The Eighth Grade year is now in its second quarter, and our 8th graders are quite busy. They will be visiting Wood-Ridge High School in December.  Already, the application forms for the various high schools are being given in. All application forms must be mailed out no later than December 15, 2007.  Students and parents are reminded to expedite the completion and submissions of the appropriate forms. The G.E.P.A. has been replaced this year by the 8th grade New Jersey ASK.  We will be working with the classes to prepare them for that test. As always, when a student misses a class for any reason, he or she has the responsibility to contact the teacher of that class at the next oppportunity to ask what work was missed due to the absence from the class.  Except in the event of a Staff meeting (usually on a selected Monday) I am available every morning of the week from 8:10 through 8:45.  Missed work must be made up and may be made up at any point prior to the end of a marking period.   They continue to receive their English folders, in which they will keep all papers that have been worked on, graded, and/or returned in class.  The folder is sent home approximately every two school weeks, as a means of keeping parents informed as to the academic progress of their children.  A sheet of all folder dates in included in all folders so that parents can anticipate when the folder should be brought home, and so that they can remind their child to bring the folder home on the prescribed date.  Home participation and support for the folder process reinforces the idea of fostering student responsibility to each student's assignments. We wish all our 8th graders a great school year.