Northlake Notes

🪺🐰 Hoppy Long Weekend, Northlake Fam,

I hope you all are enjoying a fun-filled weekend with family and/or friends. I'm going to keep this one short (since the last one was a novel). This last week was short but action-packed. And April is starting, tomorrow?! Wow!

Tomorrow we are all so excited to welcome back Principal Mary Kellagher and her brand new shiny knee - whoohoo 🎉. I would be remiss if I didn't thank Interim Principal LaShon Easter for all her support during this spring semester - thank you for floating in like Mary Poppins and putting things right - pish posh. We will all be sad to see you float out of our lives, but know we are better for having had you even a short time. 🥹

Furthermore, a giant thank you to our teachers and staff, our Northlake Team, for pulling together, supporting our students, one another, and our community while Ms. Kellagher was out. This incredible team showed resilience in the face of many challenges and held steadfast to the belief that we will always strive for what is best for our students. Together we have pushed and pulled each other to our Next Level Excellence.

For all the important announcements and celebrations from this past week, read on below! 🎉

Be sure to check out the important upcoming dates at the end of the newsletter!

With Gratitude, 🐾❤️

Kylee Wall

Thank you to everyone who came to Open House. We were all so happy to see you! 🤩

Shout out to Mr. Cho & Mr. Gulick for directing our Kinder, 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders (and even all of us) in singing Texas songs. Much appreciation to our PTA for having both the board and general meeting last week so that we could all go to Open House, meeting free, following those performances. Hats off to Ms. Tovar and all our parent volunteers that got so much beautiful art on the walls all around the campus. And of course, thank you so much to our teachers and staff for all the preparation they put in to get Open House up and ready: from classrooms to student work to bulletin boards and more.

Our students and teachers have been hard at work prepping for STAAR with academic Boot Camps. Please save the dates below and do not make appointments for students in grades 3-6 on STAAR testing days.

April 16 - STAAR Test Reading 3-6
April 18 - STAAR Test Science 5
April 25 - STAAR Test Math 3-6

A good night's sleep the night before and a healthy breakfast are the best way to support our students during testing season. 😴 🍳

The Resource and Inclusion Team travel the hallways each Wednesday to give out WOW (What Outstanding Work) awards. These go to students or staff members that exhibit characteristics centered on our guidelines for success: the Northlake Wildcat ROAR - Respect, Ownership, Acceptance, and Responsibility.

Richardson ISD celebrates Youth Art Month in Texas by exhibiting selected artworks by students in our district. Many of our Northlake Wildcats were chosen to exhibit their artwork. Thank you for facilitating this love of art, Ms. Tovar! 👩🏻‍🎨🎨🧑🏻‍🎨

This past Wednesday, March 26th, we practiced drills. In RISD, we refer to them as "I Know What to Do Days." Teachers use a district planned lesson to frontload students on the drill information before we practice as a campus. We practiced Shelter for a tornado (since we've had quite a few storms lately) and also held our monthly fire drill. Our students and Northlake Team did an exceptional job on both drills.

Here at Northlake, we work hard, but we also play hard. Case in point, Cassie Cardwell - though she poses as a 5th Grade Reading teacher by day, she is a trickster through and through... just ask Officer Covarrubias and Mr. Gonzalez. Wonder what she'll have in store for us for April Fool's Day! Eek! 😬

Thank you to ALL 89 Talent Show tryouts!! This was the most in Northlake history!!

There was such a vast talent pool this year that not everyone was able to be selected to move on to the next round. We are proud of ALL of you for trying out and look forward to seeing you all continue to nurture and grow your talents.

Save the date to see the NLE Talent Show - April 11th. Doors open at 5:30pm.

At the March 7 board meeting, RISD trustees an update on the inclement weather days in the current 23-24 calendar. RISD has banked enough instructional minutes so that students will not need to make up the bad weather day used in January.

This means both Friday, March 29, and Friday, April 12, will be student and staff holidays. The school district will work with all employees to ensure their schedules align with the calendar. Thursday, April 11 is also an early release day.

Enrollment for the 2024-25 school year opens online Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 8:00 a.m.

Whether you’re new to RISD or returning for another year of school, parents can take advantage of convenient online enrollment using a PowerSchool registration account. Enrollment for returning students will require a “snapcode” that will be emailed to current parents on February 26.

Starting Feb. 27, enrollment for next school year will open for all current or future students in Pre-K through grade 12. Please click here for more information about the enrollment process and what documents are necessary to complete enrollment.

Contact your current (2023-24) RISD school for questions or assistance with enrollment, including help submitting necessary documents.

If you would like to volunteer at Northlake Elementary, you must complete a volunteer background check EVERY new school year. Volunteering could include helping with class parties, attending field trips with your children, working in the library, helping at Field Day, or many other activities. We will not allow anyone who has not completed and passed the volunteer background check to volunteer.

Please click on this link to complete the background check. You MUST also watch the very short powerpoint at the end to complete the entire background check. Failure to watch the powerpoint will make your application incomplete and you will not be able to volunteer.

With the advent of spring, comes a little spring fever. Dads Club & PTA are asking volunteers to join in to provide support in the lunchroom and at recess.

If you are interested in volunteering in the lunchroom or at recess, please use this link to sign up. Be sure you have completed the background check via risd.voly.org.

Thanks, Dads (and Moms) ! We appreciate you. ❤️👨👩

If you would like to hear more about Dads Club, please reach out to Brad McCutcheon at DadsClub@NorthlakePTA.com.

We have a new opportunity to volunteer in the garden. In the weeks leading up to our drip-line install, we are needing some watering help.

This opportunity will be for one week at a time, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You would be watering the seedlings for a total of around 20 minutes. It can be done at your convenience, but you won't need to check in if you go after 3pm.

To sign up, click the link: Garden Volunteer Link

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Garden Chair, Rachel Bennion at rachelebennion@gmail.com

Reminder that no crocs or "croc-like" shoes are allowed at school. Many croc-related incidents end up in the Nurse's clinic. Please do not make us have to be the "crocs police", as this rule is part of our district Elementary Dress Code. Please be sure your students are dressed appropriately for school each day. Thank you for your help keeping all our students safe! 👟

Please be sure that children are supervised at all times whether at the Audelia Public Library or the playground next to it. There have been injuries that have happened from students playing without guardian supervision. Please remind your children that if they are walkers, they should be walking straight home from school. The librarians do not supervise students, so please do not allow your children to go to the library without an adult.

The school day is from 7:50-3:10.

• The building opens at 7:30.

• Breakfast is served in the classroom from 7:30-7:50.

• Your child is tardy at 7:51 and will receive a tardy pass to get to class.

• Your child is late for school after 8:05 and a parent will need to sign them in at the office.

• If your child arrives to school after 9:00 AM they are counted absent for the day.

• If you child is absent for any reason, please be sure to send a note to school on the day your child returns, letting us know the reason for the absence. Any excuse notes must be received within 3 days of returning to school in order to receive an excused absence.

If you have any questions regarding attendance, please email lorrie.ford@risd.org.

Parents are welcome to bring a small birthday treat to celebrate their child's birthday. Here are a few reminders:

• Treats must be store bought or baked (cupcakes and cookies are best). We ask for store bought so teachers can see the ingredients listed in order to be mindful of any allergies students may have.
• We do not pass out drinks, party bags or balloons.
• Parents may drop treats labeled with child's name, grade and homeroom teacher, off in the main office, and we will get them to the classroom.
• We will not call students out of class to come to the office for pictures with their treats.
• Teachers will pass treats out at the end of the day.

To have your child's name added to the marquee for their birthday for just $10, please use this link to the PTA website. www.northlakepta.com/birthday-marquee

The district policy is that grades are not printed and sent home; however, you may view your child's grades on the Parent Portal in Focus. If you have not signed up for a Parent Portal Account, please see the information below.

Please be sure to sign up for your Parent Focus Account. This will give you access to all kinds of important student information. Most importantly, you will have access to your child's grade.

web.risd.org/focus/

In the interest of safety & security, every visitor to a Richardson ISD campus must present a valid form of identification and be processed through the Raptor background check system each visit, regardless of previous checks. Please be sure that you have your valid identification with you every time you visit Northlake Elementary. Thank you for your patience and understanding as RISD works to ensure the safety of students and employees. Volunteer questions may be directed to the office of Strategy & Engagement.

Additionally, the front office staff will use the intercom system to ask visitors to identify themselves and the purpose of their visit before granting access to the office. This is part of our heightened security measures. Please be cooperative. As you enter the building, do not allow others to enter with you or to follow you through the doors as you enter or leave. Everyone who enters should ring the buzzer and speak to someone in the office before entering the school building. Thank you!

Parents are welcome to come visit during lunch to eat with their students. We ask that you sign up for a day and time using the sign-up genius. In order to keep students safe and to accommodate everyone, please read through these reminders for visiting Northlake for lunch:

• Sign up for your visit using the Sign Up Genius.
• No Siblings, due to limited space on the stage.
• You may eat lunch with your child only.
• Please do not take pictures of your child while at lunch.
• When you are finished with lunch, please check out through the office. Parents may not go back to class with their children to visit.

bit.ly/NLESpring24LunchSignUp

Parents must apply for their child/children to receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. Last year everyone received free school breakfast but this year families must apply to receive free or reduced breakfast. The application must be completed as soon as possible to ensure that there is no interruption to their meal service. This application needs to be filled out every year. Please click on the picture or link below to get to the lunch application.

Students are welcome to pack a nutritious lunch from home or a lunch may be purchased in the school cafeteria. If your child happens to forget their lunch from home, please drop it off in the front office by 10:30 AM. This will ensure that the lunch will reach your child by their lunch time. Please refer to the RISD Child Nutrition website for menus, pricing and payment options.

We are so fortunate to have a wonderful PTA. They have been working so hard all year.

If you are interested in volunteering in the lunchroom or at recess, please use this link to sign up. Be sure you have completed the background check via risd.voly.org.

Please be sure to check out their website for different ways you can help out. You can also reach out to Amanda Hinders at President@NorthlakePTA.com for more information about PTA, or if you would like to hear more about Dads Club, please reach out to Brad McCutcheon at DadsClub@NorthlakePTA.com.

We need your help! We are working hard to grow our PTA membership. It costs $8 to join PTA and there is no time commitment needed. We always need volunteers at PTA school events such as Carnival, Multi-Cultural Night and Buddy Fun Day. But, we are flexible and you can work as much or as little as your schedule allows.

You can find more information out about our PTA on their website. Thanks in advance for supporting our school! https://www.northlakepta.com/

April - National Library Month, National Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, National Arab American Heritage Month, World Autism Month

April 1-5 GT Awareness Week & National Assistant Principals Week

April 3 - Paraprofessional (Classroom Aides) Appreciation Day
April 4 - National Librarian’s Day
April 8 - Total Solar Eclipse & PBIS Team Meeting
April 10 - Talent Show Rehearsal, Produce Day, & Mentor/Mentee Meeting
April 11 - Early Release Day & Talent Show 5:30pm
April 12 - No School
April 15 - STAAR Pep Rally
April 16 - STAAR Test Reading 3-6 & PreK/Kinder Field Trips
April 17 - Haiku Day
April 18 - STAAR Test Science 5
April 23 - 1st Grade Field Trip & School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
April 24 - Administrative Professionals Appreciation Day (Front Office)
April 25 - STAAR Test Math 3-6 & 2nd Grade Field Trip
April 29 - AVID Site Team Meeting & Paw Prints Picnic
April 30 - Kindergarten Field Trip