New Albany Intermediate School

We are looking forward to our final Fall Festival of the school year this Friday, October 18th for our fifth grade students. A big thank you to our amazing NAIS PTO for sponsoring our Fall Festivals! We do not have classroom parties at the Intermediate School and Fall Festivals are a way for every grade level to have a large celebration and enjoy time together with their peers. We are also grateful to the many parent volunteers who have donated their time to help at the Fall Festivals, ensuring students had a wonderful time while staying safe and engaged at all of our stations. It’s always a pleasure to see parents at school activities and we are incredibly thankful for the engaged parent community that is so supportive of our school.

Finally, if you have not yet signed your child up for our Read-a-thon please review the information below from our NAIS PTO. In just a few simple steps, you can support this fundraiser and encourage your child to ramp up those reading minutes at home. We are looking forward to a fantastic ending to October!

Let's have a wonderful week!

Megan Ballinger, Principal

#eaglesRISE

We are thrilled to announce all of our students are sorted into one of the four Houses at the Intermediate School. Major goals of the House System include teaching cooperation, reinforcing positive behaviors and creating a deeper sense of belonging for students and staff.

One way we are highlighting positive behaviors is through awarding House Points. If you visit the Intermediate School soon, you will notice we have a “School Leaderboard” on display in each Wing of the building highlighting the points earned by each House and showcasing individual students for their accomplishments. Staff members look for moments to highlight students, who can earn points for various types of accomplishments under eight different areas including Respect, Integrity, Safety, Empathy, Kindness, Honesty, Bravery and Perseverance.

Another goal of the House System is to teach cooperation and create a deeper sense of student belonging through consistent House meetings. We are now preparing for our first House Squad, small group experience, and House Rally, large group experience, on Friday, October 25th. Students will report to their House Squad, consisting of 12-14 students and one staff member, where the goal is for students to build connections with other peers across all three grade levels. House Rally will be the large group assembly, very similar to the Wing Rallies we’ve held over the past two years, where students will play games, learn their House history and build community. We are looking forward to continuing to engage students in House to build a supportive community for all students!

Sense of Belonging Survey / Opt-Out Information

One of the district’s goals is for all students to feel safe, supported, and connected at school. To help the district focus our efforts on identified needs, students will be taking a short anonymous Belonging Survey during the survey window from November 4 to 5, 2024. Parents can preview the survey for the grades 4 to 12 by clicking here. The only information collected will be the grade level for each student taking the survey.

Parents may opt their student out of the Belonging survey by completing this opt-out form. Completing the Opt-Out form will prevent a child from taking the Belonging Survey and the Trusted Adult Survey. There are no follow up activities planned based on either survey. Opt-out forms must be completed by 5:00 pm on Friday November 1, 2024.

October 18- Fifth Grade Fall Festival 1:00 - 3:00

November 8 - End of Trimester Grading Period

November 11 - Veterans Day Assembly

November 12 - 4th Grade In-View Test

November 13 - 6th Grade In-View Test & Report Cards Live in PowerSchool

November 27 - No School: In Lieu of Parent Teacher Conference

November 28 - Thanksgiving

November 29 - Thanksgiving Recess

Hello Intermediate Families!

Thank you Families! Your donations and support have made our PTO very successful and we have been able to do such great things for our students and staff!

The last of the Fall Festivals is this Friday as the 5th graders celebrate fall from 1-3 pm. Thank you volunteers and parents who help to make these a success!

PTO Events during Parent Teacher Conference Week are:

• October 14th- Teacher Breakfast- Starbucks and Wendy’s sponsored by the Wendy’s at Hamilton Quarter

• October 16th- PTC- Jimmie John’s Dinner sponsored by the Wiltrout Family

• October 17th- PTC- Grab and go items from Witts sponsored by the Rowekamp Family

The Annual Read-a-thon Fundraiser is HERE!!!!

Read-a-thons get your reader excited about reading and it gives friends and family the opportunity to encourage your child to read even more.

Our Read-a-thon started Monday October 7, 2024 and ends on Monday, October 21, 2024!

Instructions were sent home from your child's classroom teacher on how to activate your reader's personal page, which is where you will be able to view and record their progress.

We encourage you to activate your reader’s account today by clicking HERE and following the simple instructions provided from your child's classroom teacher. Participation at all levels is welcome!

What is the PTO supporting at the Intermediate School in 2024?

• Purchase materials and construction of the Wheel for the newly adopted House System. The Wheel will be used as a fun, interactive way for students to be sorted into Houses. They will spin the wheel, which will have the four House colors, and whatever color the wheel lands on, that is the student's house for their entire time at NAIS! We will also use the wheel at "House Rallies" and for student House Leaders to spin when they achieve various accomplishments.
• Pay for field trip for all 394 6th grade students Skate Zone
• Pay for field trip for all 379 5th grade students Biztown
• Pay for field trip for all 365 4th grade students The Works
• Provide appreciation lunches/meals for 148 teachers and staff members 9 times during the school year
• Fall festivals expenses- DJ, game items, rental of the inflatables, photo booth, etc.
• 6th Grade Celebration expenses (DJ, games, prizes, etc.)
• Financial Aid for students in need for school supplies, etc.
• Annual Author Visit Contribution- cost split between all participating NA schools
• LIFT t-shirts purchased for the LIFT program
• Sponsorship of the Intermediate School Composting Program
• Academic and Cultural Arts Programs: Falconry, Skydrome, 4th Grade OWC Experience
• Popsicles on the Playground- provide popsicles and water to families new to our school community and host welcome event

Does your business or your family want to sponsor a staff luncheon? The PTO provides approximately 9 of these events throughout the school year. Donation would be just a portion of the total cost of the meal for over 148 teachers and staff members. Approximately $400-500 each meal would need to be donated. PTO will cover the rest of the expense of the luncheon. Please find a location to sign up at the end of this Sign up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4DA8A92AA4F49-50292468-ptohospitality#/

We look forward to a great year together! If you have any ideas on how to make our fantastic school even better, please let us know! Email us at: naispto@napls.us.

Fondly,

Mara Ackermann Ziminski

NAIS PTO President

2024-2025 NAIS PTO Board
President: Mara Ackermann Ziminski
President-Elect: Alix Hoekzema
Treasurer: Siobhan Twomey
Secretary: Andrea Wiltrout
Communications: Kiki Piletz and Katie Yun
Fundraising: Sarah Aklilu
Membership: Missy Matusicky
Programming: Brooke Keaton and Elizabeth Buck

Hospitality: Leanne Mohler and Erin Howard

The Intermediate School website has information about our daily schedule, drop off and pick up procedures, school supply lists, and much more. Please click here to visit the page. For information concerning transportation services, click here.

Do not hesitate to call the Intermediate school (614-741-3000) with any questions you may have. Have a wonderful week!

Megan Ballinger, Building Principal

Ryan Grashel, Assistant Principal

Mike King, Assistant Principal

The New Albany-Plain Local School District is committed to creating a culture of accountability that achieves the best academic and developmental outcomes for each student.

Email: news@napls.us
Website: www.napls.us/intermediate
Location: 177 North High Street, New Albany, OH, USA
Phone: 614-741-3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewAlbanyIntermediate/
Twitter: @napls_is