Bulldog Blast
Wednesday, August 31st, 2022
🎉Welcome back Northwood families and students🎉 We hope you are as excited as we are about the new school year!
Similar to our Northwood school website, our weekly Bulldog Blast e-newsletter will continue to provide you with weekly updates and announcements for our K-8 communities. We will also be continuing to highlight our bulldogs in our 'Bulldog Spotlight' section below so please feel free to start sending your first week of school pictures to Ms. Urbano, at curbano@northwoodcs.org.
To stay informed between issues of our newsletter, make sure to follow us on Instagram (@nacslife) and add us on Facebook (@northwoodcs) for additional news and updates throughout the week! Below you will find additional important reminders and dates to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Lastly, It has been brought to our attention that there was a misprint on the calendar in the Student/Parent Handbook. School is OPEN Thursday 9/1 and Friday 9/2 and students in Grades 1- 8 are expected to be in attendance. Only Kindergarten will not be in the building on 9/1 and 9/2, they will return on Tuesday 9/6. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused and appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate this new year.
This week & Looking ahead:
✏️ TRANSPASSES: Please be advised, transpasses were handed out this week. If your child received a transpass that will be their transpass for the entire year. Please DO NOT throw it away.
✏️ POLICY & PROCEDURE: Please take a moment to read and review our new Chromebook Policy and Northwood Academy School Bus Protocol and Procedure. Please note that students will not receive a Chromebook until a parent or guardian has signed and returned the updated policy.
LOOKING AHEAD...
- MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Back to School Night is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, September 15th, more information will be shared next week.
Covid-19 Policy
Covid Protocols Letters
Please see below for information on our Covid-19 Policy. Thank you!
Covid Protocols Letter- English
Covid Protocols Letter- Spanish
Parent Corner:
Stay Connected: Remind App.
Sign up to get essential weekly alerts from us via the school Remind app
Remind is a free, safe messaging app that keeps Northwood Academy families up to date with what’s happening in the classroom and school. Additionally, our weekly Bulldog Blast is sent out via Remind, along with other timely announcements throughout each week.
Please sign up for our Remind notifications to stay on top of important updates from teachers and receive schoolwide updates in real-time.
Create a Remind account to receive Northwood's schoolwide alerts!
- Go to remind.com/join/nacsnews (or download the free iOS or Android app)
- Click Sign Up
- Provide a full name, email address, and password
- Choose your role
- Follow the instructions to start using Remind
To sign up and receive alerts via text message, text @nacsnews to the number 81010 and select the appropriate role.
Note: Each teacher has a different class code for their individual classes. Please contact your child's teacher to receive this information.
Fall Sports Update:
Flag Football Tryouts-9/6 with Coach Bilski and Paleologos
Soccer Tryouts- 9/8 with Coach Sandoval and DeShields
Cross Country Tryouts-9/9 with Coach Whitlach and Parico
Please note, that NO child will be able to participate in tryouts without a signed permission slip returned to school. Permission slips will be sent out this week. For further details regarding times, location, and which grades are applicable please refer to the permission slips distributed, thank you!
Try Out Information:
- All students interested in trying out will meet in the gym following school dismissal
- All tryouts will end by 4:30 pm. Students may be picked up at school or walk home/ take septa with permission from a parent or guardian.
*Reminder to all students who are interested in playing sports at Northwood: We require an up to date Sports Physicals before your student/athlete is able to play in any games this season. The Sports Physical is only valid for one calendar year. Please have your student pick up Sports Physical Paperwork at school as soon as possible if they do not have an updated Sports Physical on file. Questions? Coach Bilski, nbilski@northwoodcs.org
Working papers
UNIFORM EXCHANGE PROGRAM: REQUEST FOR DONATIONS
How the Uniform Exchange Program Works:
Do you have any GOOD quality unwanted, outgrown school uniforms? If the answer is yes, please donate them to Northwood Academy’s Uniform Exchange!
The NACS uniform exchange motto is, to take what you need and give when you can. New uniforms are expensive and children often outgrow them before they wear them out. Why buy new when there are perfectly good items in the uniform exchange available. Any Northwood family in need of a uniform can have one as long as we have the size needed. At this time, our uniform stock is extremely low.
All donated items are checked for quality and sorted by style and size.
The program only works if uniforms are donated so please consider giving clean uniforms you no longer need. If you are able to donate, please make sure that the clothes are in a reusable condition. The size of the item should be identifiable. If it is not, please indicate the size of the item with indelible ink.
Please remember, you do not have to donate clothes in order to take from the uniform exchange. All items can be dropped off during school hours at the front school office.
If you have any questions, please email Ms. Urbano, curbano@northwoodcs.org
Community Corner:
Free Movie Night at Northwood park! 9/30 ENCANTO
Join Fairmount Park Conservancy and our friends at Northwood Park for a free outdoor family movie night on Friday, September 30th, featuring Encanto!
Encanto tells the tale of the Marigals, an extraordinary family living in a magical house in the Colombian mountains. When Maribel, the only ordinary family member, discovers the magic surrounding their home is in danger, she may be her family’s last hope.
Movie nights begin at dusk and are BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket). Schedules are subject to change, so please keep in touch with your local Park Friends Group for news and updates. These movie nights are made possible by Fairmount Park Conservancy’s event grants program. Learn more here: https://myphillypark.org/free-movie-nights-2022/
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Sept. 14 (Rain date – Sept. 15) 4-6 PM
The River Alive! Learning Trail is a new and exciting way for families to enjoy green space together while engaging with the natural environment all around them in Tacony Creek Park!
Six benches and animal sculptures will be placed along Cayuga Street in Juniata Park to connect you to Tacony Creek. Each sculpture will include an interactive water feature, song, and sign. Poetry will connect the six stations along the trail, too!
The Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF) and Habitheque, working with local artists Miguel Horn and Jay Coreano, invite you and your family to help decorate the beautiful mosaic on the base of each animal using a paint by a number system.
Questions? Contact the River Alive! Learning Trail Coordinator: Gianna@ttfwatershed.org or (302) 559-2423.
5th Annual Autism Play Date
Join for sensory-friendly family fun, food trucks, resource tables, and much more! Plus, a very special playground installation dedicated to children with special needs and learning differences!
When? Sunday, August 28, 2022, 1:00 - 5:00 pm
Where? Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse
Sponsored by The City Council of Philadelphia, Councilmember At-Large, Derek Green.
TechGirlz: Empowering Girls To Be Future Technology Leaders
Fine the full list on their website.
TechGirlz’ mission is to inspire middle school girls to explore the possibilities of technology to empower their future careers. Our vision is to create a world where girls have a lifelong passion and confidence in their use of technology throughout their careers.
Club Philly Forensics Program
After two years without an after-school program, Lightbulb Learning Center is open! The Club Philly Forensics program is dedicated to educating youth in grades 7-12 about the fascinating fields of forensic science and how to prepare for a career in forensic science. Starting on September 15, 2022, the program will meet once a week for six weeks on a Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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Students are taught about Forensic Drug Chemistry, Forensic Biology, Crime Scene Investigation, and more during our interactive workshops! >> REGISTER HERE <<
Northwood Academy Charter School Child Find Policy and Procedures (Annual Notice)
Hello Northwood Families,
You will find a copy of our Annual Child Find Notice here outlining the procedures and protocols for Northwood's monitoring of all of our students and identification of students with special needs. This will also be able to be referenced on our website, via social media, and in local news publications. For further information, please contact the Director of Special Education, Kate Crossett at 215-289-5606.
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The Child Find Policy (Annual Notice) Policy and Procedures for Students with Disabilities at Northwood Academy Charter School aim to ensure that all students with disabilities who are eligible to enroll in the school will have available to them a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. CLICK HERE for the complete policy.
MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT: NORTHWOOD IS HERE TO HELP
If you believe you may be eligible, contact Lower School Counselor (K-4) Ms. Lozandieu at mlozandieu@northwoodcs.org or Upper School Counselor (5-8) Mr. Whitlatch at awhitlatch@northwoodcs.org to find out what services and supports may be available!
CLICK HERE to watch a video (created by Kevin Lofton) for families in Philadelphia to understand their rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for students experiencing homelessness. Check it out now!
If you or a family member are in need of housing, food, health, and safety services, please check out these resources from Project HOME: Where To Turn Guide.
Important Dates on the Horizon
Monday, September 5th- Labor Day (School Closed)
TENTATIVE- Thursday, September 15th- Back-to-School Night
Thursday, September 15th- Saturday, October 15th- National Hispanic Heritage Month
Tuesday, September 27th- Rosh Hashanah (School Closed)
Wednesday, October 5th- Yom Kippur (School Closed)
Monday, October 10th- Indigenous People's Day (School Closed)
TENTATIVE- December 14th and 15th- Parent-Teacher Conferences
What is Safe2Say Something?
Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late. With Safe2Say Something, it’s easy and confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies.
Here’s how it works:
- Submit an anonymous tip report through the Safe2SaySomething system
- The crisis center reviews and processes all submissions
- The crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement for intervention
- If needed, the crisis center may contact the tipster anonymously through the app
Safe2Say Something PA:
Submit an anonymous tip here:
Connect with Northwood
Website: northwoodcs.org
Location: 4621 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Phone: (215) 289-5606
Facebook: facebook.com/Northwood-Academy-Charter-School-153041454730750/
Twitter: @northwoodcs