Dear families, 

On behalf of the entire Craig staff, we wish you and your family a restful Spring break. Some of you will be traveling and some of you will need to continue working! The next nine days may be full of extra family time, but for many of you, the next nine days may be stressful due to the fact that your child will have less structure. This time away from the structures Craig provides might be stressful for your child. Over the Winter break, I published the following strategies that might help to mitigate the added stress of unstructured time away from the school routine. Perhaps you did not need them now but could use them now. All children crave consistency and routine; children with ADHD crave it even more. I am more than happy to discuss any of these strategies with you if you would like some examples of how these might help create a peaceful and productive week at home. 

Establishing a routine for ADHD teens and pre-teens during Spring break can help provide structure and support their well-being. Here are some suggestions:

• Create a Visual Schedule:
  • Break down the day into blocks of time, including wake-up, meals, activities, and bedtime.
  • Incorporate both structured and unstructured time.
• Set Clear Expectations:
  • Clearly communicate expectations for behavior and responsibilities during the break.
  • Be specific about chores, reading, and any family activities.
• Include Breaks and Physical Activity:
  • Integrate short breaks between activities to allow for movement and sensory breaks.
  • Encourage physical activities like walks, sports, or other forms of exercise to help manage energy levels.
• Consistent Sleep Schedule:
  • Aim to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even during the holidays. Adequate sleep is crucial for managing ADHD symptoms.
  • Create a calming bedtime routine to help with relaxation.
• Provide Choices:
  • Allow your teen/ pre-teen to have some say in their schedule and activities. Providing choices can increase motivation and engagement.
  • Present options for activities and let them decide on the order or timing.
• Limit Screen Time:
  • Set reasonable limits on screen time to prevent overstimulation. Use parental controls if necessary.
  • Encourage a balance between online and offline activities.
• Social Connection:
  • Plan social activities with friends or family to maintain social connections.
  • Consider activities that align with your teen's interests and preferences.
• Break Tasks into Manageable Steps:
  • Teach your teen to break down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. This can make activities feel more manageable.
  • Provide positive reinforcement for completing each step.

Of course, every child is different, but some of these suggestions might help! As always, I am available to discuss these strategies and how they might be helpful. 

Warmly,

Susan Schmitt

Dear Badger Families,

Today we are finishing up our Parent-Teacher conferences. It has been such a pleasure to sit in on and listen to the wonderful progress your children have made throughout this year. Thank you again for sharing your children with us and allowing us to be a part of their journey. 

Although spring has just sprung this week, please make sure you are making your plans for this summer. If you plan to join us for our summer academic and/or enrichment programs, please let us know. You can find the link on our website under the Community Resources tab. Please know that even if ESY is written into your child’s IEP, you still need to register for our program. 

Thank you to PACS and all of the parent volunteers for hosting and running our Scholastic Book Fair. It is a wonderful way to help our students enjoy reading!

Have a great weekend,

Jennifer Guthrie

Director of the Lower & Middle School

March

Saturday, March 23rd: ALL School Annual Chili Throwdown [Wilson Cafeteria, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm]

Wednesday, March 27th: Speaker Series 6:45 pm- When nothing seems to work: How to help students with ADHD get unstuck and build resilience.

Friday, March 29th: School Closed: Good Friday

April

Monday-Friday, April 1st-5th: School Closed: Spring Break

Monday, April 8th: Classes Resume

Wednesday, April 10th Speaker Series 6:45 pm- Support for Parents: Navigating Special Education and Understanding Available Supports and Resources.

Wednesday, April 10th: Teacher Feature Form & Payment Due

Wednesday, April 17th:  Coffee with the Head of School (8:30-9:15 am) Head of School Office

Friday, April 19th: 12:00 pm Dismissal: Faculty Forum

Friday, April 19th: Craig ALL SCHOOL Drive-In (7PM, Montville Campus Parking Lot)

May

Saturday, May 4th:  Teacher Appreciation Community Celebration Event (6:30 pm - 9:30 pm) Craig High School Gymnasium  

* Save the Date, details will be posted soon (Join Us to Celebrate our Fabulous Faculty!)

Craig School Chili Throwdown IS HERE-This Saturday, March 23rd: This Saturday from 11-1PM, the best Chili and best company that the Craig School has to offer will be gathered in Mountain Lakes for our annual Craig School Chili Throwdown!  There is still time for you and your family to be a part of this dynamic community event (RSVP to Attend The Chili Cook-Off 2024). Whether you are a Chili Maker, a Chili Taster, or just looking for an awesome way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday, Mountain Lakes is the place to be.  The event officially starts at 11AM (Chili’s should arrive for set up around 10:30-10:45AM) but you can pop in anytime between 11-1PM. This is just not a community event if you aren’t part of it. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Teacher Feature Update:

In case you missed it, all the details for Teacher Feature are in your child’s VIP folder. We've made some tweaks to two events on 5/10: Color Me Mine and Sundaes now cater specifically to grades 2nd through 5th, and the Girls Sleep Under has been rescheduled to Friday 5/31 due to scheduling conflicts. While Ms. St. Peter can't join us, her creative input will still shine through, with Ms. Jahn stepping in. Apologies for any inconvenience, and please reach out to Mary Calvano at mcalvano@craigschool.org or Amanda Jahn at ajahn@craigschool.org for any questions. Can't wait to kick off on April 12th!

Deadline for Teacher Feature responses: Tuesday, April 10th!

Leadership Council:

Upcoming Events:

Buddy Program : Monday March 25: Leaders will join with their 2-4 grade buddies to work on an activity during their mentoring cycle. 

Plant Sale- Begins in April Delivery - May 9 Kaiden and Andy are chairing this committee. They have met already and begun discussing what we will focus our fundraising efforts on  for this year and how we can improve our marketing strategies. Order forms will be available after April break, pick up will be a few days before Mothers Day. 

Teacher Appreciation Week- May 6-10 Joel and Jules have begun working with the committee to  develop ideas to show their thanks to our incredible staff. 

7th and 8th grade School Dance-May 10 -  LOOKING FOR CHAIRS ! We need parent chairs to lead this  parent  committee. Our school dance is May 10. Please consider stepping up and helping to make this a magical night for the kids. If we don’t have chairs soon we will have to cancel the dance.  Contact lgiven@craigschool.org

Looking forward: 

The Red Nose Day Committee will meet after Spring break to begin developing their plans.

SPEAKER SERIES

If you missed our Speaker Series, with Dr. Sharon Saline, you can visit the website -

ABOUT US/SPEAKER SERIES and download the recorded presentation.

There is still time to register for our additional presentations coming up:

March 27: 6:45 pm- ADHD - When nothing seems to work: How to help students with ADHD get unstuck and build resilience.

April 10:    7:00 pm- Support for Parents: Navigating Special Education and Understanding Available Supports and Resources.

All workshops will be remote and led by outside experts in their respective fields– Dr. Sharon Saline & Meghann Bierly. Take a look at these outstanding offerings!

​

Volleyball

We will continue Volleyball. We would like to play more games. Finding schools to play is a challenge this time of year. Right now, we will book Monday, March 25th, and Wednesday, March 27th. More information to come. Go Badgers!

Saturday Basketball

Unfortunately, our Saturday Basketball program did not get enough participants to form a league this year. In its place, we will run after-school clinics. Please be on the lookout for more information to come.

Go Badgers! 

After-School Basketball Clinic League  All grades Co-ed

Skills, Drills, and Games! 

3:05 pm to 4:00 pm 

Tuesday, April 16

Thursday, April 18

Tuesday, April 23

Thursday, April 25 

Click the link below for sign-ups 

After School Basketball Clinic 2024

The Lacrosse Clinic is coming in May! 

SUMMER ACADEMY

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 at kwiederlight@craigschool.org  for more information. 

Registration Form 

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!

 Dates

Monday, March 25th

Wednesday, March 27th

NO BHWS THURSDAY-ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK

Pick-up is at 3:55 pm

Please contact Stephen Vaporis, svaporis@craigschool.org, for more information.

PACS

A big thank you to all the Craig Parents who helped make the Book Fair Run so smoothly. The Students love this event and it could not have happened without all of your help.

We are excited that the All School Drive In Movie has been rescheduled. The Movie will now take place on April 19th, 2024 at 7PM.

PACS could use your help with snack donations for our 3rd Annual Movie Night. If you can help provide some movie snacks, please click below to make a donation. You can leave all donations at the front desk at Wilson or at the front Desk at the High School. Please have all donations in by April 15th.  Please Click Here for the Sign Up Genius.

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!