News and events

March 1, 2023

Timeliness is a life skill that we teach students at Northdale every day. Staff fill the halls every hour, moving students along, encouraging them to get to their next class on time. As Spring approaches, and our 3rd and final trimester begins, I encourage you to talk with your students about the importance of being on time and ready to learn. Set goals for grades and timeliness, and help us get the final trimester off to a great start.

March finds a number of activities happening at Northdale. Three teams will represent Northdale at the district's Battle of the Books competition on March 2nd. We had a strong competition here with more students participating than ever before. Thanks to Ms. Leighton for her work in organizing the event. Our Jazz Band will also perform on March 2nd as well. Spring Break starts on March 9th - as that is a staff planning day and ends on 20th, which is a staff development day. Students will be back and start their 3rd trimester on March 21st. Lastly, our Spring Musical, Disney's High School the Musical, will run March 23rd - 25th. I hope you all have a wonderful Spring Break.

Jeff Leach

March 9, last day of Trimester 2

March 10, Staff Planning, no school

March 12, daylight savings begins (turn clocks ahead 1 hour)

March 13 - 15, Spring Break no school

March 16-17, Spring Break, District Closed

March 20, Staff Development, no school

March 21, Trimester 3 begins

March 23 - 24, Spring Musical @ 7:30 p.m.

March 25, Spring Musical 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

March 29 Spring Pictures

Here are the top 3 teams that will represent NMS at the District Battle of the Books held on March 2nd.

The Purple Polka Dotted Peacocks:

Abby Franks

Amelia Halpern

Alyssa Sands

The Book Travelers:

Margaret Phillis

Kingston Vang

Lincoln Vang

The Burnt Marshmallows:

Peyton Lizakowski

Alex Schiefert

Blake Pearson

Donations Needed
One of our science teachers is leading a robotics group after school. He has requested donations of snack items for students participating in the robotics group.

A separate teacher has requested bags of candy for our "Caught in the Act" project. We started this project last year. When teachers catch students doing nice things around the school, they receive a special note from the teacher along with candy thanking them. This promotes positive behavior in the last trimester of the year. If you are able to provide a donation, please sign up for a donation. Thank you for supporting our students at NMS.

Volunteer Opportunities at NMS

Thank you to the 157 volunteers at Northdale that have given over 944 hours of their time this school year so far. We THANK you! It is never too late to sign up to be a volunteer at NMS. Volunteers need to complete the following:

NMS Volunteer Application and if you are 18 years or older, you must also complete a criminal history release form.

Spring Musical - Volunteers Needed

Northdale's Theatre group will be performing "High School Musical" on March 23-25. Show times are 7:30 pm each night along with a matinee at 2:30 pm and 7:30 on Saturday. Volunteers are needed to help make the production successful. Volunteers are needed to sell admissions, sell concessions and help sell either flowers or stars. Sign up for a shift.

Attention families with high potential, high-achieving and intellectually curious 5-7th grade students. MITY is offering two 2-week sessions for middle school students, one in St. Paul and one in Minneapolis. Students can choose from over 40 unique classes that are intentionally designed to be challenging, experiential and fun! Financial aid is available. Go here to learn more.

Holly Clark

Northdale Middle School

Academic Support

763-506-5555

holly.clark@ahschools.us

Hello! One of the things I see kids for during the day is that they are tired. Here are some

tips to help your student sleep better and feel more rested.

Healthy Sleep Habits

Ages of Children Hours of Sleep Needed

3 to 5 Years 11-13 Hours

5 to 12 Years 10-11 Hours

12-18 years 8 ½- 9 ¼ Hours

National Sleep Foundation http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics

1. Do NOT eat or drink products with caffeine (i.e. pop, energy drinks, chocolate) in the late

afternoon or evening.

2. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Even on the weekends.

 Get plenty of light exposure in the morning/afternoon.

 Try to avoid taking a nap or limit naps to 20-30 minutes.

3. Have a routine for getting ready for bed with reading, quiet music or other quiet

activities.

4. Keep light and noise to a minimum. Bedroom should be cool, quiet and dark.

 No TV, phone or electronic devices in the bedroom.

 No bright clocks, computers, etc.

5. Do NOT eat big meals two-three hours before bedtime.

7. Exercise during the day

 Do NOT exercise right before bed

If your child continues to have sleep problems, contact your physician for further evaluation.

AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a college-readiness program designed to help students develop the skills they need to be successful in college. The program places special emphasis on growing writing, critical thinking, teamwork, organization, and reading skills. AVID lessons are also designed around teaching tenacity, grit, perseverance, persistence. Northdale Middle School offers one elective class in 7th and 8th grade that gives middle-of-the-road students extra support. AVID students are often those underrepresented on college campuses, such as low-income or first-generation students. All students are eligible to apply to AVID elective. However, we have found that those students who benefit the most are in the academic middle. Students in the class usually take it throughout their high school careers. Students generally begin the AVID class during middle school because it takes a couple of years for the methods taught in the class to be effective. All applicants go through an extensive application process, which includes a written application and an interview. The curriculum focuses on building skills and developing behaviors that lead to success. Applications will be available at Northdale in April. If you have additional questions, please email Ms. Hedman, the AVID coordinator at nicole.hedman@ahschools.us

Northdale Middle School 8th grade Choirs will be participating in the very first Anoka-Hennepin Middle School Choir Festival in April. 8th graders from 5 middle school choirs will be joining together to create, rehearse, and perform exciting choral works with a guest conductor. Students have been preparing for months to be ready for this hugely impactful experience, and we are looking forward to it!