Northern Middle Newsletter 10/22/23
Weekly Update 10/22/23
Bobcat Nation:
We have had a great response and participation with our NMS MEGA-Raiser Donation Drive and would like to thank all of our students, staff, and families for their support! We are excited to announce that Mid-Atlantic Fundraising has agreed to extend the deadline to Monday, 10/23. This will provide more time for students meet the individual goals needed to attend the MEGA Party. We are also very close to reaching the school-wide goal of $20,000 that will result in Mr. Webster doing the Ice Bucket Challenge at the Mega-Party. We are also within reach of the bonus goal of $25,000 which would result in Mr. Webster, Ms. Wagner, and Ms. Gheen will imitating a Tik Tok dance at the Mega Party. As of Sunday afternoon, we have exceeded $19,000 and are almost there!
Thank you to the PTO for organizing and facilitating the Fall Fest Night Party! It was a great night for the students and staff as we celebrated the fall season together as a school community.
There are two very important actions that are needed by parents of every student. Information and directions for each process are below in the newsletter.
- CCPS Impact Aid Survey in HAC - this was emailed out to all parents last week and needs to be completed by October 31st. Thank you to those parents who have already completed the survey.
- CCPS Annual Student Update in HAC - Thank you to those families who have submitted the required CCPS Annual Student Update in HAC for your student(s). If you have not done so yet, please see below for information on how to do so as the deadline was Friday, September 22nd.
Have a great week!
Mr. Webster, NMS Principal
End of the 1st Marking Period
The end of the first marking period is November 1st and report cards will be distributed on November 13th. These dates will get here quickly. It is important for students not to wait until the last minute to study for tests, turn in missing assignments, etc.
NMS YEARBOOK 23-24 – ON SALE NOW – EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS 11/30
Be sure to order your 2023-24 NMS Yearbook! Yearbooks are sold online at:
https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/NMS2023
Yearbooks are currently on sale with a special early bird price of $25.00. After November 30th, the price will increase to $30.00. Be sure to purchase soon to get the discounted price.
If you have any yearbook questions, please contact Mrs. McGuire at mcguireta@calvertnet.k12.md.us.
NMS SCHOOL-WIDE FUNDRAISER - MEGA-RAISER DONATION DRIVE
Just a quick reminder about our NMS MEGA-Raiser Donation Drive. We have had a great start to the fundraiser and would like to thank all of our students, staff, and families for their support!
Click on this link and type in your student's name to access their fundraiser page - https://app.pledge-drive.net/Campaign/northern2023
The student donation website has options to share with family and friends about the fundraiser through email and social media. Check your student's page for fundraiser details and updates. Students who receive at least $100 in donations in their name will be invited to participate in a Mega Party later this fall. Additional reward options are unlocked at different levels of donations. Check out the fundraiser website for more information on student rewards.
If you have any questions or would prefer for your student to not have a fundraiser page, please contact Ms. Maslanik at 443-550-9230 or maslanikt@calvertnet.k12.md.us.
CCPS Impact Aid Notification 2023 - Parent Action Needed by 10/31/23
It is time to participate in our annual Federal Impact Aid Survey! Federal Impact Aid supports funding for local school districts with concentrations of children who have parents/guardians in the uniformed services or parents/guardians employed on eligible Federal Properties Last year, your cooperation with completing and returning this form supported Calvert County Public Schools with receiving Federal Impact Aid funds.
Please follow the directions below to complete your form online. The direct link to access Home Access Center (HAC) to complete your form is Login (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
If you have a technical difficulty, you can complete and return a paper survey with your child. A blank form is posted on our website at Impact Aid Program Survey - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us) This link is found by navigating to the parent tab/forms & applications.
Please submit your completed form(s) no later than October 31, 2023 It is important that all CCPS parents/guardians complete and sign this form for each child; even if you are not active military or a civilian working on federal property on September 30, 2023.
All information collected is confidential and used only for the stated purpose. The Impact Aid grant application provides only collective information on the numbers and locations of our federally connected students.
Thank you for your continued support of Calvert County Public Schools.
IMPORTANT & REQUIRED INFO NEEDED FROM FAMILIES - CCPS ANNUAL STUDENT UPDATE FORM - Was Due by 9/22/23
If you have already completed the Annual Student Update for your children, thank you! If you still need to complete it, please follow the attached directions below. The same message was sent to parents/guardians by CCPS on September 5th. The direct link to access HAC to complete the update is https://ccpses4hac.calvertnet.k12.md.us.
This year, you will need to log in to your Home Access Center (HAC) account to complete the Annual Student Update form electronically for each child who lives with you was due by Friday, September 22, 2023. This process replaces the emergency form and several other permission forms and acknowledgements that are required each school year. Only one guardian for each child may complete this process, which is critical to school operations. Once each child’s form is done, it will be marked complete in eSchoolPlus, our student information system.
NMS Red Ribbon Week - 10/23 - 10/27
NJHS - Toys for Tots Drive
All-County Band Update from Mr. Hautmann
HEARING AND VISION SCREENINGS FOR 8TH GRADERS AND NEW STUDENTS
The Calvert County Health Department will be conducting a hearing and vision screening at Northern Middle School. This screening is for all 8th grade students, students new to Calvert County Public Schools and those students who have not had a recent screening. This is only a screening. All students are required to be screened unless they have been evaluated by an optometrist/ophthalmologist/audiologist within the past year.
If your student was recently screened by an optometrist/ophthalmologist/audiologist, please provide documentation to the school nurse for your student’s health record. The Vision & Hearing Technician is scheduled to begin screening on Monday, November 6th.
Students who wear glasses, contacts and/or assistive hearing devices should have them available for the screening. Please note that the date is subject to change.
Please feel free to contact your school nurse, Mrs. Fleshman, at 443-550-9227 with any questions you have concerning this matter.
CARSON SCHOLAR APPLICATIONS
If selected as the NMS nominee, you will apply to be selected as a Carson Scholar and possibly win a $1000.00 college scholarship.
Students who are interested in applying should stop by the guidance office for an application.
7th and 8th Grade Health Curriculum in Physical Education Classes
Reminder: Students in 7ᵗʰ and 8ᵗʰ grade will participate in the family life and human sexuality
component of the health curriculum. Typically, this takes place during the 2ⁿᵈ or 3ʳᵈ marking
periods. Parents will receive an opt- out letter outlining what is taught in Family Life and Human Sexuality. Teachers will email this letter through Home Access Center (HAC). Any parents who would like to excuse their child from family life and human sexuality topics, should return the letter to the teacher.
We encourage parents to speak with the teacher to further understand what is being taught and to determine if there are specific elements in which you would want your child to participate. Students who are excused from family life learning objectives will receive appropriate alternative learning in health education outside of the health classroom.
If you have any questions regarding the curriculum, please contact your child’s teacher. You can find the letter here:
NMS Extracurricular Opportunities
NMS Musical
We have completed the auditions for the NMS Musical. Thank you to Ms. Lewis for her work coordinating this process. Congratulations to those students who will be participating. A calendar of rehearsals and meetings is below.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Lewis at lewisal@calvertnet.k12.md.us.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS - FALL
Our soccer and volleyball teams are continuing to work through their schedules playing against the CCPS middle schools. Good luck to both teams in their upcoming games. See below for their schedule.
If you have any questions, please contact our Athletic Director, Ms. McGuire, at 443-550-9230 or at mcguireta@calvertnet.k12.md.us
Northern Middle School PTO
PTO is a great way to be involved in supporting our students, staff, and school! Click the link to join! https://my.cheddarup.com/c/pto-membership-2023-2024
Thank you to Swann Farm, Harris Teeter, Calvert Yards Cards, the Fall Fest Committee, NMS families, Staff and Administrators for contributing to our Fall Fest in various ways. The PTO appreciates your continued support. We hope the students had a great time.
Chipotle Spirit Night! Mark your calendar for October 24, 4-8pm! Mention NMS when paying for your meal and a portion of your proceeds will benefit the PTO!
Green club is in need of volunteers this week during 7th and 8th grade lunch to sell smencils! Click the link for more details!!
https://m.signupgenius.com/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ#!/showSignUp/409044DACAA22A46-45359250-green
The November copy volunteer sign ups are now available! If you are an approved volunteer and can spare an hour or 2 of your time, the teachers and staff greatly appreciate the help!
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/409044DACAA22A46-45097455-copies
Nurse Fleshman is in need of volunteers for the Hearing & Vision Screenings that take place on 11/6/23 and 11/7/23.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044DACAA22A46-45209720-hearing
Resource Flyers and Opportunities for Students and Families
CCPS Strategic Planning Survey Invitation
We want to hear from you!
Parent, student, staff, and community input is vital as we develop a new 5-year Strategic Plan for Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS). Please complete the survey by November 5, 2023, and share your thoughts on the profile of a graduate, strengths, focus areas, and future outlook for the District. The survey is being conducted by Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, a third-party firm, to ensure that responses are kept anonymous.
Click on the link below to begin the survey. To change the language of the survey, use the drop-down menu located at the top of the survey webpage.
https://hyasurvey.com/SPcalvert
Thank you for your support.
Recurring Resources for Families
CCPS Reopening Plan
Tardy to School Process for NMS
It is important for students to arrive at school between 7:50 and 8:00 AM. Car-riders that arrive after 8:00 AM are considered tardy. The following steps are in place when a student arrives repeatedly late to school:
- 4 days tardy in one marking period, the NMS Attendance Team will talk to the student about the need to be at school on time and discuss solutions with the student.
- 6 days tardy in one marking period, the NMS Attendance Team will call the parents or guardians to discuss solutions.
- 8 days tardy in one marking period, the student will have lunch detention each day they arrive after 8 AM.
If tardiness is something your child is struggling with in the morning, here are some suggestions to help them get to school on time:
- Pack lunch (if necessary), lay out outfit for the morning and pack book bag before going to bed at night.
- Talk to the student about they need to do in the morning (take shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, drive time, etc.), and how long each activity will take, then have them set their alarm for enough time to get all activities completed to get to school before 8 AM.
- Students can be dropped off at 7:50, so aim for 7:50 instead of 8 AM as your arrival time.
- If tardiness continues, have student take their assigned bus to school instead of being a car-rider.
CCPS SCHOOL LUNCH MENUS
NEW ONLINE MEAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
To provide parents/guardians with a better user experience, the CCPS Child Nutrition Program has transitioned from www.MySchoolBucks.com to https://LinqConnect.com for its online meal management system.
Student purchases and account balances may be monitored by signing up online for a LINQ Connect account at https://LinqConnect.com. There is no fee to sign up for an account. From this one site, parents/guardians will be able to apply for meal benefits (no registration required) and to register their student(s) if they wish to monitor Café purchases, view balances, set low balance reminders and make deposits. In addition, parents/guardians will also now have the ability to transfer funds between their student accounts and may choose to place spending limits/purchasing maximums on these accounts. Online deposits will still incur a fee of $1.60, but that fee will now include all deposits made during a single transaction.
Please note that all previous account balances automatically transferred into the new system, however, any special notes regarding snack/á la carte purchases and limits did not and will need to be re-entered vis https://LinqConnect.com or by contacting the Child Nutrition Office at 443.550.8680.
FREE/REDUCED PRICE MEAL BENEFIT APPLICATION
It’s not too late! Apply today for free and reduced-price meal benefits!
Did you know??
- Children in your household are eligible for free school meals if your household receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Just be sure to include your 9-digit case number when completing your application (you do not need to list your income).
- Children in your household may be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals if your household is currently receiving Medicaid or WIC benefits. Eligibility will be determined based on your household size and income.
- Children in your household may be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals even if you don’t receive any assistance benefits. Eligibility will be determined based on your household size and income.
- Children who were approved for free or reduced-price meal benefits last school year were granted a 30-day grace period this school year. That grace period ended on October 10th. If your household has not yet reapplied for meal benefits this school year and has not received a notice (dated August 28th or later) stating the children in your household are eligible for meal benefits this year, please apply as soon as possible to prevent unnecessary meal charges.
Some students may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. A new application must be submitted each school year. Eligibility is typically determined by household size and income. To see if your household qualifies, please complete, and submit one meal benefit application per household. Applications may be completed online at https://LinqConnect.com. Applications are available in many languages on the LinqConnect site but are also available on the USDA’s website at http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/translated-applications.
More information is also available on the CCPS website at Departments – Child Nutrition or at https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/child-nutrition.
Student Laptops
Student have been provided with a laptop and charger by Calvert County Public Schools. 8th graders will continue to utilize the laptop this school year that has been previously issued to them and was taken home over the summer. 6th grade and 7th grade students have received new laptops.
It is important that students take care of their device and charger. While normal wear and tear is acceptable and expected, intentional damage or damage caused by neglect is not covered under the accidental warranty. These types of damages will require an investigation by school administration and may result in a student obligation for the repair costs. We would like to avoid parents being responsible for these costs, as they could hundreds of dollars depending on the damage.
Technology Expectations
Learning Expectations with Devices
- CCPS/CHS device brought to school every day – fully charged before school begins.
- Used as the official electronic device in all classrooms
- Use CCPS Office 365 account to save assignments, projects, notes
Device Safety:
- Accounts, usernames and/or passwords are never to be shared with another student/individual
- Laptop devices should never be loaned to another student/individual
- Personal, identifiable information should never be posted on the internet
- Never leave devices unattended
Device Care:
- No decorations, stickers, drawing or writing on the device
- No eating or drinking near the device
- Do not expose the device to extreme heat, cold or rain
- Clean with a dry soft cloth only
- Do not drop or slam the device on any surface
- Do not places papers or other objects between the keyboard and screen and close shut/use as a folder
PARENT ACCOUNTS IN SCHOOLOGY
Schoology accounts for parents are view only accounts. They were created for parents who have an email address in Home Access Center (HAC). For more information about how to access your Schoology parent account click: https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/instruction/programs/digital-learning/schoology-for-parents
Technology Support
If students have questions about their device (laptop/computer), they can get help from a member of the CCPS IT team at helpdesk@calvertnet.k12.md.us or call 443-550-8146. Students needing assistance can also drop off their laptop in the main office and fill out a paper Help Desk ticket.
Supports are available on the CCPS website using the Technology Support link below. This resource provides links to submit help desk tickets, frequently asked questions, and other resources that can be used to solve issues.
Here Comes the Bus - A School Bus Tracking App for Parents
Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is an app with tracking features for the bus(es) your child(ren) is assigned to ride. They include
- Showing the real-time location of your child's bus on a map
- Scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
- Push and email notifications when the bus is near
Click this link for more information on getting the app - https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/transportation/bus-status/here-comes-the-bus
To create an account, you will need to know your child's ID number and the school district activation code 87557.
Become a Volunteer
Calvert County Public Schools uses Raptor for visitors and volunteers to sign in and sign out. Volunteers must apply annually to be an approved volunteer. All volunteers will need to review the volunteer handbook and watch the volunteer training video before completing and Online Volunteer Application. Volunteers must be approved before they may begin service as a volunteer in any school buildings.
CCPS Online Volunteer Application & Process: https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/human-resources/become-a-volunteer