Warhawk Weekly September 9, 2024

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Hello Warhawks!

We are halfway through the first quarter and progress report grades will be updated in the Powerschool Parent and Student Portal on Friday, September 13. We will mail home progress reports to any students that have a D or F in any of their classes. Please ask your student if they are keeping up with their work or if they need any support from their teachers. One way to help them manage their different classes is to remind them to make sure all of their work is turned in when it is assigned.so they do not get behind and overwhelmed. It also would be a good time to check in with them to make sure they are staying organized and prepared for school each day. Encourage them to send their teachers an email or ask them in class if they need any help.

The PowerSchool Parent an Students Portal is a great way for you to support your student and is a helpful tool to support our students as they PREPARE · PRACTICE · PERFORM. Log in together to see their grades, progress in their classes, and their attendance. If you need help with your login information, please give our office a call at 815-338-4900. The link to the Parent Portal can be found below.

Have you checked out our Spiritwear Sale below? Orders are 30% off through September 17 and there is Free Shipping for orders over $75. All proceeds benefit our PTO!

The Warhawk Weekly is our newsletter for families and students. Each week we will share important updates and information. Please contact the school office with any questions and/or concerns you have now or anytime throughout the school year. Together we can provide a positive environment for our students to PREPARE, PRACTICE, and successfully PERFORM in all aspects of being a Warhawk!

Bethany Hall

Northwood Principal

Monday, September 2: No School - Labor Day

Tuesday, September 3: Tutoring and Activity Bus Start

Wednesday, September 4: 8th Grade Washington DC Trip Parent Meeting- 7pm at Creekside Middle School.

Thursday, September 5: 8th Grade Washington DC Trip Parent Meeting- 7pm at Creekside Middle School.

Tuesday, September 17 - Last Day for the Back to School Spiritwear Sale

Thursday, September 19: Half Day - Dismissal at 12:35 pm

Thursday, September 26: PTO Meeting - 6 pm in NMS Library

Every minute counts! Attendance in school is crucial to a student's growth, academically nad socially, and emotionally. We want to share information about attendance with our families and students to ensure everyone has an understandiong of the importatnce of student attendance.

Reporting Absences – A phone call from a parent/guardian by 8:45 am on the day of the absence is required. Please call the NMS Attendance Line at 815-337-8618. A signed note from a parent/guardian is acceptable, but should be submitted prior to the day of the absence. If no communication occurs within 24 hours of absence, the student may be considered truant.

Excused Absences – Excused absences include illnesses, a death in the immediate family, an emergency as approved by administration, and a field trip or approved school activity. In order for students to participate in athletics and extra-curricular events after school, students must be in attendance for at least half of the school day.

Excused Absences Requiring Advance Notice – The following absences may be considered excused if the Attendance Office is notified 2 days in advance: religious observances, and doctor/dentist appointments. These types of absences will require appropriate, verified documentation to be excused. The following absences require at least 5 days advance notice to be considered excused: vacations and other travel choices, including international travel for long periods. Please note that lengthy absences are not encouraged and may negatively impact a student’s academic success. NMS will do its best to support our families, but we ask that vacations and other lengthy periods of absences be postponed until holiday, spring or summer breaks.

Chronic Absenteeism – After 17 days (10% of the school year) of any type of absence, a student will be considered Chronically Absent. All absences, including excused absences, count towards this limit, except for religious observances and school-sponsored absences.

Truancy – This term is defined as an absence, with or without parent/guardian permission, which does not meet the criteria for excused absences (see above). Chronic truancy, as defined by the state’s compulsory school attendance law, is any student “who is absent without valid cause from such attendance for 5% (9 days) or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days.” NMS follows the Woodstock City Ordinance and State of Illinois’ guidelines governing student truancy. If a student becomes truant, the student and their parent/guardian may be subject to referral to the Country Truancy Officer through the Regional Superintendent’s Office.

It is imperative that consistent, regular attendance is a priority for your student. Research shows that students missing 10% or more of a school year are more likely to fail at least 1 class and tend to be more stressed/anxious.

If you have questions about supporting your student or would like more information or support to address concerns preventing your student from regular attendance, please reach out for support and partnership.

Need a ride home after a club meeting or tutoring?

Northwood has an Activity Bus at 4:30 pm on Monday - Thursday.

Students that currently receive transportation can sign up to take the activity bus home at 4:30 pm on Monday - Thursday. Please use the sign up sheet below to reserve your seat each week.

SIgn ups are required each week to ensure that you are included in the activity bus route.

Looking for a way to support Northwood? We are looking for parents to join our PTO. Please sign up below so we can have a list of interested parents.

We will have our first meeting on Thursday, September 26, at 6 pm in the NMS Library.

If your family is experiencing difficulties at home, we would like to provide additional support at school. We understand that you are not always able to share details and that’s okay. If your child is coming to school after a difficult night, morning, or weekend please let us know. Please leave one of us a message on our confidential voice mail or fill out our online Handle with Care form (linked below). This will let us know that your child may need extra time, patience, or help during the school day.

Handle with Care Form

School Social Workers

Lexi Carter 815-206-4655

Tiffany Moore 815-206-4650

Patty Whalon 815-206-4656

Just a reminder that if your student requires any medication to be given or used during the school day, a new medication authorization form needs to be completed by a parent/guardian AND health care provider. If your student uses an inhaler or EpiPen and is able to administer those medications to themselves, then a "Self administration form" needs to be completed by both parent/guardian AND health care provider and returned to the health office. Those are the only two medications that a student may give themselves at school, as long as that form is completed and handed in.

Any ordered medications to be dispensed at school can be dropped off by a parent or guardian. The medication must be in the original, labeled, and unopened container, along with the medication authorization form completed. If the medication is over the counter, it still requires an order medication authorization form.

Also, please remember that all sixth graders and new students to the school are required by the state of Illinois to have a new physical and dental exam. Please feel free to email the information to the nurse at kkush@wcusd200.org or drop off the paperwork at the front office. If you send the paperwork in with your child please touch base with me to ensure that the nurse has received it, many times it remains in the backpack. If you have any questions, please reach out.

Office Hours: 7:30 am - 4 pm

Phone: 815-338-4900

24 hour Northwood Attendance Line: (815) 337-8618
Please call the 24 hour attendance line if your student will be late or absent to school

Principal - Bethany Hall bhall@wcusd200.org

Assistant Principal - Tyler Carlson tcarlson@wcusd200.org

Secretary to the Principal - Chris Maldonado cmaldonado@wcusd200.org

Secretary to the Assistant Principal - Sarai Butler sbutler@wcusd200.org

Registrar - Robin Simandl rsimandl@wcusd200.org

Nurse - Karli Kush kkush@wcusd200.org