Northwood News January 2-6
Be Smart. Be Kind. Be United. Be a Unicorn.
Thank you for Choosing Northwood!
Dear Northwood Community,
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful winter break and a great start to 2023. We are looking forward to the students coming back to school tomorrow as we enter the second half of the school year.
Believe it or not, we will soon be starting to plan for next year and some big transitions. Our 5th graders will be going to visit Garner Middle School later in the month and we will have our Kinder Round Up for incoming kinder students and families on January 26.
This week our 3rd-5th graders will be preparing for our Spelling Bee! They will take a written test on Thursday to see who will qualify for the school wide spelling bee. I hope some of you had a chance to look over the lists during the holiday. The top two spellers in each class will compete in the school wide spelling bee on February 6 at Northwood.
It certainly is a busy time so please be sure to read all the way to the end of the newsletter to find out about everything that is going on at Northwood and for important reminders.
Have a great week, a wonderful holiday break and thank you for your support!
Mrs. Harper
Life In the Library
Early DismissalWe have three early dismissal days this month. January 11th and 12th for parent/teacher conferences and January 31st for our monthly staff professional learning. Please mark your calendars for 12:30 pm on these days. Be on the look out for a sign up for parent/teacher conferences, if you have not already received one. | Group PicturesClass Group pictures are on Friday January 13th. Order envelopes will be coming home soon or you can order your pictures online at www.strawbridge.net using the code FM394001 Photos are $10.00 each | School HolidayMonday, January 16 is a school holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please mark your calendars |
Early Dismissal
We have three early dismissal days this month. January 11th and 12th for parent/teacher conferences and January 31st for our monthly staff professional learning. Please mark your calendars for 12:30 pm on these days. Be on the look out for a sign up for parent/teacher conferences, if you have not already received one.
Group Pictures
Class Group pictures are on Friday January 13th. Order envelopes will be coming home soon or you can order your pictures online at www.strawbridge.net using the code FM394001
Photos are $10.00 each
News and Upcoming Events
After Hours Homework Help: NEISD is once again offering after hours homework help. It is offered every Monday - Thursday from 6:00-8:00 pm virtually through Google Meet. Click on THIS link for everything you need to know. This a great opportunity to have a NEISD teacher to help you when your child is "stuck"
Unicorn Watch: Watch Dogs is now Unicorn Watch! If you would like to volunteer please use the following link: Unicorn Watch Sign Up . You will also need to order a Unicorn Watch shirt which can be purchased using this link: Unicorn Watch Shirts . If you would like to volunteer, please make sure that your DPS clearance is current. You can do that here: DPS Clearance There will be no orientation meeting this year. If you have any question please email them to nwunicornwatch@yahoo.com
Join PTA: When you join the PTA, you join a community that encourages student achievement and builds a partnership between our families and our school. PTA organizes teacher appreciation, provides classroom grants, supports student enrichment programs, and so much more. We believe that together we can help our children be successful. Go to joinpta.org and sign up online or submit cash or check to the front office. Payment envelopes are available. The membership fee is $7.00 per person and there is an additional $1.50 transaction fee for joining online. Consider having both parents, grandparents and even your child join! If you have not already joined, please join today.
Upcoming Dates:
January 3 - Students Return to School
January 5 - College Shirt Day
January 11 and 12 - Early Dismissal for Parent/Teacher Conferences
January 13 - Group Picture Day
January 16 - School Holiday (MLK Day)
Morning Routines and Drop OffOur school day is from 7:30 am - 2:45 pm. Students may enter the building as early as 6:50 am to eat breakfast. Please drop of your child next to the curb in the school parking lot. Student Safety Patrols will open your car door and assist your child. Please do not drop off your child on Pike Rd. or in the drive through lane. If your child arrives before 7:23 am they will wait in the following location K-1: Cafeteria, 2-5: Gym. Please have your child put a book in their backpack, so they can read while they wait. At 7:23 am the teachers will pick up the students and go to class. The tardy bell rings at 7:30 am, so please allow plenty of time. In order to ensure the safety of all our students, we ask that parents not come into the building in the mornings. We will make sure that everyone gets to class safely. | School AbsencesOur goal is for all of our students to maintain outstanding attendance (at least 95%). Our current attendance rate is 94.1%, We have had a little drop over the past couple of weeks. We are close, but every child, every day makes a difference! The best way to learn is by being present at school! If your child needs to be absent due to illness, please be sure to send a note to school the day they return explaining the reason for the absence. Absences for illness and medical appointments will be excused with a written note. | Pick-Up ProceduresEveryone picking up a student from school at dismissal is required to present an official Northwood Dismissal Tag. Official green tags with your child’s name and grade were passed out the first week of school or when you registered. If you need an extra one, please let your child’s teacher know. If you do not have a dismissal tag, you will be required to come to the front office and present an ID to receive a dismissal tag.
All car pick and parent pick up must present their tag and wait for their child to be called at dismissal. Please do not walk over to where the children are waiting to get your child before they are called, as we cannot confirm your identity. We understand that this may take a little longer, however, we want to ensure that everyone goes homes safely. Thank you for your cooperation |
Morning Routines and Drop Off
Our school day is from 7:30 am - 2:45 pm. Students may enter the building as early as 6:50 am to eat breakfast.
Please drop of your child next to the curb in the school parking lot. Student Safety Patrols will open your car door and assist your child. Please do not drop off your child on Pike Rd. or in the drive through lane.
If your child arrives before 7:23 am they will wait in the following location K-1: Cafeteria, 2-5: Gym. Please have your child put a book in their backpack, so they can read while they wait. At 7:23 am the teachers will pick up the students and go to class. The tardy bell rings at 7:30 am, so please allow plenty of time. In order to ensure the safety of all our students, we ask that parents not come into the building in the mornings. We will make sure that everyone gets to class safely.
School Absences
Our goal is for all of our students to maintain outstanding attendance (at least 95%). Our current attendance rate is 94.1%, We have had a little drop over the past couple of weeks. We are close, but every child, every day makes a difference!
The best way to learn is by being present at school! If your child needs to be absent due to illness, please be sure to send a note to school the day they return explaining the reason for the absence. Absences for illness and medical appointments will be excused with a written note.
Pick-Up Procedures
Everyone picking up a student from school at dismissal is required to present an official Northwood Dismissal Tag. Official green tags with your child’s name and grade were passed out the first week of school or when you registered. If you need an extra one, please let your child’s teacher know. If you do not have a dismissal tag, you will be required to come to the front office and present an ID to receive a dismissal tag.
All car pick and parent pick up must present their tag and wait for their child to be called at dismissal. Please do not walk over to where the children are waiting to get your child before they are called, as we cannot confirm your identity. We understand that this may take a little longer, however, we want to ensure that everyone goes homes safely. Thank you for your cooperation
Visitors on Campus
All visitors to campus will be required to present an ID and receive a visitors badge through the Raptor system in order to come into the building during the school day. We understand that this may not be convenient, but it is necessary in order to ensure safety.