March 3, 2023

Building Excellence Successfully Together

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CALENDAR DATES

March 13 - Professional Development Day (No School)

March 14 - Teacher Workday (No School)

March 16 - Boosterthon Kickoff

March 17 - All Pro Dads

March 23 - FCS Board Meeting

March 24 - Fun Run

March 28 - Spring Pictures

April 3-7 - Spring Break

April 14 - STEM Day

April 18 - Northwood Kindergarten Round-Up

Key News for Explorer Families

Read Across America week was so fun to celebrate! Thank you to Mrs. Bauer for organizing such a fun week. The adults got into the reading spirit too; I was given a book to read from a staff member. We will get to continue in celebratory fashion with Exceptional Children’s Week next week! Look for more information to come soon as we celebrate ALL that makes each of us special.

We are still looking for parents interested in running for our School Governance Council. We have two parent vacancies to fill – look for more detailed information below.

Also, if you have not yet completed the FCS parent survey, the link is below. We would love to hear from you!

Last week I mentioned that we would be getting lighting enhancements along the sidewalk from the gate to the garden. I was able to meet with people from the district and the company that will do the installation and they have plans to start this weekend! They anticipate it may take up to three weeks to complete, depending on the weather. They will do their best to stay out of the way of carpool in the mornings and afternoons and we’ll monitor traffic flow if needed. We are thrilled that this project will be finished soon.

With gratitude,

Heather Rucker

Principal

First Grade Explorers

First Grade had the best time this week on our field trip at Puppetry Arts. Students watched an exciting play, Duke Ellington Cats, and had the opportunity to make their very own puppets! We can't wait to go back!

Fifth Grade Explorers

Fifth graders recently wrapped up their Social Studies unit on World War II and had the opportunity to listen to a thoughtful presentation about the Holocaust by Mrs. Marci Schwartz. She spoke about her family’s extremely challenging journey to escape and try to survive this horrific time. Students were completely engaged throughout the presentation, and truly now understand the importance of learning about the past so that it will not be repeated.

Get Ready for Georgia Milestones

What can I do to help my child prepare?

Be certain your child gets plenty of sleep and has a healthy breakfast.
Be certain your student is at school on time, so they are not worried about being late.

Remind students that cell phones and smart watches will be collected and stored in the secure testing room during test administration times. It’s best for students to leave them at home if possible.
Please have students bring their fully charged device every day.
Get information and practice using this link: Georgia Milestones Resources (gadoe.org)
Experience the online testing session using this link: http://www.gaexperienceonline.com/

What happens if my child is absent?

There will be rolling make-ups throughout the testing window. Please do not send your child in if they are sick.

Can visitors be in the building?

During GMAS testing, we will not be allowing visitors in the building before 11:30 am, and there will also be no lunch visitors these days.

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Parents Needed: School Governance Council 2023 Elections

Parents, we would love to partner with you on ways to improve our school. Northwood is seeking two parents to fill upcoming vacancies for the School Governance Council. Please see the details below for more information; and to declare your candidacy.

What is a School Governance Council?

The purpose of a School Governance Council (SGC) is to provide parents, school staff, and community members with a leadership role through monitoring and implementation of the strategic plan.

What is the commitment?

All School Governance Council members serve two-year terms. Time commitment varies from school-to-school, but expect 4-5 hours per month which includes meetings, trainings, and school and community events.

When are the 2023 elections?

Candidate Declaration: February 1 - March 24

Elections will be held from April 12 -19

Where to declare candidacy?

Visit the SGC website and click on Elections for a candidate guide and/or declaration.

www.fultonschools.org/sgc

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FCS Annual Parent Perception Survey

Northwood Families – your opinion matters. Starting Monday, February 13th, Fulton County Schools encourages parents to take the Annual Parent Perception Survey. The survey link will close on March 10th. The survey is anonymous and confidential and should take about 15 minutes to complete. Please complete one survey per school where you have one or more students enrolled. Additionally, students in grades 4-12 will take the Annual Student Perception Survey between February 13th and 24th, during the school day.

Coming Soon: Northwood's Fun Run

Northwood's Kindergarten Round-Up

FCS Kindergarten and New Student Registration

Northwood Health and Physical Education

As part of your child’s Health and Physical Education program, Northwood Elementary School is preparing to participate in the FITNESSGRAM physical fitness assessment. The FITNESSGRAM is a comprehensive fitness assessment for youth. It is designed to assess aerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition. The following FITNESSGRAM assessments will be used to measure the various areas of health-related fitness: PACER (aerobic capacity), Push-Up (upper body strength and endurance), Curl-Up (abdominal strength and endurance), Back-Saver Sit and Reach (flexibility), and Body Mass Index (body composition). This assessment will be used to collect data and help the students set fitness goals. For information regarding the FITNESSGRAM assessment, please refer to www.fitnessgram.net or email Mr. Pearch at pearchm@fultonschools.org.

Click here to submit an entry for a Northwood Nice Note (N3) to recognize a Northwood staff member.

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MISSING SOMETHING?

Parents, please encourage your students to check regularly for lost items in the Lost and Found. Please mark all student belongings clearly with the child’s name so that it can be identified. Unclaimed items are donated to local charities after the last school day of every month. March’s date is Thursday, March 30th.