Panther Pride Newsletter

On October 24th, Norton High School hosted a college fair, providing students the opportunity to meet with representatives from 13 colleges and three branches of the military. The event was a great success, and many of the representatives praised our students for being respectful, polite, and engaging. They expressed how much they enjoyed visiting our school, with some even commenting that our students were among the most polite and inquisitive they’ve encountered.

The event was well-organized, and our students asked thoughtful questions, making the most of the opportunity. Several students even submitted college applications during the fair. We are excited to make this an annual event and plan to expand it to include career opportunities as well.

A special thank you to Mrs. Tracey Colecchi for her outstanding coordination of this event!

College Fair Participants:

• American Winds College of Aeronautics
• Defiance College
• Hiram College
• Kent State University
• Malone University
• Miami University
• Mount Union University
• Ohio University
• Seton Hill University
• Stark State College
• University of Akron
• University of Findlay
• Walsh University
• United States Army
• United States National Guard
• United States Navy

The first celebration using the term Veterans Day occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947. Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized "National Veterans Day," which included a parade and other festivities, to honor all veterans. The event was held on November 11, then designated Armistice Day. Later, U.S. Representative Edward Rees of Kansas proposed a bill that would change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. In 1954, Congress passed the bill that President Eisenhower signed proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day. Raymond Weeks received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Reagan in November 1982. Weeks' local parade and ceremonies are now an annual event celebrated nationwide.

Sixth graders have been learning about latitude and longitude in their social studies classes. Teachers organized a fun simulation activity for the students to apply their new skills. Each group received nine geocaching locations, along with clues for each site. If the students successfully used their app to find a location, a prize awaited them. It was great to see our students learning, having fun, and enjoying some fresh air in the great outdoors at the same time!

In an attempt to continue advancing with the times, we asked AI to come up with four fun activities for this upcoming Thanksgiving Day and it also developed the above picture - amazing. AI can be a little scary but it's here to stay.

Thankful Tree: Create a “thankful tree” where everyone writes what they're grateful for on paper leaves and hangs them on a small tree or branch centerpiece. It's a meaningful and interactive way to express gratitude together.
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt: Set up a scavenger hunt with clues related to Thanksgiving traditions or items around the house (pumpkins, a family photo, or autumn leaves). This is a fun way to keep kids engaged while waiting for dinner.

DIY Thanksgiving Crafts: Gather supplies to make Thanksgiving-themed crafts like turkey handprints, paper pilgrim hats, or leaf garlands. This keeps kids entertained and also creates fun decorations for the holiday.

Family Recipe Cook-Off: Turn meal prep into a friendly competition where family members take turns making dishes. Everyone can vote on their favorite Thanksgiving dish, making meal time even more exciting and interactive.

Some of these may be worth trying out, but we still can't go wrong with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and football!!

Congratulations to the following students for their excellence inside and outside of the classroom as they have been chosen as our November Students of the Month. They truly exemplify what it means to be a Norton Panther. Panther Pride!

• Primary - Elliot Knapp
• NES - Selah Sypherd
• Middle - Aubrey Clark
• HS - Maddie Mullett
• Compact - Alaina Mullett

Norton Middle School students recently demonstrated incredible commitment and teamwork as they packed an astounding 115,776 meals for Feed My Starving Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing nutritious meals to children in need worldwide. This volunteer effort offered students an invaluable opportunity to give back, learn about the importance of service, and understand the impact that a single meal can have on a child’s life. Throughout the day, our students worked tirelessly, embracing the challenge with enthusiasm and compassion. We’re so proud of their dedication and outstanding contributions to this cause. A special thank you to Grace Church, Mrs. Friddle, and Dr. Russo, whose extensive planning and coordination made this event possible. Together, we showed the power of our community to make a difference!

In 1845, Congress passed a federal law designating the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November as Election Day. Previously, states were allowed to hold elections any time they pleased within a 34-day period before the first Wednesday in December.

Students at Norton Elementary continue to learn the competencies of the Panther Way. During the month of November, NES students applied the concept of ‘contribute’ through meaningful activities. On November 11, students contributed to honoring veterans through performances, singing patriotic songs, and visiting with veterans. Later in the day, students participated in Panther Way activities where teachers led a variety of activities. Students in first and fourth grade collaborated on making cards and letters to local nursing homes. Students in second grade contributed to the school by making artwork and bringing together unique pieces to form a quilt-style piece of art and made connections to having personal gifts to contribute. Students in third grade packed lunches for the Haven of Rest, snacks for the local homeless population, began a pop tab drive to support the Ronald McDonald House, and cleaned the NES courtyard. The students are embracing the competencies of the Panther Way and continue to find ways to connect to the community’s vision of a Norton student.

Kindergarten families played Candyland with a “literacy” twist during conferences as part of a $3,000 Reading Grant that Primary received from the Arby’s Foundation.

Students from Kindergarten’s Reading Room (Title 1) were invited to bring their families and enjoy a provided dinner and learn a “new” way to play Candyland with their brand new board game given to each family by the grant.

Mrs. Ranier, Title 1 Teacher, provided adapted game rules while the students took turns following them and naming the letters/letter sounds or sight/high frequency words landed upon. One student said, “This is the best night ever ‘cuz I’m playing Candyland with my family, my friends and you, Mrs. Ranier!”

The parents and grandparents were appreciative to learn fun, hands-on ways to practice letters, sounds and the Kindergarten word lists. The building’s goal of communicating with families to inform them of grade-level literacy expectations is part of our year-long commitment to involve families as we roll out the district’s “The Panther Way,” ideals. This event focused on “Communicating” to inform and instruct, while encouraging families to have fun and spend time together.

• In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states.
• President Abraham Lincoln had declared Thanksgiving a national holiday on the last Thursday in November in 1863 and tradition dictated that it be celebrated on the last Thursday of that month.
  

In the event that school is closed due to weather or other circumstances, information can be obtained in the following manner:

• 1st Priority (main methods of notification)
• School Messaging System - via text message
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nortoncityschoolsohio
  
• School website: https://www.nortonschools.org/
• X: @NortonCS_Super
• 2nd Priority (may experience delays due to call volume)
  
• Television: Local Television Stations Channels 3, 5, 8
  
• School Messaging System - via phone
  

• Nov. 28 thru Dec. 2 - Thanksgiving Break
  
• Dec. 3 - School Resumes
• Dec. 19 - End of Semester
  
• Dec. 19 - Last Day of Semester for Students
• Dec. 20 thru Jan. 3 - Winter Break
  
• Jan. 6 - School Resumes
• Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Day - No School
• Feb. 17 - Presidents Day - No School
  

4128 S. Cleveland Massillon Road

Norton, OH 44203

Phone: 330.825.0863

Website: nortonschools.org

High School

Grades 9-12

330.825.7300

Middle School

Grades 5-8

330.825.5607

Elementary School

Grades 1-4

330.825.3828

Primary School

Pre-K thru Kindergarten

330.825.5133

Attendance Hotline

330.706.2760