Northwood Hills News

Northwood Hills News is the school newsletter written by campus leadership. You'll find important dates and information about upcoming activities including evening events, school-wide assessments, and RISD area events. The newsletter will go out via email on Thursdays of each week. Please ensure your email addresses and phone numbers are up-to-date in Focus so that you receive each week's updates in a timely manner.

Hello NHE families,

What a wonderful week it has been at NHE! We have been celebrating kindness all week and seeing the students spreading kindness has been nothing short of heartwarming. A special thank you to our NHE Kindness Club for spreading kindness through signs, cards, stickers and encouragement.

Next week, we have another opportunity to see a special group of students shine. Our fourth grade students will have a music performance and art display at 5:30 on February 18th.

Tomorrow we will end this week on a high note with our Valentine's Day parties. All parties will begin at 2:00. If you are volunteering to help with your student's party, please remember to bring your ID and use the visitor QR code to sign in and have your badge printed early. We appreciate our volunteers.

Sincerely,

Jenni Smith

Principal

• February 14 - Valentine's Day Parties

• February 17 - No School

• February 18 - 4th grade music program and art display 5:30-6:00

• February 19 - TELPAS Listening and Speaking (2nd-6th)

• February 20 - TELPAS Reading and Writing (2nd-6th)

• February 20 - Pollo Campero Spirit Night

• February 24-28 3rd-6th grade STAAR simulation window

• February 25 - Enrollment Opens for the 25-26 school year

• February 27 - NHE Site-Based Decision-Making Committee meeting

• March 3 - College Colors Day

• March 4 - Chick'-Fil-A Spirit Night

• March 6 - Kindergarten Round-Up

• March 7 - SOAR Awards for Quarter 3

• March 10-14 Spring Break

A spark is a small burst of energy that ignites something bigger. It can be a flame or an electrical charge, a kind word, or a gesture. As we head into February, intentionally spark the heart of those around you and ignite the power of kindness.

Students are encouraged to do as many random acts of kindness as they can throughout the month of February. Students who do at least 20 of the random acts of kindness included in the calendar can turn in their completed calendar signed by a parent or guardian for a prize. Completed calendars are due to Mrs. Konkle or Mrs. Pendery by March 4th.

Each class will have a Valentine's Day Party on Friday, February 14th. Class parties will occur from 2:00-3:00. Homeroom parents will be reaching out for items needed and a few volunteers for each class. Any parents that are attending will need to enter the school through the front office and must scan their ID to receive their Verkada badge.

We are excited to show our appreciation for our incredible teachers by providing an extended lunch on February 28th! To make this happen, we need volunteers to help supervise students and facilitate provided activities.

We truly appreciate any time you can give, and we’d love your help in spreading the word.

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up.

Thank you!

***Richardson ISD requires every volunteer re-register with VOLY annually to be eligible for volunteer opportunities during each school year.***

**ID required to sign in at school

Kids Heart Challenge program is HERE! We can't wait for you and your student to learn some of these amazing heart healthy habits and lifesaving skills!

Our goal is to raise $3,000 for the American Heart Association.

Here's how you can get started:

1. Sign up on our school's Kids Heart Challenge Page

2. Download the app iOS/Android

3. Get started on Finn's Lifesaving Mission!

We’re excited to share that our school has some fun ways to celebrate our impact!

Any student who raises $50 will earn a buy one get one discounted tickets to one of FIVE Dallas Mavericks games!! Go Mavs and let’s Save Lives!

On February 21, author Chris Barton will be visiting with kindergarten through 3rd graders. He will speak about his books and writing process. If you would like to purchase one of his books to be signed by him, please use the following link to make a purchase. The deadline is February 5. Your purchase is a fun keepsake, and it benefits our school!

https://interabangbooks.com/wishlist/jospereswosho

Students who are invited to attend tutoring will receive a permission form. Bus transportation is provided for tutoring. If your child brings home a tutoring invite, please make it a priority to have them attend. We are committed to closing instructional gaps and providing the support necessary for each student to meet their growth goals.

Tutoring Dates:

February 18, 25

March 4, 18, 25

April 1, 8

TELPAS Assessment

This test is given to 2nd through 6th graders who are Emergent Bilingual. This test assesses their language acquisition.

February 19:Listening & Speaking (grades 2-6)

February 20: Reading & Writing (grades 2-6)

STAAR Dates:

April 15: STAAR RLA (grades 3-6)

April 16: Make-up STAAR RLA (grades 3-6)

April 23: STAAR Science (5th grade only)

April 24: Make-up STAAR Science (5th grade only)

April 29: STAAR Math (grades 3-6)

April 30: Make-up STAAR Math (grades 3-6)

Attention Future Falcons! We have lots of fun events coming up this Spring and would love for you to join us! Please let me know if you can attend or would like to be included on our email list! Also don't forget to follow us on Facebook at NWH Falcons & Friends!

Calling all Future Falcon Moms! We are gathering for brunch on February 22nd and would love for you to come! It's a great way to meet other moms of young kids in the neighborhood! See the flyer for details and RSVP to Kristy Blevins at 214-842-2114. Thank you and hope to see you there!

RISD Parents,

RISD is committed to providing a safe and nurturing school environment that promotes student academic growth. Recent reported changes in federal immigration enforcement guidelines have led to speculation that enforcement activity may begin to include K-12 schools. This speculation may lead to some RISD families becoming anxious or fearful about sending students to school, and we are monitoring our attendance and enrollment weekly.

RISD continues to provide a safe learning environment for all students, and we strongly encourage parents to keep their children in school. It is critical for parents to remember that under current law, all students have the right to an education, and school is a place where students are surrounded by support structures and caring adults who work toward their academic growth and success. RISD has existing counseling services that are available to students, who may need such services at this time.

RISD has guidelines in place for principals and staff related to law enforcement visits to our schools, including verifying credentials and the written documentation related to the purpose of a visit. As is always the case, if a law enforcement visit relates to a student, the school will make its best effort to notify the parent/guardian. The RISD Student & Parent Handbook (p 76) provides further information on how RISD engages with law enforcement agencies. The handbook is available for review here.

We will continue to monitor and follow all state and federal laws and updated guidance from state or federal officials.

We believe that all of our students deserve the opportunity to grow and succeed academically, and we are dedicated to ensuring that our students reach our North Star Goal.

Respectfully,

Tabitha Branum
Superintendent

Registration is now open!

Region 10 Parent, Family, & Community Engagement Fair

February 26, 2025 - 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

400 E. Spring Valley Rd., Richardson, TX 75081

presented by Region 10’s Multilingual Team

This free event is designed for parents who are raising bilingual or multilingual children. It’s a perfect opportunity for parents like yourself to engage, learn, and connect. The theme is “Lights! Camera! Action! Empowering Parents, Uniting Communities” and you’re the MVP of the event–the Most Valuable Parent!

Here’s what you can expect:

• Learning Sessions on empowering families and supporting your child’s education

• Networking Opportunities with other parents and community members

• Exciting Resources that can benefit you and your family

• Music and Entertainment for a fun and enjoyable day

Register here: Richardson ISD PFC Engagement Fair

Deadline to register: 2/7/2025

Click here to see last year’s fun: Region 10 Title III Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Fair Video

Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year opens Feb. 25. Save the date, and visit the online enrollment page for information and what to have ready.

• Create a Focus account – RISD provides electronic access to a student’s attendance, grades, and other information via the Focus school software system. . https://web.risd.org/focus/

• Please go to RISD Voly to fill out an application. Please make sure you select NHE as your school. This process needs to be completed every year!

• All of RISD will be utilizing Talking Points for classroom communication. Please download the free app to get started communicating with your child's teacher!

  You can find more information online at this link

• Download SchoolCafe app – RISD’s school cafeteria payment system is called SchoolCafe. https://www.schoolcafe.com/

• Download RISD Mobile Parent app – Access student information, view the latest news, receive important alerts, review archive of parent messages sent by RISD, view school menus and lunch account balances, find your bus stop, access student schedules, assignment grades, attendance and more via the RISD Mobile Parent app.

• Support our amazing school by joining the NHE PTA!

Beginning next week, visitors are welcome to join their students for lunch. Here are a few reminders when planning to visit for lunch.

• Due to space in our cafeteria we are asking that parents who wish to have lunch with their child do so only once per week.
• Arrive before your child's scheduled lunchtime.
  
• Bring your ID to be screened at check-in. You will be given a visitor badge to wear at all times while on campus.
• Visitors should sit at the designated visitor table with their child and are not permitted to sit at the class cafeteria tables.
• Lunch visitors may eat lunch with only their child. Friends will not be permitted to join another parent for lunch.
• We request that visitors follow a no-cell phone policy to ensure student privacy and quality time with their child. Taking pictures or videos in the cafeteria that include any other students or staff is not permitted.
• When your child’s lunch period is over, visitors should exit the building from the front or office doors. Lunch visitors should NOT walk their child back to class.
• If a visitor who is not a parent or guardian comes to eat lunch with a student, we must have permission ahead of time from the parent or guardian or they will not be permitted to eat with the student.

These guidelines may need to be adjusted from time to time. Updates will be communicated as needed.

All visitors must show a government-issued ID every time you are either visiting school or volunteering and will need to have a Verkada Badge. The great thing about our new system is that you can use the QR Code from home in the morning, and your badge will be waiting for you when you arrive. Please wait to access the code until 7 am the day that it is needed so that the badge doesn't time out. This is a requirement for any activity we will have during the school day.

Before entering the building, you will need to push the doorbell. Our office staff will ask how they can help you before letting you in. This is a requirement for everyone even if our office staff knows who you are. We appreciate your support and patience with this process.

With the increased need for security on all campuses, NHE will continue to use Verkada to sign in all visitors on campus. If you plan on visiting campus, please make sure to bring your driver's license to the front office to be scanned by our RAPTOR system.

During occasions when we have a big event, we will send out a QR code ahead of time for you to complete to help speed up the check-in process.

If you plan to volunteer on campus, please complete the additional background check with VOLY. It is best to complete the VOLY application as soon as possible. VOLY requests can take up to 72 hours to complete. Please call the Northwood Hills office for any help needed with completing VOLY. Sign up to volunteer at risd.voly.org