Warhawk Weekly Newsletter
Hello, Warhawks!
Our students continue to work hard as we move move further into first quarter. Would you believe that we will be halfway through Q1 at the end of next week? Progress Reports will be available in PowerSchool on September 10. Please encourage your student to ask for help if they need support or have questions. Teachers update grades weekly by 4 pm Thursday. Grades and attendance can be viewed in the Parent/Student Portal in PowerSchool. The Portal is a helpful tool to support our students as they LEVEL UP. Thank you to our entire school community for your support and for working together to help us have an amazing start to the school year!
Have you checked out our Spiritwear Sale below? Orders are 25% off through September 14 and there is Free Shipping for orders over $100. All proceeds benefit the Warhawk Flock!
The Warhawk Weekly is our newsletter for families and students - your go-to source for news, celebrations, and key updates throughout the year. Please never hesitate to reach out to our main office with any questions or support you need. We are here for you! Through a strong partnership between students, families, teachers, and staff, we will create a supportive, positive environment where every Warhawk can thrive. Let’s make this year unforgettable. Together, we can truly LEVEL UP!
Bethany Hall
Northwood Principal
Monday, August 31: Tutoring and Activity Bus Start
Monday, September 7: No School - Labor Day
Friday, September 10: Q1 Progress Report Grades in PowerSchool
Tuesday, September 15 & Wednesday, September 16: 8th Grade Washington DC Trip Parent Meeting- 7pm at Creekside Middle School.
Dechant's 8th Grade Scientists are RAD
Driving question board - Student generated questions they have about Energy. WOW!
Simonton's 7th Grade Science Actors
Mrs. Simonton turned the first unit intro into a short play. Students acted it out and many used fun voices to make it even more fun!
Spear's 7th Grade Plot Mountain Exploration
Students in Mrs. Spear's advanced literacy class participated in small group rotations. This seven minute rotation asked students to review the plot mountain elements by sorting a six sentence story. Students then had to defend the order and label of the slips.
Welcome to the Murphy Memo! This will be a place where I share school-wide trends I am noticing, provide quick reviews of expectations and rules, and highlight topics related to student safety, technology, and health. Middle school trends can change faster than we can keep up with them (and sometimes leave the adults wondering when exactly did this become a thing?), so our goal is to keep families informed and help us stay consistent between school and home.
As we begin the school year, we want to partner with families in keeping our classrooms focused, safe, and ready for learning.
Cell Phones & AirPods
Cell phones and AirPods must be put away throughout the school day.
If a student uses a phone during the school day, it will be held in the office until dismissal.
Repeated violations may result in the student checking their phone into the office upon arrival.
Continued concerns may result in a parent meeting and additional consequences.
Hall Passes
When leaving the classroom on a pass, students must place their phone in the classroom phone pouch before leaving.
Teachers may use discretion when approving passes.
Excessive pass use will be addressed.
Toys & Distracting Items
Students should leave toys and other distracting items at home. This includes 3D-printed objects, stuffed animals, balls, Play-Doh, slime, and similar items that may become distracting or create cleanliness concerns.
Fidgets are permitted when included as a support in a student’s IEP or 504 Plan. Fidgets must be school-appropriate, non-distracting, and no larger than the student’s palm. If a particular fidget is not appropriate for the school environment, an alternative will be provided.
Chromebook Use
School-issued Chromebooks are for school use only.
Gaming, YouTube, and other non-academic use are not permitted during the school day.
This expectation applies even during downtime or when assigned work is complete.
During free time, students are encouraged to:
Read or color
Complete puzzles
Participate in teacher-provided activities
Interact with their peers
And yes—actual face-to-face conversation still exists in middle school!
These expectations are not intended to eliminate fun from the school day, but rather to reduce the distractions that can quickly interfere with learning. We appreciate your help in reviewing these expectations with your student and reinforcing the importance of coming to school ready to learn, participate, and connect with others.
Thank you for your continued partnership!
Ms. Murphy
Need a ride home after a club meeting or tutoring?
Northwood has an Activity Bus at 4:30 pm on Monday - Thursday.
Students that currently receive transportation can sign up to take the activity bus home at 4:30 pm on Monday - Thursday. Please use the sign up sheet below to reserve your seat each week.
SIgn ups are required each week to ensure that you are included in the activity bus route.
Please remember that all sixth graders and new students to the school are required by the state of Illinois to have a new physical and dental exam. Please feel free to email the information to the nurse at kkush@wcusd200.org, upload it HERE, or drop off the paperwork at the front office. If you send the paperwork in with your child please touch base with me to ensure that the nurse has received it, many times it remains in the backpack. If you have any questions, please reach out.
Just a reminder that if your student requires any medication to be given or used during the school day, a new medication authorization form needs to be completed by a parent/guardian AND health care provider.
If your student uses an inhaler or EpiPen and is able to administer those medications to themselves, then a "Self administration form" needs to be completed by both parent/guardian AND health care provider and returned to the health office. Those are the only two medications that a student may give themselves at school, as long as that form is completed and handed in.
Any ordered medications to be dispensed at school can be dropped off by a parent or guardian. The medication must be in the original, labeled, and unopened container, along with the medication authorization form completed. If the medication is over the counter, it still requires an order medication authorization form.
Keep in Contact with Northwood!
- Principal - Bethany Hall - bhall@wcusd200.org
- Assistant Principal - Kelsey Murphy - kmurphy@wcusd200.org
- Dean of Students - Kim Buchanan - kbuchanan@wcusd200.org
- Secretary to the Principal - Sarai Butler - sbutler@wcusd200.org
- Secretary to the AP - Robin Simandl - rsimandl@wcusd200.org
- Registrar - Aimee Flores - aflores@wcusd200.org
- Nurse - Karli Kush - kkush@wcusd200.org
Office Hours: 7:30 am - 4 pm
24 hour Northwood Attendance Line: (815) 337-8618
Please call the 24 hour attendance line if your student will be late or absent to school
Website: https://nms.woodstockschools.org
Location: 2121 North Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL, USA
Phone: 815-338-4900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northwoodwoodstock