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Morris-Union Jointure Commission
Superintendent’s Spotlight
October 2021
Welcome to the 2021 – 2022 School Year!
We are pleased to welcome DLC students and families as well as all MUJC staff to the 2021 - 2022 school year. It’s going to be a great year!
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Superintendent’s Update
Health and Safety
The health and safety of our students and staff remain our top priority. Our custodial staff continue to clean and sanitize all buildings on a daily basis. Thank you, parents, for submitting your child’s daily health survey either electronically or through the paper forms. Masks are required for students and staff while indoors unless eating or drinking. If your child is not used to wearing a mask, the teacher will discuss it with you and then work on a program to increase your child’s mask tolerance. If your child is unvaccinated and travels internationally, there is a 10 day quarantine period. If your student is required to quarantine due to COVID and is in need of a Chromebook to participate in concurrent instruction, please contact Jason Parenti, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, at jparenti@mujc.org or by phone at (908) 762-5600 ext. 4002. If you require any additional information regarding COVID, please refer to the CDC or NJ Department of Health websites. Up to date COVID information is posted frequently on our website or our social media.
School Calendar
As you know both DLCs were closed on Thursday, September 2 due to the effects of Hurricane Ida which extended our school year until Friday, June 10, 2022. Additionally, DLC- New Providence was closed Tuesday, September 21, due to a water main break. Therefore, DLC- New Providence’s last day of school will be Monday, June 13, 2022 and DLC-Warren’s last day of school will be Friday, June 10, 2022, unless additional emergency closing days are needed. We will post the revised calendars on our website as well as email all parents as our changes are Board approved.
Board of Education Meetings
We are pleased to report that the MUJC Board of Education meetings are now in person. Our next meeting will be held at the Morris-Union Jointure Commission’s Professional Development Center located at 340 Central Avenue, New Providence on October 7, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Please feel free to join us!
Coming Soon
The MUJC will be rolling out video clips in the near future of its various departments. These video clips are meant to be informative and enlightening.
They will be placed on the MUJC website as well as social media.
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What’s Happening at the DLCs
New Playground
We are thrilled to announce that DLC-New Providence has a new playground! We await the installation of resilient playground surfacing, which is a soft, rubberized surface, and as soon as this part of the project is complete, the playground will be ready for our students to enjoy! Look for our new playground featured on the MUJC’s social media.
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Hunter, the DLC’s Comfort Dog
This year, we are excited to welcome Hunter, our very own comfort dog. Hunter’s mom is Kim Spurlock, DLC vocational education teacher. Both Kim and Hunter were trained and certified by Creature Comfort Pet Therapy, the organization that has brought various comfort dogs to our DLCs since DLC opened. Hunter is a quiet, gentle, and amazing dog who loves being with the students. His favorite activities at the DLCs are taking walks with the students and waving goodbye to them as they are getting on their buses. He recently spent time in the classrooms and the students excitedly shared their work with Hunter. Students will also read stories to Hunter this year so stay tuned to the pictures we will post on social media. Hunter will go to school at both DLCs once a week to start. If you see Hunter be sure to say, "Hi!".
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Teachers Helping Teachers and Students Helping Students
Hurricane Ida provided an opportunity for the Morris-Union Jointure Commission's (“MUJC”) teachers and students to put kindness and caring into action. When staff heard of the misfortune that the Union County Education Service Commision's ("UCESC") Westlake School was being closed due to damage from flooding, MUJC teachers didn't hesitate to brainstorm how to help their colleagues while teaching their own students about helping those who are going through difficult times.
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Students completed "kindness" projects that provided Westlake teachers and students with a collection of instructional activities and teaching materials. File folders and bulletin board cut-outs were created to help ease the stress about not having enough materials for students and to provide Westlake students with fun activities while getting acclimated to a new building at the start of a new school year. Outreach and community service projects are planned monthly as part of the MUJC curriculum. Helping others through difficult times establishes a sense of pride in oneself and teaches everyone what it is to be part of a caring school community. Thank you, DLC students and staff! | |
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Transition Talk
Community Service projects are an important part of the educational programming at the Developmental Learning Centers of Warren and New Providence. Community service helps our students with their social-emotional learning as well as learning transferrable life and vocational skills. This year students will be participating in community service projects such as the “Students Change Hunger Campaign” to benefit the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, the annual “Jersey Cares Coat Drive,” and “Operation Shoebox New Jersey,” to name a few. Students will collect, sort, and deliver needed food donations to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, which will distribute the food items to those New Jersey residents who have need. DLC students will have a wonderful opportunity to help the Community Food Bank of New Jersey keep the supply line full and running.
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Week of Respect
The week of Respect is October 4 – 8. Both DLCs will be observing the Week of Respect with activities about social and emotional learning as well as character education. Students and staff are encouraged to wear blue for Blue Shirt Day on Monday, October 4, to represent World Day of Bullying Prevention.
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Mental Health Day
Both DLCs will participate in activities on Tuesday, October 12, for World Mental Health Day.
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School Violence Awareness Week
October 18 – 22 is designated as School Violence Awareness Week. Age appropriate instruction for keeping schools safe from violence will be featured. On Friday, October 22, students will wear their pajamas to school in support of the theme, “Put Violence to Bed.”
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Halloween
Hooray! Both DLCs will have Halloween celebrations this year. All festivities will be on Friday, October 29. DLC – New Providence students will participate in an outdoor parade and trick or treating at the Central Office. DLC- Warren students will participate in a Main Street Halloween Costume Party and Music Bash. Please send in a costume if you would like your child to dress up. If you do not want your child to participate, there will be alternate activities planned in the classroom.
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DLC New Providence Events
National Homemade Cookie Day, National Hispanic Heritage Month and More!
October 4 is National Homemade Cookies Day and DLC-New Providence students will make delicious cookies during STEAM class. DLC-New Providence students will also celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month the week of October 11 - 15 by making salsa and Mexican cornbread during STEAM class. Yum! Finally, students will learn about Frida Kahlo, a painter from Mexico, during art class and will also learn all about Hispanic music during music class. October 18 is Digital Citizenship Day and students will participate in lessons on internet safety. Finally, DLC – New Providence will be assisting in making goodie bags and dog treats for Creature Comfort’s annual event.
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DLC – Warren Events
DLC –Warren has opened its labs for students and Shoprite is open as well! Community Based Instruction (CBI) is now underway. CBI provides students with opportunities to work on functional life skills in the local community. A few sites for CBI are Warren Public Library, TD Bank in Warren and Acme Supermarket in Warren.
Work Based Learning (WBL) opportunities are for selected students 16 and older, who go with a DLC job coach to a community worksite to practice a variety of vocational skills and workplace behavior skills. Sites that offer WBL include Ciro’s Pizza and Deli of Warren, RW Delights in Millington, Spring Cleaners in New Providence, and more!
DLC - Warren is excited to have its first virtual R-E-S-P-E-C-T Dance of the 2021 – 2022 school year for students on Friday, October 8, as a conclusion to the Week of Respect. Digital Citizenship Day will feature a variety of fun activities on Monday, October 18.
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Reminder
School is closed on Monday, October 11 for all students. Staff will have an inservice day.
As always, thank you for your continued support of our DLC students, staff, and schools! You make a world of difference and we are grateful that you and your family are part of our DLC family.
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Morris-Union Jointure Commission
Website
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