NHS Family Newsletter
August 8, 2020
Prepare for School
I know you have anxiously and patiently awaited more details on the school year, and I hope to provide many of them here. The schedule and many other details had to be negotiated and signed by the teacher's union and district leadership team, and was finalized yesterday.
The MDUSD school board will likely discuss and approve these details on Monday, August 10th at their regular board meeting.
Classes will begin on Monday, August 17th, to allow for more time for teacher and staff preparation. See that adjusted calendar here.
Please note and discuss with your student the various details below. I will be hosting an open Zoom forum for parents this week, by grade level, to go over some details, offer training in supporting your student, introduce some resources, and to answer any questions. Please see links below, and join me.
This is a year like no one has experienced before, and if you consider this pandemic hitting the world even 10 years ago, our ability to pivot in this manner would have been far more difficult. I hope that you approach this year with that in mind, and know that all of us are working hard, trying new things, adjusting where needed, and mastering new skills, right along with our families. I ask that our community allow the staff and teachers grace, adopt a mindset of partnership and growth for all, and to have constructive two-way communication, always. We appreciate everyone recognizing that our teachers and staff are professionals in their fields, and are looking at new ways to approach the institution of comprehensive public high school, which has operated in a traditional model for hundreds of years.
We are in this together, and we are in it for your student.
Yours in Partnership,
Kelly Cooper
NHS 2020-21 School Schedule for Distance Learning **UPDATED**
Schedule Details
- Each class period is 80 minutes long, which will include 40 minutes of live interaction. This can be continuous or split over the time period, depending on teacher goals and lesson design.
- Lunch is extended to allow for time to pick up lunches from MDUSD sites as needed. See sites available below.
- There is time at the end of the day where teachers are available for office hours to provide extra support, answer questions, etc.
- Wednesdays begin with a home room, which is similar to Strategic Support. Students are assigned to one of their teachers (this will appear on their schedule via Homelink by Thursday the 14th) where roll will be taken, announcements and support given, and enrichment and intervention provided as needed. During the Wednesday block, teachers will be available to further assist students, allow for scheduled check-ins and support, but new instruction will not occur.
- Each class will also have assignments on Wednesdays for students to focus on to reinforce their learning.
- Students are expected to attend class, including Wednesday home room, and roll will be taken.
Questions? Join the open forum Zoom call with admin during your assigned grade level (or choose one for parents kids in multiple grade levels) and get those questions answered. See below for details.
How will this be different from Spring?
- Classes will be held with live interaction daily, within the NHS class schedule above.
- Attendance will be taken, as indicated by attending live classes, participating online, and submitting work. Outreach and intervention will occur for students who are not attending school, and we will engage in regular progress monitoring.
- Grades will appear on the progress reports and report cards, as well as student transcripts.
- Special education services will continue with regular engagement and monitoring as well as in academic success classes.
- Google classroom is the primary learning and delivery platform, though others may be used.
See the MDUSD Frequently Asked Questions Page Here
Open Forum for 9th Grade Families
Join Principal Kelly Cooper to discuss the 2020-21 School Year
Topic: Forum for 9th Grade Parents
Time: Aug 11, 2020 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
This event will be recorded for families unable to attend.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mdusd.zoom.us/j/83379569899?pwd=UW85V1ROYXJOVW16ck9XQno0bVlTdz09
Meeting ID: 833 7956 9899
Passcode: 801314
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Tuesday, Aug 11, 2020, 06:00 PM
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Open Forum for 10th Grade Families
Sophomore Families- Join Principal Kelly Cooper to discuss the 2020-21 school year.
This event will be recorded for families unable to attend.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mdusd.zoom.us/j/86853004770?pwd=aUJqM016YUk2ZXZMRmk1c0c3eTNwZz09
Meeting ID: 868 5300 4770
Passcode: 698762
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Wednesday, Aug 12, 2020, 07:00 PM
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Open Forum for 11th Grade Families
Join Principal Kelly Cooper in a discussion about the 2020-21 School Year.
Topic: Open Forum for 11th Grade Families
Time: Aug 13, 2020 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
This event will be recorded for families unable to attend.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mdusd.zoom.us/j/88234019311?pwd=Q2pCT0pzS2lndXNGbk14a28yeHhsdz09
Meeting ID: 882 3401 9311
Passcode: 347540
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Thursday, Aug 13, 2020, 06:00 PM
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Open Forum for Senior Families
Senior Families! Join Principal Kelly Cooper in an open forum to discuss this 2020-21 school year.
Topic: Forum for Senior Families
Time: Aug 13, 2020 07:15 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
This event will be recorded for families unable to attend.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mdusd.zoom.us/j/83253871660?pwd=dmZuQStPdFY1QW8xbTdaM205ZlUvdz09
Meeting ID: 832 5387 1660
Passcode: 566687
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Thursday, Aug 13, 2020, 07:15 PM
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Walk through registration- SUCCESS!
Thank you to Craig Bocks, our Vice Principal, for his leadership and planning, and thank you to Darlene Babcock, Emeline Thomsen, and Suzy Peters, and to all of our staff and volunteers- a fantastic way to get this school year started.
If your student was unable to come to walk through, please fill out this form to make an appointment for next week. Please also see our WALK THROUGH GUIDE to get started.
Class Schedule Update
Some changes already made:
- Intro to Engineering has been cancelled for this school year due to technology challenges.
- ROP Teaching has been cancelled due to low enrollment and remote learning/assisting challenges.
- We have added a section of Sociology, and a new A-G approved arts course, Beginning Guitar.
I do anticipate adding a couple of sections to accommodate added enrollment, and this will affect schedules as we move students to fill them. This will likely occur before school begins.
Class Schedules and Requests
Please remember the following when considering a course change request (from my August 5th email to parents)
- We do not make schedule changes due to teacher preference.
- We do not make schedule changes to group students together in the same class.
- We have very limited space overall - not all change requests can be fulfilled.
- These schedules are not final. While we do our best to get as close as possible, schedules may still adjust - Your student will need to check Homelink before the first day of school on August 17th for the most up to date schedule. Classes will be balancing, and students may have some adjustments to their schedules.
- If your child did not receive a requested class, it is either full or does not fit in the schedule with the other classes requested.
- If your student would like to request a schedule change, please use this form. Course Change Request
Parent Education- MDUSD Parent Academy
9th Grade- Freshman Orientation- Welcome Class of 2024!
We have a wonderful transition program, with the work of our Link Crew, and their efforts include Freshman Orientation every year. Our Link Crew leaders are Juniors and Seniors who have been trained to mentor the 9th grade students, with the goal of establishing connections and easing the transition to high school.
This year, given large gathering restrictions, the orientation is being planned virtually. This will still include small group sessions, and opportunities for our incoming students to meet with their Link Crew Leaders, making connections to help ease their transition to a new school.
The Orientation and Link Crew experience are incredibly valuable in assisting your 9th grade in this difficult transition to high school. Please make every effort to have them attend! (students only!)
Virtual freshman orientation will be on Wednesday, August 12 at 10am on Zoom. More information has been emailed to freshman parents and students. If you did not receive this email, please contact Melanie Scott.
Freshman Orientation
Wednesday, Aug 12, 2020, 10:00 AM
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Technology Needs
If you need to check out a chromebook for your student, please fill out this form.
If you do not have internet access in your home, and would like to apply for a Hotspot (mobile internet device), please contact Craig Bocks.
Food Services- Free Community Meals
Our outstanding MDUSD food services department has served thousands of meals during this pandemic, and continues to do so.
Athletics
Now is the time to start the registration process for athletics, especially for fall sports.
If you are interested in more information about a particular Sport, please contact the coach.
You can find all athletic information, including contact information for coaches, on our athletics website.
NCS Sports Update
Until then, coaches may run clinics with the current restrictions in place. These include small cohorts of 12, temperature checks and symptom screening, outdoor activity and limited contact.
New Broncos to Welcome
- Girls Water Polo- Coach Eric Mein - Eric Mein played water polo for Acalanes High School, then the University of Southern California. He has coached at Acalanes and Carondelet, leading Carondelet to NCS Finals and State Championships Finals.
- Boys Basketball- Coach Mike Shaughnessy - Mike Shaughnessy comes to us from New Jersey, where he played high school basketball, then served as captain and was a 4 year starter for Kean University. He has coached at Kean University, Northfield Community School, and Mainland Regional High School. He has also trained players around the world, and began his own training business in 2013.
- Boys Soccer- Coach Edgar Rivera- Edgar Rivera has played club soccer for much of his youth, then went on to play for Cal State Fullerton and Notre Dame de Namur University, as well as the NPSL team for San Diego United. He has served as the tournament and clinic director for Walnut Creek Soccer Club (now Walnut Creek Surf) and for the Heritage Wolves. Most recently he led a new 06 team for the Wolves to an NPL title.
- Boys Lacrosse- Coach Greg Brandt- Coach Brandt has been coaching Lacrosse for Northgate for the last two years, and has coached with the Bronx Bombers and Walnut Creek Warriors as well. Last year, he served as the assistant coach for Varsity, and ran the defense for the team.
New Bronco Staff
- Academic Counselor- Last Names A-G- Leanne Owens
- Math Teacher -Algebra I and IA- Kristen Zanoni
- Resource Teacher- Special Education- Daniel Guy
- Science Teacher- Chemistry- Kristopher Davis
- Science Teacher- Physiology, Living Earth and Chemistry- Sean Kwirant
Senior Portraits
For your senior, please call StudioOne to make an appointment.
All other school photos will be by appointment at school likely in September. More information on this to come.
College and Career - Stay Up to Date!
Sign up for Text Updates
Additional Family Support Services
District Communications
Some important news and information recently released from MDUSD:
- New Page- 2020-21 School Year Guide
- See the latest Superintendent Letter Here.
- Roadmap to Reopen This website will be updated frequently with the latest district-wide announcements regarding re-opening our schools.
2020-21 Academic Calendar
Northgate High School
Email: cooperk@mdusd.org
Website: http://northgatehighschool.org
Location: 425 Castle Rock Road, Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Phone: 925-938-0900
Twitter: @northgatehs