Northwood News Dec. 5-9
Be Smart. Be Kind. Be United. Be a Unicorn.
Thank you for Choosing Northwood!
Dear Northwood Community,
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. During this busy time of year please try to take some time for rest, yourself and your family.
On Friday, our students enjoyed an amazing presentation during their specials time from Kinetic Kids. They presented a disabilities awareness day where students were able to rotate through different stations to learn about and experience several different disabilities. Thank to our PTA and Lauren Ahrens for making this event possible.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, is our monthly PTA general meeting at 6:00 in the cafeteria. Come for a short meeting and stay for a wonderful holiday performance by our 4th grade students. Our book fair will be open after school until the start of the meeting. Come get some holiday shopping done!
We will be having some special dress days during the month of December. See below so you how what to wear.
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 and thank you for your support!
Mrs. Harper
Life In the Library
Cafeteria and Custodian GiftsThe caretakers of our campus, custodial and cafeteria staff, are truly advocates for our children. They cheerfully complete daily tasks that are far too often taken for granted -- spotless hallways, clean classrooms and bathrooms, warm and nutritious meals. Their efforts make Northwood Elementary a safer, healthier environment for our children! To show our appreciation for all they do, we would like to present the custodial and cafeteria staff members with a monetary gift this holiday season. We are asking each child to contribute a dollar. Parents who wish to contribute toward this gift may do so by giving a cash donation to Northwood. Please place your contribution in an envelope marked “Auxiliary Staff” and return it to the school by Thursday, December 15, 2022. | Holiday GivingGift Card Donations for Holiday Giving Boxes: As you prepare for the upcoming holiday season, please consider making a donation to help us brighten the holidays for families in need within our own Northwood community. We are collecting $10 Wal-Mart gift cards for our Holiday Giving Boxes. These can be put into an envelope marked “Holiday Giving” & dropped at the front office. We can also accept donations via Venmo (@NorthwoodElementaryPTA) & we can purchase gift cards on your behalf, please note the donation is for “Holiday Giving.” Deadline for donation is Friday, December 9th. Please contact Patti Carlisle at patricia_carlisle@hotmail.com or text at 214.336.2974 with any questions. Every donation is greatly appreciated & will make a big difference for these families over the holiday season! | After Hours Homework HelpNEISD 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" |
Cafeteria and Custodian Gifts
The caretakers of our campus, custodial and cafeteria staff, are truly advocates for our children. They cheerfully complete daily tasks that are far too often taken for granted -- spotless hallways, clean classrooms and bathrooms, warm and nutritious meals. Their efforts make Northwood Elementary a safer, healthier environment for our children!
To show our appreciation for all they do, we would like to present the custodial and cafeteria staff members with a monetary gift this holiday season. We are asking each child to contribute a dollar. Parents who wish to contribute toward this gift may do so by giving a cash donation to Northwood. Please place your contribution in an envelope marked “Auxiliary Staff” and return it to the school by Thursday, December 15, 2022.
Holiday Giving
Gift Card Donations for Holiday Giving Boxes: As you prepare for the upcoming holiday season, please consider making a donation to help us brighten the holidays for families in need within our own Northwood community. We are collecting $10 Wal-Mart gift cards for our Holiday Giving Boxes. These can be put into an envelope marked “Holiday Giving” & dropped at the front office. We can also accept donations via Venmo (@NorthwoodElementaryPTA) & we can purchase gift cards on your behalf, please note the donation is for “Holiday Giving.” Deadline for donation is Friday, December 9th. Please contact Patti Carlisle at patricia_carlisle@hotmail.com or text at 214.336.2974 with any questions. Every donation is greatly appreciated & will make a big difference for these families over the holiday season!
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"
Upcoming Events
PTA Meeting: This Tuesday, December 6th is our monthly general PTA meeting. The meeting will begin at 6:00pm in the cafeteria. Stay after to see a live performance by our 4th graders.
Kinder Volunteer Art: Attention Kindergarten parents or guardians, or anyone who loves making art. Mrs. Bennett will be doing art lessons on Friday, December 9th with the kindergarten classes. If you would like to volunteer to help, please make sure you have your required DPS clearance, and email her at amandakbennett@ymail.com (not Gmail) and let her know which class(es) you would like to help with! Mr. Straube's class will be from 11:30-12:25, Ms. Knapp’s class from 12:30-1:25, and Ms. Marhofer’s class from 1:30-2:25.
Coats for Kids: We are going into the colder months & want to ensure children in our school community have a coat to keep them warm. Do you have coats that have been outgrown? If so, we would love for you to donate them to our coat drive! We will be collecting new and gently used coats ongoing through the winter months. Please look for the large donation box next to the green Northwood bench by the main entrance during school hours. Please contact our school counselor Johna Adams at 210.407.5400 or jadams5@neisd.net if you have a specific need for your child.
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:
December 5-9 - Book Fair
December 6 - PTA General Meeting 6:00 pm
December 7 - Dress like a Candy Cane
December 9 - Grinch Day - Wear Green
December 9, 12, 13 - PTA Gift Wrapping for Staff
December 13- Reindeer Day
December 14- Pajama Day
December 16 - Preschool Story Time @ 10:30
December 16 - Class Holiday Parties
December 19 - January 2 - Winter Holidays
January 3 - Students Return to School
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.