Elysian         

Charter

School

Newsletter

February 12, 2008

Vol. 3, Issue 22

              www.ecsnj.org

           www.friendsofelysian.org

As everyone already knows, since our former physical education teacher, Lisa Picek, left Elysian to begin a different career, Jeff Belton, stepped in as an interim fill-in.  He has been doing a great job keeping our kids fit and moving. 

Since that time, our search enabled us to find a permanent replacement, Casey Mizzone, who will begin teaching physical education and health at Elysian shortly after the February break.  Casey, an experienced teacher, hails from Hoboken.  He is currently working in Irvington, NJ, and will join us as soon as he is released from their school system.

Please join me in welcoming Casey to our school.  I wish to thank Jeff Belton for his generosity in stepping forward when we needed his help.  From what all of the students tell me, they had a wonderful time in his physical education classes.  Thank-you, Jeff.

Chris Kang has been accepted to the Yale School of Business where he will begin in September to get his MBA.  He will be resigning from Elysian Charter at the end of this academic year.

It is my pleasure to announce that pending official Board approval, our Math Staff Developer, Elysian Parent, and Certified

Math Teacher, Hillary Quist, has accepted

our offer to teach middle school math in September 2008.  Should the Board confirm her hiring at the next Board Meeting and

make it official, we can consider ourselves very lucky to have her join our staff.

This is a bitter and a sweet situation for us. 

I commend and thank Chris for the work

he has done to bring our middle school

math program up to speed.  Hillary brings experience and a depth of knowledge about the teaching of mathematics so needed in today’s middle school programs. Please join me in thanking them both.

Yours very truly,

Carol

The ECS Board is preparing the 2008 Family survey and we would like to offer families the opportunity to receive the survey link via email and to complete the survey online.  The online version of the survey will provide the Board the opportunity to compile the data faster.  The data collected will be kept confidential and anonymous. 

If you would like to complete the survey online please send an email to knilsen@stevens.edu.  Please include the email address that you would like to be contacted at; you will receive an announcement when the survey is available.

If you choose not to receive the survey online you can complete a paper version of the survey and hand it in at the office or give it to a board member.  Please complete only one survey.

Kenneth L. Nilsen, Trustee

I wanted you to know that you will not be receiving a letter from me asking you to accept or decline your kindergarten spot.  When you gave me your child’s application, a spot was automatically given to you. Formal letters are only for those families who win a spot in the lottery and who need to let me know if they accept or decline them. 

In March, Elysian will send home a letter asking current parents about their plans for the next school year.  On the form, please include information about your future kindergartener as well as your child/children currently attending Elysian.

Finally, in a few months you will get a letter from me with 1) registration information and 2) a letter indicating that you have a spot at Elysian, which many of you will need in order to register your child in your local school district.

Lynne Shapiro

Tuesday, February 12

·         PTSO Meeting, 6:30 pm, Rue, with special

      guest speaker Leah Marmelstein.  Topic: 

      Your child and Writing.  Pizza & child care!

Wednesday, February 13

·         Half day of school; 12:30 dismissal for staff professional development.  After School program available.

Friday, February 14

·         Community Meeting, 8:30 OLG.  Parents, please drop your children off at OLG!

Monday, February 18 – Friday, February 22

·         Elysian closed. Mid-winter recess.

Monday, February 25

·         Arts to Grow, 3:30 – 5:00

·         Board of Trustees Meeting, 7pm, Rue Building.