NBCMS

May 27, 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 there will be a final opportunity to purchase tickets on Wednesday, June 1.

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.  Donations are due by Wednesday, June 1, 2022.

For those of you who have made donations, thank you very much for the support.

School Security:  This week saw yet another school shooting as the tragedy unfolded in Texas.  With that in mind, we wanted to update the community on just a few of the various measures our district has in place to make our schools as safe as possible:

  • Northern Burlington contracts with the Mansfield Township Police to provide two School Resource Officers, and they are on campus every day.  They are able to respond to events in the school and call for additional support quickly, as needed.

  • The school has appointed a District School Safety Specialist who is responsible for reviewing all school safety and security measures and training our faculty and staff in   various situational responses  This is often done in conjunction with local, regional, and state law enforcement.  This includes training in how to evaluate threats and their credibility in conjunction with law enforcement.

  • The schools conduct monthly fire drills as well as safety/security drills.  The security drills address a variety of scenarios, and they include students practicing routines such as evacuating the building, sheltering in place, as well as locking down.  These drills are often done in cooperation with local law enforcement to provide feedback and support.

  • There are a variety of automated locks, alert systems, and surveillance in place to help secure the school from outside intruders 

We continually aim to improve and enhance our school security measures based on national and local trends as well as our own experiences. 

State Mandated Testing Dates:  The NJSLA testing has been completed for the year.  Thank you for your support these last two weeks as our students completed these assessments.  Particular thanks for ensuring that all the students arrived at school with their chromebook charged and ready to go.

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!

Athletic Packets & Sports Physicals:  Northern Burlington’s Athletic Physical Packets will be moving online! Paper forms will no longer be accepted by the Nursing/Athletic Departments. The link will go live on June 1, 2022. Please be patient as we continue to work on the implementation of the new system. If you have a doctor’s appointment prior to this time, the paper portion of the doctor’s physical can be downloaded at the following link: 

https://drive.google.com/file/...

Please note that once the system is up and fully running, these two pages will need to be uploaded into the new system for nurse/medical inspector review. We hope to have a video tutorial that will assist with the future processing of your student’s physical packet in the next bulletin.

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 home COVID tests for clearance due to a margin of error resulting in false negative results, 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:

  • Why the Children's Mental Health Crisis Predates COVID-19:  Two years of global pandemic have placed families and children especially under great stress. Journalist Judith Warner writes that children have suffered from increased depression and anxiety since well before COVID-19. She sits down with Michel Martin to discuss how the pandemic simply put a spotlight on the issue.  Click this link to watch this informative video - PBS Video - Why the Children's Mental Health Crisis

  • 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 

AHERA and IPM Notice:  Please take a moment to review the following required notices:  AHERA and IPM Notice.

Important Dates:

 2022-23 District Calendar approved April 25, 2022.

Revised 2021-22 District Calendar as of February 22, 2022.

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 

Happy Memorial Day to all.  We associate it with the start of summer, but it is also a somber day for us to remember the many men and women who gave their lives for our nation.

Sincerely,

Andrew Kearns, Ed.D.

Principal