North Star News - Family Edition

As the leaves begin to change and a hint of autumn fills the air, we are delighted to bring you the latest updates and happenings from our amazing North Elementary School community! October promises to be a month filled with exciting events, educational adventures, and plenty of fun!

At North Elementary School, we believe in the power of community. We are working with several community partners on some new programs for our students! Stay tuned for more updates on what is coming!!

Make sure to keep an eye on our website and social media channels for real-time updates, photos, and exciting news from North.

Thank you for being an integral part of our school family. We look forward to a fantastic October filled with learning, laughter, and lasting memories!

Candy Llewellyn, Ed.D.

Principal

804-524-3430

candy_llewellyn@colonialhts.net

Thursday, October 5 -->> Parent-Teacher Conferences

Thursday, October 12 --> Kindergarten Family Night (5:30PM - 7:00PM)

Saturday, October 14 --> Solar Eclipse (click HERE for details)

Tuesday, October 17 --> PINK Out (wear pink to show support of Breast Cancer Awareness)

Thursday, October 19 --> Make-Up Picture Day

October 23 - 31 --> Red Ribbon Week

Tuesday, October 24 --> CHPS School Board Meeting

LOOKING AHEAD

Thanksgiving Break --> November 18-26* (this is new!)

Saturday, December 2 --> NES Santa Breakfast (8:00AM - 11:00AM)

Please make sure that you have your car tag if you are picking your child up in the afternoon. We ask that you stay inside of your vehicle. Children should enter the vehicle on the passenger side (closest to the sidewalk) to avoid them being in the way of oncoming cars. If you need to get out of your vehicle to assist your child, we ask that you park and do so in order to keep the lines moving.

If you do not have a car tag, please come to the front office to show ID and complete the paperwork for the car tag.

If you will be walking to pick up your child, please pick them up at the main entrance of the school. Someone will call the children from the building to meet you.

If your child rides a school bus, please make sure that someone is at the bus stop to meet children in grades PK - 2. Students who are in grade 3 or older do not have to be met by an adult at the bus stop.

We ask that if you must pick your child up early that you do so BEFORE 2:30 p.m. After 2:30 p.m. it is challenging to get the children up early with all of the other dismissal things going on. If you arrive after 2:30 p.m. you may be asked to wait until normal dismissal.

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves. Start building this habit so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.

Did You Know:

• Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
• Missing 10% (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read and be successful in school.
• Students who are chronically absent in kindergarten are less likely to read by 3rd grade.
• Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
• Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
• Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

What You Can Do:

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
• Introduce your child to teachers and classmates before school starts to help them transition.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
• Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.

Sources:

• Attendance WorksExternal link
• Help Your Child Succeed Flyer (PDF) External link
• Attendance in the Early Grades: Why it Matters for Reading (PDF)External link

This event is for the parents/guardians of our Kindergarten students! If you have a kindergarten student, please join us for this fun, informative event!

The School Board voted to extend our Thanksgiving break. We will be off the entire week of Thanksgiving --> November 20-24.

It is important for students to be in school every day. However, if your child is ill, please keep them home. We do require a doctor or parent note following any absence - even if you called the school office. We want all of our Stars to be successful and in order for that to happen we need them at school each and every day. If possible, please do not schedule vacations during the school year.

Remember if a child misses more than 2 days of school per month (even for excused absences) that equates to 18-20 days over the course of the school year - making them chronically absent.

Please be mindful that our school day begins at 8:30 a.m. and students who arrive after 8:30 a.m. are considered tardy.

If you drop your child off after 8:30 a.m. --> You must park and walk your child in to sign them in. This is a change from the way we have done this in the past.

1- Keep your hands and feet to yourself.

2 - Be honest.

3 - Be respectful to others.

Please review these rules with your child. If we adhere to these rules we will have a great year!

Breakfast and lunch will be served daily to all students at no cost.

School menus can be found HERE.

If your child will be bringing his/her lunch to school, please help them so they are able to open juice boxes or other containers they bring in their lunch. We have adults on hand to help but if the students can open things themselves, it makes lunch go smoother!

Every year during the last week of October, Read to Them sponsors Read Aloud to a Child Week, a national event to showcase the importance of reading aloud to children
and to encourage families to read together.

The 2023 event will run from October 22nd – 28th.
Be sure to mark your calendar. You won’t want to miss it!

For 20 years, Read Aloud to a Child Week has been a stress-free way for everyone to engage with the literacy community. To participate, all you need to do is pick up a book and read it aloud as a family. With Read to Them curating book lists for picture and chapter books, it’s even easier to dive into stories that enrich the selected theme.

Please make sure that students are dressed appropriately for the weather and for play. Students have recess every day and they should wear shoes that are comfortable and safe (sneakers are preferred).

Shorts, skirts, and dresses should be no shorter than fingertip length (about 3 1/2 inches from the knee). Students are not to wear cropped tops or shirts that reveal their midriff. Tank tops, halter tops, or tops with spaghetti straps should not be worn. Jeans with holes are permitted, however the holes must not be above 3 1/2" above the knee. House shoes/slippers are not allowed.

Students are not to wear hats, caps, or hoods of any kind inside of the building or on the bus.

Hello Everyone, I am Kristal Cherry, the new school counselor at North! I’m so excited to be here. I am looking forward to a great year! Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to support students and families any way that I can :)

Character Trait of the Month:

This month we are talking about Responsibility. One way to define Responsibility is “taking action and understanding the impact of our choices.” Taking action can mean doing the right thing or completing the tasks you have been assigned. Understanding the impact of our choices means that our actions matter. Positive and responsible actions can help people and irresponsible actions can hurt others. Responsibility is 1 of 3 traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students Be Strong. Across grade levels students will be developing skills like focusing, organizing, and goal-setting.

North House System:

We have started our North House System where we are building a culture of excellence through authentic connection and a sense of belonging. The system provides a consistent and purposeful school-wide positive behavior support system designed to increase student achievement academically, socially, and emotionally for our 3rd -5th grade students. Our motto is, “We are stronger together.” North House System handbooks have been sent home and we ask that you sign the handbook agreement and return it to

school as soon as possible.

Anti-Bullying Note: Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance where the behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or

verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. In order to help us prevent bullying here at North Elementary we would love it if you could talk to your student about what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Please let your student know bullying is unacceptable at North Elementary.

Encourage your student to speak to a trusted adult if they are being bullied or see others being bullied when it FIRST happens.