High School Parent Message
January 29, 2021
Important Dates:
Jan 29: Portal closes for online course selection
Feb 3: Final Senior Portrait Makeup Day (by appointment only)
Feb 5: End of Marking Period 2/Semester 1, Senior survey due
Feb 8: Marking Period 3/Semester 2 Begins
Feb 15: School Closed: President’s Day , Picture Day Survey Due
Feb 23 & 26 Student Picture Make-up Day
Winter Storm:
The weather forecast calls for the possibility of snow on Sunday night/Monday morning. While no decision has yet been made, please know that one possibility is that the district may operate entirely remote on Monday if the weather conditions warrant that step. If we are remote on Monday, then remote lunch pickups will be available on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
Students and families should be prepared for this possibility as well as more traditional school responses to winter weather.
An Important Message from the Nurses:
New medical guidelines have been issued at local and nationwide levels recommending any person who has been Covid-19 Positive or presumed (suspected) Covid-19 Positive must be medically cleared after COVID-19 infection and before participation in sports, gym, or any school physical activity to rule out the risk of potentially dangerous post-Covid cardiac complications.
SATs:
In these times of uncertainty, the SATs are no exception. We understand that students begin preparing for the exam as early as middle school. Even before COVID, many colleges and universities have begun to examine the value of the SAT test and moved away from the requirement of reporting scores. This being said, it is recommended that students call schools they are interested in to inquire about the SAT requirement or value before taking the assessment. In many instances, the SATs are not required. Northern Burlington is hosting the upcoming March SAT at the middle school. The SAT is open to any student that would like to register. Seating will be limited so make sure to register using your College Board account. Registration closes on February 12, 2021. The test will be given on Saturday, March 13th at 8:00 am (students should arrive by 7:30 to be screened and check in). Any questions please reach out to your counselor.
Clinical Corner Spotlight:
How to Be a Good Enough Parent in Stressful Times: Live Discussion with Betsy Brown Braun - The election. The pandemic. The shorter, colder days. The grief. The uncertainty. It seems that EVERYTHING is stressful right now. How can we get through the next few months (or even this week?) without completely losing it? How can we prevent the cycle of yell-guilt-grump? How can we possibly continue to show up for others when it feels like everything is crumbling in our lives? Watch/listen to the discussion with author and parenting legend, Betsy Brown Braun, for her no-nonsense tips and perspective on how to keep going as a "good enough" parent. Tune in for information, validation, and her signature humor to get us through the next few days, weeks and months. Please click the link to access the recorded discussion: https://vimeo.com/476367941
PE EQUIPMENT:
The Physical Education department understands that health and safety are extremely important and are presenting this plan for equipment usage during our classes. Below you will find a description of how we intend to facilitate distribution, usage, and collection of equipment throughout each school day. In addition, you will see how each item will be thoroughly cleaned between uses.
-Student arrives at the gymnasium, will use hand sanitizer and sit in their assigned spot.
-Teachers will have equipment pre-sorted by class/period based on the unit being presented.
-Teacher will place equipment in an assigned area to be picked up by individual students.
-Equipment will be utilized by only one student and will not be shared with others.
-Upon completion of the class, students will place equipment in designated areas to be thoroughly disinfected by the teacher and then stored.
Due to the nature of our classroom space, the teachers prior to each period will design a plan to maintain social distancing while students are using the equipment. A rotation schedule may be developed for each period depending on the number of students in attendance.
Students who do not yet feel comfortable handling equipment will be given an alternate activity/assignment that corresponds to the lesson of the day.
3rd Marking Period:
Surveys for preferences in the third marking period were due this week. Thank you to those who responded. If you did not have a chance to respond, it will be assumed you wish to continue your status from the second marking period. Students in Option A (Hybrid) who do not consistently attend school for in-person instruction will be transferred to the remote cohort for the remainder of the marking period. In addition, please note that students enrolled in Option B (100% Remote) will remain in that model for the entire third marking period and will not be allowed to switch to Option A (Hybrid). This is essential for the school district’s ability to plan.
Here is the calendar for the third marking period which begins on Monday, February 8th.
Beginning Wednesday, February 10, students will follow a half day bell schedule, they will participate in all of their eight classes remotely, on Wednesdays only. Please click here to see the bell schedules.
Relay for Life:
Covid hasn’t stopped cancer, so we need to keep fighting! We are planning a zoom meeting for the Relay for Life of Northern Burlington County on February 3rd at 7pm. We would love for anyone interested to join us in sharing ideas for making a virtual event possible. Please email Dr. Lopez for the Zoom code.
PICTURE DAY...Take 2:
Picture Makeup day for grades 9-11 will be February 23rd and 26th. Students who are planning to participate will be expected to do so during their cohort.
Cohort A,B & F on Tuesday 2/23 during school hours, Cohort C,D & F on Friday 2/26 during school hours and Cohort E on either day between the hours of 12:30 and 4pm.
They will also need to fill out the ‘Yearbook Photo Make Up Day Grades 9-11’ form in PowerSchool before participating, to be assigned a specific time to get their picture taken. The form can be filled out by either the parent or student and can be found under the “Other Forms - Current Students” category in the Forms section of PowerSchool. Remember you can only see the form section of PowerSchool through a web browser not the app.
Attention Senior Parents:
Yearbook Ad:
It is not too late to place a Senior Ad in the yearbook! Deadline is February 11th. Yearbook Ad
Senior Portraits:
If your senior has not yet had his/her senior portrait taken - we have one more opportunity at NB, February 3rd. We want to see every senior’s picture in the yearbook. All students must complete the health screening before entering the building. Students who have not yet had their portraits taken can make an appointment by going to ouryear.com and enter the Northern’s school code 46.
Date: Wed, February 3rd
Times: 1 pm - 7 pm
Where: Media Center Conference Room
Diploma Survey:
We need to verify how students’ names will appear on their diploma. This year to gather this information, we are using a survey in PowerSchool . Please go to ‘Forms’ - then Senior Forms - then Senior Diploma and Cap & Gown Survey. As with all surveys this can only be done through a web browser not the app. We are opening the survey to be filled by either the parent or the student, so it will be accessible to both PowerSchool logins. Due date: Friday, February 5th.
Parent Teacher Student Connection (PTSC):
Please remember to become a member of our organization this year. If you are already a member, thank you! You can access our link through the Northern Burlington site. Payments of $10 per family are accepted via check or through PayPal. It is important that we receive your contribution as this money is channeled back to our students in the form of mini grants, awarded to teachers for use in their classrooms, as well as Scholarships granted to seniors. If you have a senior graduating in 2021 please make sure that your membership is received by us no later than February 26th, 2021 in order to be eligible. We can always be reached via email at nburlingtonptsc@gmail.com . Please stay safe!
Message from the School Nurse:
The New Jersey Department acknowledges the state is in a "second wave" of coronavirus infections with transmission among school children often being without any symptoms. Therefore, the NJDOH recommends no student should attend school with any COVID-19 like symptoms until they have either received a negative viral test (molecular or antigen) for SARS-CoV-2 or they have completed an isolation period of at least 10 days since symptom onset and at least 24 hours after resolution of fever without fever-reducing medications with symptom improvement.
A Doctor's medical note without testing is no longer acceptable.
Please continue to share any COVID-19 cases or exposures with our school nurses. We ask that you directly contact your student’s nurse as this information is critical for monitoring community incidence & planning for safely keeping our school open.
High School East: Mrs. Mary Crane - mcrane@nburlington.com 609-298-3900 x 2085
High School West: Mrs. Gina Nocon - gnocon@nburlington.com 609-298-3900 x 2216
Moving into the New Year, we will release any information about COVID-19 cases on Monday and Thursday as opposed to daily notifications.
NB Greenhouse Fundraiser:
Fresh Honeybell tangelos have sold out, but there are other varieties to order until 2/5. Valentine's gifts from See's Chocolates are still available (ends 1/29). Just click the pics and thank you for supporting our NB Greenhouse Club
Yearbook Pre Orders 2020-2021:
2020-2021 yearbook is on sale for $80 until January 29. After January 29, the yearbook will be on sale for $85. Seniors will get their name printed on the cover for free if pre-ordered by Jan 29. Order yours at jostensyearbooks.com
Click this link to learn about placing a yearbook ad for your senior! Yearbook Ad
Communications:
The school and district send out communications regularly. These newsletters are sent out weekly and there are times when text messages are also used. If you are reading this message, it clearly arrived in your inbox, but if you have friends or family with children in the district who are not receiving these messages, please have them check their email account’s “junk mailbox.” Also, double check that the correct email is entered in PowerSchool.
In addition, text messages are used to share information. Several were sent last week. For those who did not receive these messages, please double check that the correct cell phone numbers are recorded in PowerSchool. If updates are necessary, please contact our school registrar, Ms. Vickie Sheppard, vsheppard@nburlington.com .
Ordering School Lunch for All Students 18 years and Under:
Please note that Lunches are FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS through the month of June 2021.
Students learning remotely:
Students who are receiving instruction remotely, or their parents/guardians, may pick up meals (three to five meals at one time) for those days they are receiving remote instruction. Ordering ahead of time is required:*We ask that you complete the Google Document for Remote Learning Students to sign up
NB has established MONDAY and TUESDAY, for meal pick ups, during the pickup window of 10 am through 11:15am.
Please contact Maria Baran at mbaran@nburlington.com or ext. 2037 with any questions.
The pick-up location is near the Middle School’s rear entrance (Middle School Door C-3 that leads into the teachers’ lounge) via the Island Road entrance and taking the 1st left to go toward the back of the school. Masks must be worn at all times and for social distancing purposes, NB will limit the number of people entering the middle school facility at one time.
*We ask that you complete the Google Document for Remote Learning Students to sign up for these meals for pick up on Monday -Thursday.
Students present in the building:
When students are present in school, they will have the option to pre-order a grab and go lunch. Students or parents will use the google form to order lunch selection by 8 AM for that day's pick up.
Health and Safety Reminder:
COVID Cannot test out of Quarantine
COVID-How-Long-Isolate-Quarantine
It is important to emphasize a few points with regard to health safety. Most importantly, students should not come to school if they are sick. The remote option is available on a day to day basis if a student has any symptoms on the day he or she is supposed to attend school in person but can still attend school at home. If you have any medical questions, please contact our school nurse at extension 2216(west office) or 2085(east office). Covid Informational Flyers.
A Message from the 2020 Yearbook Staff:
We need student life pictures! Got a perfect picture of your student in his or her mask? Have an at-home work station we just have to see? Send in your student life pictures of NB High School students to yearbook@nburlington.com and get your student in this year's yearbook! Please include your student's name and grade, and be sure all photos contain only Northern Burlington High School students! Thank you for helping to make this year's yearbook a success!
Winter Sports:
Winter Sports at the high school start on Tuesday, January 19th. Schedules, cohorts and procedures will be communicated via the sport-specific google classrooms. If you have any questions regarding boys’/girls’ basketball, winter track, swimming, bowling or cheerleading, please visit our coaches’ contact page -Athletics Coaches.
Athletic Participation:
We are now accepting Athletic Participation packets for the Winter Season. The tentative start date for winter season practices is January 19th, 2021.
If your child’s physical exam is current and does not expire prior to 1/11/21, please complete pages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of the packet and submit them electronically to highschoolathletics@nburlington.com. If your child is in need of a new physical, please contact your physician’s office at your earliest convenience to secure an appointment. Please take page 3, 5 and 6 of the packet with you so that your doctor can complete the physical forms. Please submit the entire packet (pages 1-7) electronically to highschoolathletics@nburlington.com
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. O’Neill in the Athletic Office at moneill@nburlington.com or 609-298-3900, ext. 2093.
School Store:
Happy New Year from the HS Store! We have reopened our online store! Visit us at https://nbhsstore.square.site/ and receive a 10% discount on all purchases made before January 31, 2021. Use the code: NEWYEAR10
NHS TUTORING:
Is your child in need of some extra help? NHS tutoring is here to assist! Virtual tutoring will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30-2pm. All you need to do is have the student who in need of help email the NHS adviser at jnewman@nburlington.com and then the student will receive a link to the virtual tutoring session.
STUDENT PARKING:
Student parking for the 2020-2021 school year is now available for seniors and juniors (with birthdays up to the end of December 2003) for this phase of hybrid learning. Please click then review the appropriate link below (depending upon your grade level), to the letter with the application process & requirements stated within. Parking Decals are being mailed to students upon approval.
Seniors click class of 2021
Juniors click class of 2022
2020 College Application Process for Seniors & their families:
Each year, the counseling department presents to parents of seniors about the College Application process. This year we have created a virtual presentation that can be viewed HERE. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s counselor directly. A chart of counseling assignments can be found HERE. If your student needs to speak with his/her counselor at any time throughout the year, they can do so by submitting a request using the request form or email.
Sally López, Ed.D.
Principal
Follow the Principal on twitter @nbc_hsprincipal
Follow the Superintendent on twitter: @NBCSUPER
Webpage at www.nburlington.com