Hello ACS Families!
This week brought a welcome hint of spring, and our school community made the most of it!
Students and staff enjoyed getting outside during the warmer weather while continuing a busy week of learning across our classrooms. It’s always uplifting to see our students engaged, active, and excited to be at school.
Report Cards are now available to view in Genesis.
Please be reminded that there will be no school next week, Thursday, 3/19 (Staff Development Day) and Friday, 3/20 (Eid-al-Fitr).
Due to the short week, we will not have a newsletter next week.
Wishing a joyful Eid-al-Fitr to all who celebrate. May your day be filled with peace, happiness, and time with loved ones.
Have an enjoyable and well-earned weekend!
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March is national "Music in Our Schools" month, and over the course of the next few updates we will be sharing updates from the different parts of our music programs at ACS! |
In music classes during the month of March we participate in Musical March Madness. This year's theme is Dueling Decades. Students listen to different genres of music from the 1950's all the way to the music of today. This is a great time for students to explore their interests and listen to new music they may have never heard before. Here is a link to this week's tournament bracket. We can't wait to crown the winner! |
Mark Kim took on the Bergen County Spelling Bee at Bergen Community College and made it all the way to round three! Out of 75 competitors, he finished in the top 30—what an impressive effort! |
Our fourth graders are turning reading into a competition! Each 250 minutes read earns a baseball, and Ms. King’s class is leading with 8,395 minutes.
This weekend is the final push—make sure to log your minutes and scan the QR code on Monday to be counted!
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Our third graders are designing ceramic bas relief tiles, taking inspiration from Hilke Macintyre’s unique style. This project encourages artistic expression, attention to detail, and a love for contemporary art. |
Pre-K students are having a blast during their water unit! They’re exploring through play, painting with ice cubes, and melting ice cubes to discover hidden treasures, making learning hands-on and fun. |
Our 1st graders have been learning about different habitats and this week visited each other’s classrooms to discover what makes each unique. Classes explored the desert, arctic, rainforest, and ocean, sharing their knowledge with peers. |
Our third graders in PINTS (Pals In Training) are sharing thoughtful ways to be kind and make friends with our Pre-K students. It’s a heartwarming experience that builds connections across grades! |
For SEL Day, our fourth grade PALS partnered with Mrs. Fiore in music to reflect on difficult moments at lunch and recess. They shared practical strategies for using TRACK to stand up for themselves and others. |
During the 3rd and 4th grade campfire, 4th grade PALS inspired their peers by discussing how to take initiative, learn from mistakes, and keep growing. It was a meaningful moment of connection and learning. |
As of early March, our school has reached 720 TRACK Acts! Our annual goal is 800, so we’re getting close—let’s keep up the great work and finish strong! |
The ACS Home & School Association joyfully invites you to Global Feast 2026. We warmly welcome all members of our community to participate in celebrating Leonia's rich cultural mosaic. What better way to recognize the diverse heritage that thrives within our community than through the universal language of food that fills us with pride. Join us for an evening of global cuisine and fun performances!
The event will be held on Friday, March 27, 2026 at 6:30pm at the Leonia Middle School Gym.
To make this event a success, we need volunteers to represent their countries in the following format: food representation, song submission to add to the global music playlist, and fashion show with traditional clothing.
The list of countries is based on previous representations but we would love to have new countries represented. Please pick "Other" and add the country name in the comment.
If you have other suggestions or comments, please reach out to Louise Spence: diversity@acshsa.org .
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Please join the ACS HSA for the annual Spring Gala, on Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 6-10pm at Hudson Manor in Fort Lee. This year's theme is Masquerade!
This annual event is our biggest fundraiser to support the school and all ACS students. There will be dinner, drinks, and dancing, as well as a silent auction with exciting items to bid on and some special raffle prizes!
*This event is for adults only*
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Onwards and Upwards!
Justine Choi & Melissa Freeman
Co-Presidents, 2024 - 2026
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* Click here to learn how to get ParentSquare messages in the language of your choice * Click here to support our school and donate to the ACS HSA
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Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is now live! Here's what you need to know:
📅Register by April 2, 2026 to guarantee placement for Leonia residents.
Who's eligible? Pre-K 4 → Turns 4 by October 1, 2026 | Kindergarten → Turns 5 by October 1, 2026
Already in Pre-K 4? If your child is currently enrolled in Pre-K 4 as a Leonia resident, you do not need to register — they'll be automatically promoted to Kindergarten.
3 Steps to Register:
- Complete the online registration & Home Language Survey at www.leoniaschools.org/prek-k-registration (registration checklist available in English, Korean, and Spanish)
- Gather your documents (birth certificate/passport, proof of residency, medical forms — full list on the registration page). Please have all documents ready — incomplete packets cannot be processed.
- After completing your online registration, you'll be directed to schedule your in-person appointment. All appointments must be booked by April 2 before 1:00 PM.
💳Pre-K tuition details and payment schedule are on the registration page under the Pre-K Tuition tab.
We can't wait to meet our newest Leonia Lions!
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This is a friendly reminder of the ACS Policy from our student/family handbook:
Cell Phones/Electronic Devices
- Cell phones are not permitted during school hours.
- Cell phones or other devices must be turned off and kept in students’ backpacks during the course of the school day.
- Cell phones or other devices shall be confiscated by any staff member if seen, heard, or used during the school day.
- This may result in the family being contacted and asked to pick up the phone from the main office.
- During school hours, cell phones and other electronic devices are not permitted in classrooms (including when there is a substitute teacher), the gym, the cafeteria, hallways, locker rooms, restrooms, or during recess.
- Earbuds and headphones may not be worn during hallway passing times or when moving throughout the building.
In the event you need to contact your child, please contact the main office. If your child needs to contact you, they will be sent to the main office by their teacher to make a phone call using our office line.
You can also learn more about the District wide policy here
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Please see topics for the month of March & April
March
K- 4 Unit: Nutrition
Kindergarten: What are the different food groups? Why are some foods healthier than others?
1st Grade: What is the difference between healthy and unhealthy eating habits?
2nd Grade: What happens if you don’t have any food and clean water? Where can you go?
3rd Grade: What kind of food does your body need to stay healthy? What kind of food does your mind need to stay healthy?
4th Grade: How do we develop a healthy meal plan based on our nutritional needs?
April
K- 4 Unit: Growing Our Bodies and Minds
Kindergarten: What does it mean to be well? What are different types of feelings you may have?
1st Grade: What kinds of things can reproduce? How do parents take care of their children?
2nd Grade: What are the medical names for different body parts?
3rd Grade: There is no health unit for Grade 3 in April
4th Grade: How does our body change physically, socially, and emotionally during puberty?
For questions related to our District Health Curriculum, please contact Steve Perrotta at Steven.Perrotta@leoniaschools.org..
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Good attendance and class participation are essential ingredients for academic success. Excessive absence from class is detrimental to the learning process.
Classroom lessons foster and require social interaction, development of effective communication skills, critical thinking, and subject mastery.
While we recognize there are times that your child may need to be absent, we want to encourage parents to be aware of their child's attendance and monitor how absences are or may impact on your child's learning.
Research shows that absences that exceed more than 10% (18 days) of the school year could have a lingering impact on that child's academic progress.
Below, please find the ACS Attendance Policy and Procedures for reporting absences.
Parents of students who have excessive and/or unexcused absences, tardiness or early departures will be notified by telephone and by mail.
The school will:
- Maintain accurate daily record-keeping for attendance, absence, tardiness or early departure of each student.
- Utilize data analysis systems for tracking individual student attendance and individual and group trends in student attendance problems.
- Develop incentives to encourage student attendance.
- Develop early intervention strategies to improve school attendance for all students.
- Parents will be contacted for all student absences, even one-day absences. A call is not necessary if the parent contacts the school. A reasonable attempt must be made to reach the child's parent/guardian.
Type of Absences
Absence: Failure of a student to be physically present in school/class or an approved school activity/program.
**Please note that if your child is absent for any reason, excused or unexcused, your child’s attendance record will show an absence. Attendance is a legal record of whether or not your child is in our care; if they are not in the school building, they will be marked as absent. Communicating why your child is absent, and providing documentation when available, creates a story of your child’s attendance and helps our school to determine if more supports are needed.
Excused Absence: An absence for any portion of the day that meets the conditions specified under "Excused Absence;"
Unexcused Absence: An absence for any portion of the day that does not meet the conditions specified under "Excused Absence. "
Excused Absences:
- Illness of student
- Absence must be reported by the parent via phone or written communication
- Religious observance
- The student’s required attendance in court and supported by documentation
- Participation in observance of Veterans Day
- Participation in district board of election membership activities
- Take Your Child to Work Day
Unexcused Absence: Absence for any reason other than listed above will be deemed unexcused
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Procedures for Reporting Absences
If a child is going to be absent, you can contact the school in one of two ways - in both instances, please provide your child’s name, teacher and reason for absence
For absences that last for an extended period of time due to illness, the school nurse may reach out for more information. For extended absences, home instruction may be offered.
In cases where your child must be released from a school prior to the end of the school day, parents must report to the main office to sign their child out.
In the event your child arrives after 9:00am, they should report to the main office.
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Looking to set restrictions your child's meal purchases?
Need to add money to your child's account?
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We know families are busy and may not always be able to read updates right away. No worries!
You can easily find posts later using the search bar at the top right. Just type in a keyword, phrase, or the poster’s name to quickly locate what you need to.
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To learn more about our schools, follow us on:
281 Broad Ave.
Leonia, NJ 07605
Phone: (201) 302-5200
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