Smith News

March 20, 2020

Achieving Excellence One Student at a Time

Online School Begins

As we have now completed four days of remote learning, I want to take a moment to celebrate everyone's success. Students, Parents, teachers, and staff have been asjhvbhked to do what no other school has ever done. I am so proud of the way each and everyone one of us in the Smith Community has stepped up to continue to do what is best.

Please take a look at this article this will give you and your family tips to make the most of homeschooling!

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/16/health/homeschooling-during-coronavirus-wellness/index.html


In the Classroom & Around School

#TeachingforUnderstanding #ProfileofARamseyGraduate #EnhancingtheStudentExperience

Annie the Musical

On March 5th and 6th, Smith students, under the direction of Ms. Eileen Leon and Mr. Paul Ricigliano, performed the musical, "Annie," to a sold out crowd. Students had rehearsed for months, at times staying after school until 7 p.m. Their hard work and dedication resulted in three stunning performances for their family and friends. The production was the collective effort of students performers, stage crew, props, hair and makeup design and lighting crew. Thank you to the RPEF for supporting the Smith Musical! Bravo to all the cast and crew!

Active Occhi!

Ms. Occhiuto's PE classes enjoyed some fresh air on Wellness Wednesday with a Nature Scavenger Hunt Contest. Students earned extra credit and bonus points for the most items found!

Une Véritable Jungle!

Madame Back's French classes described an animal on a google doc diagram and then moved to FlipGrid to talk about them! C'est une véritable jungle!

What's the Big Idea?

Mrs. Callender's English class is brainstorming "Big Ideas." This week they discussed the importance of a tranquil environment for middle school students.

Keeping Connected!

Mr. D'Amato is keeping his students engaged with thematic class conferences. This week featured a Favorite Hat Day and Cool T-Shirt Day!


Signs of Spring?

In honor of the First Day of Spring, Students in Ms. Jadameic's 7th grade Life Science class are taking pictures of evidence that spring is here and describing the various adaptations these organisms have that help them survive.

Resourcefulness!

Mrs. Nixon gets creative during an online lesson! When you don't have a whiteboard, you use the next best thing!


Preserving the Union!

7th Grade Social Studies students are studying the Civil War. They've been tasked with creating a Graphic Novel on Google Slides by researching primary and other reliable sources.

St. Patrick's Day

Smith Staff and Students took to Social Media on St. Patrick's Day with our first Spirit Day from home! Follow @RSDSmithSchool on Twitter and Instagram to share photos and interact with the Smith School Community. Keep an eye out for our next Spirit Day!

Remote Instruction Information

Mrs. Christine Davis

Supervisor of K-8 Education and Student Welfare

Social distancing, juggling work, family, and remote learning - the transition from our regular, predictable routines to our new normal for the foreseeable future may feel overwhelming. The bumps in the road ahead are inevitable, but as we go on things should become more manageable. In the meantime, here are a few tips:

  • Create new routines. It's important to establish structure, predictability, and a sense of purpose each day.
  • Remember that self-care may look different now. Families may not be able to get exercise in the same way, but it's essential to schedule some daily physical activity. Get out and go for a walk or a run, but be sure to do something each day.
  • Accept that you may have some negative emotions. Don't beat yourself up about it. Go easy on yourself, and try to devote your energy to making the best of this time, given the circumstances.
  • Embrace the opportunity to deepen relationships with each other. Establish a family book club or a board game night, or watch the Harry Potter movies together. We often complain about not having enough time to spend together. Well, we have it now - and it won’t last forever.

We have embarked on a journey through uncharted territory together. As a community, we are all working to make the best of a very challenging situation. As Mr. Matteo stated in his message to Ramsey and Saddle River community, we appreciate your support as we become even closer partners in guiding our children on their learning journey.

Below is a link to the Ramsey School District Remote Instruction Plan website. On this hub of information, you will find the latest updates from the Ramsey School District, information about plans to provide remote instruction at each school, as well as information about attendance, counseling services, special education, meal distribution, and technology support .

Ramsey Remote Instruction Plan

From the Desk of the Instructional Coaches

Courtney Rejent - Humanities Instructional Coach

Supporting the Whole Child During Unexpected Times

As we all begin to adjust to our temporary way of life, it becomes important to acknowledge the changes and shifts in our daily lives. This is as true for us, as it is for our children. Below you will find a number of possible ways to support your child emotionally, beyond the academic supports of home instruction.


  • Model/Share Your Own Thoughts & Feelings- Modeling how you talk about how you feel or think in these moments will help children to develop their own language and comfort of talking about their emotions and thoughts. This will help children to process the natural emotions they may be feeling during the sudden changes in their lives.
  • Encourage Your Child to Keep a Journal- Sometimes emotions and thoughts can be processed through writing in a journal (digital or paper/pencil) or keep a vlog (video log). Kids may not need to focus on their feelings directly, but recording the daily events of their lives through these two medians may help students to express emotions (good, bad, or neutral) in ways that are healthy and cathartic.
  • Support Your Child as They Maintain Their Relationships- Children are well connected digitally these days. Continue to encourage your child to reach out to friends and family regularly. This time might offer a chance for your child to reach out to a friend or family member they may not get to see or hang out with very often. This might be a cousin from another state or a friend that happens to not share any classes with your child.
  • Begin a Long-Term Project- If you have time to devote to a long-term project around the house, this might be a time to begin the project. If might be building, painting, or rearranging. Having your child take part in the project can be rewarding for your child while also helping them stay focused on a larger goal. Think of how much time you might have to talk to your child and maybe teach them a thing or two in the process.
  • Seek Out a Way to Safely Help- With so many unknowns in the world right now, sometimes finding a way to help can make a child feel like they have control over something. Finding safe ways to help is a great place for a child to build independence while using their natural empathetic tendencies. Simply reaching out to an elderly neighbor digitally or playing an instrument outside in the backyard, can help others to feel less alone during these times. Brainstorming and researching a few different ways to help safely, is a great way to help others and it provides a child with a strong sense of purpose


As a caregiver, you know your child best. Please rely on your knowledge and experience with your child when deciding if or when to try any of the above suggestions.

Ramsey has always had a strong sense of community and courage. Without a doubt, this will continue for a long time to come.


New Sora App

Smith students now have access to hundreds of E-books and Audio Books with our new "Sora" app. You can start reading today by downloading the app on to any device: phone, ipad, chromebook, kindle, etc. Once downloaded, students can search for Eric Smith School login with their Google Account. Detailed instructions coming soon!

Staying home from school doesn’t have to completely disrupt the learning process. The SmartSocial.com team rounded up some of the best educational online activities to keep students of all ages engaged in learning while away from the classroom. This is a great free resource to enjoy with your family and share with others.


It's important to stay active during this time. Take frequent breaks from the screen. You can find lots of workouts-without-equipment online. Take advantage of nice weather and try to get outside as often as possible! Physical activity improves mood and focus. Stay well!