The Rocket Review

November

1st: FFA Fruit Sales End

1st: Scholastic Book Fair, 8:00-3:30 PM

6th: FFA Area I Trap Shoot at Smithville, 4:30 PM
8th: Big Smiles Dentist, 8:00 AM
10th: Family Learning Night, 6:00 PM
10th: West Nodaway Board of Education Meeting
12th: Junior High and High School "Perfect Quarter" Lunch

13th: West Nodaway After Prom Pitch Night
15th: No School [Staff Development Day]

19th: Picture Day [High School Basketball and High School Cheer]

22nd: Mid-Quarter

22nd: NCMC Admissions Representative Here to Talk to Juniors and Seniors

22nd: DARE Trip and Movie for 8th Grade
23rd: Picture Day [Make-ups, JH/HS Grade Levels, All Organizations and Groups]

23rd: After Prom Pie and Dessert Auction at Halftime of Basketball Games

24th-26th: No School [Thanksgiving Break]

You can access the athletic calendar and view upcoming contests by clicking here.

• When your child is unable to attend school, please notify the appropriate school office by 9:00 AM. When your child is seen by a physician, please ask for a doctor's note so we can verify attendance. Thank you! (Elementary: 725-4126, High School: 725-3317)
  
  
• If you know of anyone that would like to sign up to receive this monthly newsletter, please send their email address to Tayne at tfast@wnrockets.com, or call the high school office at (660) 725-3317. We look forward to sharing this information with you all each month!
  
  
• Make sure you "like" and "follow" us on Facebook (@WestNodaway) and Twitter (@WNRockets)! We send out lots of information about upcoming events, cancellations, and fun school activities.

Greetings All,

Below you will find a chart in regard to the base salary paid to teachers in surrounding districts. The chart is self explanatory. However, of the 18 schools listed, you will find that West Nodaway ranks 17th in base salary paid to teachers. We are last in Nodaway County. In light of this fact, I would remind you that this is one of the many reasons the Board will place a levy question on the April ballot. If you have any questions in regard to this or any other financial issues in the district, please stop by the office for a visit.

Greetings, Rocket Families!

We have made it into the 2nd quarter. Hopefully everyone has had a chance to meet with your student's teacher for Parent Teacher Conferences. If you have not, please contact the teacher and schedule a time. We would love to visit with every students parent/guardian.

The weather and forecasted rain put a damper on our Trunk or Treat activity, but we plan to hold this event on Monday, November 1st from 1:30-2:30 PM on the Football Field. Students can bring their costumes that day, and we will put them on when it is time to Trunk or Treat. Thank you so much to everyone who planned and participates in this event. I know our students love it.

We are currently in the process of electing our 2021-2022 Student Council. Over the next few months, the Student Council will be taking an active role in planning events for our school. Please be on the lookout for information regarding the Christmas Food Drive.

We have a Family Literacy Night planned for Wednesday, November 10th, starting at 6:00 PM. This event will be held in the elementary gym. The FBLA students plan to make food for the evening, and we hope to see everyone there!

The cold weather is starting to arrive. Please be sure that your children come to school prepared to go outside for recess. Students WILL be going outside as often as possible. Students will not be allowed to stay indoors because they are not properly dressed. Please have coats, hats, and gloves ready!

Thank you,

Mr. Conn

Hello Rocket Nation!

By the time you receive this newsletter, parent-teacher conferences will have come and gone. It is hard to believe the 1st quarter is already over. All of the fall sports have wrapped up, except HS football and cross country. Speaking of football, I would like to congratulate the JH boys on an undefeated season. With the approach of winter, basketball season has started for the JH teams and varsity practices will begin on Monday, November 1st. I was able to watch both the boys and girls JH basketball teams secure the win Monday night at Rock Port.

I want to remind everyone that Covid-19 is still among us. While the number of quarantines and positive tests are significantly less than last year at this time, we are still dealing with this issue. As a result of this, during the day we are still limiting access to the building. If you need to stop by, please come directly to the offices and do not attempt to wander the building. It is not that we do not want visitors, however, we must do what we can by trying to keep a balance and limit any potential exposures of the student population.

The district is presently in the process of re-writing our (CSIP) Continuous School Improvement Plan. As a result of this, we will be sending out surveys to parents, stakeholders, teachers, etc. Please take the time to review the survey and provide a thoughtful assessment. We will review the collected data and incorporate the findings into our plans moving forward.

It will be the 1st of December when we send out the next monthly newsletter, and Thanksgiving is still several weeks away. However, I want to take this time to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you and yours are able to enjoy the blessings of this wonderful time of year.

Dr. Barnes

Reminder that Big Smiles Dentist will be here on November 8th starting at 8:00 AM.

Our Reading for Education fundraiser has been a big success. Thank you so much to our Rocket families for being so generous in donating gift cards for our classrooms. Our teachers redeem these online and get to pick out new books for their classroom! This fundraiser continues all year long, but here is what we've received so far: Pre-K - $365, K - $140, 1st - $135, 2nd - $305, 3rd - $200, 4th - $145, 5th - $80. Thank you!

Special thank you to the United Methodist Church here in Burlington Junction for their donation to provide a student in need with some new eye glasses. The donation will be enough for a new eye exam and glasses too! We love our community support!

We also have a fully-stocked hygiene supply closet in our elementary. If you know of anyone needing supplies at any time this year, please let us know! Shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, brushes, deodorant, you name it and we probably have it! Special thank you to One Act out of Maryville that helps us keep this closet going.

It's about coat season too. I have several new coats available! If your student is needing a new coat, please don't hesitate to let me know. If I don't have the correct size, I have lots of resources to help get what we need.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kelli Hoyt, RN, BSN

khoyt@wnrockets.com
(660) 725-4126

In October, we celebrated Red Ribbon Week. There were fun dress-up days and coloring contests, but more importantly, time was spent in counseling lessons learning about the dangers of harmful substances and the negative impacts to our bodies and brains. This is not just something for us to cover in a short lesson one week of the year. It is so important for parents and teachers to have continuous conversations with children about making responsible choices, not just about what they put in their bodies, but in everything they do.

Research shows that kids are less likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs with effective prevention efforts. Teaching the importance of health and wellness to our kids will help guide them to make positive choices throughout their lives. Below are some specific "Keys to Prevention" for adults to be aware of. The following information comes from parentslead.org, and is just a brief overview of the tips and tools they have provided for all age groups. Whether your child is a toddler or a teen, there is an extensive list of things that you can do to ensure they make healthy choices and that foster positive social, emotional, and moral development.

• Nourish your child
• Encourage healthy eating and living
• Keep your kids active
• Avoid having dangerous substances in your child's world - Do they have easy access in your home?
• Provide structure and discipline
• Set clear and consistent rules, expectations, and consequences
• Teach personal responsibility and prosocial behavior
• Help build decision making skills
• Be a positive role model
• Provide praise
• Help your child find their passion
• Take time for you - model positive coping strategies
• Form strong bonds, and talk with your child about their feelings
• Spend quality time together
• Know who is influencing your child
• Teach your kids who to trust
• Pay attention to what your child is doing on-line and on social media
• Have regular, open, and honest conversations, with older children especially, about alcohol, drugs, other risk behaviors, self-esteem, self-image, and their general interests and activities.

Email: mbarnes@wnrockets.com
Website: wnrockets.com
Location: 17665 US Hwy 136, Burlington Junction, MO 64428, USA
Phone: 660-725-4613
Twitter: @WNrockets