Norsemen Newsletter

Hello, Norsemen Family!

We are excited to be approaching the start of the 2026-2027 school year, and we look forward to meeting our students!

The Norsemen Newsletter is an electronic newsletter that we plan to send out monthly to communicate what is happening at NMS. In this newsletter, we will share general school information, upcoming events, celebrations of students and staff members, and information on the instructional program at NMS.

Please take a few minutes to read through our summer newsletter to see what is coming up at NMS and learn more about our operating procedures before the first day of school. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Dr. Christopher Benson

Principal

• July 31: Schedules Available in StudentVUE
• August 10: Sixth-Grade Orientation (9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.)
• August 10: Back-to-School Open House (4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
• August 13: First Day of School
  

Sixth-grade students and their parents/guardians are invited to attend an orientation at the school on Monday, August 10, from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. The program will provide students an opportunity to meet each of their teachers and to locate their classrooms. Parents/guardians will meet with administration and the counseling department to learn about the middle school experience.

On Monday, August 10, from 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., NMS will host a Back-to-School Open House to prepare students and their families for the upcoming school year. The building will be open to parents/guardians and students, and teachers will be in their rooms to meet you and your students.

Thursday, August 13, marks the first day of school for the 2026-27 school year. All students will report to their advisory room at 8:20 a.m. for attendance and opening routines. Students will start each day this year with their advisory groups unless we have an altered schedule (delay, early release, club day, etc.). Plenty of assistance will be available in the hallways for our new students who might need some extra help finding their way. After meeting in advisory, students will attend all of their A-day classes. School is dismissed at 3:25 p.m.

Our NMS administrative team looks forward to working with your students this coming year to help them develop academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.

• Principal: Chris Benson (cbenson@rcps.us)
• Assistant Principal (Scheduling): Josh Burton (jburton@rcps.us)
• Assistant Principal (Athletics): Nadia Witcher (nwitcher@rcps.us)

The Northside Middle School culture is based on collaboration between the teachers, staff, administration, students, parents/guardians, and the school community. We strive to create a safe learning environment that is conducive to student learning and the creation of positive relationships. More detailed information regarding procedures and expectations can be found in our student handbook, which is linked below.

We have updated our student handbook to share important information with families related to Northside Middle School and our daily operations. Please make some time over the next few weeks to review the handbook to learn more about our school!

Beginning July 17, parents can log into their ParentVUE account to complete the Annual Verification of their student’s information. We ask that parents please complete this verification by August 7. This process is extremely important since this is where you update your contact information, emergency contact information, student health information, and accept all needed acknowledgments. If you do not have a ParentVUE account or need assistance logging into your ParentVUE account, please call our front office (540-561-8145).

ANVER/ ParentVUE Information

ParentVUE

If you are trying to get a head start on back-to-school shopping, below is our suggested supply list for each grade level.

Students who have chosen band as their electives should also plan on getting the following materials:

• A 1" or 1.5" 3-ring binder
• Several sheet protectors
• A pencil pouch that clips into the binder
• 5 binder dividers
• Several pencils
• 7th and 8th graders need instruments and all instrument supplies by August 17th
• 6th graders will need instruments and all instrument supplies by August 31st

• 6th and 7th graders are using the green Habits of A Successful Beginner Band Musician book by Scott Rush

Northside Middle School will be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as implemented through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 again this school year.

All students will have the option of getting a nutritious breakfast and/or lunch meal each day at no cost. NMS families will not be required to submit a meal application or to pay a fee for students to receive meals.

Students are required to have the Tdap and Meningococcal ACWY vaccine prior to entering 7th grade. The HPV vaccine is also recommended. Please bring or send a copy of the immunization record indicating these vaccines to your child's school as soon as possible. The school must receive the immunization record prior to the start of school.

You can arrange for your child to receive these vaccines through your child’s healthcare provider or through the health department. In addition, the Roanoke County Health Department will be having vaccine clinics for rising 7th and 12th grade students at our schools on the following dates:

• July 28th, 4-6:00 p.m. Cave Spring Middle School - Cafeteria

• July 29th, 4-6:00 p.m. William Byrd Middle School - Cafeteria

• July 30th, 4-6:00 p.m. Northside Middle School - Pope Gym

You may attend any of these clinics and do not need to register in advance. Please bring your student's vaccine record and your insurance card. If you are attending one of the vaccine clinics at the schools, please print and fill out the attached consent form and bring it with you to the clinic to save time. A parent or guardian must be with the student at the clinics.

The Vinton and Salem Health Departments will also be providing vaccines by appointment throughout the summer. The schedule can be found on the attached document, or you can contact the health department directly for an appointment.

• Salem Health Department: 540-387-5530 - 105 E. Calhoun Street, Salem, VA 24153

• Vinton Health Department: 540-857-7800 - 227 S. Pollard St., Vinton, VA 24179

You may contact Sara Cavicchio at 540-562-3900 ext. 29801 with any questions you may have.

The Northside Middle School Counseling Program assists students in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for healthy development. Our program recognizes that parents/guardians, school personnel, and the community each have important roles to play and resources to contribute in assisting students with their academic career, social development, and emotional development.

Students are assigned to counselors alphabetically by last name. If you have questions concerning your child during the school year, please contact the appropriate counselor as follows:

• A-J: Marsha House - Coordinator (mhouse@rcps.us)

• K-Z: Holleigh Lewis (hlewis@rcps.us)

The role of the LIFE counselor is to lead individuals and foster empowerment with our students. LIFE counselors provide individual and group counseling to students. Counselors also provide education on approved mental health, trauma, and substance topics to our students, staff, and parents/guardians. LIFE counselors focus on prevention and intervention to promote academic growth, personal growth, and well-being.

• LIFE Counselor: Keri Scribner (kscribner@rcps.us)

Last year, Roanoke County Public Schools launched “Let’s Talk,” a new telehealth service available for elementary, middle and high school students and parents. Through this new service, students/parents can receive up to five (5) free counseling sessions for a variety of issues including:

• Relationships
• Stress
• Anxiety/depression
• Coping with grief or loss
• Any other difficult life situation

Like so many communities across the country, the Roanoke Valley faces a challenge when it comes to local availability of licensed mental health counselors due to overwhelming demand. Let’s Talk helps bridge that gap and connects students and parents to critical counseling services. The Let’s Talk service, powered by Gaggle Therapy, is possible thanks to a grant from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

This program will support students and parents through direct counseling, prevention, and early intervention services delivered by a contracted mental telehealth provider. The goal is to improve access to care by reducing barriers such as transportation and scheduling challenges, supporting early identification and intervention for mental health concerns, and fostering a more supportive and responsive school environment that promotes wellness and academic success.

To begin counseling, go online to www.rcps.us/letstalk

Please see https://www.rcps.us/departments/counseling-student-records for more information and resources.

RCPS Mission: To invest in our community's future by preparing our students with Opportunity Ready skills as defined in the RCPS Profile of a Graduate.

RCPS Vision: Preparing every student, in every school, and in every classroom to be Opportunity Ready.

Our NMS students demonstrate Opportunity Ready skills on a daily basis both in the classroom and in the community. We are excited to continue our work with student portfolios and student-led conferencing this year so that students can showcase some of these skills!

We hope our Northside families are having a wonderful summer, and we are looking forward to seeing you very soon.

Did you know our PTA currently supports: library book funding, student dances, staff appreciation, school nurse supplies, and more? We are currently planning more activities for our school but need your help.

Our first school spirit night will be August 24 at The Tap House. The Tap House is located at 90 Town Center Street in Daleville.

Please make sure to follow us on social media for the most up to date information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063650076201

Instagram: nmsptaroa

Please consider becoming a PTA member: https://northsidemiddle.givebacks.com/shop.

You may contact us at any time at northsidemiddlepta@gmail.com. We can’t wait to see our students soon!

Roanoke County Schools will be providing all middle school students a laptop they can use at home and school for the 2026-27 school year at no charge to students. Laptops will be distributed to students during the first few days of school.

As an added measure of safety, all schools in Roanoke County received updated badge and visitor systems last year. All visitors will need to ring the doorbell outside to be let in instead of automatically coming into the front vestibule, and all visitors must present a photo ID.

Below is our procedure for dropping off students in the morning and picking them up in the afternoons. Please see the attached map for a depiction of our traffic flow for car riders.

1. You may drop off students in front of the school if you arrive before 7:45. The school building will be open at 7:30. After 7:45, the lane in front of the school will be for buses only.

2. If you arrive after 7:45, you need to follow the red arrow traffic flow indicated on the map. Students should be dropped off and picked up on the side of the building. The yellow star indicates where you will drop your student off. All students must enter the main door leading into the building. They will not be allowed to enter the building through the door closest to the drop off point.

3. This is for Jazz Band Parents only: If you have a student in Jazz Band, which begins at 7:30, you need to follow the blue arrow traffic flow indicated on the map. Students should be dropped off at the edge of the building marked by the blue arrow. Please do not go in the parking lot beyond the blue arrow as that is for staff only.

4. If you are picking your student up in the afternoon, please follow the red arrow traffic flow indicated on the map. Car riders will exit the front doors of the building and wait on the side for their rides. If you are picking your child up, you may wait alongside Northside High School Road and around the side loop indicated by the red areas until you get to the bus lane, which runs in front of the school. Please do not go down the bus lane or park in this area.

5. Buses will drop off and pick up students in front of the school. All bus riders will enter and exit the building through the front doors.

• Only clear bags allowed (exceptions made for small clutches 4.5” x 6.5”, medical supplies, and diaper bags, which may be searched)
• No outside food or drinks allowed
• All elementary and middle school age students must be accompanied by an adult at all times
• No re-entry for ticketed events (exception for events with all-day passes)

SpeakUp

For years, the district has provided SpeakUp – a confidential phone, text and email line where students and parents can report concerns related to safety, bullying or mental health concerns about another student. Students and parents can report concerns by calling or texting 540-595-0706, or emailing speakup@student.rcps.us.

ReachOut

At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, the district launched ReachOut – a 24/7/365 mental health support and crisis line for middle and high school students and parents to receive immediate assistance in dealing with urgent issues including emotional support, processing difficult circumstances, grief and loss, and suicidal ideation. Students/parents can call or text 540-405-6650 to receive immediate support.

If your child tells you something that concerns you about the safety of the school, please contact a school administrator or the Roanoke County Police Department at 540-562-3265.

If parents/guardians see a concerning post on social media, please report it to school officials or the police department. Please DO NOT share or spread the post. Sharing social media rumors makes it harder for us to discover the source of the rumor or post.

6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are allowed to compete on the middle school athletic teams. All participating students must have a current sports physical that has been completed within the past 14 months. No student will be permitted to participate in tryouts or practice without a completed physical form on file. Additionally, all students must have health insurance if they want to participate. Please see our website for the most up-to-date information regarding athletics: https://nms.rcps.us/athletics

Athletic ticket prices: adult tickets will be $5, and student tickets are $2. These funds are used to help offset the cost for officials, transportation to away games, and team equipment. We also plan on selling athletics passes again this year, and we will share more information about those in the near future.

According to RCPS event procedures, all elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by an adult at all times during athletic events. Students may not be dropped off at any event without having an adult with them.

July

• July 17: Student First Day Forms Available
• July 20: Meet & Greet with Dr. Soltis, Mr. Linden, and Mr. Hudson (Northside High - 6:00 p.m.)
• July 31: Schedules available in ParentVUE/StudentVUE

August

• August 7: Student First Day Forms Due
• August 10: NMS 6th-Grade Orientation (9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.)
• August 10: NMS Back-to-School Open House (4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
• August 13: First Day of School

September

• September 7: Schools Closed for Labor Day
• September 11: Interim Midpoint
• September 18: Interim Midpoints Available
• September 23: Three Hour Early Dismissal (secondary dismiss at 12:25 p.m.)

October

• October 9: End of 1st Grading Period
• October 12: Schools Closed – Teacher Workday (no meetings)
• October 21: Three Hour Early Dismissal (secondary dismiss at 12:25 p.m.)
• October 21: Reports Cards Sent Home

November

• November 2: Schools Closed for Student Conferences (during regular school hours)
• November 3: Schools Closed for Election Day
• November 13: Interim Midpoint
• November 20: Interim Midpoints Available
• November 25-27: Schools Closed for Thanksgiving Break

December

• December 18: End of 2nd Grading Period (end of first semester)
• December 21-31: Schools Closed for Winter Break

January

• January 1: Schools Closed – Winter Break
• January 4: Schools Closed – Teacher Workday (no meetings)
• January 15: Report Cards Sent Home
• January 18: Schools Closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

February

• February 5: Interim Midpoint
• February 8: Schools Closed for Parent-Teacher Conferences (during regular school hours)
• February 9: Kindergarten Registration for 2027-2028 school year begins
• February 12: Interim Midpoints Available
• February 24: Three Hour Early Dismissal (secondary dismiss at 12:25 p.m.)

March

• March 11: End of 3rd Grading Period
• March 12: Schools Closed – Teacher Workday (no meetings)
• March 15: Schools Closed – Parent-Student Conferences
• March 16-17: Virtual Learning Days (HIGH SCHOOLS ONLY)
• March 19: Report Cards Sent Home
• March 22-26: Schools Closed for Spring Break
• March 29: Schools Closed for Easter Holiday

April

• April 22: Interim Midpoint
• April 28: Three Hour Early Dismissal – Middle School Student-Led Conferences (secondary dismiss at 12:25 p.m.)
• April 29: Interim Midpoints Available

May

• May 25-26: Three Hour Early Dismissal (secondary only dismiss at 12:25 p.m.)
• May 27: Three Hour Early Dismissal (secondary dismiss at 12:25 p.m.)
• May 27: Last Day of School / End of Second Semester
• May 28: Teacher Workday