Martin Luther King Elementary School
5205 Ludlow Street
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Dr. C. Alex Gray, Principal (732) 699-1563
Kimberly Blanshaft, Asst. Principal Fax: (732) 699-1677
August 2014
Dear Martin Luther King Student,
I hope you have been enjoying the summer. It is an honor to communicate with you for the first time as the new principal of Martin Luther King School.
While I am new to the school, I am not new to Piscataway. I grew up within walking distance of King, and my parents remained in that home until relocating to Delaware in 2010, so I still consider this areahome. I spent all three years of middle school at Conackamack, and I am a proud graduate of Piscataway High School. After leaving New Jersey to attend college, I eventually returned to Piscataway and was hired by the school district. I worked at Randolphville for one year when Mrs. Eyler was the principal, and have been at Quibbletown for the past 14 years serving as the school counselor, and most recently as the assistant principal.
As the start of the school year approaches, it is often a time of mixed emotions for students. There can be excitement about sharing details about your summer adventures, the opportunity to participate in new activities, and the chance to reconnect with friends. However, there can also be nervousness about entering a new school, having to adjust to new teachers, and even adapting to unfamiliar classmates. Like you, I am both excited and a little nervous about my first day of school at Martin Luther King. I am excited about new opportunities associated with being the principal, and the chance to reconnect with teachers I worked with many years ago. However, like some of you, I am a little nervous about entering a new school, and adapting to so many new people.
Despite the changes associated with the start of school, I am confident, and I want you to be confident as well, that this will be a phenomenal school year. Martin Luther King School is a wonderful place full of kind and talented students and teachers, and we are going to make it a fun and productive experience.
September 3 is the first day of school, and students will be able to enter the building at 7:45 and report directly to their assigned classes. At 8:05 school will officially begin, and school will end at 2:20. Lunch will be served on day one, and students will enter their ID numbers if purchasing lunch.
On the first day of school, students entering fourth grade, and new fifth grade students, will receive tours of the building, and will have the chance to adjust to their new surroundings. Additionally, I will conduct school-wide assemblies to officially introduce myself, review student expectations and procedures, and to address other important information.
As a reminder for parents, Back-to School Night will be held on Tuesday September 16 at 6:00pm. This will be an opportunity for families to meet their child’s teachers, and to learn more about King School. This is a special evening where important information will be shared about the school as a whole, and about eachchild’s individual classes. I am proud that King School parents consistently boast extremely highattendance atback-to-school night, and I look forward to 100% participation.
Students, although school is right around the corner, you still have another week to spend with your family and friends. Do your best to make the most of that time, and I look forward to meeting you in September.
Sincerely,
Dr. C. Alex Gray
Principal