"Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong" — Ella Fitzgerald
Week Twenty Six:
What a fantastic week we’ve had at Cucinella! We wrapped up our Black History Month activities in a truly inspiring way. Each day over the past month, our morning announcements spotlighted a different accomplished Black American, and our Social Studies and English Language Arts lessons—along with other subjects—shined a light on the rich history and culture that have shaped our country. This celebration provided a valuable opportunity for our students to engage with experiences that foster understanding, respect, and appreciation for the incredible diversity within our community.
In addition, our staff came together to celebrate a joyful occasion—a Baby Sprinkle for our beloved preschool Speech Pathologist, Mrs. Kellianne Zuzuro, who is expecting her second child soon. We wish her all the best as she embarks on this new chapter!
Our week also began on a strong note with our monthly security drill on Monday. We are proud of how both students and staff performed, ensuring our school remains a safe environment for everyone.
Looking ahead, we’re excited for the upcoming week! Get ready for daily Read Across America activities that promise to spark a love for reading, and don’t miss the highly anticipated One School, One Book reveal next Friday. Let’s keep the energy high and continue to celebrate learning and community together!
Also, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with new AM Drop-Off and PM Pick-Up procedures we are implementing this week. More information on these new protocols is located below.
Here’s to another great week ahead!
With gratitude,
Christopher J. Perruso
Principal
Monday starts our SPECIALS on Day 5
Upcoming Events:
3/3-3/7- Read Across America - More info on theme days below.
3/4- HIB Parent Presentation 6:00PM @ LVMS PAC
3/7- SEPAG Coffee Potter Meet and Greet 9:00AM More info here
3/10- PTO General Membership Meeting 7:00PM @ BAC Library
3/11- Board of Education Meeting 7:00PM @ LVMS PAC
3/12- End of Trimester 2
3/17- School Spirit Day - Wear Green for St. Patrick's Day
3/21- Cucinella Talent Show 6:00PM @ BAC Cafetorium
3/22- Washington Township Schools STEM Expo, 12 - 2:20pm, Long Valley Middle School
3/31- Start of Spring Break- Schools Closed through 4/4
4/24- ARTS-rageous 6:30-8:00PM @ BAC Cafetorium
4/28- Harlem Wizards vs. Cucinella Fundraiser Game 6:00PM @ WMCHS Gym
Exciting News! Introducing One School, One Book! 📖🎉
We are thrilled to announce our very first school-wide book club: One School, One Book! Each family will receive a copy of a special book (to be revealed next Friday!), and together, we will embark on an exciting reading journey as a school community. Our goal? To build a Community of Readers—where students, parents, teachers, and administrators all share in the joy of a great story!
Reading aloud at home is a powerful way to foster a love of reading while creating meaningful family bonding moments. Everyone will follow the same reading schedule, and we will kick off the fun with a special school-wide event next Friday!
Here’s what to expect:
📚 In-School Activities – Students will explore the book through discussions, engaging activities, and school-wide conversations.
🎉 Trivia – Students can participate in trivia challenges to test their knowledge and celebrate their reading progress!
🏡 Family Involvement – Keep up with the reading schedule at home so your child can fully engage in all the fun at school. (We know it’s tempting, but try not to read ahead—everyone will be buzzing about what happens next!)
This program is designed to engage ALL students, from kindergarten to fifth grade. Research shows that listening to books beyond a child's independent reading level supports literacy growth. The book we’ve chosen is one that younger students can follow and enjoy, while still being stimulating and thought-provoking for our older students.
With your support, we are creating a true Community of Readers at Cucinella! Stay tuned for next week’s big book reveal—let the reading adventure begin! 🎊📖💙
NEW AM Drop-Off / PM Pick-Up Procedures
We are committed to ensuring the utmost safety for our students and addressing the ongoing congestion issues in our school driveway. Over the past few months, we have experienced many close calls, with buses and cars narrowly avoiding accidents, or cars driving down the wrong way into oncoming traffic. Despite several adjustments, the current procedures have not fully resolved these concerns. As a result, we have completely revamped our AM Drop-Off and PM Pick-Up procedures.
Starting this Monday, parents and guardians of Kindergarten through 5th grade students who utilize AM Drop-Off, will be required to park their car in the designated area and walk their child to the front entrance. Staff will greet you at the main entrance and direct your child into the building. Do not let your child walk unattended across the parking lot.
In the afternoon for PM Pick-Up, parents and guardians will park their cars in the designated area and walk to the front door to “check” their child out. PM Pick-Up students will be waiting in the vestibule area. Once you arrive, go to the main door and a staff member will check your child out.
Parents and Guardians are still required to use the PickUp Patrol app to indicate that you will be picking your child up. Otherwise they will be sent to the bus as that is the default plan in our system.
There is no change for parents/guardians of our Preschool students, the procedures are remaining the same.
These new procedures have been developed in collaboration with our local police department and are designed to enhance student safety and improve traffic flow. We ask for your patience as we all adjust to these changes over the next week. Washington Township Police officers will be on site to help with this transition. Additionally, we encourage you to take advantage of the district’s courtesy busing option available to all students. This will greatly reduce the amount of traffic in our parking lot.
For your convenience, please refer to the attached map for a clear explanation of the new procedures. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we work together to create a safer environment for everyone.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
BAC Communication Framework
At Benedict A. Cucinella School, we believe that open communication is the secret ingredient to our collective success! Our staff is committed to keeping you connected to your child’s learning journey—sharing data, offering strategies for home support, and even empowering our students to advocate for their own education. To help us all stay in sync and resolve any questions or concerns with ease, we kindly ask that parents and guardians follow the communication guidelines below. Thank you for being a vital part of our school community and for joining us in making communication a breeze!
Bucket Fillers of the Week
Our Bucket Filler initiative, inspired by Carol McCloud's book Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, celebrates students who consistently demonstrate our core values of responsibility, respect, kindness, persistence, and safety. When a teacher observes a student embodying these values, they earn a “bucket filler” ticket, which enters them into a weekly raffle with their peers. Every Friday, we draw a winning ticket from each grade level’s bucket, and the selected students get a special shout-out on the morning announcements! Plus, these students are invited to join the monthly Party with the Principals, where we celebrate their positive impact on our school community. This initiative reinforces the message that we can all contribute to a positive and supportive environment by filling each other's buckets with good deeds!
PreK- Elise Combes
Kindergarten- Sadie Conner
1st Grade- Alexander Tutko
2nd Grade- Zoey Laki
3rd Grade- Aubrey Durham
4th Grade- John LaPlaca
5th Grade- Nathan Bigora
Read Across America Week!
Kindergarten Cares: A Heartwarming Success!
Our Kindergarten team recently organized a wonderful food pantry collection to support the Drakestown United Methodist Church, and we couldn't be more proud! This service learning project showcased our students' remarkable compassion and community spirit as they eagerly gathered food donations, demonstrating that even our youngest learners can make a big difference.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the families who contributed to make this initiative a resounding success. Your support not only enriched our students’ educational experience but also strengthened our school community and extended a helping hand to those in need.
We are truly inspired by the kindness and dedication displayed by our Kindergarteners, and we look forward to more opportunities to serve together in the future!
New Art Fundraiser
BAC Parents & Guardians,
Be on the 'lookout' for information about our upcoming Art Fundraiser. 'Silver Graphics' has changed its name & is now called 'Art To Remember'! Same quality of creative products that feature your child's artwork.
Flyers to order your child's artwork will be distributed on Monday, February 24. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Kelly Bartnicki.
Below is what the flyer will look like.
Kindergarten Registration - SY 2025-2026
Online Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-2026 SY, is now open!
If you are the parent/guardian of a child eligible for kindergarten, or know of any township residents with eligible kindergarten children for the 2025-2026 school year, please note the following:
Four (4) proofs of residence. One (1) of the following; deed or a rental/lease agreement and three (3) of the following; property tax bill, voter registration card, drivers license, homeowner insurance bill or utility bills.
Immunization records for measles, mumps, rubella, DPT, polio (including one dose of DPT and polio vaccine on or after the child’s fourth birthday), varivax, hepatitis B, and HIB vaccinations.
If your child is currently enrolled in the district preschool program, you do NOT need to register your child for kindergarten. Their record will transfer to kindergarten.
Register ONLINE HERE.
Should you have any questions, you may contact the school your child will be attending.
Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School - (908) 850-3161
Flocktown-Kossmann Elementary School - (908) 850-1010
Old Farmers Road School - (908) 876-3865
At anytime, enrollment forms can be downloaded from our website by clicking HERE.
2025-2026 Integrated Preschool Registration
We are excited to announce that registration for our Integrated Preschool Program will open soon! This program offers a wonderful opportunity for preschool-aged children to engage in a nurturing and inclusive learning environment that supports social, emotional, and academic growth.
Key Details:
Eligibility: Children ages 3-5 who reside within the district are eligible to enroll.
Registration Process: Registration will be on a first-come, first served basis this year.
Registration Opens: Friday, January 17, 2025 and you will be notified by Tuesday, January 28, 2025 if your child met the eligibility requirements and has been accepted.
You will need to submit a nonrefundable deposit of $950.00 which will be applied toward your tuition. Once received we will provide you with the link to complete the registration process.
Our integrated preschool program blends general education students with students who have special needs, providing rich opportunities for peer interactions, skill-building, and individualized attention. Spaces are limited, so we encourage families to register as soon as possible once registration opens.
The integrated preschool program will be held in all district elementary schools five days a week. The integrated preschool program at the Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School and Flocktown-Kossmann schools will run from 7:35 am to 2:10 pm and at Old Farmers Road School from 8:40 am to 3:15 pm.
The daily schedule includes circle time, small and large group activities, centers, snack, story time and teacher facilitated play time. The class would also participate in assemblies appropriate for this age group as well as play outdoors when weather permits. Learning activities are based upon the New Jersey Department of Education’s Preschool and Teaching Learning Expectations as well as designing activities based upon the individual needs and abilities of each child.
The classes will be taught by a dual certified teacher in Special Education and P-3 General Education. A teaching assistant will provide additional instructional support. The integrated preschool program uses the Tools of the Mind Curriculum. This program provides activities sequenced in a developmental trajectory and scaffolds to support children based on their current levels of development. Focusing on self-regulation, the curriculum supports children's underlying cognitive skills, social-emotional school readiness, and foundational skills in literacy, mathematics, and science.
There will be tuition for non-classified students. A monthly fee of $950.00 per month. Parents are responsible for the transportation, snacks and lunch for the preschool students without special needs.
If you have any questions or need assistance with the registration process, please contact Dr. Denise Scairpon, Director of Special Education at 908-876-9211 ext. 2300 or dscairpon@wtschools.org.
We look forward to welcoming your child to our Integrated Preschool Program and embarking on an exciting journey of learning and discovery together!
Dress for the Weather!
As the temperatures drop, we want to remind families about the importance of sending students to school dressed appropriately for the weather. We try to go outside for recess whenever it’s not below freezing, and students who come without jackets will still be sent outside to enjoy fresh air and playtime. Additionally, during fire drills or other unexpected events, students may need to be outside briefly, so having a warm coat, gloves, hats, and scarves is essential.
Please help us keep your child comfortable and prepared for the day by ensuring they’re bundled up before heading to school. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us prioritize both safety and fun during these chilly months!
Yearbook News
Cucinella PTO Happenings:
Nellie's News Flash: Click here for this week's version of Nellie's News Flash.
Order your Spirit Wear HERE: https://cucinella-spirit-wear.printify.me/products
Next General Membership Meeting:
Monday, March 10th @ 7:00PM in BAC Library
Memberships 2024-2025 School Year
PTO Memberships for the 2024-2025 School Year are still available! Follow the MemberHub link below to pay for a Family or Staff Membership. We are looking forward to another fantastic year!
https://www.cucinellapto.com/membership
https://cucinella.ptboard.com/formvw?store=5542&form=2
Student Dress Code
As we move into the school year, please take a moment to review the board approved dress code for students. It can be found here. Our dress code is enforced to ensure the safety and security of all students and staff. If you have any questions after reviewing please do not hesitate to reach out.
Items of Note:
No hats/bandanas/hoods
No bare midriffs
No sunglasses indoors
No indecent material
