NRAC Family Newsletter

NRAC Families,

Happy New Year! I hope you had a restful and joyous holiday season filled with moments to recharge and connect with loved ones. January is a time for our students to refocus and set goals for the remainder of the school year. Whether it’s improving study habits, participating in extracurricular activities, or practicing RangerSTRONG, every effort contributes to a thriving and supportive school culture.

January is also School Board Recognition Month, and we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated school board members. Their hard work and support play a vital role in ensuring that our students realize their preferred future.

Wishing you a happy and healthy start to the new year!

Warm regards,
Shane

Physical Education

Please help your child to remember to bring their tennis shoes to school with them on days that they have Physical Education class! For the safety of students while they participate in P.E., boots, crocs, slides, sandals, dress shoes and slippers are not appropriate or safe for exercise. To help keep track of the days your child has P.E. class, please reference our Specials Rotation sheet linked below- it is updated monthly and after calamity days. We appreciate your help! Stay safe and active this winter!

3-4 Specials Schedule: https://rebrand.ly/SpecialsSchedule24-25

Music:

May 14, 2025- 4th grade concert

May 19, 2025- 4th grade- 5th band and choir information night

4th grade students are beginning to learn some of their concert music for their performance in May. They are very excited to be starting to learn the ukulele. Ask your student where the ukulele came from. (Hint: Not Hawaii)

3rd grade is gearing up to play both recorders and bucket drums. Don’t worry recorders stay at school until the middle of 4th grade. Then they will be able to play many beautiful songs for you.

Zones of Regulation:

The Zones of Regulation is a program designed to help children in grades 3-4 recognize and manage their emotions, behaviors, and reactions. It uses a color-coded system to teach self-regulation skills:

• Blue Zone: Feelings of being low energy or sad, tired, or bored.

• Green Zone: Calm, happy, focused, or ready to learn—this is the "just right" zone.

• Yellow Zone: Feeling slightly heightened, such as anxious, frustrated, or excited.

• Red Zone: Feeling out of control, such as angry, terrified, or extremely upset.

By identifying which zone they are in, students learn to use tools and strategies to regulate their emotions and behaviors. The goal is to help them better understand their feelings and choose appropriate actions to feel better and be successful in school and social situations. If you hear your child talking about the zone they may be in, the information below may be helpful. Students have also been taught a weekly coping strategy to help them manage their emotions when they feel themselves heading to the red zone. Please ask your child what coping strategy they prefer using the most.

The Amazing Shake is a competition where 7th grade students learn real life skills and compete with each other in front of judges from the community. Students will learn how to shake hands, talk to adults and each other, handle conflict, make an appointment on the phone, and many other interpersonal skills that will help them in the future. Our first round competition is Thursday, February 6th.

We are still in need of additional judges for this year's round one competition coming up on February 6. If you are interested or know a community leader, business person, retiree, etc., who might be interested in participating as a judge and/or sponsor for this activity, please forward them the information below or feel free to send their contact information to Randy Wood (randywood@nrcs.net) and he will reach out.

Round 1 Event Details:

• When: Thursday, February 6

• Where: North Ridgeville Academic Center

• What to Expect: Judges will interact with students and evaluate their performance in various tasks such as interviews, presentations, and social interactions.

This year’s Future Fair will be held on Friday, February 21, 2025. The convention floor will be open from 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., where students will have the opportunity to connect with representatives from local businesses, agencies, colleges, multiple military branches, and programs offering certifications and apprenticeships. Additional activities, including team-building sessions, workshops, and career exploration events, will take place throughout the day from 8:20 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

If you are interested in volunteering to help at this year's future fair, please click HERE or click on the letter below to read more.

Students who participated in the 10-week DEA Taekwondo program through NRAC and Master Smith's Taekwondo earned new belts on January 8th as part of their graduation from the course. Enjoy some great pictures below that show how much work our students completed.

If your child would like to sign up for session 2 (Wednesday after school starting Jan 29, Feb 12, 19, 26, Mar 5, 26, Apr 2, 9, 16, 23) click HERE to view the schedule and complete the form.

SB 288 requires that school districts provide students in grades kindergarten through six developmentally appropriate instruction on child sexual abuse prevention, including information on available counseling and resources for children who are sexually abused. Additionally, SB 288 requires that students in grades seven through twelve receive developmentally appropriate instruction in dating violence prevention education and sexual violence prevention education, which must include instruction in recognizing dating violence warning signs and characteristics of healthy relationships.

Parents, please click HERE to read an important letter outlining more information about Senate Bill 288 and our school's responsibility to your students.

Parents, can you believe the second quarter of the year has come to a close? Please log into your PowerSchool account to see the most up to date communication about your student's progress and growth in classes at NRAC. Over our long break is a great time for students to get caught up on work if you notice any missing assignments. Reports cards which will include both Q1 and Q2 grades will be released for you to view on January 21st.

How to View PowerSchool Grades Videos

PowerSchool Basics- For Parents_Guardians.mp4

PowerSchool Basics- For Parents_Guardians.pdf

Accessing Report Card in the PowerSchool Parent Portal

Accessing PowerSchool Report Cards.mp4

3-4 Ranger Cart will be coming around to studios on January 24th. Please tell your children to have their Ranger Bucks ready! Some cool new prizes include handheld games, squishy toys and fidget toys. Thank you PTO for supporting our PBIS efforts!

5-8 PBIS prize winners are:

Alexander Carico (7th grade) - Nintendo Switch

Braylon Seman (6th grade) - 3D Print Sculpture

Olivia Coughlin (5th grade) Ranger Gear

Preston Sebold (5th grade) - Gift Card

Please join the NRHS Choir program for a meeting focused on all 8th graders who are interested in scheduling choir for next year. It is a great way for students to earn their fine arts credit their freshman year of high school and to fulfill their graduation requirement, even if they are not currently in choir. Please see the flyer below for more information.

8th Grade Parent Night for NRHS @ North Ridgeville Academic Center

January 27,2024 - 6:30 pm in the NRAC Cafetorium.

Information about high school scheduling and other scheduling information will be shared. Both parents and students may attend.

CCP and AP Night @ North Ridgeville Academic Center

January 16, 2025 - 6:30 pm in the NRAC Cafetorium.

Come learn more about AP and College Credit Plus classes to make the best planning and scheduling choices!

Any 7th and 8th grade students who are interested in participating in Track and Field this spring, please click HERE! More information will be coming out very soon.

The STOPit App is a perfect way for students to report bullying or anonymously report information to administrators that could be harmful to students and staff members in our school. While reporting this information to an administrator or parent is the best option, using the STOPit app allows students to report information to us from anywhere and anytime. Please click HERE for more information.

Fresh off the press from our Nursing Services, click HERE to read January 2025 News from Nursi our NRAC nurses.

As winter approaches, we want to ensure the safety of all students, staff, and families during arrival and dismissal times. Please discuss these guidelines with your students. Here are a few reminders:

PARENTS:

1. Stay in Designated Areas
   Always pick up and drop off your child in the designated zones. Avoid parking in unauthorized areas or stopping in bus zones.

2. Be Alert in the Parking Lot
   Drive slowly and be extra cautious of children crossing between cars, especially in snowy or icy conditions.

3. Prepare Your Child
   Ensure your child is dressed warmly and can quickly identify your car during dismissal. Brightly colored clothing or reflective gear helps on darker winter afternoons.

4. Follow Traffic Patterns
   Stick to the established traffic flow for arrival and dismissal. Do not attempt to bypass waiting cars, as this can create confusion and risk.
   
   

CAR RIDERS/WALKERS:

1. Walk, Don’t Run
   Snow and ice make running dangerous. .

2. Stay on the Sidewalk
   Avoid walking in driveways or parking lots. Stick to cleared walkways whenever possible.

3. Look for Cars and Buses
   Always watch for moving vehicles, even when crossing in designated areas. Wait until cars or buses have completely stopped before crossing.

4. Stay Warm and Safe
   Dress in layers with hats, gloves, and waterproof boots to keep warm and dry while waiting outside.

BUS RIDERS:

1. Arrive Early
   Arrive at the bus stop early and stand back from the curb while waiting.
2. Be Patient
   Wait until the bus has come to a complete stop before approaching.
3. Walk Slowly
   Use the handrail when boarding or exiting to avoid slipping.

Together, we can make winter arrival and dismissal safe for everyone! Please review the designated drop-off and pick-up points by visiting your child's school webpage.

PTO/Boosters Meeting next Wednesday (1/15/25) at 6:30 pm at the NRAC 5-8 Media Center

Upcoming Activity Nights/Dances:

5th grade Activity Night - March 14th

6th grade Activity Night - March 7th

*More information about the activity nights will be coming soon!

The North Ridgeville City Schools are always looking for great candidates to fill our many full and part-time positions. Please check out our Employment information on our district website. Looking for something part-time? Looking to help out for limited hours during the school year? Please consider becoming an important part of our team.

Ohio Substitute Teacher Services serves as our district’s substitute management provider, responsible for the recruitment, training, and employment of substitute teachers. To begin the employment process as a valued substitute teacher for North Ridgeville City Schools, click here.

Requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Bachelor’s degree with official transcripts or a valid teaching and/or substitute license from the Ohio Department of Education.

• Valid BCI & FBI fingerprinting background check results in less than 12 months old and are on file with the Ohio Department of Education.

Please consider becoming a substitute teacher today!

Substitute support staff play a vital role in keeping our buildings and facilities open and running efficiently. Many diverse opportunities exist for your consideration. Please consider applying to become a substitute cleaner, custodian, food service worker, paraprofessional, media specialist, secretary, bus driver and aides, or health care associate. Please start an application here if interested in one of these positions.

Join us on Saturday, January 25, 2025 for an NRCS Night with the Cavs! Thanks to our partnership with Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, we are getting discounted tickets for this event AND 40 lucky students will get the experience of a lifetime to be on the the court for the cheer tunnel and the National Anthem. Click here to buy your tickets! Once they have been purchased, please fill out this form for your student to be eligible for the pregame festivities.

Please click HERE to see a listing of Fall programing available through the North Ridgeville Parks and Recreation Department.

1/8/25:

-8th Grade Student DC Roommate Meeting (7:50-8:20am) Cafetorium

1/9/25:

-8th Grade Band Parent Night (6:30pm-7:30pm)

1/13/25:

-Staff Only Records Day (8:00am-11:10am)

1/15/25:

-NRAC PTO Meeting (6:30pm-7:30pm) Location: 5-8 Media Center

1/16/25:

-CCP Night (6:30pm) NRAC Cafetorium

1/20/25:

-No School (Martin Luther King Day)

Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, to keep up with daily happenings at the North Ridgeville Academic Center. Reminders of upcoming events, and general information about the building and district will be frequently shared.

NRAC - @NRAC_3-8

Mr. Sullivan - @SullyPrincipal