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Northrop Newsletter
January 2024
Dear Northrop Families,
Welcome back from winter break and Happy New Year! I hope that you were able to enjoy break
and the extra time together. As we return to the building, I want to share a few important reminders
about arrival and dismissal and I ask for your cooperation with these procedures:
Please remember that our school day officially starts with the tardy bell at 8:55 AM!
Parent pickup at the end of the day: This has been an issue in the past couple of months. The system we have in place has been in place for many years and should run smoothly with your cooperation. Preschool students load first, with preschool dismissal ending around 3:20. K-5 dismissal begins around 3:25. Please do not arrive earlier than necessary as this causes parking lot congestion. DO NOT DOUBLE UP IN THE DRIVEWAY. This is a safety issue and prevents cars from exiting, which further delays pickup.
Transportation Changes: If there is a change of transportation for your child during the school day
(due to weather or an unexpected family event), it is important that you contact the school office PRIOR to 3:00 PM. Please do not send emails to staff or our secretaries for an immediate, last-
minute change. (Substitute teachers do not have access to the classroom teacher's email account,
and teachers may not be on their computer to receive a last-minute transportation change.)
For our Bridge Walker families: The bridge is closed during winter months due to weather as
determined by the Medina Parks Department. Please inform your child's teacher AND the office of
your student's end of the day transportation plan during the coming months while the bridge is
closed.
Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to keeping arrival and dismissal a safe and
respectful experience for all!
Get the Facts: Important Levy Information
As I shared in our December Update, the Board of Education approved the second resolution to officially place the 7.5 mill continuous operating levy on the March 19, 2024 ballot. This issue will generate approximately $14 million annually at a cost of $263 per $100,000 auditor's total value to taxpayers.
Based on the current five-year forecast, $8 to $10 million in total permanent reductions, primarily in personnel, will be made beginning in the 2024-2025 school year impacting administration and certificated and classified staff over all buildings and departments. Reductions will be made based on student enrollment, and program and service requirements. At this time, the intent is to maintain the current level of programming and service to students.
I'm sure you have questions about the levy as well as next school year. I'd like to invite you to join me on February 8th at 6pm at Northrop in the commons. I'll be joined by Mrs. Karen McGinty, Garfield Principal, as well as current Garfield families who will join the Northrop family next year. We'll share some information about the levy, answer any questions, and we'll also have some family fun! After our Q&A, we'll have family bingo and pizza and snacks. The PTO meeting will be held immediately after, starting at 7pm, and all are welcome to stay!
So that we can plan for food, please take a minute to complete this RSVP form. I look forward to seeing you all there!
Mrs. Dodez
Mark Your Calendars!
January 4th - School resumes
January 11th - PTO meeting, commons - 7:00pm
January 12th - No School (Teacher Professional Development Day)
January 15th - No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day; PTO Skate Night (see flyer below) 5-7pm
January 16th-18th - Talent Show Auditions (participating students will be given a date & time)
January 16th-31st - Food Drive to support Feeding Medina County
January 19th - Stay In The Game spirit day! Wear your shirts to school!
January 20th - Pancake breakfast at MHS
January 24th - PTO Marcos Pizza Night
January 28th - Magic Gives Back, MHS Performing Arts Center, 5:00pm
Northrop & Helping Hands Food Drive - January 16th-31st
Here Comes The Bus App
Transportation is launching a new app, Here Comes The Bus. This app provides real time information on bus location and arrival times. See the flyer below for detailed instructions. Your student's ID number is their 6 digit school ID (lunch code, can be found in Final Forms). Any questions, contact the transportation department at (330)636-4360.
Magic Gives Back
The Medina City Schools Foundation is hosting Rick Smith, Jr. and Magic Gives Back on Sunday, January 28, 2024, at 5:00 PM at the Medina Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $20. To purchase tickets, visit www.medinacityschoolsfoundation.org. All proceeds go to benefit the Medina City Schools Foundation.
About the Medina City Schools Foundation: The Medina City Schools Foundation supports the educational mission of the Medina City School District, and all of its students with tutoring, mentoring, grants, awards, and scholarships. The Foundation is an all-volunteer organization supported by private donations from local businesses, the community, and the District's alumni. The Foundation provides a framework for managing numerous scholarships for the District's students and opportunities for the District to enrich existing educational initiatives by its teachers and help fund new ones.
Talent Show 2024
The FIFTEENTH annual Northrop Elementary Talent Show will be held on Sunday, February 11th, 2024 at 2:00PM on the Middle Stage at Medina High School. Please come and join your fellow Northrop students to share your special talents! This show is open to any Northrop student that would like to perform. Ideas include piano, instruments, dancing, gymnastics, singing, poetry reading, martial arts, skits or any other special talent you have. We are also looking for students that would like to read selections of their writing from class!! Please click the links below for detailed information!
Northrop Proud Moments from December
December's Celebration Cafe
4th Grade Medieval Day Fun
As part of their English Language Arts learning, 4th graders studied life in Medieval times. As a fun way to wrap up the learning, the 4th grade teachers planned a "Medieval Day". Students had the opportunity to visit each of the four 4th grade classrooms and engage in a Medieval activity. What a great way to have some fun before winter break AND help students engage in a deeper learning experience that they won't soon forget!
3rd Grade Culture Parade
Our 3rd graders worked hard on making floats that represent cultures/countries of their choice that they have researched. This learning connected all content areas. In reading, students researched cultures using main idea and detail, in writing, they wrote informational pieces to teach about what they learned from their research. In math, students created the floats using area and perimeter and created artifacts that represent what they learned, and in social studies, students created a culminating project that allowed students to showcase their learning however they'd like. We enjoyed a parade through the building prior to break to see their hard work on display!
School Safety
We continue to be committed to safety at school. Exterior doors remain locked at all times as do classroom doors when students are in the building. Anyone coming to sign a student out must wait in the vestibule and must show an I.D. Only adults who are added into Final Forms as a student contact are permitted to pick up a student.
Counselor Corner with Mrs. Wielgus
Stacey Wielgus, M.A., LPSC
Eliza Northrop Elementary & Garfield Elementary
wielguss@medinabees.org (330) 636-4607
As an elementary school counselor, I am committed to supporting the social and emotional needs of our students and the families of the students we serve. In addition, I am also committed to supporting our staff here at school to ensure that we are meeting the individual needs of each student during the school day. By addressing social and emotional needs as well as academics, we work together to increase learning and academic growth for each student here at Eliza Northrop and Garfield Elementary Schools. As a school counselor, my typical services include small groups and/or individual meetings with students, as well as in the whole group, which is often in a classroom setting. I teach students new skills that can assist them with positive and appropriate emotional expression as well as in learning coping skills and the use of coping tools.
PTO News
Join the next PTO Meeting on Thursday, January 11th at 7pm! There are 2 ways to join:
- Come to the Northrop cafeteria (enter through the main doors in the front of the building)
- Join via Zoom - email elizanorthroppto@gmail.com for the link
COVID FAQs
Do kids have to stay home if someone in the family has COVID?
In general kids can come to school as long as they are feeling well unless they have tested positive for COVID. If a student tests positive for COVID, they have to stay home 5 days from symptom onset (symptom onset is day 0). On Day 6, as long as the student is feeling well, and has been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, they may return to school.
Are masks required days 6-10?
No, they are recommended and encouraged. Per the CDC, individuals should wear a well-fitting mask if they have symptoms of COVID-19, if they had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the past 10 days, or if they had recent exposure to someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Community Events
Pancake Breakfast
Make plans for a delicious breakfast on Saturday, January 20th! We have lots of Northrop involvement in this event, including:
- Staff members cooking and serving breakfast
- Student artwork on display
- Student performances on the stage at 9:45 and 10:30
It's a great event and we hope to see you there!
Virtual Lunch with the Superintendent
Sign up now for the Virtual Lunch with the Superintendent series. To be one of the first 25 to register, click on the link or links below. Sign up for one or all of them. Don't forget to bring your lunch.
Thursday, February 1, 2024: Aaron Sable & Treasurer David Chambers
General Northrop Information
SCHOOL DAY
School Day
Office Hours: 8:00-4:00
Student Hours: 8:45-3:30
Tardy Bell: 8:55
Visit us on the web at https://www.medinabees.org/Domain/11
Connect With Us!
Principal - Amanda Dodez, dodeza@medinabees.org
School Psychologist - Bryan Thompson, thompsob@medinabees.org
School Counselor - Stacey Wielgus, wielguss@medinabees.org
Northrop Attendance Line/Clinic - (330)636-4604
Northrop Office - (330)636-4600
Amy Brewer - brewera@medinabees.org
Elaine Klafczynski - klafczynskie@medinabees.org