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TRANSCRIPT
Visit the NMS website Wildcat Weekly
October 26, 2018
From Mr. Chester
Greetings,
Thanks for a great week. We are looking forward to seeing you soon. Our parent conference fullrelease day is literally right around the corner on November 1. Conferences will be held here from 8 AMto 4 PM. Remember, students do not come to school on this day. This full release day may not becommon to students at other FCS schools, including those in our feeder pattern.
Teachers sent appointment slots to you last Friday and many filled up very fast. If you were not able tosecure an appointment, you are more than welcome to schedule an appointment at a later date.Please bear with our teachers as they try to accommodate your needs.
Our staff is excited to see you and to engage in dialogue geared toward collaborating for your student’ssuccess. Our goal is to provide a space for you and your student’s teacher to discuss areas that willbenefit the growth of your student. Conferences will be focused on student progress academically,student success skills, or areas that may concern you regarding your student’s levels of success orbehavior. Conferences will be held in 15 minute intervals. Be sure to get an idea of your student’scurrent progress or any other concerns you would like to discuss. On the day of the conference, pleaseenter the building through the front entrance and proceed to your appointment location. We lookforward to seeing you soon!
Message Regarding Superintendent Dr. Rose
As you may have heard, yesterday Superintendent Dr. Jeff Rose announced that he has decided not torequest an extension of his contract with Fulton County Schools due to personal reasons. Thank youfor your patience as we continue to diligently work with Dr. Rose and the School Board to share thisnews with you and other key stakeholders.
“This decision came after much prayer and conversation with my wife, and it is no reflection of myfeelings for Fulton County Schools and our people. I love this school district and am extremely proud ofwhat has been accomplished by our administrators, teachers, support staff, community and, mostimportantly, our students,” he said. “The efforts and results we’ve achieved together areunquestionably impressive. Without your passion, hard work and love for our students, we would nothave been so successful.”
In his statement today, Dr. Rose shared many of the district’s accomplishments as a reminder tomaintain the district’s positive momentum.· Today we announced that Fulton's total average SAT scores in 2018 jumped by 40 points, withgains from 14 of our high schools.· In 2017, FCS reduced the number of failing, or “F,” schools from 28 to 18. That year, 26 of our 28failing schools showed improvement.
· Last year, our district’s College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) average rose3.3 points from the prior year, giving Fulton County Schools its highest ever score of 78.· In school years ending in 2017 and 2018, our graduation rate was 86.8% and Fulton continues tolead the systems in the metro Atlanta area. Currently, every South Fulton high school's graduation rateis higher than it was three years ago.
As described by Dr. Rose, this success is from the effort of 14,000 people operating with a unitedpurpose. The district has established a strategic plan that is student- and school-centered, clear,inclusive and incorporates comprehensive measurements, and this provides an opportunity for greaterchallenges and more achievements. Our vision for schools also should motivate continualimprovement. Right now, our district patiently waits for the 2018 Climate Star rating and CCRPI results,and we are confident these will positively reflect our extensive efforts related to People & Culture andStudent Achievement.
“I believe the Strategic Plan can galvanize the District for years to come, aligning our work and teams,”said Dr. Rose. “Because of you and the work we’ve accomplished, I will leave my leadership post withmy head held high. I encourage everyone to acknowledge the success that has been forged by themen and women who serve Fulton County Schools. It has been an honor to serve FCS and I thank allof you.”
Dr. Rose will continue as superintendent until December 20, 2018, which is the last day of thesemester. Immediately following, he will serve as a consultant and provide the School Board and thenext leader with assistance and guidance throughout the end of the school year.
Red Ribbon Week
Please help us to celebrate Red Ribbon Week next week. Red Ribbon Week has touched the lives ofmillions of people around the world. Red Ribbon week helps us to educate our students and toencourage participation in drug prevention. We hope to educate and to motivate our students to do theright thing and to say no to drugs. Please see the information regarding Red Ribbon Week in thisweek’s edition of the Wildcat Weekly.
Please have conversations with your students regarding the dangers of drug and alcohol use. As youmay know, our students have a lot of access to positive and negative resources. I encourage you to dobook bag and bedroom checks periodically to assure that your student has not made bad choicesregarding access to negative resources. We all want them to have great, successful, and healthy lives.Thank you for your support!
Halloween Dress Up
Our Student Council and Drama department will be sponsoring a fundraiser that will allow students towear literary character costumes on Halloween. Students are allowed to wear costumes that do notcover faces for identification purposes and are within our dress code policy. Thank you for assistingwith this. We hope that this is an engaging, safe, and fun day for students.
Hurricane Michael Support
We are collecting non-perishable items to send to the victims of Hurricane Michael. If you would like tosupport these efforts, please send items to school with your student. We have two large bins outside ofthe front office that we would like to fill for those in need. Thank you for your support and empathytoward our neighbors in the gulf.
Watch Dog Dads
Many of you have reached out to support our Watch Dog Dad efforts to add positive adult presences toour campus. I wanted to share some more information regarding the time commitments and who canget involved. There are a several spots that only require about an hour of your time during studentarrival or dismissal. There are a few all day position for those willing to commit a full day. Theorganization’s name does not limit participation to male participants. We welcome all parents thatwould like to support. Please see the general info and contact info in this week’s edition if you areinterested. Thanks in advance for your support.
Thank you again for a great week. Please enjoy your weekend and we hope that you will stay involvedin the school community.
Kind Regards,Charles ChesterPrincipalNorthwestern Middle SchoolFollow me on Twitter: @CChesterNMS
Announcements
Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country. It serves as avehicle for schools, communities and individuals to take a stand for the hopes and dreams of ourchildren. Red Ribbon Week is a campaign that recognizes the commitment to live drug free lives withthe creation of drug free America.
Red Ribbon Week ActivitiesMonday, Oct. 29th: Life is an “Incredible” Journey, Travel Drug Free - Wear your Incredibles costume or Red shirtsand black bottoms - Sign the Pledge and Display on your door, Distribute RRW bands
Tuesday, Oct. 30th:"Turn your back on drugs" - Wear your shirt backwardsReview RRW Infographic
Wednesday, Oct. 31st: “Character Day” Sponsored by Student Council - (Firefighter, educator, scientist, journalist, artist,surgeon, or book character, etc) – Student Council Fundraiser $ 1.00 –Pumpkin Contest Winner Announced
Thursday, Nov. 1st: Stay Connected – Parent/Teacher Conferences - Parents can schedule conferences to discuss studentperformance in a specific class or all classes. (Student Holiday – no school)Home – complete the family dinner questions activity
Friday, Nov. 2nd:“Team Spirit” - Wear your favorite team’s attire. Join the team and work together to make healthychoices.
· Dress code guidelines apply to all themed days during Red Ribbon Week. Looking forward togreat participation.
· One THRIVE (2nd period – Study Skills) class from each grade level with the highest week’sdaily themed participation will win a pizza party.
NMS Chorus Members – Thank you so much for an awesome Fall Concert! You guys ROCK!!!! – Ms.Grant
Junior Beta News
Next Junior Beta meeting is November 13thNext Junior Beta Service Saturday is November 10th at 9 AM.
6th Grade Dance!
Put on your best '80s gear!!Monday, October 29th4:05-5:30 p.m.Cost: $5.00 per studentConcessions will be available for purchase.
Literary Character Day
Dress up as your favorite character for Halloween for $1! All proceeds benefit Northwestern’s StudentCouncil. Costumes must meet dress code requirements, which includes no fake blood, face paint, ormasks. Council Members and Volunteers will be set up when you enter the school.
6th Grade Field TripTuesday, December 4th
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Activities include:· Program- Explosive Earth: Volcanoes & Earthquakes· Museum tour· Giant Screen Movie-Flight of the Butterflies· Lunch not included. Students should pack a lunch to eat at the museum.
Cost: $35 – Pay online only November 9th to 16th (link forthcoming)Permission slips and payment will be due on November 16.
Volunteers needed! If you are interested in chaperoning, please complete both forms below.Fulton County volunteer form: http://www.fultonschools.org/en/community/
Northwestern Middle School volunteer form: https://goo.gl/forms/k3VHTusJk5KGPoa03
Note: Once verifications of completed applications have been reviewed by the committee, names willbe drawn for chaperones from each first period class. Every effort will be made to group a parentchaperone with his/her child.
Spelling Bee Information
NMS Classroom Spelling Bees will be held in allstudents' Language Arts classes the week afterThanksgiving. The 25-30 students who score thehighest in the entire school will qualify to compete inthe school bee which will be held after winter break.
If your student would like to study for their classroombee, the study word lists are posted on the MediaCenter website--HERE.
Announcing the 8th grade Northwestern International Travel Cub destination for 2019: 12 day tour toBerlin, Prague, Kraków, Budapest, and Vienna. Because this is an international trip, 8th graders needto have recommendations from their teachers. The itinerary and recommendation forms can be pickedup in the office. Please direct any questions to [email protected]
Organizers of the trip are Harriet Tuggle and Lea Crissman. Ms Tuggle has traveled with students toEurope before and is a regarded teacher at NMS. Lea has successfully taken over 700 students oninternational travel. Lea wants her grandchildren, that attend NMS, to have the same travel experienceand benefit she has given to others. Space is limited, so if interested please get started with therecommendation process. This 12 day trip will be between June 24th and July 12th, specific dates willbe known about 90 days before the trip.
Our trip will travel through the Iron Curtain and World War II to Gothic cathedrals and ancient cities thatare now more vibrant than ever. Berlin mixes historical significance, rich culture and an excitingcosmopolitan energy. Prague, which escaped the bombs of WWII, woos you with old-world charm. Andin Kraków and Budapest, two of Europe’s most underrated cities, architectural gems await aroundevery corner.--"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness," Mark Twain
Lea - 303-507-9945 cell
Sports Club
Sports Club meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings in Portable 1611 at 7:55 a.m. In Sports Club,students will be able to participate in a wide variety of sports activities before starting the school day. Ifthis interests you, please fill out an Intramural Registration form and turn it in to Coach Allen. TheIntramural Registration form can be found within the Intramural Handbook on the Extracurricular tab ofthe school website. If you have any questions email Coach Allen at [email protected]
Intramurals
Greetings,
Any 6th – 8th grader is welcome to attend Intramural activities once they have brought in a completedIntramural form. The form can be found on both Fulton County and Northwestern Middle School’swebsite. They are also available in the PE Office. This year, intramurals will be held Monday – Thursdayfor each ‘season’. Please refer to the schedule below for times and activities.
Fall (September/ October)Run Club – Monday’s and Wednesday’s PM (4:15 – 5:15 pm) Where: PE Hallway Coach Brock [email protected] Club - Tuesday and Thursday AM (8:00 – 8:45 am) Where: Recess Basketball CourtsCoach Allen [email protected]
Winter (December/ January)Run Club - Monday’s and Wednesday’s PM (4:15 – 5:15 pm) Where: PE Hallway Coach Brock [email protected] Club - Tuesday and Thursday AM (8:00 – 8:45 am) Where: Recess Basketball Courts weatherpermittedCoach Allen [email protected]
Spring (March/ April)Run Club - Monday’s and Wednesday’s PM (4:15 – 5:15 pm) Where: PE Hallway Coach Brock [email protected] Club - Tuesday and Thursday AM (8:00 – 8:45 am) Where: Recess Basketball CourtsCoach Allen [email protected]
3RD PARTY REQUESTS FOR DOCTORS FORMS OR OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Parents, If you need any form to be completed for any reason by our staff, you need to contact ShariCooper and bring ALL forms to her (do not give directly to our staff) Ms. Cooper will track all forms andget them to the doctor or schools requesting them after you sign a release form. Please email at:[email protected] or call 470-254-8516
Hello Wildcat Parents,
We are working on establishing a new program at Northwestern Middle School for Watch DOGSDad's. We have had a few programs in North Fulton County Elementary Schools for the past few yearsand we are looking to bring the program to NMS. So what is Watch DOGS Dad's:
WATCH D.O.G.S. ® (Dads Of Great Students) is a family and community engagement educationalinitiative. There are 2 primary goals of the WATCH D.O.G.S. ® program. 1) To provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence thateducation is important. 2) To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.
WATCH D.O.G.S.® began in 1998 in a single school in Springdale, Arkansas and has since grown intoa nationally recognized program that has brought hundreds of thousands of fathers and father figuresinto the school classrooms and hallways across the country, creating millions of hours of “in school”volunteer time and having a tremendously positive impact on the educational process.
Program Benefits• Students gain positive male role models.• Schools gain an extra set of eyes and ears.
The presence of a father or father figure will provide an additional deterrent to bullying, enhance asense of security in the building, and will help to create an environment conducive to learning.• Fathers get a glimpse of their students’ everyday world and learn about the increasingly complexchallenges and decisions today’s youth are facing. As a result, they can learn to relate better to theirstudent and hopefully connect with them. • Fathers gain a greater awareness of the positive impact they can have on their student’s life in threecritical areas including: academic performance, self-esteem, social behavior. • Due to budget shortfalls and cutbacks, often teachers are presented with larger classrooms eachyear.
The WatchDOGS volunteers provide real and important help for the teachers and the students. Whoare WatchDOGS (Dads Of Great Students)? WatchDOGS are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and otherfather-figures who volunteer for at least one day each year at an official WATCH D.O.G.S. ® school.During the day, WatchDOGS may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunchwith students, watch the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow and any other assignedactivities where they actively engage with not only their own students, but other students as well. Manyschool principals have reported that the mere presence of a WatchDOG dramatically reduces reportsof bullying. On the day of their participation, WatchDOGS are given a brief review of their involvementand they wear an official WATCH D.O.G.S. ® t-shirt with a disposable ‘Dog Tag’ identifying them asWatchDOGS.
More information on the program can be found on the organizations web site- http://dadsofgreatstudents.com
We are gathering information and building a distribution list of interested participants. Please sent anemail with questions and / or comments to - [email protected]
Thank you and we look forward to launching a great program.
Thom Peer and Kevin Swan
PTO News
Join the NMS PTO online: https://northwesternpto.membershiptoolkit.com Order your new 2018-19 NMS Spirit Wear here: https://pswear.com/Northwestern PTO Roster 2018-2019
News from our Feeder Schools
Milton High School Counseling Department & PTO present:Parent University
We hope you will join us for informational sessions on relevant topics to Milton High School parents inan ever-changing school environment.
The Risks of E-Cigarettes for Teens and How to Identify ThemSpeaker: Officer Chad West – Milton Police DepartmentOctober 29, 20186:30 – 7:30 pm in the MHS Media HubNo RSVP requiredE-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students inthe United States. They do not look like regular cigarettes and can be mistaken for pens, USB drivesand other every day items. E-cigarettes can also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs. Thispresentation will discuss all the risks of using e-cigarettes and real examples of the different typesavailable to our students.
Please Save The Date for our future presentations:
November: Alternative Problem Solving – Your guide to new ideas that will help your child stay morefocused, less anxious and less stressed.February: Beneficial Parenting – What apps you need to know about to stay informed on your student.March: New Drivers – A guide to know your legal and academic responsibilities for you and your childlearning to drive.
*Al l presentations wi l l be 6:30 – 7:30 pm in the Media Hub. Officia l dates wi l l be forthcoming.
Northside Hospital Concussion Symposium Presented by Daniel Charek, PhD. To be presented at Milton High School Media Center 13025 Birmingham Hwy Milton, GA 30004
November 8th at 6:30pm EVERYONE is invited and encouraged to join!
What will be discussed? • What is a concussion and what is NOT a concussion? • Commonconcussion Myths vs. Facts • Every concussion is unique, affecting different athletes in different ways •Introduction to the different types of concussions that an athlete may experience • Concussions are atreatable injury warranting appropriate medical attention
Who is Dr. Daniel Charek? Dr. Daniel Charek is a fellowship-trained, licensed neuropsychologist, whospecializes in the assessment and management of concussions in athletes and non-athletes. Dr.Charek has experience assessing and managing concussions in adult and pediatric patients, and inworking with recreational, high school, college and professional athletes. His expertise is inperforming comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations, including the assessment of cognitiveskills such as memory, attention, reasoning and reaction time, in order to establish baselines for eachindividual, and in the case of a head injury, diagnose the extent of the injury and track treatmentprogress. He uses the most up-to-date tools and assessment procedures to identify specific areas ofdeficit secondary to concussion and customize concussion management plans based on the uniqueneeds of each patient. In addition to providing patient care Dr. Charek seeks to educate the communityon concussion identification, as well as the importance of proper post-injury management
News from the Community
Milton Cotillion ClassesManor Golf and Country Club
Don't miss out on
Registering your student for Milton Cotillion!
Registration Still Open for January/February Sessions
Milton Cotillion teaches social etiquette and traditional dancing to 6th and 7 th gradestudents that feed into Hopewell and Northwestern Middle Schools. The sessions
bridge traditional etiquette with today's social setting. It is great to see our childrendressed up learning traditional dancing, table manner etiquette, plus etiquette on the
ever changing world of social media - all with their friends!
Class size is lim ited and will fill quickly. Please do NOT delay in registering!
To Register email
