Dear NIS families,

Thank you for an AMAZING turnout to our NIS STEM night! We absolutely love all of the student and family engagement that happens on our special evenings, and this evening was no exception. We also came together as a school community last week to have a whole school morning meeting. Student representatives from all classrooms worked together to determine our NIS Rules from grade level and classroom rules. They bravely presented these at our whole school meeting. Here they are:

We are Responsible at NIS!

We are kind.

We are safe.

We are cooperative.

We show respect.

We persevere!

November is a month of reflection and gratitude, largely fueled by our focus on Thanksgiving. We are grateful for all of the ways you support your child's education whether it is through coming to school events, chaperoning on field trips, or regularly reading school and classroom newsletters to stay on top of things. Parent engagement is very important to us as we view you as our partners on your child's school journey. Please don't hesitate to reach out to share your gratitude, ideas for how we can improve, or to share something that needs immediate attention. You are important to us!

Grateful for your partnership,

Evemarie McNeil, Principal

mcneile@npsk.org

Donna Johnson, Assistant Principal

johnsond@npsk.org

Dear Parents/Guardians,

NIS will be having a lockdown drill prior to the Thanksgiving break. Due to the COVID-19 protocols, this drill has not occurred in the last three school years. The best way to prepare for a real emergency is to hold a drill and practice our response, similar to the way we conduct fire drills. This critical incident drill prepares staff and students for an emergency in the building that would require us to “lock down” the building by securing all classrooms and offices. This drill has been planned with our school resource officer. Faculty and staff

have already been trained. Students will receive instructions and training before we conduct the drill. As students practice across building settings, this may result in some talk at home, and we want you to stress safety as the priority. This critical incident drill is an important safety tool that will prepare our staff and students to face any type of emergency that might occur in our building. How can you help? Thank you for reassuring your children that this is only a practice, a drill, so that we will all know what to do if we need to lock down in our school. Tell your children to take this drill seriously so that all can follow the directions and feel safe as we practice.

Thank you for supporting our efforts to keep students safe. If you have any questions regarding our school safety procedures, please feel free to contact us. If you have any concerns about your child's possible reaction to this drill, please reach out to their teacher and/or school counselor to prepare them.

November SEL Newsletter

* Curriculum Updates

* Anti-bullying Unit Coming Up

* Resources for You and Your Family

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.

Hello NIS Families,

Welcome to Fall. With the cooler weather on its way and the time change, we will all be together indoors more often, which means we will be sharing our germs. Already there has been an increase in respiratory illnesses. The flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are already making the rounds earlier than in past years. The Department of Public Health (DPH) is concerned and sent me a letter to share with you all. Please read and consider getting vaccinated against the flu and covid.

Letter from DPH/AAP

I have finished screening the 3rd grade for vision and hearing. If your student did not pass any of the screenings, I have sent home a referral for further evaluation. Please look for this in your mail. I will start screening the 4th grade in the very near future.

As always, stay healthy, stay safe.

Nancy Small RN

NIS School Nurse

smalln@npsk.org

Recently, and especially on rainy days, there have been some challenging traffic patterns happening in our car circle off of Backus Lane. Unfortunately there have been some instances where adult patience is gone and arguments, honking and unsafe driving have occurred. Please recognize that our students' safety must come first. Patiently wait in the circle line for students to exit vehicles safely by the curb. Drivers, do not park in the circle and get out of your car. Cars should exit the circle with the flow of traffic rather than trying to get ahead of cars not yet moving.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Dear NIS Families,

Get Ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming our way! Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them to become bolder, prouder, and stronger readers. AND—as always—every book they buy earns more books for our school.

Here’s what you need to know about the Fair

It will take place in the NIS Library on:

Tuesday, December 13 | 2:20 - 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, December 14 | 2:20 - 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 15 | 2:20 - 3:30 p.m.

Friday, December 16 | 2:20 - 3:00 p.m.

This year, you have the option of saying goodbye to cash and hello to eWallet—your child’s digital payment account. Before the Fair, you can set up eWallet for worry-free, cash-free purchases.

We will need volunteers, so please SIGN UP HERE to volunteer at the fair! Please consider signing up for multiple slots if you are able.

Happy reading,

Christine Braunohler

NIS Library and Media Specialist

We now have three openings for teaching assistants, one of them from now until mid-January. 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

* Wednesday, Nov. 16th SNAC Meeting - 6:00 PM - NHS and Virtual

* Tuesday, Nov. 15th - School Committee Meeting - 6:00 PM

*Thursday, Nov. 17th - 5th Grade Freedom Trail Field Trip

* Thursday, Nov. 17th - Superintendent's Coffee - 8:00 AM

* Monday, Nov. 21st - NIS Community Guest Reader Day

* Thursday, Nov. 23rd - 25th - No School - Thanksgiving Break

Learn more about telling time, coin identification, and getting ready to read together!

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