NORTH NEWS

September 2, 2022

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF (LABOR DAY)

PRACTICE EMERGENCY DRILLS

On Thursday, staff and students participated in three emergency drills here at North Middle. We began with a Code Red lockdown drill, followed by a fire drill and and evacuation drill to the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Recreation Center. The safety of our staff and students is paramount to everything we do at our school. We want this to be a reminder to our North families to discuss with your students the importance of speaking up when they see or hear something concerning and your plans for emergency situations. Please let us know if you ever have questions or concerns about school safety!

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VISITOR POLICY--Keeping our Students Safe

All visitors to North Middle School will need to present identification at the camera inside the first set of doors and state their reason for visiting. Visitors will need to remain in the vestibule (waiting area).

Parents/Guardians who are signing their student in or out will use the iPad provided in the waiting area. If you have an appointment, please remain in the waiting area until a school member arrives to escort you to your destination.

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NMS DRESS CODE

PLEASE NOTE: Our school dress code has been enforced since the first day of school. Here are a few reminders:

*No hoods or hats in the building.

*No offensive, drug, or alcohol related slogans on clothing.

*Undergarments must be covered.

*Stomachs must be fully covered.

*Holes above the knee will be permitted provided the holes are not around the upper thigh area.

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CELL PHONE POLICY

At North Middle, cell phones are OFF and AWAY except during lunch/ recess and bus call at the end of the day.

1st Offense: Student will receive a warning.

2nd Offense: Student can pick up their phone at the end of the day in the office and parents will be notified.

3rd & 4th Offenses: Parent or Guardian must pick up the device from the office.

5th Offense: The school reserves the right to require the student to check-in their phone at the main office or homeroom every day.

Please help us instruct our students how and when to use their devices responsibly, while keeping them from being distracted during their studies.

COVID PROTOCOLS FOR FAMILIES

Please notify the school nurse if your student tests positive for covid (Elizabeth.hutzler@k12.wv.us).

The isolation period is 5 days based upon symptom start date or test date, whichever came first. The nurse will determine the return date for your student, so it is important you contact the nurse directly if your student tests positive. Students may return to school on day 6 after 5 days of isolation if they fever free for the past 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine and symptoms are improving. Your student should wear a mask to school on days 6-10.

You will need to send in a parent note or doctor note with your student when they return stating the reason they were out, just like any other absence. Students should work on assignments at home via Schoology and should communicate with teachers via Schoology. Please contact your child’s teacher(s) for questions about assignments.

Students are not required to quarantine if they are exposed to covid unless they are having symptoms. This is regardless of vaccination status and including exposure to household members that are positive.

IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION

When parents are dropping off or picking up students in the mornings or afternoons, our parking lot can be extremely crowded with cars & buses. Our parking spaces are limited and reserved for teachers & staff. Please do not park in the parking lots when arriving to drop off or pick up a student. Parents/ guardians may park at the Rec Center or follow the buses down the access road to pick up their students at the bike rack so we can leave the available spaces for teachers & staff reporting to work. Thank you.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS

NMS SHOW CHOIR

Ms. Crowley cordially invites all NMS students who enjoy singing and dancing to join the NMS NORTHERN LIGHTS SHOW CHOIR! Practices will begin on September 6th after school from 3-4pm in the Choir room. See Ms. Crowley for a permission slip!

ACADEMY DAYS

Are you interested in joining the US Armed Services someday? ALL WV students and parents are invited to meet with representatives from the Armed Services to explore those options. There are several meetings throughout the state, but the closest one to our area is at Musselman High School on Saturday, September 24th at 2:00pm! Please save the date if you are interested!

SEPTEMBER ATTENDANCE CHALLENGE

For the entire month of SEPTEMBER, we are holding a school attendance competition! The grade that has the best total attendance during the month of September will get to have an extra period of recess!