The Principal's Office

Email: jhutchinson@nasd.k12.pa.us
Website: https://www.nasd.k12.pa.us/enms
Location: 330 Roland Drive, East Norriton, PA, USA
Phone: 610-275-6520
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Middle-School/East-Norriton-Middle-School-121770504834624/
Twitter: @EastNorritonMS

March

20th NAHS to visit 8th grade students at ENMS

21st Early Dismissal and Parent Conferences 12:30-3:30

22nd Early Dismissal and Parent Conferences 12:30-3:30

25-29th Spring Break (No School)

In the last few weeks we have mailed our letters for Chromebook fees owed by students. Here are some guidelines related to fees owed by students of different grades.

Any 8th grade student that owes Chromebook fees will be excluded from end of the year activities if these fees are not paid. This includes our NYC City Trip, 8th grade Formal, Promotion, and the Plymouth Swim Club. 8th grade teachers have been meeting with students and we have mailed letters to families to encourage payment. If you owe fees associated with damaged Chromebooks these fees must be paid in order to attend the end of year events. Currently, we have over $5,000 in damaged Chromebook fees associated with the 8th grade class. If the fees are not paid we will not allow students to participate in those activities.

Students in grades 5-7 are encouraged to pay your fees as soon as possible. We try not to eliminate students from participating in end of the year activites like field days etc. for these grades. However, these fees follow the student into 8th grade. To avoid a large bill due in 8th grade (due to unpaid fees from grades 5-7) we encourage you to pay your fees now. If they are unpaid, it will impact end of the year activities when they reach 8th grade.

If you have questions or disputes regarding fees please contact our main office at 610-275-6520.

I have been working on informing our school community concerning attendance and specifically the number of students that are labeled as "Chronically Absent" from school. Chronically absent is defined as students that have missed more than 10% of school for any reason (excused, unexcused, suspension, doctor appointments etc.) Currently ENMS has over 200 students that have been absent more than 10% of school. This is extremely concerning and we need parents to be sure to send their children to school regularly. This is a huge increase since before the Covid 19 pandemic.

Please do your best to get your child to school each day. When your child is absent you should receive a letter from me indicating the percentage of days your student has been absent as well as the total number of class periods they have missed.

Below are some slides explaining data and problems associated with students missing more than 10% of school.

6th Grade Parents Please Read:

The nurse needs a copy of your child's physical exam. If you have not handed one in please send it in as soon as possible. Pennsylvania mandates that all 6th graders hand in a physical in the beginning of the school year. We have many 6th graders that have not turned one in. Exams should be complete with vaccination records including TDAP and Meningitis. Proof of these vaccines must be handed into the nurse prior to the start of 7th grade or your child will not be able to start on the first day of school.

School nurses will be contacting those who have not handed in a physical exam next week. If you have any questions please call or email Mrs Zangara at 610-275-6520 ext.3 or Lzangara@nasd.k12.pa.us

Dear 8th grade Families,

Representatives from Norristown Area High School will be giving a presentation to the East Norriton Middle School 8th graders on Wednesday, Mar 20, 2024. In that presentation, we will discuss the subject selection process, graduation requirements, and the transition to high school.

I wanted to take a moment to discuss the critical decision of subject selection for our transitioning students from 8th to 9th grade. The move to high school marks a significant milestone in your student's educational journey, and the choices made during this period can greatly influence their academic trajectory and future opportunities.

Choosing classes for 9th grade is not merely about fulfilling graduation requirements, but it sets the foundation for your student's academic pursuits, career aspirations, and personal growth. It's essential to approach this decision thoughtfully and with consideration for your student's interests, strengths, and long-term goals.

Here are a few points to consider when guiding your student through the subject selection process:

• Explore interests: Encourage your student to explore a variety of subjects to discover their interests and passions. Norristown Area High School offers a broad range of courses including advanced placement (AP), honors, and elective courses. Engaging in subjects they enjoy can lead to increased motivation, improved academic performance, and a more fulfilling high school experience.

• Consider future goals: Encourage your student to reflect on future aspirations when selecting subjects. Certain courses may be prerequisites for specific college majors or career paths. Discussing their goals and interests with school counselors, teachers, and family members can help them make informed decisions that align with their aspirations.

• Balance workload: While it is important to challenge oneself academically, it is equally crucial to maintain a balanced workload. Help your student assess their strengths, weaknesses, and time management skills to ensure they select a combination of courses that is both challenging and manageable. Striking the right balance can prevent burnout and support academic success.

• Emphasize adaptability: Remind your student that subject selection is not set in stone and can be adjusted as needed. High school offers opportunities for students to explore new interests, switch courses, and pursue different pathways. Encourage them to remain open-minded and adaptable as they navigate their academic journey.

By actively engaging in the subject selection process, you can empower your student to take ownership of their education and set themself up for success in high school and beyond. Together, we can support our students in making informed decisions that will shape their academic and professional futures.

Thank you for your partnership in guiding our Norristown Area School District students through this important transition. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding subject selection, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school counselors or administration.

Sincerely,

Nicole VanBuskirk

Assistant Principal

Norristown Area High School

Please see the letters below regarding PSSA testing for the 2023-2024 school year.

There are usually some questions that parents have about the length of the PSSA assessment. There is always a lot of misinformation about PSSA tests and the length of time and number of questions. I wanted to clarify some basic information.

Is this test really long?

Traditionally, we place the school in testing mode for about 2.5 hours for students to complete each day of the assessment. So, as you can see students have about 2.5 hours to do roughly 20-25 questions and an open-ended math problem or essay. Students can also have extended time as there is no time limit on this test.

Are these tests taken on a computer?

Yes, students use their chromebooks to complete the assessment. It is vital they charge their chromebooks each night and bring them to school on the test date.

Do these tests determine if my child repeats a grade?

No, the PSSA test scores do not determine if a child passes to the next grade. However, it is a serious concern when a student scores below proficient AND does not show a year of growth. However, some students might not score proficient, but still show a year of growth.

Do you recommend all students take these tests?

I recommend that all students take this assessment. It is not too long, and our students are regularly prepared for these types of tests. Additionally, it is important for parents to know if their child has mastered the standards of each grade. Students will take a lot of assessments in their lifetime and the more exposure they have to standardized assessments the better it can help them be prepared for college or career licensure exams etc.

Can I opt my student out of this test?

You cannot opt your student out of this assessment except for religious reasons. I have included language from the Department of Education below. If your child is in school during the testing window we must assess them. Our school must have 95% participation or we suffer sanctions from the Department of Education.

Can I compare ENMS test scores to other schools?

I think the biggest misuse of these assessments is the type of comparisons the media likes to make between schools and school districts. Every school district is different and trying to use PSSA exams to compare schools is not the purpose of these exams. The purpose of this test is for parents to see if their child has met the standards of a grade, and if they have show a year's worth of growth.

Does NASD get money because kids take this test?

NASD funding is not tied to PSSA testing participation or test scores. Many parents have been confused and have asked me this questions many times. No state funding is tied to student test scores or participation rates.

How does the school use this test data?

As a school, we focus on both growth and proficiency. All students must show one year of growth from the start of the year to the end of the year. Our teachers receive individual teacher growth and proficiency scores based upon the number of kids that score proficient or advanced and the number of students that show a year's worth of growth. We receive the same score as a school.

Do you think attendance impacts test scores?

Attendance Matters....when students are absent from school they miss opportunities to be prepared for this assessment. This year I am going to really look at our growth and proficiency scores along with the student's attendance. I have noticed that students who missed more than 10% of school are often not proficient or show a year of growth, due largely to factors beyond the school's control. We then suffer in our school score because these students who are absent do not show the growth and proficiency the state expects. As parents, make sure you send your students to school each day, attendance matters... and it matters quite a bit.

If you have any additional questions about PSSA please reach out to me.

ELA Test

Day #1 20-25 questions (no essay)

Day #2 20-25 questions plus one essay

Day #3 20-25 questions plus one essay

Math Test

Day #1 20-25 questions plus one open-ended problem

Day #2 20-25 questions plus one open-ended problem

8th Grade Science

Day #1 20-25 questions

Day #2 20-25 questions

PENNSYLVANIA SYSTEM OF SCHOOL ASSESSMENT (PSSA) AND KEYSTONE EXAMS REVIEW AND OPT-OUT PROCEDURES

Section 4.4 of Title 22, Chapter 4 provides for the rights of any parent or guardian to excuse his or her child from the state assessment if, upon inspection of the testing materials, they find the assessment to be in conflict with their religious beliefs.

This is the only basis for a parent or guardian to excuse his or her child from the statewide assessments.

A parent/guardian may only request a secure assessment review if they believe that they may have an objection to content based upon their religious beliefs.

The opt-out request is only in effect for religious reasons and not moral or ethical reasons. If opt-out not for religious reasons, test must be marked as parent refusal.

If you have questions around exemptions or other questions related to the PSSA assessment please email or give me a call.

Order your 2023-2024 school yearbook

All orders must be placed online by visiting www.barksdalephoto.com/onlineorders.php and entering the access code 16633YB.

For additional questions please contact PFC and the email is on the flyer below.

Teachers are beginning to notify families of students that are being recommended for Extended School Year (ESY). This recommendation is required for students who struggle with retention due to an extended summer break. Parents should receive a letter from their child's case manager with the information below. If you have questions please reach out to your child's case manager. This is only available for special education students.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

You are receiving this letter because your child has qualified for extended school year (ESY) for the 2023-2024 school year.

ESY will take place from July 1st - July 31st, Monday through Thursday with the exception of Thursday, July 4th. The elementary program will take place at Whitehall Elementary School from 9:00am - 1:00pm. The Middle School and High School programs will take place at ESTLA from 8:00am - 12:00pm.

For planning purposes, please indicate below if your child will be participating in the upcoming ESY session and send it to your child’s case manager, no later than April 19, 2024.

Student Name: _________________________________________

__________ Yes, my child will be participating in ESY

__________ No, my child will not be participating in ESY

Sincerely,

Norristown Special Education Department

Here is a great picture from the NASD music festival held last week at the high school. You can tell from this picture how strong the music program is in NASD.

All parents notes that are not written on paper need to be submitted through the Infinite Campus parent portal. You can download it here or search the Google Play or Apple Store.

You will create an account and then choose Norristown Area School District using the credentials sent by the district. You can also just enter your student's credentials.

Caregivers of 8th graders! The 8th grade dance will be held in June and a committee is forming now. Please contact Amy Bligh at AmyBligh1@yahoo.com if you are interested in participating.

You can reach us on our FB page or through gmail eastnorritonmspfc@gmail.com

Follow us on Facebook at East Norriton Middle School Parents Page. For more about the PFC find us on the NASD website

Amy Bligh Daniels PFC President

Nicole Echevarria Vice President

Shannon Mieski Vice President

Heather Garman Treasurer/School Store

Jenny Rosen Treasurer

Ronette Jones Administrator/Yearbook

I would like to share this resource with families. Tutor.com has private (real people) virtual tutoring available for all students in NASD 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I can tell you, this is a tremendous resource for families and would really like to encourage you to access this. I promise you, it will be helpful. I also receive a report from the tutor with the skills and questions that were covered which I can pass along to teachers so they are aware of something the student was struggling with. Think about checking out this free and helpful resource.

Students can access it directly in the Classlink on their Chromebook (ask them to show you Classlink and you will see the icon).

I would love to see families using this because I can tell you that it will be worth your time. I'll be tracking numbers to see how many families are taking advantage of this resource. I cannot say this enough... this will be helpful to you.

If possible, I would like to recommend that parents drive their students to school on the day of field trips. The main reason for this ask is that it will avoid the potential of First Student buses arriving late, after the field trip has already left. I know this may be a big inconvenience, but wanted to share in case it is an option for some families.

Unfortunately we cannot wait for all First Student buses to arrive at ENMS before we leave ENMS to go on our field trips. Our field trips have to leave ENMS by 8:45/9:00am in order to make it to their destination in time for students to enjoy the events. Our field trip buses are covered by Metz, which is a different bussing company. In many instances, we are taking students to Philadelphia and other places that are out of the Norristown area. For example, our 6th grade is going to the Franklin Institute. These trips require us to leave those locations by 1:00-1:30 in order to meet the deadline of all field trips returning to school by 2:15. In order to give our students enough time at the trip destination we need to leave before 9am so we can arrive with enough time to enjoy the experience.

I do understand this may be difficult. I wanted to pass along this information because we will need to leave probably before all of the buses arrive. There is no logistical way for us to wait for all buses to arrive before we leave.

If any student misses the trip due to a late First Student bus, we will refund the cost of the trip to those families.

We have two counselors at ENMS. These individuals should be one of your first points of contact if you need guidance related to any issue or problem your student may be facing during the school year. We can usually resolve issues quickly when parents contact their child's counselor. If you need to speak to your child's counselor their contact information is found below.

5th and 6th grade School Counselor: Ms. Gena Bussell gbussell@nasd.k12.pa.us

7th and 8th grade School Counselor: Ms. Sarah Raimondi sraimondi@nasd.k12.pa.us

All students must have their cellphones turned off and placed in their lockers. Below are the consequences for cellphone violations.

1st-3rd offenses: Teachers will ask the students to turn their phone off and place it in their locker, or ask the student to give it to the teacher. It will be returned to the student at the end of the school day.

4th offense: Students will give their cell phone to a teacher and the teachers will give it to the main office. The parent or guardian must report to the school to pick up the device. Cell phones are placed in a locked safe in the main office until parents arrive. A one-hour office detention will be assigned for each violation.

Chronic cellphone offenses: It is the policy of ENMS that students who chronically violate the cellphone policy despite warnings, parents picking up the phone etc. will not be permitted to bring their cell phone to school. This is not negotiable and even if a parent disagrees with this policy it is still our policy and it will be enforced regardless of parental agreement. I am asking parents to please discuss these rules with your student.

All classrooms and office have telephones inside them. If there is an emergency we have plenty of phones to handle any emergency situation.

ENMS does not have a dress code for our students. Many of our students choose to wear hooded sweatshirts. The only rule we have around hoodies is that students must have their hoods off. We need to see students faces and when students wear hoodies, combined with masks it makes it extremely difficult to recognize a student from a distance. Therefore, students who choose to wear hoodies must leave their hoods pulled down.

If we run into situations where students do not remove their hood they will receive consequences ranging from a simple discussion all the way to a suspension for chronic offenders. This is usually not an issue for us, but I like to remind parents at the start of the year of this policy.

Lastly, students also cannot wear "slides." All students must have shoes that have a back on them. Croc style shoes are fine as long as students wear the strap along the back of them. The biggest issue with slides is the tripping hazard they pose on stairs. Therefore, students cannot wear slides to school. Again, this is not a big issue here at school, but I like to remind parents of those two simple rules around our dress policy.

Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late. With Safe2Say Something, it’s easy and confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies.

Here’s how it works:

• Submit an anonymous tip report through the Safe2SaySomething system
• Crisis center reviews, assesses and processes all submissions
• Crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement for intervention
• If needed, crisis center may contact tipster anonymously through the app