LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Superintendent's Message - 12/22/2024. Dear Linden Families, I wish everyone a joyful and peaceful break as we approach the Winter break. We have important updates and reminders for the upcoming break: • Tomorrow, December 23rd, will be a half-day with no lunch service. • School will be closed on December 24th–26th, 31st, and January 1st. Students will return on Thursday, January 2nd. During the break, our Buildings and Grounds Department will be active. Offices will be open on December 27th and 30th. High School Athletics will continue, and we wish them success in their competitions. With the onset of winter weather, my thoughts are filled with warm wishes for everyone, hoping that all are surrounded by love and cheer. We are grateful for the generosity shown through our district-wide food drives, coat drives, and toy drives. This season prompts us to pause and give straight from the heart. I appreciate how our administrators, support staff, and teachers do this daily. Their efforts are appreciated, and we are progressing with gratitude and ROAR pride. Let us celebrate our mission of providing a nurturing learning environment for all our students. On behalf of the Linden Board of Education, have a safe and enjoyable Winter break filled with love, reflection, and thankfulness: Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy Kwanzaa to those who celebrate. Take care, and may the New Year bring prosperity, Atiya Y. Perkins Superintendent of Schools

Superintendent's Spotlight Message - 11/26/2024 Dear Linden Families, As we approach the Thanksgiving break, I would like to extend warm wishes to all of you for a peaceful and restful holiday. We have some important updates and reminders as we head into the break. Tomorrow, November 27th, there will be a half-day with no lunch served across all schools in our district. Additionally, please be reminded that school will be closed on November 28th and 29th to allow our students and staff to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. As we move through our academic calendar, I am pleased to share some district highlights with you. At the secondary level, we are currently in the second marking period, while our elementary students are entering their third trimester, which will end in a few weeks. In the elementary classes, we focus on enhancing collaboration and ownership of our technology resources, particularly iPads, to support our one-to-one technology program. We are truly thankful for the ongoing partnerships impacting our school community. Our collaboration with the city for food drives has been a source of pride, and the partnership with Chick-fil-A and our Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy of Linden High School 11th and 12th graders has allowed for inspiring mentorship opportunities with younger students. Our students are making phenomenal strides in academics, club affiliations, sports teams, cheerleading, NJROTC, Band and Orchestra, and Fine Arts. In the realm of fine arts, the Linden High School theater production of "Puffs" has showcased our student cast members' incredible talent. We are immensely proud of our students' outstanding performances. Last week, we celebrated American Education Week by highlighting our education support staff's dedication and hard work, community partnerships, and student leaders. Our faculty and staff continue to work hard demonstrating resilience. Furthermore, a special thank you goes out to the parents who participated in our bilingual parent advisory committee discussions, addressing the strengths and challenges our multilingual learners and their families encounter. We recently achieved a significant milestone with the grand opening of our Multilingual Learners Welcome Center, which serves as a valuable resource for our diverse student population and their families. Looking ahead, we encourage parents to remain actively engaged in our school community. This time of the year reminds us to pause and express gratitude. I am grateful for the work of our administrators, support staff, and teachers. Please join me in celebrating our mission to provide an enriching learning environment for all our students. Have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving break filled with love, reflection, and thankfulness. With gratitude and ROAR pride, Atiya Y. Perkins Superintendent of Schools

Superintendent's Message - 10/06/2024 Dear Linden Families, We are in the second month of the school year and are off to a great start. Our Fall sports are in full swing, and we are proud of our students’ athletic performances. Our students are taking grade-level benchmark assessments in reading, language arts, and math to demonstrate their readiness for college and career success in grades 1 – 12. To support their learning, students will use an online program called Exact Path by Edmentum, which customizes lessons and assessments based on each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Students can access Exact Path both at school and at home. Later this month, we will host our first district-wide community engagement session on Tuesday, October 29, at McManus Middle School cafeteria, starting at 6:00 p.m. This session will focus on creating our 2025 – 2030 district Strategic Plan, and we encourage parents, guardians, students, and education stakeholders to attend and contribute to shaping the future of education in our district. Refreshments will be provided, and we look forward to collaborating with all participants to develop a plan that reflects our collective goals and values. There will be three evening meetings: October 29, November 12, and January 14. Our district’s priorities revolve around student achievement, safety and security, and addressing chronic absenteeism. See the table below of district wide events. We do believe the MISSON POSSIBLE and we are committed to strengthening the home-school connection through upcoming events and partnerships with local police and fire departments to promote positive behavior and ensure a safe learning environment. We expect our students to make responsible choices, be good citizens, and represent our school community with excellence. I continue to share we need you to help our students learn, grow, and believe in their Linden R.O.A.R. in and out of school. October 10: Secondary Interim Report Cards visible in Genesis Parent Portal October 7 – October 10 / October 7 – October 11: Week of Respect and Fire Prevention Week October 12: District Breast Cancer Awareness Walk at Tiger Stadium October 14: District In-Service (School Closed) October 15: District-wide Pink Out Day, wear pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 21 – October 25: School Violence Awareness Week October 22 – October 24: Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences (Early Dismissal / Lunch Served) October 28 – November 2: Red Ribbon Week October 29: Strategic Plan Community Meeting (6:00PM @ McManus Middle School) Take care and be well, Atiya Y. Perkins Superintendent of Schools