THE BEST

January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday (No School)

January 22 - FCS Board Meeting

February 13 - All Pro Dad

February 16 - Presidents' Day (Teacher Work Day; Students No School)

February 17 - Professional Development Day (Students No School)

Another wonderful, chilly, week has concluded, and it was another great one!

The State of Georgia Department of Education released the overall CCRPI school scores, and I am so proud to share that Northwood's score is 95.5. This is a direct result of staying focused on our students’ needs in all areas. The Northwood staff has worked tirelessly to develop lessons and activities that are aligned to the curriculum, are engaging, and tailored to students’ needs. Making sure the campus is as safe as it is welcoming is important as well. We are fortunate to have our PTA, Foundation, and SGC who also work toward the overall success of Northwood!

Over this long weekend I’m hoping you can find some time to complete the Georgia CCRPI family survey for this school year. As you can see from above, we want to keep Northwood at the top! We have not yet reached our required percentage participation rate. The survey is also linked on our school website. Northwood Elementary Family CCRPI Survey

Enjoy the upcoming MLK weekend, taking special time together to talk about the impact that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made. He worked hard to make sure all people are treated equally. His legacy teaches us that being kind and solving problems peacefully can bring people together; life lessons that hold continued importance today.

We have included, in the Clinic section below, an attachment from DPH regarding the increase in flu cases. At Northwood we have been practicing good and frequent handwashing and sanitizing learning spaces properly to do our best to keep everyone as germ free as possible.

Proudly,

Heather Rucker, principal

Since the break, second grade has taken off with a running start! We loved starting our solar system unit out with a fun project. We have also been enjoying learning about money and the real-life application that this skill has for students. Students have particularly enjoyed coming up with their own scenarios for using their money knowledge.

Third grade has been "rocking" our science unit learning all about rocks and minerals! Students have had the opportunity to observe samples of various rocks and minerals. They learned how to check the luster in rocks, or how light reflects off its surface. They also completed the Mohs Hardness Scale to compare and rank minerals based on their hardness. To do this test, they scratched the mineral with their fingernail, a penny, and a paperclip or nail to test the minerals' resistance to scratching. The students are enjoying tapping into their inner geologist!

We are happy to share Northwood's second quarter honor roll and super honor roll students. Please click the attachments below to view the names. Congratulations, Explorers! Keep up the great work!

According to the most recent Department of Public Health Statement regarding influenza:

"Flu activity is widespread and severe in Georgia, and cases are likely to increase following the holidays and as Georgians return to work and school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also projects a severe flu season. If you have not gotten a flu shot yet and have no medical conditions preventing you from doing so, the Department of Public Health strongly urges you to take advantage of the health benefits the flu vaccine provides as soon as possible."

We are seeing an increase in confirmed flu cases throughout out building, consistent with what we are seeing across the state. Please read through the attached document. Our teachers will continue to prioritize hand washing and classroom cleaning. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Accidents happen - in the classroom, at recess, at lunch or the bathroom. When our Explorers get messy they often head to the Clinic to get cleaned up. We keep extra clothes on hand for those quick changes. We appreciate donations of all clothing sizes, and are currently in need of girls bottoms - all sizes. If you have any clothing items you'd like to contribute you can send them in with your student or drop them off at the front desk. Thank you!

Northwood is proud to be an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) school. AVID Elementary equips students with the foundational skills and mindset needed for future success. Our staff is focused on enhancing instructional consistency, fostering a college and career readiness mindset, increasing student engagement and building organizational and study skills.

As part of this, each week Northwood will be focused on one goal as a school. Be sure to ask your child about it!

Next week's AVID goal is: to be organized so I can be a successful student.

This year, with the new lunch system, our school community has the capability to create a Cafeteria Principal Account Fund. This account would be used to fulfill any meal costs for students that reach an account balance of zero. We often have families and extended family members that ask if or how they can pay off lunch balances or support our students in this way, now the process of doing so is easy!

Should you be interested in adding to the Cafeteria Principal Account Fund, just send a check or cash to school in an envelope to Ms. Cristhal Austin, our cafeteria manager in training, and notate that the funds go to the Principal Fund. Please reach out to Ms. Austin, austinc4@fultonschools.org, if you have any questions.

The Fulton County School Nutrition Program is dedicated to serving all students nutritious, safe and customer acceptable meals in support of academic achievement. Click the link below to see what thery are serving up today.

Nutrition.fultonschools.org/MenuCalendar

Parents, please encourage your students to check regularly for lost items in the Lost and Found. Please mark all student belongings clearly with the child's name so that it can be identified. Unclaimed items are donated to local charities after the last school day of every month. January's date is Friday, January 30th.

The Infinite Campus Parent Portal provides quick and easy access to information for all enrolled students in their household. Find grades, attendance, assignments, schedules, ID numbers, school announcements and more. If you haven't already joined, please do so today as Fulton County Schools is transitioning to managing everything via the portal.

For more information, access the Parent Portal Booklet for Infinite Campus here.

Location: Tumbles

Address: 3005 Old Alabama Road, Suite 20

Alpharetta, GA 30022

Date: January 30, 2026

Time: 5-8pm

Cost: $35 per child ($5 back to Northwood)

Register at:

https://johnscreek.tumbles.net/en/camps/#schedules

It’s time to pre-order your 2025-2026 Northwood Yearbook—celebrating our 30th anniversary with this year’s theme: REWIND! Reserve your copy now for just $41.

Click here to order: yearbookordercenter.com/job/26362 — and don’t forget, 5th grade families can purchase a dedication ad to honor their student!

Questions? Email us at Yearbook@northwoodpta.com.

Michelle Levine, Assistant Principal

Together We SHINE!

Email: NorthwoodAttendance@fultonschools.org
Website: https://northwood.fultonschools.org/
Location: 10200 Wooten Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 470-254-6390
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthwoodElementaryPTA/
Twitter: @FCS_NWES or @NWES_Principal