Academic Subjects & Special Area Classes
In keeping with the Mount Olive School district's mission statement to develop students' unique abilities as literate, ethical and contributing citizens of the world, we have designed curriculum to ensure our students are prepared to be 21st century learners. Utilizing differentiated instruction, RTI, small group instruction and innovative teaching techniques, we individualize instruction to make sure that all learners are successful and working towards their fullest potential. Below you will find a brief overview of the components of our academic subjects. If you would like to take a more in-depth look at specific areas of curriculum, please visit our curriculum page.
Academic Subjects
ELA
Comprehensive Literacy
The Mount Olive Township School District is committed to a Comprehensive Literacy approach to English Language Arts instruction. Our program is grounded in the Science of Reading and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, providing students with explicit, systematic, and engaging instruction that develops strong readers, writers, speakers, and thinkers.
Our goal is to ensure every student builds the knowledge and skills needed to become a confident, proficient, and lifelong reader and writer.
High-Quality Instruction
Students in grades K–5 receive daily instruction using Benchmark Advance, our district's core English Language Arts resource. Instruction integrates all components of literacy through meaningful, knowledge-building units and high-quality, grade-level texts.
Throughout the year, students engage in interdisciplinary units of study that provide a thoughtful balance of literary and informational texts while building knowledge across a variety of topics. These units encourage students to read deeply, think critically, and make meaningful connections between reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Units of study include:
- Life Science
- Character Matters
- Government & Citizenship
- Perspectives in Literature
- Technology & Society
- Themes Across Cultures
- History, Culture, & Geography
- Earth Science
- Economics
Within each unit, students read a diverse collection of authentic texts, engage in collaborative discussions, conduct research, and respond through purposeful writing tasks that deepen both literacy skills and content knowledge.
Daily literacy instruction includes:
- Foundational reading skills (phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and word study)
- Vocabulary and language development
- Reading comprehension using complex literary and informational texts
- Speaking and listening
- Written expression across multiple genres
- Grammar and conventions taught within authentic reading and writing experiences
Teachers use whole-group, small-group, collaborative, and individualized instruction to meet students' needs while maintaining high expectations for all learners. Instruction is informed by ongoing assessment, including universal literacy screening, diagnostic assessments, classroom observations, and unit assessments. These multiple measures help teachers monitor student progress, identify strengths and areas for growth, and provide timely support, intervention, or enrichment to ensure every student continues to grow as a reader and writer.
Foundational Skills
Beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through Grade 5, students receive explicit, systematic instruction in the foundational skills that support proficient reading, writing, and spelling. Instruction follows a carefully sequenced progression, helping students develop both accurate word recognition and strong language comprehension.
Foundational skills include:
- Phonological Awareness – hearing, identifying, and manipulating the sounds in spoken words.
- Phonics & Orthographic Patterns – learning how letters and spelling patterns represent sounds, including syllable types, vowel teams, and common spelling generalizations.
- Decoding & Encoding – applying phonics knowledge to accurately read (decode) and spell (encode) words.
- High-Frequency Words – developing automatic recognition and accurate spelling of commonly used words.
- Fluency – reading accurately, automatically, and with appropriate expression to support comprehension.
- Morphology – studying meaningful word parts, including prefixes, suffixes, base words, and Greek and Latin roots, to strengthen reading, spelling, vocabulary, and word meaning.
- Vocabulary Development – expanding word knowledge through rich texts, discussion, and the study of word meanings and relationships.
- Handwriting & Written Language Conventions – developing legible handwriting while applying spelling, grammar, punctuation, and conventions within authentic writing.
Instruction is cumulative and responsive to students' needs, with each year's learning building upon previously acquired skills. As students progress through the elementary grades, instruction expands from foundational decoding skills to more advanced word analysis, morphology, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies, preparing students to read increasingly complex texts with confidence.
Reading
Students engage with a rich balance of literary and informational texts that build both literacy skills and background knowledge across science, social studies, history, literature, and the arts. Through knowledge-building units of study, students develop the habits and strategies of proficient readers while making meaningful connections across texts and disciplines.
Reading instruction includes:
- Knowledge Building – developing background knowledge through interdisciplinary units and content-rich texts.
- Literary & Informational Text Analysis – reading a wide range of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and informational texts while analyzing author's craft, text structure, central ideas, themes, and evidence.
- Reading Comprehension – applying strategies to monitor understanding, ask questions, summarize, infer, synthesize information, and draw conclusions.
- Vocabulary & Academic Language – expanding vocabulary through explicit
- instruction and meaningful exposure to rich, grade-level texts.
- Text-Based Discussion – engaging in collaborative conversations that promote critical thinking, respectful discourse, and evidence-based responses.
- Independent Reading – building reading stamina, fluency, and a lifelong appreciation for reading through regular opportunities to read independently.
As students progress through the grades, they develop the skills needed to read increasingly complex texts independently, think critically, communicate effectively, and apply their learning across all subject areas.
Writing
Writing instruction is integrated throughout the literacy block and provides students with frequent opportunities to write for authentic purposes and audiences. Students learn to communicate ideas clearly while developing confidence as writers.
Writing instruction includes:
- The Writing Process – planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and reflecting on writing.
- Multiple Writing Genres – composing narrative, informational, opinion/argument, and research writing throughout the year.
- On-Demand Writing – independently applying writing skills and strategies to respond to a prompt within a designated timeframe.
- Writing Craft – developing strong organization, elaboration, word choice, sentence fluency, voice, and effective use of text evidence.
- Grammar & Language Conventions – applying spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence structure within authentic writing experiences.
- Research & Inquiry – gathering information from multiple sources, analyzing evidence, and communicating learning through written responses.
- Speaking, Listening & Collaboration – discussing ideas, giving and receiving feedback, and sharing writing with peers to strengthen communication and reflection.
Throughout the writing process, students receive explicit instruction, meaningful feedback, and opportunities to revise their work. Writing is integrated across the curriculum, allowing students to deepen understanding while communicating their thinking in every content area.
Math
Savvas enVisionmath 2.0 is a comprehensive, blended digital and print mathematics program designed to help your child achieve the mathematical proficiency levels established by our district. Your child will be actively involved in using concrete and digital tools to develop deep mathematical understanding, and will apply this understanding through practice and problem solving in every math lesson. In addition, you can expect your child to learn and practice new math ideas and concepts in various ways, such as:
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Solving problems and explaining their thinking in a write-in text and online
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Using online animations to help build understanding in a visual way
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Working individually, in pairs, and in small groups to solve problems and share their thinking
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Completing homework that promotes computational thinking, fluency, and application through rich problem solving
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Engaging in online practice that provides help as needed through worked-out examples and sell-help videos
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Experiencing a variety of math activities that include Math Games, Math and Science Activities, and Today’s Challenge in order to apply understanding in different contexts and different levels of learning
Science
McGraw Hill's Inspire Science sparks students’ curiosity through fascinating real-world phenomena. Students investigate, problem-solve, argue, and discuss scientific phenomena to make sense of the world from their perspective.
The Inspire Science experience is organized around the 5E Instructional Framework. The compelling resources housed in this familiar framework empower educators to provide equitable science experiences for all learners through flexible approaches and research-based best practices.
Social Studies
A primary goal of IMPACT Social Studies is to prepare young learners to become active citizens—both locally and globally—in an ever-changing world. Throughout this elementary social studies curriculum, students are given opportunities to learn about and apply good citizenship practices. The texts and activities focus on developing civic values and democratic principles as students build an understanding of their role in the community, the nation, and the world.
With IMPACT Social Studies for grades K–5, students will gain building blocks for critical thinking, develop a strong reading and writing foundation, and learn what it means to be responsible, active citizens. With engaging content, geared to today’s elementary school students, IMPACT takes a fresh approach to social studies curriculum in the elementary classroom.
Special Area Classes
Art
In the art room we create a variety of art projects that foster creative expression while learning the elements of art, principles of color theory, art history and multicultural art at every grade level. In addition, each student engages in a variety of art media.
The K-5 Visual Arts Curriculum introduces and builds upon fundamental concepts in art. Concepts, techniques and skills are established, reviewed and enriched through meaning and application with each grade level. Areas of concentration include Elements of Art, Color Theory, Art History, and Cultures. With each sequential grade level, curriculum units are studied and applied in greater depth and emphasis is placed on student dialogue, critical inquiry, and reflection in response to the art-making process. Classroom dialogue is encouraged by student artists about their own art, and the artwork of master artists. The students will us an extensive array of art media and be instructed how to engage in safe and appropriate use of classroom materials and tools. Some art media may include watercolor paints, oil pastels, tempera paint, crayons, markers, clay, printmaking, mixed media and textiles. During the course of the school year, art units will provide experiences in two and three - dimensional art. Students will delve into projects with focus upon the elements of art, color theory, famous artists, art movements and multicultural art. Students will engage in a sequence of engaged learning experiences that will develop student understanding and self - assessment of their own artwork through planned - doing - reflecting segments. This will be achieved by pedagogical pacing through various classroom activities that encompass active learning strategies, multi - sensory instruction, guided instruction, independent practice and student evaluation.
Denise Palmisano
denise.palmisano@motsd.org
Joy Durland
joy.durland@motsd.org
Library
While visiting the Media Center at CMS, students are allowed to check out books weekly. During the library block, students are encouraged to develop a love of reading and to learn the information literacy skills needed to be successful 21st century learners.
Mrs. Michele L. Beddow & Joy Durland
Library Media Specialists
Chester M. Stephens Elementary School
973-691-4002 ext. 6695
michele.beddow@motsd.org
joy.durland@motsd.org
Request for Removal of Library Material
The Mount Olive Township School District is committed to providing students with access to a diverse collection of library resources that support learning, critical thinking, and intellectual growth. Library collections are carefully curated by trained library professionals and educational staff in accordance with district policies, educational standards, and applicable state laws.
In accordance with New Jersey law (N.J.S.A. 18A:34A-1 et seq.), individuals with a vested interest in the district may request a formal review of a library material by completing and submitting a Request for Removal of Library Material Form.
Eligible individuals include:
- Parents or guardians of a current district student
- Current teaching staff members employed by the district
- Current students
To initiate a review, the completed form must be submitted to the principal of the school where the library material is available. Requestors must identify the specific material being challenged, indicate the sections or content of concern, and provide an explanation for their objection.
Please note that all sections of the form must be completed. Incomplete submissions cannot be processed. Requests submitted by individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements outlined above will not be considered.
The district will review all properly submitted requests in accordance with Board policy and applicable state regulations.
To begin the process, please download and complete the Request for Removal of Library Material Form.
Music
Music enhances the education of our children by helping them to make connections and broadening the depth with which they think and feel. If we are to hope for a society of culturally literate people, music must be a vital part of our children's education.
Yo-Yo Ma
The elementary music program covers general/vocal music beginning in kindergarten as well as optional instrumental music instruction, beginning in 4th grade. Students in 4th or 5th grade are able to choose from a variety of instruments for instruction.
CMS Music Staff
Christopher King - General & Vocal Music Instructor
christopher.king@motsd.org
Katie Cardillo - 5th Grade Band Instrumental Music Instructor
katie.cardillo@motsd.org
Michael Mania - 4th Grade Band Instrumental Music Instructor
michael.mania@motsd.org
Chris Spendley - Orchestra Instrumental Music Instructor
christopher.spendley@motsd.org
Course Descriptions
General/Vocal Music
Welcome to the Mount Olive Township School District Elementary Music Department!
Our dynamic program is designed to inspire creativity and foster a lifelong love of music in every student. We offer a comprehensive curriculum that covers rhythm, melody, harmony, and music appreciation, tailored to each grade level. Students engage with various instruments, develop their singing voices, and explore music technology through hands-on learning experiences. Our program celebrates cultural diversity, integrates music with other subjects, and provides regular performance opportunities to build confidence. We are committed to inclusivity, ensuring our program is accessible and enjoyable for all students. With dedicated certified music educators, extracurricular ensembles, and opportunities for additional music experiences, we create a supportive environment where young musicians can thrive. Join us in celebrating the joy of music and watch your student’s creativity soar!
Instrumental Music
Registration for Instrumental Music
Mt. Olive Township elementary schools offer students band and orchestra programs in fourth and fifth grade. These programs continue on into the middle and high schools. These programs aim to introduce students to playing instruments. Students will focus on fundamental skills of instrumental playing: basic technique on an instrument, reading musical notation and how to be a successful member of a performing ensemble. They broaden their general music experiences playing different genres and styles of music. Students develop their skills in working together with others, while learning self-discipline in preparing their ensemble music. These programs are optional.
Band instruments offered are flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, oboe, trumpet, french horn, trombone, baritone horn and mallet percussion. Other instruments become available as students move into the middle school program.
Orchestra instruments offered are violin, viola, cello and bass.
Registration for Instrumental Music
Physical Education
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. George Bernard Shaw
Physical Education is an integral part of the total educational program of each student in our district. Through the medium of sports and movement, all students will participate in a sequential, differentiated program that fosters each student's personal health, fitness and safety. Through exposure to a wide variety of activities, students will gain the necessary knowledge to understand the importance of and make educated decisions about how to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The values, principles and concepts associated with a quality physical education program surpass the boundaries of the gymnasium and playing fields. Physical activity is a catalyst for learning in all content areas. The Mt. Olive Physical Education Department is committed to providing programming which allows frequent and diverse opportunities to engage in physical activities necessary to support a healthy mind and body.
As a K-5 PE Department, we want to:
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encourage regular participation in physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.
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develop techniques to participate in and an appreciation for fitness-related skills.
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teach movement skills and sports-related skills to become confident participants in any sport or activity.
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enrich the lives of our students as they learn cooperation, sportsmanship, giving to others, and what it means to be a part of a community.
Please make sure to familiarize yourself with the information below in regards to discipline and participation so that you may have a successful school year in phys ed!
Bradley Ferriere & Andrew Vicaro
Useful Information
Preparation & Participation
Physical education (P.E.) is a vital component to a well-rounded education we all desire for our children. In order to maintain a safe and healthy atmosphere within our program, the students need to ahere to the following policies:
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Students must be prepared for safe participation in all Physical Education classes. Sneakers with laces or velcro straps are required. No elevated sole or heels, no sandals or slip-ons.
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Appropriate clothing should be worn on P.E. days (sweats/sport pants or shorts, t-shirts in accordance with the Board of Education) and sweatshirt or lightweight jacket for cooler weather. No dresses, skirts or jewerly.
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Your child does not benefit from sitting out of activity. Therefore, whenever a physical ailment occurs, we suggest a written note requesting limited participation with an explanation of the ailment/injury (for example if your child has a sore finger we could allow jogging and stretching activities; when recovering from a cold, your child could walk instead of jog, and do less repetitions of exercises).
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When long term excuses are necessary(2 weeks or longer) we request a written note by a physician with a date for return to full activity.
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All children are expected to participate in all activities willingly, while demonstrating cooperation, sportsmanship, and an application of the concepts presented in class.
Discipline Policy
We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with your child in P.E.
With your encouragement and support, he/she will be a part of many rewarding experiences this year.
Since lifelong success depends in part on learning to make responsible choices, we have developed a discipline plan that provides every student guidance in making good decisions about their behavior. Your child deserves the most positive educational climate possible for his/her growth, and we know that together we will make a difference in this process. Please read the plan below which outlines our rules, possible rewards and consequences for appropriate behavior during P.E. activities.
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Follow directions the first time given
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Keep hands, feet, etc. and objects to oneself.
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No use of inappropriate language, teasing or name-calling.
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On given signals (verbal, whistle, music), STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN.
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Show respect towards oneself and others.
To encourage students to follow these rules, we will recognize appropriate behavior with praise, notes home, and positive phone calls home. However, if a student chooses to break a rule, the following consequences will be implemented:
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First time: warning given
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Second time: 5 minutes out of activity
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Third time: out of activity for remainder of class time and phone call home
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Severe clause: sent to office, parent contacted
Be assured that our goal is to work with you to ensure the success of your child this year. These rules and consequences are posted in the gymnasiums for easy reference. The students will sign a contract of agreement after a clear and thorough presentation of this discipline policy by his/her P.E. teacher.