Lower School Weekly Announcements
January 11-15
Cursive Handwriting
Did you know that children today have been labeled with the new term “digital native”? This term is defined as a person born or brought up during the age of digital technology and therefore familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age.
With the inception of our 1:1 iPads at Northlake Christian Lower School, we fully understand that it is critical for us as educators to find the balance between the importance of utilizing technology coupled with traditional instruction, particularly handwriting and even more specifically cursive handwriting.
Below, please find an excellent article on this topic knowing that you have our commitment to offer the very best to our students.
-Ms. Arnold
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Don't discount value of cursive writing
Did you know that students today still spend as much as 58 percent of their instructional day on handwritten work? This runs the gamut from note-taking to science labs, and journaling. Numerous studies have shown that children with good handwriting are better, more creative writers, they feel more confident and proud of their work, and legible written work receives higher grades.
Last month, when the world’s biggest technology company introduced the “Apple Pencil,” it was clear even high-tech experts see the benefits of handwriting.
I know, you’re thinking — OK, handwriting is important, but why cursive?
First, cursive is the fastest and most efficient form of handwriting. Research has shown that cursive is faster than printing, because it’s a more fluid, efficient movement. Today’s education standards call for more critical thinking and expression, especially written expression. Our students need to keep up, and cursive allows students to complete assignments and tests more quickly.
Also, the act of writing in cursive leads to strong physical and emotional benefits and stimulates the brain like nothing else, even in today’s digital age. The act of writing in cursive uses both the right and left hemispheres of the brain simultaneously which helps build pathways in the brain while improving mental effectiveness. Studies also show that learning to write in cursive can boost brain development in the areas of thinking, language and working memory.
Some argue that cursive is no longer relevant because it isn’t included in the Common Core State Standards, but an increasing number of states, and individual school districts and teachers are adding it back into the curriculum.
Our job as educators and parents is to prepare children for life after schooling ends. They will need handwriting in the “real world,” too. A recent online job search revealed that positions in security systems, health care and engineering, as well as education, public utilities, and even the legal field, require legible handwriting in their job descriptions.
Remember when I said that students with legible handwritten work score better in the classroom? Well, if bosses, colleagues and friends can’t read a note, that note is useless.
With all this said, does cursive need to be fancy with slants, loops and curls? Absolutely not. The emphasis should be on legibility and efficiency when teaching and writing cursive. It’s the content that counts, and communicating it well is critical. In fact, most of us develop a “hybrid” printing and cursive style, as we develop our own personal handwriting.
Success is measured by thought formation, and the speed and efficiency in which it is communicated. Our students deserve to have the proper tools to achieve this success, and this includes cursive.
Dr. Suzanne Baruch Asherson is an occupational therapist with extensive experience working at the Beverly Hills Unified School District in California and is a national presenter for Handwriting Without Tears, an early childhood education company.
Registration for 2016-2017
You will be able to re-register online and pay online via Renweb beginning NOW. No packets will be sent this year. Protected re-registration for school families will begin January 11 and will continue through February 15 We expect an increase in enrollment for 2016-2017, so please submit your online re-registration forms as quickly as possible.
We absolutely want you to be a special part of our school commUNITY for the upcoming school year, so please do not delay in re-registering your child(ren).
Early Dismissal - January 13
On Wednesday, January 13, we will have early dismissal days to provide for our teachers and administration the time they need for professional development and our ongoing preparations for our AdvancED (formerly SACS) accreditation visit to be held February 29- March 2.
Lower School - 11:30 A.M.
Middle School – 11:40 A.M.
Upper School - 11:45 A.M.
After Care
After Care will be provided until 5:30 P.M. with Mrs. Latour.
Lunch
Students attending After Care will need to bring lunch from home as the cafeteria will not be open on this day.
Carpool
PLEASE be sure that whomever is picking up your child in carpool has a car tag in the window or on the visor. We absolutely love seeing our grandparents assisting working parents; however, we can expedite carline with this simple step.
Chapel - January 14
On Thursday, January 14, Mrs. Sarah Morgan will be joining us for chapel from 8:15-9:00. Please consider joining us in the wooden gym to hear a great message.
Open Houses in January
OPEN HOUSE
Please consider inviting a friend to attend our next Open House for prospective ELC—12th grade families on Thursday, January 14 at 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. in the school library. Principals from each school will be available to tour facilities, provide information, and answer questions that will equip them to make the best decision for their child.
For those of you who have children moving from our Lower School into our Middle School, you may also want to consider attending Open House to meet Mrs. Vega and Mr. Englert and to hear about the programs being offered in 5th-8th grades.
KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE
Please consider inviting a friend to attend our next Kindergarten Open House for prospective families on Thursday, January 21 at 7:00 P.M. in the Kindergarten Cottage to meet Mrs. Lilly, Mrs. Hearty, and Mrs. Cuccia.
KINDERGARTEN COME & PLAY DAY
Invite your friends who are anticipating enrolling their children in kindergarten to our Kindergarten Come & Play day scheduled for Friday, January 22 from 9:00-10:30 where they potential students and their parents will be included in a classroom lesson, snacks, recess, and meet our fantastic kindergarten teachers and staff. Particular things that set our NCS program apart from others on the Northshore will be presented in a fashion that will allow the parents to make the best possible decision for this important milestone. Please have your guests RSVP with Mrs. Lynn Graham, Director of Admissions: lgraham@northlakechristian.org.
MLK Day - January 18
There is no school on Monday, January 18. School will resume on Tuesday, January 19.
NCS Spirit Wear
The SPRING Wolverine Spirit Wear third ordering window of 2015-16 school year is open from January 11 - 22! If you are interested in purchasing the official spirit wear (NCS t-shirts and sweatshirts, baseball/softball fan shirts (only to be worn by fans, not players for practice), and hat, please see the instructions below for our ordering procedures. Remember, when you order here, your purchases benefit the Wolverine Booster Club (parent athletic association).
Please CLICK HERE for more information on the items that are being offered, but ALL items will be ordered and paid for online. Samples of all of these items are available in the Upper School office to check sizing. Please check sizing before placing order if you need as there are NO RETURNS.
Ordering Details:
1. Between January 11-22, go to www.bsnsports.com and click on "My Team Shop" logo.
2. Click "Login Now" and enter access code "wolver8FX".
3. Add items you want to purchase to your cart, then checkout, paying by credit card.
4. Please read the entire description of each item before ordering to ensure that you are purchasing exactly what you want. If the item is a youth size, it will say "youth". If not stated then the item is an adult size. Order carefully as NO RETURNS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
5. When entering your student's LAST NAME, please, please, please put the child's 15-16 grade level behind it. For example: John Smith 8. This will assist us greatly in quickly distributing the orders once they arrive.
6. If problems, use "Live Chat" or e-mail NCS Coordinator, Angelle Lyman at angellelyman@bellsouth.net. Order ships to NCS in 2-3 weeks. PLEASE BE SURE TO CONTACT ANGELLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS! Please do not contact BSN directly as it slows down the ordering process.
7. Please ONLY use the access code on the above referenced flyer. No older codes will work during this ordering window.
8. Please note that outerwear (crew sweatshirt, hoody sweatshirt, etc.) may worn daily as a part of the regular school uniform but all other items (t-shirts, polo shirts, & visor) may only be worn on "spirit days".
Free Dress Day - January 15
If you were unable to be in attendance at the State of the School Address that was held on Thursday, January 7, Mr. Fontenot will be sending a follow-up letter with a link for you to use to see a recording of the meeting.
The following students may participate in a free dress day on Friday, January 15:
Macey Barone
Miley Barone
Emily Cuccia
Christian Jones
Marie-Elise Jones
Tea Chetta
Ariana Chetta
Jessie Hayden
Kaeleigh Kirby
Harper Boren
Evie Adair
Abigail Ream
Mikah Mendoza
Mackenzie Mendoza
Madison Rynick
Nicholas Beshenich
Keaton Wheeler
Yadi Ufordike
Zina Ufordike
Ansley Watts
Ashlyn Wilson
Stone Celestin
Ruby Farnet
Rebecca Alker
Luke Fletcher
Gavin Krone
Christian Diggs
Max Derbes
Reese Hamilton
WANTED: Cough Drops
Jump Rope Challenge from Mrs. Potter
Jumping rope is a wonderful activity for all ages. The benefits are numerous! Jumping just 10 minutes a day can improve your overall health. It improves your cardiovascular health and breathing as well as muscle strength and bone density. Coordination, balance, speed, timing, and rhythm will also show improvement. The Jump Rope Institute states that jumping rope will even make you smarter by allowing the two sides of the brain to work together! It has also been shown to increase your ability to stay calm.
Mrs. Potter, NCS Occupational Therapist and Motor Lab teacher, would like to challenge and encourage all students in the Lower School to obtain their own jump rope and begin jumping at home.
Contest: The class with the highest percentage of jumpers will be awarded an extra jumping rope recess with Mrs. Potter.
To notify Mrs. Potter that your child has accepted the Jump Rope Challenge, please click HERE to complete the online form. She will be tracking the progress of each class until Friday, January 22.
Jump into the New Year with better health and fitness! For additional questions, please contact Mrs. Potter: dpotter@northlakechristian.org
NCS Annual Fund
Dear Northlake families,
You should have received a mail-out recently asking you to contribute to Northlake Christian School's Annual Fund. I hope you had a chance to read over the material and gain a full understanding of what the annual fund entails. We recognize and appreciate the financial sacrifice families make to send their children to NCS, but please realize that tuition alone does not cover all of our needs, especially substantial improvements such as our new Middle School and the technology infrastructure needed to support our school-wide 1-1 iPad program. Please take a moment to watch THIS VIDEO created by our students which highlights these strategic initiatives. Our vision for Northlake has never wavered and that is "to integrate faith and learning to provide the best education and experience for your child so they can impact the world for Christ." You are helping us achieve that vision when you give or pledge to give to our annual fund. For more information about how the annual fund benefits your student, CLICK HERE.
Your support and prayers along with the faculty and staff are the heart of the ministry of NCS. Paul urges us in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Please continue to pray for God to use Northlake mightily.
In closing, I ask you to prayerfully consider what you can give and where you can serve. You can go to the school website under "Giving" to donate online or you can mail in the envelope from the annual fund brochure. There is no gift too big or too small to make an eternal difference in the lives of the children that NCS serves. Thank you always for your support, and let us continue to give God the glory for all He has done and will continue to do at Northlake Christian School.
For His Glory,
Monty Fontenot
Head of School
3rd & 4th Grade Basketball (Boys & Girls)
This is just a reminder that the 3rd/4th grade basketball skills camp will held from January 9-30th in the slim gym:
BOYS - 9:00-10:30
mmccune@northlakechristian.org
GIRLS - 10:30-12:00
It is FREE of charge. If you have not yet sign up, you may do so at the door when you arrive. However, if you wish to do it ahead of time, feel free to click on the links below:
BOYS – HERE
GIRLS - HERE
Thank you,
Coach McCune and Coach Watts
Looking Ahead...
January 11, Reregistration begins; ends February 15
January 13, 11:30 Dismissal and Smoothies
January 14, Open House, 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M.
January 15, Kindergarten Field Trip to Children’s Discovery Center
January 18, MLK Day – NO SCHOOL
January 19, 100th Day of School Celebration
January 21, Kindergarten Open House; 7:00 P.M.
January 22, ACSI Spelling Bee @ Opelousas
January 22, Kindergarten Come & Play Day
January 26-27, NCS Speech Meet
January 28, All A Honor Roll Breakfast
January 29, 3rd Grade Field Trip to Coca Cola Plant
Northlake Christian School
Email: www.marnold@northlakechristian.org
Website: www.northlakechristian.org
Location: 70104 Wolverine Drive, Covington, LA, United States
Phone: 985-635-0402