Middle School Parent Message
February 12, 2021
Important Dates:
Calendar for 3rd Marking Period can be found at this link.
February 15: President’s Day: School Closed
February 16: Cohorts A, B & F on premises
February 17: Cohorts A, B. & F on premises
February 17 & 18: Student Makeup Picture Day
February 18: Cohorts C, D, & F on premises
February 19: Cohorts C, D, & F on premises
March 11: Q3 Mid Marking Period
March 19: Early Dismissal of Students/Teacher PD
Good Afternoon:
Third Marking Period: As we begin the third marking period, there will be students who have changed their model from hybrid to remote or vice versa. 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.
Student Pictures: For those students who missed having their picture taken or need to have them retaken, the dates are February 17 and 18. Students attending in person will receive an email pass with the day and time to have their photo taken. (Those wishing retakes will need to bring their unwanted photo package with a letter from their parents requesting the retake to the main office on February 17 or 18 to receive a pass.)
Cohort E parents who would like to have their child’s picture taken or retaken, will need to sign-up for an appointment. The appointments are in the afternoon of February 17 or 18 between 12:40 pm and 3 pm. For retakes students will need to bring the unwanted photo package with a note to give to the photographer at the time of the appointment.
Here is the link for Cohort E parents to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/Remote-Makeup-Picture-Day
Yearbook Photos: The yearbook staff needs YOUR help in gathering photos from this year. Please consider helping us by uploading a photo or two each month to https://images.jostens.com/415623968. Thank you!
Winter Sports and Looking to Spring Sports: New medical guidelines have been issued at the 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 as there is a risk of post-Covid cardiac complications. Please contact the school nurse with any questions.
We are now accepting Athletic Participation packets for the Sprinter/Spring Seasons. A link to the packets can be found here.
Wrestling – March 1st, 2021 All Other Spring Sports – April 12th, 2021
If your child’s physical exam is current and does not expire 60 days prior to start of the season, please complete pages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of the packet and submit them electronically to middleschoolathletics@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 middleschoolathletics@nburlington.com.
At this point, we anticipate that the spring season will be similar to the way the fall season with intramural competitions, but the situation remains fluid.
Gardening Camp: Northern Burlington is offering a Vegetable and Herb Garden Camp on March 6th, 13th, & 20th 2021 from 8am to 11:00am. Have you ever wanted to grow vegetables in your backyard but not known where to start? Have you tried having a garden in the past but found yourself less than successful? Maybe you have had a garden for years but would like a chance to learn more or share what you’ve learned with others? If so, this is the camp for you! Registration information can be found at this LINK.
Ordering School Lunch for ALL Students 18 Years and under: Please NOTE: Our pickup window is 10 am through 11:15 am on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Ordering School Lunch for ALL Students 18 Years and under: Please note that Lunches are FREE FOR ALL YOUR STUDENTS through the month of June 2021. PLEASE CONSIDER ORDERING LUNCHES. Use the link below to place an order:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSCfgxym6WPcJofHaCxJa5lS1jTZzsRyr2-UUxGsXWCpnxbg/viewform
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.
Clinical Corner Spotlight: Understanding Our Emotional Reactions: Live Discussion with Yolanda Renteria. Parents, it’s important to learn about ourselves. Why do we emotionally react to things the way we do? Why do certain things trigger us? Why does some behavior of our child feel defiant? Why do we shut down and other times rise up? How can we make connections to our own childhood? When do we feel shame or worthlessness? How can we heal our trauma and childhood wounds so we can show up as better parents? Please click the link to access the recorded discussion: https://vimeo.com/505711424
“Type Right” Program - Spring 2021 Session is open for sign ups, please use the following link: https://forms.gle/RRrEL178MZHU4ccC8
Have YOU heard of it? Northern Burlington County Regional School District develops academic and skill based programs to meet the needs of all students. We recognize that some students would benefit from focused instruction on touch type keyboarding. To meet this continued need, Northern Burlington is offering “Type Right”, a program taught by our teachers. This session includes: nine (9) meetings, two (2) days per week for one (1) hour after school.
Who should participate? Students who are experiencing challenges with efficiency or accuracy. Students who want to improve their typing skills. Students who wish to increase their proficiency.
Any middle school student can join! Whether you are new to typing or have experience, you are welcome!
My student cannot attend every session? No worries! While we encourage all participants to attend every meeting due to the skill being learned, we do understand there may be conflicts.
The Spring 2021 Program begins Tuesday February 23, 2021. It will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays until March 23, 2021 with the exceptions of school holidays or half days. Each session begins at 2:40 p.m. and ends at 3:40 p.m.
Sessions are offered at no cost and are all virtual.
More Questions? Contact Mrs. Kendall Retzbach, Type Right Instructor, kretzbach@nburlington.com. For additional information, please contact Mr. Konowicz, Director of Instruction for 21st Century Life and Career Skills, mkonowicz@nburlington.com.
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.
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.
Middle School: Mrs. Theresa Pugliese : tpugliese@nburlington.com
Travel Advisories: Just a reminder that if your family traveled outside the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware), please plan to have your student quarantine for 10 days.
Students are able to attend all of their classes virtually during that time, even if they are in the hybrid model. In the event your child will be quarantining and attending school virtually during that time, please notify your child’s counselor. Please do not hesitate to contact our school nurse with any questions regarding the quarantine process. A link to travel advisories is included below:
NJ Travel Quarantine Information.
Health & Safety Reminders:
COVID Cannot test out of Quarantine
COVID-How-Long-Isolate-Quarantine
Health & Safety Reminders:
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 4030 or tpugliese@nburlington.com . Covid Informational Flyers.
High School Program of Studies and Course Selection for 2021-2022: The 2021-2022 High School Program of Studies is now available on the High School Counseling Department web page. Additionally, we are excited to announce that course selection will occur electronically via PowerSchool. The High School Counselors will be meeting with students in Grade 8 during early March.
Here is the recording of the High School Program of Studies Information Session hosted by the Offices of Academics and Counseling on Thursday, January 14th which will also be posted on the HS Counseling page of the website.
National Honor Society 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 is 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.
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!
***NOTE: We are hopeful that we may be able to have a clothing drive in the Spring of 2021***
Enjoy the holiday weekend. Take time this weekend to remember the reason for the holiday, honoring our nation’s leaders for their contributions. In particular, we remember Presidents Washington and Lincoln for their roles in founding and preserving our nation.
Andrew Kearns, Ed.D.
Principal