Northpoint Elementary

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For the past few Fridays, our students have engaged in round one of Power Hour. I’m guessing most families have heard about their kids’ experiences, but I thought it might be helpful to share some general information about Power Hour.

Power Hour was created by Northpoint teachers a few years ago to give students opportunities to learn in a hands-on environment about real-world interests. We started with three, one-hour sessions. This year we will have three rounds of Power Hour with three sessions per round.

Power Hour options continue to grow. There are seminars on games and sports, cooking and baking, knitting, singing, outdoor adventures, jewelry making, science, mystery solving, cartooning, hair braiding, and manicures! There are tried and true favorites and new attractions that are gaining a lot of interest including service animals, woodworking, and a basketball minicamp taught by Spring Lake Park High School coaches and athletes!

We couldn’t do Power Hour without the time and support of our staff, PTO and parent and community volunteers. Thank you everyone for helping to create this memorable experience for our kids!

Winter is here! Time for coats, snow pants, boots, and mittens! As a reminder, we will go outside for recess unless the outside temperature is 0° and/or the wind-chill factor is -10 °F or colder. If children don’t have boots, they will need to stay on the sidewalk in order to keep their feet dry. With the snowfall this week come the questions about winter weather and school closures. It’s been a while since we’ve had any weather-related school closures. Check out the snow day reminders in today’s newsletter to refresh your memory.

Mark your calendar for these important dates coming up:

• Nov. 24-25—No School: Remember it is a short school week next week with the Thanksgiving holiday. There is no school on Thursday or Friday.
  
• Dec. 1—End of Trimester 1: Please help your student get to school each day, on time and ready to learn. This year has started so well, let’s keep the momentum going and end the trimester strong!
  
• Dec. 2 & 5—No School for Students: These are professional learning and workdays for staff.
  
• Dec. 10—Winter Market (formerly Holiday House): This is a fun winter community building event is open to all. Check out details in the newsletter today.
  

Enjoy the weather, and be safe out there!

Judi Kahoun,

Principal

The snowfall this week announced the arrival of wintery weather. It’s been a while since we have had a weather-related school cancellation. It’s a good time for a few reminders:

• Spring Lake Park Schools makes every possible effort to keep schools open, in most weather conditions, if bus travel is safe. Unless we announce otherwise, assume school is in session. We will not send a "Yes, we are open for school" message. School is in session until you hear or see differently from Spring Lake Park Schools.
  
• Spring Lake Park Schools will communicate any school closures due to weather directly to families and high school students as quickly as possible after the decision is made. Communication is sent via email, text and voicemail based on parent/guardian preferences. To update your contact information, including phone numbers or email addresses, please log in to Campus Parent portal. You may also contact the main office of your child’s school. Emergency alerts are also posted on our website as an emergency alert popup AND shared with local news outlets.
  
• If school is cancelled for the day, there will be no instruction for the day unless a flexible learning day is communicated. Flexible learning days will only be considered if we have multiple weather-related closures this winter.
  

The decision to close schools is a difficult one and one we know greatly impacts families. To find more information about how we make weather-related decisions and to see answers to frequently asked questions, visit the School Closings and Alerts page.

A school counselor’s day is never dull. A typical day includes everything from managing student schedules and changes to supporting emerging student emotional needs to hall and lunch supervision to proactive, planned meetings with students and parents.

That last part – the proactive, planned annual meetings with students and parents – is somewhat unusual among public schools. Spring Lake Park Schools students in grades 7-12 can expect to meet with their counselor - who is a counselor for personalized learning – at least once each year just to focus on a student’s future plans. Parents are invited.

Whether your child in the first years of their school experience or well into middle or high school, we want families to know what they can expect counseling connections at Spring Lake Park Schools. Read the full story online.

One of the best ways to get to know Spring Lake Park Schools is to come visit. Tour and Talk events are happening in November at our elementary schools for families looking at preschool and kindergarten. Events also kick off at Spring Lake Park High School to provide an opportunity for families to get inside our buildings and meet some of our staff.

During 45-minute tours, prospective students and families will learn more about our schools, our personalized approach to learning, the path toward career, college and life readiness and the many opportunities available at Spring Lake Park Schools. Find more information and sign up.

It was a great second week of Power Hour. Students made bird houses, balloon animals and were able to meet and learn how to care for a beautiful sphynx cat.

Free Tuesday mornings?! We are looking for volunteers to come and gather in the PTO room each Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. to help complete projects for the teachers/staff of Northpoint! Click here for more information and to sign up.

Mark your calendars. The Winter Market (formerly Holiday House) is back this year. Join us Saturday, December 10 from 10 a.m.-noon at Spring Lake Park High School (Door 29) for some holiday cheer. All are welcome for this fun, community-building event. Activities include:

• K-4 Gift Shop: Students in grades K-4 can register for free to shop for family members in our Gift Shop. Children will be paired up with high school and adult volunteers to shop in our shop so that the gifts can be kept as a surprise. Gifts will be packaged and wrapped up for a later opening. Sign up to shop.

• Vendor Tables: Find a special gift or two for the adults in your life. If you are interested in hosting a vendor table to sell items such as baked goods, handmade products, etc., please contact SLPComEd@district16.org to reserve your spot.

• Panther Store Pop-up: Shop at our Panther Store pop-up and give the gift of Panther apparel and accessories this holiday season. Holiday discounts will be available.
• Entertainment & Treats: Guests will be treated to live music and yummy treats
• Kid Activities and Crafts: Young guests are invited to get creative at the activities and crafts table.

Questions? Email Community Education, SLPComEd@district16.org.

Save up to $50 at this year's Panther Store Black Friday online sale on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25. A free gift will be included while supply lasts. Purchases will ship or be available for pick up on Monday, November 28 after 1 p.m.

Enter the code to save on your cart, valid only on November 24 and 25. The more you spend, the more you save!

• Spend $100, save $20 - Discount Code: BF2022$20
  
• Spend $150, save $30 - Discount Code: BF2022$30
  
• Spend $200, save $50 - Discount Code: BF2022$50
  

• November 24-25: No school for students, Thanksgiving Break
• Tuesday, November 29: Preschool and Kindergarten Tour and Talk at Centerview, Northpoint and Park Terrace
• Wednesday, November 30:
• Preschool and Kindergarten Tour and Talk at Woodcrest Spanish Immersion
• Tour and Talk event for grades 8-11 at Spring Lake Park High School
• Thursday, December 1:
• End of Tri 1
• Grade 5-6 play – “Snowy Off-White and the 8 Little Dudes” – FAC, 7 p.m.
• Friday, December 2:
• No school for students
• Grade 5-6 play – “Snowy Off-White and the 8 Little Dudes” – FAC, 7 p.m.
• Monday, December 5: No school for students
• Saturday, December 10: SLP Winter Market – SLPHS, 10 a.m.-noon

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