Bulldog Blast
Wednesday, December 14th, 2022
This Week & Looking ahead:
đź““ Thank you to all who joined Ms. Urbano (Community Coordinator), Ms. Lozandieu (Lower School Counselor K-4), and Mr. Whitlach (Upper School Counselor 5-8) for the December Community Check. As always, all NACS guardians are welcome to attend. Our next check-in will be on January 25th.
đź““ Friendly reminder, due to Report Card Conferences TOMORROW, 12/15 we will have a noon dismissal for all K-8 students.
đź““ BOYS BASKETBALL UPDATE: All boys in Grades 5-8 who are interested in trying out for the boy's basketball team please make sure your up-to-date physical paperwork is returned to school and that your permission slips are in prior to tryouts.
Tryout Times:
Varsity (7th-8th)- 12/16 3:15-4:30
JV (5-6th)- 12/20 3:15-430
đź““ Wednesday, December 21st we will be holding our NACS Choral Winter Concert. Stay tuned for more details. Please reach out to Mr. Baker at dbaker@northwoodcs.org if you have any questions or concerns.
đź““ Due to a noticeable increase in early dismissals, we ask you to kindly review Northwood's early dismissal policy outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook on page 11. The current handbook can be found on Northwood's Website.
đź““ Wednesday, December 21st: Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting. Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) via Zoom. Please visit HERE for all other meeting details or procedures on how to make a public comment.
đź““ Winter Dance: Thursday, December 22nd we will be holding a Winter Dance for students K-8. This is an invitation-only event for students who have shown hard work and great behavior so far this month. Merit points will be tallied Friday, 12/16, and invitations will be sent out to students on Monday.
HANUKKAH 2022:
Hanukkah 2022 will begin on the evening of Sunday, December 18th, and ends on the evening of Monday, December 26th. "Hanukkah" means dedication in Hebrew, and the Jewish holiday, also known as The Festival of Lights, represents joy. It's punctuated by an eight-night display of dancing flames atop candles held in intricate menorahs, conveying warmth, comfort, and in Hanukkah's case, a miracle.
Check out these Hanukkah videos and read-alouds for kids:
Find activities, recipes, gift guides, and more on PJ Library's Hanukkah page.
VOLUNTEER POLICY INFORMATION
Important Volunteer/ Chaperone Information In order to volunteer in any capacity (including chaperoning trips) you must fulfill the following directives which are part of the Child Protective Law: The law requires all school employees, contractors, and volunteers to have direct contact with children to obtain clearances (child abuse history clearance and state and federal criminal history checks).
- For PA Criminal Background checks (no charge)
- For Child Abuse Clearance (no charge)
- For FBI fingerprinting (charge): or call #1-844-321-2101 The service code you will need is 1KG6Q9.
What You Should Know about RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
You’ve probably heard cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are rapidly increasing in Pennsylvania and nationwide. In fact, levels of RSV are higher than usual for this time of year so families need to know about RSV because some children can get very sick and need hospitalization.
RSV is a virus that usually causes common cold symptoms in most children and adults. Both children and adults can get it and there’s no vaccination available for RSV. While it usually causes mild illness, it is important to know that younger children are at much higher risk for serious complications requiring urgent treatment and in some cases hospitalization.
Factors increasing children’s risk for severe RSV infections include:
- 3 months of age or younger (due to difficulty clearing mucus from smaller airways)
- Being around other children in a school, childcare setting, or at home
- Living in crowded housing situations
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Children with a history of weakened immune systems, preterm birth, or heart or lung problems
It is particularly concerning right now because the spread of RSV and other seasonal respiratory illnesses like the flu has started earlier than usual this year. We know that COVID-19 is still circulating, too. Strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, like strict hand washing and sanitation practices, along with masking, can limit the spread of all respiratory and viral illnesses, such as RSV and the flu.
The PA Department of Health strongly recommends flu vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination to help protect persons 6 months and older, especially individuals with a high risk for complications of respiratory infections.
Learn about Signs and Symptoms Here: https://youtu.be/9X1AQo7TEls
Additional Resources:
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) at aap.org and www.HealthyChildren.org
- RSV: When It’s More Than Just a Cold (Updated October 24, 2022)
- RSV in Infants and Young Children (CDC.gov)
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) (for Parents) – Nemours KidsHealth
Fire safety tips for a festive and safe holiday season
Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) Captain Derek Bowmer recently stated he encourages all residents to remember to call 311 for smoke alarms and to have an escape plan.
The holiday season is here and with it comes decorations and chilly weather! This season, take a few minutes to review these fire safety tips so you and your loved ones can stay safe while staying warm and celebrating the holidays.
Make sure your smoke alarms work! The PFD recommends having one smoke alarm on each floor of your home, including the basement.
• They should be 10-year smoke alarms, with sealed lithium-ion batteries.
• Test each alarm in your house.
• Check the date on your alarms.
• If they are more than 10 years old, they need to be replaced.
• If you don’t have smoke alarms, you can request them for free
through 311. https://iframe.publicstuff.com/...
Learn more tips at: https://www.phila.gov/2022-12-02-five-fire-safety-tips-for-a-festive-and-safe-holiday-season/?fbclid=IwAR3NypKjzcHu5zbDSo5q3RBsXcubm0k9mBaM_5n0Z6d-Dde-CWfd_0cY238
Community Corner:
Weekly Wednesday Cleanup in Tacony Creek Park: TODAY 3pm-5pm
Join your neighbors and TCP Keepers at the last Tacony Creek Park cleanup of the year!
Location: Tacony Creek Park Gateway: Roosevelt Blvd & Rorer St Philadelphia, PA 19120
Time: 3 pm to 5 pm
Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2022
All tools and supplies will be provided, including work gloves, snacks, and water. Restrooms are not available. Please bring a reusable water bottle if you have one.
Please register here.
Questions? Contact Alex Rosario Alex@ttfwatershed.org or 215-744-1853.
Dasher’s Lightshow @ Philadelphia Mills Mall
The Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association Presents:
Please read the below message from YouthCOR:
Although COVID-19 is slowly leaving our lives, the effects of the pandemic remain. The mental health of our youth and the growing needs of our students consumes our work every day. The CEO of CORA, AnnMarie McDowell, has developed one agency-wide CORA Holiday for CORA staff – a recognition day to rest, care for their own individual needs, and care for their family. On Monday, March 20, 2023, nearly three years from our last day of typical operations before the pandemic we are observing this CORA Mental Health Day. As a result of this holiday, all YouthCOR programs will be closed.
We will resume operation on Tuesday, March 21st, 2023.
Thank you for understanding and supporting all we do at CORA.
Looking for school emails?
Anastasia Riley, Principal
Diana Abellard, Assistant Principal K-4
Dr. Faye Lewis, Assistant Principal 5-8
Dr. Lisa Knox-Brown, Chief of Staff & Interim Operations
BULLDOG SPOTLIGHT: We want to hear from you!
If you have something you would like to share with our NACS community, or would like to nominate your child for our Bulldog Spotlight, please email curbano@northwoodcs.org.
Photos must be submitted no later than noon on Tuesday to be shared in the upcoming Wednesday issue.
Northwood Academy Charter School Child Find Policy and Procedures (Annual Notice)
Hello Northwood Families,
You will find a copy of our Annual Child Find Notice here outlining the procedures and protocols for Northwood's monitoring of all of our students and identification of students with special needs. This will also be able to be referenced on our website, via social media, and in local news publications. For further information, please contact the Director of Special Education, Kate Crossett at 215-289-5606.
************************************
The Child Find Policy (Annual Notice) Policy and Procedures for Students with Disabilities at Northwood Academy Charter School aim to ensure that all students with disabilities who are eligible to enroll in the school will have available to them a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. CLICK HERE for the complete policy.
FAMILIES IN TRANSITION: NORTHWOOD IS HERE TO HELP
If you and your family lack fixed, regular, or adequate housing (for example, living in a shelter, transitional home, or even doubled-up with other people) due to loss of housing or economic hardship, you may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which ensures educational stability for students experiencing homelessness.
To learn more about the rights of eligible families, click here for a brief video.
If you qualify for rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, contact Lower School Counselor and Northwood's Homelessness Liaison Ms. Lozandieu at mlozandieu@northwoodcs.org for more information.
Are you or someone you know in need of housing, food, health, and safety services? Please check out these resources from Project HOME: Where To Turn Guide.
Important Dates on the Horizon
Wednesday, December 14th- Community Check-In (12:15-12:45 pm in the school cafeteria)
Thursday, December 15th, Day 2 of Report Card Conferences (Noon dismissal)
Sunday, December 18th- Monday, December 26th, Chanukah (Hanukkah) 2022
Wednesday, December 21st- Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, December 21st- Winter Concert- details to come
Monday, December 26- Sunday, January 1, 2023, Kwanzaa 2022
Monday, January 16th- School Closed - Martin Luther King Day
February- African American/Black History Month
Monday, February 20th- School Closed - President's Day
March- National Women’s History Month
April- National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM)
Monday, April 3rd – Monday, April 10th- School Closed - Spring Recess
May- Asian/Pacific Heritage Month
Monday, May 29th- School Closed - Memorial Day
What is Safe2Say Something?
Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late. With 'Safe2Say Something', it’s easy and confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies.
Here’s how it works:
- Submit an anonymous tip report through the Safe2SaySomething system
- The crisis center reviews and processes all submissions
- The crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement for intervention
- If needed, the crisis center may contact the tipster anonymously through the app
Safe2Say Something PA:
Submit an anonymous tip here.
Connect with Northwood
Website: northwoodcs.org
Location: 4621 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Phone: (215) 289-5606
Facebook: facebook.com/Northwood-Academy-Charter-School-153041454730750/
Twitter: @northwoodcs