Bobcat Nation:

I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2023 will provide many opportunities to continue working towards our theme - "We Rise by Lifting Others". Each year, many people make New Year’s resolutions based upon personal goals that wish to accomplish. Below are a few resolutions for middle school students to consider as they set short-term goals to help them achieve long-term dreams. I am sharing this as a possible resource for parents as they are supporting their children.

• Stay Organized - Keep a calendar or planner to help you see what you need to do and when it needs to get done. Jot down deadlines in advance so you can plan ahead. Include time for personal and family events so you have a good balance of school and family time.
• Stop Procrastinating - Everyone has likely waited until the last minute to get something done that they have known was coming. While we may get away with it, we know the results could have been better if made time to do it ahead of time and not in a rush. Working early and finishing with time to spare allows for better results and relieves the stress of rushing.
• Try New Things - You should always work hard on your schoolwork and tasks at home to support your family. But find time to try new things at school or in the community. There are many activities which will allow you to be creative, work together with others, become a leader, explore your interests, and make new friends. You may even discover an unknown passion that sparks a future career!
• Lift Others - Every student is part of a community – both inside and outside Northern Middle School. Find ways to help and support others. While this could involve volunteering your efforts for a cause, it is also as simple as being kind. You can lift others through small actions such as the things you say to others, encouraging them, and just being nice.

As a reminder, there is a two hour early dismissal for students on Friday, January 13th.

Have a great week and New Year!

Mr. Webster, NMS Principal

https://twitter.com/NorthernMSCCPS

With the end of the marking period coming soon, we encourage parents to check HAC to look at their child’s grades and for incomplete assignments that can still be submitted. Parents also have their own accounts in Schoology through which they can monitor their child’s learning activities and assignments. Teachers have been inputting grades into HAC so parents can see their child’s current grades in each of their classes. We encourage parents to use these tools to help their child organize their time and engagement in learning.

If you have questions about one of your child’s classes, please contact the teacher. Be patient in getting a response as teachers are answering messages from many parents and students. Their main focus will be working on current assignments with their classes. As a result, anything missing from earlier in the marking period will be addressed as they can get to it.

Congratulations to our December Students of the Month! These students were selected by their teachers for their hard work in the classroom and for demonstrating the Bobcat ROAR!

Congratulations to our Bobcat staff members who have been recognized by their peers for their work supporting our students and school community!

• NMS Teacher of the Year – Mrs. Martus
• NMS Educational Support Professional of the Year – Mrs. Contee

Prior to Winter Break, students in our Wellness group, SGA, FBLA, and NJHS participated in several service projects to support others in our community. Great job Bobcats!

• Foldable paper ornaments for nursing home residents
• Painted planters for Hospice
• Holiday treats for cats and dogs at the Animal Shelter
• Letters and pictures for members of the military

We are excited to introduce the NMS Food Pantry! This idea was developed by Mr. Stuart's 8th Grade Advisory class. Students and staff have been collaborating to bring the project from an idea into operation. Thank you to everyone has contributed to this project. We are excited to add a new resource that supports our community!

Be sure to order your 2022-23 NMS Yearbook! Yearbooks are sold online at https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/view_account.asp?l=FA7A42A7-C300-45ED-BBEB-129ECDED39DC.

Yearbooks are currently on sale for $35.00. If you have any yearbook questions, please contact Mrs. McGuire at mcguireta@calvertnet.k12.md.us.

Congratulations to those students who were selected to be part of one of our winter athletics groups! Thank you to Coach Ward, Coach Harris, Coach Price, Coach Siracusano, Coach Lewis, and Coach McGuire for providing a valuable experience for all of our clinic participants. We are excited to see our basketball teams, cheerleading squad, and poms squad compete against the other middle schools.

Attached is a calendar that includes the current schedule of practices and gamedays for each of our athletics groups for the winter season.

If you have any questions, please contact our Athletic Director, Ms. Emond, at emondr@calvertnet.k12.md.us or 443-550-9230.

We are seeking donations for rewards for our students. NMS wants to continue our partnerships with our families and local businesses to support our school’s PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) initiative. PBIS is a statewide initiative to improve behavior and increase student achievement. We try to accomplish this by creating a clear system for all expected behaviors and rewarding positive behaviors and choices. We reward students for embodying the Bobcat ROAR (Respect, Outstanding Achievement and Responsibility).

We hope to provide very attractive prizes to keep the students motivated! Donations can include anything that will serve to reward and motivate the students ($5-$10 gift cards, individually wrapped food items, coupons for free items, tangible items, school supplies, etc…) If you want to check with us about an idea, feel free to contact Jessica Himes at himesj@calvertnet.k12.md.us

One easy way to donate is through an Amazon Wish List that is being facilitated by the PTO - https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/9H80XPJZUNWM?ref_=wl_share

We believe that involvement with families, businesses and the community can be a positive part of our students’ education. We will gladly accept donations year round!! Please drop your donations off in the main office.

Please consider joining the NMS PTO. The PTO is a very active organization at NMS. We need the support of all parents and families. Even if you have no time to volunteer, there are other ways to support all children at NMS. Please look for PTO information at the beginning of the school year and at Back-to-School Night.

The electronic link for membership is https://pto-membership-83842.cheddarup.com

You can also access the NMS PTO Facebook group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/nmsbobcatspto/

The PTO is organizing several committees to help with events throughout the year. If you are interested in helping, please sign-up at https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0e4aa8ac2dabfac70-ptocommittees

https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/district-information/reopening-plan

https://calvertnet.nutrislice.com/

Calvert County Public Schools uses Raptor for visitors and volunteers to sign in and sign out. Volunteers must apply annually to be an approved volunteer. All volunteers will need to review the volunteer handbook and watch the volunteer training video before completing and Online Volunteer Application. Volunteers must be approved before they may begin service as a volunteer in any school buildings.

CCPS Online Volunteer Application & Process: https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/human-resources/become-a-volunteer

It is the responsibility of all families, students, and staff members to self-assess before entering a school bus or CCPS facility by answering the following questions:

• Has the individual or anyone in the family been sick with dry cough, shortness of breath, chills, fever, muscle or body aches, sore throat, or loss of sense of taste or smell in the last 5 days?
• Has the individual or anyone in the family been exposed to COVID-19 and asked to quarantine? If yes, who was directed to quarantine and what date did the quarantine start? (Ensure quarantine time is up and symptoms have improved.)
• Has the individual or anyone in the family tested positive for COVID-19? If yes, who and when? Were they having any symptoms? (Ensure quarantine is up and symptoms have improved.)
• Student and staff should not attend school if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been medically advised to quarantine. If this is the case, please contact our School Nurse, Carin Fleshman, at 443-550-9227 or fleshmanc@calvertnet.k12.md.us.

Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is an app with tracking features for the bus(es) your child(ren) is assigned to ride. They include

• Showing the real-time location of your child's bus on a map
• Scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
• Push and email notifications when the bus is near

Click this link for more information on getting the app - https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/transportation/bus-status/here-comes-the-bus

To create an account, you will need to know your child's ID number and the school district activation code 87557.

If students have questions about their device (laptop/computer), they can get help from a member of the CCPS IT team at helpdesk@calvertnet.k12.md.us or call 443-550-8146. Students needing assistance can also drop off their laptop in the main office and fill out a paper Help Desk ticket.

Supports are also available on the CCPS website using the Technology Support button (pictured below) on the main page. This resource provides links to submit help desk tickets, frequently asked questions, and other resources students can use to solve issues.