Northwoods News

Northwoods Families,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Thank you to everyone who has donated to the supply drive for families in Western North Carolina. I'm proud to announce that we have delivered three very full carloads of supplies directly to impacted communities.

Additional thanks to all the families that came out for our school picnic on October 5th and thank you to everyone participated in Walk, Bike, and Roll to school day last Wednesday! Both events were wonderful, and I loved seeing so many students and families participate. Our next big event is Trunk-or-Treat on October 26th. Please take a few minutes to read through those details as well as other important information and updates below.

Upcoming Events:

• Saturday, October 26th--Trunk-or-Treat
• Sunday, October 27th--Trunk-or-Treat (Rain date)
• Tuesday, October 29th--Diwali Begins
• Thursday, October 31st--1st Grade Fairy Tale Day
• Thursday, October 31st--Halloween
• Thursday, October 31st--Quarter 1 Ends
• Friday, November 1st--Teacher Workday
• Friday, November 1st--American Indian Heritage Month Begins

Annual YMCA Fundraiser:

The Taylor Family YMCA is holding their annual fundraiser. Many of our students at Northwoods participate in programs offered by the YMCA. Through donations, many families are able to access swim lessons, youth sports, or send their child to summer camp at little-to-no cost. Our school-based goal is to raise $500. If you are able, please consider giving. Below is a breakdown of how your contributions can help provide access to services and programming for Northwoods students.

• $92+ Swim Lessons = provides a child six swim lessons and the opportunity to learn a life-saving skill
• $100 + Youth Sports = helps a child build confidence, learn skills and make new friends during a season of sports
• $183 + Camp Excel = gives a child a week of fun activities, meals, and character development at our subsidized summer day camp

Trunk-or-Treat:

Our second annual Trunk-or-Treat event is scheduled for Saturday, October 26th from 5:00 - 6:00 PM. Please use the link below to sign up if you would like to decorate your car or if you would like to donate candy. We still have 12 spots available for decorated vehicles, and candy donations are limitless. We appreciate your support!

• Northwoods Trunk-or-Treat Sign-Up

BackPack Buddies Program:

BackPack Buddies are designed to provide food-insecure children with weekend meals during the school year. The bags will be distributed to participating students on a weekly basis. If you are interested in having your child participate in the BackPack Buddies Program for the 2024 - 2025 school year, please complete the Guardian Permission Form linked below. If you have additional questions or need information about community food resources, please contact Olivia McNeill, School Social Worker at omcneill@wcpss.net.

Guardian Permission Form--English

Guardian Permission Form--Spanish

Holiday Assistance

If you need assistance with gifts for your children this holiday season, please complete the link provided below. The deadline to submit this form is October 25th. This allows adequate time for me to connect your family with community partners for assistance. Be advised that the application period for community partner programs is time sensitive. If you have any questions, please contact Olivia McNeill, School Social Worker at omcneill@wcpss.net.

Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddzP8II6UAv3s_sSNXaNdwXhV2xacl96iE4_1duXuGqH9LCA/viewform?usp=pp_url

Halloween Reminders:

As Halloween approaches, I would like to remind families that students should not be sent to school in costumes on October 31st. Additionally, as we approach and move past the holiday, I kindly ask that candy and treats stay at home.

Optional Parents Survey:

Students at Apex High School are collecting data from area parents regarding student learning rates and parental support pre and post-pandemic. The survey is completely anonymous, and only takes a few minutes to complete. You may use the QR code next to this message or the link below to access the survey.

Parent Survey

Northwoods Students Featured at State Fair:

I'm proud to announce that we have six students whose artwork will be displayed at the State Fair! Please join me in congratulating them!!

Thank you, PTA!!

We would like to thank the PTA for purchasing new stools and other equipment (chairs, instruments, 3D printer, etc.) for our specialist team! Our students love the new equipment!! Thank you for your support!