The Weekly Update

Chromebook pick up for incoming seventh graders and new eighth graders took place the week of August 19. There is one more day to pick up Chromebooks prior to the start of school and that is Monday, August 26. Simply come to the Middle School Main Entrance between 9 am and Noon. Those students who cannot pick up their Chromebooks before school will receive them in homeroom on the first day of school.

The first day for ALL STUDENTS is Thursday, September 5th. School begins promptly at 7:30 am and dismisses at 2:38 pm. Students should report to the cafetorium area upon arrival.

For middle school students scheduled to start the first day in the high school, primarily students who are enrolled in the JROTC program, they should report to the high school as they normally would as part of the high school’s A/B schedule. We will make arrangements for those students who are beginning the day to take part in the orientation activities in the middle school.

• Students are expected to bring their school issued Chromebook & charger to school every day.
• Please make sure that the student logs into their Chromebook prior to the first day of school so that all system updates are completed prior to their arrival.
  
• It is the students’ responsibility to have their Chromebook charged every day.
  
• If a student does not have their Chromebook/charger, they will be sent to the main office to call a parent/guardian to bring what they are missing.
  
• Students who have non-working Chromebooks should report to the main office for a loaner. When students receive their repaired Chromebook, it is expected that they return the loaner.
  
• The cost to replace a charger is $35.
  
• Students will be responsible to pay for damages to their Chromebook.
  

• Please be reminded that there is a dress code. Please review the following with your children and reference pages 17-18 of the student handbook for the following information:

  
  

  • NO sheer clothing

  • Undergarments may NOT be exposed

  • Back must be covered

  • Bottoms MUST touch tops

  • Bottoms MUST extend to finger length

  
  

  Students in violation of the dress code will be asked to change their clothing. If they have nothing in their locker, they will call a parent/guardian to bring them appropriate clothing. If the student refuses to change their clothing, they will be placed in In School Suspension.

  
  

Students may bring their cell phones to school, however, cell phones must be put away during the school day, unless given express permission by a teacher to use it for a specific class activity. Students who have their cell phones out during the school day may have them confiscated and, in some cases, parents may be required to pick them up from the main office.

All students will receive an ID card and lanyard the first day of school. It is the expectation that students will wear their school ID at all times while in the building (there are exceptions, such as PE class, where students do not need to wear their school ID). This is part of our school safety and security measures. Students who are not wearing their school ID may have their privileges limited and may be subject to disciplinary consequences. Replacement school IDs are $5 and may be purchased at the school counseling office.

How we treat one another at Northern Burlington is important and we want all of our students to feel welcome. We want to create a safe and orderly environment to promote the best opportunity for learning. To that end, we have three key expectations in our school community. At Northern, our students will:

• Be Ready

• Be Respectful

• Be Responsible

As school begins we will be talking to the students about how those expectations apply across the building. Throughout the year we plan to revisit these concepts and reinforce them. In addition, eliminating bullying is another key part of our expectations for student conduct. We will be setting up a variety of student activities throughout the school year to better educate our students on how to stop bullying.

Finally, our school has been recognized as a No Place for Hate school by the Anti-Defamation League. We look forward to continuing to earn this distinction through organizing different activities related to No Place for Hate throughout the school year. Look for updates in the weekly parent message that comes out every Friday via email.

Parent Messages from the principal are sent regularly at the end of every week.

The school uses email communications on a regular basis so it is essential that the school has an accurate email address. Parents should log into PowerSchool to review the email address shown and update as necessary. Parents may enter more than one email address. Please note that adding an email address in the Parent/Student Portal does not change the email address on file in PowerSchool demographics - to do this, you must email the school registrar your request.

Bus Assignments can be found in PowerSchool under Transportation and these will be made available by Thursday, August 29. Please be aware that students must ride their assigned bus. Temporary requests for a student to ride a different bus will be considered only for emergency situations and only with the Principal’s approval. Such a request must be submitted in writing from both the parent of the child and the parent who will be receiving the child, along with phone numbers to confirm the request at least 24 hours in advance.

Breakfast

• Breakfast will be served daily from 7:00 am to 7:30 am.

• The cost for breakfast is $2.25 for a breakfast bundle which will include a grain and/ or protein, a fruit, and a milk. This will be the free/reduced option and will also be available for purchase. Ala Carte items are available for purchase as well.

Lunch

• Every day there are two lunch periods and each is 30 minutes long.

• We encourage all parents and guardians to complete a new 2024-2025 Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals prior to the first day of school. The application can be found on our webpage under parent/student resources and at this LINK.

• The cost for breakfast is $2.25, regular school lunch is $3.35, and a premium lunch is $3.60. Students will use their school ID to move through the lunch line. Parents are welcome to establish an online lunch account through the lunchtime parent portal found under Food Services on the parent/student page and at this Acct Link.

• Students are welcome to pack their lunch, please no glass bottles

Several important pieces of information are available on our district website at www.nburlington.com please be sure to check out the tabs for Student Resources, Parent/Guardian Resources, and Middle School Important Information for the following:

• District Calendar

• Free and Reduced Lunch Application

• Student Handbook

• Athletics*

• Parent Teacher Student Connection (PTSC): This is the parent group for the school district.

• Medication at School Form: Must be completed in order for a child to take any medication at school.

• Acceptable Use of Technology Policy

• Anti-Bullying Policy (HIB)

• Asbestos Abatement Notification (AHERA)

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan

• Health Insurance Brochure/Application

*If your student would like to participate in a fall sport - soccer, field hockey, or cross country - please make sure you register online and upload a current physical if you haven’t already done so. https://northernburlington-ar.rschooltoday.com/

Finally, please enjoy these final days of summer with your friends and family. We look forward to seeing your children return. Best wishes as we embark on another exciting school year.

Andrew Kearns, Ed.D.

Principal