September Parent Connection

Hello Northwood Elementary Families-

We are rolling into week three of a new school year. Students are getting settled into classroom routines and procedures. Classroom teachers have communicated expectations for learning and behavior to students and parents. Below you will find information on ways to support school and classroom expectations by reinforcing PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) at home.

PBIS at Home: Supporting the Three B’s

At Northwood Elementary, we follow our Three B’s every day: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Ready to Learn. You can help your child practice these expectations at home too! Using the PBIS matrix included in this newsletter. Below are some simple ways to support your student:

Be Respectful

Practice kind words and manners at home (please, thank you, excuse me).
Remind your child to listen and take turns when talking.
Encourage treating siblings, friends, and family members with kindness.

Be Responsible

Give your child age-appropriate chores (putting away toys, feeding a pet, setting the table).
Help your child create a daily routine (homework, bedtime, packing their backpack).
Praise your child for following through on responsibilities.

Be Ready to Learn

Set up a quiet, organized space for homework or reading.
Pack backpacks and choose clothes the night before school.
Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast.

By reinforcing these expectations at home, you’re helping your child succeed both in school and in life!

Principals Joy Jones and Miranda Roscoe

(440)284-8014

Make sure you are following us on our Facebook page @Elyria NorthwoodElementary to stay informed of all things happening at Northwood Elementary.

🍩☕ Grandparents Day Celebration at Northwood

We are excited to invite grandparents to join us for a special Grandparents Day Celebration at Northwood Elementary on Monday, September 8th, at 8:00 AM- 8:45 AM.

This celebration is our way of showing how grateful we are for the love, guidance, and support grandparents bring to our students’ lives. Enjoy donuts, coffee, and juice, and capture the memory with a souvenir photo of you and your grandchild.

We look forward to honoring you and celebrating the important role you play in our school community! 💛

What is a Benchmark Test?

A benchmark test in elementary school is an interim assessment given at intervals (like beginning (BOY), middle (MOY), and end of year (EOY)) to measure a student's progress towards end-of-year goals in areas like reading and math. These "checkpoints" identify a student's academic strengths and weaknesses, provide data to inform instruction and interventions, and help teachers determine if a student is on track to meet grade-level standards.

What Benchmark Tests Do

Monitor Progress:

They show how a student is learning and progressing throughout the school year.

Identify Needs:

Teachers use the data to spot specific areas where a student needs more support or intervention.

Guide Instruction:

The results help teachers adjust their teaching methods and lesson plans to better meet the needs of their students.

Measure Growth:

They evaluate a student's understanding against established grade-level standards and learning goals.

Prepare for State Tests:

Benchmark tests often align with state standards and can help prepare students for the larger, end-of-year state assessments.

Examples of benchmark tests are MAP and mClass Dibels

General Information

School hours 9:10-3:10 (Doors open at 8:55 for students)

If your child is a car rider, please adhere to the parking lot traffic pattern. Traffic is one way all around the building. You cannot make a left turn into the school parking lot from Abbe Rd. You may turn left on Hilliard from Abbe Rd., right on Rosealee and then right into the back lot of the school. You must go left and all the way around the building to drop off/pick up your child at the front doors of the elementary school.

Elementary Lunch School Schedule

Kindergarten 11:40-12:10

Third 11:40-12:10

First 12:20-12:50

Second 12:15-12:45

Fourth 1:00-1:30

Price of School Lunch and Snacks

Lunch and breakfast are free to all students

Second lunch meal - $4.15

Entrée only - $3.40

Extra entrée with meal - $3.15

Assorted chips & pretzels - $1.60

Bottled water - $1.50

Milk - $0.75

Link to add money to account for snacks and extras: https://www.payschoolscentral.com/

Additional information :https://www.elyriaschools.org/departments/operations/food_services

Other Calendar Events for First Quarter

September 1st - Labor Day/No School
September 2nd- Marco's Pizza Night (PTA Fundraiser-Order Pizza and Give teacher's name)
September 4th - PTA meeting 4:30 Elementary Gym
September 8th- Grandparents' Day 8:00-8:45
October 8th- Picture Day
October 10th -NEOEA Day- No school
October 14th- Gr. 1 Field Trip to Magic School House Play @ Playhouse Square
October 16 End of Quarter 1
October 17th - Records Day/No School for students
October 20th- 21st Scholastic Book Fair Elementary gym
October 21st- Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30-8:00
October 23rd- Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30-8:00
November 27th-28th- Thanksgiving Break

Back to School PowerSchool Update Grade level Contest

Hey, amazing parents! It's that time of year again—Back to School season! We know how busy you are preparing your kiddos for an awesome year ahead. But before the school bell rings, there's one more thing to check off your list—completing the Back to School Powerschool update! This update is super important for keeping your child's information up-to-date and helps us ensure the best experience for them all year long. And here's the scoop—literally! The grade level with the most completed updates will win an ICE CREAM PARTY! So, don’t wait! Get those updates done today, and let’s make this school year the sweetest one yet. This contest runs until September 13th.

Thank you for helping us start the school year off right! See you soon!

Back to School PowerSchool Update

Stay Connected: Opt In to Receive District Text Messages

Parents told us in a recent communication survey that texting is one of the most important ways they prefer to receive information from the district. We heard you—and we want to make sure you're connected!

To begin receiving text messages from Elyria Schools, parents and guardians must opt in. The service is free and signing up is simple:

Text “Y” or “Yes” to 67587

That’s it! You’ll start receiving important updates and reminders via text.

Need to stop messages later? Just reply with “Stop” to any of our messages.

Please note: our texting feature and robocall system are tied directly to the contact information on file for your student. It’s essential to keep your phone numbers and email addresses up-to-date with your child’s school to ensure you continue receiving calls and texts.

Don't miss out on timely updates—opt in today!

District Calendar

For a full look at the upcoming school year, including key dates and breaks, view the 2025–2026 school calendar on our website.

Important Update: New Ohio Law Restricts Student Cell Phone Use During School Hours

An updated Ohio state law now prohibits students from using cell phones during instructional time throughout the school day. While Elyria Schools already has a policy in place that restricts cell phone use during learning time, this new law now requires that the policy be enforced in all schools.

As a result, students may not use their cell phones during the instructional day. Phones must be powered off and stowed away during school hours.

More details will be shared as the school year begins, but we’re asking for families’ attention and support in helping students understand and follow these rules. Our goal is to maintain a focused and respectful learning environment for all students.

While we’ll always start with reminders and redirection, continued disregard of the policy will lead to appropriate consequences in line with our student code of conduct. According to the law, exceptions can be made for medically documented situations and emergencies.

Thank you for your partnership in preparing students for this important change and helping ensure a successful start to the year.

***Students may not use smartwatches as communication devices during the school day.

Important message about Classroom treats and Parties

We have students who have allergies (some severe) that may develop a reaction, as a result of certain foods being permitted and passed out during special occasions such as birthdays, classroom parties, rewards, etc. This is something the kids love and should be able to enjoy.

However, to keep all students safe, It's imperative that all foods brought from the outside are store bought (not homemade) and have nutrition information on them to check ingredients. If the ingredients aren't available, they may not be distributed.

We have students with all kinds of allergies (peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, wheat, gluten, etc.). We also have students with medical conditions who can't eat certain foods as well.

Ideally parents should notify the school/teacher at least 24 hours prior to when they bring in treats so that the teacher can check for allergies.

Non-food treats are encouraged, such as stickers, pencils, glow sticks, bracelets and other kid-friendly items.

Elyria City Schools Belief Statement

Learners thrive when school is engaging and personally meaningful.

All Pioneers have a voice in decisions that affect them.

Excellence is achieved through vision, commitment and moral leadership.