Hello Northlake Family,

We made it! I cannot believe we are already at the end of our first semester. There is no greater place than an elementary school during the holiday season. The kids are so excited and there are so many fun activities going on. I'd like to take a minute to thank so many of YOU! We couldn't do it without you parents and we are so grateful for you. Thank you for donating gift cards for teacher treats, donating items for the Golden Ticket Store, volunteering at the Golden Ticket Store, helping with class parties, delivering treats to teachers, etc. Seriously, we have the best parents ever and we love you guys.

In this edition of Northlake Notes, I've added some collages of all the fun we've had lately. I'll send another NLE Notes at the beginning of January with more upcoming information.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, filled with good cheer and quality time with family. We'll see you all in 2025!

Happy Holidays,

Ms. Kellagher

We ended December with another successful Golden Ticket Store! A HUGE thank you to Mrs. Sorensen, Ms. Gomez and all the wonderful Moms and Dads who volunteered their time to set up the shop, help kids shop and wrap gifts. I say this way to often, but this really is one of my favorite things we do at Northlake. It was so fun watching kids take their golden tickets to shop each day. Some purchased items for themselves and some picked a gift for someone else. Either way, all the kids had so much fun shopping. Check out this fun little video from Mr. Amador!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fuIpuTp0sVPoK-fVf0JrFiNxzLshwjZd/view?usp=sharing

We had so much fun supporting and cheering on our SMU Mustangs last week. I know Saturday didn't end in a win, but we sure do need to celebrate their amazing season. Congratulations to the team and coaches, especially Coach Woods. I can't wait to see what next season brings! Pony Up!

Here is a message from Coach Bridges. A big thank you to our Safety Patrol!

Talent show is around the corner! This is one of my all time favorite Northlake events. It's so fun to watch our kids perform and share a talent they love. For those of you that are new to Northlake, Talent Show is open to Pre-K through 5th grade students. Students can sing, dance, juggle, tell jokes, jumprope, etc. The possibilities are endless. Students may do a solo performance or perform with a group. Now is the time to talk to your kids to determine if they want to try out and start planning for Talent Show.

We are looking for parent volunteers to help monitor students during lunch in the cafeteria. If you have some time or flexibility in your schedule please consider giving an hour or so each week. I am attaching a sign-up link below. Once we have our group of volunteers together, Mrs. Walker will host a training, so we can go over campus expectations with you. Consistency is key and we want to be sure you have the tools you need to help things run smoothly in the cafeteria.

Parents are welcome to bring a small birthday treat to celebrate their child's birthday. Here are a few reminders:

• Treats must be store bought or baked (cupcakes and cookies are best). We ask for store bought so teachers can see the ingredients listed in order to be mindful of any allergies students may have.
• We do not pass out drinks, party bags or balloons.
• Parents may drop treats off in the main office and we will get them to the classroom.
• We will not call students out of class to come to the office for pictures with their treats.
• Teachers will pass treats out at the end of the day.

Please be sure to sign up for your Parent Focus Account. This will give you access to all kinds of important student information. Most importantly, you will have access to your child's grades. We will not send a home paper copy of your child's report card. So, please be sure to sign up for an account soon!

The district has updated the Elementary Dress Code. Please be sure your students are dressed appropriately for school each day. Please let me know if you have any questions.

The school day is from 7:50-3:10

• The building opens at 7:30.

• Breakfast is served in the classroom from 7:30-7:50.

• Your child is tardy at 7:51 and will receive a tardy pass to get to class.

• Your child is late for school after 8:05 and a parent will need to sign them in at the office.

• If your child arrives to school after 9:00 AM they are counted absent for the day.

• If your child is absent for any reason, please be sure to send a note to school on the day your child returns, letting us know the reason for the absence. Any excuse notes must be received within 3 days of returning to school in order to receive an excused absence.

If you have any questions regarding attendance, please email our Student Data Specialist, Mrs. Logan at pam.logan@risd.org.

If you would like to volunteer at Northlake Elementary, you must complete a volunteer background check EVERY new school year. Volunteering could include helping with class parties, attending field trips with your children, working in the library, helping at Field Day, or many other activities. We will not allow anyone who has not completed and passed the volunteer background check to volunteer. Please click on the link below to complete the background check. You MUST also watch the very short powerpoint at the end to complete the entire background check. Failure to watch the powerpoint will make your application incomplete and you will not be able to volunteer.

We are so fortunate to have a wonderful PTA. They have been working so hard already this year! PTA has helped with school supplies, spirit wear, Back to School Night, Reflections, etc. Our Garden Committee is planning Phase II of our NLE Garden. Please be sure to check out their website for different ways you can help out. You can also reach out to Amanda Hinders at President@NorthlakePTA.com for more information about PTA.

We need your help! We are working hard to grow our PTA membership. It costs $10 to join PTA and there is no time commitment needed. We always need volunteers at PTA school events such as Carnival, Multi-Cultural Night and Buddy Fun Day. But, we are flexible and you can work as much or as little as your schedule allows.

You can find more information out about our PTA on their website. Thanks in advance for supporting our school!

Parents must apply for their child/children to receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. Last year everyone received free school breakfast but this year families must apply to receive free or reduced breakfast. The application must be completed as soon as possible to ensure that there is no interruption to their meal service. This application needs to be filled out every year. Please click on the picture or link below to get to the lunch application.

Students are welcome to pack a nutritious lunch from home or a lunch may be purchased in the school cafeteria. If your child happens to forget their lunch from home, please drop it off in the front office by 10:30 AM. This will ensure that the lunch will reach your child by their lunch time. Please refer to the RISD Child Nutrition website for menus, pricing and payment options.

In the interest of safety & security, every visitor to a Richardson ISD campus must present a valid form of identification and be processed through the Raptor background check system each visit, regardless of previous checks. Please be sure that you have your valid identification with you every time you visit Northlake Elementary. Thank you for your patience and understanding as RISD works to ensure the safety of students and employees. Volunteer questions may be directed to the office of Strategy & Engagement.

Additionally, the front office staff will use the intercom system to ask visitors to identify themselves and the purpose of their visit before granting access to the office. This is part of our heightened security measures. Please be cooperative and patient as we all get used to these new measures. As you enter the building, please do not allow others to enter with you or to follow you through the doors as you enter or leave. Everyone who enters should ring the buzzer and speak to someone in the office before entering the school building.

December 23rd - January 6th - Winter Break

January 7th - Return from Winter Break

January 10th - 2nd Nine Weeks Assemblies