Morris-Union Jointure Commission

Superintendent’s Spotlight

September 2024

Superintendent’s Update

The Morris-Union Jointure Commission (MUJC) is excited to welcome students and their families as well as all MUJC staff to the Developmental Learning Centers’ (DLC) 2024 – 2025 school year! We have been busy planning for the new school year and are pleased to share upcoming events with you.

Welcome Back Convocation for MUJC Staff

The MUJC’s Third Annual Convocation for staff will be held on September 3, 2024 and will feature Laine Whitaker, Vice President of Effective School Solutions. She will share her inspiring tips on “owning your greatness.”

DLCs’ News to Use!

Special Law Enforcement Officers

The MUJC has attempted for several years to obtain the services of a Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO) for both the  DLC - New Providence and DLC - Warren school sites. SLEOs are retired police officers in good standing who provide law enforcement and security services to public school programs through a shared service agreement between the public school district and the town in which the public school is located. SLEOs are in high demand and we have tried multiple times to fill the position at each DLC. I am pleased to announce that, at the Morris-Union Jointure Board of Education meeting held on July 25, 2024, the MUJC Board approved a shared services agreement with the Township of Warren for the services of an SLEO for the DLC - Warren. 



The DLC - Warren SLEO is anticipated to start during the month of September and will be on site daily from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The SLEO’s role will be to monitor and make recommendations for our security measures at DLC - Warren and to ensure that our students and staff are safe from external intruders.There will also be a Warren Township police car at the DLC - Warren during the school day as an added deterrent to external intruders. Our SLEO at DLC - Warren will work under the direction of the Warren Township Police Department. Once the details have been worked out, I will provide you with the name of the SLEO as well as the start date and invite the SLEO to our first Parent-Admin Chat meeting.

The New Providence Police Department and the Borough of New Providence have been and continue to search for an SLEO that will provide the same safety and security at the DLC - New Providence. We are hopeful we will be able to fill that position in the future.

DLCs’ Fall Calendar of Events

First Day of School for DLC Staff

Staff will return on Tuesday, September 3 at 8:15 a.m.We have a wonderful convocation planned. Welcome Back!

First Day of School for Students

The first day of school for students is Wednesday, September 4, at 8:45 a.m. We look forward to welcoming your child to the 2024 – 2025 school year!  

Parent/Admin Chat

Our first Parent/Admin Chat will be held via Google Meet on Monday, September 16, at noon. The Google Meet link will be sent out prior to the Chat. We welcome all parents to our monthly meetings with the administrators.

Back to School Night

Back to School Night is Wednesday, September 18, 2024, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to meet teachers, therapists, and other staff who work with their child.

News from DLC - New Providence

Welcome to the 2024 – 2025 school year! We are delighted to have you and your child as members of our Developmental Learning Center learning community. As we embark on this new academic year, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for the wonderful opportunities and achievements that lie ahead.

We have many events and activities planned for the school year, designed to inspire and motivate our students. Please make sure to update your child’s permissions in PowerSchool, as we have events planned at the DLC - Warren Aquatics Center and trips scheduled for the local community and the pumpkin farm.  Additionally, throughout the month of September, students will be involved in creating a DLC scarecrow to showcase at the annual New Providence Scarecrow Stroll. This event will feature displays along Springfield Avenue in New Providence Center from October 7 - November 1, 2024. Be sure to visit our DLC - New Providence display!

Your trust in the Developmental Learning Center is something we deeply value and we are dedicated to maintaining open and effective communication with you throughout the year. We encourage you to stay connected and involved in your child’s education. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have.

We look forward to a year filled with growth, learning, and success for all our students. Thank you for being an integral part of our DLC family. Together, we will make this school year a memorable and rewarding experience for everyone.

News from DLC - Warren

We are thrilled to kick off the 2024-2025 school year at DLC-Warren! New Staff Orientation will occur from Monday, August 26 through Thursday, August 29. Our DLC- Warren staff return on Tuesday, September 3, for our Third Annual Convocation.  Once school starts, our students will participate in a variety of labs, including the Apartment Lab, Retail and Greenhouse Lab, Hardware Lab, Track, Recreation Lab, Wildcat Cafe, Gaming Lab, Esports Lab, and more. Our Aquatics Program will commence on Friday, September 6. Community-Based Instruction, Work-Based Learning, and the annual grand opening of the DLC-Warren ShopRite will take place on Monday, September 9. In September, we will also celebrate several events, including World Physical Therapy Day on Monday, September 9, and National IT Professionals Day on Wednesday, September 17.

Join us for Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 18, where our enthusiastic staff will share their plans for your child. The Administration and staff from DLC-Warren look forward to meeting with you after your class meetings. We are also happy to continue our Parent Training Series with its first meeting for the 2024-2025 school year on Thursday, October 24, at noon with a presentation by Transition Coordinators Ray Colon and Matthew MacDougall.  The Google Meet link will be sent through our electronic bookbag.

Climate Conversation by Kim Spurlock, Supervisor, DLC - New Providence

Great News! DLC - Warren and DLC - New Providence have been awarded the Climate Change Education and Resilience Grant from the New Jersey Department of Education! The total amount of the grant is $75,752.00 and will be used, in part, for DLC staff to continue to participate in professional development sessions focused on climate change and classroom facilitation. DLC - New Providence students will continue to implement and document the progress of their elementary garden project. Plans are underway to construct the outdoor classroom at DLC – Warren. Once completed, students will utilize this classroom to have lessons focusing on the climate.

September marks the DLCs’ third year of participation in Take Action Global’s (“TAG”) Climate Action Schools. Both sites will brainstorm ideas for their keystone species and determine actions they can take to help protect our planet.

Transition Talk by Ray Colon and Matt MacDugall, Transition Coordinators

Throughout the 2024- 2025 school year, our Transition Team will continue providing parents with essential information to inform them to be better prepared as their child progresses in their transitional years, from age 14 through 21. Please look for information from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), The Arc of New Jersey (ARCNJ), AutismNJ, PerformCare, and many more service providers which will be sent through the weekly EBB throughout the school year.

Our Transition Coordinators look forward to working with you and providing continuous assistance throughout this school year. If you have any questions, please reach out to transition coordinators Ray Colon at rcolon@mujc.org or Matt MacDougall at mmacdougall@mujc.org. 

What's New in Technology

Tech Tips by Evan Abramson, Director of Technology and Innovation

Central charging station at home

Select a centralized location in your home where your children can check their devices in and out. Set a time when all devices must be returned for the night. By enforcing this rule, everyone starts the day with a fully charged device and you can monitor your child’s access to social media, games, and text messaging.

Let your child teach you!

If there’s a device, program, website, or app your child is using, have them show you how it works. They will enjoy the idea of teaching and you can get insight into where they are spending their time online.

Don’t let screen time overrule unplugged time

Add rules in your family plan that include putting the devices down and making time for exercise, hobbies, face-to-face time with friends and family, and outside play.

Be a good role model

The biggest influence on young techies is the rest of the family. Everyone, including parents, should practice kindness and good manners online.

Meet the DLC Administration!

We are so honored that DLC families have selected the Developmental Learning Centers as the school for their children. Your trust in the DLCs is highly valued and all DLC staff members do an amazing job to keep that valued trust. If you have any questions or concerns about our program, please call or email the DLC Administrators. Their contact information is as follows:

DLC-New Providence

Carl Bird, Principal 

908-508-1345

cbird@mujc.org

Kim Spurlock, Supervisor

908-508-1345

kspurlock@mujc.org

DLC-Warren

Andrea Marmolejos, Principal

908-762-5600

amarmolejos@mujc.org

Dr. Jennifer Ferraioli, Principal 908-762-5600

jferraioli@mujc.org

Dan Sanacore, Vice Principal 908-762-5600

dsanacore@mujc.org

If you have any general questions about the MUJC, please feel free to contact Denise Smallacomb, Assistant Superintendent, or me. Our contact information is as follows:

Denise Smallacomb, Assistant Superintendent 

908-464-7625

dsmallacomb@mujc.org

Dr. Janet Fike, Superintendent

908-464-7625

jfike@mujc.org

It’s going to be a great year and we look forward with excited anticipation to the great success our students and staff will have! As always, we appreciate your interest and support of the DLCs.  If you have any questions, please contact your administrators.  Thank you and we look forward to working with you this year!

Superintendent

Morris-Union Jointure Commission

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