May 5, 2023

May 9-11 - GA Milestone Assessments

May 12 - Field Day

May 16 - Chorus Concert

May 18 - Talent Show

May 19 - Artist Day

May 22 - 2nd & 4th Grades End of Year Class Parties

May 23 - 1st & 5th Grades End of Year Class Parties

May 24 - K & 3rd Grades End of Year Class Parties

May 24 - School Picnic

May 25 - Last Day of School/5th Grade Promotion Day

We’ve concluded the first week of May already – these next three are going to go by quickly too.

Thank you for all Northwood families for your diligence in helping us with a smooth Georgia Milestone test administration. We’ve completed the first week of the assessment, with the rest being wrapped up next week. Having students arrive on time, rested, with charged devices, has been a big help. Students in grades K-1-2 have been supportive of those in grades 3-4-5 – they made them signs and cards of encouragement, they’ve walked silently in the halls, and have adjusted to varied schedules.

Keep reading through the rest of the BEST – you’ll find helpful information on some end of the year events. Enjoy the weekend!

With gratitude,

Heather Rucker

Principal

Second graders have been very busy since we’ve returned from spring break. In science, we’ve been working on our lifecycle unit, learning about the different stages in the lifecycles of a butterfly, frog, and plant. The students were so excited to get their caterpillars and create a habitat to support the changes they would go through to become a butterfly. Although the larvae food was a bit gross, the children loved participating, and are enjoying checking on their caterpillars every morning. We also planted sunflower seeds so students can watch how their flower progresses through the different stages. They are super excited to bring them home and plant them in their own yards. Spring has sprung and we have been having so much fun with all the hands-on learning experiences!

Things have really been "heating up" in third grade! We've been working on a unit about heat. Some of the "cool" things we've been doing include using thermometers to measure the temperature of liquids. We learned that when thermal energy moves from a hot object to a cold object, this is called heat. We looked at the two scales used on thermometers: Celsius & Fahrenheit. We realize now that the weather reports usually tell us the temperature outside in degrees Fahrenheit.

The rain kept us on our toes for our April PBIS celebrations. Some groups had to change plans to have fun inside with board games and Blookets, while others were able to enjoy clear skies in the afternoon! Either way we made sure to celebrate our Explorers who earned their gold slips in April!

What can I do to help my child prepare?

• Be certain your child gets plenty of sleep and has a healthy breakfast.

• Be certain your student is at school on time, so they are not worried about being late.

• Remind students that cell phones and smart watches will be collected and stored in the secure testing room during test administration times. It’s best for students to leave them at home if possible.

• Please have students bring their fully charged device every day.

• Get information and practice using this link: Georgia Milestones Resources (gadoe.org)

• Experience the online testing session using this link: http://www.gaexperienceonline.com/

What happens if my child is absent?

• There will be rolling make-ups throughout the testing window. Please do not send your child in if they are sick.

Can visitors be in the building?

• During GMAS testing, we will not be allowing visitors in the building before 11:30 am, and there will also be no lunch visitors these days.

Northwood would like parents of 3rd and 5th graders to have information about the Georgia Milestones promotion requirements. Please see the attached letter below from Fulton County Schools.

We are so excited to host our second Artist Day at Northwood on Friday, May 19. Please support our day by sending in some treats or by volunteering some of your time. You can sign up for either or both via the links below. If you have questions about volunteering with artists that day, please contact andreavandervort@gmail.com. Please make sure that you are a FCS registered volunteer!

Volunteer for Artist Day

Items for Artist Day

The Fulton County Instructional Technology Department is offering some exciting opportunities for students. With the summer being a time full of fun, consider participating in the creative learning opportunities being offered both face-to-face and virtually to students. These summer sessions will provide students with valuable learning experiences that bring them into the world of podcasting and creating with Adobe Express.

FCS Podcasting Workshops

Instructional Technology will be hosting four 2-Day Podcasting Workshops for students. Grab a microphone and join us for Speak Up Fulton: The World Is Listening and leave this workshop ready to podcast like the pros! You’ll learn how to create your own background music, how to interview others, and how to tell your own stories to grab the attention of national audiences like Spotify and PBS. “Speak Up” will be two fun-filled days full of creativity and connection, all while enhancing your literacy and career skills. Separate sessions will be offered for rising 3rd- 6th and 7th-12th grades. Visit https://bit.ly/3TX6vUS for additional details and to register. Space is limited, so register today!

FCS Virtual Creativity Days
This summer Instructional Technology will be hosting three virtual creativity days for students. These days are designed to be a fun way for students to engage in creative thinking as they design graphics, videos, and web pages using Adobe Express. Each day will consist of three sessions centered around a daily theme. Students may choose to participate in any, or all the sessions on a given day. Separate sessions will be held for rising 3rd-6th grade students and rising 7th-12th grade students.

Students will participate in these sessions through Microsoft Teams. Links to participate in the Teams meetings will be sent to participants after they register. Visit http://bit.ly/3nixoXc for additional details and to register. Space is limited, so register today!

The Northwood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity, is looking to engage 1 to 2 additional active parents to join the Foundation Board. The Board meets once a month during the school year (August to May) from 7:30-8:30 am. Since its creation in 1996, the Foundation raises and allocates Northwood’s fundraising dollars to fulfill teacher and administrator requests for our school. Be a part of and help shape Northwood for years to come! As a reminder, the Foundation funds and administers Boosterthon, Teacher appreciation, Sidewalk Games, Artist Day, and so much more. Ideal candidate(s) should have 1, (or more) children in Northwood for at least the next 2 years and have a desire to participate. Please contact President Torrey Linder at torreyklinder@gmail.com if you are interested.

Please help us prepare for the 2023-24 school year by letting us know if your current Kindergarten through 4th grade student will not return to Northwood Elementary in August. The withdrawal process is easy. Simply email the completed withdrawal form that is attached at the bottom of this newsletter to Mary Lou Fleming flemingml@fultonschools.org.

There is no need to re-register returning students.

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. May’s date is Wednesday, May 24th.

Starting Monday May 8th the cafeteria will no longer allow students to charge Breakfast or Lunch for this school year. Please make sure that your child has money on their account or brings money with them to purchase lunch. If your child has over the $10.00 limit in charges they will be offered an alternative meal which consists of a sandwich and milk until their account is brought current. You may check your child’s account by going to the www.mypaymentsplus.com website and you will need to enter your child’s student ID number.

The cafeteria is also no longer taking birthday ice cream orders; and will not be ordering anymore ice cream for the remainder of the year.

Thank you.

Join us on the back field at Northwood for food trucks, concessions, an inflatable slide and an outdoor movie at dusk!

Centennial Junior Knights Cheer will be hosting an informational session on Wednesday, May 17 at 6pm. It will take place in the cafeteria of Centennial High School. This program is open to rising 5th and 6th graders along with the middle schools in the area.

How: https://app.picklejuiceapp.com/a/ureg/open/event/0925A815

Questions/Email: chscheerminicamp@gmail.com

The City of Alpharetta will be implementing road closures for the Taste of Alpharetta, taking place on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Please click the link below for more information. Thanks!

City of Alpharetta Road Closures

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