The Weekly Update

Feb 12 - 16: Blue/Grey Food Drive

Feb 15: Relay for Life Kick Off event @ 6:00 pm

Feb 16: School in Session to make up for snow closure

Feb 19: School Closed - Presidents’ Day

Mar 22-23: MS Spring Musical

Mar 28: Early Dismissal

Mar 29-Apr 7:School closed for Spring Break

This past week we conducted our Door Decorating Contest as part of our observance of Black History Month. We posted pictures throughout the week on Instagram of our students’ progress. It was great to see them working together and the artwork they created to tell the story of the individuals the homerooms had selected to highlight.

Next week is our Blue-Grey Week Competition. The Blue Team is all students with a last name beginning with the letters A-K, and the Grey Team is all students with a last name beginning with the letters L-Z. Over the course of the week, there will be various themes during the week regarding what to wear, providing opportunities for students to earn points for their team.

One part of the competition is a FOOD DRIVE. Students earn points for their teams by bringing in non-perishable food items. At the end of the week, the food collected will be donated to a local food pantry. The Food Drive begins on Monday and students can drop off non-perishable food items to the cafetorium before school or during homeroom all week long.

There are dress themes for Tuesday through Friday, and they are as follows:

Tuesday: Sports Day (wear your favorite team jersey/t shirt, etc)

Wednesday: Wear Red Day (It will be Valentine’s Day)

Thursday: Switch Up Day (students dress like teachers/teachers dress like students)

Friday: Blue and Grey

We are looking forward to a good competition between the two teams.

February 15 - 6-8pm - open to the community. It is impossible to avoid the devastation cancer can create. Please join us for an event full of educational information on fighting cancer delivered through fundraising games, and more plus a free dinner. Join our Relay during the Kick-Off for a discounted rate, join an existing team or start your own team.

Please watch this awesome video created by our talented students:

Relay For Life Promotion.mp4

Thank you all for your continued support for NB’s Relay for Life event. This year, our event is May 18-19 from 6 pm - 6 am. This year’s theme is: Movies - Lights, Camera, Action Against Cancer.

Our meeting dates are: Mar 19, Apr 10, Apr 29, May 14, May 21

*Save the date of March 19th for our Taco Bell Fundraiser

During “National School Counseling Week” please take a moment to acknowledge the School Counseling team for their hard work. Thank you for all that you do for our students!

Spring sports registration is now open! If you already have an account, please log in with your username and password to register your student-athlete. If you are new to the system, please create an account and continue as a new user. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the athletic office at moneill@nburlington.com or call 609-298-3900, ext. 2093. It amy seem a long way off, but take care of it now.

The last Clinical Corner discussed moving more, which can indeed help your mental health and it certainly kept coming up in my research about self care. In an article titled Caring for Your Mental Health by the National Institute of Mental Health, they define self-care as “taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical and mental health”. On top of the tips listed below you also want to make time to acknowledge your feelings and not judge them. Journaling can really help with this sometimes difficult task. Here are the article’s tips or reminders to help you and your student/child fit some you time into your week:

• Stay connected-Reach out to friends or family members who can provide emotional support and practical help

• Focus on positivity-Identify and challenge your negative thoughts

• Practice gratitude-Remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for, no matter how small

• Set goals and priorities-Learn to say no to new things if you already have enough on your plate. And focus on what you did get done instead of how much you didn’t.

• Try a relaxing activity-Explore relaxation apps, journaling, drawing or anything that makes you feel physically calmer.

• Make sleep a priority-Try to stick to a schedule and reduce phone/computer use close to bedtime

• Eat healthy regular meals and stay hydrated-These can improve energy and focus

• Get regular exercise-Even if in small doses it can boost your mood and your health.

Please see this FLIER from our transportation office. The district is looking for full and part time bus drivers. The job includes free training to earn CDL, as well as flexible hours. Feel free to share this flier with others who may be interested.