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Northpoint Elementary
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August 30, 2023 - NEWSLETTER
Hello Northpoint Families!
The energy level throughout Northpoint has increased this week as all staff returned to the building. It has been fun having everyone back, reconnecting and getting set for the school year. We have been working hard to get ready to welcome all of you to the 2023-2024 school year.
Teachers have been assigned for the school year, and you can view your child’s schedule in Campus Parent Portal. If you have any questions or are struggling to log in, please contact the main office. We will be able to help you.
As we get closer to the start of the school year, it can be really helpful to start having conversations with your child about specific routines. Please talk with them about how they will get to and from school - whether they will get a ride with a parent or friend or ride the bus. This kind of preparation is very beneficial to help ensure a successful start to the school year.
For parent drop off, please remember that the earliest a student can be dropped off is 9 a.m., with all students entering the building at 9:10 a.m.
On the first day of school, we ask parents to say their goodbyes, give hugs and take pictures outside of the school, we do not allow parents to go into the building with their child. We will have a lot of additional adults to help students find their way to their classroom.
We can’t wait to welcome all students back on Tuesday, September 5. I hope you enjoy the last few days of summer!
Tyler Nelson
Principal
Northpoint Arrival/Dismissal Guidelines
Students may be dropped off starting at 9 a.m. Due to safety reasons, we are unable to have students dropped off prior to 9 a.m. without adult supervision. Students will wait outside until the bell rings at 9:10 a.m. at which time students will enter the building. Students that are eating breakfast may enter the building at 9 a.m. Northpoint staff will provide supervision outside from 9-9:20 a.m.
Walk-up Option
- Walk-up/Arrival - Families may park in the parking lot and escort their student to the front of the building using the crosswalk starting at 9 a.m.
- Walk-up/Dismissal - Families may park in the parking lot and wait in front of the building. Students will be dismissed starting at 3:55 p.m.
- Please do not drop off or pick up students in the parking lot and have them cross the street alone.
Drive-up Option
- Drive-up/Arrival - Students may be dropped off starting at 9 a.m.
- Drive-up/Dismissal - Students will be dismissed from the gym at 3:55 p.m. under the supervision of school staff to meet their parents in the drive-up line. Please place a sign in your window that includes your child’s first and last name, and their homeroom teacher. We count on this information to help the process go as efficiently as possible. Parents may begin to line up in front of the building no earlier than 3:35 p.m.
Please practice the following in the drive-up line during arrival and dismissal:
- Stay in your car while dropping off students
- Students must exit curbside
- Please follow the traffic flow and do not pass other vehicles
- Do not block neighboring business driveways when waiting
Please note, there will be Special Education/Daycare transportation dropping off and picking up in the carline this year so please reserve the space in front of the crosswalk for these vehicles.
Guidelines for families on peanut/nut aware classrooms
Spring Lake Park Schools is continuing to emphasize practices that make our schools safe for all students. This work includes partnering with parents in adopting peanut and nut-aware practices. Many students in our schools have severe allergies to tree nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, and/or products that contain nuts. Strict avoidance is the best way to prevent a severe allergic reaction. Accidental ingestion or even touching a tiny trace of a nut may cause a potentially fatal reaction for some students.
In an effort to ensure all students are safe throughout the school day, we are asking parents to partner with us to ensure the safety of our students. We need help in supporting the following guidelines to make our classrooms peanut/nut aware:
- All classrooms will be peanut/nut aware throughout Spring Lake Park Schools
- Please do not send any classroom snacks containing nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, or other nut products.
- Please be aware of products that may be produced in a plant that contains peanuts/nuts
- All snacks must to be pre-packaged, so staff are able to check ingredient labels for safety
- Check out the what snacks are safe to send.
Nutrition Services: School meal updates for a new year
As we enter a new school year, there are several important things to know about school meals:
- Breakfast and lunch meals: This school year, each student will get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school.
- Purchase of additional food items: During lunch, students have the option to purchase additional food items (second milk, extra entree, bottled water, etc.) if they have funds in their account. You can add funds to a meal account through Campus Parent Portal, or by sending cash or check with your child or directly to your school. If you do not want your student to purchase additional items, please complete this form and email it to foodservice@district16.org.
- Educational Benefits Application: Although no application is required to receive meals at no cost, filling out the application for Educational Benefits is still important and it is critical families who may be eligible complete an application each year. Many families are pleasantly surprised to learn they qualify for additional benefits.
Schools will continue to offer nutritious meals to students each day. Learn more about school meals on the Nutrition Services webpage.
Transportation reminders for a new year
- Bus Tracking (MyStop app): We use MyStop, which is web-based application available to parents and students that allows them access to live bus GPS information. Using a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, parents and students can view the current location of buses on routes and the estimated time of arrival at their neighborhood bus stops. Learn more about MyStop.
- Bus Safety: It is very important all students and families understand our bus safety rules:
- Stay out of the “Danger Zone” around the bus
- Follow the driver’s instructions
- Be on time for the bus – five minutes early
- Always sit down and face forward
- Be courteous. No pushing, tripping, swearing or yelling.
- No eating or drinking
- Keep your bus clean. Do not damage the bus.
- Keep your head and arms inside the bus window
- Never throw objects inside or out of the bus
- No animals on the bus
- Plan to ride the bus: For students who ride the bus, please plan for your student to ride the bus on the first day of school to help us work out all our routines and eliminate as much confusion as possible. The transportation department appreciates your patience as we navigate the beginning of a new school year.
- Transportation webpage and contact information: Find all transportation information on the transportation webpage. For any questions regarding transportation, please contact the transportation department at transportation@district16.org or 763-600-5590.
- Wednesday, August 30 - Northpoint Meet and Greet - 1-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 5 - First day of school for grades K-8 and Lighthouse students, orientation for grade 9 students and grade 10-12 students new to the high school
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Wednesday, September 6 - First day of school for returning grades 10-12 students who are not new to the high school
Monday, September 11 - Northpoint PTO Meeting/6:30-7:30 in the media center
Thursday, September 14 - Native American Parent Advisory Committee event, Woodcrest Spanish Immersion, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, September 16 - Start Your Engines - Community Outdoor Event, Spring Lake Park High School, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Monday, September 18 - Grupo de Padres Hispanohablantes de SLP reunión, Woodcrest Spanish Immersion, 5-6:30 p.m.
- Friday, September 29 - Northpoint PTO Sponsored Fun Run
Parent Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed in the morning and the afternoon to make sure that things run smoothly for students and staff.
In the morning, volunteers will help take kindergarten students to the gym from parent drop off and busses. In the afternoon volunteers will help check bus tags to make sure the students are getting on the correct buses to go home.
2023-2024 School Handbook
Find our Spring Lake Park Schools School Handbook for 2023-2024 at SpringLakeParkSchools.org/schoolhandbook. The handbook is a guide for families and students on the practical aspects of school – start and end times, procedures for absences, transportation, meals, policies and more. Please review the information and refer to it, as needed, throughout the year and contact your school as you have questions.
Important back-to-school notices
At the beginning of each year, we provide families with important notifications. Many of these notifications align to our school district policies and practices. Please take a few minutes to review the information and take any actions that align with your family’s preferences.
These notices cover:
- Media permission and directory information
- Technology responsible use policy
- Student Behavior and Attendance Expectations
- Data privacy
- Supplemental student accident insurance
Review these notifications on the back-to-school hub under the heading Important back-to-school notices. Please direct any questions to the main office of your student's school.
Getting ready for the new year!
There's a buzz in the hallways and classrooms across Spring Lake Park Schools. Teachers and staff have returned to our school buildings to get ready to welcome students to a new school year. We are learning together, preparing classrooms, and developing the first learning experiences of the year. Everyone is looking forward to welcoming students next week!
Panther Store Kick-Off Sale!
The Panther Store is having a back-to-school kick-off sale now through September 8 with 20% off Panther Gear at the store and online with code 23Kickoff. Visit the Panther Store website for in-store special hours
Openings - Spanish Immersion Preschool class
There are currently a few spots left in Spanish Immersion preschool classes.
Classes are for 4-year-olds
Tuesdays & Thursdays
9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Woodcrest Spanish Immersion Elementary School
To register, visit the website at or contact Lynn Bohl at 763-600-5900.
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