September 24, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Here are the weekly updates from the middle school:
Meet the Teachers: As was described in last week’s message, in place of our traditional Back to School Night, we prepared a virtual “Meet the Teachers” program. Here is the LINK to the program. The individual teacher presentations include a course overview and expectations for the class, just as you would hear in a typical back to school night event. However, in this format, there is the added benefit that the presentations can be viewed at a time that is convenient for you, and if you have multiple students in the middle school, you do not need to choose which teachers to see, you can see them all. Of course, it also eliminates any concerns about the large crowds gathering indoors during a pandemic.
If there are any questions about a class, please contact the teacher.
Parent conferences will be in November and those will be a choice of in person or by video conference.
COVID Monitoring: Our school nurse wanted to remind parents to screen their children DAILY for symptoms before sending them to school. Parents/caregivers should monitor their children for signs of illness every day as they are the front line for assessing illness in their children. Students who are sick should stay home from school and call the attendance line: 609.298.3900 x 4060.
In addition, the district manages a dashboard that is posted on our website to track COVID activity.
Water Bottles: The water fountains remain closed, but we do have several water bottle fillers available. Students should remember to bring their own clear, plastic water bottle to have easy access to get a drink of water at school, especially after Physical Education.
9/11 Memorial: Mansfield’s Franklin Fire Company has allowed the middle school to borrow their portable 9/11 Memorial. It is a part of a steel beam from the World Trade Center. It will be on display in our main foyer by the media center.
Thank you to the Franklin Fire Company for allowing us to borrow this piece of history.
Homecoming Carnival: The high school Homecoming Carnival and game are scheduled for Saturday, October 9. The carnival will be held from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm with the football game to follow. This is open to the entire community. Please see this FLYER for more information on the carnival. Tickets will be $10 and on sale at the MS during lunches from October 4th thru October 8th. Exact change is appreciated.
Assessment Schedule 2021-2022 During the course of the school year, students will participate in various standardized assessments. Assessment Information and NB’s Assessment Schedule is available on the website: http://www.nburlington.com/o/nbc-rsd/page/student-assessment--3
Winter Sports: We are now accepting Physical Packets for winter sports. Please submit them to MiddleSchoolAthletics@nburlington.com at your earliest convenience.
Clinical Corner Spotlight: Getting Teens Professional Help by Eden Pontz. We can raise children who are well-prepared to bounce back from adversity, but we must never believe that resilience means invulnerability. The security that comes from unwavering and unconditional connections with caring adults, including and especially parents, is key to a teen’s resilience. But all people reach their limits sometimes. It is not a sign of weakness on our teens’ part, nor insufficient parenting on ours, when our children display human limitations. Sometimes we need to seek out professional help. Click the link to access the full article: https://parentandteen.com/gett...
Group Counseling for Students: NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL SESSIONS. Northern Burlington School District has collaborated with First Children Services (FCS) to provide therapeutic mental health services in-person to our students via group counseling. This is a free 8-week group in-person support group for students to engage with a licensed clinician and their peers to discuss various topics in a safe space setting. The main topics will include anxiety/stress management, emotional regulation, gaining self-awareness, self-esteem, friendship and relationship issues, communication skills, and the upcoming transition back to in-person school. If you are interested in having your child participate or have questions about the group, please contact your child’s School Counselor. Limited spaces available, deadline is October 1st Transportation is available.
High School – every Tuesday October 5th – November 23rd after school
Middle School – every Wednesday, October 6th – November 24th after school
Managing Your Child’s Behavior: A Virtual Workshop for Parents: Need Help Managing Your Child's Behavior? This 7 week parent workshop was developed by the Child Psychologists at Children’s Specialized Hospital to help parents of children of all ages learn how to manage their behavior. The course will cover:
Causes of misbehavior
Setting limits and dealing with tantrums
Managing sibling conflicts
Developing and implementing behavioral systems
Parent stress management, self-care, and support system
Participants should attend all of the classes in the cycle to get the most out of this program. This program is free, but registration is required. You will be provided the workshop link once you’ve registered.
Event Date: Oct 13, 2021 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Click to register online: https://www.rwjbh.org/events/event/?event=22676
High School Construction Project: Please view our construction updates on the website at this link: https://nbreferendum.com/quarterly-update/
Important Dates:
October 7: High School Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, 6:15 pm, Open House to follow
October 9: Homecoming Carnival and Football Game at High School
October 11: No School for Students/Staff Development Day
October 13: Early Dismissal of Students/Staff Development
October 14: Early Dismissal of Students/Staff Development
October 15: Early Dismissal of Students/Staff Development
October 19: Middle School Student Picture Day: NEW DATE: Details to follow.
Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Andrew Kearns, Ed.D.
Principal