Principal Duckworth's Notes
Happy New Year!!!!
Happy New Year Northglade Families!!
Monday, December 5 school resumes. We will have a full week of school this week. I hope everyone has enjoyed their Winter Break. Hopefully you were able to spend some quality time with family and friends. I trust that everyone's holiday celebrations went well. Now it is time to complete the 2025-2026 school year.
A few friendly reminders as school resumes:
School doors open at 8:30 - Please do not drop students off before 8:30, when supervision begins.
Find a Park - If you need to get out of your car for any reason, please do not park in the drop off lane.
Start and Dismissal - Instruction begins at 8:50 and ends at 3:50. Pre-K - begins at 8:50 - 11:50 and 12 - 3:50.
Pre-K Payments - Please make your January payments. Payments can be made in the office or online through RevTrak. https://kalamazoo.revtrak.net/
Dismissal Changes - Please call before 3 pm to insure your child's teacher receives the message.
Recess - Students will be going outdoors for recess, therefore please make sure that they have proper outdoor wear.
Good Night's Sleep - I image students will be tired returning to school. Please make sure they get a good nights sleep, so they can come prepared to learn.
Thank you to all who shared gifts with myself and the Northglade Staff. They were greatly appreciated!
Attendance Matters
Attendance is crucial in elementary school because learning is sequential, building foundational skills daily, so missing school creates gaps that hinder future learning, impacts reading proficiency by 3rd grade, and establishes habits for lifelong success, responsibility, and social connection. Regular presence ensures students grasp essential concepts, develop routines, build relationships, and are better prepared for more complex subjects later, preventing a downward spiral in academics and engagement.
Academic Reasons:
Foundation Building:
Early grades establish core skills (reading, math) that are prerequisites for complex learning; missing days is like removing blocks from a tower's base.
Catching Up is Hard:
Making up work isn't the same as in-class learning, leading to falling behind quickly.
Reading Proficiency:
Chronic absenteeism in kindergarten/first grade predicts struggles with reading by third grade.
Social & Habit-Forming Reasons:
Establishes time management, responsibility, and discipline through daily routines like waking up and getting ready.
Builds friendships, teamwork, and a sense of belonging with peers and teachers.
Poor early attendance is a strong predictor of dropping out in middle/high school.
Long-Term Impact:
- Future Success: Good attendance habits extend to college and careers, making students more reliable and engaged.
- Classroom Impact: Too many absent students slow down learning for the whole class.
In short, every day missed, even just one every couple of weeks, adds up and makes it harder for kids to succeed academically and socially.
Upcoming Events
January
January 5: School resumes
January 9: Playground Meet Up
January 15: PTO Meeting
January 16 - Assessments Completed
January 23 - End of first trimester