Coming up:

12/6 Winter Concert at 6:30 pm

12/12 Literacy Night 4:00-6:00pm

12/20 Winter Break Begins- Schools and Offices close 3 hours early

1/2 School Reopens

Just a friendly reminder that early dismissal ends at 2:30pm.

Happy Holidays to NAHS Families!

December is a time full of cheer, excitement, and family. As we move into this season, we would like to thank you for being part of our NAHS family and for your ongoing love and support for our children!

There are lots of events happening this month! Please consider joining us for the Music Winter Concert on December 6 at 6:30 pm or catching an NAHS Lions Basketball game to see our teams and our amazing dance squad in action!

Interim grades will be live in Schoology on December 6. Please be sure to check your student's progress. There will not be a formal conference night, but you may connect with teachers at any time to arrange a phone or in person conference.

BCPS Winter Break begins at 11:50am on Friday December 20 and school will reopen at 8am on Thursday January 2. We wish you a wonderful holiday season!

A friendly reminder that students are required to follow uniform expectations at all times while in the building. As the weather changes and temperatures drop, students may wear a plain crew neck, cardigan, or fleece jacket that corresponds to their uniform color. They may also wear a long sleeve shirt under their uniform polo. No hooded sweatshirts or jackets are permitted.

Please take some time this weekend to ensure your student has something that aligns to their uniform colors and is permitted for cooler weather days.

Grade 6- Red or Gray

Grade 7- Light Blue or Black

Grade 8- Burgundy or Gold

Thank you for your support and adherence to this expectation.

If you are unable to provide proper cooler weather items for your child, please email Jmiranda@bcps.org

The Focus SIS System Now Has a Mobile APP

BCPS’ Focus Student Information System now has an accompanying app that can be used from mobile devices. The application can be used by Staff, Parents/Guardian’s, and Students.

Google Play Store: Team BCPS - Focus - Apps on Google Play

Apple App Store: Team BCPS- Focus- Apple App Store

More information from BCPS about Focus App For Parents can be found here!
Directions on using the Focus App and logging in can be found here!
Directions on Creating a Parent Account can be found here!

Hello!

My name is Jessica Miranda and I am Northwest Academy's CARE Liaison! Please take a look at the resources and links provided below.

My email address is Jmiranda@bcps.org

Please let me know if I can help in any way. I have access to many resources available in our community so please don't hesitate to reach out if you or your child needs anything.

My Northwest Academy's family involvement goals are:

• To educate parents on the important role they play in assisting in their child’s education.

• To encourage parents to be actively involved in their child’s education at school.

• To communicate with parents as full partners in their child’s education.

• To provide parents with opportunities, skills and tools to help them engage in meaningful parent-child learning activities.

Local Resources:
Baltimore County Crisis Response: 410-931-2214
Crisis text line: Text the word "HOME" to 741741 for free 24 hour support
Maryland Suicide and Crisis Hotline: 1-800-422-0009
National Suicide Prevention Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK

Baltimore County DSS: 410-887-TIME

Maryland Food Bank: 410-737-8282

211 Maryland: 211, https://211md.org/ or text 898-211

Additional resources: Baltimore County Resource Guide * BCPS Meal Sites * BCPS Social Emotional Support Page * MD Crisis Hotline * MD Food Bank * Baltimore County Crisis Response: 410-931-2214 * Crisis Text Line (Text the word "HOME" to 741741 for free 24 hour support)

Please see the photos of the coach class schedules. Reach out to the teacher to schedule.

If you are interested in being a chaperone on a field trip or volunteering this year at NAHS please follow the directions in the link below. You will need to complete the application, watch the training video and get the certificate.

When completed please email the application and certificate to me at Jmiranda@bcps.org or turn it into the main office.

BCPS Volunteers - Baltimore County Public Schools

Community Events at Northwest Hospital:

https://www.lifebridgehealth.org/events/community-calendar

Families needing assistance with paying for or obtaining internet access for their children while at home should be directed to the Maryland Emergency Broadband Benefit (MEBB) service. The State of Maryland has partnered with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which provides eligible families access to free or reduced internet access for their homes. This internet access can be used for virtual learning, and access to online resources such as job postings, health resources, and other benefits for adult family members and children.

Maryland Emergency Broadband Benefit can be accessed through the MEBB website by going to a Baltimore County Public Library and using the available internet access.

Baltimore County Public Libraries also has a ‘Long Term Device Lending Program’ where patrons of the library can sign out either a ChromeBook and/or a cellular hotspot for up to six months. More information is available on the Baltimore County Public Library website (https://www.bcpl.info/services/longterm-lending.html ).

An alternative method is to contact the FCC Affordable Connectivity Program directly by calling (877) 384-2575. Services are available in multiple languages. Families must qualify for the service. A family can also contact one of the internet access/broadband providers on the attached listing directly to find out more about the application process.

Links to these resources are available on the BCPS Office of Network Support Services webpage. BCPS will not be providing cellular hotspots to students for virtual learning days. Only students who are verified as being in need, as defined by the Title I office, will be eligible to receive BCPS-provided hotspots. The MEBB, ACP, and BCPL lending programs are administered outside of Baltimore County Public Schools. All questions should be directed to either the Federal Communications Commission, the State of Maryland, or the Baltimore County Public Libraries as it relates to the appropriate program.

Questions regarding this information should be directed to the following individual(s): Greg Vukov, Director 443-809-9888

The first and most important step to protect yourself against flu viruses is to get a flu vaccine. You can get a flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. Find your flu vaccine. The injectable quadravalent vaccine will be available, which is not the high-dose vaccine recommended for people 65 and over. See your healthcare provider to obtain the high-dose vaccine. In addition, many local pharmacies offer free flu shots in your community. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for the most up-to-date information on seasonal flu. If you are unable to attend a clinic, find a location offering vaccinations near you. https://www.vaccinefinder.org/

REMEMBER THE FLU FACTS Residents are encouraged to remember the flu FACTS in order to prevent the spread of contagious viruses, including seasonal flu: • Frequently wash your hands with soap and water. • Always get an annual flu shot. • Cover coughs and sneezes.

Parent University offers resources, videos, workshops, and system updates to support the needs of your family. Our program goals align with the BCPS Compass: Our Pathway to Excellence

Hello Math Families,

Many families ask how to access the Illustrative Mathematics (IM) Curriculum materials that can be used to support students at home. Kendall-Hunt has a dedicated section on the IM Curriculum website just for families. The process to access the Family Curriculum is below. 1. Access the curriculum website at im.kendallhunt.com

2. Select your student’s course band (What class do they take?)

3. Select the exact course to access materials. There is no log in needed to access.

4. Math 6, Math 7, Math 8, and Algebra 1 currently have Spanish versions of student materials.

Family materials include videos that summarize sets of lessons, additional information to help your student with their math reasoning, and vocabulary information. All of the materials are user friendly and appropriate for families with varied math backgrounds.

Please reach out if you have any questions.

Together we can!

Greeting NAHS community!

Hoping everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing Thanksgiving break with family and friends.

· December 6th - Quarter 2 interims. Please take a moment and check course grades in Focus.

· December 12th – Literacy Night 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Please come out to meet community vendors and spend the evening engaged in literacy activities.

· Devices are needed daily for class assignments and assessments – Please remind children to bring their charged devices to school and class.

Sincerely,

Reading and English Language Arts Department

Greetings Northwest Academy families!

Report cards were sent home on November 14th. If your student received a D or an E on their report card, a letter was mailed home as well. Please continue to review your students grades on Schoology.

Northwest Academy have a partnership with GIFTS Mental Health Clinic. GIFTS provides counseling services for students during the school day or in their office and is a great source of support for students requiring assistance with concerns such as:

• Anxiety, panic, or stress
• Intense sadness
• Conduct and behavior
• Impulse control issues
• Emotional regulation difficulties
• Difficulty getting along with others
• Grief and loss
• Traumatic experiences
• Feelings of loneliness and worthlessness
• Difficulty sleeping

If you are interested in their services, please reach out to Ms. M. Jones.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

To schedule an appointment with your grade level counselor please click here:

https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/NorthwestAcademyofHealthSciencesCounselingOffice@bcpscloud.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/

Tonya Linton, 6th Grade School Counselor

tlinton@bcps.org

Helen Tracey, 7th Grade School Counselor

htracey2@bcps.org

Monica Jones, 8th Grade School Counselor and Department Chair

mjones25@bcps.org

Deborah Carroll, Registrar

dcarroll2@bcps.org