May 20, 2022
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Here are the weekly updates from the middle school:
Eighth Grade Class Night: As has been described before, the eighth grade class night is scheduled for Friday, June 3rd, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm The event will be a picnic type event and will include food, music, and games. The event is open only to Northern Burlington 8th graders and tickets will be sold in advance only. The tickets will be $20 per person and will be on sale during homeroom on May 23, 24, and 25.
Middle School Day of Service: NB middle school is conducting a day of service on June 3rd and we need your help! Students will be making hygiene bags, first aid bags, and rolling utensils in napkins for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK). Donations are needed to make this special day happen. If you would like to assist our students, please sign up to send in items using this link. https://tinyurl.com/NBMSTASK
Choral Concert: On Tuesday, May 24, the middle school choral students will take the stage for their spring concert. This event is open to the community and begins at 7 pm.
PTSC Clothing Drive is Coming to a Close on Monday, May 23 at Noon: This is the last weekend for the PTSC’s clothing drive. Please use this time to clean out your closets and help raise money for our organization. You can drop off your clothing/items at the Pole Barn behind the Middle School until noon on Monday, May 23. There are signs guiding you to exactly where it is. Please remember that ALL ITEMS must be in sealed black bags and clothes need to be bagged separately from shoes. Here is a LINK to an updated flier outlining what kinds of donations are permitted and those that are not permitted. Any questions, please reach out to us or go to their web page at www.clothingdrive.net.
State Mandated Testing Dates: This past week we completed the NJSLA Math and English Language Arts (ELA) Assessments. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to make the week go smoothly.
There is one more round of testing to go for our eighth graders only:
May 26 and 27 | All students in grade 8 will complete NJSLA testing in Science |
This assessment is for 8th graders only so our 7th graders will be attending their classes, albeit on a truncated schedule. As with the other testing dates, these will be early dismissal days for students at 12:05 pm.
This past week the students did a good job ensuring they came to school with their chromebooks fully charged. While this is important everyday, it is especially important during testing since not having a fully charged chromebook may result in a student having to test during the makeup days. The same applies to the upcoming science test that the eighth graders will take next week.
NB Band Fundraiser:
The Band Boosters are hosting a Designer Bag Bingo Night on Saturday, June 4th, to raise money for the Middle School and High School band programs! This Bingo Flyer has all the details!
Northern Burlington FFA Plant Sale: The Northern Burlington High School Agricultural Department’s FFA Spring Plant Sale will be open this Saturday, May 21, 2022, 9am to 2pm, for Senior Appreciation Day (55 and older.) Customers may park in the East parking lot and access the greenhouse through the front door to the Greenhouse Complex located directly to the right of the 700 Hallway/East Parking lot door entrance. Please see the attached flyer here.
COVID Update from the School Nurse for Healthy School Environment: The number of weekly positive COVID tests remain elevated. As a result, we continue to count on the adults at home to limit the spread of COVID at school..
It is critical that parents screen their children at home and keep children who are sick at home. When in doubt please keep your child at home & consult with your medical provider and school nurse. Leave a message on the attendance line: 609.298.3900 ext. 4060.
We are still following the Burlington County Health Guidelines for COVID & illness:
COVID-19 Compatible SICK Symptoms that indicate school absence and a COVID Test
• At least one of the following symptoms: new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste and/or smell OR
• At least two of the following symptoms: fever, chills, shivers, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, congestion, or runny nose
Students who come to school with a combination of these symptoms will be sent home by the school nurse and require a lab negative COVID test before they can return to school.
The Health Department does not allow negative home tests as clearance due to a margin of error resulting in false positives, but we can accept POSITIVE Home tests.
Regardless of your vaccination status, if you are symptomatic and have tested positive for COVID-19, then you must isolate for 5 days from the date your symptoms began. If your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can end isolation, but you should wear a mask around others for 5 additional days, avoid travel if possible, and avoid places where you can't wear a mask like a restaurant.
Any questions, please contact our school nurse, Ms. Pugliese tpugliese@nburlington.com.
Tours for Incoming 7th Graders (current 6th grade students) & New Students: This summer, the middle school will be open to tour for any students in seventh and eighth grade who will be with us in September. The schedule is listed below. While we do an extensive orientation program for students when school begins in the fall, the summer tours will give students a chance to get a feel of the layout of the building and some familiarity before school opens officially. The tours will be led by school personnel who will also be able to give an overview of different parts of the middle school program. In addition, we will have lockers available for students to try out and practice opening using a combination.
During the summer our facilities department is hard at work getting the building ready for the opening of school, so on a given day different parts of the building may not be accessible and the building will be in some disarray as classrooms are being emptied and cleaned.
Tours will begin at the main entrance to the middle school(near the flagpole). For students who are interested in visiting for a tour, they must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Tour group size will depend on the number of registrants. The tour itself should take no more than 30 minutes. Please complete the form to register for the date you wish to attend.
Tour Dates and times:
Wednesday, July 20 at 1 pm
Wednesday, July 27 at 1 pm
Wednesday, August 3 at 1 pm
Wednesday, August 10 at 1 pm
Wednesday, August 17 at 1 pm
Wednesday, August 24 at 1 pm
Wednesday, August 31 at 1 pm
Please sign-up for the Middle School Tours here: Summer Tour Registration
High School Tours for Incoming Freshmen (our current 8th grade students) & New Students: This summer we are going to be offering tours for incoming freshmen and new students provided by our Assistant Principals on the following days from 10 am to 2 pm:
Tuesday, July 19
Wednesday, July 20
Thursday, July 28
Wednesday, August 3
Thursday, August 4
Monday, August 8
Tuesday, August 9
Thursday, August 18
Tuesday, August 30
Wednesday, August 31
Please sign-up for the High School Summer Tours here: Summer Tour Registration
Burlington County COVID Vaccination Sites: The CDC continues to recommend vaccination as the best way to prevent the spread of COVID. Please see this LINK regarding more information on vaccination sites..
If you need it, the Burlington County Health Department is offering walk-in testing for COVID. Please follow this LINK for location and information.
Clinical Corner Spotlight:
Be a Parent, Not a Friend, to Your Teen: Who doesn’t want to be loved? Perhaps more than anything, we want our children to love us. But as they become teens, they become more independent. Maybe their love for you isn’t shown in the same way as it was when they were four years old. So many of us, in an attempt to stay close to them, want to become their friends. You’re never too old to want to fit in, even with your own child. Being a friend feels like a comfortable fit, especially when outwardly showing love becomes embarrassing to your teen. But being a parent is more important! But here’s the problem with being a friend instead of being a parent. There are differences between parents and friends. And while there are plenty of areas where the two may overlap, there will be many times when being a friend is not enough. Your teen will need a parent. Here are just a few important ways they need you: Click here for full article
Summer Group for Students: Is your child struggling with their mental health? Looking for your child to talk things out with peers that can relate? Group counseling will be offered in July only. Tuesdays for High School students and Wednesdays for Middle School students. Please use the link to sign up! Click here to sign up
(DISCONTINUED as of 5/6) Promoting Me, Myself, and I: An after school self-esteem skill building group for students at Northern in April and May.
Important Dates:
2022-23 District Calendar approved April 25, 2022.
Revised 2021-22 District Calendar as of February 22, 2022.
May 23: PTSC Clothing Drive Ends at Noon
May 24: Middle School Choral Concert, 7 pm
May 26 & 27: NJSLA Science for 8th Grade Students
May 26 & 27: Early Dismissal of Students (12:05 pm)
May 30: Memorial Day: School Closed
June 3: Middle School Day of Service
June 3: Early Dismissal of Students
June 3: 8th Grade Class Night, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Tickets Sold in School
June 14 through June 16: Early Dismissal of Students (12:05 pm)
June 16: Last Day of School for Students
Have a good weekend.
Sincerely,
Andrew Kearns, Ed.D.
Principal