Manito Elementary School

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Friends of the Manito School Community,

Welcome to the Manito School web site and to the 2011-2012 school year. As you navigate your way through the site, we hope to provide you with a unique perspective into our child-centered educational program. This comprehensive program addresses the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of our students as they progress through these crucial formative years. The ultimate goal of such a program is to create a dynamic environment that fosters success for every child. The foundation of each day is built upon a simple, but important philosophy: every child can learn and experience success. Our challenge as educators lies in discovering how to facilitate that process. As our dedicated teachers and support staff help our students to reach beyond their potential, they work to inspire a genuine love of learning in every child. The result manifests itself in children who are excited about education, feel positive about themselves, and who develop the skills needed to build positive and productive relationships with adults and each other. 

Combined with this positive climate is a strong academic curriculum that meets or exceeds the National Common Core Standards and the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. The core of the academic program is based on a solid foundation of study in reading, language arts and mathematics. The reading and language arts programs emphasize developmentally appropriate literature-based instruction that aims to engender critical, independent, life-long readers. Complementing the reading program is a process approach to writing that offers students the opportunity to create a variety of original, publishable works.

This year, our K-2 teachers will begin to implement an exciting new mathematics curriculum based on the Singapore method of teaching mathematics. The Math In Focus program is aligned to the National Common Core Standards and emphasizes depth of content and mastery learning over the superficial exposure to several topics. Bar models and other manipulatives are used to facilitate instruction and help students internalize curricular concepts. Because differentiated instruction for advanced, grade level, and emergent learners is embedded within the curriculum, general education students in Grades K-2 will remain in their homerooms for mathematics instruction . There, students will be assigned to flexible groups based on their level of understanding of specific topics, as determined through formative assessments at the beginning of each new unit. Our mathematics program in Grades 3-5 will remain unchanged for the 2011-2012 school year; however our plan is to implement the Math In Focus program in those grades as well beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.

Our rigorous academic curriculum is complemented by special area teachers who present lessons in physical education, library/media, health, art, and music. Our technology and World Language programs will continue to be integrated into each child’s classroom schedule. (World language study begins in Grade 3). This year Manito students will continue to utilize the Rosetta Stone software for World Language instruction in fourth and fifth grade.  Those students who have demonstrated mastery of Level 1 concepts will have the ability to progress to Level 2 of the World Language curriculum. A student workbook and a variety of classroom activities will be used to support the computer-based program.

Although students are introduced to computer skills during their technology lessons, teachers utilize the available technology in the school to create challenging, problem-based applications that can be integrated into each content area throughout the year. Facilitating that process is the addition of five new SMART boards to our instructional classrooms, completing the SMART board project at Manito School for our current population. As a result, every child in the building will have access to a SMART board in his or her classroom for the upcoming year. Of course, many thanks go to the Manito PTO for generously supporting our technology initiative for the past several years.

In an effort to promote positive and responsible decision-making while eradicating negative behaviors such as harassment, intimidation or bullying, our character education initiative will continue to be integrated across the curriculum. During the year, students will learn about and apply the tenets of the Josephson Institute’s Six Pillars of Character (Trustworthiness, Citizenship, Respect, Fairness, Responsibility and Caring). Whenever possible, students will be recognized for practicing these traits and contributing to a positive environment that promotes the social, emotional, and physical well-being of everyone in the building. In addition, our Project Wisdom program will continue to provide daily positive messages to students and faculty alike.

Of course, the Manito experience would not be complete without the ongoing support of our PTO. Throughout the year the PTO sponsors several special events and assembly programs that enrich the children’s educational experience. The key to any school’s success has and always will be a strong partnership between the parents of our community and the school. I look forward to maintaining that strong relationship, which has always been a hallmark of the Manito community, and I encourage all of our parents—both moms and dads—to actively participate in at least one of our PTO-sponsored events during the course of the year.

As always, I look forward to another fantastic year of working with you and your children.

Sincerely,

Adam I. Silverstein

Principal