KIDDER MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS

10/1- Count Day & Early Release

10/1- Mountie Mania, 1:30pm-3:00pm

10/3- Homecoming

10/8- Early Release

10/10- Hunger Bowl

10/15- Early Release

10/17- Half Day Students (End of Marking Period)

10/20- No School

10/22- Early Release

10/23- Fall Conferences, 4:30pm-7:00pm

10/28- Fall Conferences, 4:30pm-7:00pm

10/29- Early Release

10/30- Picture Retakes

Our 7th graders recently had a super cool opportunity to hear from Dr. Jacob Atem during their ELA class. He was one of the Lost Boys of Sudan and is the current executive director of the Southern Sudan Healthcare Center. He was able to talk about his journey in the war as a 6 year old separated from his family, his refugee travels to the US at age 15, and how he still continues to impact the people of Sudan in the healthcare field. Right now, we are reading “A Long Walk to Water”, whose plot revolves around the Lost Boys and the Sudanese Civil War. This experience was a perfect pair to the book and some real life content.

It was so fun to see how engaged everyone was and hear the questions they came up with while listening to Jacob’s story. We had kids legit asking for autographs from him and wanting to make donations to his healthcare program in Sudan. He told us one boy wanted to give him the only two dollars he had in his pocket. He mentioned several times how these groups of students were so attentive and eager to learn more about his story. We were grateful to have had this opportunity shared with our students while reading our class novel.

Procedures for pick up and drop off.

In the morning, the doors unlock at 7:05 am however, students can be dropped off before that time and wait under the awning. Students can enter the building and go to the cafeteria until 7:15 am. When dropping off your child(ren), please stay in a single-file line and to the right. Please prepare for a QUICK EXIT from the vehicle to keep the line moving. If your drop-off requires additional time, please pull into a parking spot to allow others to drop off in a timely manner.

When picking your child(ren) up after school, please PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT and wait for your student(s). Parents do not need to come into the office to sign their student(s) out at the end of the day. Most parent-pick-up students will exit into the south parking lot (corner of VanHorn and Rives JCT), away from the main entrance.

REGISTRATION FOR WASHINGTON D.C IS STILL OPEN! SEE EMAIL FROM YOUR STUDENT'S SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER.

Our first two dates are:

October 1st- Mountie Mania 1:30-3:00

October 17th- Pep Rally

October 23rd- Lunch Prize Cart

YEARBOOKS FOR SALE!

NEW!!!! NW Athletics Website

https://nwmountiesathletics.com/

To Register Athletes for School Year 2025/2026 Click on top right hand corner sports registration. or click this link:

https://studentcentral.bigteams.com/index.php?keyword=/user/signup&schoolID=43137

Here are HOW TO instructions for Parents/Gaurdians: https://bigteams.my.site.com/support/s/article/Parents-Create-Your-Students-Account

Attached is a blank MHSAA Form to take to the sports physical appointment. Current physical must be dated after 4/15/25 and submitted through the athlete registration site by the official fall sports start dates. 9th-12th Grade: Monday August 11th. / 7th-8th Grade Football: Monday August 18th / MS Cross Country & 7th-8th Girls Volleyball: Monday August 21st.

$20 sports physicals information:

https://nwmountiesathletics.com/main/adnews/id/58216988

NW Athletics sports summer workout schedules/information is on the website and Facebook. https://nwmountiesathletics.com/

Follow us on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/16K72kFGH8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Questions, email Jessica Banister @ the Athletic Office: jessica.banister@nwschools.org.

Friendly Reminder: ALL Students 8th grade and younger must be accompanied by an adult to attend ALL Home High School Events/Games. nwmountiesathletics.com for Sports Schedules. Become a Mountie Fan by creating an account to receive texts and/or email messages for updated schedule changes/cancellations throughout the seasons.

$6 per K-12th grade Student. $6 per Adult. Adults 65 years or older, free of charge. To purchase all sports season family pass and other passes, click here for details. https://gofan.co/app/school/MI3393

Cash - Card - GoFan.co at the gate.

Thank you and Go Mounties!

10/1- 7th Grade Football @ Home, 4:30pm

10/1- 8th Grade Football @ Home, 4:30pm

10/2- 7th Grade Volleyball @ Home, 4:00pm

10/2- 8th Grade Volleyball @ Home, 4:00pm

10/2- Middle School Cross Country Meet @ Country Mills, 4:30pm

10/7- 7th Grade Volleyball @ Lumen Christi, 4:00pm

10/7- 8th Grade Volleyball @ Lumen Christi, 4:00pm

10/7- Middle School Cross Country Meet @ Country Mills, 4:00pm

10/8- 7th Grade Football @ Hastings, 4:30pm

10/8- 8th Grade Football @ Hastings, 4:30pm

10/9- 7th Garde Volleyball @ Harper Creek, 4:00pm

10/9- 8th Garde Volleyball @ Harper Creek, 4:00pm

10/13- Middle School Cross Country @ Ella Sharp, TBA

10/15- 7th Grade Football @ Home, 4:30pm

10/15- 8th Grade Football @ Home, 4:30pm

10/16- 7th Grade Volleyball @ Western, 4:00pm

10/16- 8th Grade Volleyball @ Western, 4:00pm

10/16- Middle School Cross Country @ Harper Creek, 4:00pm

CLICK HERE FOR THE STUDENT HANDBOOK

School officials will make the interpretation of what is acceptable dress. All students shall maintain the following minimum standard of dress at Northwest Community Schools.

• Tops must have straps or sleeves and must cover the student’s entire torso from armpit to armpit. Pants, shorts, and skirts must cover buttocks completely. Sleepwear, hats and hoods are not permitted. Coats and jackets are to be secured in the building’s designated area (i.e lockers). Clothing may not display material that:

• Is materially and substantially disruptive or that school officials can reasonably forecast will create a substantial disruption;

• Is obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, or lewd;

• Promotes the use of or advertises illegal substances, including but not limited to substances illegal for minors;

• Incites violence;

• Contains “fighting words”;

• Constitutes a true threat of violence;

• Demonstrates hate group association/affiliation or uses hate speech targeting groups based on their membership in a protected class, including, but not limited to, swastikas or Confederate flags; or

• Displays nipples, genitals, buttocks or undergarments.

• Students who represent the District at an official or school-sponsored function or public event (e.g., athletic teams, bands, choirs, and other groups) may be required to follow specific dress requirements as a condition of participation or attendance.

• Holes in clothing or sheer material exposing midriff/chest/upper thigh shall not be worn

• Shorts/skirts/dresses must cover the buttocks completely

• Appropriate footwear, suitable for the school environment, shall be worn. Slippers are not permitted

• Sleepwear may not be worn to school, including pajama pants, robes, and nightgowns, unless there is an approved special activity during which they are deemed appropriate

• Students are strongly encouraged not to bring hats or other head coverings to school. Hats, bandanas/scarves or hoods covering the head are not to be worn in the school buildings during the school day unless there is an approved special activity during which they are deemed appropriate. Requests to wear coverings in accordance with sincerely held cultural and/or religious belief will be addressed on a case by case basis
  
  

Clothing or ornamentation that does any of the following is prohibited

• Incites violence

• Contains "fighting words"

• Constitutes a true threat of violence

• Is obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, or lewd

• Is materially and substantially disruptive or that school officials can reasonably forecast will create a substantial disruption

COSTUME ATTIRE AND/OR ACCESSORIES, including FUR TAILS, shall not be worn, unless there is an approved special activity during which they are deemed appropriate

Additional

• All backpacks, purses, stuffed animals etc. are to be secured in lockers

• Coats and jackets are to be secured in lockers

• Blankets shall not be brought to school unless there is an approved special activity during which they are deemed appropriate

CHECK LIST

1. Create a Parent PowerSchool Portal and connect all your students to your parent account.
2. Update students information for all students. Instructions below
3. Complete Forms for all students in your Parent PowerSchool Portal- Instructions below.
4. Complete the District CEP form. Instructions below.

PleaselogintoyourParentPowerSchoolPortalviaawebbrowsertodothefollowing:

Update/ Review Student Information:

This must be completed on a web browser. This can not be completed from the PowerSchool app.

• Once logged in, student tabs are at the top of the Parent PowerSchool portal. As you click on each of your students associated with your account, you will see the banner that says, "STUDENT INFORMATION UPDATE NEEDED"
  

• Click on the banner to review/update all contact information. If there are no changes that are needed, please click the box at the top of the page indicating no changes and NEXT at the bottom of the page until you reach the end.

• This information will be submitted to the building offices and verified. If there is an address change you must follow the address change process that can be found HERE! Your address change will not be processed until the documentation has been presented to the building office

Effective beginning Wednesday, August 23, 2023, students will no longer be allowed to use their cell phones within the school premises during class hours, lunch breaks, and other school activities during the regular school day. We understand that cell phones have become an integral part of modern life, but we firmly believe that minimizing their presence during school hours will help promote better concentration, reduce distractions, and foster face-to-face interactions among students. Students may store their cell phones in their lockers for the duration of the school day and are welcome to use them after the conclusion of the school day.

To support this policy, we kindly request your cooperation in ensuring that your child is informed of this change. If there are specific reasons your child may need a cell phone for emergencies or other important matters, please contact the front office at (517) 817-4703 to discuss alternative arrangements.

We acknowledge this change may require an adjustment period for both students and parents. Therefore, our teachers and staff will be actively engaging with students to educate them about the rationale behind this policy and how it can positively impact their learning experience.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please do not hesitate to contact us at nw.media@nwschools.org. Your feedback is important as we strive to create the best environment for our students.

Thank you for your understanding and support. Together, we can ensure that our school remains a safe and productive place for students to thrive personally and academically. Please see a copy of the updated policy found in the Student Handbook at the bottom of this letter.

2025-2026 Secondary Buildings

Full Day-7:30am-2:30pm

Half Day-7:30am-11am

Early Release-7:30am-1:30pm

Email: nw.media@nwschools.org
Website: nwschools.org
Location: 6700 Rives Junction Road, Jackson, MI, USA
Phone: (517)817-4703