High School Parent Message
September 30, 2022
Important Dates
Oct 3-7: Spirit Week & Week of Respect
Oct 6: Mid Marking Period - comments/grades published on Oct 14
Oct 6: Open House, 6:30-8:30
Oct 8: Homecoming Carnival, Game, Dance
Oct 10: No school for students - Staff PD
Oct 12: PSAT - Grades 10 and 11, Start Strong Science - Grades 9 & 12
Oct 13: Start Strong Math - Algebra I, Geometry & Algebra II
Oct 13: Financial Aid Night Presentation - see more information below
Oct 14: Start Strong English/Language Arts - Grades 9 & 10
Oct 21: Early dismissal for students - Staff PD
Oct 28: Picture Day Retakes
Spirit Week 2022
Get ready to show your school spirit!
Monday, October 3rd - Country v. Country Club
Tuesday, October 4th - Heroes v. Villains
Wednesday, October 5th - Neon Day
Thursday, October 6th - Movie Theme Day
Friday, October 7th - Blue / Grey Day & Pep Rally
Homecoming 2022...A Night at the Movies
Homecoming Dance
Tickets are on-sale online NOW! Link and directions are located in the google classrooms dedicated to each "class of". If there are any tickets remaining, cash sales will be on Monday, Oct 3 and 4th in the cafe during lunches.
Homecoming Carnival
Join us for a community carnival. Tickets are $10. They can be purchased online next week (link will be provided in the dedicated "class of" google classrooms), in the middle school during lunches for middle school students, or at the carnival. The band allows unlimited use of inflatables / inflatable games. Come support the clubs and activities of NB! *If your student purchased a dance ticket, they receive a complimentary carnival ticket.
Week of Respect
The Week of Respect is Oct 3 - Oct 7. We will have an extended homeroom Monday through Thursday. The following presentation will be shared during the homeroom periods those days. On Thursday, students will be able to sign the No Place for Hate Pledge during their lunch periods. There will be no extended homeroom period on Friday due to the Pep Rally schedule.
Open House Sessions 6:30-8:30pm
Showcase of Academic Depts.
School Choice Presentation
Program of Studies
Importance of Testing
Path to Advanced Placement
Navigating Naviance & PowerSchool
NB Mental Health 101
Gifted & Talented
Clubs & Activities
Freshmen Football Game
PSAT
PSAT’s will be given on October 12, 2022, to all 10th and 11th graders. The test will begin at 7:20 AM and anyone who arrives after that will not be admitted into a testing location. Testing locations will be posted on the classes corresponding google classroom, outside of the Counseling and Main office and in the below link. Please bring number 2 pencils and a calculator to school on testing day. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Ms. Hoch at ext. 2043 or Ms. Fitzgerald at ext. 2055.
Start Strong Assessments
This school year, the New Jersey Department of Education is again requiring school districts to administer the Start Strong Assessments. According to the NJDOE, “As a result of the disruption to education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities to deliver instruction and support for learning acceleration remain a critical priority at the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE). Pursuant to the Commissioner's regulatory authority, local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to administer the Start Strong assessments as part of the overall Statewide assessment system.”
The Start Strong Assessments will provide teachers, students, parents and schools with meaningful data at the beginning of the school year that complements the data our teachers are already collecting, so that we may best educate our students in the 2022-2023 school year.
The Start Strong Assessments will measure the prior grade level standards. The following grades/subjects will be tested October 12-14 with make up testing to follow.
Grade 9: ELA 9, Math (ALG, GEO, ALG2), Science 9
Grade 10: ELA 9, Math (ALG,GEO, ALG2)
Grade 11: Math only if enrolled in ALG, GEO, ALG2
Grade 12: Science 12
The district will administer these tests in the first 90 minutes of the morning on October 12-14 and then will follow a modified schedule for the remainder of the school day. The assessments are digital and can be completed within 60 minutes. Students must bring their district issued charged Chromebooks to complete the assessments. Students who are testing are encouraged to get a full night’s rest, eat breakfast and arrive promptly at the start of the school day.
Please click on the link for further information about the Start Strong Assessments: New Jersey | Start Strong (mypearsonsupport.com)
Financial Aid Night Presentation
Seniors/Parents: Attend our Financial Aid Night on October 13, 2022, at 6:30 PM. This evening presentation is for our parents of the Class of 2023, we will have a speaker from HESSA (Higher Education Student Assistance Authority) who will provide a one-hour overview of the financial aid process and answer questions about grants, scholarships, and loans offered by the State of New Jersey. This session will help families feel more comfortable with the financial aid process and help with an understanding on how to apply for federal and state financial aid.
Media Center Memo
Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test Prep, provided through the media center at www.librarianlinda.com, gives your student free access to full-length practice tests, prep books, and courses for high school and college entrance exams which can help students boost their scores. The online SAT course provides a pre-assessment to determine student study needs and then gives access to materials to help them learn, practice, and study the various topics covered in the SAT. It also keeps track of progress in the various topics. In addition to the SAT, students can find prep materials for AP exams, ASVAB and other military exams as well as a variety of career-oriented test prep preparing students for trade and other exams - from cosmetology to physician’s assistant to real estate, Peterson’s Test Prep has it covered!
COVID
We have seen an increase in COVID cases, the last week or so. As a reminder, students who are sick should REMAIN at HOME. For those students who have symptoms that might indicate the potential of COVID, they will need to be tested before returning to school. COVID Testing can be done in the Doctor's office, community testing site or an at-home test with results provided to the School Nurse. If negative, a student may return when feeling well and has no sick symptoms. In cases where students do test positive for COVID, they will need to remain home for a minimum of five days. Students who test positive for COVID and return to school after five days are to wear a well fitting mask around others through the tenth day. Please contact our school nurse with any questions.
Message from the Cafeteria
In the event your student needs to charge lunch, the cafeteria will provide a basic lunch for them where the balance will be applied to the account for reconciliation at a later date. A complete basic lunch meal includes: the Main Entre, Fruit, Vegetable, Milk, and Juice. Please be advised that we do offer ala carte items that are not part of this lunch benefit but can be purchased if desired. Meal balances not fulfilled by the end of the school year will be treated as financial obligations for non-free and reduced lunch students.
College Accelerated Program (CAP) Information
The Northern Burlington County Regional High School District has an agreement with Rowan College at Burlington County which enables students to earn college credits for selected courses in which they are presently enrolled. Registration occurs through the DualEnroll system which is now open.
The deadline for registration is Friday, October 28, 2022. By this date, the following steps need to be fully completed:
1. Student create profile/account in DualEnroll and initiate registration
2. School Counselor review of course and designation of payment type
3. Parent/Guardian consent and payment
All steps need to be done by the deadline. Late registrations will not be honored.
RCBC has created this Dual Enroll Instruction Sheet and video which demonstrates the steps of creating an account/application in DualEnroll and how to initiate the registration. These resources are also on their website rcbc.edu/cap and NB’s RCBC CAP Program.
CAP Information Night
RCBC is hosting a CAP Information Night on Wednesday, October 12th at 6pm. They will review the CAP registration process, explain the DualEnroll system, and answer questions. Additionally they will share other ways students are able to earn credit with RCBC outside of the CAP program. Register by visiting rcbc.edu/cap or rcbc.edu/visit.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from September 15th-October 15th. Throughout this month, we will be celebrating the contributions Hispanic and Latinx people have made to our society. Spanish music will play in the morning leading up to homeroom, and our students will be posting a bulletin board highlighting famous figures, popular books, local Hispanic businesses, and resources where you can get more information. Our teachers were also given resources about Hispanic people who have made great contributions within their specific subject matter. Thank you for helping us celebrate this national month.
Clinical Corner
In an article in the NY Times about managing anxiety through simple meditation practices, Dr. Brewer, a neuroscientist at Brown University recommends Five Finger Breathing. It is a simple multisensory task that some of you might do already. If you are new to it, the directions are easy to teach/follow: Hold one hand in front of you(or in your lap) and slowly trace the outside of your hand with the index finger of your other hand. Breathe in when you trace up a finger and breathe out when you trace down each finger. When you have traced your whole hand, reverse direction and do it again. You are engaging your sight, sense of touch, and with concentrating on your breathing, it doesn’t leave much room for negative thoughts to enter your mind. You and your child can do this anytime, anywhere. However, a good time to recommend it might be before a test, or even before bedtime. THIS LINK is a quick video with a demonstration.
As a reminder, a free 8 week in person after-school support group will be starting soon in both the Middle School and High School to provide students with a safe space to discuss various topics with their peers and a licensed clinician from First Children Services(FCS). The main topics will include mental health concerns, emotion regulation, gaining self-awareness, communication and coping skills. If you think your child would benefit from this service or have any questions, please contact their school counselor. Limited spaces available, students must register. Deadline is October 3rd. Transportation is provided.
High School - Thursdays from October 6-December 1 from 2:30-3:25.
Middle School - Tuesdays from October 4- November 22 from 2:40-3:35.
PTSC
LAST DAY to order and pay for Homecoming white greyhound shirts for the PTSC tie dye event next week. Come tie dye your shirt or have us do it for you. https://forms.gle/edeZBfpnYHAL4GXj8
Our first meeting was a great start! Sign up to be a part of the planning committees for various PTSC events. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0849A9AC2BA0FB6-ptsc1
PTSC A&M Holiday Dessert Fundraiser, featuring over 40 pies, cakes, cheesecakes, and donuts. Order by 11/14. Pick up will be 11/22 from 4-7 at the Middle School. https://forms.gle/8L8F7wUVKCbA...
Yearbook
The 2022-2023 yearbook is having a "Back to school" sale at a discounted price. Please visit jostensyearbook.com to pre order one. (See Flyer Here)
Senior ads are also on sale. Please visit jostensadservice.com/student. (See Flyer Here)
Assessment Schedule
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 Office of Curriculum and Instruction website in the Student Assessment section.
Advanced Placement Exam Registration
The portal for registering and ordering AP exams is now open. Please review this FAQ sheet for answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Athletic registration for the winter season is now open.
Please refer to the link below. If you created an account for the fall season, you DO NOT need to create a new account. Log in with your username and password that you used for the fall.
https://northernburlington-ar....
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. O’Neill in the Athletic Office by emailing moneill@nburlington.com or calling 609-298-3900, ext. 2093.
Student IDs
It is very important for students to have their student IDs with them at all times during the school day. Student IDs are required for buying lunch, and other various reasons.
Chromebooks.
Please be aware of our updated protocol for the 22-23 school year:
Students are expected to bring their school issued Chromebook & charger to school
every day.
It is the students’ responsibility to have their Chromebook charged every day.
If a student does not have their Chromebook/charger, they will be sent to the main
office to call a parent/guardian to bring what they are missing.
Students who have non-working Chromebooks should report to the main office for a
loaner. When students receive their repaired Chromebook, it is expected that they return the loaner. Students will need their school ID for this process.
The cost to replace a charger is $35.
The cost to replace a Chromebook will depend on the age of the Chromebook.
Dress Code
Please be reminded that there is a dress code. Please review the following with your children and reference page 26 of the student handbook for the following information:
NO sheer clothing
Undergarments may NOT be exposed
Bottoms MUST touch tops
Bottoms MUST cover personal areas
Students in violation of the dress code will be asked to change their clothing. If they have nothing in their locker, they will call a parent/guardian to bring them appropriate clothing.
District Expectations:
How we treat one another at Northern Burlington is important and we want all of our students to feel welcome. We want to create a safe and orderly environment to promote the best opportunity for learning.. To that end, we have three key expectations in our school community. At Northern, our students will
Be Ready
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
As school begins we will be talking to the students about how those expectations apply in all the classrooms. Throughout the year we plan to revisit these concepts and reinforce them.
In addition, eliminating bullying is another key part of our expectations for student conduct. We will be setting up a variety of student activities throughout the school year to better educate our students on how to stop bullying.
Finally, our school has been recognized as a No Place for Hate school by the Anti-Defamation League. We look forward to continuing to earn this distinction through organizing different activities related to No Place for Hate throughout the school year. Look for updates in the weekly parent message that comes out every Friday via email.
Parent Email:
The school uses email communications on a regular basis so it is essential that the school has an accurate email address. Parents should log into PowerSchool to review the email address shown and update as necessary. Parents may enter more than one email address. Please note that adding an email address in the Parent/Student Portal does not change the email address on file in PowerSchool demographics, to do this you must email the school registrar your request.
Sally López, Ed.D.
Principal
Follow the Principal on twitter @nbc_hsprincipal
Follow the Superintendent on twitter: @AZUCK1
Webpage at www.nburlington.com