North Wales School Bulletin
January 8, 2024
From The Principal's Desk
Greetings North Wales Families,
I hope you had a great weekend. Happy Orthodox Christmas to those in our community who celebrate the holiday! Please take a look at this week's updates below. We have a few spirit days this month, starting this Monday.
Brrrrrr...it's cold outside! Tis the season for cold temperatures. It is very important for students to dress approporiately for the weather. At times we will hold indoor recess due to the cold temperatures. Our district policy is when outdoor temperatures and/or the wind chill factor indicates 32 degrees or lower, we hold indoor recess.
Our word of the week is grace. Give yourself grace is permission to forgive your mistakes, lapses in judgment, and hurtful behavior, because no one is perfect. Also, showing yourself self-compassion and kindness.
As always, we thank you so much for being a part of the North Wales family!
Warmly,
Ms. Kenney
Principal
January Spirit Days
Important Dates To Remember
Jan. 7: Orthodox Christmas
Jan. 11: Home and School Meeting 7pm
Jan. 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service- No School
Jan 16: Referendum Vote For The High School Renovations
Jan. 19: Early Dismissal- 12:30pm
Weekly Schedule
Tuesday - Day 1
Wednesday - Day 2
Thursday - Day 3
Friday - Day 4
Upcoming Events
Black History Month Oratorical Competition
In celebration of Black History, we are excited to announce that our oratorical competition is back this year! This is a public speaking competition where students will recite published speeches or poems from an African-American or Black leader and ALL North Penn students from grades 3-12 are invited to participate. Interested students should first submit a video reciting their selected speeches by Friday, January 19th. A committee of teachers will review the videos and select semi-finalists for a district-wide event on Tuesday, February 27th. Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. For more information, please access this link Black History Oratorical Competition Link
To submit your video, please click here: video submission form.
Governor's Breakfast Challenge
Governor’s School Breakfast Challenge:
Don’t skip breakfast! Children who eat breakfast have increased alertness and improved moods throughout the morning, making for a better learning experience in the classroom. School Breakfasts are the Best! Have your students get the nutrition they need with a free school breakfast!
Literacy Update For The Week
Wit and Wisdom Tip of the Week
Background Knowledge Background Knowledge is a strand on the language Comprehension Rope.
Cultural Highlights Of The Week
Orthodox Christmas
For much of the Western world, Christmas is celebrated on December 25, according to the Gregorian calendar. Yet in a distinction that dates back centuries, Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar and mark the festival on January 7 instead.
Orthodox Christians are estimated to number between 200 and 300 million people globally. Majority-Orthodox countries include Russia, Ukraine and Greece, whose churches are part of the Eastern Orthodox branch, which is also followed by the majority of Christians in the Middle East. There are also significant Orthodox communities in Egypt and Ethiopia, most of whom belong to the smaller Oriental Orthodox branch.
Counselor's Corner
Our own North Wales public library has lots of stuff for kids/families to do this winter for FREE! (Lego club, Chess club) Plus they have discounted or free passes to all the Philly museums, Elmwood park zoo, arboretums, railroad museum and many more.
Notes From Our Health Suite
Notes From Our Health Suite
From the Health Suite:
Flu Illness
What should you do if you get flu?
Cough? Fever? Body aches? You could have the flu. If you have flu-like symptoms, stay home except to get medical care. If you are very sick or at high risk of getting very sick from the flu, talk to your health care provider.
Learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/fightflu #FightFlu (CDC, 2022)
Home and School
Home and School Information
On behalf of Home & School - Welcome to the new school year!
Whether it's your first year here, or your last, you are a part of this strong community. And we want to help make sure you have all the latest info on our events planned for this year - Popsicles on the Playground, Sports Night, Trunk or Treat, School Store, Teacher Appreciation, Color Run, VIP Dance, Cereal Box Knock Down, Class Field Trips, Assemblies, and more!
Can you spare 5 minutes for Home & School?
Contact Form - keep in touch with H&S and Homeroom Grownups this year!
HundredX Fundraiser - help us raise funds at zero cost in just 2 minutes!
Volunteer Interest - let us know if you want to know more about how you can get involved!
Pre- K Counts
PreK Counts
Montgomery County Intermediate Unit just opened up two Pre-K Counts classrooms within the North Penn School District, in Bridle Path and Montgomery Elementary Schools. Each class will have 20 pre-school students between the ages of 3-5 years old whose families are income eligible (falling under the 300% poverty guidelines). The MCIU Pre-K Counts classes have a certified teacher and a teacher assistant. The program is a full-day program where breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are provided at no cost to the families. While our philosophy is play-based, our goal is for each student to be academically, socially and emotionally prepared for success in North Penn School District kindergarten classrooms. Our MCIU Pre-K Counts teams not only consist of the teaching staff, but also Family Engagement Workers to help families navigate school requirements, attendance regulations, information about community resources available, and when the time comes, to register for North Penn Kindergarten. If you have any questions or would like to apply for your student (must have turned 3 before Aug 31), please reach out to prekcounts@mciu.org.
Friendly Reminders
Office Hours Reminder
We would like to remind you of our school office hours, which are from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. During these hours, our dedicated staff members are available to assist you with any inquiries or concerns you may have.
For any inquiries or messages after 4:00 PM, we kindly ask that you leave a voicemail message on our school's main phone line. Alternatively, you can send an email to the appropriate staff member, and they will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We appreciate your partnership in ensuring the success of our students.
SMARTWATCH/CELL PHONE REMINDER
Please note, cell phones should be in silent mode or turned off and stored in bookbags throughout the day. Smartwatches should not be used to make calls, send messages, or take photos/videos during the school day. Also, note the school is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal electronic devices. Our school team will be reminding our students of these expectations regarding personal devices.
We thank all of our families for their continued support and cooperation in limiting disruptions to the classroom.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Sandy- Our Therapy Dog is Back!
I would like to introduce you to Sandy, our North Wales’ therapy dog!
Please click on the link to learn more about Sandy- Sandy Our Therapy Dog
If you would not like your child to interact with Sandy in any way, please complete this Google form or let your child’s teacher know.
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures
Parent Volunteers for the Library
We are looking for volunteers to assist in the library. If you are interested in helping out and you have your current clearances, please complete the google form below.
North Wales Elementary
Website: https://northwales.npenn.org/
Location: 201 Summit Street, North Wales, PA 19454
Phone: 215-699-4471
Twitter: @NWelementary