All Divisions

Fall Service Project Committee- This group is collecting gifts starting Monday through December 5. The gifts will be donated to Morris County Children and Family Resources. We will take a trip to the facility on December 6th to learn about their important work and drop off our gifts. 

This week we collected a small assortment of gifts. We would love to meet our goal of 100 gifts.  If you have any friends or family who are interested in participating we are looking for gifts for children from infant to sixteen. We are looking for items no more than $25. Please bring in new items if you would like to participate. 

Gifts do not need to be wrapped. The families will “shop” for their children. 

Thank you for your consideration of this worthwhile endeavor. 

** All gifts can be dropped off in the Wilson vestibule. 

​

Badger Girls Basketball for grades 5 to 8. If you are interested, please click on the link below.

Girls Basketball Sign Up 2022-2023

11/20/23 Monday   3:05-4:30 Practice

11/28/23 Tuesday   3:05-4:30 Practice

11/30/23 Thursday   3:05-4:30 Practice

There is no BHWS Monday, 11/20.

The week after Thanksgiving will be 11/27, 11/29, and 11/30.

Pick up is at 3:55

Any questions or concerns please email Stephen Vaporis, svaporis@craigschool.org

Thank you to PACS and all of its support and community building.

 Back PACS Newsletter Nov-Dec