Kidder Middle School News
November 2022
NO HALLOWEEN COSTUMES ALLOWED AT SCHOOL MONDAY OCTOBER 31!
Picture retake day is November 1, 2022.
Please bring back the previous pictures to return for retakes.
Important Attendance Information
Northwest Middle School Fall 2022 Student Data Review
There are always ways for students to improve! Three times each school year, every NWCS building reviews student data in three areas: Attendance, Behavior and Content. Following this review, areas needing growth are identified, goals are set, and plans for improvement are created. Below are the results of the NWMS fall 2022 student data review.
NWMS Attendance
Problem: During the fall 2022 20 day pull, our 7th and 8th grade students are not meeting the 80% minimum threshold for healthy attendance as measured by PowerSchool data.
Solution: If parents are coached and supported on the importance of regular school attendance, then student attendance will increase.
NWMS Attendance Plan:
Increase parent/guardian awareness of importance of regular school attendance
Begin positive attendance incentives at the beginning of the school year
Begin classroom attendance activities
“Lucky Tray Day” - A tray is brought around with prizes for random students who are present that day
Teachers are greeting students when they return from an absence
Competitions between classes geared toward creating a desire for students to be at school
NWMS Behavior
Problem: Since the beginning of the 22-23 school year, male students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades have received Major Tardy discipline referrals to obtain peer attention as measured by SWIS.
Solution: If we implement Tier 1 (all classrooms) instruction on time management strategies for students to use during passing time, then our number of tardies will decrease.
NWMS Behavior Plan:
Reteach Building Expectations and Routines consistently across all classrooms at the beginning of the year and after every long break (i.e. winter break and spring break) as well as needed throughout the year as SWIS data indicates the need.
Begin positive behavior incentives for no suspensions (in or out of school)
(Tier 1-all classrooms) Teach “Time Management” strategies for passing time.
Continue our Mountie Success Ticket System - Staff members catch students being kind, motivated, and successful and give them success tickets.
NWMS Content
Problem: At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, only 36% of our students are scoring at the 40th percentile and above, compared to our goal of at least 55% scoring at 40th percentile and above, as measured by the STAR Reading Assessment.
Solution: If we work with administration to create grade level meeting expectations/targeted discussions, teachers will plan strategies to motivate students, and in turn there will be improvement in reading scores. Also, if all teachers use the Text Summarization strategy in their classes, students’ comprehension will improve which will raise their reading levels.
NWMS Content Plan:
Less testing (only 5 times) - beginning of year, beginning of T2, mid-January, beginning of T3, and first two weeks of May.
Grade Level Meetings - brainstorm ways to motivate students to do their best on the STAR Test
Incentives for improvement of reading levels (candy, extra credit, formative grades)
All staff are being trained and given requirements for using the strategy, Text Summarization, in their classes.
NWMS Goals for Spring 2023
Attendance: By the Spring of 2023, 70% or more of students attend at least 90% of instructional time as measured by PowerSchool attendance data.
Behavior: By the Spring of 2023, 85% or more of students will have no in-school or out-of-school suspensions as measured by SWIS data.
Content: By the Spring of 2023, 55% or more of students will be at or above benchmark (40th percentile) as measured by the STAR Reading Assessment data.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL TIMES
2022-2023 Secondary Buildings
Full Day-7:30am-2:25pm
Half Day-7:30am-11am
Early Release-7:30am-1:25pm
PARENT SURVEY
KMS Parents & Families! We want to hear from YOU!
Northwest Community Schools wants to hear about your experience with your student’s education! Please take a few minutes to complete our short NWKMS school climate survey. Use the link above to access the survey. Each Northwest Community Schools building has its own survey. As you take this survey, please respond to the questions thinking ONLY about NORTHWEST KIDDER MIDDLE SCHOOL when you respond. The data collected from the survey is anonymous and will be used to identify Parent/Family perceptions of school climate issues within our school. School staff will use the results to inform our efforts at improving our school climate.
We thank you so much for taking the time to fill out the survey and for helping us to keep the Mountie Nation moving in the “Direction of Greatness”! Please complete a survey for each building occupied by a student in your family.
UPDATED CELLPHONE POLICY
1st offense: Teacher takes the phone for the remainder of the day. The student does not get their
phone for passing time, breaks, or lunch. Teachers can hold onto student phones and will give it
back at the end of the day or the phone will be in the office and the student can pick it up there.
2nd offense: Teacher takes phone for the remainder of the day. Student receives a Lunch
Detention.
3rd offense: Teacher takes phone for the remainder of the day. The student will receive 2 Lunch
Detentions. The student and the Principal will meet to discuss a phone plan. (Student leaves phone
at home for a week or turns it into the office for a week)
Students are allowed to use phones during passing times and lunch ONLY!
DRESS CODE REMINDERS
School officials will make the interpretation of what is acceptable dress. All students shall maintain the following minimum standard of dress at Northwest Community Schools.
- Midriffs, cleavage and buttocks shall be covered
- Undergarments shall not be visible
- Tank tops are acceptable as long as undergarments are not exposed
- Strapless , backless, and muscle shirts shall not be worn
- Holes in clothing or sheer material exposing midriff/chest/upper thigh shall not be worn
- Shorts/skirts/dresses must cover the buttocks completely
- Appropriate footwear, suitable for the school environment, shall be worn. Slippers are not permitted
- Sleepwear may not be worn to school, including pajama pants, robes , and nightgowns, unless there is an approved special activity during which they are deemed appropriate
- Students are strongly encouraged not to bring hats or other head coverings to school. Hats, bandanas/scarves or hoods covering the head are not to be worn in the school buildings during the school day unless there is an approved special activity during which they are deemed appropriate. Requests to wear coverings in accordance with sincerely held cultural and/or religious belief will be addressed on a case by case basis
- Incites violence
- Contains "fighting words"
- Constitutes a true threat of violence
- Is obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, or lewd
- Is materially and substantially disruptive or that school officials can reasonably forecast will create a substantial disruption
Additional
- All backpacks, purses, etc. are to be secured in lockers
- Coats and jackets are to be secured in lockers
- Blankets shall not be brought to school unless there is an approved special activity during which they are deemed appropriate
Congrats to our September Students of the Month!
COMING UP......
IMPORTANT DATES
11/1- Picture Retakes
11/9- Early Release
11/16- Early Release
11/18- Half Day Students-Full day Staff
11/23-25- Thanksgiving Break
11/30- Early Release
UPCOMING MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTING EVENTS
11/1- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Harper Creek. 4:30pm
11/1- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/3- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/3- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Jackson Catholic. 4:30pm
11/8- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/8- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Harper Creek. $:30pm
11/10- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Western. 4:30pm
11/10- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/15- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Legg Middle School. 4:30pm
11/15- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/17- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/17- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Marshall. 4:30pm
11/22- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Hastings. 4:30pm
11/22- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/28- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/28- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Pennfield. 4:30pm
11/30- Boys 7th Grade Basketball @ Home. 4:30pm
11/30- Boys 8th Grade Basketball @ Western. 4:30pm
YEARBOOK FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR
https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1064052/Northwest-Kidder-Middle-School/
Contact Info
Email: nw.media@nwschools.org
Website: nwschools.org
Location: 6700 Rives Junction Road, Jackson, MI, USA
Phone: (517)817-4703