1. We need you to help us get your child to school ON TIME (before 7:30) so they can eat breakfast and get settled prior to testing.

2. Please help your child remember to charge their Chromebook EVERY EVENING prior to testing, since they need their device to test. We will send reminders via NTouch every evening at 4pm to help everyone remember!

3. Help your child get enough sleep by enforcing earlier bedtimes and a reduction in screen time each evening.

4. Since students are not allowed to have their phone during testing, please refrain from trying to contact them via text message during the school day. Phones have to be stored in lockers and are not allowed in the testing rooms per the State of WV.

5. You can discuss the importance of accurate testing results to your child's education and encourage them to do their best!

If we all work together, we can help our students do their absolute best!

Students who show up EVERY DAY with a charged Chromebook and follow the expectations listed below will earn a special reward day on May 12th with indoor & outdoor games and fun! Let's all work together to put in the work so we can have the fun!

"I am very proud of my students. I felt like they did a great job. I have listened to the recording of the concert with my students and there are very fine moments, and things we can hear need improvement, but in general, they exhibited confidence and covered all the parts of the music. I see this as a beginning point to even better performances in the future."

Great job strings students! We also thank Mr. Hojka for his leadership!

Next week, we are looking forward to several fun activities!

TODAY, Saturday, April 29th is the return of COMMUNITY DAY from 10am to 1pm! This is the first community day in several years! We look forward to seeing all of our students & their families! We will have a tye-dying station, free food, a cake walk, a free market and more! The best part is EVERYTHING IS FREE! You won't want to miss this! Come on over RIGHT NOW and bring the whole family!

Monday, May 1st begins our WV General Summative Assessment week! STUDENTS WILL NEED A CHARGED CHROMEBOOK EVERYDAY of testing!

Any student who has out-of-school-suspension during the 4th nine weeks (March 13th & after) will NOT be invited to the end-of-year 8th grade activities.

Let's finish this year with strong grades and great behavior so we can ALL celebrate our achievements!

Check out the flyer below for important 8th grade events!

Project Write is offering a Summer Writer's Workshop for students at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. Scholarships are also available. For more information, see the flyer below and/ or download the flyer and scholarship application. TOMORROW is the last day to sign up for the scholarship opportunity!

Cheerleaders interested in SPRING and/ or SUMMER conditioning, check out the flyer below! There is also an information meeting for 2023-2024 NMS Cheer on May 17th! Check out the advertisement below!

Stars That Shine is a non-profit organization serving girls and young women ages 12-20 in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Their programs and services focus on empowering girls and leading them to a brighter future. They work within the local communities of Berkeley and Jefferson County, West Virginia to provide programs and services for girls ages 12-20 and girls considered at-risk youth.

Ms. Jackson, our school counselor will print out registration forms for interested students, or you can download and print your own below.

As parents, we know how important sleep is for our own health and well-being (remember those sleepless nights with our newborns?). However, many teenagers struggle to get the sleep they need, leading to a variety of problems.

Why Teens Need More Sleep Than Adults

During adolescence, the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle shifts, which means that teens tend to feel more awake and alert later in the evening and struggle to wake up early in the morning. This shift is due to a combination of factors, including changes in the body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin, as well as changes in the brain’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

As a result of these changes, teens need more sleep than adults to function properly. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens between the ages of 14 and 17 need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night. However, many teens are not getting enough sleep, which can have serious consequences for their health and well-being.

The Consequences of Not Getting Enough Sleep

When teens don’t get enough sleep, it can impact their physical and mental health, as well as their ability to learn and perform well in school. Here are just a few of the consequences of not getting enough sleep:

• Mood swings and irritability
• Increased risk of depression and anxiety
• Decreased cognitive function and memory
• Poor academic performance
• Increased risk of accidents and injuries

How Parents Can Help Their Teen Get More Sleep

If you’re concerned about your teen’s sleep habits, there are a number of things you can do to help them get the sleep they need. Here are some tips for parents:

1. Set a Consistent Bedtime and Wake-Up Time - Establishing a consistent sleep schedule can help regulate your teen’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Encourage your teen to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
2. Limit Screen Time Before Bed - The blue light emitted by electronic devices like smartphones and tablets can interfere with your teen’s ability to fall asleep. Encourage your teen to turn off all electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime.
3. Create a Calm and Comfortable Sleep Environment - Make sure your teen’s bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool. Encourage them to remove all distractions from their room, such as TVs and gaming systems.
4. Encourage Physical Activity - Regular exercise can help your teen sleep better at night. Encourage your teen to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.
5. Avoid Caffeine - Caffeine can interfere with your teen’s ability to fall asleep. Encourage your teen to avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening. Many energy drinks and soft drinks popular with teens are high in caffeine and should be avoided.
6. Be a Good Role Model - Finally, be a good role model for your teen when it comes to sleep habits. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep yourself and prioritize sleep as an important part of your family’s overall health and well-being.

Sleep is essential for our physical and mental health, and it’s especially important for teenagers during our upcoming testing week, when they will have to be up early and do their absolute best on their end-of-the-year assessments. As parents, we can't take the tests for them, but we can do a lot to help them get what they need to do their best. Good sleep hygiene habits are one of the most important things we can give to our children to help them be happy and successful.

*Ms. Heck recreated the game "Hedbanz" with science words so her students could play the game and review at the same time.

*Ms. Landerkin's classes played for the "Golden Toilet Bowl" yesterday in ELA class. The class was divided into two teams. Each group got a set of alphabet cards. When Ms. Landerkin asked a question, both teams tried to rearrange their cards to create the answer and once they had it they yelled, "FLUSH." There were also "Swirlies" questions worth 5 or 10 points! A great time was had by all!

*Ms. Long's Family & Consumer Science classes were REALLY busy creating yummy treats for teacher appreciation week AND for Community Day!

*Special "shout out" to the MANY, MANY teachers who have worked so hard to prepare students and their Chromebooks for testing next week!