September Newsletter 2023

CEDAR HILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

September Newsletter

First Day of School

September 7 marked the first day of the 20th academic year at Cedar Hill Prep. Plenty of smiling faces and emotional parents gathered at the school driveway as the bus driver dropped off students and an elated Mr. Seeley, the most loving principal eagerly waited with open arms to welcome the students.

Bright blue banners swayed in the glimmering sun as the faculty and staff greeted parents to a brand new year.

Chip, the school mascot was the highlight of the morning, high-fiving little ones and posing for pictures. The responsible eighth graders escorted preschoolers and elementary students to their respective classrooms.

Excitement and nervousness filled the air as new parents handed over their precious little ones to the teachers. The first day of school was a great start, and we at CHP strive to fulfill the promise of making the 20th academic year one filled with accomplishments!

Welcome PICNIC Cedar Hill Prep

The spirit of CHP was evident on the morning of September 9, 2023, when hundreds of current and alumni families alike gathered together for the annual event. Dr. Nan Menon, Ed.D., Mr. Seeley, and the faculty members were seen greeting parents and students at the school campus as the crowd trickled in.

When Mr. Seeley announced that the school turned 20 this year applause and thunderous cheer filled the air. New and existing parents had the opportunity to get to know the teachers and also learn about the special club activities that the school has to offer. The admin team went above and beyond to ensure the guests were taken care of and organized a scrumptious lunch spread.

The staff and students were more than happy to volunteer and help with the bouncy house castle, cotton candy station, and face painting stall.

Welcome to Preschool

We welcomed our new group of preschool students for the new school year. With hesitation in their eyes and backpacks filled with supplies, we were ready for a wonderful preschool year. Each consecutive day brought more smiles, friendships, sharing, playing, and laughter. We all are happy to come to school to play and learn with our new friends.

Apple Galore

Apple season is upon us! The children in preschool had a sample tasting of red, green, and yellow apples. Each child then decided which apple was their favorite. Using three apple pictures, the children placed their favorite colored apple under the matching colored apple. After all the apples were graphed, we realized that the green apple was the winner. Tasting apples turned into using our creativity to make torn paper apples and apple people. Did you know that there is a star in the center of the apple? Preschoolers found out after listening to the story, The Little Red House. If you cut an apple horizontally, you will see the star.

All About Me

Children in preschool identified things about themselves and their families. They were asked to complete a poster called, All About Me. With help from their parents, the poster described the children’s favorite book, food, color, and age. We even got each child to draw a self-portrait. As a group, we listened to a song called ‘Mat Man’. Using wood sticks shaped in straight lines and curves, the children were able to put the sticks together to complete the Mat Man body to identify their body parts.

Colorful start in CHP’s Preschool!

The children in preschool learned and experimented with colors. They discovered that mixing colors is so magical!! They were amazed to see that mixing red and yellow food coloring makes orange, blue and yellow makes green, and red and blue make purple. As the class chanted, “magic, magic,” the new colors were revealed. Then they used this knowledge to paint their very own color wheel. We also went on a Color scavenger Hunt outside. First, we identified a variety of colored paper placed in a file folder. We then took that file folder outside to see if we could find things to match our colored paper. To our surprise, we found every color that we were looking for. Some of the things we found were flowers, grass, leaves, twigs, and a balloon. The children had a great time hunting for these colorful objects.

Little Superstars Learn About Apples!

In the Pre-Kindergarten A classroom, it was a special time learning all about Apples! The students discussed the various facts about apples and learned that apples come in various colors like red, green, and yellow. Did you know that apples belong to the rose family and contain fiber and Vitamin C? We also discussed the different parts of an apple and students examined the core of the apple and looked for seeds. Along with the facts, our classroom also conducted our very own apple tasting. The students tasted different kinds of apples like red gala apple and granny smith apple. Our classroom took a vote and created a graph on which one was our favorite and the Red Apple won! The students worked on creating their own Mosaic Apples with different shades of green, red, and yellow and displayed them in our classroom. Pre-Kindergarten A is definitely an A-Peeling Bunch!

‘Fall’-ing in love with Pre-Kindergarten B!

The little tasters of Pre-Kindergarten B loved learning all about apples. We learned the different parts of an apple and labeled them. We talked about the three different types of apples and their color and taste. We also discussed all the food and drinks that come from apples. We had an apple tasting in our class and all the students loved it. We worked together to create a graph that shows what color apple our class liked the best.

Kindergarteners Wish Everyone

L’shana Tova!

All three Kindergarten classes celebrated Rosh Hashanah together. The children learned that this is the Jewish New Year. Festive gatherings with family and friends are a tradition during this holiday. We celebrated together by listening to a story and eating apples dipped in honey which is symbolic of a sweet New Year!

First Graders Learn Truckloads in the First Month!

First grade really enjoyed getting to know each other and exploring our beautiful campus over the first few weeks of school. They also loved sharing their summer experiences during summer vacation charades and exploring interest-based books in the library. First grade aced the 1st spelling test of this academic year, and are close to mastering the folder and planner system. There are a lot of accomplishments to be proud of, and we look forward to setting new goals.

Math fluency, number bond, writing a number sentence, reading, exploring nature, and learning

Geography — These are just a few of the first graders’ favorite things, according to Ms. Pensack! From Math skills to observing plants like a cactus and spending time outdoors, first graders definitely had a spectacular start to the year. We look forward to more insights into their daily classroom activities in the upcoming weeks!

Second Graders Kickstart the Year with Exciting events

Welcome to 2nd grade! We started the school year with many exciting activities in the classroom. The students were thrilled to learn about Yom Kippur, the Jewish New Year. This year, Yom Kippur was on September 25. We did a fun word search activity in the classroom and wished each other Tzom Kal, which means Happy New Year in Jewish tradition.

Third Graders Had an Exciting Start to the Academic Year!

Third graders were welcomed into their classrooms by their teachers. The students enjoyed activities to get to know each other. They each wrote and colored an ‘All About Me’ pennant which they shared with their classmates. Students were very excited about getting their own lockers! It was a very exciting first week of school for the third graders as they ushered in third-grade traditions.

Super Students of 3rd Grade!

Every month, third-grade students are selected as Super Students. They exhibit the qualities of exceptional behavior in and outside of the classroom. They complete a poster that showcases who they are, including their “super student power” and what they would do to make the world a better place. The Super Students for the month of September were Atreya and Arjun.

Atreya describes himself as a tremendous team player. He loves to play sports with his friends outside and wants to fix the problem of littering in the world!

Arjun describes himself as a mighty mathematician! He wants to ban all weapons in the world and enjoys talking about Minecraft and Pokémon. Great job, third graders!

Grade 4 Welcomes the 2023-2024 School Year!

In Grade 4, the new school year has been bustling with enthusiasm and activity! We are excited to welcome several new students and their families to our Grade 4 Community: Anandita Gupta, Dylan Lee, Francesca Martinello Merrill, James Nguyen, Aarayan Shah, Sharanya Maharana, and Nandini Vasanthavada!

It was wonderful to meet our new and returning families during the Welcome Picnic! As the students settled into their new classes, they began to adapt to their new grade while putting forth a tremendous effort to learn new organizational skills that will help to support their learning. They have demonstrated their ability to work cooperatively in their cohort groups as they researched the role of social scientists in our communities.

The story, What Do You Do With an Idea, provided an introduction to Grade 4’s overarching theme… Kids Can Make a Difference. We began by listening to the story and reflecting upon our own experiences. Through our discussion, the students quickly realized the impact our words have upon others and how easily one kind word can provide encouragement to others. Their thoughts were beautifully expressed in their personal narratives about their own ideas.

In honor of the Hindu holiday Vinayaka Chavati which honors the god of knowledge, Ganesha, Mahalakshmi shared a collection of stories from her culture, Ganesha and the Moon. These stories explain how Ganesha took part in saving the people from trouble. Thank you, Mahalakshmi!

Each year, Grade 4 students learn about the events of September 11, 2001. The students were quite moved by the story, This Very Tree…A Story of 9/11, Resilience and Regrowth. Through much discussion, they understood that although this was a tragic day, the survival of this one tree provided a symbol of hope for all. This inspired the students to reflect upon, and then write about, their individual feelings of hope. Such moving reflections certainly indicate that our Grade 4 students are quite introspective.

The return to school also signifies a return to one of Grade 4’s favorite activities…Recess! They did not mind the frequent changes in September’s weather as long as they were able to enjoy outdoor recess playing Four-Square, soccer, and tag…and building a rocket structure for our younger friends to play with during their recess periods. As always, September seems to have flown by as we busily prepare for the days ahead. Happy Autumn!!!

Fifth Graders Learn to Make a Family Tree

Grades 5 and 6 students started the academic year by learning something new! We worked on designing a family tree. Students brought photos of their families and were excited to share all about their loved ones. This activity helped students understand where their ancestors came from and also explain their history and culture.

Curious Minds in Sixth Grade!

Middle Schoolers are enjoying working on several interesting lab experiments. The students observed liquid forming outside of beakers of ice, beakers of boiling water, and laundry hanging from the classroom ceiling! Where did the water come from? Where did it go? Did water really move through glass? Of course not! These scientists can tell you why.

Salsa with the Second Graders

Shoutout to 2nd grader Mom Ms. Joshi for choreographing a very special dance performance to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on October 11! The students will dance to the famous song “Bam Bam Asi es la vida” at the school cafeteria at 10 a.m. on October 11th.

WILDCATS SPORTS

CHP Spirit Soars at the Annual Pep Rally

All the CHP students gathered at the gymnasium to inaugurate the Fall sports season. As Mr. Seeley played “We Will We Will Rock You,” the team players ran through the crowd and students couldn’t stop cheering!

Coach Tierney, Coach Francavilla, Coach Yollia, and Coach Deisher introduced each team member as the students cheered them on. The teams included Soccer, Cross Country, and Tennis.

Pep rallies are a favorite tradition at our school and a great way to inspire the players who work hard to represent our school. Go Wildcats!

CHP Girls Tennis Team Ready to R’ACE’!

The Cedar Hill Prep Girls Tennis Team has been preparing since August for their Fall Season. Four eighth graders, Nitara Baruah, Sophia Lai, Jwala Rajinikanth, and Zahra Shirley have been dedicated to the program since it was established by Coach Frankie almost three years ago. The girls continue to persevere, working on their skills and strategies to develop into successful, competitive players, strengthening the program for the future. CHP Girls Tennis Team will play their opening match against Stuart Country Day School on Monday, October 2, 2023, at Stuart. Coach Frankie and the team are looking forward to a victorious season!

Get, set, GOAL!

Tennis Schedule

Our CHP Wildcats Soccer Team is off to a great start! Our athletes have been training hard and competed in their first game against Wilberforce! Our Wildcats lost 5-1 to a strong Wilberforce Team but showed toughness and teamwork throughout the game. Revant Jear scored an exciting goal for the Wildcats! We are looking forward to more games in October!

Soccer Schedule

On ‘Track’ to Success!

We are thrilled to kick off the 2023 cross-country season with a 10-member team consisting of two girls and eight boys. Our track team athletes have been training rigorously on four days per week at our 9-acre campus to simulate the 1.5-mile average meet distance. The focus has been on developing strength, endurance, speed, and sportsmanship.

On 9/22 we entered our first meet for the season taking on 65 athletes from Pennington, Wilberforce, and Chapin. While the official results from that meeting are still pending, we are proud that CHP was represented among the top 10 finishers.

Our second track meet was on 9/26 at Middlebush High School. There were 40 athletes across three schools including Greenbrook. CHP’s Ethan Sanbeg finished 4th overall and was the first finisher for CHP followed by Vihaan Patel and Aditi Prabakharan second and third finishers for CHP respectively.

We look forward to the continued growth and success of our athletes as we face our middle school competitors in the upcoming weeks.

Welcome Back CHP Community!!

It was great meeting all the new and existing parents at the Welcome Picnic on September 9! Since we’re off to a great start to CHP’s 20th year, the PTO committee is now looking forward to hosting more exciting events this academic year. If you would like to volunteer please join us at the next PTO meeting. We will be setting up the meetings in the PTO FB Group page and we will email reminders to you. Typically they are the 1st or 2nd week of the month depending on school events. All PTO meetings are virtual so all you have to do is join us on the PTO Zoom. Our first official PTO meeting is on October 8th. As part of the PTO committee, we plan events and fundraisers that will greatly benefit the students and it is also a great way to get to know fellow CHP parents and make a difference in our community! If you would like to sign up for the committee, please click the link below.

Karen’s son, Justin is in 3rd grade this year. He started CHP in Preschool.

Karen and her family moved to NJ from sunny Florida in 2018. In their spare time they are verv involved with Greyhound rescue both international and domestic and being on the soccer field with their son.

Karen works as a managing partner in the technology field.

Christine has twin bovs Noah and Oliver in 2nd grade who have been at CHP since Preschool.

She is a member of the US Naval reserves and a Human Resources professional for an International Law Firm.

Christine is bilingual with Spanish and English.

Linda’s daughter, Sophia is in 8th grade. She has been a part of CHP since Kindergarten and has enioved being part of the CHP family.

Linda is looking forward to this school year and cheering on the Wildcat Girls Tennis team which her daughter loves being a player on.

Vanashri is the proud mother of Agusta who is in 3rd grade and Nihera who his in Kindergarten at CHP this year. The familv has been at CHP since Agustya was in PS.

Dr. NJ is passionate about science, is a founder at The Parent Academy, Co-Lead of Liberty STEM Alliance and a Professor at New Jersey City University.

Scott is the proud father of Kenny who is a 3rd grader. They joined CHP in 1st grade.

Scott is the new owner of his own appliance store and has been in the area his entire life.

CHP 2023-2024 Committee Sign Up

AROUND THE SCHOOL

Teacher In-Service

After a refreshing summer break, all the teachers gathered at the school gymnasium for the first in-service day of the 20th academic year of Cedar Hill Prep. Mr. Seeley, the principal briefed the faculty and administration team about safety drills and introduced new staff members to the team. Nan Menon, our school director, gave a brief presentation about the International Baccalaureate Programme, since CHP was selected as a candidate school for the worldrenowned programme. Teachers then went on to decorate their classrooms to make sure the first day back for the students was nothing less than perfect!

New Parent Orientation

We welcomed our new parents on September 6, at the school gymnasium. All our new families CHP met the administration staff, teachers, and fellow classmates. visited their children’s classrooms. Excitement filled the air as our newbies toured their classes and school buildings.

Roaring Start to the House Ceremony

Excitement filled the air at Cedar Hill Prep as all the students and staff gathered to witness the sorting of new students into their respective Houses. A tradition that everyone looks forward to, this year’s House Ceremony matched up to the level of enthusiasm of all the previous years. The new students were welcomed with hugs and high-fives as our loving Principal Mr.Seeley announced their House. The four Houses are Cherokee Bears, Lenape Owls, Ramapo Falcons, and Shawnee Beavers. Each year, the different Houses participate in competitions and this is a great way of promoting teamwork and a sense of belonging. We can’t wait to see all the unique traditions the House system will bring along in our 20th year at Cedar Hill Prep!

Click Here to See More Images

Back-to-school Nights

Back-to-school Nights were a great success. Wonderful conversations were had with the homeroom teachers as well as the specialists. In the classrooms, the teaching methodology, and classroom protocols were explained to parents. Parents also enjoyed getting to know each other. Teachers came up with innovative icebreakers for parents this time around. For instance, the 3rd grade students created and wrote their favorite books, favorite foods, and other unique facts about themselves. These were placed on various desks in the classrooms, and the parents had to guess which one belonged to their kid. Some parents immediately recognized their child’s favorite food or book, while others simply recognized their child’s handwriting. A few Dads needed a nudge in the right direction before finding their children’s work! Back-to-school nights exemplified what CHP is all about healthy involvement by parents with the teachers and with a common goal to encourage a holistic approach to educating each child!

A Slice of Happiness!

On Thursday, September 28h CHP had the first Pizza with the Principal for the 2023-24 academic year. Each homeroom teacher nominates a student who has shown themselves to be a kind, caring citizen of our school. The selected students then get to enjoy a private pizza lunch with Principal Seeley. Students look forward to being the ‘Chosen One’ for this special, interactive session with Mr Seeley.

During this session, Mr. Seeley asked the students about how they’re adjusting to the new school year, and who their best friends are, and shared stories about his pet cat! The little ones couldn’t stop giggling at Mr. Seeley’s jokes! We can’t wait to see who the lucky students are for the next Pizza with the Principal!

Preschool - Kindergarten

Grades 1 - 2

Grades 3 - 4

Grades 5 - 8

Coffee and Conversations

We can’t believe that we’re at the end of September! The start of the 20th academic year at CHP has been eventful and we ended the month with a virtual Coffee with Principal meeting on September 29th. Mr. Seeley met with all the middle school parents on Zoom to discuss the events that took place and other important upcoming events. Parents had a chance to clarify their doubts. We will conduct a Coffee with Principal session for the lower school parents in October!

Join the Alumni Instagram and Facebook Page

Stay connected and network with the CHP Community. You will receive invitations to events as well as the latest CHP and academic news. This will also allow us to share news and acknowledge all your achievements. Be Part of the Alumni Community Today! Join and share with family and friends to follow and like!

Staff Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Sangeeta Lekhi and Srinidhi Rajagopal

who celebrated their birthdays in September!