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Northern Middle Newsletter 10/8/23
Weekly Update 10/8/23
Bobcat Nation:
The end of the first marking period is November 1st and report cards will be distributed on November 13th. These dates will get here quickly. It is important for students not to wait until the last minute to study for tests, turn in missing assignments, etc.
There are two very important actions that are needed by parents of every student. Information and directions for each process are below in the newsletter.
- CCPS Impact Aid Survey in HAC - this was emailed out to all parents last week and needs to be completed by October 31st. Thank you to those parents who have already completed the survey.
- CCPS Annual Student Update in HAC - Thank you to those families who have submitted the required CCPS Annual Student Update in HAC for your student(s). If you have not done so yet, please see below for information on how to do so as the deadline was Friday, September 22nd.
Last week, our annual school-wide fundraiser began. This year's NMS MEGA-Raiser Donation Drive will help support instructional and extracurricular programs for our students and staff. As of Sunday morning, we have already gone past $4,000! We have had a great start to the fundraiser and would like to thank all of our students and families for their support!
As a reminder, CCPS schools will have a two hour delayed opening for students on Monday, October 9th.
Have a great week!
Mr. Webster, NMS Principal
NMS SCHOOL-WIDE FUNDRAISER - MEGA-RAISER DONATION DRIVE
We are excited to announce the start of the Northern Middle School Online Mega-Fundraiser with Mid-Atlantic Fundraising. We would like to invite interested students, parents, and staff members to participate in our donation drive fundraiser to help raise funds to support the instructional programs and opportunities for NMS students and staff.
Information was shared with students on Thursday and they were provided with a fundraiser flyer to bring home. Go to the special donation page that has been created for your student & check it out!
Click on this link and type in your student's name to access their fundraiser page - https://app.pledge-drive.net/Campaign/northern2023
The student donation website has options to share with family and friends about the fundraiser through email and social media. Check your student's page for fundraiser details and updates.
Here are some tips:
- Make your donation now to set a good example for other potential donors to follow.
- SHARE your donation page with at least 10 family and friends with the email function on your donation page.
- Forward this e-mail and the link to family and friends.
- From your donation page, you can easily post on Facebook, send texts, and post to social media.
Students who receive at least $100 in donations in their name will be invited to participate in a Mega Party later this fall. Additional reward options are unlocked at different levels of donations. Check out the fundraiser website for more information on student rewards.
If you have any questions or would prefer for your student to not have a fundraiser page, please contact Ms. Maslanik at 443-550-9230 or maslanikt@calvertnet.k12.md.us.
CCPS Impact Aid Notification 2023 - Parent Action Needed by 10/31/23
It is time to participate in our annual Federal Impact Aid Survey! Federal Impact Aid supports funding for local school districts with concentrations of children who have parents/guardians in the uniformed services or parents/guardians employed on eligible Federal Properties Last year, your cooperation with completing and returning this form supported Calvert County Public Schools with receiving Federal Impact Aid funds.
Please follow the directions below to complete your form online. The direct link to access Home Access Center (HAC) to complete your form is Login (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
If you have a technical difficulty, you can complete and return a paper survey with your child. A blank form is posted on our website at Impact Aid Program Survey - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us) This link is found by navigating to the parent tab/forms & applications.
Please submit your completed form(s) no later than October 31, 2023 It is important that all CCPS parents/guardians complete and sign this form for each child; even if you are not active military or a civilian working on federal property on September 30, 2023.
All information collected is confidential and used only for the stated purpose. The Impact Aid grant application provides only collective information on the numbers and locations of our federally connected students.
Thank you for your continued support of Calvert County Public Schools.
IMPORTANT & REQUIRED INFO NEEDED FROM FAMILIES - CCPS ANNUAL STUDENT UPDATE FORM - Was Due by 9/22/23
If you have already completed the Annual Student Update for your children, thank you! If you still need to complete it, please follow the attached directions below. The same message was sent to parents/guardians by CCPS on September 5th. The direct link to access HAC to complete the update is https://ccpses4hac.calvertnet.k12.md.us.
This year, you will need to log in to your Home Access Center (HAC) account to complete the Annual Student Update form electronically for each child who lives with you was due by Friday, September 22, 2023. This process replaces the emergency form and several other permission forms and acknowledgements that are required each school year. Only one guardian for each child may complete this process, which is critical to school operations. Once each child’s form is done, it will be marked complete in eSchoolPlus, our student information system.
NMS Extracurricular Opportunities
NMS Musical
We have completed the auditions for the NMS Musical. Thank you to Ms. Lewis for her work coordinating this process. Congratulations to those students who will be participating. A calendar of rehearsals and meetings is below.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Lewis at lewisal@calvertnet.k12.md.us.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS - FALL
We have completed the fall sports clinics for soccer and volleyball. Thank you to Coach Curtis, Coach Poole, and Coach Rossi for providing a valuable experience for all of our clinic participants. Congratulations to those student athletes who will be competing against the other CCPS middle schools.
If you have any questions, please contact our Athletic Director, Ms. McGuire, at 443-550-9230 or at mcguireta@calvertnet.k12.md.us
Northern Middle School PTO
PTO is a great way to be involved in supporting our students, staff, and school! Click the link to join! https://my.cheddarup.com/c/pto-membership-2023-2024
The Fall Festival Dance will take place Thursday 10/19 from 6-8pm. Tickets on sale now online for $9, or during lunch shifts 10/16-10/18 for $10. See the flyer for info!
Online Ticket Sales -
Want to help by volunteering or donating candy?
Coming soon! Chipotle Spirit Night is on October 24th from 4-8pm. You must mention NMS to get credit for your visit.
Resource Flyers and Opportunities for Students and Families
CCPS Strategic Planning Parent/Guardian Focus Groups - Seeking Participants
Calvert County Public Schools are engaging in the development of a new Strategic Plan. Strategic planning is the process of setting goals and creating a shared vision for an organization's future. We will be conducting a series of focus groups October 16-19. Please consider being a part of this opportunity. If you are interested in participating in a Parent/Guardian Focus Group, please complete the interest form using the following link:
https://forms.office.com/r/7fakSuU0h6
Please note, not everyone who fills out the form will be invited to a Focus Group due to limited capacity. Focus Groups will contain approximately 15-20 members. Participants will be randomly selected.
Please respond by Tuesday, October 10. Selected participants will be notified on Wednesday, October 11.
Tuscarora HS will be hosting our 9th Annual Historically Black College and Universities Showcase. This evening is designed to expose all students to the many options that are available at HBCUs. We want to expose and educate our school communities and encourage all students, regardless of ethnicity, to include these institutions during the college selection process. In addition to the HBCUs that will be in attendance, there will be a NCAA student-athlete information, college test preparation, community scholarships, and on-site application review with college admissions counselors. We hope you make time to come out and get informed about these historic universities. Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Hampton, VA, Mr. Anton Bell, will deliver this year's keynote address at 6:30PM. Please plan to join us as you will not want to miss it! We will be hosting this event “in-person”.
For more information visit our event page: https://sites.google.com/lcps.org/thshbcu
Recurring Resources for Families
CCPS Reopening Plan
Tardy to School Process for NMS
It is important for students to arrive at school between 7:50 and 8:00 AM. Car-riders that arrive after 8:00 AM are considered tardy. The following steps are in place when a student arrives repeatedly late to school:
- 4 days tardy in one marking period, the NMS Attendance Team will talk to the student about the need to be at school on time and discuss solutions with the student.
- 6 days tardy in one marking period, the NMS Attendance Team will call the parents or guardians to discuss solutions.
- 8 days tardy in one marking period, the student will have lunch detention each day they arrive after 8 AM.
If tardiness is something your child is struggling with in the morning, here are some suggestions to help them get to school on time:
- Pack lunch (if necessary), lay out outfit for the morning and pack book bag before going to bed at night.
- Talk to the student about they need to do in the morning (take shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, drive time, etc.), and how long each activity will take, then have them set their alarm for enough time to get all activities completed to get to school before 8 AM.
- Students can be dropped off at 7:50, so aim for 7:50 instead of 8 AM as your arrival time.
- If tardiness continues, have student take their assigned bus to school instead of being a car-rider.
CCPS SCHOOL LUNCH MENUS
NEW ONLINE MEAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
To provide parents/guardians with a better user experience, the CCPS Child Nutrition Program has transitioned from www.MySchoolBucks.com to https://LinqConnect.com for its online meal management system.
Student purchases and account balances may be monitored by signing up online for a LINQ Connect account at https://LinqConnect.com. There is no fee to sign up for an account. From this one site, parents/guardians will be able to apply for meal benefits (no registration required) and to register their student(s) if they wish to monitor Café purchases, view balances, set low balance reminders and make deposits. In addition, parents/guardians will also now have the ability to transfer funds between their student accounts and may choose to place spending limits/purchasing maximums on these accounts. Online deposits will still incur a fee of $1.60, but that fee will now include all deposits made during a single transaction.
Please note that all previous account balances automatically transferred into the new system, however, any special notes regarding snack/á la carte purchases and limits did not and will need to be re-entered vis https://LinqConnect.com or by contacting the Child Nutrition Office at 443.550.8680.
FREE/REDUCED PRICE MEAL BENEFIT APPLICATION
Some students may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. A new application must be submitted each school year. Eligibility is typically determined by household size and income. To see if your household qualifies, please complete, and submit one meal benefit application per household. Applications will be sent home with students in the beginning of the school year folders but may also be completed online at https://LinqConnect.com. Applications are available in many languages on the LinqConnect site but are also available on the USDA’s website at http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/translated-applications. More information is also available on the CCPS website at Departments – Child Nutrition or at https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/child-nutrition.
Student Laptops
Student have been provided with a laptop and charger by Calvert County Public Schools. 8th graders will continue to utilize the laptop this school year that has been previously issued to them and was taken home over the summer. 6th grade and 7th grade students have received new laptops.
It is important that students take care of their device and charger. While normal wear and tear is acceptable and expected, intentional damage or damage caused by neglect is not covered under the accidental warranty. These types of damages will require an investigation by school administration and may result in a student obligation for the repair costs. We would like to avoid parents being responsible for these costs, as they could hundreds of dollars depending on the damage.
Technology Expectations
Learning Expectations with Devices
- CCPS/CHS device brought to school every day – fully charged before school begins.
- Used as the official electronic device in all classrooms
- Use CCPS Office 365 account to save assignments, projects, notes
Device Safety:
- Accounts, usernames and/or passwords are never to be shared with another student/individual
- Laptop devices should never be loaned to another student/individual
- Personal, identifiable information should never be posted on the internet
- Never leave devices unattended
Device Care:
- No decorations, stickers, drawing or writing on the device
- No eating or drinking near the device
- Do not expose the device to extreme heat, cold or rain
- Clean with a dry soft cloth only
- Do not drop or slam the device on any surface
- Do not places papers or other objects between the keyboard and screen and close shut/use as a folder
PARENT ACCOUNTS IN SCHOOLOGY
Schoology accounts for parents are view only accounts. They were created for parents who have an email address in Home Access Center (HAC). For more information about how to access your Schoology parent account click: https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/instruction/programs/digital-learning/schoology-for-parents
Technology Support
If students have questions about their device (laptop/computer), they can get help from a member of the CCPS IT team at helpdesk@calvertnet.k12.md.us or call 443-550-8146. Students needing assistance can also drop off their laptop in the main office and fill out a paper Help Desk ticket.
Supports are also available on the CCPS website using the Technology Support button (pictured below) on the main page. This resource provides links to submit help desk tickets, frequently asked questions, and other resources students can use to solve issues.
Here Comes the Bus - A School Bus Tracking App for Parents
Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is an app with tracking features for the bus(es) your child(ren) is assigned to ride. They include
- Showing the real-time location of your child's bus on a map
- Scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
- Push and email notifications when the bus is near
Click this link for more information on getting the app - https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/transportation/bus-status/here-comes-the-bus
To create an account, you will need to know your child's ID number and the school district activation code 87557.
Become a Volunteer
Calvert County Public Schools uses Raptor for visitors and volunteers to sign in and sign out. Volunteers must apply annually to be an approved volunteer. All volunteers will need to review the volunteer handbook and watch the volunteer training video before completing and Online Volunteer Application. Volunteers must be approved before they may begin service as a volunteer in any school buildings.
CCPS Online Volunteer Application & Process: https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/human-resources/become-a-volunteer