Dear North Smyrna Elementary Families,

As we head into December, we send warm wishes to our NSE families for a wonderful holiday season and winter break! We hope that you enjoy time together to rest and relax. Before we know it, we will be ringing in 2024 with positivity and joy!

We look forward to a wonderful month!

Sincerely,

Dr. Amber Augustus, Principal

Mrs. Haley Griffin, Associate Principal

Dr. Tiyana Mullen, Associate Principal

Monday, December 2- Thursday, December 5

• Scholastic Book Fair During Library Related Arts

Monday, December 2

• Early Childhood Tuition of $150 Due

Thursday, December 5

• Pajama Day to Benefit CHOP
• Scholastic Book Fair Parent Night, 4-6:30pm

Monday, December 9

• 60s Decades Day - Dress from fashions/styles in the 60s

Tuesday, December 10

• 3rd Grade Chorus Concert, 2pm and 6pm

Wednesday, December 11

• Trimester 1 Report Cards Sent Home
• EC Winter Singalong, 9:30 & 1:30
• SSD Board Meeting at SSE, 6pm

Friday,, December 13

• Kindergarten Singalong, 2pm

Monday, December 16

• Winter Spirit Week Begins (see below for more information)

Monday, December 23 - Friday, January 3

• Winter Break - School Closed for Students

Monday, January 6

• School Reopens for Students

We are excited to share that NSE was recently recognized by the Delaware Department of Education as one of 15 schools across the state as a 2024 Recognition School Award Winners for Exceptional Student Performance!

To read more about this recognition, click here: https://news.delaware.gov/2024/11/06/delaware-schools-receive-national-state-honors/

The schools in the Smyrna School District are very interested in getting feedback from our families about their experiences. In particular, we want to hear about the connection that students and their families have with North Smyrna Elementary School. This anonymous survey is designed to provide us an honest review of our strengths and areas for improvement. Results will be shared anonymously with our school leadership team exactly as written, but participants should not expect to receive a personal response from the school. Use the QR code or link below to access the survey.

It has come to our attention that some of our parents have been using the private driveway of one of our neighbors, Mr. Collett & Sons, to make U-turns during school drop-off and pick-up times.

While we understand the challenges of traffic flow during these busy times, we kindly ask that you refrain from using private driveways, including Mr. Collett's & Sons, for turning around. Unfortunately, recent observations have shown some vehicles not only entering his driveway but also driving onto his grass. This behavior is not only unsafe but also disrespectful to Mr. Collett, who is a valued supporter of our school district and a great neighbor.

We encourage all families to follow proper traffic guidelines and find alternative, safe ways to navigate the area without infringing on private property. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in ensuring a positive relationship with our neighbors and maintaining a safe environment for everyone.

Thank you for your understanding and attention to this matter. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office.

Check out our NSE students expressing what they are grateful for in the month of November!

A special thank you to Ms. Debbie Thompson in EC for putting together this slideshow for us!

As the temperature gets colder and colder, please know that we try to still take the children out for recess so they can get some fresh air, exercise, and sunshine. Please remember to send your student to school with appropriate outerwear, including a hat and gloves when it gets really chilly!

As a reminder, please know that we can’t give medication that has been placed in a child’s backpack. Medication needs to be brought to and from school by an adult and signed in at the nurses’ office.

At this time in the year, as colds and flu spread, just a friendly reminder that the best way to prevent illness of all kinds is handwashing. Hand washing is easy to do, and it is one of the most effective ways to remove germs and prevent the spread of germs to others.

National Handwashing Awareness Week - December 1st-7th

Spend this week educating everyone in the family.

Key Times to Wash Hands:

· Before, during, and after preparing food

· Before eating food

· Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea

· Before and after treating a cut or wound

· After using the toilet / changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet

· After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

· After touching an animal, animal feed, handling pet food or pet treats or animal waste

· After touching garbage

During the month of December, we will be learning about acceptance and diversity- what it means, why it’s important and how we can include others! Check out the resources below for more information.

5 Ways to Keep Math Strong During the Holidays

School is almost out for the holidays and every parent knows the last thing any kid wants to do is math homework. So how can you keep your child’s math skills sharp this holiday season? Follow these 5 easy tips to show your kid the practical applications of math, while still enjoying your favorite holiday activities and traditions!

• Cooking and baking: Bring your child into the kitchen with you and whip up your family’s favorite holiday treats! Read recipes out loud together and familiarize young learners with fractions and units of measurement. You can even cook up this Mathnasium Sugar Cookie recipe together!
• Playing games: Playing games is a great way to experience math in a fun and low pressure environment and practice a variety of math skills and strategy. Set up family game nights, play mental math games in the car, and grab an extra controller when your kids sit down to play video games!
• Gift shopping: Set a shopping budget and ask your child to help you find gifts that maximize the budget. Holiday sales and discounts present great opportunities to explore percentages and demonstrate how math can help you make smart consumer decisions and make every penny count!
• Planning travel: Heading off to visit the relatives tops the list of many family holiday activities, so include your students in the planning. Have them help make a schedule, plan a route on a map, and even get involved in bus, train or other public transportation decision making if they’re older!

• Decorating and holiday crafts: Introduce younger kids to geometry by exploring basic shapes found in seasonal decorations. Make beautiful paper snowflakes together and explore symmetry. Use measurement and estimation to get a sense of how many decorations you need for the perfect touch of holiday flair!

Mathnasium 12/2021

• Have a student in grades K-3? Please click here for an important message regarding Eagle Reading.

• NSE Eagle Reading Updates

• Students in grades K-3 will once again be invited to complete a reading challenge during their school break! Teachers will be sending more information home prior to the winter break in December so that students can record their steps on a special log.

• Click here to view the Winter Reading Challenge Flyer.

If you are a NSE parent and are interested in substituting at North Smyrna Elementary School only, please stop by the Main Office and speak with Mrs. Berryman to get more information. We have flexible schedules and a great team! We hope you consider joining us!

If your family has moved at any point since last year or if there are changes to your phone number or email address, please contact our Main Office at 302-653-8589 as soon as possible to update this information. Having the most up-to-date contact information is crucial to providing your family with timely information, updates, scheduled events, and in the event an emergency arises.

Please send your child to school each day with:

• a water bottle filled with water only
• a snack
• an extra pair of clothes to keep in their bookbag
• a charged Chromebook (K-3rd grade)

Chromebook Account Information

• For all students, their userid is firstname.lastname. If there are students with the same name in the District, we append a “1”, “2”, etc onto the lastname (john.smith, john.smith1, john.smith2). If this applies to your child, you will be notified.
• For all K-6 grade students, their password will be SSD###### with the “######” being the student’s School Lunch Number, and it will stay the same from year-to-year.

Chromebook Usage & Care

• Charge the Chromebook nightly.
• Place the Chromebook back in the bookbag before each morning.
• Treat the Chromebook with care and avoid placing food or liquid near it.
• Keep the charger with the Chromebook to avoid loss.

We are excited that students have the opportunity to use technology across home and school as they build a skillset that they will use throughout their lives.

Regular attendance is a critical component to a successful school experience. We understand students may need to be absent for a variety of reasons throughout the year. Upon returning to school, please send an absent excuse note(with your child's name, date, and reason for absence) in with your child to turn in to your child's teacher. You can also email your absent excuse note to nsesattendance@smyrna.k12.de.us

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.

At November's Meeting, the PTO worked on:

• Planning for Walkin in a Winter Wonderland Event
  

We hope you will consider joining as we work together to provide the best educational experiences to our students throughout the year! Our next meeting will be held Wednesday, January 22nd at 5pm.

At NSE, all students receive one free breakfast and lunch daily.

The NSE Cafeteria is also offers students the option to purchase a snack, drink, or a double entree at lunch. If your child is interested in purchasing one of these options, he/she will need additional money in their account. Money can be added to your student's lunch account by sending in cash, a check (made out to the Smyrna School District), or by creating a myschoolbucks.com account to deposit funds electronically. If you have any questions,, please contact our Main Office.

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/NorthSmyrnaElementarySchoolPTO
Twitter: @NSESSD