MJT Weekly

 

This Week's Updates

3/13/26

 

MJT Fire Safety Lesson - Fall 2025

 

Dear MJT Families,

Great news! Next week Opera Saratoga's education tour will be returning to MJT on Friday, 3/20 with a special show called Stone Soup.

It's a musical story about sharing and showing kindness to your neighbors.

You can learn more all about it here.

Here is a snapshot from last year's show. 


Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Mrs. Taylor
Principal, Mary J. Tanner School
518-642-1051 Ext. 4201

btaylor@granvillecsd.org

 

Pre-K Open for Registration

Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration NOW OPEN 

If you're already in Pre-K, no need to register for Kindergarten.

Please spread the word.

Here is the information about the program and how to register.

 

Upcoming Events

3/13 - NO SCHOOL: Superintendent's Conference Day

3/13 - 3/14 - Drama Club Production This Weekend: Alice in Wonderland Gone Wrong - All families and community welcome! 5:30 PM Each Night, JSHS Auditorium - $5 per student, $10 per adult

3/18 - Pre-K Parent Information Night at MJT, 6:00 PM

3/19 - Jazz Cafe Fundraiser at the Jr/Sr High, 7:00 PM - Bring a friend or family member to listen to the high school jazz band play and enjoy coffee, sweet treats and jazz for $5

3/21 - High School Talent Show - All families and students welcome! 7:00 PM - $5 at the Door for a Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser by the National Honor Society

3/25 - PTO Science, Technology and Art Fair - All families and students welcome!

 

April

4/3 - 4/10 - NO SCHOOL: Spring Recess - PTO Bowling available during break. $5 for two games and shoes included at Slate Valley Lanes, and PTO pays for the rest. For GCSD families and students.

Here is the link to all event details in the district calendar.

 

Bus of the Month Winner!

Congratulations to students and staff of Bus 130!

This bus carries students to all buildings and has been example of bus safety, getting along well with each other, and being kind and respectful to their driver and attendant.

Students received gift cards for fun snacks to celebrate and Mr. Burch, driver and Mr. Sharrow, bus attendant received a generous gift card to a local restaurant from the Granville, NY PTO. Thank you!

Who will win for March? Stay tuned!

Go Horde! 

Here is the link to watch a celebratory reel about Bus 130's win.

To learn more about the Bus of the Month contest, visit this blog post.

3/2 - Hat Day, 3/3 - Sports Day, 3/4 - Wear as many colors as you can, 3/5 - Blue and Gold Day, 3/6 - Pajama Day
 
 

Second Grade Classroom Fun

We had a wonderful time celebrating Read Across America Week and Dr. Seuss’s birthday!

We read Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss. To connect our reading with our current science unit on solids, liquids and gas, we made our very own Oobleck.

The students had so much fun exploring this interesting substance and observing how it behaves like both a solid and a liquid! We will continue our discussion about Oobleck in science next week as we deepen our understanding of matter.

Second Graders also wrote out the steps for making Oobleck. This activity reinforced writing in chronological order and using sentence starters such as first, then, next, and last. They did a great job organizing their thinking clearly and sequentially.

It was a fun and engaging week of learning!

Thank you to Mrs. Duvernoy, Second Grade Teacher for this sneak peek into her classroom.

 

Informative Writing in Second Grade! 

We have been learning all about informative writing. Today, I challenged the class to write about how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

The students did a wonderful job putting their steps in chronological order (something we’ve been working very hard on!). However… when I followed some of their directions exactly as written, things didn’t always turn out quite right. I wasn’t sure where to spread the peanut butter or jelly… or even where to put the peanut butter!

Don’t worry though, a few of our friends stepped in and guided me so I could successfully make a complete sandwich. It was a fun (and delicious) way to learn why clear details are so important in informative writing.

Thank you to Mrs. Duvernoy, Second Grade Teacher for these fun pictures and glimpses into second grade life. 

Go Horde!

 

Kindergarten Cafeteria Snack Update

Kindergarten students will be able to purchase snacks on Thursdays, and Ice Cream on Fridays. 

We've had to adjust this because recently due to the fact that we are finding out that a large number of students are throwing their entire/most lunch away and then going to purchase snacks. 

We are working with them to encourage healthy habits to eat more of their lunch rather than rushing for snacks. 

 

Pack Sneakers for P.E. Classes

Please remember to pack sneakers each day for gym class!

March will bring a jump rope unit and will need proper and safe footwear during class. Thank you!

If you like, you can leave an old pair of sneakers in your student's classroom cubby to leave at school for gym. 

If your student needs help tying their shoes, here are two instructional videos to practice at home:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A3P4aM3MlT0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2KcPbhSfBo

 

Principal Taylor's Tips

Screen Time Alternatives

Too much screen time can affect their sleep and behavior patterns in many ways. 

Screens provide instant gratification, which children then expect in all aspects of their lives. 

As a result, this can create challenges at both home and school. 

Here are some alternative ideas to consider that can increase your family time while helping them to practice how to share and take turns.

- Board games: Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Trouble, etc

- I spy: Try playing it different ways such as "I spy something that starts with the letter__"

- Card games: Go fish, War

- Sight word or letter hunt: write students trick/sight words on post-it notes and put them all around the house for students to find and practice.  This can also be done with individual letters.

- Reading books: Bedtime stories are a calm, soothing way for children to unwind before going to sleep.

Visit this page and look for the "Better Screen Time" tips to learn about low-stimulation vs high-stimulation screen time ideas that help students sleep better and learn problem solving skills.

 

Read More Principal Taylor's Tips
 

Please Pack a Daily Snack

Please pack a healthy, filling snack each day to help your child focus, get along with others and feel ready to learn important life skills.  

Here are some great ideas. 

Here are the cheap and healthy snack ideas (consider putting them in small plastic baggies than you can reuse each week): homemade trail mix, small apple or easy to peel small orange like a clementine, mandarin, crackers and pepperoni slices or nut butter for dipping, baby carrots and dip like flavored hummus, cheese stick (with a ice pack), nutrition bar or popcorn.
 

Did You Know?

Reading with your child helps them understand new words, improves speech and helps children feel calm and confident about learning new things. 

Start with 10 minutes per day.

Consider visiting your local library on Saturdays and sign up for a free library card. 

Here is a link to winter book ideas to read with your child. 

Here is the link to the Pember Library and Museum - they are open from 10am - 1pm on Saturdays and Tuesday - Friday as well (hours differ). 

 

Showing Up Matters

Thank you for showing up on time, every day! We love seeing your students in school and appreciate your efforts.

Here are tips for deciding when to keep your student home and when to send them to school. 

Here is a link to this resource on AttendanceWorks.org https://www.attendanceworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Attendance-Works-When-Is-Sick-Too-Sick-092524.pdf
 

District News

You can now subscribe to all of the Board of Education updates and they will arrive in your email inbox. 

Here is the direct link to the subscribe with an email address.

And here is the link to the general overview of the Granville CSD Board of Education website.

 

Run for Board of Education - April 20th, 2026 Deadline

Please note, three Board members terms end 2026.

Here is more information about how to run for BOE including dates, deadlines and more.

Meet our volunteer Board members here.

 

Community News

Here is the link to view it and subscribe for free.

Here is the link to the second quarter Honor Roll for the 2025 - 2026 school year.

 

School Tips 

Get the App! Search "Granville CSD" on any App store and download today.

PTO Newsletter - The latest events and volunteer opportunities

Organizing Tip! Check the district calendar of event, once per week! On the school website and in the school App. 

All Family Resources -
Visit the A-Z index here.

Who to contact? Try our District Contact Guide.

eSchool Parent Portal - Check your child's grades, attendance, and tardies.

Snacks! Please pack a healthy, filling snack everyday for your student to help them focus and feel good. Twice per week, students are introduced to new fresh fruit or vegetable.

Parent Rooms - Family-Teacher chat and classroom updates all in the mobile Granville CSD App. Learn more about Parent Rooms at this link.

Free Breakfast and Lunch Each Day - Arrive 15 minutes early to school and come enjoy breakfast before school starts. No registration needed.

Come Cheer On Our Teams - Attend a Jr/Sr High Home Game with your family for a fun, free outing. Here is the link to the game schedule.

Educational Resources - Try our community school page here.

 
 

Contact Info

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Mary J. Tanner Primary School

9593 State Route 22

Granville, NY 12832

Phone: 518-642-1051

Fax: 518-642-9594

District Contact Guide

 

School Nurse: Jennifer Blais 518-642-1051 Ext. 4204

School Social Worker: Andrea Smith 518-642-1051Ext. 4205

School Psychologist: Renee Forbes 518-642-1051 Ext. 4147


Here is the link to the District Calendar on our website.

Here is the link to the District App.

A-Z Everything Granville CSD