Northwest News

Greetings NWMS Families!

Spring is just around the corner, and with it comes the promise of fresh starts, warmer days, and—believe it or not—the end of the quarter! As we approach this transition, we encourage our students to keep giving their best effort, stay engaged, and finish strong. Every bit of perseverance and hard work they put in now will set them up for success in the months ahead!

Thank you PSTO and NWMS Families!

Our 6th grade celebration and winter dance was a huge success and would have been impossible without NWMS families donating resources and their time; we appreciate you and all of our PSTO hared work.

Lost & Found is Overflowing!

If your student has been missing a jacket, water bottle, lunchbox, or any other personal item, there’s a good chance it’s waiting in our Lost & Found! We encourage families to stop by and take a look—today would be a great day to bring these items home before they disappear for good.

Welcome, Officer Anthony Detwiler!

We are excited to introduce Officer Anthony Detwiler, who will be serving as the Community Relations Officer with the Coralville Police Department. His role is to build and strengthen relationships within our community—including with businesses, residents, NWMS families, and schools like ours!

Officer Detwiler brings a wealth of life experience and a passion for connection. Born in Dallas, TX, but raised in Cedar Rapids, IA, he comes from a diverse background—his mother is from Thailand, and his father from Germany. Before joining law enforcement, he worked in dental prosthetics for 12 years and even owned his own dental laboratory before selling it in 2022 to pursue his career as a police officer. His philosophy is one we can all learn from:

"Find lessons in failures, gratitude in struggles, and opportunity in change—then you will gain control over your own experience of life." We are grateful to have Officer Detwiler as part of our school community, and we’re especially excited that he will be leading coordination efforts for our 8th Grade End-of-the-Year Celebration! More details to come soon, but we know it will be a wonderful send-off for our soon-to-be high schoolers.

A Season of Growth & Gratitude

As we step into this new season, we want to thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Your encouragement at home helps create a positive learning environment for all our students. Let’s continue to uplift, inspire, and finish this quarter strong together!

Wednesday, March 12th: 8th Grade Hancher Field Trip

Wednesday, March 12th: PSTO meeting via Zoom

Friday, March 14th: 2 Hour Early Dismissal

Monday, March 17th-Friday March 21st: No Schoo

Monday, March 24th: Boys Soccer and Track and Field Begins

As part of our commitment to student safety, we kindly remind you to review and/or update your contact information in Infinite Campus. Ensuring your details are current is a vital part of our comprehensive school safety plans.

Please take a moment to verify:

• Your personal contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses.

• Emergency contact details, ensuring they are accurate and up-to-date.

• Approved individuals who can pick up your child from school.

This information helps us contact you promptly and ensures proper procedures are followed, especially in the event of an emergency.

You can access Infinite Campus and update your details here: Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the school’s main office.

The yearbook staff is working hard on this year’s yearbook. Be sure to remember to order by March 14th to guarantee your yearbook this year. Order your 2024-2025 yearbook here. Yearbooks are $25.

Hello March! Our PBIS team is responsible for looking at our school-wide behavior data and addressing concerns that we see with the use of interventions and/or supports. We organize the school parties and events that are incentives for the continued hard work and dedication of NWMS students.

Our Trojan TRUE expectations are the driving force of all that we do within the walls of Northwest related to behavior. I’ve attached our TRUE matrix below to show you all what your students' expectations are!

When a staff member sees or hears a student demonstrating any of the above expectations in any of the above locations, we ask them to reward the student with a TRUE ticket. The TRUE tickets are a form of currency to be used to purchase tangible goods at our TRUE store. The TRUE store is accessible to all students multiple times throughout the week. Something that will be changing is our accessibility to the items students WANT in the TRUE store. Because of some purchasing parameters, we will no longer be able to purchase food items that are not approved by the district - in other words, foods deemed “unhealthy”. All your students’ favorite items will be taken away, unless we have parent/community donations! If you are willing and able to donate to the TRUE store, please reach out or drop off items to the main office! (indicating that they are for the TRUE Store)

MANY THANKS to everyone who has helped make all of our events happen so far this year! Thank you to the families who continually donate snacks and prizes! Thank you to our amazing NWMS Staff for supervising, collaborating, and rolling with the punches as needed! Thank you to the amazing PBIS Team who brainstorms, plans, and organizes everything PBIS in the building! And last but not least, thank you to our students who continue to show up everyday as their best selves and demonstrate our TRUE expectations!

We look forward to sharing all of our PBIS information with you this school year! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to me directly!

Warmly,

Malaysia Clayton and PBIS Team

(319) 688-1060 EXT 6134

clayton.malaysia@iowacityschools.org

• Office hours are 8:00 AM-4:30 PM on school days.

• Phone calls to the main office may go to voicemail when office staff are helping people in the office or on another call, please leave a message and they will return your call as soon as possible.

• Access to teachers during the school day is limited, please use email to communicate with teachers when possible. Teacher email addresses can be found on our website.

• Our phone system now offers a menu. For your convenience the following options are available for you:

• 6th grade attendance press 1
• 6th grade office press 2
• 7th and 8th Grade attendance press 3
• Main office press 4
• Guidance office press 5
• Athletics press 6
• Health office press 7
• Please note: Please use option 1 or 3 for all attendance calls. Voicemails are checked often throughout the day.

• All items brought to the office intended for your student or someone else should have a detailed label with the student's first and last name. Items may be left on the table in the entry by the office door. Students will be called to retrieve items during passing time.

• Infinite Campus automatically sends a message if your student is marked absent from a class. If you know your student is at school, this is most likely an attendance error. We encourage you to contact your student regarding the absence.

• If you have forgotten to report your student absent, call (319) 688-1060.

• If you know your student is in the school but has been marked absent, ask your student to communicate with the teacher their whereabouts during the absent period.

When a student is going to be absent from school, a guardian must email or call the school the morning of the absence or at least two hours prior to the absence. Please email your absence to: Pagan.Grace@iowacityschools.org OR call (319) 688-1060. Use option 1 for 6th grade, option 3 for 7th/8th grade. Voice messages are checked throughout the day. Students leaving early will receive a pass to be excused from class. We appreciate advanced notice as it reduces the amount of classroom interruptions.

Instructions for Using the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus or the App.

• Access the Absence Request from the home page

• Click on the menu in the top left corner

• Click on More at the bottom of the list

• Click on Absence Requests

• Choose your student

• Pick the Excuse from the pull-down menu

• Pick the Absence Type

• For Full Day absence pick the date(s) of the absence

• For Arrive Late pick the date and the time of arrival

• For Leave Early pick the date and the time of departure

• Please remember this is the time the student will depart the classroom

• A brief comment is required

Press the Submit button to complete the form

We would like to remind you about the recently approved ICCSD Secondary School Personal Device Policy that will go into effect across all middle and high schools starting January 21, 2025. The new guidelines are designed to reduce distractions and ensure students stay engaged during instructional time while also helping students develop healthy digital habits.

Key Points of the Policy:
We have been working with secondary students and staff to educate them on the new policy and how it will look within their school. In the policy, instructional time is defined as the time between the tardy bell that starts each class period and the dismissal bell that ends the class period.

• During Instructional Time:
• Cell phones must not be seen, heard, or in use.
• Phones must be stored in backpacks, purses, hanging pouches, or lockers, with ringers silenced.
• Headphones and earbuds are also prohibited during instructional time and must be stored away.
• Smartwatches may be worn but cannot be used for communication during class.
• During Non-Instructional Time:
• Middle Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods and lunch but not during study hall.
• High Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods, lunch, study hall, and open hours, but they cannot use them in hallways during instructional time.

For more details, including information on implementation procedures, consequences, and exemptions, you can review the full policy here: ICCSD Personal Device Policy.

Elementary Schools: With the implementation of these new secondary guidelines, we are simultaneously reinforcing our elementary cell phone policy. That policy can be found in the Elementary Handbook. Key points include:

• Elementary students are asked to refrain from bringing personal devices to school.
• If students must bring a personal device to school, the device must be put away and/or not in use (backpack, purse, desk, locker).
• Parents are encouraged to contact the main office if they need to contact their child during the school day.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these new guidelines, which will provide a more productive and inclusive environment for all students.

Sincerely,

Matt Degner
Superintendent
Iowa City Community School District

Donate to PSTO: MySchoolBucks

Thank you for your support!

We have continued to see a large number of illnesses through the Northwest community. Please be aware that we have respiratory (Influenza, Covid), stomach related illnesses, and strep throat in the community and at school. You can help to prevent the spread of these illnesses!

Please continue to monitor your students' symptoms at home and keep them home if they have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

• Keep your student home from school when they have a fever of 100.4 (F) or greater and for 24 hours after the fever has gone away, without taking Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

• Keep your student home from school when they have diarrhea and/or vomiting and for 24 hours after these symptoms have occurred.

• When your student returns to school after an illness they should be able to participate in the total school program including physical education. Your student will be excused from physical education after an illness or injury only by a written recommendation from your family doctor or primary health care provider.

• Please be sure the school has a telephone number where you can be reached in case your student becomes ill at school. Update your contact information in Infinite Campus.

• Please notify the school if your student will not be attending school because of illness.

• If your student is not feeling well while at school please have them come to the health office so they can be assessed before calling home.

• Students will be sent home if they are vomiting at school or if they have a temperature 100.4 or greater.

Immunization news for 6th grade parents:
Immunization requirement before entrance into 7th grade

Iowa law requires all students entering 7th grade to have proof of two additional vaccines before they can start school in the fall. They will need a tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis booster (Tdap) and their first dose of the meningococcal conjugate (MCV4) vaccine. These doses must be received on or after the student's 10th birthday in order to be a valid dose for 7th grade.

Please check your child’s immunization record or call their healthcare provider to determine if they have received these vaccines, and make an appointment if necessary. Additional resources:

• Johnson County Public Health provides immunizations to children with or without health insurance, please call 319-356-6042 to make an appointment.

• If your child does not have insurance, they may qualify for an appointment at Healthy Kids School-Based Clinic. Call or text 319-631-3204 to see if you qualify for an appointment.

According to state law, students will not be able to start school on the first day of 7th grade without proof of having received these vaccines or a qualifying medical or religious exemption. It is important to contact your healthcare provider soon, as summer appointments fill up quickly.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Andrea DeLarm, MSN, RN
Northwest Middle School Nurse
delarm.andrea@iowacityschools.org

A School Bus Tracking App for Parents

Iowa Central School Bus offers a free app, Here Comes the Bus, that enables parents to track their child’s bus in real time!

Here Comes the Bus features:

• Shows the real-time location of your child’s bus
• Tracks multiply buses if your children don’t all ride the same bus
• Provides push and email notification when the bus is near
• Provides password protection for your account
• Can be downloaded by App Store or Google Play

All you need is an account with Here Comes the Bus and you can track the bus using your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

The app requires parents and guardians to register and provide specific security information, including:

• Username
• School district code (29216)
• Password
• Each child’s Infinite Campus identification number and last name
  

Questions?

Iowa Central School Bus
(319) 688-1900

8th Street Entrance: (Front of the Building)

The bus lane is for buses only. This lane is the closest to the school building. No driving, pausing, or stopping for any reason.

The middle lane and lane closest to the street are for car line drop off/pick up. Please be mindful of other vehicles, buses, and pedestrians.

9th Street Entrance: (Back of the Building)

At the back of the building, the lower parking lot may be used for student drop off/pick up. The upper parking lot is reserved for staff parking and construction vehicles. Please be mindful of other vehicles, buses, and pedestrians.

Email: fitten.kimberly@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/Domain/1106
Location: 1507 8th Street, Coralville, IA, USA
Phone: 319-688-1060
Twitter: @NWJHVikings

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Eric Howard, Director of Equity and Employee Relations, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245, 319-688-1000, howard.eric@iowacityschools.org.