Bobcat Nation:

We are quickly approaching the start of the 2022-23 school year! The NMS staff has been busy preparing for the arrival of students. We are excited that they will be joining us in the building!

• Monday, August 29th - 6th Grade & New Student Orientation
• Tuesday, August 30th - First day of school for all students

Please review the newsletter below for important information regarding bus schedules, students schedules, Back to School forms/documents, Open House, PTO information, etc.

We ask that families review and discuss with their children the information below regarding the NMS Non-Negotiables for Students. The NMS Staff has collaborated to develop a set of common expectations to support reduced distractions and a productive learning environment throughout the building. These expectations will be shared with the students at the beginning of the school year. We appreciate the support of our families with reinforcing these expectations.

The newsletter has been designed with features to improve accessibility for all viewers. On the right hand side of the page, you can access features which allow for language translation, modifying text size, and contrast mode. If you are accessing on a mobile device, there is an icon that looks like a person at the bottom of the newsletter. Clicking this icon on a mobile device will provide the accessibility features.

A key to the success of each student will be everyone working together in support of our theme - "We Rise by Lifting Others." We are excited to work together with your student and family this year!

Mr. Webster, NMS Principal

Monday, August 29th - CCPS middle schools will be holding an Orientation Day for 6th graders. New 7th and 8th grade students will receive an invitation from their counselor. As a reminder, Orientation Day in middle school is for students only. Parents will have an opportunity to meet teachers during Open House. See below for information about a memo from Transportation regarding buses for Orientation Day.

Since 6th graders will already have their schedules from orientation, they will report directly to first period. 7th graders will first report to the gym and 8th graders will first report to the cafeteria. Their first period teachers will meet them there and then give out copies of their schedules in class. 6th graders who did not attend orientation should report to the gym to receive their schedules from the counselors.

Student schedules are available to view in Home Access Center (HAC) and Office 365. Since schedules are available electronically to students and families, we will not be mailing them home. On the first day of school, we will meet with each grade level when they arrive and provide them with a paper copy of their schedule. Be sure to double check HAC prior to the 1st day of school as revisions to schedules were still occurring this past week in an effort to balance class sizes.

Bus information for the 2022-2023 school year was posted in Home Access Center beginning Wednesday, August 17th. See the letter from Transportation for additional details and frequently asked questions. Be sure to check the bus information in HAC again prior to the 1st day of school as there many have been revisions to the routes.

Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is an app with tracking features for the bus(es) your child(ren) is assigned to ride. They include

• Showing the real-time location of your child's bus on a map
• Scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
• Push and email notifications when the bus is near

Click this link for more information on getting the app - https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/transportation/bus-status/here-comes-the-bus

To create an account, you will need to know your child's ID number and the school district activation code 87557.

Car Riders - NMS parents who drop off or pick up their student(s) are asked to turn left onto Flint Hill Road then left into the parking lot near the NMS cafeteria. The drop off and pick up zone for students extends from the sidewalk by the NMS cafeteria, continues along the sidewalk towards the NMS office, then continues along the sidewalk in front of the Mary Harrison Center. Please pull up to the furthest spot in the drop off zone so that we can allow as many vehicles into the zone as possible. Students should be ready to exit their vehicle quickly so that we can keep traffic flowing. Upon students exiting and entering, vehicles follow a route that allows them back onto Flint Hill Road. In the afternoon, if there are no additional spaces on the sidewalk before the cafeteria entrance, please park in a parking space so that we do not have cars blocking traffic on Flint Hill Road.

There are many forms and documents that are being shared as informational guides and references for families. See the attachments below.

• NMS Back to School letter
• Bobcat Handbook for Students & Families
• NMS Bell Schedule 2022-23
• CCPS Code of Conduct – https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/student-services/code-of-conduct
• CCPS Technology in the Classroom letter
• Optional Student Accident Insurance

There are forms that need to be signed and returned for each student. They will be included in our First Day Folders so parents will receive a paper copy. Attached are copies of the forms in the event that you would like to start filling them out.

• CCPS Code of Conduct Statement of Understanding
• NMS Technology Expectations Form

The NMS Staff has collaborated to develop a set of common expectations to support reduced distractions and a productive learning environment throughout the building. These expectations will be shared with the students at the beginning of the school year. We appreciate the support of our families with reinforcing these expectations.

We know you and your child are excited about being prepared and beating the rush of getting your school supplies. However, we recommend that you wait until your child brings home all of their teacher’s syllabuses to determine what supplies are needed. Typical supplies include items such as pencils, pens, notebooks, folders, paper, etc. We also encourage students to have their own corded headphones to connect to their laptops as needed.

• Students will be receiving their student laptop and charger during 1st period on Tuesday, 8/30.
• Students who did not return their laptop last Spring or who have a financial obligation for a damaged device will not receive their new device until their obligation has been fulfilled.

Open House/Back-to-School Night will occur on Thursday, September 15th at 6:00 p.m. Please plan on attending. Back-to-School Night provides an excellent opportunity for parents to meet with their child’s teachers. During open house, parents will visit classrooms and learn information concerning curriculum, homework procedures, classroom policies, and upcoming events. There will be many parents attending and in each classroom. If you feel the need to meet with your child’s teachers about individual needs, please schedule a conference through our Counseling Department.

With USDA Waivers ending June 30, 2022, school breakfast and lunch meals will no longer be free for all students during the 2022-2023 school year.

Students not eligible for free/reduced-price meals will be able to purchase meals at pre-pandemic prices as follows:

Secondary Schools - $1.65 breakfast, $2.80 lunch

Parents can add funds to their child’s account, as well as check account balances and purchasing history at www.myschoolbucks.com.

Students will receive a Free/Reduced-Price Meal Benefit Application at the beginning of the school year. The form is also available on the CCPS website at Departments – Child Nutrition or at https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/child-nutrition. Households are strongly encouraged to complete the Free/Reduced-Price Meal Benefit Application to see if their student(s) qualify for free meals. Anyone wishing to submit an application may do so by:

• Accessing and completing online at www.myschoolapps.com
• Hard copy dropped off or mailed to Northern Middle School (2954 Chaneyville Road, Owings, MD 20736) or mailed directly to the CCPS Child Nutrition Office, 1305 Dares Beach Rd., Prince Frederick, MD 20678
• Scan or take a picture of the completed application. Email the scan/picture to Mrs. Pellock at pellockl@calvertnet.k12.md.us.

Sports physicals must be completed prior to a child’s participation in a sport. The clinics for soccer and volleyball are scheduled to start approximately Tuesday, September 6th. If your child is interested in trying out for soccer or volleyball, they will need to have the completed physical evaluation form, team form, insurance waiver form, clinic form and $35.00 clinic fee turned in before they can participate. These forms can be located at https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/athletics/middle-school-athletics. Copies are also available in the main office.

Clothing specifically designed for freedom of body movement contributes to a safer exercise environment during physical education activities. For the 2022-2023 school year, students can purchase a uniform from their school or bring school appropriate exercise attire and athletic footwear for physical education classes. Appropriate PE clothing includes t-shirts, shorts, joggers, and/or leggings. Clothing for Physical Education should adhere to dress code regulations. Athletic footwear encompasses sneakers or tennis shoes, as such a closed toe shoe, which is a durable covering for the foot, with a rubber sole and usually a cloth or leather upper, generally extending no higher than the ankle that is designed for safety during physical activity in the gymnasium and on the fields.

Please consider joining the NMS PTO. The PTO is a very active organization at NMS. We need the support of all parents and families. Even if you have no time to volunteer, there are other ways to support all children at NMS. Please look for PTO information at the beginning of the school year and at Back-to-School Night.

The electronic link for membership is https://pto-membership-83842.cheddarup.com

CCPS has posted the Reopening Plan for schools on the system website at https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/district-information/reopening-plan. Please review this document for more information about procedures that will be in place to help provide a safe and healthy learning environment for students and staff.

If students have questions about their device (laptop/computer), they can get help from a member of the CCPS IT team at helpdesk@calvertnet.k12.md.us or call 443-550-8146. Students needing assistance can also drop off their laptop in the main office and fill out a paper Help Desk ticket.

Supports are also available on the CCPS website using the Technology Support button (pictured below) on the main page. This resource provides links to submit help desk tickets, frequently asked questions, and other resources students can use to solve issues.

The Calvert County Board of Education is accepting applications for the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC provides a means for taking an active role in public education. The committee reports directly to the Board of Education and serves in an advisory capacity. It conducts studies in areas of concern to the Board, provides community insight into pending policies and Board decisions, and discusses a variety of issues affecting school system operations. The work of the committee is done in accordance with Policy #1210 and the corresponding procedures.

The committee meets at 6:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month during the school year.

Applicants must be residents of Calvert County and may not be full- or part-time employees of the school system.

The application and more information is available at Citizen Advisory Committee - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us). For more information, contact Karen Maxey at 443-550-8006 or maxeyk@calvertnet.k12.md.us.

Calvert County Public Schools uses Raptor for visitors and volunteers to sign in and sign out. Volunteers must apply annually to be an approved volunteer. All volunteers will need to review the volunteer handbook and watch the volunteer training video before completing and Online Volunteer Application. Volunteers must be approved before they may begin service as a volunteer in any school buildings.

CCPS Online Volunteer Application & Process: https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/human-resources/become-a-volunteer