NAMS Soar & Achieve Newsletter

Dear Middle School Parents,

As the leaves begin to fall, our students and staff remain enthusiastic about learning. They have been working hard and participating in enriching activities, showing their dedication to personal growth. I am proud of their work during the first grading period and look forward to their continued success. In October, our students have had fantastic learning experiences both in and out of the classroom.

This week, we are excited to welcome Steve Sheinkin for our annual author visit. On Thursday, our 8th-grade students will take the PSAT and then next week, travel to Washington, DC, to learn firsthand about our democracy. Our students continue to excel outside of the classroom as well. Our boys cross country team won the state championship, and Kyla Benedict won the individual cross-country state championship. To cap off this month our middle school theater department will be kicking off our fall production of Oliver Jr.

Thank you for your continued support. Your involvement in your child's education is greatly appreciated. We wish you and your family a joyful end to October and a smooth transition into the coming month.

Sincerely,

Mr. Kevin L. Freeman Sr.

Principal

During the 2023-24 school year, we will recognize various cultural and commemorative dates. Our Building an Inclusive Campus Culture (BICC) committee will develop activities and/or displays as appropriate for our middle school students. Our focus will be on highlighting the significant contributions that these diverse groups of people have made to our world while further strengthening our culture of kindness, dignity, and respect.

The following cultural and commemorative dates & individuals will be recognized this year:

November: Native American History Month
February: Black History Month
March: Disability Awareness Month/Women's History Month
April: Asian American Pacific Islander Month
May: Mental Health Awareness Month

How we will recognize each month:

• A digital bulletin board will be displayed in the main office and will rotate among our other digital displays.

• Friday short video announcement highlighting the contributions of people who are being recognized during the month.

• These announcements will be curated by our BICC team and presented by a mix of staff and students.

• These announcements will take place during our study center periods on each Friday of the month.

Before each month, parents will receive information on how these dates will be recognized and a preview of the materials/information that will be shared with our students. This information will include the individuals being recognized as part of the Famous Friday announcements and the biographical information that will be shared. Click here to view the individuals that will be highlighted for Famous Fridays during November.

Opt-Out

Parents can opt their student(s) out of these brief announcements. When opted out, students will report to the library for study center to view our normally scheduled announcements. Opt-Out Form

Report Cards will be posted Friday, October 27th

To view report card:

• Visit my.napls.us,

• Select the option "Quick Links"

• Scroll down and select the PowerSchool

• Sign in using your parent or student login information

• Once logged in, select Report Card on the left side of the screen

• In the top right corner, click on the printer icon to print report card

Attendance

By selecting Chronic Absenteeism, you may view your child’s attendance hours accumulated towards truancy thresholds as defined by House Bill 410.

Chronic Absenteeism

Our goal is to partner with families to ensure each student is being successful in school. We know that school attendance is a vital component of student success. We do understand that various circumstances exist, but we want to be proactive in our efforts to communicate current attendance information for your student.

If your student reaches the 65 hours or more in a given school year, the school’s attendance officer will notify the child's parent or guardian after the date of the absence that triggered the notice requirement and an attendance intervention plan may be developed. Linked below is House Bill 410 that fully details attendance requirements through the Ohio Department of Education.

Chronic Absenteeism- HB 410

Tardy to School

Any tardy student to first period should sign in at the main office and receive a tardy slip from Mrs. Thiel to enter the classroom. Please note, this does include bus riders and attendance will reflect late buses as TE (tardy excused) and will not be held against the student. Parents are not required to escort their students into the building. Students who have excessive TU (tardy unexcused) may be assigned discipline.

7th graders need to be in their first class & ready to learn at 8:25AM.

8th graders need to be in their first class & ready to learn at 7:40AM.

Anything after these times is considered to be tardy.

The MS Boys Cross Country team took first place in states! Kyla Benedict won the individual state championship for girls cross country. What an incredible season for our middle school runners! Way to go, Eagles!

The 7th grade New Albany football team did a great job this season of coming together and playing as a team after an atypical start of the season. The Eagles finished 5-3-1 including wins over annual opponents Big Walnut, Westerville Heritage, & Westerville Genoa.

The 8th grade football team had a great season overcoming early key loses of players. The team finished 5-3 with a very stout defensive showing in every game. The turning point in the season was a key victory over Big Walnut with a second half comeback. Players learned a lot and are excited to prepare for the high school seasons to come.

The Middle School Boys golf team had a very successful season. The team finished the season with a 27-5 win/loss record and were the boys team champions at the Central Ohio Middle School Golf Championship end of season tournament!

The Middle School Girls golf team was undefeated in their regular season! This was our first year to have a NAMS girls golf team and we are so proud of their accomplishments! The team finished in 3rd place at the Central Ohio Middle School Golf Championship! Way to go, lady Eagles!

The MS girls' tennis team ended their season at 14-1. Valentina Suslova was undefeated for the entire season and only lost one match last year! Claire Siegel, Aashna Chandrasekaran, Svara Vaidya, Valentina Plaza, and Ellie Jovanovic also had winning seasons.

The 8th grade girls volleyball team got second place in the tournament that was hosted here at NAMS. The team peaked at just the right time and played at their highest level of play leaving their hearts and effort on the floor to end the season. The trophy is on display at this time in the middle school office.

The 7th grade girls volleyball team had an amazing season and finished in 5th place at their tournament! The girls beat the #1 seed, Olentangy Shannahan! This team never stopped, they never gave up and they always believed in themselves!

Thank you to our NAMS cheerleaders for a great Fall season cheering on all our athletes! We appreciate you!

Our peer leaders were trained this past week, and they are excited to start spreading Sources of Strength throughout New Albany Middle School! Our peer leaders are in the process of planning and carrying out some of the following Sources of Strength Kick-Off activities:

• Video presentations to share during announcements.

• Games and activities to lead during Study Center to encourage positive friendships.

• Bulletin Board displays for the hallways.

If students dress up for Halloween on Tuesday, October 31st please make sure you are following the guidelines below:

Our middle school covers a Meals on Wheels route in New Albany and we're always looking for new families to join us! Deliveries are made during lunch so your student can go (plus, they get a 20-minute approved grace period they can use for classes before or after lunch). Volunteer time counts as service hours if your child is collecting them as part of any group. You can volunteer monthly or as your schedule permits. If you're interested in learning more, email Terri at MOWatNAMS@gmail.com.

Early Dismissal Form

Pre Planned Absence Form

Lunch Menu

Final Forms

Pay Schools Central

• October 24 - 25 - Author Visit - Steve Sheinkin
  
• October 26 - PSAT for 8th Grade Students
• October 26 - NAMS Pep Rally
• October 27 - Report Cards Posted
• October 31 - November 3 - 8th Grade Washington DC Trip
• November 14 & 15 - Global Night

Kevin L. Freeman, Principal

Laura Mejia, Assistant Principal

Ryan Grashel, Dean of Students

Leslie Wilson, Counselor (7th Grade)

Margie Thompson, Counselor (8th Grade)

Jill Hatten, Secretary

Erin Miller, Student Services and Athletics

Amy Thiel, Secretary

Email: news@napls.us
Website: www.napls.us/ms
Location: 6600 Dublin Granville Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054
Phone: 614-413-8500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewAlbanyMS/