Principal's Corner

ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS….

SJG 2010

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Thank you for visiting our website. The Stephen J. Gerace Elementary School has a long-standing tradition of excellence in education. We believe students are individuals with unique strengths and talents who need to feel connected to a larger group. The faculty and staff at SJG strive to treat students as individuals, providing personalized attention and encouraging each child to reach his/her full potential.

 

Our curriculum is rich and diverse. The centerpiece of the Pequannock elementary school program is our language arts curriculum, incorporating best practice as based on current literacy research. Reading instruction, which includes guided reading groups, and literature centers, uses a variety of quality children's literature, both fiction and nonfiction. Phonological strategies as well as vocabulary study are employed to develop and expand reading ability. Students write on a daily basis, with an emphasis on Writer’s Workshop. Literature is often used to introduce lessons in math, science, and social studies.

 

Our teachers integrate and connect subject areas whenever possible, demonstrating to students that the world is complex, diverse, and intertwined. Our professional staff collaborates regularly to update the curriculum and design activities that promote differentiation of instruction. Our students are also exposed to a variety of special areas including vocal music, instrumental music, art, technology, Spanish, and physical education.

 

The SJG community includes an energized and dedicated parent group. The SJG Home snd School Association (HSA) supports our school through fundraisers and special events. Our parent volunteers organize celebrations, family nights, the special lunch program, Science Day, and enrichment assemblies. The parents, teachers, and staff at Stephen J. Gerace work together to enrich an already outstanding educational experience for the children of our school.

 

We are all proud of our school. We strive for academic excellence while focusing on each child’s social and emotional development. Our students are significant contributors to the operations of our school as they help set goals, rules, and expectations. The classrooms in our school are safe, creative, and engaging places where students feel empowered to take risks and make choices. We hope you get a chance to visit our school to see for yourself its magic and charm.

 

Educationally yours,

Dr. Gina M. Coffaro

 

“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” Theodore Roosevelt, Speech in New York, September 7, 1903

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The road to knowledge begins with the turn of a page.

 

At Stephen J. Gerace, we recognize the importance of today's essential aptitudes for living successfully in a global society. We also believe that the social/character curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum and that children learn best in a setting where they are known and valued. Critical thinking skills and creativity are taught through every discipline - literacy, mathematics, visual and performing arts, technology, the sciences, and physical education. Our goal is to create life-long learners who use their knowledge and individual strengths and talents to fulfill their personal mission.

 

Homework is a part of critical thinking skill development. While we encourage parent support in this area, we also encourage our students to develop independent time management skills as well as recognizing a problem or passage that they may need additional assistance with their teacher the next day in school. Remember, homework is a reinforcing tool and is not meant to be a frustrating experience for the family. If your child is having difficulty with an assignment, please jot a brief note to the teacher and review/re-teaching will take place the next day.

 

Educationally Yours,

Dr. Gina Verrone-Coffaro