North Star News

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Dear North Star Community,

We have so many reasons to be thankful for our incredible community this week! Last Friday evening, Jane Garrino and Kerri King—along with their amazing team of volunteers—hosted our Fall Festival. The event was filled with smiles, laughter, and joyful connections. It truly is one of my favorite traditions of the year. A huge thank-you to the entire Fall Festival team for bringing our community together in such a special way!

Our gratitude also goes to 4th grade parent Chris Beatty, who organized a Sunday microscope cleaning and repair extravaganza for our science department. Chris and his dedicated group of volunteers spent three hours assessing, repairing, and cleaning the school’s microscopes. A special thanks to Sarah Gierke for meticulously cleaning the eyepieces and lenses of every microscope—our budding scientists will benefit greatly from your care and effort!

This week, our 6th graders returned from a wonderful three-day, two-night trip to the Marin Headlands. Thank you to all of the educators and chaperones who made this memorable learning experience possible.

This morning, as part of October’s Bullying Awareness Month, we launched our Stop It app—an anonymous reporting tool that empowers students to speak up and seek help if they witness or experience concerning behaviors. More information about Stop It can be found below.

I continue to be amazed and inspired by this exceptional community. Thank you for the countless ways you support our students and school. Wishing everyone a joyful and restful three-day weekend with family and friends!

With gratitude,

Erin Kekos

Principal, North Star Academy

• 10/13: (MONDAY) No School ‼️

• 10/14: Picture Retake Day

• 10/16: Parent Club Meeting

• 10/20: Halloween Grams Sold by Student Council

We are pleased to announce that our school has enrolled with STOPit, by STOPit Solutions.

STOPit is an online reporting tool designed to deter and mitigate bullying, cyber abuse, and other inappropriate behaviors.

• With two key features—Report and Messenger—students can confidentially share information and communicate with staff.
• No personal details are required, and privacy is fully protected.
• We’ll launch the program at a school assembly on Friday, October 10.
• The app will be available through Clever on RCSD Chromebooks and free to download on personal devices.

Our goal with STOPit is to create safer, kinder school communities both online and off.

Elementary Leadership is brewing up a spooktacular Haunted Room and Halloween celebration for elementary students on Friday, October 31. Our young scholars are working hard to make this a fun and memorable North Star experience. They’re asking you for these temporary donations:

• Black or dark sheets
• Halloween decorations you’re not using this year
• Fake cauldrons, pumpkins, or grass
• Scary masks or props
• Battery candles, small lamps, or other eerie lighting

➨ Drop off your donations in Ms. Tickel’s room (#140), labeled with scholar’s name & homeroom.

➨ We’re collecting items as soon as possible and will return everything after Halloween.

➨ We also need volunteers for super fun jobs! Volunteer decorate, run the Haunted Room, or lend a hand at the carnival and dance！

On behalf of our elementary leadership, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

🔸 Contact: Ms. Tickel

🔸 See more info in the Scholar Section below.

Please encourage your scholar to check the Lost & Found at the entrance to the two-story building! We have many items. Recognize anything?

Want to have another go at the perfect school picture, or you missed the first picture day? You've got a second chance!

• Tuesday, October 14

• Complete the picture retake form if you'd like your child's school picture to be retaken.

• Scholars' homeroom teachers will direct scholars to the right place in the morning.

When a body is discovered in a room full of knives, an intrepid investigator must grill a lineup of wildly quirky suspects. Solve the mystery at North Star’s fall play, the madcap “Murder in the Knife Room” – a hilarious spoof of classic whodunnits starring NSA scholars as all sorts of wacky characters.

• The show runs Nov. 7-9 in the auditorium.
• Please help support the arts at North Star! Get your tickets today at nsaplay.org.

Straight from Our Parents

Why We Give and Why It Matters

❖❖❖

"I give because I see the difference every day. When I walk onto campus, I see the programs and activities that donations make possible, the art on the walls, the science projects, and the books in the library. Our kids benefit directly from our contributions and that's worth supporting every year."

❖❖❖

"Even a small donation makes a big impact when everyone participates. Not everyone can give a huge amount, and that's okay. What matters is that we all show up for our school. When every family contributes what they can, we build the kind of community that lifts up every student."

❖❖❖

• Spirit Day, Friday 10/17: PUMPKIN SPICE DAY: dress up in orange and white.

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• Middle School Halloween Dance, Saturday, 11/1: Dress up in your costume and party from 6-9 PM! (Make sure that you don’t wear full face masks or bring weapons!)

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• Boo grams, all week | 10/20 - 24 Grams include candy, one eraser, one plastic eyeball, and one squishy:

1 gram = $4
2 = $7
3 = $10
4 = $11

🔸Contact: Mr. Perkins at eperkins@rcsdk8.net

3rd-5th graders are invited to a spooktacular Halloween Carnival & Dance Party on Friday, October 31 from 3:15 to 4:15 in the North Star gym! Come play fun carnival games and dance in the dark!

• $10 tickets sold at school during lunch and after school at the blue lunch shelter.
• Cash only.
• Tickets also available at the door during the event.
• Tickets include food, drink, and glow sticks.
• Volunteers are needed to lend a hand at the carnival and dance！

🔸 Contact: Ms. Tickle

Student Publications enrichment scholar Naomi (6th) has been busy crafting limericks, haikus, and couplets for our school magazine, under the guidance of Literary Editors Sumedha (8th) and Viana (7th). The remarkable poem below beautifully resonates with this year’s school theme, Rewrite the Stars. Wonderful work, Naomi!

Voyager

a ryhming couplet

Flying up into space

Messages from the human race

Golden Record saying “hi”

In case aliens happen to float by.

Flying out past planet mars

Up, up, up, towards the stars.

For more scholar stories & poems, read The Gryphon's Tale for free at nsapubs.com

Another DC/NY trip fundraising opportunity is happening next weekend on 10/17 and 10/18. We will be taking over the Snack Shack at Red Morton! We are looking for 3 students and 1 parent supervisor for each 2 hour shift. If you cannot make it in person, there are also some baking opportunities to get fundraising points.

🔸 Contact: Mercedes

Woodside High School, Meet the Principal

• When: Monday, Oct 20, 2025 | 6:30p to 8:00p
• Where: [ Private Home ] 399 Cerrito Avenue in Redwood City. ❖ RSVP HERE.

Woodside High Information Night

• WHEN: Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 | 6:30 - 8:30p
• WHERE: Woodside HS Performing Arts Center. See woodsidehs.org for more info.

Yearbook Tribute (baby photos, shout-out, big kid photo)

• 8th grade baby photos and shout-outs are due November 14th!
• For more information and inspiration see our inspiration page.
• Submit HERE.

Why Neurodivergent Kids Need Autonomy to Navigate a Neurotypical World

• Bill Stixrud, PhD, and Ned Johnson, Bestselling Authors of The Self-Driven Child
• Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT, Virtual Event (Live)

Links Added Within the Last Three Weeks

• 8th Grade High School Information

• NSA Parent Club Website

• Konstella

• Calendar of Events Document

• Konstella Events Calendar

• RCSD Approved Academic Calendar

• Report an Absence Flyer
• 2025-2026 Bell Schedule
• Daily Breakfast & Lunch menus

• Request Financial Assistance ‼️

• Scholar Magazine

• Yearbook FAQ

• NSA Spirit Wear

Last week's "Easter Egg" winner is 4th grade parent Jenny Chiu, who correctly answered that the yearbook 10% discount ends on 10/31. Her name was randomly selected among other contestants who submitted correct answers. Congratulations Jenny!

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