New students visit Cedar Mountain

VERNON — Principal Rosemary Gebhardt posed for photos, Aug. 28 and Aug. 30, with every student who visited the Cedar Mountain Primary School Open House.
During the open house, parents and students navigated throughout the school, finding their teacher's name and school room for the upcoming year, with lovely door decorations and bulletin board displays cheerfully greeting them.
Project Self-Sufficiency also provided information to families.
Some parents and children visited the media center — reading books together and playing educational games.
One little Kindergarten boy struggled to return a book to the shelf; and another boy announced his teacher is, “Mrs. Schwarz.”
The School and Community Association (SCA) hosted a social where parents received information on how to be involved in the school, learned about SCA activities; and children played with both new and old friends.
Children squealed while throwing bean bags against a cafeteria wall board. A mother and son played checkers together with a huge checker set and board, and others enjoyed healthy snacks.
SCA President Denise Clarke, along with other SCA officers, sold “Kid Stuff 12 month” coupon books as part of a fund raiser for a giant end of the school year party.
Gebhardt said 10 new teachers are coming to Cedar Mountain for the upcoming school year; and the school is changing to a new reading assessment program, “Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System.”
She noted the new assessment gives teachers very specific instructional and independent reading levels of all students. In addition, teachers will be able to monitor each student's reading progress using running records and formal reading assessments — tracking each student's reading strengths and areas for further growth and development.
During Cedar Mountain SCA meetings, Gebhardt's Principal Forum, Tuesday Sept. 25, 6:30 p.m., and Literacy Nights, parents will learn more about the new reading assessment and ways to support and foster the reading process at home.
Vernon Township School Board Member Lauren Magee attended the open house and said they love coming to open houses, because it gives the new students a sense of where they will be going to school in the fall and parents comfort in knowing where their children will be in the building. Magee concluded, “We have amazing teachers and amazing administrators in our district. That is one of the best things about our district - the wonderful education.”