Kindergarten Registration Open through Friday

The School District of the Chathams offers half-day kindergartens at their three elementary schools.

If your child is turning 5 before Oct. 1 this year, it might be time to think about kindergarten. The School District of the Chathams is accepting registrations for the 2013-14 kindergarten class now through Friday. The district offers half-day kindergarten, with sessions available in the mornings and afternoons at Southern Boulevard School, Milton Avenue School and Washington Avenue School. Last year kindergarten classes at Washington Avenue School reached full capacity with 100 students, and other incoming kindergartners were directed to Southern Boulevard School instead. Necessary forms can be found here, and other required documentation includes: Anyone who wishes to schedule an appointment for registration may contact Sally Moreno at …

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St. Pat Kindergarteners Graduate to First Grade

They want to be a part of it—and if you don't believe it, just listen to the song.

The kindergarteners from St. Patrick School took a lot of time preparing for their commencement ceremony Friday, and the adulation from their parents made it well worth it. The children recited the school pledge and sang songs for their parents before receiving their diplomas Friday. Principal Dr. Marian Hobbie and St. Patrick rector Rev. Robert Mitchell gave speeches to commemorate the event, as did the kindergarten teachers. Share your photos and videos of St. Patrick School's kindergarten graduation by uploading them directly to this article

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Parents Ask for Additional First Grade Teacher

All the incoming first-grade classes all have 23 or 24 students, which parents say is too high.

In his last meeting as the district's superintendent, Jim O'Neill told the Board of Education they may need to consider hiring several new teachers due to still-increasing enrollment. "We have several classes that are approaching maximum," O'Neill said. O'Neill recommended to the board during Monday night's meeting that they approve the hiring of a new fourth grade teacher for Lafayette Avenue School. The most students each fourth grade classroom should have are 25 students, he said. Of the 14 sections of the fourth grade, O'Neill said, "all of them are at 25 [and] three of them are at 26. It's unhealthy to start the school year [at that level] because every child who comes in will extend those numbers upwards from that." O'Neill also said…

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St. Pat's Kindergarteners Get Their Diplomas

Families gather for the graduation ceremony Friday morning.

The Rev. Robert J. Mitchell and Dr. Marian Hobbie handed out diplomas to the kindergartners at St. Patrick School in Chatham on Friday morning. The graduation ceremony included a prayer led by the kindergartners, plus congratulatory speeches by the kindergarten teachers, Maureen Pridham and Carol Boznanski, before they received their diplomas. Kindergartners also sang for the gathered assembly, including "This Land is Your Land" during the opening prayer and pledge, and "If I Were a Butterfly."

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Five Things You Need To Know Today

UPDATE: Snow Cancels Two of Five Things

Also, don't pretend you don't like peanut brittle.

Borough and township Public Works departments are out plowing the roads, but the snow has already had an effect on the towns. As always, Chatham Patch will provide you with all updates throughout the storm, but here are five things you need to know about today: For more things worth knowing, see our events calendar and announcements—and if you've got something the community should know, don't forget to make a post of your own in one or both of those site sections.

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