Notice of May 28, 2020 Board of Trustees Meeting
On Thursday, May 28, 2020, the Board of Trustees meeting will be available via Google Meet. The meeting will begin at 4pm. Instructions to join the meeting will be emailed to all those who register at 3pm on May 28, 2020. You may access the meeting through a web browser from your computer. You will also be able to join the meeting via telephone.
As with all board meetings, there may be an item on the agenda which requires the Board to go into closed session, which is not open to the public. This meeting will require a closed session. Therefore, at that point in the agenda, the Board and required professionals, will leave the public meeting to discuss items in closed session. The Board will rejoin the public Google Meet session after the closed session has concluded.
If you would like to register to attend this board meeting please click here.
Notice on Coronavirus (COVID-19) - PLEASE READ
We have been encouraged by the state to be proactive about setting in motion discussions and plans related to the potential scenario of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading to our state and school community.
Atlantic Community Charter School has created a Coronavirus Task Force. These members will be key communicators with staff and the community related to information sharing, planning, and other concerns related to the Coronavirus.
We will be creating posters for our restrooms to encourage proper hygiene of our students and staff. Teachers have also been asked to encourage thorough hygiene practices to scholars during their regular discussions. Our custodial staff has already set in place an assertive cleaning routine in addition to standard sanitation practices. We have posted information for our parents in the front foyer of our building, as well as electronically.
As usual, if a scholar is presenting with symptoms of illness, we will continue to refer them to the nurse. All of these measures are to proactively address the potential concern.
For more information from the state, please see the link below:
https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml
Scholars and teachers celebrate 100 days at ACCS!
Today was our 100th day celebration! Check out some of our scholars and teachers who imagined what they'll look like at 100-years-old! 👩🦳👨🦳👵🧓
Here's why ACCS students love their school!
Ms. Marruso’s self-contained 3-5th grade celebrated School Choice Week by identifying why they loved their school! Check out their answers below!
Kindergarten and 5th graders receive first D.A.R.E. class of the year!
Scholars learned about when to call 911 and how to make good decisions
Today, our Kindergarten and 5th grade scholars took part in the first D.A.R.E. classes of the year! The D.A.R.E. program, which stands for “Drug Abuse Resistance Education,” is being taught to our scholars by local police officer, Detective Tim.
The D.A.R.E. mission is to “[teach] students good decision-making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives,” and that was the main focus of today’s sessions. Detective Tim talked with the Kindergarten scholars about their responsibility to call 911 if something bad happens when no one else is able to make the call. They were then shown how to call 911 in the event of an emergency. Scholars asked Detective Tim questions about his job, and he made sure to answer them all.
Our 5th grade scholars had a more in-depth lesson about making good, thoughtful decisions and about what it means to be a responsible person. Scholars were presented with a fictional situation, and they had to decide what to do and explain why they thought they made the right choice. Detective Tim said that the point of the exercise was to let the scholars think and rationalize their decisions independently. Good decision-making skills - and confidence in those skills - can keep you safe and out of trouble, Detective Tim explained.
We’re looking forward to more D.A.R.E. sessions in the coming weeks!
Atlantic Community Charter School Visited by Santa, Kindergarten and 1st Grade Scholars Receive Gifts
On Friday, December 20th, we were visited by a very special guest – Santa Claus! The one and only Santa took time out of his busy holiday schedule to bring gifts to our Kindergarten and 1st grade classes.
Santa entered each classroom amid loud cheers from the scholars, where he passed out wrapped gifts to everyone. Scholars gleefully opened their gifts, which included Barbie dolls, nail art kits, LEGOs, baby dolls, and superhero action figures.
Scholars gave Santa some homemade frosted cookies as he left their classrooms, and they said a big group “thank you” as he left the building.
Thank you, Santa, for visiting our youngest scholars! Happy holidays everyone!
Students and teachers awarded for outstanding work this year!
The students pictured below were awarded for the following:
being recognized as Learner 2 Leaders;
having perfect attendance;
being on the A/B Honor Roll';
being on the Straight A Honor Roll;
and being Students of the Month.
Congratulations, scholars! We’re so proud of your many achievements!
Ms. Iesha Hogans was awarded the Educational Services Professional of the Year for ACCS. She was nominated and chosen by her peers. She is a versatile and valuable paraprofessional. We are proud of her and lucky to have her at ACCS.
Ms. Mina Marruso is the Teacher of the Year. Pictured with her students, Principal Cetrullo, and para professionals Mr. Brown and Ms. Biesecker.
ACCS students awarded with $25 gift cards for growth on NJSLA
Here at ACCS, we like to celebrate our scholars’ successes and their growth.
That’s why we awarded the students who showed the greatest amount of growth on the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) in the ‘18-’19 school year with $25 gift cards for their outstanding work!. We are proud of their determination and look forward to many more winners after this year’s growth!
Click the photos below to enlarge them.
AtlantiCare chef teaches our 8th graders about healthy, intuitive eating!
Today, Chef Shara from AtlantiCare came to visit our eighth graders to teach them about the importance of eating healthy foods. She taught scholars about a concept called “intuitive eating,” which is eating based on your body’s hunger cues and feelings. “No one eats perfectly all of the time,” she said, “but if you eat foods that make your body feel nourished a majority of the time, you’re on the right track.” She and the scholars talked about the foods that make them feel good, and which ones to avoid or eat in moderation.
After her discussion with the class, Chef Shara demonstrated how to make a quinoa apple salad. Ingredients included spinach, cooked quinoa, diced green apples, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and a homemade vinaigrette dressing. A few students volunteered to help make the dressing, which consisted of olive oil, raspberry wine vinegar, jam, dijon mustard, and some additional ingredients. (You can find the full recipe card in the photos below.) Scholars were able to try the salad once it was prepared, and most of them really liked it and said they would make it at home!
Thank you, AtlantiCare and Chef Shara, for giving such a wonderful and impactful presentation!
FREE Coats for Children event TODAY, hosted by Atlantic City PAL and Parents Engaging Parents
Date: November 14, 2019
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: 250 North New York Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Atlantic City PAL is partnering with Parents Engaging Parents for the FREE Coats for Children event happening later today. Parents must bring their child in order to receive a coat. Sizes 2t - Adult XXL for boys and girls in K-12th grade.
Registration forms must be filled out on Eventbrite.com to receive a coat and under no circumstances will your information be shared for commercial purposes. Please fill out the registration form in order to receive your coat. You can print your ticket or bring your phone and show us your confirmation email. The coats are available to pre-registered families for the first hour and a half. All families who are not present that have registered coats will have their coat donated to the community and family walk-ins.
So, please remember to bring your printed copy of the ticket either printed or on your phone. Don't forget, children must be present with parent or guardian. Registration forms must be filled out to receive a coat. Under no circumstances will your information be shared for commercial purposes.
Click here to fill out a registration form to attend this free event.
Eighth graders connect to creativity through poetry
Last week, our eighth grade students finished up a recurring series of poetry workshops, led by students from Stockton University!
Their prompts for the week included writing a poem from the perspective of the ocean, as well as making a poem out of word clippings from magazines. Scholars had a chance to brainstorm with the help of the Stockton students, and then silently worked on writing their poems for some time. When it came time to read their work aloud, many scholars raised their hands to participate and show off their work.
We’re so proud of our eighth graders for working hard and connecting with their creative sides! Check out some photos from their final workshop below!
Five Atlantic Community Charter School Students Recognized for their Achievements with $1,000 Shopping Sprees at Walmart
Students chosen based on academic improvement
Today Atlantic Community Charter School (ACCS) awarded $1,000 Walmart shopping sprees to five students in grades 5-8 who have shown great improvement in their academic performances since last year. The shopping sprees took place early this morning at the Walmart in Mays Landing, when the students were given one hour to fill their carts with a thousand dollars-worth of merchandise.
All winners were chosen based on the average of students’ combined-subject growth on the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA).
“The shopping spree at Walmart will be a great celebration of our students in each grade who grew the most on the NJSLA,” said Edmund Cetrullo, Jr., principal of ACCS. “These are students who have put in the hard work with their teachers to perform on the state test. We are very proud of their success and are appreciative of our benefactor to support our students and staff with such a generous gift. It just shows that anyone, no matter their background or zip code, can succeed when they put their mind to it and surround themselves with a great supporting cast at home and school.”
Vahan and Danielle Gureghian of CSMI Education Management have generously donated funding to reward ACCS scholars with the greatest overall academic growth and to inspire other students to achieve similar success in subsequent years.
Kindergarten, first, and second graders tour a firetruck!
Today, members of the Oceanville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 came to visit our Kindergarten, first, and second grade classes to teach them about fire safety and to show them around their firetruck!
The volunteers taught students about the types of smoke alarms that could be in their homes, and how to ensure they’re working properly. They also explained how to avoid fire danger, including sleeping with the bedroom door closed and not reentering a burning building for any reason.
The students were then able to go outside and see a real firetruck and all of its features! Everyone was really excited to see inside the truck and learn about the roles of the various hoses, nozzles, and gauges. Students were surprised to see how many supplies there were inside the truck’s many compartments.
Thank you to the Oceanville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 for giving our kids an informative lesson in fire safety, and sharing your firetruck with us!
Check out photos from the day below!
YoJo taught us that bullying is a no-go!
Today, our students were treated with an appearance from YoJo, a “big, blue, wild and groovy creature” that teaches kids about the hazards of bullying and how to prevent bullying.
But first, YoJo’s helper Philip kicked off the show by asking students a few questions about bullying. Everyone enthusiastically shouted out all the right answers!
Then it was finally time for YoJo to make his appearance — and boy, did he know how to make an entrance!
It turns out that YoJo was having a bullying problem of his own: he was acting like a bully, so that he could make other people laugh! While it’s good to make people laugh, it shouldn’t be at the expense of other people. Philip taught this lesson to YoJo, and to the students in the audience.
We also learned that if you or someone you know is being bullied, you should distance yourself from the situation and tell a trusted adult. If it’s safe to do so, you can confront the bully using your words, but don’t be rude. Remember, you don’t want to be a bully back to a bully!
Thanks, YoJo and Philip, for giving us this knowledge, and for helping to make ACCS an even better place!
To learn more about The YoJo Show, click here!
Our third graders remember fallen soldiers
New Jersey’s Run for the Fallen passed through Galloway today, and our third graders were outside to support the runners!
The New Jersey Run for the Fallen memorializes the lives of local soldiers who have perished in combat. A team of runners from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, as well as runners from other locations in the country, stop at a specified location after every mile to salute one or more of the fallen soldiers.
Before the runners came through, the kids waved American flags at passing cars and trucks and cheered loudly when they beeped. (They were especially excited when a tractor trailer sounded its horn!)
Soon the runners came up the road, and the students gave them a warm welcome cheering and waving their flags. The runners stopped and everyone took a brief moment of silence. Most of the runners shook hands with students and thanked them for showing their support. Then, as quickly as they arrived, the runners continued onto their next mile.
You make us proud, third grade! Way to go!
Happy first day of school, ACCS!
We had an awesome first day of school today! Though we’re sad to leave the fun of summer behind, we’re eager to learn and grow this school year. Together, we can do wonderful things!
Yes, yes, yes!
