08/28/2026
Curious. Courageous. Connected.
That’s our tagline for 2026-2027. Curious means eager to know or learn something new. We will encourage this trait in our students (and adults). We’ll empower our stakeholders to be courageous, to take risks in the face of adversity. How will history view us? Were we brave or did we fail to meet the moment. And Metuchen is all about connectedness. Strength comes from connections and we’ll provide multiple opportunities for all stakeholders: staff members, students, parents, and the wider community to connect with each other.
Students – we are ready for you on Monday. While we’ve seen many of you over the summer for coursework and sports, we’re just three days away from the first day of school. For our seniors, it’s a culmination of years of growth and achievement – and we are proud of you. For our kindergarteners, it’s your first of thirteen opening days of school with us. We are excited for you. And there are many other students attending Metuchen schools for the first time on Monday. We are ready to welcome you with open arms – and to show you why Metuchen is so great!
The new school year bring many new things. There are new start and end times. We have new bus routes and bus stops. These changes were made to accommodate, for the first time ever, a third tier of bussing and the new grade configurations. We heard loud and clear that parents wanted bussing at Moss. We have accommodated that. We also heard you, Edgar parents, that bussing for middle schoolers is a high priority. We were able to add bussing for k-2 while keeping bussing for grades 6-8. Be patient with us, including with transportation. We’ve worked incredibly hard to make this happen and to anticipate any issues.
Speaking of patience, driving around Metuchen will be a bit challenging to start the school year. In addition to the needed repairs on Main Street, the NJDOT has not yet completed the Grove Ave bridge replacement. We anticipate that work to continue through October. We’ve had to adjust bus stops. We’ve also changed the traffic pattern in and out of MHS. Starting Monday, all motor vehicles will enter the MHS campus via Norris. Bulldog Boulevard will now be one way in front of the school. All vehicles will exit on Mason. The Metuchen police department has been incredibly helpful in planning for these changes and will have a presence on Grove Ave (and at other schools as well) to assist with this plan. Another change at MHS is the field lights. Join us on Friday, September 4 at 6pm when we host the New Brunswick HS Zebras for our first game under the new lights.
At Edgar School, the new front of the school looks great. While we maintained the historic facade on Brunswick Ave, that’s now the back of the school. Traffic patterns will be like last year. When the borough is ready with the exciting paving project, we’ll make adjustments for arrival, dismissal, and parking.
The Campbell School field is ready for recess and special activities. Exciting new science programming awaits our students!
The Moss School transformation is complete. It’s 100th anniversary brings with it amazing opportunities. We will continue to use the valet dropoff procedure for arrival. Cars will enter Simpson and use the new driveway on the right side of the school. Busses will enter the property from Bounty and Hunt. At dismissal, busses will enter the same way and exit via Simpson. Parents will park and pickup their children. Please use the crosswalks around Moss (and all around the borough, too).
We also welcome new and transferred colleagues. Make them feel at home! We will implement new programs and new curriculum. In addition to new resources and new spaces, we have new goals and new aspirations.
A new New Jersey law requires all schools to develop policies prohibiting the student use of personal internet-enabled devices. This means all devices, including laptops, smart watches, smart glasses, and phones, must be off and away from bell to bell. Thanks in advance for your cooperation. And don’t forget to bring your charged district-issued Chromebook each day.
Another new law addressed e-bikes. Students are no longer permitted to ride them to any school other than MHS. High schoolers must follow registration and insurance requirements when applicable.
The world is ever-more complicated. There are controversial wars raging in Europe and the Middle East. At home, our immigrant neighbors continue to be targeted. Disinformation, especially via social media, overwhelms even the most literate people. Climate-related disasters and diseases are impacting significant portions of the population here and abroad. Democracy and public education continue to be under attack. This fall promises more chaos. We need to develop our curiosity skills. We need to find our courage. And we need to stay connected.
Looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday, a half day for students.
Dr. Vincent Caputo
