North Windy News
Dear North Windy Ridge Families,
We are heading into a school week unlike any other—EOG testing is officially here. We know that this time of year can bring a lot of big feelings and a little bit of pressure, both at school and at home.
As educators, we pour our hearts into nurturing, coaching, and preparing your children all year long. But what we teach goes so far beyond just reading and math. Throughout the year, your children have learned how to face hard challenges without giving up. They have built the focus, stamina, and resilience required to tackle these long exams—and those are life skills that matter just as much as any test score.
We have absolute confidence in our students. They have worked hard, they are prepared, and they are ready!
How you can help at home this week:
- Rest up: Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep.
- Fuel up: A healthy breakfast goes a long way on testing mornings. We also offer free breakfast at school!
- Arrive on Time: Students need time to get settled and relax before starting a hard assessment. Having them arrive BEFORE 8:00 on testing days helps THEM so much!
- Encourage: Remind them to just do their best—their worth is not defined by a test score!
- Celebrate: Consider celebrating the completion of EOGs with a treat or family fun time. Our kids really do work so hard! Celebrating completing the EOG will help students feel good about their efforts.
🌟 Summer Workouts for Rising 7th Graders
North Buncombe Middle Sports teams host summer workouts for athletes who are interested in trying out. Please take a look at the flyers below.
🌟 Summer Camps
Keep scrolling for some fun summer opportunities - I've added baseball camp at NBHS and Agricultural Career Camp to the list!
🏆 Important Updates: 5th & 6th Grade Awards
We have a packed calendar ahead! Please note that we are changing things up for our awards ceremonies this year to best celebrate our students:
5th Grade Awards: These will be held informally by team in their designated wing or classroom locations. Date: Monday, June 8th @ 12pm
6th Grade Awards: This will be a more formal ceremony held in the gym. Date: Tuesday, June 9th @ 8:30 am
☀️ Attendance & Post-EOG Fun Activities
We have a lot of exciting events planned after EOG testing (including Field Day and the Pool Day)! However, testing takes priority. > ⚠️ Please Note: By state regulations, EOGs must be completed before the last day of school. If a student misses a regular testing day and has not completed their makeup EOG, they may have to miss out on these fun end-of-year activities to finish their exams.
Please help us ensure your child is present on their scheduled testing days so they don't miss a single moment of the celebration!
You can read below for information about...
- Sports Physical for rising 7th graders
- Summer sports workout schedules for Rising 7th graders (Current 6th graders) who want to play sports at NBMS).
- PTO May 17 Newsletter
- Student Services newsletter and food information for summer
- Blackhawks Youth Baseball Camp Information
- Agriculture Career Exploration Camp
- BCS Ag Camp
- Lady Blackhawks Youth Basketball Camp
- Lady Blackhawks Youth Softball Camp
- Students with Discretionary Admission (DAR) *Important, please read
You can see pictures & videos from events and activities at NWR on our NWR Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NorthWindyRidge
Always in Newsletter:
- Dress Code Reminder
- Cell Phone Reminder
- Get the Campus Parent App to Monitor Your Child's Grades
- Sign up for the NWR Spirit Rock! Many dates being reserved, so don't miss your special date to send a message to your NWR student!
Thank you for all the ways you support your child and our school,
Mrs. Nichols
Principal
North Windy Ridge Intermediate School
- Monday, May 25th
- OTWD - Memorial Day, No School for Students
- Wednesday, May 27th
- EOG Review
Rising 7th Graders: Sports Physicals at NBHS - 3:45 PM to 5:00 PM. *Permission slips were sent home, and students can ride the bus to NBMS/NBHS after school if they turn it in. Parents can also bring their child to NBHS during this window. Physicals are required for middle school sports.
**Link to the 4-page physical forms - The first TWO pages of the physical packet must be filled out by a parent prior to arriving at the high school. The last two pages will be filled out by the doctors and turned into Coach Greb to keep on file at NBMS.
- Thursday, May 28th
- ELA EOG.
- Friday, May 29th
- Math EOG
- Tuesday, June 2nd
- Science EOG
- Wednesday, June 3rd
- 5th Field Day
- 6th Pool Day
- Thursday, June 4th
- 6th Field Day
- 5th Pool Day
- Friday, June 5th
- Field Day Rain Date
- 6th Grade Greek Fest
- EOG Re-tests
- Monday, June 8th
- EOG Re-tests
- 5th Grade Awards and EOY Celebration
- Tuesday, June 9th
- 6th Grade Awards - 8:30 am
- Wednesday, June 10th
- Early Dismissal
We have now entered the final PBIS reward period (April 28 - May 29). Please communicate to your child that they are now working toward the Pool Reward on June 3 (6th) and June 4 (5th). Students will go to the NBHS Pool! They won't want to miss this one, so good behavior, attendance, and academics is essential!
Dear Families of Rising 7th Graders,
As your student prepares to transition to middle school, we want to share an upcoming opportunity to complete the required sports physicals for the 2026–2027 school year.
Here's a message from NBMS:
We are excited to sponsor Sports Physicals for the 2026-2027 school year, next year. If your child is planning on playing a school sport, a physical is required, and this physical will cover your child all year.
- Who: Rising 7th, 8th, and 9th Graders
- What: Sports Physicals completed by the Staff of PT Solutions
- When: Wednesday, May 27, 2025 at 4:15pm
- Where: North Buncombe High School Gym
- Why: Getting your physical at this event will ensure your sports physical is valid for the entire 2026 2027 school year
- How: The cost is $20 - cash (exact change please!) or check payable to North Buncombe Middle School
Bus transportation is offered, but not required, for both NWR and NBMS students. NWR students will wait with second load bus riders until the NBMS activity bus picks them up around 3:15. NBMS students will report to the gym at 3:02. A PERMISSION SLIP TO RIDE THE BUS IS REQUIRED. Permission slips can be picked up in the main office.
Important: The first TWO pages of the physical packet (click here for the form) must be filled out by a parent prior to arriving at the high school. The last two pages will be filled out by the doctors and turned into Coach Greb to keep on file at NBMS.
Questions? Email laura.greb@bcsemail.org
Please check out our NWR PTO website to get involved, see upcoming events/meeting dates, and contribute!
Thank You’s!
To all the volunteers who helped make the 6th grade dance a success!
Volunteer Events!
Our Penny War has ended! 5th Grade came out ahead in points and won the Sit Where you Want for Lunch Days! We are still raising funds to go towards our Gaga Ball Pit Mat System! If you are interested in contributing to this tax deductible cause, click HERE!
Get Involved!
Next year’s Board positions! We are currently looking for interested individuals to be nominated for:
President, Vice President, and Treasurer! Come join this fabulous, school centric team! Please reach out at nwrpto@gmail.com to learn more!
Voting will happen at the June 3rd PTO mtg!
2026 Meeting dates!
June 3, 8:00 am NWR Media Center – Last One!
Donate!
North Windy Ridge PTO is a registered 501c(3) not-for-profit organization, so all donations are tax deductible! Contribute on line HERE!
Parents can make a meaningful difference in their child’s math learning by using the Illustrative Math parent resources available online (Links are below). These tools offer clear explanations of concepts students are learning, examples of strategies being taught in class, and guidance on how to talk through problems in supportive, confidence-building ways. Families can explore short overviews of each unit, see sample problems, and better understand the “why” behind today’s math approaches, helping students connect ideas rather than just memorize steps. Even spending a few minutes reviewing together can strengthen understanding, build problem-solving skills, and help students feel more successful and supported at home.
- 5th Grade Unit 6 - More Decimals and Fractions Operations
- 6th Grade Unit 6 - Expressions & Equations - https://im.kendallhunt.com/MS/families/1/6/index.html
- Here's a direct link to 6th grade math units. 6th Grade will be working through Unit 6 which is focused on integers.
I also want to remind parents about a few important rules at our school. I'll keep these in the newsletter for a few more weeks so that everyone can read these important reminders.
- If a student has a cell phone at school, it MUST be off and in a student's backpack. Students are not allowed to get their phone out, take it to the bathroom, and call parents. Students must talk to a grown-up if they are sick and need to call home. This is a safety concern. Please remind your child about this rule.
- Our dress code is always in the newsletter, but I want to remind families of a few important points below. If students choose clothes that do not meet the following expectations, we will ask them to either call home for a change of clothes or pick something out of our clothes closet.
- Students should not wear pajamas to school (the term "pajamas" has a wide range of interpretations, so it's easier to say "not pajamas."
- Please wear shirts that cover the mid-section.
- Dresses, tank tops and any straps must be at least 3 fingers wide.
North Windy Ridge School encourages students to dress in comfortable clothing that complements a positive school climate.
- No hats, hoods, bandanas or other head coverings are to be worn in the building. This includes headbands with ears or other costume-related head coverings.
- No "costume" attire, such as tails or paws.
- Students will refrain from wearing baggy pants that fall below the waist and shirts that expose the midriff.
- Attire should not include pajama wear.
- Shorts and skirts should be at least mid-thigh.
- Dresses, tank tops and any straps must be at least 3 fingers wide.
- Clothing must not advertise alcohol, drugs, or tobacco products or display inappropriate language or gestures. (This includes items that suggest inappropriate things as well).
- No bedroom slippers. Shoes should be of a type suitable for daily physical education and/or recess. Students must wear tennis shoes on days scheduled in the gym for physical education.
As our students start the second nine weeks of the school year, we have another resource to help you stay connected through "Campus Parent," the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. You can view this edition of BCS Parent University to learn more and see some of the app's features in action.
In August 2025, Buncombe County Schools launched Parent University. This series of short videos is intended to enhance communication with families of things happening in classrooms across Buncombe County. Watch for additions to the Parent University library throughout the school year. Click here to access the BCS Parent University.
Campus Parent App
The end of the grading period is drawing near, so if you haven't already signed up for the Campus Parent App to see your child's grades, now's the time! Here are the directions:
Setting Up Your Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Visit this link for NCSIS registration.
Select Buncombe County Schools from the drop down menu.
Enter your student's ID number (they may know it as their "lunch number"), their first name, last name, and date of birth.
Follow the instructions to verify your identity.
You should instantly receive an activation key and link to complete your parent portal setup.
Once your parent portal is established, use this link to sign in anytime with your user name and password. You may also want to download the Campus Parent mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.
Mr. Thompson is asking for Legos! We know they're out there, buried in your closet...it's time to donate them to a good cause! Our NWR STEM students will be using these throughout the year.
Use the bar code here (or click this link) to sign up to receive direct information about volunteer opportunities through PTO! You can also keep scrolling to see how you can donate and volunteer in the coming weeks. We are so GRATEFUL for how supportive our parent community is at NWR!
Please remember the following requests:
- If you need to check your child out early, please check them out BEFORE 2:15. We will not be checking students out the last 30 minutes of the day as this interrupts instruction.
- If you need to make a dismissal change for your student, please contact the front office before 1:15 pm. each day. All dismissal changes must be in writing.
- We have an email address for all attendance and transportation-related inquiries. You can reach us at: nwr.attendance@bcsemail.org This email address is monitored throughout the day!
- If you have a last-minute emergency transportation change at the last minute, please email & call the school to confirm the update.
Please review this information with your student.
Please be reminded that our school, in accordance with the new state law, has an updated cell phone policy this year. We have talked as a school staff about this policy and it will be enforced consistently school wide. Please refer to this video on the BCS Parent University website.
- Students ARE NOT allowed to use their cell phone while in the building. The only exceptions are for students who use it for medical purposes, such as a student with diabetes who use it for blood glucose monitoring.
- The cell phone should NOT be visible while in the building, meaning it needs to be in their backpack, turned off. It should not be seen in a student's pocket or hoodie.
- If a phone is caught, or seen, in violation of this policy the phone will be taken and returned to the student at the end of the school day.
- If a student violates this policy for a second time, the phone will be taken and given to the office. The parent or guardian may pick it up there at the end of the day.
- If a student violates this policy for a third time, the student will be asked to leave the phone at home or leave it in the school office each morning before school starts.
- Refusal to turn over a cell phone can result in additional consequences. Help us out by talking with your student ahead of time about these expectations and consequences.
As for smart watches, we will not be policing each student's watch. Our thoughts are that most student's watches don't have a data plan and are connected to the data plan on their cell phone. Therefore, if a student's phone is turned off as it should be, the smart watch is just a watch. But, if we see a student texting or accessing social media on their smart watch, it will be treated as a cellular device as described above.
This is a fairly big change for our school. Please talk with your child about this before the first day of school. A phone is always available in the school office if your child has an emergency and needs to contact you. I also know this will require families and students to make plans and discuss plans before the child leaves for school since adults should not be texting students during the school day.
We are grateful for your support this year!
Policy 4318: Therefore, students are permitted to possess such devices on school property so long as the devices are not turned on, used, displayed, visible, or otherwise creating a distraction during the instructional day. Wireless communication devices include, but are not limited to, cellular phones, smartwatches, earbuds, headphones, gaming devices, paging devices, two-way radios, tablet computers, laptop computers, electronic devices with internet capability, and other similar personal electronic devices.
Ms. Tara Conley, NWR Assistant Principal, will be your contact for all things Bus-related! Her email is tara.conley@bcsemail.org.
Please sign up for the EDULOG bus app below!
The Buncombe County Schools Transportation Department is excited to bring our families the Edulog Parent Portal App. This smartphone app allows parents to receive specific information about their child’s school bus ride. Parents will be able to:
Access designated bus stop times and locations for their child.
Monitor real-time information about the location of their child’s school bus.
Receive notifications when the bus is getting close to the assigned bus stop.
To Download the app search for Edulog Parent Portal in the app store for Apple or Google or Scan the QR code below.
Links to Parent Portal Information
Ms. Mandy Brewer, Head Secretary & Bookkeeper
Ms. Brewer is here to help with all the things! She supports the school administrators, manages all things money, and is a smiling face in our front office in the mornings.
Ms. Alisha Young, Data Manager & Student Information Specialist
Ms. Young is your go-to person for anything related to your child's information and records. She enrolls, unenrolls, and keeps all the records. She can also support with attendance matters.
Ms. Leah Erwin
Ms. Erwin is our receptionist, and will help with bus questions, attendance, transportation changes, and any questions related to the school.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided at no cost to all students this school year!
*You can add money to your child's account for extra purchases like snacks, ice cream, or additional items from the lunch menu. Use this link to add money.
We are pleased to inform you that Buncombe County Schools will be implementing a program available to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
What does this mean for you and your child(ren)?
Great news! All enrolled students at Buncombe County Schools are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no cost to your household each day of the school year. NWR Parents, there are no action steps for you to take at this time to participate in this program.
K-12 Prepayment will remain active allowing parents and guardians to place money on their students accounts to purchase a la carte items if they would like too. We look forward to serving your students during the 25-26 school year. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact us at Buncombe Schools Nutrition Office, 828 255-5932.
Participation matters! The more students who eat lunch and breakfast at our school increases the likelihood that this program will continue.
Don't forget that our students, staff, and visitors have access to masks all day long. We have regular 3-ply masks and KN95 masks available. Masks are available in the front office, and we have reminders at hand-sanitizing stations that you can get a mask in the front office.
If a student requests a KN95 mask, we must have parent permission since it is considered a respirator. Parents must complete the Voluntary Respirator Use Form and sign and return. Here is a link to the form. If a student requests a KN95 mask, and we do not already have the form on file, we will email it to parent/guardians for you to sign.
