EAGLE NATION NEWS

Newsletters will be sent via e-mail attachment monthly to all households with students enrolled at Norwich School. If you wish to be added to the e-mail list and you do not have a student enrolled, please contact Megan Dheming at the school 620-478-2235, mdheming@knusd331.com, and we will add you to our e-mail newsletter list.

Happy February!

Second semester is off and running and the students are going strong in their learning and extra curricular activities. We are excited to meet with you during conferences to share the learning that is happening and the progress the students have made. High School students will be discussing what classes they are interested in taking next year. Please take the time to log in to Skyward and schedule your conference. If you have trouble singing up please call the office for assistance!

Other events we are looking forward to in the month of February are the Kingman County Spelling Bee, the 100th Day of School as well as National FFA week, Battle of the Books meets and of course post season basketball games and an extra day this Leap Year!

Last month Coach Foley and I started "Coffee with the Principals". We had one person in attendance and had some great conversation regarding sportsmanship, student activities and other happenings in our school. We would for more of you to be able to join and have conversation with us as we value your input!

As always, thank you so much for your continued support of our staff, students and school. We are all in this together and that's what makes Norwich a great place to call home!

The Goal of Athletics/Activities at Norwich Schools

1. Teach life lessons of being a part of a team, working towards a common goal, time management, and communication.

2. Build memories and relationships that will last a lifetime.

3. We want to be competitive, and learn from both wins and losses.

Equation for Winning

Those who say it isn’t all about winning have never put forth the substantial amount of effort to have had any meaningful success. Winning is not strictly the end result; but the ability to fight through obstacles.

A Successful Mindset Consists of:

Ethos: Never Be Outworked

1. Be On Time: Great things don’t happen when you’re late.

2. Be Prepared: Great things don’t happen when you’ve failed to prepare.

3. Be Coachable: Listen to and follow directions. No response is needed.

4. Be Disciplined: Attention to small things=success in big things.

5. Be Respectful: Treat others as you wish to be treated.

6. Never Be Satisfied: Get better, stronger, and tougher as a whole person.

7. Be Selfless: Team before self.

8. Be Competitive: Life is a competition whether you like it or not. Put forth your best effort.

Winter Activities Update

• High School Boys Basketball

• The young men recently competed at the 54 Classic and took 3rd overall. They played with a lot of heart and tenacity.

• High School Girls Basketball:

• The Lady Eagles continue their winning ways. This week is their turn at the 54 Classic and look to bring home some hardware as well.

• Cheerleading:

• Mini cheer begins in February and there are a lot of excited little Eagles who are ready to put on a show for you.

• Junior Basketball:

• Both boys and girls teams have had exciting seasons and have played hard and improved each week. The HOPL tournament is just around the corner and both teams should be very competitive.

• Scholar’s Bowl

• Led by Coach Lohrman, the Eagles will head to the regional tournament held at Central Christian Academy-Wichita to test their mettle. This all taking place on February 1, 2024

• Powerlifting

• On February 3, 2024, NHS powerlifters will head to Wellington to compete in the 6th Annual Wellington Powerlifting Invitational.

Finally, thank you to all those who support and back our Eagle student/athletes. There is nothing that builds pride, culture, and success like that of a supportive community. GO BIG RED!!!

All IN,

Coach Foley

Is your child sick or plans have changed during the day? If you need to contact the school office for any reason by email, please use our new email address norwichoffice@knusd331.com. This will help us get messages to your child when there are substitutes in the office for the day.

Conferences will be held Wednesday February 7th from 1:00-8:00pm & Thursday February 8th from 8:00am-8:00pm. Please make sure you sign up for your preferred date and time by logging into Skyward Family Access>Conferences. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s progress. If you have trouble signing up, please contact Megan at the office at 620-478-2235 or by email at mdheming@knusd331.com.

Please remember to send coats, hats, gloves and long pants to school during these winter months.

Students in grades Pk-6 will go outside for recess if the windchill is above 32 degrees.

The Norwich School Spelling Bee was held Wednesday, January 31, 2024.

The top five spellers in each classroom spelling bee in grades 3-8, participated in the school wide spelling bee.

Congratulations to Mila Durr for spelling her way to be our 2024 Norwich School Champion!

The top 5 school spellers will compete in the Kingman County Spelling Bee on February 6th at 9:00 in Kingman as "Division A" spellers. Those students are:

1st: Mila Durr

2nd: Lilly Doll

3rd: Stevie Downs

4th: Klara Ast

5th: Evie Grim

The top 5 students in grades 3-5 only will compete at the Kingman County Spelling Bee in "Division B".

Rylyn Grim, Abel VanGieson, Sadie Kasel, Slade Allen and Carter Hilger.

Congratulations to these Norwich students and best of luck in Kingman!

The district will be offering Driver Education. Enrollment will begin after Spring Break. The online classroom portion will begin toward the middle of April with the final written test being on May 22nd in the afternoon. The driving portion will begin after Memorial Day. If you have any questions please contact Randy Leroux at rleroux@knusd331.com.

Book Fair in the library

February 2-10

Saturdays: 9-1

Monday & Tuesday: 8:00-4:00

Wednesday: 8-12 & 1-8

Thursday: 1-8

We will be open during most of the

parent teacher conferences!

To visit our school’s book fair homepage

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/norwichschool1

This month includes National School Counseling Week! We want to share about just a few of the things school counselors are doing in Kingman-Norwich schools!

School Counselors:

• Help students manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills through dedicated Social Emotional Learning curriculum;
• Are actively committed to helping students explore their abilities, strengths, interests, and talents as these traits relate to career awareness and development;
• Help families focus on ways to further the educational, personal and social growth of their children;
• Collaborate with families/teachers/administrators/community to help students reach their full potential and set realistic goals for themselves to ensure success;
• Seek to identify and utilize community resources that can enhance and complement comprehensive school counseling programs and help students become productive members of society;
• Advocate for students at parent teacher conferences, individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings; and
• Assist with individual academic advising and planning for postsecondary options (higher education, military, workforce)

Here’s a quick update of the new mental health intervention services offered at our school. All numbers were gathered at the time of Thanksgiving break.

In addition to the goals established with parents and the licensed therapist, we monitor 4 outcomes for the students who visit with the therapist: attendance, academic achievement, externalizing behaviors (getting in trouble, visits to the school nurse or counselor, etc), and internalizing behaviors (anxiety or depression, social relationships).

Below is the count of students that have completed all the initial paperwork, but did not start services before Thanksgiving break. The chart below represents the whole school; over 10% of NMHS students have completed paperwork to start services.

The following information outlines the USD 331 Board Policy regarding our district meal policies and procedures.

· Board policy allows students to charge up to 3 days.

· Once they have charged 3 days, we will provide students an alternative meal (lunch only.)

· Parents will be notified using the following protocol:

o 1st charge - parents will receive a text and email from Thrillshare.

o 2nd/3rd charge - parents should receive a personal phone call to discuss payment arrangements or alternate meal plans.

Free and reduced meals are available to students who qualify. If you think your child may qualify for free or reduced meals, please fill out an application. These can be found on your Skyward parent portal account or there are paper applications in each school office. The information on the application and the results are completely confidential.

At any time if you feel your family may qualify for free or reduced price lunches, you can apply. If you have applied before but were denied, remember that a job loss or change, a disability or accident that prevents you from working or a life status change (divorce, marriage, etc.) may change your status. Once you qualify for free or reduced lunches, you maintain that status for the rest of the school year. You can apply through your parent portal in Skyward or there are paper applications in each school office. A child’s free and reduced lunch status is confidential.

For more information contact your child's school office or Amy Wallace at (620) 532-3134.

All ages of students have the opportunity to purchase extra milk. At some ages students can also purchase extra entrees or ala carte items with their lunch. In order to purchase these extra items, students must have money on their account or cash with them at the time of purchase. These items can not be “charged.” This applies to all students no matter if they are full pay, free or reduced. If you do not wish for your children to get anything extra, you can contact your child's school and we can turn off that feature for you. Students who receive free lunches, please understand these extra items are outside the scope of the lunch program and must be paid for by either putting some money on your child’s account or sending your child with cash.

Breakfast is served at school daily between 7:45 and 8:00 a.m.

Hot breakfast is served on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If you would like for your child to eat school breakfast, please make sure to have them at school by 7:45 as students need to be through the line by 8:00.

Congratulations to Mrs. Allender's First Grade Class for having the highest attendance percentage for the first semester! Mrs. Allender's class will celebrate this accomplishment by sharing their PE time with Coach Foley! It will be a great time for all!

Yearbook staff is focused on completing pages to meet their largest deadline upcoming this spring. They have finalized the fall section and are working tirelessly to finalize the first semester pages and keep up with the happenings of second semester. Portraits, clubs, and scoreboard pages are also in progress. Check out a sneak peek of the fall junior high sports page. Staff encourages everyone to share their original high-resolution photos. Thanks to Micoli Bates and those who share photos! Thanks to parents who purchased senior salutes. The support given to yearbook staff is greatly appreciated!

Yearbook staff has set up YBK+ again for students, parents, and teachers to upload 10 photos to be seen digitally from their portrait. YBK+ allows the yearbook to be more digitally interactive, and it is a way to see more of your student in the yearbook. Pre-K -5 students need parents to upload photos using their parent email that is on file, and 6-12 students use their own school email to log into the website. Click the image, link, or scan the code to get started with YBK+ and begin uploading your photos NOW!

Beginning February 5th for two weeks ONLY the 2024 yearbook will be on sale again through the Jostens website ONLY for a discounted price of $31.00 plus tax or more with personalization. Sale ends February 16th! Get your yearbook bought NOW before the price goes up! ONLY prepaid yearbooks will be ordered! Don’t miss out on this digitally interactive yearbook! Thank you for supporting the yearbook staff.

KEEP the student-led class/club combination going! The yearbook staff is the decision-making board that takes the yearbook course every day to receive an elective credit, attends yearbook camp (dates TBD usually late July or early Aug.), and the possibility of lettering. A core group of upperclassmen (10-12) is NEEDED to replace the leadership that has begun this student-led club. Other 9-12 high school students have the opportunity to sign up as yearbook club members. They participate and help in a variety of ways, but are not in the course. If they are in the club several years and help a great deal they may possibly letter. Students interested in being on staff need to apply and pre-enroll in Digital Media and Design (aka Yearbook) through Xello. (9th graders can be part-time staff upon adviser approval). Please encourage students to apply for yearbook staff or join the club. To apply, email Mrs. Brewster at tbrewster@knusd331.com and ask for an application form. Let Mrs. Brewster know if you have questions.

Mark your calendars as it’s IMPORTANT for all students, teachers, and staff to be present on picture days!

3/20/24: Spring sports and final round of clubs/organizations.

The 6th Grade Battle of the Books Team has been meeting every Tuesday at 7:20am and on Fridays at 3:30pm to practice. I am excited for the season to begin as I have a great group of students this year. They have 12 books to choose from and are working hard to read as many as they can. Our first three meets all start at 12:30pm and are: Feb. 7 at Cheney, Feb. 14 at Norwich, Feb. 21 at Garden Plain. The Tournament is at Kingman on Feb 28 starting at 9:30am. Please help remind your student to continue reading their books as the first meet approaches quickly.

Ms. Lampe, BOB Coach

As proud Eagle alumni of Norwich High School, we want to help get the word out to all alumni of important events that will interest you so you can remain involved and support your high school alma mater. Please help us in making sure that we have your most current up to date information by either sending us an email at norwichalumni2015@gmail.com or sending us a note to Norwich Schools 209 S. Parkway Norwich, KS 67118. We have recently started an Alumni Facebook page as well. We would love for any alumni to register and follow us!