OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
October 2026
Principal Updates
Attendance
One of our Building Goals for the 26-27 school year is to support student attendance at Norton Elementary School. We have begun our work of monitoring student absences for this school year and are working with families to support students that are chronically absent.
Chronic absenteeism operates as an early warning sign for academic success. Identifying students who miss 10% of School at any point in the year is an effective, early indicator that the students are heading off track academically. Students missing two to four school days in September are five times more likely to be chronically absent throughout the school year. Missing just two days a month can lead to chronic absenteeism. Missing 10% of the school year = 18 days of absence = almost one month of missed learning opportunities.
Background Checks
As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, all individuals who volunteer in Norton City Schools are required to undergo a comprehensive background check. This process helps to ensure that we are providing the safest possible learning environment for our students.
To cover the cost associated with conducting these background checks, the district will charge volunteers a fee of $25, which is the actual cost incurred by Norton City Schools. Background checks are valid for five years.
We appreciate the dedication of our volunteers and thank you for your understanding of this necessary procedure. For more information or assistance with the background check process, please contact the school office at (330) 825-3828.
What I Need (W.I.N.) Groups
Thank you for trusting us with your child’s education. Each year, in the Fall, Winter, and Spring, we screen all students in grades K-3 to better understand their reading skills.
Your child was given the Acadience Reading Screener in September. The screening results are like a gauge on the dashboard of a car. Just like your dashboard tells you about your car, this screener tells us how your child is doing with skills they need to read well. This information is really important for us and also for you and your child to know. Using this screening tool, we looked at your child’s reading skills. It is normal for children to have strong skills and skills they have not mastered yet. In our experience, once we learn about a child’s skills that need more support, we are very successful in helping them become stronger in those areas.
Based on these results, your child will receive additional support during our grade level W.I.N. (What I Need) time. Your child will be placed in a group of students with similar strengths and needs and will work with their teacher during this time to continue developing their reading skills. We will check your child’s progress and send an update as we continue this work.
Building Report Card
The Department of Education and Workforce released our building Report Card. NES earned a 5 Star Rating which is the highest rating we can recieve at our building! Many thanks to the Staff, Students, and Parents for this awesome accomplishment. This 5 Star Rating at NES was also included in the 4.5 Star Rating that the District earned this past month.
Fall Room Parties- Preschool and Grades K-3
Preschool Fall Room Parties will be on Thursday, October 29. AM Classes will be from 10:00 AM-11:00 AM. PM Classes will be from 2:00 PM-3:00 PM.
Kindergarten through Grade 3 Fall Room Parties will be on Friday, October 30 from 1:00-2:00 PM.
Students should also not wear scary or bloody costumes, rubber masks (tripping hazard) or bring plastic weapons such as swords, plastic guns, and/or sickles.
If you have any questions, please call the School Office at (330) 825 -3828 or contact your classroom teacher.
Counselor's October Newsletter
Please click the link below to view the NES Counselor Newsletter.
Important Dates
October 8- Parent/Teacher Conferences Preschool to Grade12 from 4:00-7:00 PM
October 9- No School Students and Staff
October 12- Professional Development Day - No School for Students
October 14- First Grade Field Trip
October 15- Kindergarten Story Time with Miss Mary
October 16- End of 1st Nine Weeks (Kindergarten and First Grade students will not receive a report card until the 2nd Nine weeks is complete)
October 19- Second Nine Weeks starts
October 19- BOE Meeting at 7:00 PM- NMS Panther Room (2nd Grade Student of the Month)
October 20- 3rd Grade FALL OST Assessments
Ocotber 21- 3rd Grade FALL OST Assessments
October 21- Fall Lifetouch Picture Retake Day
October 23- Preschool Friday Additional Session- students in attendance
October 24- Norton Women's Club Craft Show at NES
October 29- Preschool Fall Room Parties (AM/PM Class Sessions)
October 29- Spooktacular at Norton High School 5:45- 8:00 PM
October 30- K-3 Fall Room Parties 1:00-2:00 PM