NFV Update

The start of the 2022-2023 school year is right around the corner! Our staff has been busy making sure we are ready for the first day of school on Wednesday, August 24.

Teachers have been receiving additional training in the areas of socio-emotional learning, setting up their classroom space, and developing lesson plans for the upcoming weeks. They are excited to get started with their new classes!

The custodians have worked all summer deep cleaning the buildings and making repairs. The facilities look great!

Our West Union Elementary project is very near completion. The contractor has most of the HVAC components operational and is working on tying up loose ends. Then balancing the system to ensure it operates at peak efficiency will take place.

As you have seen in other announcements, the USDA did not reauthorize free school meals for all students. We have moved back to our preCOVID process where families apply for free or reduced meals based on family income. Families that don't complete the application or don't qualify will need to pay for their children's meals at school. It is important to note, that if a student does qualify for free or reduced meals, any extra milk or additional portions are not covered under this government program and the cost will be deducted from the student's lunch account.

If you haven't yet, please be sure to complete the online registration process. I have linked the instructions and contact information for your convenience. This process is fast and easy. https://www.nfvschools.com/quicklinks/registration

We are excited about the upcoming school year!

Joe Griffith, Superintendent

1. Communicate with your child's teacher early and often

NFV hosts a variety of options to help families to get to know their child's new teacher. Grades pk-8 hold intake conferences (if you haven't scheduled your intake conference yet, please contact your child's school). This is a great chance to learn about the expectations, discuss preferred communication methods, and most importantly, help the teacher get to know your child. The high school invites 9th-grade students to the Jump-Start Orientation day (Monday, August 22 from 10:00 am-2:00 pm), designed to help students transition successfully. In addition, high school students and parents are invited to the school for our high school Back-to-School Night (Monday, August 22 at @6:00pm).

2. Have a place for everything

Planning can save the hectic morning scramble as we try to find the backpack, library book, and the ever elusive left shoe. Setting a routine and having a specific place for school materials can take the chaos out of the mornings.

3. Ask your child specific questions about school

We have all heard the answer "nothing" in regards to school questions. I encourage you to take that answer away. Some of these can help get the conversation started. "What happened today that was funny? Who did you sit with at lunch? What was the best part of the day?" are all great questions to start with. Once your child starts talking about school, be a good listener. You will be amazed at what you can learn!

4. Set a structured time for learning

By setting a structured time for learning, students have time set aside for homework. No homework today? Great! Looks like we get to read or explore some other topic.

5. Time Management

Moving from a summer schedule to a school schedule can be tough for all of us. Start a few weeks ahead. Structure what time kids get up in the morning and go to bed.

6. Device Time

Kids these days have technology at their fingertips. I suggest no phones, TVs, or video games in the room where they sleep. The draw to these devices can be very strong and disrupt sleeping habits. I know many people are using their phones as an alarm. Purchasing an old-fashioned alarm clock removes the distraction of late-night texts, Snapchat, and Instagrams that can disrupt the sleep habits of our kids.

7. Ask

If you have questions about school, ask. We are excited to work with parents to help students become successful adults.

The North Fayette Valley website is the hub of communication for our district. Lunch menus, school calendars, and activity schedules are just some of the information you will find at your fingertips.

One of my favorite features is the parent access to Infinite Campus. By accessing this site a parent can monitor a student's academic progress, attendance, and whether or not assignments are turned in on time. The link for the Infinite Campus parent access is on the bottom left section of the district webpage. If you need help accessing this information please contact the secretary at your child's school.

Our website can be accessed via this link: https://www.nfvschools.com/

Last school year in November, North Fayette Valley started using SchoolMessenger as the system used for school closures and district-wide schedule changes. We encourage all families to sign up for these notifications.

Parents: https://nfvcsd.atlassian.net/l/c/vqV9kQfL

Students: https://nfvcsd.atlassian.net/l/c/N4p2WwQD

Staff: https://nfvcsd.atlassian.net/l/c/vYP00GP8

Community members that wish to receive communication from SchoolMessenger can sign up on the NFV website, under the Alerts Sign up button. There is no need to sign up again unless your contact information has changed.

Email: jgriffith@nfv.k12.ia.us
Website: https://www.nfvschools.com/
Location: 600 North Pine Street, West Union, IA, USA
Phone: 563-422-3851