Tiger Tracks

Dear Families,

As we fly through the beautiful fall season, I hope this message finds you and your family well. October is an exciting and busy month at our school. and I want to share some important updates and reminders.

With great pride, the Northern Lights ABC community is celebrating our 3rd National Blue-Ribbon Award for the Highest Achieving schools. The fulfillment of a dream that the original founders of this school hoped for and an example of academic success and character. These standards are difficult to maintain year after year. They require diligent modeling by staff, families and students, high expectations of academic achievement and patience as we teach and reteach the expectations to all.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are a valuable opportunity and part of NLABC’s philosophical agreement that families are expected to partner with the school and teachers to invest in your child’s education. These meetings provide insights into your child's progress and ways we can work together to support their success. Please take the time to sign up and attend your scheduled conference. Your involvement and communication are key in creating a successful learning experience for your child.

We are excited to celebrate **Red Ribbon Week** from Oct 23rd-Oct 31st. This nationwide initiative promotes drug-free awareness and empowers students to make healthy choices. Each day, we’ll have themed activities and discussions to encourage positive decision-making. Look for more details in your child's folder or our school website!

We continue to experience some congestion and safety concerns in our parking lot during drop-off and pick-up times. For the safety of our students and staff, please adhere to the following guidelines:

- **Drive slowly** and stay alert at all times.

- Follow the **designated traffic flow** and respect all posted signs.

- Do not park in drop off zones or other unauthorized spaces.

Please take the time to read the communication found below by the Parent Advisory Board. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring the safety of our entire school community

A huge thank you to our PTA and Parent Advisory Council for their continued support and hard work. Their involvement enriches our school programs and events, benefiting all of our students. If you're interested in joining or supporting these organizations, please reach out. We welcome and appreciate all levels of involvement—whether through volunteering, attending meetings, or participating in fundraisers. Because of your support, NLABC had a highly successful Jog-a-Thon. We are steadily preparing for our Fall Carnival, Academic awards, School Store and our traditional Thanksgiving Feast and you are needed.

We look forward to a wonderful month filled with learning and community engagement. Thank you for your continued support and partnership!

Warm regards,

Dorissa Martin

Principal of Northern Lights ABC K-8 School

October 23 & 24: Parent-Teacher Conference (school dismissal 11:30 am)

October 23 & 24: Book Fair (library) 11:30 am - 5 pm

October 25: Donations for winter carnival due

October 28 - 31: Red Ribbon Week

October 28: Q1 Academics Awards (K - 6)

November 1: Deadline for Tiger Reading

November 4: Q1 Middle School Academic Awards

November 8: Winter Carnival

Primary Academic Award

Date: Monday, October 28

Primary (K - 3): 9:15 - 9:45 am

Intermediate (4 - 6): 10 - 10:30 am.

Middle School Academic Award

Date: Monday, November 4

Time: 9:10 - 9:40 am

K-5

Our students are doing a great job in their K-5 music classes.

We are singing songs, playing instruments together, moving with the music, and working on our music literacy skills.

If you’d like, ask your Kindergartener about the song “Pitter Patter,” your 1st grader about “Autumn Leaves,” your 2nd grader about “Engine Engine,” your 3rd grader about “Monster Song,” your 4th grader about their Red White and Blue songs, and your 5th grader about writing an 8-beat pattern.

6th-8th grade Choir

Congratulations to our Middle School students for their first October fall concert! We’re so proud of their growth over the past two months.

6th grade choir is doing a great job on their solfege and literacy skills. Sixth grade students are eligible to audition for the city wide Honor Choir with auditions at the beginning of November. Check with your 6th grade choir student for permission slips; a link was also sent to your email.

All students are working hard to prep for their December concerts. It’s going to be a great year!

🎤 Join the Choir!

Singing is an irreplaceable part of your child’s education, but the benefits of choir are often misunderstood. Here are some of the benefits of singing in a choir:

1. Singing releases endorphins–think of how you might feel after singing along with your favorite song in the car.

2. Singing together is especially effective at creating social bonds and helping people to make friends.

3. Singing in a choir is considered an aerobic activity because it requires so much breathwork! It also improves posture, which is so important in today’s world.

4. Singing in a choir increases self-confidence.

There are more benefits to come in future newsletters. In the meantime, sing with those you love!

Sources: https://www.ox.ac.uk/research/choir-singing-improves-health-happiness-%E2%80%93-and-perfect-icebreaker

https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/10-reasons-singing-is-good-for-yo

If you have questions, you can reach me at

congdon_darinda@asdk12.org

And you can always find more information on our NLABC music website at https://sites.google.com/asdk12.net/nlabcmusic/?usp=sharing

Ms. Congdon

During the months of November and December, our school would like to honor all service men and women. Please read the attached letter from our Advisory Board and how you could contribute to all who served and are serving our nation.

The Battle of the Books is a statewide Alaskan reading motivation and comprehension program sponsored by the Alaska Association of School Librarians. The goals of the program are to encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading, broaden reading interests, increase reading comprehension, and promote academic excellence. Fifth and Sixth Grade will practice during recess on Wednesdays and Fridays from October 20th till the District Competition in early January. Permission slips for 5th/6th are available in the library. Please contact Mrs. Kaas or Mrs. Heinrich for 3rd/4th B.O.B. information.

Come for an evening of fun, games and silent auction.

Please check the attachments below for how you can contribute to the success of this fundraiser.

Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

Details of the NLABC Thanksgiving Feast will be in the next issue of Tiger Tracks. In the meanwhile, it is not too early to look for a costume for your student(s).

Hello,

My name is Ms. McConnell, I am the Social Studies teacher for 7th and 8th grade here at Northern Lights ABC. I wanted to share with parents a little about how the year is transpiring so far. My 7th grade homeroom class has been busy studying, but more importantly, actively thanking our US Military and first responders. We have colored and wrote many positive messages to our soldiers far and abroad, protecting our freedoms and way of American life. They will be sent on Friday to “Operation Gratitude” to be delivered to our United States military troops and first responders.

In addition, I work with the students on Student Advisory Board, business outside of NLABC is as usual. THE SAB represents not just the students at NLABC, but the plethora of students in the Anchorage School District. With this said, we have an exciting project we are working on that illuminates all that is GREAT with the TIGERS!!!

Thank you for all your continued support for education!!

Sincerely,

Ms. McConnell

"Hello Tigers!!

Ms. McConnell here, Social Studies teacher for middle school. In addition, I also am the Student Advisory Board advisor here at NLABC. I was invited to ASD for a Student Government leadership seminar on October 8, 2024. It was very engaging to see our students in action as they represent not only NLABC, but the entire student body of ASD. The opportunities for these students range from volunteering in the community to student youth court downtown that introduces them to government and law on a statewide basis. Many youth court students were in Kodiak October 7th. Our own Allie Wuerth , 7th grade SAB rep., spoke on one of NLABC’s needs. Our members of the SAB are David Pak (8th), Ethan Hunt (7th) and Allie Wuerth (7th). I was proud to see their professional behavior and demeanor at the event. NLABC is represented by bright young minds ready to lead!!! "

So proud of our Basketball teams. We are showing ASD that we have a crew of Strong Athletes. Coach Reale and Coach Matthew were very proud of our young men. Thank you parents for driving our students all over Anchorage from Girdwood to Chugiak. It was a great season.

Each musical group performed 3 songs, and they were Stellar. It was amazing to see how quickly their musical talent increases in one year. Thank you Mr. Toba, Mr. Stewart, and Ms. Congdon