NES Principaw Updates #1 (Aug 2023)
Mr. Vince Sette and Mrs. Nicole McQuate
HERE WE GO AGAIN ON THIS ROAD!!!!!!!!
Can you believe we are about to embark on a new school year? So much has happened over the summer months. We have been hard at work adding some flare to the inside of the building and ensuring it is ready to go with kids on August 21st. Mrs. McQuate and I will continue to send regular monthly reminders through our Principaw newsletters this year. Our hope is that these newsletters help keep everyone up to date on what is occurring at the elementary. There could be separate newsletters or announcements sent on different activities or special events as well.
The office is currently open from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm at the elementary before the start of school.
INSTANT CONNECT
The district will move to a new communication text messaging system this year. We are replacing REMIND with a new product that will be easier to use called Instant Connect. This product syncs and works with Final Forms and DASL so that we always have the most up-to-date contact information for parents. You may receive a text message over the next week or two asking you to opt-in to receive future messages. Be on the lookout for this and if you have any questions or concerns please reach out to the office.
Counselors Corner with Mrs. Monte
Welcome! My name is Mrs. Monte and this will be my 3rd year as the NES School Counselor. I am looking forward to meeting new and returning Bobcats this school year. I will be in my classroom (Room 128) at NES’ open house on August 17th. Be sure to stop in if you have questions about the services I provide as the school counselor or just to say hello!
Class Lessons:
I provide classroom lessons about social emotional topics on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Students come to my classroom on a day and time scheduled by their teacher to receive these 30 minute lessons. Some topics that we will cover include: Emotion Management, Self-Esteem and Motivation, Empathy and Kindness, and Social Problem-Solving.
Our social emotional curriculum will officially begin September 18th. Until then, these are the lesson topics I will provide:
Kindergarten: Meet the Counselor
This lesson introduces kindergarten students to me and my role as a school counselor.
Try this at Home:
All Ages: Begin a discussion with your child about adults that they feel comfortable talking to when they have a question or problem at school. If they say they don’t know - help them to create these relationships such as challenging them to find something they have in common with one of their teachers!
Other News:
I will be taking maternity leave some time in September and will return in December. During this time, there will be a substitute teacher teaching my lessons weekly or biweekly (based on grade level).
All referrals for my counseling services will be directed to Mr. Sette and Mrs. Mcquate. They will reach out if your child is referred to discuss counseling options.
For 1:1 counseling, we have two counseling agencies that can also see students at school if the student needs additional support. These agencies we have available are Anazao and Encompass. Mr. Sette can be contacted if you would like to make a referral for these services.
While I am here, I will be offering lunch groups for new students to our district. I will be reaching out to you if you have a student in 1st-5th grade to invite them to have lunch with me and other new students in their grade level once per week for a couple weeks. In this group we play games and build relationships to help them feel as comfortable as possible at NES!
Links and Resources:
Use this link to make a referral to the school counselor
Helpful Tips for Separation Anxiety
-Mrs. Monte, School Counselor
Alexa Monte
School Counselor
Norwayne Elementary School
(330)-435-6383
2023-2024 NES PTO
How Can You Find More About NES PTO:
- Find the PTO page on Facebook for updates and information. Search Norwayne Elementary PTO and follow the page to stay in the know.
- email PTO at norwaynepto@gmail.com with any questions
- Join the Remind Group for NES PTO (www.remind.com/join/nespto21)
Old Business to Review:
- Thank you to all our volunteers during the 2022-2023 school year.
Important Upcoming Dates:
- If you are interested in helping with different PTO events please reach out. We appreciate everyone's help with fun activities for the students.
2023-2024 Officers
- President = Nikki Wincek
- Vice President = Danielle Saurers
- Secretary = Rhonda Gowin
- Treasurer = Angie Smith
AUGUST IMPORTANT DATES
2023-2024 Norwayne Color Calendar
- August 12, 2023 = Kindergarten Bus Safety @ Norwayne Elementary starting at 9:30 am.
- August 14, 2023 = NES Home rooms for grades 1-5 will be posted outside and available after 3:30 pm.
- August 17, 2023 = NES Open House from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Please bring school supplies in during the open house and see your child's classroom.
- August 21, 2023 = First Day for K-5th Students (Kindergarten will be staggered for the first 2 days. One group will begin on the 21st, and the second will begin on the 22nd. Please refer to the packet you received at Kindergarten Bus Safety for your child's start date.
- August 30, 2023 = First PTO Kick Off Meeting starting at 6:00 pm @ NES Library
Tips for the Year from Mr. Sette
NES New Faces and New Placements for the 2023-2024 School Year
Some of our current staff members moved to new roles this year. We are also excited to welcome the new staff members for the 2023-2024 school year. They join an already outstanding staff at Norwayne Elementary. We have no doubts that they will help make Norwayne shine even brighter.
- Mrs. Jen Buckingham = K-3 Reading Specialist Tutor
- Mrs. Emily Ogg = K-3 Intervention Teacher
- ??? = K-3 Reading/Math Tutor
Norwayne Bobcats - Organized, Mindful and Scholarly!
Transportation Department at NLS
Welcome back!
We are working hard to get bus routes ready for the new school year! You will be contacted by your driver sometime after August 15th with your busing information. If you have any busing changes, please let us know as soon as possible and update the Transportation Card in Final Forms!!
Our bus drivers can wait to see all their students again! The first week of school may be a little hectic for our bus routes because of changes and new students. To make things a little easier, please be prepared to be at your bus stops at least 5 minutes early.
We are finally ready to start using our new app Stopfinder this year. We have sent out email invites to parents. This app will allow parents and guardians to view their students' schedules and bus information. We will be able to send messages through the app as well so that parents can be informed of any delays or changes as they happen. We can't wait to utilize Stopfinder this year and we thank you for all your patience as we roll it out! You will not see any busing information on Stopfinder until bus routes are released mid August!!
If you have any questions, you may reach out to Lori Weinman (Transportation Coordinator) via email (lweinman@norwayne.net) or phone(330-435-1141)
Question: When crossing the street to get on the bus should you go behind or in front of the bus?
Answer: Always cross the road in front of the bus watching your bus driver for their hand signals to let you know when it is safe to do so.
2023-2024 NES Kindergarten Bus Safety
Saturday, Aug 12, 2023, 09:30 AM
286 South Main Street, Creston, OH, USA
2023-2024 NES BREAKFAST and LUNCHES
2022-2023 Breakfast and Lunch Prices
Breakfast = $2.50
Lunch = $3.00
Extra Items
Student Milk = $0.75
Pizza Per Slice (on pizza day) = $2.50
Main Dish Only = $2.50
Free and reduced forms will be coming home the first week of school and need to be filled out and returned to the school ASAP by families. Even if you filled out and qualified in the past you will need to do so again as it is a new year.
Parent Drop Off and Pick Up for 2023-2024
We now have two years under our belts for our new parent drop off/pick up loop. For those families that are new to the district or new to the drop off/pick up line we ask that you remain patient and calm as we safely get the children in and out of the building.
A few important notes for morning drop off:
- Students being dropped off or riding their bikes will be allowed to enter the building at 8:40 am, as we did last year. They will not be permitted to stand outside and wait for the cafeteria doors to open.
- During the morning drop-off time, when exiting the parking lot, cars are strongly encouraged to make a right-hand turn only. This is something we did last year, and it helped reduce the congestion and improve the flow of traffic.
- We ask that you do not park in the drop-off loop. If you need to park to bring something to the office or walk your child to the door, this needs to occur in the parking spaces. This way, the loop will not become clogged as it is a single-car loop.
A few important notes for parent pick up:
- Pick-up will occur as it has in the past, except for the one-direction loop we will now have.
- We ask parents to remain in their cars as staff will walk students to their cars to ensure safety.
Be Happy!
VOLUNTEER UPDATES @ NES
Hello Bobcat Families,
We wanted to share some new information with everyone in regard to volunteers at NES. The district has recently moved to a new background check system (SecureVolunteer, a BIB product) for any and all volunteers in the building. For those of you who frequently visit the NES website, you may have noticed there is a new tab that can be found labeled "Volunteer". I have also linked the tab directly below. By clicking the link you will find information on the volunteer process which will answer many frequently asked questions. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.
Norwayne Local School Volunteering Website
VOLUNTEER PROCESS
The Norwayne School Board believes one of the greatest resources available may be found in the citizens of the community who have special knowledge and talents to contribute to the District. The use of citizens as volunteers within the school program enhances the educational process not only for students but for the community as well. Volunteers may provide additional support in the classroom, promote community-school cooperation in facilitating the learning process and provide for individuals who have expertise in various areas to be used as resource persons. While we are continually grateful for this support, we are also aware of the potential concerns that can arise when volunteers are working directly with students. The District notifies current and prospective volunteers who have or will have unsupervised access to children on a regular basis that a criminal records check may be conducted at any time. Norwayne Local Schools prioritizes safety for our students and has established a new volunteer process that includes a background check.
What is required?
A background check through the district’s online system will be required of all school volunteers.
How long does it take to process a background check?
Volunteers should apply for the check at least one week prior to an event.
What activities require a background check?
While this is not an exhaustive list, here are some examples that do or do not require a background check:
Background Check Required
Chaperoning a field trip
Providing learning support for a classroom
PTO volunteer work
Volunteering for a classroom celebration at school
Assisting in school during the instructional day
How much does a background check cost?
At this time, Norwayne Local Schools will be covering the cost of the required background checks for volunteers.
How long is a background check effective?
Background checks are good for three years. You will receive an email 30 days prior to expiration informing you that a new background check is needed.
***Norwayne Local Schools utilizes SecureVolunteer, a BIB (Background Investigation Bureau) product, for our background checks. Click the bar below to be taken to the SecureVolunteer website.
FINAL FORMS FOR 2023-2024
Parents can follow the link provided if they did not receive an email to begin the Final Forms process. We thank everyone for their patience as we transition to this online system.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES @ NES
- K-3 Tutor (proper certification is required)
- 2nd or 3rd shift Night custodian (hours are flexible and can be negotiated)
We would love to have you join our fantastic team at NES. Contact Mr. Sette or Mrs. McQuate if you are interested or know of anyone.
SUBSTITUTES NEEDED
If you have ever thought to yourself how you can help children and be a part of such an amazing school system look no further. We are ALWAYS looking for substitutes for teaching and support staff positions. We encourage anyone seeking the opportunity to help the district to please get in contact with Mr. Sette or Mrs. McQuate so they can help direct you in the proper direction.
Tri-County ESC Substitute Website
ODE Teacher Substitute Requirements
2023-2024 SCHOOL FEES
Mr. Vince Sette
Email: visette@norwayne.net
Website: www.norwayne.net
Location: 286 South Main Street, Creston, OH, USA
Phone: 330-435-6383