Bobcat Nation:

Thank you to our staff, students, and parents for working together to create a successful Open House. It was wonderful to see connections being built between the school and home environments. Special thanks to our PTO and PBIS teams for organizing the Back to School Bash events prior to Open House.

If you were unable to attend, you can view the opening video at https://youtu.be/0HhTpZ6rvqM.

Have a great week!

Mr. Webster, NMS Principal

If you have already completed the Annual Student Update for your children, thank you! If you still need to complete it, please follow the attached directions below. The same message was sent to parents/guardians by CCPS on September 6, 2022. The direct link to access HAC to complete the update is https://ccpses4hac.calvertnet.k12.md.us.

This year, you will need to log in to your Home Access Center (HAC) account to complete the Annual Student Update form electronically for each child who lives with you by Friday, September 16, 2022. This process replaces the emergency form and several other permission forms and acknowledgements that are required each school year. Only one guardian for each child may complete this process, which is critical to school operations. Once each child’s form is done, it will be marked complete in eSchoolPlus, our student information system.

The online NMS Spirit Wear store through National Ink & Stich is now open. The store is open until September 20th for delivery by October 7th. You will have the choice to have your order delivered to your home, to the school, or pick-up at their store.

https://www.nmsspiritwear.com/nmsbobcats

Spirit Wear comes in both Youth and Adult sizing, as well as in your choice of gray, black, and burgundy.

If you have any questions, you can contact National Ink and Stitch at 410-257-1776.

Contact Mr. Phillips if you have questions in the GTT room or email him at phillipsj@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Contact Mrs. McGuire in the main office if you have questions or email her at mcguireta@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Contact Dr. Dempster if you have questions in Room 25 or email her at dempsterk@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Students received a Free/Reduced-Price Meal Benefit Application at the beginning of the school year. The form is also available on the CCPS website at Departments – Child Nutrition or at https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/child-nutrition. Households are strongly encouraged to complete the Free/Reduced-Price Meal Benefit Application to see if their student(s) qualify for free meals. Anyone wishing to submit an application may do so by:

• Accessing and completing online at www.myschoolapps.com
• Hard copy dropped off or mailed to Northern Middle School (2954 Chaneyville Road, Owings, MD 20736) or mailed directly to the CCPS Child Nutrition Office, 1305 Dares Beach Rd., Prince Frederick, MD 20678
• Scan or take a picture of the completed application. Email the scan/picture to Mrs. Pellock at pellockl@calvertnet.k12.md.us.

Fall Sports Clinics will begin this week for soccer (coed) and volleyball. Attached is a calendar of clinic dates. Please look for which grades participate each day. In order to participate in the clinics, students will need to submit a completed physical, Athlete Clinic Form (with the clinic fee), and a School Insurance Waiver Form. These documents can be turned in at the main office.

• Required Athletics Forms - Copies are also available in the main office and cafeteria. https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/athletics/middle-school-athletics.

If you have any questions, please contact our Athletic Director, Ms. Emond, at 443-550-9230 or at emondr@calvertnet.k12.md.us.`

Please consider joining the NMS PTO. The PTO is a very active organization at NMS. We need the support of all parents and families. Even if you have no time to volunteer, there are other ways to support all children at NMS. Please look for PTO information at the beginning of the school year and at Back-to-School Night.

The electronic link for membership is https://pto-membership-83842.cheddarup.com

You can also access the NMS PTO Facebook group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/nmsbobcatspto/

The PTO is organizing several committees to help with events throughout the year. If you are interested in helping, please sign-up at https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0e4aa8ac2dabfac70-ptocommittees

Each month student services will feature a special mental health video on our website under Mental Health Services. This month we have a video on Stress and Anxiety. There are other resources that parents may find helpful too.

https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/student-services/mental-health-services

We have also developed a Parents’ SEL toolkit which gives suggestions on how to develop each of the SEL competencies in their child(ren). Parents can find this tool kit on the Student Services website at https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/student-services/services. Click on the tab for SEL.

This event raises funds to fund scholarships to pay for CTA students' industry certifications. These are the same licenses adults earn that allow/prepare them to enter an industry or career field. Each year, the total cost of certifications for a full class of students at CTA can be well over $65,000! The support from Rotary is absolutely invaluable in making sure some of our students who most need the support are able to get it. There aren't a lot of "scholarships" out there for these certifications: most scholarships are for students to go to college or technical school and do not support students who need these certs to directly enter a career field after school.

In collaboration with Calvert County Public Schools, Calvert Health, and Calvert Health Department, you are invited to join a FREE community-wide wellness initiative beginning Monday September 19th through Sunday October 23rd. The focus of the wellness challenge is enhancing personal well-being by focusing on Mental and Emotional Health.

To join the challenge, click on the following link to register a new membership with an email and password and bookmark the defi wellness website. Register for the challenge as a family or as an individual. Use the CHALLENGE CODE CC13 and follow the prompts to complete registration.

If you’ve participated in a CCPS wellness challenge in the past, visit the website, click PROFILE on the gray toolbar, select “register for a new challenge” and enter the CC13 code. Please email awesome@defiwell.net for registration support.

Registration is complete and you can access the dashboard. Activity is not visible on the dashboard until the challenge begins Monday, September 19th. Use the tool bar on the side to navigate the website and explore additional resources.

Participation

Participation is voluntary and opened to ALL Calvert County Public Schools staff, students, families, and community members. The goal is to be mindful of daily behaviors that impact personal health and wellbeing while supporting one another in an online platform. The challenge encourages our community to access and utilize available resources that promotes physical activity, enhances mental and emotional health, and improves relationships with others. Get excited about building a healthier community!

Track Your Progress

The wellness challenge is about adopting behaviors that enhance all aspects of health. Starting Monday, September 19th, login to your dashboard, commit to a health-enhancing daily behavior, and create a personal goal to achieve by October 23rd. Choose from a variety of behaviors to improve mental health like mindfulness, water consumption, physical activity, sleep, cycling, or dance. By consistently reporting activities every day (or at least once a week), setting small goals for behavior change, and challenging yourself to prioritize health and wellness, you can make a big impact on your overall well-being. Logging progress into a system holds you accountable for your goals and allows teammates and community members to support you in your efforts. Log in to our wellness platform daily and track your progress throughout the duration of the challenge. Encourage others to participate with you for accountability and kick off the school year with a healthier, happier, more energetic community.

Commit & Recruit

Sign up for the Mental Health Challenge and recruit friends, family, and neighbors to join in the fun. This is a county-wide initiative inclusive to all members so let’s prioritize health and wellbeing across Calvert County. Sign up with teammates, family members, or co-workers for additional accountability and cheer each other on by recognizing hard work, discipline, and dedication on the dashboard. Add pictures to the gallery to celebrate your commitment to your health and wellbeing and share the positive experiences of being active in the community.

Activity Calendar

Use the activity calendar to access educational resources and local events occurring in the community. Set a goal to complete the daily activity individually or as a family throughout the challenge. Click the hyperlinks for articles, videos, flyers, and infographics to learn strategies for improving mental and emotional health. Learn and apply essential skills for managing the demands of daily life to enhance health and life satisfaction.

Post About It

Pictures and social media can help document your journey, make memories with family and friends, and encourage others to improve their health. Share your journey on social media and tag us in your posts (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook - @défiwellnet and TikTok - @défiwellness). Be sure to follow the accounts for news, updates, and additional wellness resources. Social media can spread positivity, encourage others to adopt healthier lifestyles, and bring awareness to opportunities within Calvert County. Commit to bringing our community together through movement, social interaction, and regular physical activity. Use the hash tags #calvertshines, #calverthealth, #calvertcommunity, #calvertwellness, and #defiwellnet so we can celebrate you and your progress toward a healthier life.

Awards

Update your progress in the challenge on the défi portal at least once a week. Continue to check-in regularly for the duration of the challenge to win giveaways and receive a completion certificate. The ultimate reward will be improved health, reduced stress and anxiety, and a stronger, healthier community! The top 5 registrants with the most points recorded on October 23rd will win a grand prize.

What are the prizes and giveaways? Participate to find out! Live your best life by prioritizing your health!

Be Well - Calvert County Wellness & défi Wellness Team

https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/district-information/reopening-plan

https://calvertnet.nutrislice.com/

Calvert County Public Schools uses Raptor for visitors and volunteers to sign in and sign out. Volunteers must apply annually to be an approved volunteer. All volunteers will need to review the volunteer handbook and watch the volunteer training video before completing and Online Volunteer Application. Volunteers must be approved before they may begin service as a volunteer in any school buildings.

CCPS Online Volunteer Application & Process: https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/human-resources/become-a-volunteer

It is the responsibility of all families, students, and staff members to self-assess before entering a school bus or CCPS facility by answering the following questions:

• Has the individual or anyone in the family been sick with dry cough, shortness of breath, chills, fever, muscle or body aches, sore throat, or loss of sense of taste or smell in the last 5 days?
• Has the individual or anyone in the family been exposed to COVID-19 and asked to quarantine? If yes, who was directed to quarantine and what date did the quarantine start? (Ensure quarantine time is up and symptoms have improved.)
• Has the individual or anyone in the family tested positive for COVID-19? If yes, who and when? Were they having any symptoms? (Ensure quarantine is up and symptoms have improved.)
• Student and staff should not attend school if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been medically advised to quarantine. If this is the case, please contact our School Nurse, Carin Fleshman, at 443-550-9227 or fleshmanc@calvertnet.k12.md.us.

Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is an app with tracking features for the bus(es) your child(ren) is assigned to ride. They include

• Showing the real-time location of your child's bus on a map
• Scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
• Push and email notifications when the bus is near

Click this link for more information on getting the app - https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/transportation/bus-status/here-comes-the-bus

To create an account, you will need to know your child's ID number and the school district activation code 87557.

If students have questions about their device (laptop/computer), they can get help from a member of the CCPS IT team at helpdesk@calvertnet.k12.md.us or call 443-550-8146. Students needing assistance can also drop off their laptop in the main office and fill out a paper Help Desk ticket.

Supports are also available on the CCPS website using the Technology Support button (pictured below) on the main page. This resource provides links to submit help desk tickets, frequently asked questions, and other resources students can use to solve issues.