Moss School

The metuchen public schools will have an early dismissal on Wednesday, august 28, 2024. The forecast is for temperatures in the low to mid nineties with high humidity. Thursday will be a regular day - and as a reminder, Friday is already a scheduled early dismissal day.

Metuchen Public Schools will be closed on Friday January 19. The day will be made up in June.

Regular opening today, Wednesday, 1/17

Due to low temperatures and expected overnight snow, the Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a delayed opening tomorrow, Tuesday, January 16, 2024.

Dear Parents/Guardians: The Metuchen School District is sad to share the devastating news of the sudden death of Olivia Rodrigues, who passed away due to complex medical issues. Olivia was a beloved tenth grader at Metuchen High School. Please keep her parents and her younger brothers in your hearts during this difficult time. This is an extremely difficult time for everyone in our community. We are a strong, supportive community and are always responsive to the needs of our students and families. In good times, and in sad times, we find ways of coming together as a compassionate community. This is an important time when we must lean on one another. At this time we want to share some information that may assist families in speaking with their children about this incredibly upsetting situation and responding to their feelings and emotions. When a traumatic loss occurs, parents, teachers, and friends have to process their thoughts and feelings. When we hear of another person's death, it is very common for our own feelings about death to surface. Our students will begin to think of their own experiences and many normal feelings will arise. These feelings may focus on the person who has died, another person who has died in the past, an impending death, or anxiety about death in general. Some students may be feeling guilty because they are not thinking about death, but feel compelled to do so. Anger is another common feeling in connection to a sudden loss. These are all very normal feelings for young people and adults to have. As we anticipate the needs of our high school students, we recognize that there will be a need for the staff to provide some information regarding this sad event and the circle of support that surrounds our students. Due to the timing in which the district received this news, Metuchen High School students will receive this information on Tuesday morning during homeroom. Part of this discussion will be an explanation of the counseling resources available to them throughout the school day and the days ahead. Please take the time over this weekend to speak with your high schooler(s) and help them as we all begin to process our collective loss. We encourage all families to review the resources below to assist you as you talk, listen, reflect, and respond to your family as they process their feelings. • How to Tell a Child Someone Died • 10 Tips for Supporting Grieving Kids • TDC Tips for Supporting the Grieving Teen • Talking to Children about Death • How to Help a Grieving Teen • How to Help your Teen Cope with the Death of a Friend • Addressing Anxiety through Grounding Techniques • 2nd Floor at 888-222-2228 is available by telephone or text 24/7 • Call 988 for 24/7 confidential support through the Crisis Lifeline • Perform Care (877) 652-7624 24/7 (Mobile Crisis) • Additional Resources for Traumatic Loss can be found on the district website We encourage our students to reach out for support. Our extended crisis response counseling team and support staff will be made available at the schools on Tuesday, January 16th and counselors will continue to be available throughout the days to come. Please remember that new feelings may surface over time. If you notice that your child needs someone to help them process their feelings, or to just listen, please contact your child’s school counselor or case manager. You are encouraged to monitor your children closely and speak with your child’s school counselor or case manager if additional support may be helpful. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. We will do the same here. Sincerely, Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent

October 11, 2023 Good afternoon, It’s with anger and sadness that I share this message with the community. This weekend Israel and its citizens were victimized by a brutal terrorist attack. Many lives have already been lost. Families will never be the same. Cities in Israel have been damaged and in Gaza, some have already been destroyed in retaliation. There is an unimaginable human cost to this attack and subsequent military action. We acknowledge the direct and deep impact to our community who have family members or friends in the region. We want you to know that we are helping our own staff deal with this unfolding tragedy - so that we can be supportive to our parents and children. Our schools will be safe places for students. They should know that there are trusted adults that can talk to them. We endeavor to create a sense of normalcy for staff and students - in an evermore chaotic world. Here are helpful resources, including our district website, for dealing with for traumatic loss and traumatic events: https://www.metuchenschools.org/o/mhs/page/resources-for-traumatic-loss https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/talking-to-children-about-war_0.pdf https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/talking_to_kids_about_hate_crimes_anti-semitism_final.pdf https://www.nctsn.org/resources/talking-to-children-about-war https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/school-violence-resources/talking-to-children-about-violence-tips-for-families-and-educators In addition, please see the below message and additional resources from Effective School Solutions, one of our district partner mental health providers: This week has brought with it a barrage of unfathomable news regarding the situation in Israel and Gaza. The news and images coming from this region are disturbing and have had a great impact on adults and children alike. The exposure to traumatic events is ongoing for those that watch the news, read articles, or look at social media. Though this is a highly sensitive topic, the live viewing of trauma in real time is a reality we must all be aware of. It is not a time to shy away from acknowledging the deep impact these events have had. Below, you will find some resources that may be of use to you, your students or the families in our community. How to talk to your children about conflict and war | UNICEF Parenting (www.unicef.org) Supporting Youth Affected by the Violence in Israel and Gaza: Tips for Families and Educators (nasponline.org) Resources for Educators, Families to Discuss the Events in Israel and Gaza with Students | post (sdcoe.net) Discussing War and Conflict: Resources for Educators, Parents and Caregivers | Learning for Justice (www.learningforjustice.org) How to talk to your children about conflict in Israel and Gaza, Hamas : NPR (www.npr.org) The Israeli-Palestinian conflict explained | CBC Kids News - YouTube (https://www.cbckidsnews.ca) Social media provides immediate access to world news. Much of it though is unfiltered. Here is a link from ESS - for children and adults alike - that may be useful for protecting your mental health from violent content online: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyO4vCNs8j0/?img_index=1 We are here to support one another. With empathy, Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools Message to Community October 11 2023 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WqwSU2kQrT_QbBg4URIAi8GmEPyGBxKx28KQyFd00xs/edit

Good afternoon. Thanks for your cooperation today. We had a great first day. With record setting temperatures continuing, the metuchen public schools will operate on a planned early dismissal schedule for the entire week. We know this creates issues for parents and we appreciate your understanding. Stay cool. Dr. Vincent Caputo

Good afternoon. We will have an early dismissal tomorrow, Tuesday, September 5. With temperatures forecast for the low to mid 90s, all week, please have alternate plans in case we need additional early dismissal days. Dr Vincent Caputo

June 15, 2023 Good morning! I hope this last regularly-scheduled weekly message (for the school year) finds you well. Today (Thursday) is an early dismissal day for students. Tomorrow (Friday) the district is closed in observance of Juneteenth. The final two school days, Monday and Tuesday, are early dismissal days for students. Please remit payment for any outstanding lunch balances. Re-registration will occur this summer for all rising fifth and ninth graders. Date options are July 26, August 1, August 3, August 16, August 17, and August 19. Times will be available for signup beginning on June 30, when you will receive an email. Visit here for more information: https://5il.co/1wi7s or 202324_Summer_5th___9th_grade_Residency_Verification_ALL_Students.pdf (core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com) I'll see many of you at the kindergarten ceremonies, the 8th grade promotion (Monday, June 19), or the MHS graduation (Friday, June 23). And then throughout the summer - around the Borough and at Summer Institute and at Extended School Year programs. Have a fantastic last few days of school - and a great summer! We are here all summer. Reach out if there is anything you need. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

Good afternoon. What a crazy week! First choking smoke from Canadian wildfires, then the indictment of a former president. In times like this, resilience is important. We want our students (and adults) to learn and practice SEL skills so they can handle and bounce back from difficult situations and challenges that present themselves. Just as important though is empowerment. A few parents decided for health reasons to keep their children home. I get it. Many students and staff wore masks Wednesday and even Thursday. Taking action can be empowering. It gives us control over our situations. Similarly, the Surgeon General’s warning about kids and social media makes me think about how the schools can partner with families. Students in school get direct instruction about the benefits and dangers of social media. This empowers students protect their mental health. We also want to offer the information and support for parents who want to delay their child's use of social media. This is a way that parents can be empowered to have some control over their children’s social media exposure. Speaking about the wildfires’ smoke, our staff and students deserve a lot a credit. They were resilient, making Wednesday and Thursday productive, while Friday was essentially a normal day. Thanks for your efforts. By the way, just before midnight Wednesday, superintendents received an email saying that virtual days could count during this air quality alert emergency. It was a moot point for Wednesday and essentially useless for Thursday given the time we received it. We don’t expect issues next week - but should the air quality index reach the dangerous levels like this week (in the 400s), districts would have the option to use virtual days. Re-registration for select individuals and all rising fifth and ninth grade students will happen this summer. Information will be available soon so you can sign up for the dates/times that best fit your schedule. Events around Metuchen are never-ending. You are fortunate to live in a place that values community time. See you around town! As a reminder, next week: schools are open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for full days, and Thursday for a student early dismissal day. On Friday, 6/16, the schools are closed in observation of Juneteenth. Then the school year ends with student early dismissal days on Monday, 6/19, and Tuesday 6/20. Have a great weekend. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

June 1, 2023 Good morning! Come out to support the Celebrating our Experts series with our last of seven sessions, on Tuesday, June 6 at Edgar School, at 3:30pm. Teachers Michele Huff and Melanie Gilbert, and student Leah Wentnick will present on mental health. We will be registering a number of students this summer, including all rising fifth and ninth graders. Re-registration will happen from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday, June 29, Tuesday, August 1, Thursday, August 3, Wednesday, August 16, and Thursday, August 17, and from 9am to noon on Saturday, August 19, 2023. More information will follow, but take note so you are available on one of these dates. Thank you. Let's congratulate Mr. Cohen and everyone associated with Moss School, which was honored with four prestigious awards: State School of Character, National School of Character, and two National Promising Practice Awards. What a week! Have a wonderful weekend. Hope to see you around the borough. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

May 26, 2023 Good morning! The entire district staff is hard at work today: presenting and attending important professional workshops. I hope this message finds you well – and enjoying the start of a long weekend that is safe and restful. Many parents have outstanding lunch balances. All have already been contacted by the school offices. You need to pay your balances, totaling thousands across the district. Communicate with the school offices if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your cooperation. I was astounded this week at the number of items in the various lost-and-found areas. Please encourage your children to collect their items and if they don’t use them, they should consider donating them. Many items looked to be in good shape. Thanks. Don’t forget to complete the Rutgers Reading form and to collect your tickets for one of two Rutgers football games in the fall. See the Wednesday mailer for more information. This week, Moss School was honored as a 2023 state and national school of character. Congratulations to all stakeholders: staff, parents, and students. We are so proud! In my remarks to staff today, I will share how I remain “determined and optimistic.” Thanks for making Metuchen a great community and a great school district. Talk soon. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

May 19, 2023 Good afternoon. Rutgers University is encouraging K-8 students to read - and is offering free student ticket and discounted parent tickets to Wagner or Michigan State home football games in the fall. Completing the form here: https://app.scarletknights.com/RUReading, and go RU!!! Just like in the winter, when it’s cold and some parents keep their cars running to stay warm, as now that the weather is warming, some parents are idling their cars to keep cool. We’d remind you that schools are no idling zones. Help us keep the students, staff, and neighbors exhaust-free at arrival and dismissal. Thanks. Mental health is a high priority for us. The public supported us in 2019 with the ballot question to add staff and hire outside mental health clinicians. We said at the time that physical health requires nurses in schools, and likewise mental health requires clinicians. Thanks to your support with have a thriving mental health program now. As part of our on-going efforts to continually improve, I facilitated a forum today that brought together expertise from the district and from our outside providers. If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact us right away. As part of our partnership with ASCD we have a total of six free 90-minute live webinars, Metuchen and ASCD are going to offer one of the workshops for the staff and community. The workshop is focused on best practices for establishing Equity and Cultural Competence in the classroom. This webinar is scheduled for is Monday, May 22nd. As many as 40 staff and community members can attend. The time of the virtual event is 3:45 – 5:15 pm. This is the first time ASCD is piloting providing their workshop on equity in the classroom for any community. The full title of the workshop is Equity and Cultural Competence: Belonging. Here is the signup link: https://forms.gle/GqoKJER4A9b8N43d7 Have a great weekend! Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

May 12, 2023 Hello there. I hope this message finds you and your family doing well. It sure feels like summer! Today is the hottest May 12 on record! On Tuesday night, the Board hired Greyhawk, Inc. as construction manager for the project. We are doing everything to be fiscally responsible with the referendum money and to ensure the project goes as smooth as possible. The electrical package will be bid first due to long lead times. Then the bid package schedule includes early fall for Edgar/Moss and late fall for MHS/Campbell. We expect construction to start next winter. Visit our website or click the link here to view the recently-released 21-22 School Performance Reports: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1203/MSD/3022918/SchoolPerformanceReports_LetterParents_21-22.pdf Parent partnerships are critical to the success of all students. Today we had a highly engaging and productive forum to leverage parent partnerships to support educators under fire. Thanks for your continued support. Happy Mother’s Day! Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

May 5, 2023 Good afternoon! Our motto for the 22-23 school year is "Determined and Optimistic." We remain determined to provide the best possible educational experience for the students and the most positive work environment for our staff. I am very optimistic that, with the support of our parents and the larger community, we can be role models for inclusivity and kindness. Thanks in advance for anything that you can do to teach, model, and celebrate kindness in the district and the borough. Be on the lookout for emails and calls about existing lunch balances. During COVID, food services providers received reimbursement funds, which allowed all students to get free lunch. That program has long-since ended. If you believe that you or someone you know qualifies for free lunch please contact us. Otherwise, we need you pay the lunch balances. There's a lot going on: maybe you forgot or just didn't get to it yet. Thanks for your attention to this issue. Coming soon will be re-registration. All rising fifth and ninth graders will need to register this summer. We'll also be updating our documentation for some other students too. Details and dates will be released shortly. May is music month in Metuchen. Check the school calendars and social media for details, but here are the dates of performances that I added to my calendar: 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/22, and 5/24 (all at MHS at 7pm), plus jazz on the plaza on 6/7. It's getting to be post-season time for high school sports. I can't tell you how often coaches and student-athletes comment when there are good crowds at their contests. They really notice. Please come out and root hard for our Bulldogs. And remember to be good hosts to opposing schools - and kind to the officials. Thanks. What are you doing Saturday afternoon? Come see one of our newest sports as MHS flag football hosts several schools. Our Bulldogs are fast and talented and are aiming for a playoff spot. Have a great weekend. It looks as if the weather is going to cooperate. Be kind - and stay determined and optimistic. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

I hope this message finds you well. As you already know, nothing is more important that student and staff safety. All schools in New Jersey conduct two drills every month (one fire drill and one safety drill). Recently, in addition to these drills, we have had two shelters-in-place (for student/staff injuries) and two police-initiated lockdowns. We know these situations can produce anxiety for students, staff and parents. The administration enjoys an excellent relationship with the Metuchen Police Department. Chief Flaherty and I are leading a debriefing session next week to continue to collaborate about best practices around school safety. Thanks for your understanding and support. MHS graduation is set for Friday, June 23. We have no flexibility with the date since we need to book outside vendors for Project Graduation. But several years ago, we decoupled graduation from the last day of school by scheduling make-up snow days at the end. This year, we have not yet used any of these days. Therefore, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the last day of school will be Tuesday, June 20. If this remains the case, then the last three days (June 15, 19, and 20) are early dismissal days for students. The district is closed on Friday June 16 for Juneteenth. Thanks and have a great (and soggy) weekend. Dr. Vincent Caputo

Our phones are working again. Thanks for your patience. VCaputo

The district is not receiving calls from the outside. Please email us. We'll update when we have an estimated repair time. Sorry for the inconvenience Dr Caputo

March 31, 2023 Good afternoon. I hope this email finds you well and preparing for a well-deserved break. This has been an eventful week in a turbulent time. We saw dozens killed and injured in fierce storms. We saw the former president indicted on criminal charges. And we saw the unfathomable tragedy of children and educators murdered in their school. As a society, how long can we accept these massacres?! Our children are unfortunately targets because they mean so very much to our communities. The lockdown at Edgar this week was anxiety-producing for many. The most important way to protect them is through open and timely communication among the community, schools and law enforcement. We will do everything to keep them safe! It's tough being a parent and a child. Children want to learn and grow and explore and enjoy. As parents we want our kids safe and protected everywhere and at all times. Any time one of my kids fell, I was famous for exclaiming, "Ooh - you alright? you ok?" My family lovingly still reminds me of my over-protective instincts. This weekend - hug and love those close to you. And to those who aren't as close, or to folks you don't even know, how about we all try exhibiting some extra kindness? The world could certainly use some more. Reach out if there is anything that I can do, or that the schools can do. See you soon. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

Another proud day for Metuchen! So excited to share that Metuchen has won the 2023 Great American Main Street Award! Our friends at the Borough and Metuchen Downtown Alliance wanted to be sure to thank students and faculty for loving local and supporting our small businesses! It's a great day for Metuchen and New Jersey to recognized in this national honor!