Northwoods News
A Message from Principal Nixon--Week of April 27, 2020
Dear Northwoods Families,
By now, I am sure that you have learned that Governor Cooper has ordered schools to remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. Please know that the Northwoods faculty & staff are devastated that we won't be able to reunite with our students prior to the end of the school year. However, despite the challenges associated with the on-going closure, we are committed to making the rest of the school year special for each of our students. See below for our weekly MakingIt Challenge.
On a more positive note, I would like to thank you all for your patience, grace, and support as our teachers worked to launch their Remote Learning platforms over the last couple of weeks. Our teachers are working diligently with the resources they've been provided to design rigorous, meaningful instruction that is fun and engaging for our students. We appreciate your participation in the Parent Feedback Survey that was sent out last week! We are actively using your feedback to make targeted improvements to learning and engagement. Thank you again! We are blessed to have such a supportive community!
Additionally, we are waiting to receive information and guidelines from the district about opening the school building so that student belongings and materials can be picked up. Once I receive that information, I will share it out.
Beyond that, please take a few minutes to read through the updates and information below.
Important News and Information
Change to After-School Program
Due to staffing shortages with our current after-school care program, Northwoods will be switching to a YMCA-managed after-school care program, beginning August, 2020. Families needing after-school care for the 2020-21 school year will register directly on the Taylor Family YMCA website (please note that registration is currently not open on the YMCA website).
Yearbooks
Rest assured that we will make sure our students get their yearbooks. Prior to the end of the school year, we will arrange dates/times for a yearbook distribution event for families who ordered them. Stay tuned for more information.
Northwoods Remote Learning Update
To the extent possible, we would like for students to turn in 1 assignment for ELA, 1 assignment for Math, and 1 assignment for Science OR Social Studies each week. Students have all week (Monday - Sunday) to complete assignments. Don't forget, if your child needs assistance, our teachers have daily afternoon office hours. They are happy to help answer questions or provide direct assistance to their students.
Updated Grading Policy
The State Board of Education approved an updated Statewide Grading Policy for K-11 students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance outlined by the new policy provides that elementary school students will not receive grades for the school year but instead will receive a year-end assessment from their teacher.
Retention & Promotion
Under the updated grading policy (see above) student promotion & retention will remain the decision of the principal. Families of students who were being considered for retention prior to the school closure were sent a mid-year retention notification letter. If you did not receive a mid-year retention letter for your child, then he/she is not being considered for retention and will be promoted as usual. Families of students who are still being considered for retention will be contacted over the coming weeks so that further conversations can be held.
Families of Rising 6th Graders
Please take a few minutes to read through the Transition to Middle School Guide that the district released this week.
Free/Reduced Meal Program
Please be advised that families can apply at any time for free or reduced-price school meals. Qualifying families may also be eligible for other state/federal benefits. Please use the link below to access the application.
Pandemic Electronic Benefits Program
North Carolina approved the distribution of additional resources to families receiving free or reduced-price lunch. The additional benefits will be through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) to help families buy food during the COVID-19 school closure.
National Mental Health Awareness Month
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. During this unprecedented time, it is important not to underestimate the impact that the shutdown may have us and our children. Please use the link below to access information, resources, and tips to stay mentally healthy.
Playground Update
Due to local and state directives, all school facilities including all playground and athletic fields are closed. For the safety of our community, we ask that your family please adhere to the guidelines. The district is in the process of placing signage on all playground structures and fields.
Northwoods Elementary PTA Information
PTA UPDATE:
The Northwoods PTA has gone digital for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Please visit us at https://www.northwoodspta.com/2020/04/24/april-2020-pta-update/ for important news and information.
The PTA Nominations Committee is still looking for many volunteers to fill roles and positions for PTA programs for next school year, but we will not be able to "elect" the executive positions/make them official until an in-person General PTA Meeting can be held. Stay tuned for more info as we have it, and please contact northwoodsnominations@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering in any way for the 2020-2021 school year!
Thank you all for your continued support of our school community, and we can't wait until we can see you again!