Dear North Smyrna Elementary Families,

May brings many events that bring joy to NSE! Field Day, Field Trips, and special assemblies, there is so much fun packed into this month!

Please check out this month's North's News for May to see what to expect in the month ahead as well as information about the great things that happened in the month of April.

if you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office!

Sincerely,

Dr. Amber Augustus, Principal

Mrs. Haley Griffin, Associate Principal

Dr. Tiyana Mullen, Associate Principal

Thursday, May 1

• Mid Trimester 3
• 3rd Grade Testing Night, 5-6:30pm

Thursday, May 2

• School Lunch Hero Day

Monday, May 5

• Smarter Balanced Testing - 3rd Grade
• Teacher Appreciation Week Begins

Tuesday, May 6

• Smarter Balanced Testing - 3rd Grade

Wednesday, May 7

• Smarter Balanced Testing - 3rd Grade
• National School Nurse's Day
• Interim Progress Reports Sent Home
• SSD Board Meeting at JBM, 6pm

Thursday, May 8

• Smarter Balanced Testing - 3rd Grade

Friday, May 9

• Smarter Balanced Testing - 3rd Grade

Monday, May 12

• Smarter Balanced Make-up Testing

Friday, May 15

• TSC Awareness Day, Wear Blue!
• Car Seat Safety Check, 8-4pm at Smyrna Municipal Park

Monday, May 16

• SHS Seniors Visit NSE

Wednesday, May 21

• NSE PTO Meeting, 5pm

Friday, May 23

• K-3 Field Day - See below for more details!
• EC Field Trip to Big Oak Park - See below for more details!

Monday, May 26

• School Closed for Memorial Day, No School for Students & Staff

Tuesday, May 27

• The Little Farm Visits NSE!

Wednesday, May 28

• Field Day Rain Date

Thursday, May 29

• 3rd Grade Visits JBM

Friday, May 30

• All Library Books are Due

Monday, June 2

• K-3 Smyrna Municipal Park Field Trips (more information to come from your child's teacher)

Tuesday, June 3

• K-3 Kona Ice & EC Ice Pop Treats courtesy of NSE's PTO

Wednesday, June 4

• K-3 Smyrna Municipal Park Field Trips (more information to come from your child's teacher)

Monday, June 9

• Kindergarten & 3rd Grade Promotion Ceremonies (see below for more information)

Tuesday, June 10

• Last Student Day of School!

Yearbooks are currently on sale in the Main Office for $20. Get yours today!

We are excited for another fun-filled Field Day on May 23! On this day, our students will participate in a variety of team activities centered around friendly competition and physical activity. Be on the lookout from your child's teacher as the date approaches for specific times the class will be participating and the attire for the day. Please be sure your child has the following for field day:

• Wear sneakers. Crocs and sandals are not a safe shoe choice during the activities.
• Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated.
• Put sunscreen on before coming to school. Many of our events take place outside.
• Dress for the weather. The end of May can be sunny and hot or cloudy and breezy.

Parents are welcome to attend field day to watch your child participate and to cheer on the class. Parking is available at Smyrna Municipal if you choose to attend. If you would like your child to leave with you at the conclusion of Field Day, a station to sign your child out will be available outside.

Thank you for your support!

Our Early Childhood program is hosting a field trip to Big Oak Park on Friday, May 23. Transportation will need to be provided by families to and from the park, and EC classes will not be held at NSE on this day as all of the EC staff members will be at the park for the field trip. A parent/guardian must remain with their child for the duration of the trip. This is a great event for families to visit with the classroom staff members and their classmates' families. We hope to see you there!

Field trips are an exciting day for students! Being able to learn in a new location brings a unique spin to a typical school day. In order to ensure our students experience a safe and informative field trip experience, please support our school by noting the following:

• Students should arrive promptly on time the day of the trip. The bus has a set departure time in order to reach the destination on time and is unable to wait on students who are running behind.
• Have a conversation with your child about safety on field trips such as always staying in their group and following the directions of their chaperone. Students are in a new location for a field trip and safety is our top priority.
• Students may not bring any devices (iPads, etc.) on the trip.
• Any items brought by a student are their responsibility while on the trip. We discourage any belongings being left on the bus and would need to be carried for the duration of the trip.

Please contact our Main Office or your child's teacher with any questions.

On June 2 and 4, our K-3 classes will take a field trip over to Smyrna Municipal Park. Each grade will be assigned a specific date and time for their visit. The specific date/time, field trip permission slips, and additional information will be sent home by your child's teacher as the date gets closer.

In celebration of our students’ successful completion of Kindergarten and 3rd grade, NSE will host Promotion Ceremonies on Monday, June 9th. These ceremonies will be held in the North Smyrna Elementary School gymnasium.

• Kindergarten: 9:30am (Families may enter starting at 9am.)
• 3rd Grade: 1:30pm (Families may enter starting at 1:10pm.)

Please note that guests will not be permitted into the building any earlier than the times listed above so that all of our students in the morning and our Early Childhood students in the afternoon can enter the school safely. We ask that all families wait at the barrier on the sidewalk or in their cars until the arrival is complete. Families are encouraged to park in Smyrna Municipal Park. Please do not bring any balloons to the ceremony as they obstruct the view of guests.

Parents and guardians who would like to take their child home with them after the ceremony are encouraged to sign him/her out before the ceremony begins at the table in our front lobby. If you are not taking your child home, he/she will return to their classroom after the conclusion of the ceremony to continue the rest of their school day.

We are incredibly proud of our students and their growth over the course of this school year. We hope you are able to join us as we congratulate them on their success!

Parents of children entering kindergarten in Fall of 2025: Are you interested in having your child be part of the Spanish Immersion program at North Smyrna Elementary School? If so, please click on the button below for the Spanish Immersion Commitment Form to complete the information required to confirm your commitment to the program and to secure your child's place in the Spanish Immersion Lottery which takes place in March and June of 2025.

Please note: Failure to submit this document will exclude your child from being placed in the Spanish Immersion Lottery even in the event school choice paperwork was submitted and approved.

To learn more: Why Spanish Immersion? Check out this link for more information: https://www.smyrna.k12.de.us/Page/946

If you have any additional questions, please contact the NSE Main Office at 302-653-8589 or nsesregistration@smyrna.k12.de.us.

On April 1st, our K-3 Spanish Immersion students put on a beautiful program for their families showcasing how much they have learned in the program! There were songs, dances, Introductions, and games with a friend all done in Spanish.

Thank you to our Spanish Immersion teachers for the incredible learning experience you provide to our students. We also wish to thank the families who attended on April 1st.

On Wednesday, April 16th, SHS Theater students visited NSE for an abbreviated performance of their play, "Exposed!". It consisted of six 10 minute scenes that explore what "really" happened in popular fairytales/stories such as Rumpelstiltskin, Robin Hood, Willy Wonka, and more. This performance fit with a recent unit in 3rd grade on traditional tales in reading. We were excited for this opportunity to see some of the programs students are able to participate in as they progress in later grades and the SHS students gave a fabulous performance!

On April 17th, we welcomed the Smyrna Rotary to NSE to speak with our 1st graders on financial literacy, specifically developing good financial habits around saving! As we all have the desire to spend money that we have, this is a good reminder to think through purchases and how to plan for items we want. We wish to thank the Smyrna Rotary for supporting our school!

Spring sports are beginning. In the event your child suffers an injury, please contact our office on any updates that impact them at school.

We will be focusing on mindfulness and self-esteem for the month of May during SEL.

Check out the link below for resources and information on supporting your child's skills in mathematics this spring:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZaEs440K6RTDODzQdIIX6gnmoicHhFFCLAaaEqX1z7E/edit?usp=sharing

• In June, all students in K-3 will receive a summer reading challenge packet. This will require them to read and log their steps. If they return the challenge completed when school reopens in September, they will be rewarded with a special prize! 3rd graders can turn in their completed packets to JBM. More information will be sent home prior to the end of the year.

• Reading resources and information are always available using my google site below!

• Mrs. Apgar's Bookshelf

Check out the NSE PTO Facebook Page

We are continuing to update the PTO Facebook page with learning activities and information for families. Please check it out at North Smyrna Elementary School PTO.

We hope you will consider joining as we work together to provide the best educational experiences to our students throughout the year!

NSE Families Remind App: Text @nsefam to 81010 to receive school reminders.

NSE Facebook Page: Follow us on Facebook at North Smyrna Elementary School PTO

NSE YouTube Page: Check out our YouTube page at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoEsLnqVcfz-l0Fa8YhxqOw

Dr. Amber Augustus, Principal

Mrs. Haley Griffin, Associate Principal

Dr. Tiyana Mullen, Associate Principal

Website: https://nes.smyrna.k12.de.us/

Location: 365 N. Main Street, Smyrna, DE, USA
Phone: 302-653-8589
Email: nsesregistration@smyrna.k12.de.us

Facebook: facebook.com/NorthSmyrnaElementarySchool