NMS Mustang Minutes

It is hard to believe that we are in the last week of the first grading period. Students are reminded to complete and submit any make-up or missing work prior to Friday, October 13th. Students will complete both math and English benchmark assessments this week. All students are reminded to do their best on these assessments as teachers use this data to plan and provide remediation based on individual student performance.

This week our students will have the opportunity to hear Nate Evans Jr. who is a motivational speaker. Nate will share how to increase students mental wellness, emotional intelligence, resilience and sense of self-worth. We will also hold our VTSS Celebration to recognize a successful first 9 weeks. Students who receive ISS, OSS, and/or a bus suspension this week will lose the privilege to participate in the VTSS Celebration. Therefore, all students are reminded to be respectful, responsible, and productive each day.

NCPS is hosting a Family Engagement Night this Wednesday, October 11th at 5:30 in the high school auditorium. The evening will feature a free spaghetti dinner, raffle prizes, and Nate Evans Jr. who is a motivational speaker! Please use this link to complete a Google Form to RSVP if you plan to attend.

Please note that we have recently seen an uptick in damage to student issued Chromebooks. Students and families are reminded that restitution will be sought for damage to Chromebooks and for missing and/or lost power cords. It is important for students to handle their devices with care as we do not have the resources to continuously repair devices that are neglected or intentionally damaged.

I encourage our families to reach out to our school team by email or phone with any questions or concerns that you may have regarding all things NMS. We are here to help provide a positive experience for all students.

Go Mustangs!

Scott Belako

Principal

Important September Dates:

• October 13th - End of 1st Grading Period
• October 16th - Teacher Workday - No School for Students
• October 17th - Teacher Workday - No School for Students
• October 18th - Earthquake Drill
• October 19th - Trunk or Treat 6:00 - 7:30 PM
• October 20th - Fall Picture Retakes (please use this link to order pictures) and Report Cards Sent Home
• October 23rd - 27th - Red Ribbon Spirit Week sponsored by FCCLA
• October 27th - Halloween Dance 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Help Us Catch Our Mustangs READING:

Parents, did you know 20 minutes of daily reading to or with your middle school student can greatly increase their reading comprehension and level? We encourage you to read with or to your student every day. If you need resources, or want to know how to encourage your student to read at home, contact their ELA teacher or our Reading Specialist, Jennifer Campbell. If you see your student reading at home send an email with a note or picture for a classroom or PBIS productivity reward.

Birthday Celebrations / Outside Food:

Parents and families are encouraged to work through their student's Advisory Teachers to arrange student birthday celebrations. Please note that birthday treats and food cannot be distributed in the cafeteria during student lunch times. All outside food must be purchased from a store and have the ingredients available due to student allergies.

Bus Passes:

Bus passes must be provided in writing or by email when requesting your student to go home on a different bus with a friend by noon of the day the pass is being requested. Please note that we will not accept a phone request as we have no way of knowing who is making the request. Thank you for understanding as we want to assure all students arrive home safely.

Daily Student Attendance:

Attending school has a huge impact on student success. This year, we want to make sure that every student is present every day. Student attendance is recorded daily. Students are expected to be present each day to receive instruction. By attending class regularly, your student is more likely to keep up with daily lessons and assignments. We will be monitoring student attendance carefully and working with families and students to make sure students do not become chronically absent this school year. Please note that students are considered chronically absent once they have missed 18 or more days of school for any reason.

Parents and/or caretakers are asked to contact the main office to report all student absences. Thank you in advance for making sure your student attends school regularly.

Classroom Action Process:

Students will be introduced to our Classroom Action Procedures that will be implemented this school year as a tiered system of support. Our goal is to improve communication between home and school while also working to enhance our learning environment by issuing a system of reminders and consequences for minor behavior infractions. Staff will work to issue Classroom Actions after reminding students of expected behaviors. Classroom Actions will be assigned as follows:

• 1st Action = Phone call home and warning provided to the student
• 2nd Action = Phone call home and teacher assigned lunch detention
• 3rd Action = Phone call home and scheduled parent/teacher conference
• 4th Action = Phone call home and disciplinary referral submitted to administration

Please note that serious violations of the Student Code of Conduct will be investigated and handled accordingly. Thank you for working with us as we build upon our tiered systems of support to promote a safe learning environment for all students and staff.

Best of luck to our teams as they compete this week. Please see the schedules below for dates and times.

NCHS High School Athletic Reminders:

With the fall athletics season starting, we want to offer a few reminders as we prepare for the upcoming home athletic events.

• Per Virginia High School League policy, if you leave the game, you must pay to reenter. An athletic pass only guarantees your initial entry into the game. Spectators should not be making trips to the parking lot during games.
• Middle school and elementary school aged children must be accompanied by an adult.
• Spectators are not permitted behind the bleachers on either side of the stadium during home football games. Spectators will be asked to rejoin their families in the bleachers.
• No balls are to be brought into the stadium. Balls will be kept at the main gate and returned at the end of the game.
• Gates open at 6:00 PM for varsity football games. If you arrive before 6:00 PM, you will be asked to stay in the parking lot until the gates open.

These guidelines are in place for the safety and security of our spectators, the players, game officials, and our staff. We must follow these procedures in order to maintain a safe environment for all those in attendance at our games. We invite everyone to come out to support our Governors and look forward to seeing you at the games. GO GOVS!

Website: https://nms.nelson.k12.va.us/en-US
Location: 6925 Thomas Nelson Highway, Lovingston, VA, USA
Phone: 434-263-4801