Thomas Jefferson School

April 16, 2021
A Message from Our Principal



Dear Thomas Jefferson Families,

BACK TO SCHOOL!

We’re BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!! Monday, April 12th brought not only a new week, but many students back to school, of those who were ready to come back to 5 days of in-person learning. I have to say that it felt like the first day of school, all over again! It was great to see so many students come back to the building and I know that our teachers were so excited, as well. Mrs. O’Brien even rolled out the red carpet in her room (please see our Thomas Jefferson Facebook page for the picture)! There is absolutely nothing like hearing the hallways (nearly) filled with voices, laughing, talking and seeing the learning taking place in our classrooms. For once, I was not too bothered by so much talking in our hallways! It really was great to see. And in my visits to classrooms, it is always great to see both our in-person and all-virtual learners, as well. Please remember that if you chose for your child to attend school in-person, 5 days a week, then they must be here every day. If they will not be here, then please call the Main Office ahead of time to report their absence. Thank you all for your incredible support in helping us to make this return to school take place!
 
EVERY DAY COUNTS!

I am extremely excited to introduce and share a new initiative to Rams Nation titled, Every Day Counts! This initiative is purely to work with our students and families in improving attendance and absenteeism in our schools, across the district. All studies and data show that student attendance is the #1 contributor to student success: if you come to school, you have already put yourself in a great position to succeed! However, for many of our families and students, this is a challenge and has become a greater challenge due to the COVID pandemic. Ms. Dachisen, our School Nurses and Counselors and I have worked tirelessly over the past several months to create a comprehensive strategic plan and protocol to not only improve our attendance but to also work closely in supporting our families along the way.

We are working with the staff of our schools to always create a positive culture and working with local law enforcement and our Class 3 Officer to ensure safety in our schools, as well. Ms. Dachisen and I have had the pleasure of updating our progress at recent Board of Education meetings and we are extremely appreciative of the support from Mrs. Alpaugh and the Board of Education on this work. We are confident that it will help us support our families, students and to improve overall attendance in school. As we work on this initiative, I am also excited to promote a new district-wide contest to our entire district population. Please see the flyer in this newsletter. In this contest, we are pitting Lincoln School vs. Thomas Jefferson School. Over the next 3 weeks, beginning on April 19th, the school who has the overall highest total percentage of school attendance will have the ‘pleasure’ of seeing their Principal get ‘pied’ in the face! I am not sure how excited I am in taking part in this, but if it helps to motivate our kids to get to school every day and on time, then I say, ‘whatever it takes!’ GAME ON, MS. DACHISEN!
 
Please keep in touch, stay connected with us and contact your childs' teachers(s) with any questions or concerns as you may also call the school, as well. Please be safe and stay healthy. We thank you for your partnership and we look forward to seeing you soon. 
 
David Waxman
Thomas Jefferson School Principal


Facebook: Thomas Jefferson Middle School-Rockaway Borough
Instagram: tjprincipal
Twitter: Principal of TJ
Phone Number Main Office: 973 625-8603
Nurse: 973 625-8603 ext. 305
Counselor: 973 625-8603 ext. 331


























A Very Important Note

Dear Rockaway Borough Families,
The health and safety of our school community is a shared responsibility between home and school, and all stakeholders must do their part. Please know we are counting on everyone to help keep all members of our community safe.
If you have not done so already, a parent/guardian must fill out a COVID-19 screening certification form, certifying that the student and family will follow the district’s health screening protocols. The form can be accessed by clicking the link below. This is a one-time certification for the 2020 - 2021 school year. 
Failure to fill out the certification form will result in a student being placed on all virtual learning.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter and as always, please stay safe and healthy.
Sincerely yours, 

David Waxman
Principal
Nurses Corner Update





















IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATED INFORMATION FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS


The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) recently made some revisions to the exclusion guidelines for students and staff. Please take a few moments to read through these changes.
Schools are no longer required to exclude “in-school” close contacts of someone who becomes ill with Covid-19 Compatible Symptoms*, but who has not yet been tested for Covid-19. So whereas recently we sometimes had to send an entire classroom home if someone in the class became ill, the NJDOH no longer requires schools to do this.

At this time, if someone becomes ill during the school day, only the ill individual will be sent home, and they must remain at home until they test negative for Covid-19, (or for ten days from the onset of symptoms if they choose not to be tested)“In-school” close contacts, such as those who were in the same classroom as or who worked with the ill individual, will no longer be sent home at that time, as had previously been required. However, any siblings or household members of the ill individual must be sent home and must remain home until the ill individual tests negative for Covid-19, (or for 14 days if the ill individual is not tested). 

Schools are still required to exclude “in-school” close contacts of anyone who tests positive for Covid-19. Students and staff members determined to be close contacts of anyone in school who tests positive for Covid-19 will need to be quarantined for 14 days from the last date of contact with the positive individual. 

The NJDOH is once again permitting pre-existing conditions to be taken into consideration when determining if symptoms warrant Covid-19 exclusion criteria. Per the NJDOH: "For students with chronic illness, only new symptoms or symptoms worse than baseline should be used to fulfill symptom-based exclusion criteria". Please remember, documentation of pre-existing conditions/chronic illness must already be on file with the nurses.

The NJDOH continues to prohibit schools from accepting healthcare providers' notes stating an alternate diagnosis in the absence of a negative Covid-19 test. Per the NJDOH:  " An alternate diagnosis (including a positive strep test or influenza swab) without a negative COVID-19 test is not acceptable for individuals who meet COVID-19 exclusion criteria to return to school". 

Guidelines that have not changed but are worth repeating are:

If someone in a student's household is being tested for Covid-19 due to illness, the student should stay home until the test result is received. 

If a student has a household member or other close contact outside of school who is ill with Covid-19 Compatible Symptoms*, the student must remain at home until the ill individual tests negative for Covid-19. If the ill individual is not tested, the student must remain home for 14 days from the date of their last exposure to the ill person.  

If someone in a student's household tests positive for Covid-19, the student must remain at home for the recommended period of quarantine, (generally 14 days, but may be longer if isolation of the ill individual is not possible).

Students with Covid-19 Compatible Symptoms* must not come to school until they receive a negative Covid-19 test, have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, and other symptoms have improved. If the student is not tested for Covid-19, they must be excluded from school for ten days from the date of symptom onset. A screening tool follows this update for your reference.


Parents/Guardians: Please review this form daily before sending your child to school and report your child’s information to your child’s school nurse, (Mrs. Denise Jacobus, RN, at djacobus@rockboro.org or 973-625-8602 for Lincoln School, or Mrs. Linda Savercool RN at lsavercool@rockboro.org or 973-625-8603 for Thomas Jefferson School), if any of the symptoms or close contact/exposure fields are checked off.


Section 1: Symptoms

Any of the symptoms below could indicate a COVID-19 infection in children and may put your child at risk for spreading illness to others. Please note that this list does not include all possible symptoms and children with COVID-19 may experience any, all, or none of these symptoms. Please check your child daily for these symptoms:

Column A   Column B
                              

___ Fever (100.0F or higher)      ___Cough
___ Chills                       ___Shortness of breath
___ Rigors (shivers)              ___Difficulty breathing
___ Myalgia (muscle aches)    ___New loss of smell
___ Headache                  ___New loss of taste
___ Sore throat                                                                        
___ Nausea or Vomiting
___ Diarrhea
___ Fatigue (feeling tired)
___ Congestion or runny nose

Students who are sick (e.g. fever, vomiting, diarrhea) should not attend school in-person. If TWO OR MORE of the fields in Column A are checked off, or AT LEAST ONE field in Column B is checked off, please keep your child at home and notify the school for further instructions.

Section 2: Close Contact/Potential Exposure

Please verify if in the last 14 days:
_____Your child had close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 or more minutes during a 24-hour period) with a person with COVID-19. 
_____ Someone in your household is diagnosed with or is being tested for COVID-19, or someone in your household has any of the COVID-19 symptoms listed above in Section 1
_____ Your child has traveled from any U.S. state or territory outside of New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, or has traveled out of the country.


If any of the fields in this section are checked off, contact your child’s school nurse, Mrs. Denise Jacobus, RN at djacobus@rockboro.org or 973-625-8602 for Lincoln School, or Mrs. Linda Savercool, RN at lsavercool@rockboro.org or 973-625-8603 for Thomas Jefferson School, for the most current exclusion recommendations before sending your child to school. Contact your child’s healthcare provider or your local health department (973-537-7118) for further guidance.   

++++++++++

**Please Be Aware**

No Vented Masks OR Neck Gaitors Allowed UNLESS a Surgical Mask is on Underneath It  












































































One More Gentle Note

In recent months, everyone has certainly experienced very trying times with all that is going on around us. That being said, it is important to note that our students learn better with breakfast and a good nights sleep. With our cafeteria still closed, please be aware we have no access to breakfast or any type of snacks.


Planning to Travel?


If your family plans to travel out of state or out of the country beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) please inform the school nurse as your child will need to remain home for the recommended quarantine period which is currently 10 days, upon return to New Jersey. Your child may participate in school remotely during the recommended quarantine period and will receive full credit for attendance.

Please contact Mrs. Savercool, School Nurse for further information if you have any questions, at 973-625-8603, ext. 305 or lsavercool@rockboro.org.



Day of the Cycle for April


























S
G
O


Drive

Has

Begun!






Join Our


Next


Virtual


Activity

















8th Grade Fundraisers
































































LOCAL ACTIVITIES

Let's Make Paper Airplanes!











WHAT: Come grab a paper airplane craft bag!
WHEN: Tuesday, April 27th (rain date April 29th)
TIME: 1:00 pm (dismissal time)
WHERE: In front of the Rockaway Borough Public Library 
SUGGESTED AGE: 10 and up

A paper airplane craft will be distributed outside of the Rockaway Borough Public Library while supplies last. Each bag will contain the instructions and materials to make three different paper airplanes.  

There will also be two remote-control airplanes on display.


Looking for a new opportunity?








visit: WHARTONNJ.COM





































See the

New Clubs

4-H

Might

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Offerings for Parents, Students & Professionals
March 1, 2021

Center for Pre-College Programs Bulletin:
As we all adjust to the "new normals," we have planned 2021 offerings for a variety of settings and scenarios. Giving students authentic, rich, culturally relevant and safe learning experiences remains our top priority, while continuing our commitment to support educators and families in providing high quality STEM learning. We view these opportunities as a challenge and a privilege in these unique times. Learn more about our upcoming events and how to register

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Center for Pre-College Programs Summer 2021
 
The programs are designed to encourage and prepare students to succeed in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 

Program Dates: 

Tuesday, July 6, 2021 – Friday, July 30, 2021

9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

(Monday – Friday)

Application Deadline: April 16, 2021


***** 

College Prep Boot Camp

SUMMER 2021

Ideal for rising 9th - 12th Grade Students

Program will run from Monday, August 2, 2021 through Friday, August 6, 2021, 

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Daily)

Application Deadline:   Monday, July 19, 2021
Click here for more information

Academy College Courses for High School Students

SUMMER SESSION 2021

Monday, June 28, 2021 - Monday, August 2, 2021 (Monday - Thursday)

Application Deadline:     May 28, 2021


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What's New in Our Schools and in Our Community
Respect Yourself and Others
Achieve Excellence
Make Good Choices
Stay Safe
Thomas Jefferson School - 95 East Main Street, Rockaway NJ 07866 - Phone: 973-625-8603