Northlake Notes

Happy Sunday, Northlake Fam, and hooray for a long weekend! 🙌

Now, I know our students have Monday off, but our teachers and staff are going to be hard at work tomorrow getting their professional learning on. We all get into this profession because we love kids and want to help them reach their most successful future, but the other perk to our career choice is that we get to be lifelong learners ourselves. 🏫🧑‍🎓

Much like parenting, the world of education is ever evolving and changes due to societal nuances and a seemingly endless list of variables. Here at Northlake, we do love a challenge, so we embrace the opportunities these changes bring. They allow us to stay sharp and make our lives interesting while we continue to support our common goal of always achieving that next level of excellence. 🏆

Delve in deep with the learning and celebrations we've shared this past week, and read on below! 🎉

Be sure to check out important dates - one VERY important date coming up is the enrollment window opening on February 27th.

See you Tuesday!

Kylee Wall

This past Thursday and Friday brought nice weather just in time for some gardening lessons from Rachel Bennion. Students planted seeds and learned first hand how we grow the food we eat.

This spring will bring a series of gardening lessons with the hope of culminating in a harvest. We look forward to seeing the results while also remembering to enjoy the process.

There have been so many rich and informative activities to celebrate Black History Month!

The theme of honoring Black History: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow continues to thread its way throughout February. In just the last two weeks, students and staff have donned spectacles in honor of Spike Lee, learned about the Tuskegee Airmen and famous African American doctors and scientists, and worn dashiki or black to celebrate BHM.

Here is the full BHM Calendar. Thank you to PTA for supporting the Northlake Inclusion Team, our students, and our NLE Community. 🖤💛💚❤️

Last week, ten of our 6th grade student leaders were invited by Richardson ISD's AVID department to participate in The Compelling Why seminars.

Ms. Jackson and Ms. Ducre accompanied 5 young men and 5 young women to these seminars that seek to encourage students of promise to maximize their full potential.

Read more about The Compelling Why in this Dallas Morning News article.

Northlake students learned about the hidden figures and human computers of NASA: Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson & Dorothy Vaughan and famous astronauts: Guion Bluford, Mae Jemison and Jessica Watkins on Thursday.

The lesson ended with a virtual field trip to discover whether or not a career in NASA might be the right path for our students.

🪐🌎🧑‍🚀👩‍🚀🛰️☄️☀️🌘

Students in 1st grade have been working on skip counting by 5 in Math. Last Friday they programmed BeeBots to skip count by 5.

In 4th Grade, students are learning to code by using an artificial intelligence background generator. After selecting three preferences, they code dance moves and positions for their onscreen dancer. Find out more at code.org.

As an AVID school, our teachers are constantly searching for teaching methods that use real life applications and provide hands on experiences for our students, giving them time to try and fail and question and struggle, in order to become solutions oriented problem-solvers ready for the world.

Many recall the days when we would dissect a frog in high school biology class, some with relish and others with horror. Whether we enjoyed the experience or just barely made it through, one thing is for certain, it made an imprint on our minds and is forever a memory that will not leave us. This is why hands on labs are so important.

This week, 5th graders got to experience those same feelings of excitement (or revulsion). They dissected owl pellets, which are the regurgitated, undigested parts of a bird's food. Yes, you read that correctly - think hairball, but instead of a cat, an owl coughed it up. Sorry about the imagery, but not sorry about the learning and imprinting this does for our students when they get to dissect the real thing. Finding small animal bones and classifying the items in the owl pellets allows our students to really understand the food cycle and the biology of life. Let's just say, no matter how they felt about the activity, it's one they won't forget anytime soon!

Learn more about owl pellets at www.barnowltrust.org.uk/owl-facts-for-kids/owl-pellets/

Northlake has won a fine arts classroom makeover from having the most attendance at the Lake Highlands learning community Fine Arts Showcase. Thank you to everyone that turned out for the Fine Arts Showcase! Our district Music and Art Directors will order items for our fine arts classrooms (Music & Art).

Congratulations to Mr. Gulick, Mr. Cho & Ms. Tovar! We are so excited for the extra resources for our students.

Thank you to all that came and supported or sent treats to provide for our Friendship Parties this Valentine's Day. 💗

Reminder that Hoops in the Highlands forms are due back to Coach Manhkong Wednesday, 2/21 with payment. The form also has a field to complete if a parent would like to volunteer as a coach for a Northlake Elementary Hoops team.

The interest form can also be printed with this link Hoops in the Highlands interest form 2024.pdf. Email any questions about signups to Coach Manhkong, william.manhkong@risd.org.

Thank you to Coach Manhkong and Ami Neff for planning, meeting, and organizing Hoops logistics to support our Northlake students.

A big thank you and shout out to Brent Timmerman. He and his crew have added some highly addictive fun to our playground with two new Gaga Ball pits and two new Pickleball nets.

If you are interested in supporting NLE with some volunteer hours, please read on below.

With the advent of spring, comes a little spring fever. Dads Club is asking volunteers to join in to provide support in the lunchroom and at recess.

If you are interested in volunteering in the lunchroom or at recess, please use this link to sign up. Be sure you have completed the background check via risd.voly.org.

If you would like to hear more about Dads Club, please reach out to Brad McCutcheon at DadsClub@NorthlakePTA.com.

Thanks, Dads! We appreciate you. ❤️👨

Thank you to our PTA for showing our teachers some love with a King's cake on Fat Tuesday.

Mr. Aleman found the baby 🎂👼, so let's see how lucky our LITE will be this year. 🍀🎭

Enrollment for the 2024-2025 School Year begins on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Take advantage of convenient online enrollment using a PowerSchool registration account.

In RISD, all enrollment is completed online. Snap codes will be emailed to you on Monday, Feb. 26. Students will also bring home paper copies of the snap codes.

Kindergarten Round Up has been moved to Thursday, February 29th at 6:00pm.

If you have an upcoming Kinder aged child, please come to this informational meeting and tour to find out more about Northlake. Please no siblings allowed for this event, as our upcoming Kinders will also have an opportunity to network and make school friends with a Paw Prints Art activity led by Ms. Tovar and our Kinder Team.

We are looking forward to welcoming our incoming Kinder class of 24-25.🧑‍🤝‍🧑👭👬👫

Help your PE Department meet our school's goal of $5,000 and build a better community by having all our students complete Finn's Mission. Join our community of lifesavers during Kids Heart Challenge! The American Heart Association needs our help. Get your first donation today to start earning and collecting the heart hero characters! Download the AHA Schools app or go to www.heart.org/schools and REGISTER TODAY! #KidsHeartChallenge

Thank you, Coach Bridges for organizing!

The Used Book Fair is still open through Monday, 2/19.

Just a reminder that students brought home bookmarks that they can use at the Book Fair to pick out a free book!

Thank you to Ashley Ring, our PTA Used Book Fair chair for all your hard work organizing this!

Reminder that no crocs or "croc-like" shoes are allowed at school. Many croc-related incidents end up in the Nurse's clinic. Please do not make us have to be the "crocs police", as this rule is part of our district Elementary Dress Code. Please be sure your students are dressed appropriately for school each day. Thank you for your help keeping all our students safe! 👟

Please be sure that children are supervised at all times whether at the Audelia Public Library or the playground next to it. There have been injuries that have happened from students playing without guardian supervision. Please remind your children that if they are walkers, they should be walking straight home from school. The librarians do not supervise students, so please do not allow your children to go to the library without an adult.

The school day is from 7:50-3:10.

• The building opens at 7:30.

• Breakfast is served in the classroom from 7:30-7:50.

• Your child is tardy at 7:51 and will receive a tardy pass to get to class.

• Your child is late for school after 8:05 and a parent will need to sign them in at the office.

• If your child arrives to school after 9:00 AM they are counted absent for the day.

• If you child is absent for any reason, please be sure to send a note to school on the day your child returns, letting us know the reason for the absence. Any excuse notes must be received within 3 days of returning to school in order to receive an excused absence.

If you have any questions regarding attendance, please email lorrie.ford@risd.org.

Parents are welcome to bring a small birthday treat to celebrate their child's birthday. Here are a few reminders:

• Treats must be store bought or baked (cupcakes and cookies are best). We ask for store bought so teachers can see the ingredients listed in order to be mindful of any allergies students may have.
• We do not pass out drinks, party bags or balloons.
• Parents may drop treats labeled with child's name, grade and homeroom teacher, off in the main office, and we will get them to the classroom.
• We will not call students out of class to come to the office for pictures with their treats.
• Teachers will pass treats out at the end of the day.

To have your child's name added to the marquee for their birthday for just $10, please use this link to the PTA website. www.northlakepta.com/birthday-marquee

The district policy is that grades are not printed and sent home; however, you may view your child's grades on the Parent Portal in Focus. If you have not signed up for a Parent Portal Account, please see the information below.

Please be sure to sign up for your Parent Focus Account. This will give you access to all kinds of important student information. Most importantly, you will have access to your child's grade.

web.risd.org/focus/

In the interest of safety & security, every visitor to a Richardson ISD campus must present a valid form of identification and be processed through the Raptor background check system each visit, regardless of previous checks. Please be sure that you have your valid identification with you every time you visit Northlake Elementary. Thank you for your patience and understanding as RISD works to ensure the safety of students and employees. Volunteer questions may be directed to the office of Strategy & Engagement.

Additionally, the front office staff will use the intercom system to ask visitors to identify themselves and the purpose of their visit before granting access to the office. This is part of our heightened security measures. Please be cooperative. As you enter the building, do not allow others to enter with you or to follow you through the doors as you enter or leave. Everyone who enters should ring the buzzer and speak to someone in the office before entering the school building. Thank you!

Parents are welcome to come visit during lunch to eat with their students. We ask that you sign up for a day and time using the sign-up genius. In order to keep students safe and to accommodate everyone, please read through these reminders for visiting Northlake for lunch:

• Sign up for your visit using the Sign Up Genius.
• No Siblings, due to limited space on the stage.
• You may eat lunch with your child only.
• Please do not take pictures of your child while at lunch.
• When you are finished with lunch, please check out through the office. Parents may not go back to class with their children to visit.

bit.ly/NLESpring24LunchSignUp

Parents must apply for their child/children to receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. Last year everyone received free school breakfast but this year families must apply to receive free or reduced breakfast. The application must be completed as soon as possible to ensure that there is no interruption to their meal service. This application needs to be filled out every year. Please click on the picture or link below to get to the lunch application.

Students are welcome to pack a nutritious lunch from home or a lunch may be purchased in the school cafeteria. If your child happens to forget their lunch from home, please drop it off in the front office by 10:30 AM. This will ensure that the lunch will reach your child by their lunch time. Please refer to the RISD Child Nutrition website for menus, pricing and payment options.

If you would like to volunteer at Northlake Elementary, you must complete a volunteer background check EVERY new school year. Volunteering could include helping with class parties, attending field trips with your children, working in the library, helping at Field Day, or many other activities. We will not allow anyone who has not completed and passed the volunteer background check to volunteer.

Please click on this link to complete the background check. You MUST also watch the very short powerpoint at the end to complete the entire background check. Failure to watch the powerpoint will make your application incomplete and you will not be able to volunteer.

We are so fortunate to have a wonderful PTA. They have been working so hard all year.

If you are interested in volunteering in the lunchroom or at recess, please use this link to sign up. Be sure you have completed the background check via risd.voly.org.

Please be sure to check out their website for different ways you can help out. You can also reach out to Amanda Hinders at President@NorthlakePTA.com for more information about PTA, or if you would like to hear more about Dads Club, please reach out to Brad McCutcheon at DadsClub@NorthlakePTA.com.

We need your help! We are working hard to grow our PTA membership. It costs $8 to join PTA and there is no time commitment needed. We always need volunteers at PTA school events such as Carnival, Multi-Cultural Night and Buddy Fun Day. But, we are flexible and you can work as much or as little as your schedule allows.

You can find more information out about our PTA on their website. Thanks in advance for supporting our school! https://www.northlakepta.com/

February - Black History Month

Feb 19th - No School for Students, Staff Development Day

Feb 20-21st - TELPAS Testing

Feb 22nd - 6th Grade Dallas Holocaust Museum

Feb 27th - Interim Testing (3-6 Reading) & Enrollment Window Opens

Feb 29th - Interim Testing (3-6 Math)

Feb 29th - Kindergarten Round Up/Paw Prints 6-7pm

March - Texas History Month & National Disability Awareness Month

Mar 1st - PTA Movie Night @Sundown

Mar 4-8th - Texas Public Schools Week & National Public School Breakfast Week

Mar 7th - College/Spirit Shirt Day

Mar 8th - End of 3rd Nine Weeks

Mar 10th - Daylight Savings Ends

Mar 11-15th - Spring Break

Mar 18th - Beginning of 4th Nine Weeks

Mar 21st - College/Spirit Shirt Day & 2nd Grade Field Trip

Mar 22-23rd - Hoops in the Highlands 3v3 Basketball Tournament

Mar 25-29th - Book Fair in Library

Mar 27th - I Know What to Do Day & PTA Meeting/Open House 5:30-7pm

Mar 28th - College/Spirit Shirt Day & 3rd Grade Field Trip

Mar 29th - No School (unless Snow Make up day)