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Northrop Newsletter
February 2024
Dear Northrop Families,
Welcome, February! It's hard to believe that we are almost to the end of our second trimester (which ends February
23rd). That means that report cards will be coming home Friday, March 1st.
Valentine's Day is always a "low key" event at Northrop. We are celebrating on Wednesday, February
14th. Your student's classroom teacher will send specific details about exchanging Valentine cards and
the classroom celebration that day.
Our spring fundraiser runs from February 6th-27th. Your student will bring home a packet with information in their bookbag on Monday and all students will watch a promotional video during lunch on Monday. All orders must be submitted online or the paper sent back in by February 27th. Please check to make sure that your payment submitted matches the amount ordered.
Get the Facts: Important Levy Information
By now I hope you know that the District has a 7.5 mill continuous operating levy on the March 19, 2024 ballot. This issue will generate approximately $14 million annually at a cost of $263 per $100,000 auditor's total value to taxpayers.
Based on the current five-year forecast, $8 to $10 million in total permanent reductions, primarily in personnel, will be made beginning in the 2024-2025 school year impacting administration and certificated and classified staff over all buildings and departments. Reductions will be made based on student enrollment, and program and service requirements. At this time, the intent is to maintain the current level of programming and service to students.
I'm sure you have questions about the levy as well as next school year. I'd like to invite you to join me on February 8th at 6pm at Northrop in the commons. I'll be joined by Mrs. Karen McGinty, Garfield Principal, as well as current Garfield families who will join the Northrop family next year. We'll share some information about the levy, answer any questions, and we'll also have some family fun! After our Q&A, we'll have family bingo and pizza and snacks. The PTO meeting will be held immediately after, starting at 7pm, and all are welcome to stay!
So that we can plan for food, please take a minute to complete this RSVP form. I look forward to seeing you all there!
Mrs. Dodez
Mark Your Calendars!
2/6 - Spring Fundraiser begins
2/8 - Bingo and Beyond - Northrop cafeteria - 6pm
2/11 - Northrop Talent Show - MHS Middle Stage - 2pm
2/14 - Valentine's Day classroom celebrations
2/16 - No School - Teacher Work Day
2/19 - No School - Presidents Day
2/21 - Portrait to Practice Expo - 6:30 - 8:00 - MHS
2/23 - End of trimester 2
2/26 - No School for students in grades K-5; Preschool attends as normal
2/27 - Spring Fundraiser ends
2/28 - PTO Marcos Pizza Night
3/1 - Report cards sent home
PM Dismissal (from 1/28/24 email)
- K-5 families should arrive NO EARLIER than 3:18pm. K-5 dismissal begins at 3:20 and we need to keep the number of cars in the lot to a minimum.
- Please look carefully at this map. Preschool route is in orange, K-5 route is in green. Note that we need to leave a break at the recycling dumpster and that K-5 families need to leave a break around the curve before the flag pole to allow preschool cars to make the turn at the curve.
- The middle lane should be a DOUBLE lane of cars. This will help to alleviate the long backup on Reagan Parkway.
- UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN ANYONE DOUBLE UP IN THE DRIVEWAY. This is a huge safety issue AND it prevents people from getting out, which only makes the pickup process longer. If you pull in and cannot turn the curve, then you MUST join the center lanes, no exceptions. This applies to school age and preschool families. If it is past 3:20, preschool families will need to park and walk into the main office.
Here Comes The Bus App
Transportation is launching a new app, Here Comes The Bus. This app provides real time information on bus location and arrival times. See the flyer below for detailed instructions. Your student's ID number is their 6 digit school ID (lunch code, can be found in Final Forms). Any questions, contact the transportation department at (330)636-4360.
Talent Show 2024
The FIFTEENTH annual Northrop Elementary Talent Show will be held on Sunday, February 11th, 2024 at 2:00PM on the Middle Stage at Medina High School. Please come and join your fellow Northrop students to share your special talents or come to watch! Hope to see you there!
Northrop Proud Moments from January
January's Celebration Cafe
Clay Day in the Art Room!
Mrs. McRitchie has our students busy and enjoying fun with clay in the art room! Fifth graders are making coral reef clay sculptures.
Fourth grade made castles as part of an extension of their ELA learning about the Middle Ages. It was great to see how much knowledge they had about different types of castles!
Second grade made coil pots using two types of coils.
Kindergarten, First and Third grade will start clay in the next few weeks too.
Everyone loves Clay Day in art - including Mrs. McRitchie!
2nd grade
2nd graders in Mrs. Phillips' room are building place value understanding to 1,000. They worked together to use craft sticks to represent 973, only 27 away from 1,000!
100th Day Fun in Kindergarten!
Kindergarteners in Mrs. McClintock's class enjoyed some fun on the 100th day of school. They were challenged to work together to build a castle using 100 cups. This took lots of teamwork and communication, but was lots of fun!
School Safety
We continue to be committed to safety at school. Exterior doors remain locked at all times as do classroom doors when students are in the building. Anyone coming to sign a student out must wait in the vestibule and must show an I.D. Only adults who are added into Final Forms as a student contact are permitted to pick up a student.
Counselor Corner with Mrs. Wielgus
Stacey Wielgus, M.A., LPSC
Eliza Northrop Elementary & Garfield Elementary
wielguss@medinabees.org (330) 636-4607
As an elementary school counselor, I am committed to supporting the social and emotional needs of our students and the families of the students we serve. In addition, I am also committed to supporting our staff here at school to ensure that we are meeting the individual needs of each student during the school day. By addressing social and emotional needs as well as academics, we work together to increase learning and academic growth for each student here at Eliza Northrop and Garfield Elementary Schools. As a school counselor, my typical services include small groups and/or individual meetings with students, as well as in the whole group, which is often in a classroom setting. I teach students new skills that can assist them with positive and appropriate emotional expression as well as in learning coping skills and the use of coping tools.
PTO News
Join the next PTO Meeting on Thursday, February 8th at 7pm! There are 2 ways to join:
- Come to the Northrop cafeteria (enter through the main doors in the front of the building)
- Join via Zoom - email elizanorthroppto@gmail.com for the link
March 8th is Family Movie Night at Northrop
Save the date to come have fun at this free event! The movie will be voted on by the students. Families will also have the option to pre-order a 4-pack of Crumbl cookies to have waiting for you here at Northrop to enjoy while you watch. More info to come soon!
COVID FAQs
Do kids have to stay home if someone in the family has COVID?
In general kids can come to school as long as they are feeling well unless they have tested positive for COVID. If a student tests positive for COVID, they have to stay home 5 days from symptom onset (symptom onset is day 0). On Day 6, as long as the student is feeling well, and has been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, they may return to school.
Are masks required days 6-10?
No, they are recommended and encouraged. Per the CDC, individuals should wear a well-fitting mask if they have symptoms of COVID-19, if they had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the past 10 days, or if they had recent exposure to someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Community Events
Virtual Lunch with the Superintendent
Sign up now for the Virtual Lunch with the Superintendent series. To be one of the first 25 to register, click on the link or links below. Sign up for one or all of them. Don't forget to bring your lunch.
Helping Hands Preschool Registration is now open!
Helping Hands Preschool is currently accepting applications for peer models for the 2024-2025 school year. A peer model is a role model student, aged three to five, who demonstrates age-appropriate language, behavior, and social skills, and does not have special needs.
Helping Hands Preschool runs Monday through Thursday from August to May. We offer two half-day preschool programs each day. Our morning session runs from 9:00am to 11:40am, and our afternoon session runs from 12:40pm to 3:20pm. Tuition and transportation are the responsibility of the family.
For more information, please contact Helping Hands Preschool at (330) 636-4601.
To apply, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/e8sixxxaVqPzkS9n7
General Northrop Information
SCHOOL DAY
School Day
Office Hours: 8:00-4:00
Student Hours: 8:45-3:30
Tardy Bell: 8:55
Visit us on the web at https://www.medinabees.org/Domain/11
Connect With Us!
Principal - Amanda Dodez, dodeza@medinabees.org
School Psychologist - Bryan Thompson, thompsob@medinabees.org
School Counselor - Stacey Wielgus, wielguss@medinabees.org
Northrop Attendance Line/Clinic - (330)636-4604
Northrop Office - (330)636-4600
Amy Brewer - brewera@medinabees.org
Elaine Klafczynski - klafczynskie@medinabees.org