Notes from the North Park Hive

Dear Families,

Welcome to February! We would LOVE if the snow/ice would melt away!

I know everyone is growing tired (if not already incredibly tired) of the snow/ice and missed days from school. We really miss our students and routines as well. I wish I had the ability to tell you when things will be back to normal, but I cannot. Please remember that tomorrow is a work day for staff. We will be prepping more days of NTI instruction. Our office phone will be accessible 270-351-4464. Our parking lot is still not treated and is pretty challenging to enter at the moment. The entrance is supposed to be worked on by buildings/grounds staff tomorrow morning. The majority of our staff will be working at NHHS until lunch tomorrow. Feel free to call the main line or message through Rooms/email teachers if you need assistance or need to check in on anything.

As I said last week, I know that NTI is not ideal for any student, especially the age of our students. However, we do really make the meets fun and meaningful. Please try to hop on if at all possible, as it is so good for your child to receive instruction from his/her actual teacher. The packets are a decent alternative, but they are nowhere near as meaningful as interacting with our staff and other children. We are also going to be working on some links for interactive games that you can play at home together to practice core preschool and kindergarten skills.

Snow days/NTI days are a good time to have your child complete the handwriting challenge packet so he/she can earn their prize!

Families - I need your help with a special project. Throughout the first two weeks of February, I am going to ask you to help show some love to our staff. It's easy and free! Please use the link in the next section of the newsletter to leave a message for a specific staff member, group of staff members or a whole department (like the cafeteria, office, kinder or preschool team, bus drivers or custodians). We want to fill our KudoBoard with shoutouts and LOTS OF LOVE for our staff!

Please call the NPES office at 270-351-4464 or email laurabeth.hayes@hardin.kyschools.us if I can help you with anything!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Hayes (principal)

Use the link below to add a message or note to LOVE on our staff. You can give a shoutout or statement to any teacher/staff member, a group (cafeteria, bus drivers, office, preschool/kindergarten, SRO, nurse, etc.). I've included a list of staff names if you needed to remember a name of a specific staff member or their role at NPES. Help us FILL OUR WALL with love for NPES! I will be sharing these responses in slide show form with our staff on Valentine's Day! Just click the link and then click "ADD TO BOARD" when it pops up. I'm making a slideshow out of all your messages for Valentines' Day!

Order your yearbook on this snowy day! Go to www.strawbridge.net and enter the code YB33362. See the graphic attached. We are accepting orders until 3/20/26, so order today so you don't forget! The yearbook is a perfect preschool and kindergarten keepsake!

***WE WILL BE SENDING OUT LINKS TO GET YOU REGISTERED FOR THIS LATER THIS WEEK**

The Kids Heart Challenge (formerly Jump Rope for Heart) is part of the American Heart Association and a tradition here at NPES! Each year we have been able to raise $5000-$10,000 for the AHA through your support and sharing! Our kids earn TONS of cool prizes from AHA, we have a BIG event with stations, music and snacks in the gym, and kids love it! Our event was scheduled for February 13th to coordinate with Valentine's Day. We were supposed to do the kickoff tomorrow. We will likely be pushing this back a week. STAY TUNED! Our school does receive some funding for PE equipment through the donations as well. Most importantly, the program helps save the lives of kids with heart conditions through research support/funding! It is an organization near and dear to my heart/family. More info to come. I have attached a video from Coach Ace and Mrs. Morgan!

The 100th Day of School was technically the NTI day last Wednesday. We will celebrate the first day we are back to in-person instruction. I know many of you have made/bought special shirts, outfits, etc. So, keep those handy and ready. As soon as we are back, we want to celebrate!

This week we will send home a HANDWRITING CHALLENGE packet to all kindergarten students (it is not developmentally appropriate for our preschoolers just yet). This packet will include practice pages for writing uppercase/lowercase letters, numbers, your child's name AND some of our frequently used red words (sight words). Handwriting is a VERY important skill that we do focus on each day in kindergarten. However, it takes muscle memory and PRACTICE to become better at fine motor activities, like handwriting. Many of our students simply do not get enough practice at school and need the extra practice at home. Handwriting is a core foundational skill that students use throughout all of school, so it is important to learn to form the letters correctly and not develop bad habits. Once your student completes the packet, he or she will earn a plush ocean animal bracelet!! Thank you for helping us give our students some extra support on this skill.

Help NPES receive money to help our students at no extra expense to you. You are already purchasing the items. Just scan your receipt and if there are any Box Top items NPES will receive $0.10 per qualifying item. Download the app and help us help your children!

In the month of December we earned $20.90 with your help. Let's see how much we can earn in January!

Thanks to our fabulous student teacher in preschool, Mrs. Taulbee, she has prepared some fun things you can do at home together as a family with music/movement.

Check out her link below!

Our February lunch menu is in revision right now due to the days missed. As soon as we have that menu, we will share it with you.

We LOVE seeing students reading at home with their families!!!! The February reading leaves will come home SOON. In the meantime, you can access the file below.