This is a reminder that all students will dismiss at 12:50pm on Wednesday, November 19th, Thursday, November 20th and Friday, November 21st due to Parent-Teacher Conferences.
If you have not scheduled to meet with your child's teacher, spaces are available through the parent portal.
Dear Blackwood Families,
Earlier today, our students and staff evacuated the building due to the smell of gas isolated to the outside of the building. Emergency responders quickly arrived and determined the cause of the smell. The utility company arrived shortly thereafter and suspended gas services to the building and repairs have already begun. Our Superintendent, Mr. Bilodeau arrived to support our students and staff. Transportation provided buses to the building to keep our students safe and warm during the evacuation.
Thankfully, this was the full extent of the issue, and no one was in danger at any point.
Once the fire department confirmed that the building was safe, students and staff returned to the building to finish out their day.
We are very proud of how calmly and responsibly our students and staff followed all procedures.
We want to assure you that everyone is safe. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to keep our school community safe and strong.
Dismissal for today will proceed as normal. All after school clubs have been cancelled for today.
Educationally Yours,
Mr. Jacob Lessman, M.Ed.
Principal
Blackwood Beaver Families,
The week before Thanksgiving each year marks American Education Week. American Education Week celebrates our entire school professionals team: teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, aides, bus drivers, secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers, and countless others!
This year, Blackwood Elementary School would like to welcome parents and guardians to visit our school because you are also an important part of the educational team for your child. In many cases, you were your child’s first teacher! American Education Week visits will take place on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. Please adhere to the open-house style schedule below for your visit:
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Grades K, 2, 5 → 9:15-10:15
Grades 1, 3, 4 → 10:15-11:15
Guests will enter the building through the front doors and be directed to your child’s classroom for your one-hour visit. You may arrive and depart at any time during your one hour time block. Once the session has ended, you will be directed to exit the building unless you have another session immediately following.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the main office. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 as we celebrate American Education Week.
Dear Blackwood Beaver Families,
Blackwood Elementary School Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on the following dates:
Wednesday, November 19 → 1:10 to 3:10pm
Thursday, November 20 → 1:10 to 3:10pm and 6:00 to 8:00pm
Friday, November 21 → 1:10 to 3:10pm
Conferences are in-person. However, should you be unable to attend conferences in-person, please contact your child’s teacher and a virtual/phone conference can be arranged.
As in past years, parents/guardians will request a conference time by going through the Realtime Parent Portal. Families with more than one child are encouraged to request their times early so that they are able to see all of their child’s teachers during one session. We reserve our evening conferences on Thursday for those parents/guardians that cannot make a daytime conference due to obligations they may have. Please consider this when making your appointment.
Conferences may only be requested through the Realtime Parent Portal anytime between November 10, 2025 through November 14, 2025.
This will then give us time to finalize our schedules. If you have not yet utilized the Parent Portal, you will need to access it at this time to schedule your conference(s). If you don’t know how to access your portal, please contact our Blackwood Elementary School office.
Directions for scheduling conferences via the Parent Portal are on the Blackwood Homepage under the button labeled: "Parent-Teacher Conferences."
Has your child had a teacher that made a huge difference in his or her life? Have you had a great experience with one of the fabulous Teachers or Educational Service Professionals at Blackwood Elementary School? Do you want to recognize his or her great work? It is that exciting time of year where we get to nominate our next Teacher of the Year and Educational Services Professional of the Year as part of the Governor's Educator of the Year program. Please review the form on our website and consider nominating a Teacher or Educational Services Professional!
Click the link to access the form to submit a nomination: https://forms.gle/uan6vXE36i8hKLVJ6
Nominations must be submitted by Monday, November 17, 2025 by 4:00pm.
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Lessman or Ms. Lewis.
The Blackwood PTO is working to support families who may be experiencing financial hardship by providing discreet bags of food to send home with students.
We understand that some families will be losing access to SNAP benefits or are facing other challenges. This survey helps us ensure that support reaches those who need it most.
Your responses are completely confidential and will only be seen by the PTO. Please respond by 11/1/25.
Please use the link below to respond:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSckTEIaHSqSPm311MobpGgliCgCoZfBtmg-rAuNZKA8sZqyiQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=116737926966818294527
Families are invited to attend this year's Fall Parade at Blackwood Elementary School on Friday, October 31st starting at 9:00am. Students in grades K-5 will parade on the sidewalk in front of the school in their costumes/fall attire. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled and not rescheduled. Due to rising safety and security concerns for schools, guests are invited to view from the driveway in front of the school, standing behind the coned off area. No guests should be within the fire zone area of the driveway. We also kindly request that guests viewing the parade DO NOT wear face masks/coverings with the exception of face coverings intended for the the protection of the individual for medical/health reasons or religious/cultural reasons. The Gloucester Township Police Department will be present to provide additional safety and security for our precious students. See post in "News" for diagram.
If you decide for your child to wear a costume for the Fall Parade, please adhere to the following guidance:
Full costumes should not be worn to school.
Clothing meant to be worn under costumes that will allow for quick dressing in costume is permitted and HIGHLY encouraged.
SCHOOL APPROPRIATE- Costumes should be age appropriate and follow prescribed dress-code guidelines
No weapons-toy or otherwise, regardless of how toy-like they may appear (ex: guns, knives, swords, sickles, blades, rifles, ray guns, light sabers, Nerf Guns, etc)
No blood or gore
Student may also choose to walk in the parade wearing their favorite Fall outfit!
Parents/Guardians: Use the school’s code to place your orders online. Be sure to order ahead to capture these special memories!
Online orders: https://www.barksdalestorefront.com/store/gallery_login_customer_info_entry/ba4fd2fb-35eb-46fd-8467-92d5a023775f/
10/17-10/24
We are looking for volunteers to help operate the Book Fair. If you are interested, the PTO has set-up a Sign-Up Genius! Click the link to sign up to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AA9A62FA02-fall#/
SAVE THE DATE
Trunk or Treat 10/23/2025
Check your child's folder or backpack for more details. Additional information will be sent home in the coming weeks!
Monday- Respect Yours: Dress Your Best
Tuesday- Respect Others: Dress Like Your Favorite Teacher
Wednesday- Respect Diversity: Wear Mismatched Socks
Thursday- Respect Earth: Wear Florals or Green
Friday- Respect Our School: Rock Your Blackwood Gear
On Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 7:30pm, Blackwood Elementary School will host our Annual Title 1 Meeting. In the past, this was held at Back to School Night, however, this year it will be offered solely as a virtual meeting via Zoom. An agenda is provided as part of this post. We hope you can join us to learn more about Title 1 and how Blackwood Elementary School supports all of our students through this funding source.
Zoom Information:
Mr. Jake Lessman, Principal- Blackwood Elementary School is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://gloucestertownshipschools-org.zoom.us/j/82308578901
Meeting ID: 823 0857 8901
Zoom Information:
Mr. Jake Lessman, Principal- Blackwood Elementary School is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://gloucestertownshipschools-org.zoom.us/j/82308578901
Meeting ID: 823 0857 8901
https://www.gloucestertownshipschools.org/o/gtsd/page/rooms-support
If you have followed all the steps and suggestion on that page and are still having issues please reach out to us at rooms@gloucestertownshipschools.org for further assistance.
Blackwood Beaver Families,
We and the exemplary staff of Blackwood Elementary School are excited to welcome you back to Blackwood Elementary School for Back to School Night 2025-2026. The front doors will open at 5:55 for parent(s)/guardian(s) to enter the building. Staff members will help direct you to your child’s classroom.
We will be available throughout the evening to meet you in person! Please don’t hesitate to stop us to say hi or share your experiences of the start of the school year. We are looking forward to having you in the building, which got some “sprucing up” over the summer!
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
6:00-8:30 (Doors Open at 5:55)
K-2 Sessions
6:00-6:25, 6:30-6:55, 7:00-7:25
3-5 Sessions
7:00-7:25, 7:30-7:55, 8:00-8:25
Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or the main office if you have any questions: 856-227-9510.
📸 Back to School Photos 📸
Blackwood Elementary School students will have their photos taken on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
Parents/Guardians: Use the school’s code to place your orders online. Be sure to order ahead to capture these special memories!
Online orders: Click here
Due to unforeseen circumstances, minor revisions needed to be made. Please be patient as we evaluate the effectiveness of these procedures and make future revisions as needed.
The arrival window is 8:20-8:40. You may drop-off your child any time during that window. You do not need to drop off exactly at 8:20.
All students will enter the building through the doors at the end of the kindergarten hallway, with the exception of a few walkers who will enter from the back of the building.
Students taking the school bus or childcare van to school will be let off from the buses in the designated bus parking spaces on the blacktop area. Staff will ensure students safely get off the buses and enter the kindergarten hallway doors.
Students who are being dropped off to school by a parent/guardian will exit their vehicles along the sidewalk at the front of the building. Parents/Guardians are requested to please stay in their vehicles. Staff will be present and visible along the sidewalk and will assist students in exiting their vehicles and entering the building through the doors at the end of the kindergarten hallway.
REVISION: School Buses and Cars will be sharing the same lane in the driveway. Please be mindful of this while entering the school and waiting to let off your child.
Parking and walking your child to the doors is strongly discouraged out of an abundance of caution for the safety of those walking through the parking lot and limited available parking spaces. Staff will NOT be present in the parking lot as in past years.
