Dearest NIS families,

Six years ago this winter, I discovered an upper elementary principal job posting. While administrator postings are typical for this time of year, it felt like fate because this posting was in the small Massachusetts town of Nantucket, the very location my husband was well into a process for becoming the next Nantucket DPW director. How, I wondered, could both of the positions we had and loved be available at approximately the same time in beautiful Nantucket? We decided to listen to the universe as everything seamlessly fell into place for us and our family. Our Nantucket journey began!

Most recently, I have reflected on all of the personal and professional growth that I have been

privileged to experience and once again attend to and listen for what it is time to do. It is with

very mixed emotions, but with an inner certainty, that I have decided to resign my position as

principal of NIS at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Thank you for entrusting me with your children and partnering with us to ensure their school success. The professional challenge of opening a brand new school and setting a course for an inclusive, respectful, inquisitive, and collaborative school environment has happened with the commitment of our entire school community, including you. It has been my privilege to serve and my allegiance to NIS remains strong. I am “all in” for the remainder of this school year. Following that, I look forward to embracing my next learning and growth opportunity, whatever that may be and wherever it leads.

Please accept my deepest gratitude for everything each of you does to be true partners in your children's educational life. This Nantucket chapter of my personal and professional journey will always be cherished.

Be on the lookout for opportunities to engage in the process of selecting the next NIS principal.

Respectfully,

Evemarie McNeil, Principal

mcneile@npsk.org

What a wonderful evening celebrating both literacy and multiculturalism! Many thanks to our NIS Multicultural Literacy Night Committee for all of their hard work in putting this together. We'd also like to thank our many community partners:

* The Bookmobile

* Foggy Roots Band

* Linda Loring Foundation

* The Dreamland

* Nantucket Athenaeum

* NISHA

Hello NIS Families!

Last month I shared how studies show that eating the proper foods and exercising is a good way to stay healthy. This goes for our students as well. What we put in our bodies matters and teaching the students good eating habits while they are young will last them a lifetime. So to help you get off to a good start for 2023, below is a link on good snack choices for our students. Have fun trying these snacks and remember portion sizes are important too.

Info on healthy snacks

With Valentine's Day coming up in just over a week, please don't send in candy with those valentines. The kindness of a valentine is wonderful on its own! Healthy bodies support healthy minds.

Stay Safe and Healthy,

Nancy Small RN

NIS School Nurse

smalln@npsk.org

There have been several unsafe conditions created with cars coming into the Surfside Road parking lot to drop off or pick up children. This is NOT the correct location for drop off or for pick up. Please ONLY use the Backus Lane entrance/exit to reach the drop off/pick up circle.

February 6 - 10, 2023 marks National School Counseling Week (NSCW). This annual celebration is the perfect time to recognize the contributions of our school counselors! Have your child create a note of appreciation for their school counselor/social worker.

Also, a special thank you to Ms. Jennifer Laredo, school psychologist and Ms. Sherri Lewis, who supports all of our NPS school counselors!

The annual 5th grade NIS Citrus Sale is underway. Find a fifth grader to purchase your fresh oranges or grapefruits from OR call the front office and they will assist you with your order. The funds raised support the fifth grade field trip to Camp Bournedale.

Many of our teachers offer homework help several days after school from 2:20 - 2:50. If your child stays for homework help, and leaves at 2:50, we have staff to walk our Boys and Girls Club members directly there. If you prefer your child to make their way on their own to the Boys and Girls Club, kindly let their teacher know this. As a school, we can only ensure the safety of the students who walk over with our staff promptly at 2:50 PM at the end of homework help.

We still have one opening left for a teaching assistant. This role could be right for you if you love working with children, have a willingness to learn, are collaborative and patient. Great benefits package! Great hours for parents with children in school!

Interested? Reach out to Evemarie McNeil, Principal at mcneile@npsk.org

* Feb. 8th - MOVED to MARCH 30th- NIS Band/Chorus Concert

* Feb. 14th - Valentine's Day

* Feb. 15th - Half Day of School - professional development for educators

* Feb. 20th - No School - Presidents Day

* Feb. 21st - School Committee Meeting

* Feb. 23rd - CANCELED - NIS Student Showcase

* Feb. 27th - March 3rd - No School - Winter Break

At NIS students are NOT ALLOWED to bring in food items to celebrate their birthday with their class. This was instituted pre-COVID due to the number of children with food allergies and due to our responsibility with promoting healthy bodies. You wouldn't believe the number of cupcakes that would come into the school each year!

We would like to encourage you to donate a birthday book to your child's classroom library in honor of their birthday. Other acceptable ideas include bringing in a special pencil or decal for everyone in the class if that's preferred.

Thank you for not sending your child to school with food items for the class to celebrate their birthday.

NPS Vision Draft

We commit to provide equitable, inclusive, and challenging learning experiences where every student and adult feels seen, heard, valued, and respected.

NPS Mission Draft

Nantucket Public Schools, in partnership with a caring community, will create a dynamic and equitable learning environment which engages each of us to be inspired learners and responsible citizens, prepared to meet local and global challenges.

NPS Core Values Draft

Nantucket Public Schools values collaboration, communication, and reflection that supports:

• Equitable access to multiple pathways for individual and collective success.

• High expectations and a student-centered educational approach that integrates academic progress, extra-curricular participation, personal responsibility, and community involvement.

• Inclusive and sustained family relationships that respect all cultures and the experiences each child brings to our schools.

• Challenging ourselves to embrace and advocate for the needs of every student, adult, and family within our school community.

Email: mcneile@npsk.org
Website: www.npsk.org/NIS
Location: 30 Surfside Road, Nantucket, MA, USA
Phone: 508-228-7290
Facebook: facebook.com/NantucketIntermediateSchool
Twitter: @NISlearners