Dear Comet Families,

On behalf of the faculty and staff of Walter G. Nord School, I would like to welcome you to the 2022-2023 school year! Our custodial staff has been hard at work all summer getting our building ready to welcome students on Thursday, August 25, 2022!

I am beyond excited to be joining the Nord School family as your principal and look forward to meeting all the Nord families! Please mark your calendars for a meet and greet event called Popsicles with the Principal at Walkin’ on Wednesday this Wednesday, August 10th from 4:00- 7:30 pm. Mr. Doehr and I hope that you can stop by downtown Amherst to meet us and enjoy a sweet treat!

I also hope to see you all at our Open House on Monday, August 22nd. Fourth-grade families will be welcomed at 4:00 pm and fifth-grade families may come at 6:00 pm.

As you prepare for the start of school, please review this newsletter for helpful information. I have also compiled this Frequently Asked Questions document that answers lots of burning questions that were submitted by Nord families. I also encourage you to follow me on Twitter at @NordPrincipal and check the Walter G. Nord School website often for updates.

Please do not hesitate to call the Nord Main Office at 440-988-4441 if you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns.

See you soon,

Mrs. Harigan

Welcome! I’m Mr. Doehr, your Dean of Students, and I’m looking forward to working with all of our students, families, and staff as we launch the 2022-2023 school year at Nord! I’m excited to get to know all of you and will begin to build positive relationships with everyone at our school.

Please feel welcomed to e-mail me anytime at nicholas_doehr@amherstk12.org or give me a call through the main office. I also encourage you to follow me on Twitter at @Nord_MrDoehr to stay connected to our school and district updates as well as a showcase of the exciting things happening at Nord throughout the year!

A few Favorite Fun Facts about Mr. Doehr

Book - A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

Color - Orange

Season - Fall

Subject - Reading

Dessert - Ice Cream

Quote - “Life as an educator begins the day you realize you’re always a learner.”

See you soon, Comets!

-Mr. Doehr

All emergency, medical, and contact information for all K-12 students will be collected through the Returning Student Registration process in your PowerSchool Parent Portal account at the start of each school year.

To complete the process, please go to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account, click on the Returning Student Registration link in the left menu, and follow the prompts. For step-by-step directions, please refer to this Online Returning Student Registration Directions document.

If you completed this process last year, most of your child's emergency and contact information will be pre-filled on this year's form. You will simply need to check, verify, and update any changes.

Thank you in advance for updating your returning student's information as soon as possible.

All homeroom lists are posted on Thursday, August 18, 2022, at 3:30 pm. Lists will be posted on the front door of the school and on the Amherst Exempted Village School District website. Students will find out the rest of their teachers during Open House on Monday, August 22, 2022. Teachers will also be listed in Parent Portal after homeroom lists are released on the 18th.

Walter G. Nord School will again be using PikMyKid for the upcoming school year. Please download the app and register. If you have any questions regarding the app, please feel free to contact us directly by calling the school at 440-988-4441 or you may contact PikMyKid support via email at support@pikmykid.com.

If there is a change of transportation for your child, please make this change in PikMyKid. We must have written authorization for changes and changes you make in PikMyKid are considered written authorization. During dismissal, we will follow the designations made in PikMyKid. Changes must be made by 2:00 pm.

Frequently Asked Questions About PikMyKid

Q: When I try to register on PikMyKid it is asking for a code. What is my child's code?

A: The code they are referring to is the students PikMyCode Student ID. These will be printed on the car-tags and provided to parents at Open House. This number allows for students to be connected to their parents' account, if the connection is not automatic. Fourth grade families receive new codes now that you are at Nord.

Q: My student is not a car rider, do I still need to register?

A: Yes, you will still need to register. PikMyKid is a dismissal program for all modes of transportation. The app allows all parents to be able to make any changes to the students dismissal without calling the school or emailing the teachers.

Q: My student is in the system as a car rider, but they will be getting home differently, is there a way to change that?

A: Yes, you can change your student's mode of transportation. The modes of transportation are car, bus, walker/biker, or extended day.

Please also see the linked Parent User Guide | Pikmykid for more information or assistance with the app.

Each grade level has specific supply lists. Students may bring their supplies to Open House or on the first day of school.

4th Grade Supply List

5th Grade Supply List

Breakfast and lunch will be available to all students; however, per the United States Department of Agriculture, school meals will no longer be free for all students.

Parents, please go to http://PaySchoolscentral.com to complete the Free/Reduced Application and/or add money to your student's account. For more information about school meals for the 2022-2023 school year, please visit our Amherst Schools Nutrition Services Website.

Walter G. Nord School's Main Office is open daily from 7:30 am - 3:30 pm.

8:20 am: Building Opens to Students

8:30 am: School Day Begins

3:10 pm: Dismissal for Car Riders and Walkers

3:20 pm: Buses Depart

Monday, August 22nd: Open House (4th grade @ 4 pm, 5th grade @ 6 pm)

Thursday, August 25th: First Day of School

Wednesday, August 31st: Picture Day

Monday, September 5th: No School, Labor Day

Monday, September 19th: No School, Staff Professional Development Day

Week of September 26th: Camp Fitch (Exact Dates are TBA)

Thursday, October 13th: Parent-Teacher Conferences, 3:35- 9:05 pm

Friday, October 14th: No School

Friday, October 28th: End of 1st Grading Period

Email: ashley_harigan@amherstk12.org
Website: https://www.amherstk12.org/schools/nord
Location: 501 Lincoln Street, Amherst, OH, USA
Phone: 40-988-4441
Twitter: @NordPrincipal