Nord News

September 5, 2022

Principal's Message

Dear Nord Families,

The 2022 - 2023 school year is underway at Walter G. Nord School! I hope all of our Nord families have had a great start to school! Thank you for your patience and support as we navigated the start of school. Our students have really hit the ground running and are showing us how to be respectful, responsible, and safe while at Nord. I look forward to all we will accomplish together this school year!

Communication will be key to a successful school year. Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teachers or me with any questions, comments, or concerns. My direct phone number is 440-988-1637 and my email is ashley_harigan@amherstk12.org. Now that the school year is underway, you can expect a response from me within twenty-four hours. If you email and do not hear back from me, please call me as I have noticed some parent emails are going to my spam folder.

Thank you, again, for your support!

Go Comets,

Mrs. Harigan

Walter G. Nord School Website

Comet Impact

Walter G. Nord School's faculty and staff is committed to the success of all students through our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework known as Comet Impact. Comet Impact includes school-wide behavioral expectations, reinforcement of positive behavior, and re-teaching and opportunities for correction when there is inappropriate behavior.

Since the first day of school, students have been learning about Nord's Comet Impact and how to be respectful, responsible, and safe in all areas of our building. We have practiced these expectations in grade level and whole school assemblies. Students who are respectful, responsible, and safe are awarded PBIS points daily. Students may earn up to three points per class (one per behavior expectation) and may also earn up to one bonus point per class period.

Mr. Doehr, Dean of Students, will be happy to answer any questions about Nord's Comet Impact. He can be reached at 440-988-1359 or nicholas_doehr@amherstk12.org.

Comet Impact Friday Raffles

Each Friday there will be a Comet Impact Raffle during lunch. The weekly raffle does not cost students any points. Their eligibility to be in the weekly raffle is based on how many points they have earned in one week. This past week students had to earn 15 points in order to be entered into the raffle. Ten winners are drawn per lunch period. Winners choose a reward from the Comet Impact cart. If a student’s name is drawn during the raffle and they are absent, they will have the opportunity to select their reward upon return to school.

Fifth-grade families may remember the PBIS store from last year. Students will no longer spend their points on Comet Impact store items and privileges. Instead, students have the opportunity to accumulate their points in order to redeem them for admission to large events and/or spend them on items or privileges of greater value.

Again, if you have any questions about Comet Impact and PBIS Points, please contact Mr. Doehr.

School Fees

School fees for the 2022-2023 school year are $48.00 for both 4th and 5th grade.

Please call Mrs. Schultz, Principal's Secretary at 440-988-1610, if you would like to set up a payment plan or if you have any questions.

Camp Fitch

The 5th grade will be going to Camp Fitch from Wednesday, September 28th through Friday, September 30th. This is an Amherst Exempted Village Schools Board of Education approved trip. The Walter G. Nord School Code of Conduct will be in effect at all times. Please note that if a student misbehaves or has excessive absences prior to the trip, he/she may be ineligible to go.

Chaperones will be contacted via email and a camp packing list will be sent home soon. Unfortunately, not all chaperone volunteers will be able to attend this trip as we are limited in the number of adults that we can bring. At this time, we do not need any more volunteers.

If you have any questions, please contact your child's homeroom teacher will any questions about Camp Fitch.

Fourth Grade General Music

This year, our fourth-grade students will enjoy an expanded musical experience in their general music class. Fourth-grade students will have Mrs. Von Kaenel and Mrs. Perry each for one semester. Mrs. Von Kaenel will focus on the vocal standards and Mrs. Perry will focus on the instrumental standards. Please continue reading below for specifics of each class.

General Music with Mrs. Von Kaenel

In this course, students will sing and move to music. Near the end of the course, students will present a performance to parents and family following the directions of the conductor.
Students will create extended pentatonic (a 5 note scale consisting of the pattern whole step, whole step, step-and-a-half, whole step, step-and-a-half) melodies.
Students will learn how to play simple songs on the piano. We will be using the program Piano Maestro which allows students to move along at their own pace.
Students will compare interpretations of the same piece of music performed in a variety of ways relating to dance, movement, and visual art. They will be given the opportunity to explain their personal preferences of these pieces.
Students will explore music created by famous Ohio artists and talk about how their music was influenced by their Ohio roots.
Students will explore solfege and reading rhythms including but not limited to quarter notes/rests, eight notes, half notes & whole notes.

General Music with Mrs. Perry

In this course students will be exposed to a variety of instruments from each of the instrument families: woodwind, brass, percussion, and string.
Students will create musical compositions and perform them on a variety of instruments at an introductory level. They will also have their compositions performed by Mrs. Perry and other professional musicians on a variety of instruments from each of the instrument families.
Students will learn how to play the recorder. A recorder will be provided for each of the students.
Students will explore, hands-on, the properties of sound as it pertains to instruments and connect that to the science behind that instrument's sound production. (Cross-curricular)

String family - length of string to high/lowness pitch
String family - thickness of string to high/lowness pitch
Recorder - holes covered to high/lowness pitch
Recorder - airstream intensity to high/lowness of pitch

Students will experience the physical aspect of operating an instrument while reading pitches and rhythm as well as the multi-tasking involved in playing an instrument to better prepare them for 5th-grade instrumental opportunities in the beginning band and orchestra.

Event Information

Homecoming Parade

Walter G. Nord School will be walking in the 2022 Homecoming Parade!

Any student interested in walking in the parade should wear green and gold for Amherst and meet us on Forest Street at 4:45.

Students may bring candy to pass out if they wish but are not required to.

The parade begins at 5:00 pm and goes west down Park Avenue.

When?

Friday, Sep 30, 2022, 04:15 PM

Where?

Forest Street, Amherst, OH, USA

location_on Open maps

Nord PTO

The first Nord PTO meeting of the year is Monday, September 12th at 9:00 am at Nord School. If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will also be available via Zoom at https://bit.ly/3Ay41Tx.

PTO meetings will be held on the second Monday of each month at 9:00 am during the 2022- 2023 school year.