Northgate News 9/30/24

Gator Families! Inside you will find information for Parent/Teacher Conferences, Grading Information, and our Activity Calendar to name a few. Our staff has been working incredibly hard to create the optimal learning environment throughout the Swamp.

This year we are going to implement student led conferences. You students have been working in their Connections class each day to put together a slideshow for each of their classes to be able to talk you through on October 1st during Parent/Teacher conferences.

Our goal is to continue to push our students to take full ownership of their learning and this is an excellent way to begin this journey.

Critical Information for P/T Conferences:

When: October 1st from 3:00-7:00

Where: Northgate MS; You will be able to enter through the front doors, east side entrance, and through our backside ground level entrance.

How: Your student will walk you to their classes and explain how they are doing. This will be an open house style of conference setting.

Critical Information:

• Your student MUST have their iPad charged and with them so they can display their experiences and learning at NGMS.
• If you would like to speak to a teacher, they will be in and around their classrooms for the duration of the time. We will also have a
• Again, this is something new that we want to try so you can get a deeper understanding of what your student is learning and where they can potentially improve.

It was a great start to the school here at Northgate! We are thankful to all our bus drivers for getting kids here safely and we want to send out a huge Thank You to all the parents or drivers of our car riders. You helped to make the car rider line move smoothly and you did a great job getting your students here on time to start their school days this week. Keep up the good work!

NKC Schools focuses on maintaining all student attendance at 90% and above. We appreciate each family’s efforts to avoid taking extra time off during the school year. If your student is healthy, please encourage showing up to class when school is in session. Excusable illnesses include vomiting, fever, or diarrhea. Students must be 24 hours without any of these symptoms before returning to school. We encourage documentation from medical providers as verification of care during your student’s absence.

Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as to connect to their peers and teachers.

Just one day absent means missing...

• 130 minutes+ of reading and writing*
• opportunities to develop social skills and friendships
• physical exercise and creative outlets like art and music
• support from trained educators throughout the school

Missing two days per month (90% attendance) would equal missing more than 21 hours of math and 39 hours of reading and writing over the course of a school year!

Thank you for partnering with us! We look forward to a great 24-25 school year!

At least 95% attendance is our goal for every student. This equals missing no more than one day of school per month (nine days per year).

No student should have below 90% attendance. This is chronic absenteeism, defined as missing two or more days per month. This equals to missing 10% of the entire school year!

Pictured are our 8B team having a hotdog cookout because of their 94% attendance rate for the first two weeks of school.

Why Standards Based Learning?

To provide clarity and transparency to students and families about what it means for students to meet the learning standards for the grade level and/or course. To support students in developing agency and ownership of their learning.

What is Standards Based Grading?

• Everything aligns to the priority standard - Target
  

• Provides increased clarity about the learning expectations - Students know their target and what they need to be able to show their learning.

• Through SBG, we can better understand what a student truly knows and can do.

• The emphasis is based on the learning as to completing assignments.

• The primary difference you may see in PowerSchool is: 3 = A

• Learning Target = 3

• Feedback - The goal is to provide clarity on how best to grow as a learner.

• Learning vs. Completing

• Our students are working towards Mastery

What you can expect to see as the semester moves forward are Student Proficiency Trackers. Students will work with these each day

• Students have the Learning Target in front of them at all times.
• Improved feedback about where your student is in the learning process.
• These are all efforts to make the curriculum and target more clear and accessible our students.

Below is the presentation from our Meet the Teacher Night presentation. We are working to provide another one of these forums to continue to provide clarity around Standard Based Grading.

FREE GROCERY GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY! APPLY NOW!

https://frapps.horizonsolana.com/NORK01

Submit an application for Free and Reduced Meals to be automatically entered into FOUR giveaways! There will be four giveaways throughout September (one winner each week). Each winner will receive a $250 Walmart Gift Card (sponsored by The Education Foundation). If you have already applied you do not need to apply again. Anyone with a student in the NKC school district who submits a Free and Reduced Meal Application for this school year (after 6/30/24) is automatically entered into the four giveaways.

Be on the lookout for a phone call and/or email to claim your prize!

*The giveaway recipient can decline the prize and/or decline taking a picture.

*Winning a gift card is not dependent on qualifying for Free and Reduced Meals.

North Kansas City Schools

Great news! The Big Smiles in-school dentist is coming to our school. Even better, dental care is usually at no cost to you. All insurance is accepted including Medicaid and CHIP. Keep your child healthy, in-school and learning. Sign up online NOW at:

Big Smiles

FOOD PANTRY

OUR FOOD PANTRY WILL BE OPEN FROM

9:00 AM TO 11:00 AM.

WE WILL OPEN THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS WHO CANNOT MAKE IT TO THE PANTRY ON WEDNESDAY.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD IN THE COMMUNITY.

AS WITH THE REGULAR PANTRY YOU CAN VISIT ONCE A MONTH FOR FOOD.

2024 OPEN DATES: SEPTEMBER 7, OCTOBER 5, NOVEMBER 2, DECEMBER 7

As the new school year gets underway, we are excited to welcome students, families and community members to events across the district. North Kansas City Schools values community involvement and has clear guidelines in place to provide the safest, most enjoyable experience at our athletic and activity events. Please take a few minutes to review these reminders before joining us at an event this fall:

Student Attendance at Events

• Only students from participating schools are allowed to attend events without prior administrative approval.
• All students will be asked to remain in the stands during games and will not be allowed to loiter in the concourse or restroom areas.
• Students who are unwilling to comply with the directions of the on-site administrators, supervisors or law enforcement will not be able to attend athletic or activity events for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year.
• All students should leave immediately following the conclusion of all school events.
• Middle school and elementary school students may only gain admittance to events when accompanied by an adult. If students arrive at the entrance gate without an adult, they will be asked to contact an adult immediately and will not be allowed entrance into the event.
• Please ensure that you have an adult to attend with your middle or elementary school student prior to purchasing a digital ticket. Digital tickets are non-refundable if the student is not able to gain admittance.
• All middle school and elementary school students will be asked to remain with an adult or in the assigned seating area determined by the school for the duration of the event.

Admission & Tickets

• No re-entry is allowed at any events.
• NKC Schools utilizes digital tickets for all events that require a ticket for admission. No cash will be accepted for entry to any event. Click here for more information on purchasing tickets digitally.
• All district patrons ages 55 and older are eligible for a free Golden Pass, which provides free entry into all regular-season events. Click here for Golden Pass details.

Bags

• No backpacks or bags are allowed for spectators at any NKC Schools events.
• Purses and belt bags are subject to search. Medical equipment and supplies are permitted.

All school district policies remain in effect during all activity and athletic events. Thank you for partnering with us to make NKC Schools events safe and enjoyable for everyone in our community.

North Kansas City Schools

This is a reminder that all students MUST be accompanied by an adult for all NGMS activities. We will follow the same NKCSD protocols if students arrive without the necessary adult supervision.

These expectations will begin with our first football game on Thursday, 9/12 at North Kansas City High School. The game begins at 4:30. We hope all can attend, but please make sure we are following all district expectations.

Session 1-Sept 3 to Oct 11

*No groups on 10/1 for Parent-Teacher conferences

All activities meet from 2:15 pm until 4:45 pm.

Fee of $10 (or $5 for Free/Reduced Lunch) per session can be paid online at mypaymentsplus.com (Link included with Tools)

What do you think are health issues facing Northland communities? The Northland Health Alliance – made up of local hospitals and health organizations – wants to hear from YOU!

The results of this survey will help identify health issues affecting the Northland. How does your input make a difference? One example from the last community health survey in 2021: Your local health organizations went to work to address mental and behavioral health in the Northland. Since then, the NHA has distributed 816 naloxone kits, trained 145 people in mental health first aid, helped promote the 988 suicide prevention hotline and more.

Make a difference in your community today.

10/10/24- 8th graders go to Worlds of Fun as part of our College and Career Readiness and Pathway exploration. They will tour the park learning about how all the different roles and skillsets collaborate to make a theme park operate. This will be an opt-out permission slip for those that do NOT want their child to join us. Lunch will be served at the park. This is at no cost to families.

10/17/24- 7th graders will tour local business partners to learn about real world careers and work settings. This is part of our Career and Pathway exploration in middle school. Students will eat upon return. This will be an opt-out permission slip for those that do NOT want their child to join us. This is at no cost to families.

10/29/24- Men in Nursing event at University Health- this is an optional activity for students who identify as male and are interested in the field of nursing. Students will get to learn about a day in the life of a nurse. They will get some hands-on experience with mannequins/dummies and hear from experts in the field. Sack lunch will be provided by the school or they can bring their own. A permission slip and additional paperwork is required for attendance. If you are interested, please go here.

Ms. Lakenburger (A-K) shelly.lakenburger@nkcschools.org

Ms. Kukulski (L-Z) sarah.kukulski@nkcschools.org

For more information regarding how to get involved, please have your student see:

Ms. Lee - katie.lee@nkcschools.org

Ms. Kessler - jennifer.kessler@nkcschools.org

Bus Parking: Howell Street near stone wall

Gate Entry:

● Gates will open at 4:15 pm - Fans will not be allowed to enter until then due to NKCHS FB practice has concluded.

● Admission Cost - Free

● Entrance - Southeast Corner of Stadium off Howell Street - Visitor Fans will sit on the east side (Near stone wall) - Home Fans will sit on West side (Press Box side)

● ALL Fans need to remain in the Bleachers and not stand on the fence near the field.

Concessions:

● Not Available

Restrooms:

● Building near south end zone

Teams Warm-Up:

● Teams will warm up at Norclay field please see map. Then walk over to the stadium at 4 pm (see path on diagram)

Admin on Duty: Theo Funderman, Tammie May, Emily McCall

As we continue to provide the safest, most enjoyable experience at our athletic and activity events, this is a reminder concerning attendance at events 24-25 school year:

1. Only students from participating schools are allowed to attend events without prior administrative approval.
2. No re-entry is allowed at any NKC School District events.
3. No bags are allowed at any NKC School District events.
4. Middle school and elementary school students may only gain admittance to events when accompanied by an adult. If students arrive to the entrance gate without an adult, they will be asked to contact an adult immediately and will not be allowed entrance into the event.
5. Please ensure that you have an adult to attend with your middle or elementary school student prior to purchasing a digital ticket. Digital tickets are non-refundable if the student is not able to gain admittance.
6. All middle school and elementary school students will be asked to remain with an adult OR in the assigned seating area determined by the school for the duration of the event.
7. All students will be asked to remain in the stands during games and will not be allowed to loiter in the concourse or restroom areas.
8. Students who are unwilling to comply with the directions of the on-site administrators, supervisors or law enforcement will not be able to attend athletic or activity events for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year.
9. All students should leave immediately following the conclusion of all school events.
10. All school district policies remain in effect during all activity and athletic events.

At Northgate we believe that it takes all of us to help our students achieve at their highest level. We truly believe that ALL means ALL. With that in mind, we have created the Gator Cares Club (GCC) to help families participate however they can at Northgate Middle School. More news will be provided in next weeks Northgate Newsletter. Until then, if you are interested in being apart of this organization, please email me at: theo.fundermann@nkcschools.org

First Meeting is:

• October 8th at 6:30

Students have done an excellent job so far of keeping all of their wireless belongings put away. Please continue to help reinforce this at home. When students are disconnected from their technology they are more connected to the classroom.

Please continue to support us as we work to make each classroom the optimal learning environment. When our students do not have their phones, they are engaged and focused on the task at hand. If there are issues at school we ask that you help us work through the problem so we can help your student achieve at their highest level.

While we work extremely hard to ensure we avoid all school conflicts and issues, the reality is that unfortunate incidents may occur. Moving forward, if students are found to be filming an incident they will receive a consequence.

This change is something I hope we can all get behind as our goal as a society should be to push the positive and not glorify negative behavior.

• Tuesday, 10/1 - Parent Teacher Conferences from 3:00-7:00
• Friday, 10/4 - NO SCHOOL
• Monday, 107 - NO SCHOOL (Professional Development)