February 10, 2023

February 20 - Presidents' Day (No School)

February 21 - Professional Development Day (No School)

February 23 - FCS Board Meeting

February 24 - PTA Bingo Family Fun Night

February 28 - Hardship Transfer Deadline

March 13 - Professional Development Day (No School)

March 14 - Teacher Workday (No School)

March 17 - All Pro Dads

March 23 - FCS Board Meeting

It’s been another busy week here on campus. Early in the week, students who earned 20 Gold Slips were able to have lunch in the courtyard with members of the admin team. I enjoyed getting to dine with the kids and I learned so many new creative ways to pack lunches! We will continue to reinforce positive behavior in all grades as teachers will dedicate some time to re-visit and re-teach the PBIS expectations. Our students were also treated to a performance about the life of Harriet Tubman thanks to the Northwood Foundation.

It is officially time for interested parents to seek candidacy for our School Governance Council (SGC). Please visit the Fulton County SGC website to learn more about the requirements and processes to declare candidacy.

Northwood Families – your opinion matters. Starting Monday, February 13th, Fulton County Schools encourages parents to take the Annual Parent Perception Survey. The survey link will close on March 10th. The survey is anonymous and confidential and should take about 15 minutes to complete. Please complete one survey per school where you have one or more students enrolled. Additionally, students in grades 4-12 will take the Annual Student Perception Survey between February 13th and 24th, during the school day.

With gratitude,

Heather Rucker

Principal

Just don’t give up what you’re trying to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong. ~Ella Fitzgerald

Did you know that your child is learning to play the piano during their music time? I am so happy to inform you that we are about halfway through our piano unit. During this 9-week unit all grade levels are learning how to play the piano and apply musical skills to an instrument. We started right after the New Year, and we will finish in the middle of March.

Playing piano uses both sides of the brain, helps develop strong eye hand coordination, and provides a solid foundation for musical elements which can help students learn any other instrument. Piano is also known to relieve stress, build self-confidence, but mostly it's a lot of fun. The benefits of playing piano are endless, and I am so excited that we are able to provide this opportunity at Northwood Elementary.

Musically yours,

Kimberly Dahl

Congratulations to Northwood's 2023-24 Teacher of the Year and Professional of the year.

Andi Nelson (2nd Grade), Teacher of the Year

Cecilia Arguello (Reading Paraprofessional), Professional of the Year

We are grateful for your time, talent and the love that you pour into our Explorers!

We would like to send our love and appreciation to Northwood's amazing school counselor, Mrs. Jennifer Weeks. Her dedication to our students, families, staff and the entire Northwood community is evident in all that she does. We are fortunate to have Mrs. Weeks at Northwood and celebrate her today and all throughout the year.

Awards are one of the many wonderful ways we have to recognize and celebrate our Explorers at Northwood. Here is a link to this month's award recipients. Congratulations!

January 2023 Awards

We wouldn’t let the cold and rainy weather keep us from celebrating our Explorers in January! We celebrated on Friday with extra recess in the gym! It is always hard to come back from winter break and get right back in the swing of things, so we really wanted to celebrate these explorers who remembered the PBIS expectations. We are so lucky to have such respectful, responsible, and engaged students at Northwood!

A huge thank you to Northwood teachers Kellen Stark, Krystal Smith, Jonathan Dixon and Karen Sotola for representing Northwood against the world famous Harlem Wizards Basketball Team in the fundraising game at Centennial High School this past Sunday.

The Elite Explorers are overjoyed by the response for the canned food drive in support of North Fulton Charities. The final day to donate items is Monday, February 13th. The current class totals are listed below, and the current highest class in each grade level is highlighted. As you can see there is some great competition! Thank you again!

From Fulton County Schools

As we approach Valentine’s Day, it is important to send out a reminder that all homemade candy, desserts, baked goods, or other edible items are not to be brought, sold, or distributed at school, and that ONLY appropriate store-bought items are shared. Please know that taking this measure will help us maintain a safe environment for all students with allergies, etc. You can help us protect your student(s) by requesting that they not eat anything given to them by a friend, anything that they have not brought from your home or anything not in its original sealed package.

From Northwood

With Valentine's Day approaching, make sure to review information from homeroom teachers regarding their plans for that day. As a reminder, no baked goods (homemade or store bought) should be sent to school.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping all of our students safe at school!

What is a School Governance Council?

The purpose of a School Governance Council (SGC) is to provide parents, school staff, and community members with a leadership role through monitoring and implementation of the strategic plan.

What is the commitment?

All School Governance Council members serve two-year terms. Time commitment varies from school-to-school, but expect 4-5 hours per month which includes meetings, trainings, and school and community events.

When are the 2023 elections?

Candidate Declaration: February 1 - March 24

Elections will be held from April 12 -19

Where to declare candidacy?

Visit the SGC website and click on Elections for a candidate guide and/or declaration.

www.fultonschools.org/sgc

Artists and performers needed for Northwood’s Artist Day!

Are you a painter, sculptor, fine artist, musician, performer, dancer, craftsperson or someone with other creative talent? Northwood’s Artist Day committee is putting together this year’s event and WE NEED YOU! Last year’s artist day was a smashing success and we hope to make this year even better for our explorers. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Mollie Katzin (katzinm@fultonschools.org)

Hardship Transfer applications are available beginning Jan. 1 for parents who wish to apply for a 2023-24 hardship transfer or to renew a current hardship to another Fulton elementary, middle or high school. Parents will use an online form to enter and submit their information. Get more info and access the application here.

Parents, please encourage your students to check regularly for lost items in the Lost and Found. Please mark all student belongings clearly with the child’s name so that it can be identified. Unclaimed items are donated to local charities after the last school day of every month. February’s date is Monday, February 27th.

Get ready for one of the best nights of the year...BINGO Night!!! Head over to Membership Toolkit to purchase your tickets today! You can also print the bottom portion of the below image and send to your teacher, along with a check, to reserve your spot! We will not sell tickets at the door. Advanced purchase is necessary, and this event typically books up very quickly.

Our Silent Auction will also kick off a week before BINGO and run from February 17th through February 24th at 8PM. We have amazing items including three vacation spots, passes to Treetop Quest, spa gift cards and more. In the coming days and weeks, check out the link below as we update our offering. Scope out what you love and get ready for bidding when the time comes! For now, save the link so you can check back shortly!

To make the night run smoothly, we'll need volunteers. Please consider volunteering a portion of your time that night to help it run smoothly. We can't do it without our volunteers.

Purchase tickets: www.Northwoodpta.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/10762

Silent Auction: https://northwoodpta.betterworld.org/auctions/northwood-spring-silent-auction-2

Volunteer Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090548ACAA23A0FD0-northwood

Have you bought a yearbook yet? The cost is $43. Click here to order: tinyurl.com/2y4vw5xw

If you have any questions, please email Yearbook@northwoodpta.com

Heather Q. Rucker, Principal

Michelle Levine, Assistant Principal

Together We SHINE!

Email: NorthwoodAttendance@fultonschools.org
Website: www.fultonschools.org/northwoodes
Location: 10200 Wooten Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 470-254-6390
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthwoodElementaryPTA/
Twitter: @FCS_NWES