Dear Comet Families,

On behalf of the faculty and staff of Walter G. Nord School, I would like to welcome you to the 2024-2025 school year! Our custodial staff has been hard at work all summer getting our building ready to welcome students on Wednesday, August 21, 2024!

All homeroom lists will be posted on Friday, August 16th, at 3:30 pm on the front door of Nord and on your ParentPortal account.

I hope to see you all at our Open House on Monday, August 19th from 5:00 - 6:00 pm. To help with overcrowding and traffic we encourage students with last names A - M to attend from 5 - 5:30 pm and last names N - Z from 5:30 - 6:00 pm.

As you prepare for the start of school, please review this newsletter for helpful information. I have also compiled this Frequently Asked Questions document. I also encourage you to follow me on X (fromerly Twitter) at @NordPrincipal and check the Walter G. Nord School website often for updates.

Please do not hesitate to call the Nord Main Office at 440-988-4441 if you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns.

See you soon,

Mrs. Harigan

Walter G. Nord School is excited to welcome our new Dean of Students, Mrs. Rebecca McArthur! Mrs. McArthur is joining the Nord staff after serving 10 years at Powers Elementary as an Early Intervention Specialist and General Education Teacher.

Mrs. McArthur will oversee Nord's Comet Impact PBIS program and Multi-Teired Systems of Support (MTSS) framebook in order to help all students be successful. She is looking forward to fulfilling an administrative role within the district, and to support our staff, students, parents, and community!

All emergency, medical, and contact information for all K-12 students will be collected through the Returning Student Registration process in your PowerSchool Parent Portal account at the start of each school year.

To complete the process, please go to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account, click on the Returning Student Registration link in the left menu, and follow the prompts. For step-by-step directions, please refer to this Online Returning Student Registration Directions document.

If you completed this process last year, most of your child's emergency and contact information will be pre-filled on this year's form. You will simply need to check, verify, and update any changes.

Thank you in advance for updating your returning student's information as soon as possible.

During the school year, Walter G. Nord School's Main Office is open daily from 7:45 am - 3:45 pm.

8:20 am: Building Opens to Students

8:30 am: School Day Begins

3:10 pm: Dismissal for Car Riders and Walkers

3:20 pm: Buses Depart

Each grade level has specific supply lists. Students may bring their supplies to Open House or on the first day of school.

4th Grade Supply List

5th Grade Supply List

Please review the following school fees for the 2024-2025 school year:

Fourth Grade: $50.50

Fifth Grade: $46.50

Please call Mrs. Dotson, Financial Secretary, at 440-988-4441 if you would like to set up a payment plan or if you have any questions. All school fees must be paid in full in order to attend Camp Fitch or the Columbus field trip.

Breakfast and lunch may be purchased in the cafeteria each day. The Board of Education has set the prices for the 2024-2025 school year at:

Breakfast $1.85

Lunch $3.35

Milk $0.50

Please go to http://PaySchoolscentral.com to complete the Free/Reduced Application and/or add money to your student's account. For more information about school meals for the 2024-2025 school year, please visit our Amherst Schools Nutrition Services Website.

At Walter G. Nord School, we require that students keep their cell phones silenced and in their locker during the school day. We also ask that smartwatches be kept in student lockers.

If any family member needs to get an emergency message to their child during the school day, please call the main office at 440-988-4441. Thank you for your support in limiting distractions to the educational environment.

Students at Walter G. Nord School are spilt into grade-level teams. Below is a list of the teachers on each team and what subject they teach.

4th Grade Teams

• Mrs. Burman (ELA), Miss Antush (Math), Ms. Hershiser (Science and Social Studies)
• Mrs. DelVecchio (ELA), Miss Backman (Math), Mrs. Beetler (Science and Social Studies)
• Mrs. Mullen (ELA), Mrs. Smith (Math), Mrs. Stellwagen (Science and Social Studies)
• Mrs. Watkin (ELA and Social Studies), Mr. Zajkowski (Math and Science)

5th Grade Teams

• Mrs. Ehrhardt (ELA), Mrs. Born (Math), Mrs. Liming (Science and Social Studies)
• Miss Hegarty (ELA), Mrs. Bailey (Math), Mr. Hermensky (Science and Social Studies)
• Mrs. Homolya (ELA), Mrs. Taylor (Math), Mrs. Henry (Science and Social Studies)
• Miss Maria (ELA), Mr. Mullen (Math), Mrs. Kinser (Science and Social Studies)

This year our 5th graders will go on their overnight trip to Camp Fitch the week of September 23rd. Students in Born, Ehrhardt, Liming, Maria, Mullen, and Kinser homerooms go Monday, September 23rd - Wednesday, September 25th. Students in Bailey, Hegarty, Hermensky, Henry, Homolya, & Taylor homerooms will go on Wednesday, September 25th - Friday, September 27th.

Click here for the Camp Fitch 2024 Information Packet that was sent home last spring. More information will be sent home with students the first week of school. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the 5th grade Camp Fitch trip, please contact either Mrs. Jen Henry (jennifer_henry@amherstk12.org) or Mrs. Erin Kinser (erin_kinser@amherstk12.org). All information for Camp Fitch can also be found on Nord’s Camp Fitch website, https://bit.ly/campfitchnord.

Mrs. Perry emailed all families of students who signed up for 5th grade band or orchestra. If you have any questions or if you did not get the email, please contact Mrs. Perry at christy_perry@amherstk12.org.

Friday, August 16th: Homeroom Lists Posted, 3:30 pm

Monday, August 19: Open House, Last Names A - M: 5- 5:30 pm, N - Z: 5:30 - 6:00 pm

Wednesday, August 21st: First Day of School, 8:30 am - 3:10 pm

Monday, September 2nd: No School, Labor Day

Wednesday. September 11th: Camp Fitch Money Due

Monday, September 23rd - Wednesday September 25th: Camp Fitch for Born, Ehrhardt, Liming, Maria, Mullen, & Kinser Homerooms

Wednesday September 25th - Friday, September 27th: Camp Fitch for Bailey, Hegarty, Hermensky, Henry, Homolya, & Taylor Homerooms

Friday, September 27th: Homecoming Parade

Monday, September 30th: Picture Day

Wednesday, October 9th: Parent-Teacher Conferences, 3:35- 8:35 pm

Friday, October 11th: No School, NEOEA Day

Friday, October 18th: End of 1st Grading Period

Email: ashley_harigan@amherstk12.org
Website: https://www.amherstk12.org/schools/nord
Location: 501 Lincoln Street, Amherst, OH, USA
Phone: 40-988-4441
Twitter: @NordPrincipal