Dear Holmdel School Community,

I hope this message finds you well.

As we embrace the changing seasons, I would like to take a moment to recognize October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to honor and support all those affected by this illness. Our thoughts are with the individuals and families impacted, and we stand together in raising awareness, promoting early detection, and fostering hope for a cure. I encourage our community to reflect on ways we can support one another and contribute to this important cause.

I also want to extend my warmest wishes to families observing Yom Kippur on October 2nd, a meaningful time of reflection, atonement, and renewal. May this period bring peace and strength to all who observe.

Reminder: The school district will be closed on October 2nd in observance of Yom Kippur. We look forward to welcoming students and staff back on October 3rd.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making Holmdel a supportive and caring community for all.

Sincerely,

Dr. Cascone

At Holmdel Public Schools, student safety is our top priority. 

When schools conduct drills, students and staff are informed ahead of time. Parents and guardians will receive a message from the principal shortly afterward confirming the drill took place.

If an emergency protocol is needed for a real situation, the school will first communicate with students, staff, and first responders. Parents and guardians will be updated as soon as possible with important details and context.

Here’s what you need to know about two important drills:

When: External/Internal emergency (severe weather, environmental hazards, staff/student medical emergency)

What Happens: Stay in classrooms or safe areas, doors and windows secured, instruction may continue

Purpose: Protect students and staff while indoors

When: Threat inside or near the school (intruder)

What Happens: Lock classroom doors, turn off lights, move out of sight from doors/windows, staff guide students calmly

Purpose: Minimize visibility and access to protect everyone

Tip for Families: Talk with your child about these drills and reassure them they are for their safety.

For more info, visit the NJDOE School Preparedness and Emergency Planning page.

Recent events have highlighted the profound impact artificial intelligence (AI) can have on our youth, both positive and negative. A recent Senate hearing reported tragic cases in which AI chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Character.AI, were alleged to contribute to emotional distress and, in some instances, the deaths of young individuals (Insurance Journal September 23, 2025). These stories are a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities our students face in the digital age.

Parents shared heart-wrenching accounts of children seeking companionship from AI chatbots, only to encounter harmful interactions that led to significant behavioral changes and self-destructive actions. These incidents are part of a growing concern among parents, educators, and lawmakers about AI’s potential to exploit young users, prompting investigations by the Federal Trade Commission into several tech companies.

As a school district, our foremost responsibility is the safety and well-being of our students. While AI can enhance learning and provide support, we must remain vigilant about its risks and take proactive steps to mitigate them.

I urge all parents and guardians to have open, honest conversations with their children about online interactions, encouraging them to report any content that makes them feel unsafe.

Together, we can create a supportive environment where students feel empowered to seek help and are protected from potential harm.

We remain committed to working with our community, mental health professionals, and technology experts to ensure our schools are safe havens for learning and growth. We will continue to monitor developments in AI and adapt our policies and practices to safeguard the well-being of our students.

In honor of Veterans Day, the Parent Liaison Group at Indian Hill School is proud to host a special Veterans Breakfast and Student Meet-and-Greet to recognize and celebrate those who have served in our armed forces. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 - 8:30 and then you will be assigned 2 classrooms to speak with students about your journey and experiences.

Date: Friday, November 14, 2025

Time: 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast;  8:30 AM - 10:15 AM Classroom Visits

Location: Indian Hill School; 735 Holmdel Rd, Holmdel, NJ 07733

Veterans are warmly invited into our school community, parents, grandparents, family members, or friends, to join us for breakfast and the opportunity to speak with our students about your service, experiences, and what Veterans Day means to you.

If you or someone you know is a veteran and would like to participate, please sign up using the link below or contact me with any questions.

This event is a meaningful way for our students to connect with and learn from those who have served. We hope you’ll join us for this special celebration.

We are excited to announce that the beginning the week of October 6th, the Holmdel School District will officially roll out the Character Strong program with our students! This launch coincides with the Week of Respect (October 6–10), providing a meaningful opportunity to set the tone for the year with a focus on kindness, empathy, and positive connections.

During this first week, students across all schools will engage in lessons and activities that highlight respect for one another and our school communities. For example, at Indian Hill School, students have already begun exploring activities designed to reinforce these important values. Character Strong provides engaging, ready-to-use resources that guide these conversations and support our ongoing commitment to a positive school culture.

We are thrilled to see our students and staff embracing this program!

The new school year is now upon us and with it our new communication platform.

Our stakeholder engagement and account activation with Parent Square have gone extremely well, and I would like to thank all of our families for mobilizing quickly to get up and running with this new communications platform.

Thank you again, and we look forward to realizing the many benefits of this new platform.

The mobile app is optional, but we strongly encourage you to give it a try. It’s designed to make staying connected easier and more convenient. Available for both Apple and Android devices, just search “Holmdel” in your app store or use the download links below.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/holmdel-township-schools/id6745847271

Android: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.parentsquare.htsd

Last year, I introduced our school community to an organization called The Balance Project, founded by a parent in Little Silver. The organization, which promotes raising children with a healthy balance of screen time and free play, has continued to gain momentum, just as I anticipated when I first became acquainted with it. In fact, founder Holly Moscatiello was recently featured in Time magazine. You can read the article by clicking HERE.

The Holmdel chapter of The Balance Project is gearing up for a new year with an initial community meeting scheduled for October 6th at 7:00 in the high school media center. Click HERE to access a community technology survey developed by the Holmdel Balance Project along with an RSVP link for the 10-6 meeting.

Part of our work will also involve evaluating our own school district policies on cell phone use and considering ways to better balance screen time during the school day. We are excited to partner with our parent/guardian stakeholders to counteract the harmful effects of technology overuse, screen time, and social media.

If you are looking for resources, guidance, and an opportunity to connect with like-minded neighbors on how to support and protect your child in today’s digital age, consider joining the Balance Project Holmdel Community Hub by clicking HERE.

As part of the district's ongoing commitment to student safety and well-being, Holmdel Public Schools has completed its annual review of district practices and protocols related to the Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) statute and board policy.

To assist families in understanding these policies and navigating the law if the need arises, the district administration has created a helpful Parent FAQ document. This resource provides clear guidance on reporting procedures, definitions, and the support available to students and families.

We encourage all parents and guardians to review the FAQ to better understand Holmdel’s procedures for promoting a safe, respectful, and supportive school environment.

Tire Rack Street Survival teaches young drivers how to react to real world driving emergencies and become better drivers by combining classroom instruction with behind the wheel simulations of unexpected driving conditions that require quick and correct action to avoid crashes.

Students will learn how to build good judgement while driving, understand the limits of their vehicle, and use the vehicle’s safety systems to avoid crashes. Behind the wheel exercises develop proper responses that are frequently not what young drivers’ instincts tell them to do – but are the correct action to avoid trouble. The school is open to all drivers ages 16-21 who hold a valid driver permit or license. 

The primary emphasis of Tire Rack Street Survival is a “hands-on” driving experience in real-world situations! The student will drive their own car to learn about its handling limits and how you can control. The students will become more observant of the traffic situation they find themselves in. They will learn to look far enough ahead to anticipate unwise actions of other drivers. As the students master the application of physics to drive their cars, they will make fewer unwise driving actions themselves. They will understand why they should always wear their own seat-belts, and why they should insist that their passengers wear seat-belts, too!

For more information please see below - 

To register for the next event in NJ - 

Sunday, October 19th, 2025, 8:00AM-4:30PM

Location 200 Campgaw Road, Mahwah, NJ

The Holmdel High School Crop Walk will be holding a food drive in Holmdel schools October 13th through 17th, the week leading up to our 45th annual walk on Sunday, October 19th.

Crop Hunger Walks were the first charity walks in our nation and remain a grassroots effort today. Of the funds collected, 25% remains in the community and 75% supports sustainable hunger responses worldwide. All food collected is distributed among 25 local food pantries and supports such organizations as Lunch Break and Monmouth Day Care Center. Last year we collected 10,000 pounds of food; this year, our ambitious goal is 14,500 pounds of food for those in need.

Collection buckets will be placed in Village School, Indian Hill School, William R. Satz School and Holmdel High School.

Mark your Calendar!

In our ongoing commitment to character education, we proudly introduce October's theme: "RESPECT." It embodies the essence of

seeing value in all people and things and treating them with care.

In a time when respect and civil discourse are sometimes in short supply, as we celebrate and acknowledge the value of respect through our ongoing "Live Holmdel Blue" character education program, let us aspire, as a community to excel and serve as role models in so many other ways, to do the same in how we engage with and treat one another.