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Greetings Northside Families,

We have had a great launch to the 2024-25 school year! A lot has changed since last year for our students and staff. We have rolled out a new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum called CKLA that is based in the science of reading. We have a new universal screening assessment tool called AimswebPLUS letting us know where student skill levels are compared to grade level standard for fall, winter and spring. We have also expanded The Nighthawk Way into core habits that we want every Northside student to develop and use during our time inside and outside of our walls.

You may be asking yourself… How can I support my child’s learning at home?

1. Nightly Reading - all methods of reading count - have your child read independently, read to your child, have them read to you or a sibling, etc. Independent reading practice helps them grow their ability to decode words and comprehend a story/information.

2. Math Home Connections - teachers will be sending home packets of math pages you can do with your children at home. Your children’s teachers will indicate when you can do the various pages in the workbook. This extra practice helps with problem-solving and fact fluency skills.

3. Reinforce the Nighthawk Way Habits At Home - Ask your children how they are showing our core habits at school and also affirm for them when they are using the habits at home.

1. Community Building Habits

1. I am kind

2. I behave with integrity

3. I am a problem solver

2. Scholar Habits

1. I am prepared

2. I set goals and reflect on my progress

3. I persevere

4. I produce quality

5. I collaborate

Some exciting opportunities your children/family will get to experience this month include…

• From Sept. 15th to October 15th, we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (Spanish / English). We will be engaging in learning about Hispanic/Latinx cultures through visual displays, community building circles, parent/community member speakers, exposure to Latin music and more. Join us at Westside Elementary School on Oct. 10th from 5-7pm for a gran fiesta! If you want some clean Spanish language music to play at home, here’s a great Spotify playlist - Hispanic Heritage Month Elementary School Playlist

• October is also Bullying Prevention Month and our school counselor, Mrs. Feltz, will lead our scholars through a series of lessons around what bullying is, how to be an “upstander” and the process to inform an adult if you see bullying at Northside. Lots of mean behavior and conflict gets named as bullying, but the true definition of bullying is “unwanted behavior with the premeditated intent to harm someone else that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.” Bullying is very rare in elementary school. Conflict and mean behavior are more what we expect from children who are still developing their emotional regulation and social competence skills.

We thank you for your partnership and firmly believe that we can’t do this work well without each and every one of you. After all, you are their first and most important teacher…

“Children and teens are great anthropologists. Your kids have a Ph.D. in you. They are watching everything you do. My kids are watching my face in the grocery line. They are watching how I greet the woman in a hijab in front of us and the man in a wheelchair behind us. They are watching how I greet their friends on the playground and how I interact with a stranger who stops to ask for directions in halting English. They watch my comfort -- or discomfort -- in interacting with children with disabilities, visible and invisible. They are looking for clues.” -Phyllis Fagell

Cheers to Fall,

Mrs. Jillian Block - Principal

Mrs. Brooke Coy-Tchouani - Associate Principal

Mr. Kirk Parslow - Interim Associate Principal (October through December)

• 10/3 Fall Festival at Northside, 5:30-7:30pm, We will also have a FREE mobile vaccination clinic and CARDS Closet will be giving out winter coats to anyone who needs one!
• 10/4 No School, 4K - 12, Staff Professional Development
• 10/8 SCONES Meeting (Family / Caregiver SCO Group), 6:30pm, Northside
• 10/10 Northside & Westside Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Westside, 5-7pm (Spanish / English fliers)
• 10/14-18 Homecoming Spirit Week Dress Up Days
  
• 10/23 Northside Picture Retake Day
• 10/24 No School for 4K Students Only, Fall Conferences, 4-8pm
• 10/25 No School, 4K-12 Students; Fall Conferences, 7:30am - 11:30am
• 10/30 Hearing and Vision Screening (Kinder, 2nd, and 4th)
• 11/3 Daylight Savings Time Ends
• 11/5 End First Quarter
• 11/5 Election Day

Please call us at 608-834-7100 and press 1, to report a student absence. If you email your student's teacher, please include ckrusch@sunprairieschools.org.

It is important to keep your contact numbers up to date in case of an emergency and for safe arrival calls.

2023-24 Elementary School Hours

Mornings: 7:30am (Drop Off / First Bell) 7:40am (Attendance Taken)

Dismissal: 2:40pm (M,T,W,F)

Thursday Early Dismissal: 1:30pm

4K Program

Morning Session: 7:40-10:23am (Mon-Fri)

Afternoon Session: 11:42-2:40pm (M,T,W,F)

and 11:42am-1:30pm (Thursday)

These Parent/Caregiver Curriculum Guides, available in English and Spanish were created in collaboration with teachers, school social workers, school counselors and administration to provide guidance about child development, end of year learning goals, and how families can support learning through activities outside of school. We welcome our families. We honor what you bring to our learning community. We want to partner with you in ways that help your child.

Dear Parent/Caregiver,

We previously sent a notification about Universal Screening Assessments that we complete in the Fall, Winter, and Spring to see how students are performing in Reading and Math. This helps us see how students are doing and the best ways for us to respond to support their learning. While it includes great measures of reading and math skill development, we also use other pieces of information to best support our students.

We want to take this opportunity to explain some next steps in response to those assessments. All caregivers will receive a report that illustrates performance across reading and math. Some students benefit from extra teaching and support and some students benefit from extra learning beyond the core content. We work to address the array of our learners needs.

If your student(s) fell within a range that suggests additional support would be helpful in their early reading development, you will receive additional communication about a personal reading plan to promote their learning in the coming weeks. Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) with scores that suggest a need for additional reading support will have personal reading plans developed in addition to their IEPs.

Thank you for your partnership and support,

Educators of Sun Prairie Area School District

• Handbooks now in Spanish

• SP4K Program

• Escuelas Primarias (Grados K-5)

• Escuelas Intermedias (Grados 6-8)

• High School (Grados 9-12)

• Respuestas conductuales secundarias (Secondary Behavioral Responses)

• Escuela Virtual - JEDI

• Referendum Information in Spanish

• Clínica de vacunas (Vaccine Clinic - Wednesday, October 2, 3-7pm at the PLC) - Multilingual staff will be available to interpret in Spanish and Hmong

• DLI Sun Prairie Facebook page - Like and follow to stay up-to-date on the Dual Language Immersion program

We have created the JEDI Alliance as a space where people of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities feel welcome and supported. We celebrate the unique perspectives that diversity brings and understand that inclusion is key to innovation and growth. We understand that advancing equity is an ongoing journey that requires listening, learning, and adapting. We acknowledge that deep-rooted inequalities exist within our society, and we are committed to identifying and dismantling the policies, practices, and cultural norms that perpetuate these disparities. This includes examining our own organization’s processes and making necessary changes.

We are excited to welcome diverse voices and new perspectives that represent parents and caregivers who have often felt unseen and undervalued to be engaged in learning and questioning topics and matters related to diversity, equity, and inclusion across the District. JEDI Alliance members are invited to share their experiences, triumphs, and concerns and are encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback. With a commitment to continuous improvement and transparency, our promise is to be collaborative, informative, and deliberative in lifting our District's Equity Framework.

Your child may need or want a snack each day. Please send in healthy and nutritious snacks (fruit, cheese & crackers, popcorn, pretzels, veggies, Goldfish, etc.).

Prepackaged snack donations to your student’s classroom are always welcome. Please ask your student(s) or their teacher(s) about food allergies in their room. Thank you!

We value giving our families the opportunity to come to school and experience some time in their children's shoes. Here are some dates when we look forward to welcoming you into our Northside specials classrooms...

• Art: Nov. 4 - Nov. 8

• PE: Nov. 18-22

• Lab: April 7-11

• Music: April 14-18

We also want you to know a few dates for our grade levels that will be doing music concerts this year:

• 2nd Grade - Friday, March 14th @ 2pm

• 5th Grade - Thursday, June 12th @ 9:15am (as part of their 5th grade promotion celebration)

• All students have started the year learning about the expectations in the gym, doing cooperative activities and learning the NS Gaga Ball rules. This past week we started our kicking unit and working on some soccer skills.

• The first couple of weeks in October, 4th and 5th grade students will participate in our Bike Safety Unit. Check out this video if you would like to see what the students learn.

• English Bike Letter

• Spanish Bike Letter

• During October, students will be continuing to work on their kicking skills and also work on throwing and catching.

• During November, students will participate in gymnastics. Always a fan favorite! Mr. LaFleur and Mr. Headington plans on doing a gymnastics club after school on Monday and Tuesdays during this unit. Look for more information about the club coming home later in October.

• November 18-22 we would like to invite families into the gym to check out all the things our students are learning in PE class. Look for more information about this during our gymnastics unit.

• Remind your students to bring athletic shoes on their days they have PE. This is very important for the safety of all students. If they forget, we do have shoes and socks they can borrow.

• Mr. LaFleur’s PE Schedule

• Mr. Headington’s PE Schedule

• Check out some of the activities the students have participated in!

• Parachute

• Rubik’s Cube Relay

• 4 Corner Soccer

• NS Gaga Ball

• As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.

• Mr. LaFleur 1-608-834-7100 ext. 3511 or jslafle@sunprairieschools.org

• Mr. Headington 1608-834-7100 ext. 3558 or mheadi@sunprairieschools.org

Hello Parents and Caregivers of 5th grade students,

September was our first month of Health Education for 5th grade. We have covered the basics of the health triangle - physical health, social health and mental health. The students completed a self survey and we discussed how small decisions become habits and habits become our way of life. Making healthy choices each day leads to healthy habits and that helps with health and wellness. In October our focus will be on identifying peer pressure, learning about effects of alcohol and tobacco and vaping. In mid October I will be sending out parent information about our upcoming HG&D (puberty ed) unit.This unit will take approximately 6 weeks starting in November and ending around the last week before spring break. If you would like more information please feel free to email me or consider stopping in during parent teacher conferences on October 24-25.

Thanks,

Mike Headington

Health & PE teacher - Northside Elementary school

mheadi@sunprairieschools.org

608-834-7100 ext: 3558

October Musician/Artist of the Month is Carlos Vives

K-1 Grades: Music Exploration Unit

-Singing songs and playing percussion instruments

-Dancing to the beat, rhythm games

-Melody songs exploration playing the xylophone

2 Grade: Flute Recorder Unit

-Flute recorder sound & fingering starting with three notes. B,A & G

-Reading music, on the staff and notes values.

-Singing and playing songs.

3 Grade: Voice Unit

-Learning our vocal cords system

-Breathing exercises techniques

-Warm exercises

-Intonation exercises

-Singing songs with different voice extension

4-5 Grades: Ukulele Unit

-Ukulele basic techniques

-Three songs based of chord progressions

-Basic, media and advance songs singing and playing

We have started off the year with some amazing art making already! We are so lucky to collaborate with our ML teacher Mr. Grau to create murals celebrating our diversity here at Northside. Scholars have created designs to show their personal culture, and we are currently adding those designs to our mural canvas. We can’t wait to share them when they are finished!

Upcoming events

Nov. 4 - Nov. 8 is bring your caregiver to art class week. We will be hosting our traveling art exhibit and this year's artist will be Faith Ringgold!

Clubs are starting!

I am happy to announce TWO art clubs this year for our Northside Nighthawks. Ms. Kernen, Ms. Sam, and I will be leading both Fiber Arts Club and Art Club this school year.

Fiber Arts Club will focus on sewing, crochet, and knitting skills. We will meet weekly in the art studio after school on Mondays from 2:45-3:45 pm. This year we are excited to be offering this club to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. Our first meeting will be Monday, October 7. Please sign up by Monday, October 7.

Art Club is offered once a month with specific projects for your students to explore and create. We are currently offering this club to 1st-5th graders. Each month we will send out a sign-up form with the specific projects we are offering listed. Our first club will be Friday, November 1 from 2:45pm - 3:45pm. The projects for this date will be creating Northside Campaign posters (Frog/Toad vs. Piggy/Elephant) AND Nature Creations. Please sign up by October 31.

To sign up for Fiber Arts Club, please click this link.

To sign up for Art Club, please click this link.

If you have more than 1 scholar interested in clubs, please fill out the form for each scholar.

Donations welcome!

• toilet paper and paper towel tubes
• pop tabs
• plastic lids
• corks
• yogurt cups
• fabric scraps
• yarn
• old t-shirts and pants
• old craft materials (no glitter please)
• plastic grocery bags

Please reach out to Ms. Henker with any questions.

• Check Outs: Students have Library Checkout 1 time a week - please see teacher name below for their book return/check out day:
• Monday: Vander Woude, Kuehn, Hunter
• Tuesday: Sharp, Zingsheim, Harth, Arcos, Bieri
• Wednesday: Alvarado, Mette, Warren, Baker, Dryer
• Thursday: Wolfe, Cato, Andersen-Smith, Siewert
• Friday: Kernen, Behrens, Rosas, Ontiveros
• Makerspace/Lab Lessons: During the month of October, Northside Kindergarteners and 1st graders will be learning about parts of a book and writing their own, while 2nd-5th graders will be diving into device expectations and how to be a digital citizen.

• Nellie's Network: Nellie's Network is Northside's daily news show, which runs Monday-Thursday most weeks, and is hosted by Northside Scholars. Check out the NS Facebook page for daily episodes. Our 5th & 2nd graders will host in October.

Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, Kelly Nieft

Free Vaccination Clinics are available and brought to you by MMSD, SPASD, VASD, SSM Health, GHC, UW-Health, and Public Health Madison & Dane County.

Extra set of clothes: Please make sure to have an extra set of clothes for your student in their locker, classroom, or backpack. Many things happen where students need an extra shirt or pants, bloody noses, milk spills, puddles etc. Students usually are more comfortable in their own clothes, rather than the ones available at school. If you have clothes you'd like to donate to our nurse's closet we would appreciate the extra items.

Is your contact information on file current? It is important to have accurate phone numbers on file with the school in case we need to reach you during the day.

If your child needs any medication during the school day, please click on and complete this medication form. Forms are also available in the Health Office. Students are not to carry medications with them in their pockets or lockers. Medications need to be kept in the health office and be labeled with the student name.

If they are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please keep them at home:

• Fever of 100.4 or higher Your student's temperature should be below 100.4 without the assistance of medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

• Active vomiting and/or diarrhea

• Rashes along with fever and redness

• Please report any communicable diseases to the health office, (strep throat, pink eye, lice, mono, influenza, etc)

Please call Nurse Joy in the school health office at 608-834-3506 or email jmfoust@sunprairieschools.org, if you need assistance.

Vision and hearing screening: October 30th, all students in kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grades will have a vision screening done at school. Kindergarten students will also have a hearing screening done at this time. If you have a child in another grade that you would like us to screen or you do not want your child screened, please call the school health office at 608-834-3506. If you would like to volunteer to help with the vision and hearing screening, please let Joy know in the health office.

Celebrate Smiles at Northside on October 3rd. They will be seeing students who are already signed up for rechecks, screenings and fluoride. Celebrate Smiles is a dental program operated by Access Community Health Centers. If you have any questions, please reach out to Nurse Joy in the Health office at 608-834-7106.

Lice can happen at any time. It is always a good idea to get in the habit of checking your student's head periodically for signs of lice or nits (eggs), especially after going to sleepovers, camps, or traveling. We no longer routinely check classrooms. Lice is a communicable disease that is spread by direct contact or contaminated objects. Should a student be found to have lice, they will be excluded at the end of the school day until after treatment or removal of live lice. If you would like more information about lice, check out the following sites: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/index.html or www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/common/head_lice.html. Also, please discourage your student's from sharing hats, combs, brushes, or other hairpieces.

Respiratory Illness Information

The updated public health CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19.

It is important to note that the guidance doesn’t end with staying home and away from others when sick. The guidance encourages added precaution over the next five days after time at home, away from others, is over. Since some people remain contagious beyond the “stay-at-home” period, a period of added precaution using prevention strategies, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.

If you have any further questions, or if your/your child’s symptoms persist or worsen, please contact your healthcare provider. You can also find more information on the Public Health Madison Dane County Website.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Nurse Joy Foust by email (jmfoust@sunprairieschools.org) or by phone (608-834-7106). Thank you.

There are photo vouchers available for families who want to buy school photos but cost is a barrier. Please reach out to the school social worker Katie Wimmer (kewimme@sunprairieschools.org) for more information.

Northside Events/Programs

• Fall Fest is on Thursday, October 3rd from 5:30-7:30 PM. This event is a fall themed event with games, chili and drinks for the family, a haunted hallway and much more! We will also have a FREE mobile vaccination clinic and CARDS Closet will be here giving out winter coats to anyone who needs one!

• Gospel Afrobeat Dance Club starts on Monday, October 7th and is after school on Mondays. Caregivers, please know we invite you to join with your child! It is fun and a great workout! You can not participate without smiling! If you have questions please email our Community Schools Site Coordinator: Stacey Christenson.

• Hispanic Heritage Celebration, October 10th from 5:00-7:00 PM at Westside Elementary. Join us for an amazing celebration of Hispanic and Latinex culture. This event is put on by Westside and Northside Elementary but open to anyone in our district. Come have some fun!

Community Events

• October 26th from 12-4 PM at SP Family Aquatic Center: Trunk or Treat is happening! Come out with your families and costumes for a safe way to get some fun treats for your family! Come out to see if you can find Ms. Christenson as she will be there in costume!

Northside Community Schools Reminders

• Just a reminder that we have a pantry at Northside. If you are in need of food, household items, or clothing please know you can come in and shop anytime. If you are in need of these items or have other questions, please contact Stacey Christenson, Community Schools Site Coordinator.

• If you are looking for childcare for your infant, the Boys and Girls Club is opening their infant room on October 1st. They have 7 spots available for children ages 6 weeks-3 years and 8 spots available for children 3 years and older. They invite you to come in to get a tour and get the information to register then.

• Our SCONES parent group would love to have YOU a part of the team. This group meets monthly and works hard to put on special events for our school, like our recent Movie Night and they do a lot to support our amazing teachers. This is a lovely chance to be a part of the Northside community and spend time with other parents and help to build community at our school. If you are interested please contact SCONES president: Kat Walker: northsidesco@gmail.com.

Please contact Stacey Christenson for more information.

At Northside, we work hard to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students and staff. “Restorative Justice in Education Practices” is part of emerging work in our district that focuses on fair discipline and the social-emotional well-being of every student.

Addressing Discipline Disparities

Our local district data shows that our Black and Brown students experience suspensions and expulsions at a higher rate than their peers. This is part of a bigger societal issue known as the "school-to-prison pipeline," where students, especially from marginalized groups, are more likely to face trouble with the legal system due to inequitable practices and strict school discipline. In Sun Prairie we are committed to breaking this cycle.

Our goal is to increase community building practices, reduce the use of exclusionary discipline and replace it with restorative practices. These approaches focus on building positive relationships between students and staff and working together to resolve conflicts. This process helps students learn from their mistakes, rather than removing them from their learning environments as much as possible.

Supporting Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness

We also believe that education should support the whole child, including their social and emotional learning (SEL) and wellness. Restorative Justice in Education Practices partner well with the SEL work that we are doing. SEL in our school focuses on supporting students with emotional development, self concept, and social competence. These skills help create a positive and inclusive school environment.

Working Together

We can’t do this alone. We need the support of parents, guardians, and the community to make sure every student has a fair chance to succeed. We will continue to monitor our progress and adjust our efforts as needed.

Thank you for your support as we work to make Northside a place where all students feel safe, valued and respected.

Hello Nighthawk Families! And Happy October!

Thank you for another successful Northside STRIDE event! It was so nice to see everyone and enjoy being outside and celebrating the start of a new school year! We have a few dates and deadlines we would like to share with you.

-SCONES Fundraiser: We will be wrapping up our Northside Stride fundraiser on October 2nd. Please make sure that all Pledge Envelopes are returned by Oct 2nd. We are so close to hitting our goals! There is still time to donate: Northside Stride (givebutter.com)

-Fall Fest Thursday Oct 3rd, 530pm-730pm: Get those Costumes early! Join us at Northside as SCONES Presents Fall Fest!. We will have music, games, chili, and a Haunted Hallway! Enter if you Dare! Wear your costume if you like and come prepared for some fun! Fall Fest is Free and open to all Nighthawk Families! Please note, this is not a drop off event!

- Northside School Directory: If you have not already submitted a paper copy, be sure to submit your contact information by October 6th. These directories are great if you want to connect with other caregivers in the Northside Family. Click HERE to add your contact details. Directories will be distributed the week of October 21st.

- The next SCONES meeting is Tuesday, October 8 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. We'll wrap up STRIDE and Fall Fest and we have two guest speakers coming to join us, 1) Latoya Holiday will share all about her role on the School Board and Discuss the Upcoming Referendum and 2) Stacey Christenson will share all about Community Schools and her role at Northside. We hope to see you there!

- October Staff Appreciation: We will be stocking the staff lounge with all the fuel our Educators will need to get through conferences the week of October 21st-25th. Please use this link: Educator Appreciation Fall Conferences Stock the Lounge and help us to show our educators some Nighthawk Love!

SCONES School Community Organization of Northside Elementary School

Welcome Back to the 2024-2025 School Year

The Advanced Learner Program (ALP) is excited to be back and involved in the education of our Northside students. My name is Jessica Valdes, and I am the ALP Specialist here at Northside Elementary. I can be reached at jstucci@sunprairieschools.org or 608-834-7100 ext 3538.

Math 24 Club

Math 24 Club will be offered to 4th and 5th grade students again this school year. Scholars that choose to participate, will have the opportunity to compete at our local Math 24 meet and the Dane County Regional Math 24 tournament in the Spring. The club will start in October and end in April. The club will occur once a week on Thursdays for 15 minutes during morning recess. If your child expresses interest, families will be emailed a notification that your child signed up.

Greater Dane Anthology Project

This is an opportunity for 5th grade students to enter a writing and/or drawing competition. Students can select from creative writing/narratives, persuasive writing, poetry, cartoons, or artwork. I will be going into 5th grade classrooms in October to introduce this opportunity. Students will submit a rough draft in late November, and final drafts are due in December. We judge the local pieces and select the top 10 pieces per grade level, per category to continue on to the regional competition in January.

POETICS (Poets Of Every Type Inspiring & Changing Society) is open to 4th- and 5th-grade scholars interested in poetry. We’ll get to read, listen, and watch poetry, and of course compose and perform it! This year POETICS will write about what we observe on some walking field trips, record poetry for Nellie’s Network, and perform at our second annual Show & Tell event with Ms. Henker’s art classes and Fiber Arts Club.

This year, POETICS will meet on Tuesdays after school (beginning late October). Caregivers, please watch your email with sign-up details in early October. Contact Ms. Kiiru with any questions.

Thursday Early Release

Students who take the bus home from school will be dropped off one hour and 10 minutes earlier than their regular drop off time on Thursdays.

Transportation Webpage

Did you know the district has a web page devoted to student transportation? There’s so much useful information, including an interactive boundary/busing eligibility map, forms for secondary household and childcare transportation requests, an FAQ, and more! Go to https://www.sunprairieschools.org/departments/transportation to check it out.

Lost and Found

Kobussen has a Lost & Found for items left on the bus. The driver will keep the lost item on the bus for a few days, then turn it in at the terminal. If your child has a lost item don’t forget to check with Kobussen. Feel free to stop by the terminal at 1500 Forward Drive, Sun Prairie to check the lost and found.

Kobussen

If you have any questions or concerns about busing throughout the school year, please contact Kobussen at 825-8700, ext 5509.