NAHS Family Newsletter

Coming up:

August

8/13 Coffee and Connection 9:30am at First Watch Owings Mills

8/26 Back to School Night 4-6pm

8/31 Students Return

I am incredibly proud of all that our students have achieved this year. Their perseverance, creativity, and commitment to learning have made our school community stronger. I am equally grateful to our families and staff members whose partnership and support continue to make a positive difference in the lives of our children.

As summer begins, I encourage everyone to take time to relax, recharge, and enjoy time with family and friends. Whether your plans include travel, summer programs, reading a good book, or simply enjoying the sunshine, I hope the break provides opportunities for fun, growth, and new experiences.

Thank you for making this school year such a memorable one. Have a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the fall for another exciting year of learning and success!

We’d like to remind you that Northwest Academy is a Community School, which means we’re here to support not just students, but families too. If you are in need of school supplies, resources, or other assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help!

Community School Facilitator: Mrs. Bajpai- Abajpai@bcps.org

CARE Liaison: Mrs. Miranda-Jmiranda@bcps.org

We kindly ask that you take this into consideration when scheduling any appointments, as students will not be released early after this time. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Please notify the office if there will be any changes to your address. It is the responsibility of the parents/guardian to report changes in residence and provide the school with the required residency documents within fifteen (15) days as set forth in Policy and Rule 5150. Failure to provide this information may result in the withdrawal of the student from school. http://www.bcps.org/system/policies_rules/rules/5000Series/RULE5150.pdf

UPDATING STUDENT INFORMATION

Please inform the office whenever there is any change in the family's address or home phone number or a parent's place of work, work phone number, cell phone number, or email address. It is extremely important that we have correct information on file at all times.

The Focus SIS System Now Has a Mobile APP

BCPS’ Focus Student Information System now has an accompanying app that can be used from mobile devices. The application can be used by Staff, Parents/Guardian’s, and Students.

Google Play Store: Team BCPS - Focus - Apps on Google Play

Apple App Store: Team BCPS- Focus- Apple App Store

FOCUS INFO
More information from BCPS about Focus App For Parents can be found here!
Directions on using the Focus App and logging in can be found here!
Directions on Creating a Parent Account can be found here!

Hello!

My name is Jessica Miranda and I am Northwest Academy's CARE Liaison! Please take a look at the resources and links provided below.

My email address is Jmiranda@bcps.org

Please let me know if I can help in any way. I have access to many resources available in our community so please don't hesitate to reach out if you or your child needs anything.

My Northwest Academy's family involvement goals are:

• To educate parents on the important role they play in assisting in their child’s education.

• To encourage parents to be actively involved in their child’s education at school.

• To communicate with parents as full partners in their child’s education.

• To provide parents with opportunities, skills and tools to help them engage in meaningful parent-child learning activities.

Thank you to all of our parents and families for your incredible support, participation, and collaboration throughout this school year. Your involvement in our events, family nights, celebrations, workshops, volunteer opportunities, and school activities has helped make our school community stronger and more connected. We truly appreciate the time, energy, and encouragement you have given to our students, staff, and school community. Whether you attended an event, volunteered your time, shared feedback, or simply supported your child’s learning journey, your partnership has made a meaningful difference.

A special thank you for making our teachers feel so appreciated during Teacher Appreciation Week. Your generous donations of snacks, drinks, treats, and thoughtful gestures helped make the week extra special for our staff. Your kindness and support were truly appreciated by all. Together, we have created memorable experiences and a positive environment where our students can grow and succeed. Thank you for being an important part of our school family. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the coming school year!

As we begin planning for next year, we would love to hear your ideas and feedback. Please let us know what we can do to increase PTA membership and strengthen parent involvement at our school. Your voice, ideas, and partnership are valued and appreciated.

Please save the dates for these upcoming community events:
• Our Community Giveaway will be held on August 10th at Pikesville Middle School at 5-7 pm. Please stop by to receive free giveaways and enjoy fun family activities with our community partners and families.
• Our Coffee and Connection event is scheduled for August 13th at 9:30 a.m. at First Watch.
• Our Back-to-School Night will be held on August 26th from 4:00–6:00 p.m. Please mark your calendars and join us as we prepare for another successful school year together!

Brainfuse offers online chat with a tutor 2 p.m. to midnight seven days a week. Or submit a question and a tutor will answer within 24 hours. Kindergarten through college students can get help in math, science, English, social studies and more. Adults can access resources for GED and U.S. citizenship test prep, Microsoft Office skills and writing resumes and cover letters.

Parent University offers resources, videos, workshops, and system updates to support the needs of your family. Our program goals align with the BCPS Compass: Our Pathway to Excellence

This link will be updated periodically throughout the Summer with new updates and information.

From the Baltimore County Department of Health, Bureau of Behavioral Health:

Let us Pay for Swim Lessons. The Baltimore County Department of Health can assist with covering the cost (up to $1,000) of swim lesson for eligible children who live in Baltimore County that have Medical Assistance and attend mental health treatment. The referral form is attached. To discuss eligibility or questions, call or email us at 410-887-3828 / bhcaya@baltimorecountymd.gov. A list of a few local swim lesson providers is available below (alphabetical, not an endorsement):

• Brick Bodies: https://www.brickbodies.com/aquatics/swim-lessons/
• British Swim School: https://britishswimschool.com/northern-baltimore/
• Coppermine: https://www.gocoppermine.com/coppermine/programs/aquatic/
• Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore: https://www.jcc.org/program/swim-lessons/
• Kid's First Swim Schools: https://www.kidsfirstswim.com/

• BGE Here to Help: BGE’s payment flexibility and energy assistance resources to help residents manage their bills. The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) provides bill assistance to low-income households in the State of Maryland

Reminder that upcoming 7th grade students are required to have Tdap and MCV immunizations prior to the first day of the 2026-27 school year. If assistance is needed with obtaining them, contact your local health department at 410-887-2705 to obtain an appointment prior to the first day of school

If your student takes medication in school, a new signed physician medication order will be needed for the new school year.

If you would like discretionary medications ( Tylenol, cough drops etc.) made available to your student, signed consent forms are required and must be updated every new school year

medication order forms can be found on the school's website

.See attachment below

BCPS Service-Learning Agencies:

https://volunteer.baltimorecountymd.gov/approved-student-service-learning-sites/

BCPS Summer Camp (many programs are full but feel free to join the waitlist):

https://www.bcps.org/curriculum/literacy_and_humanities/integrated_arts/summer_camps

Employment for Minors:

If you are interested in having Souljah work this summer, here is the link to apply for a work permit https://labor.maryland.gov/labor/wages/empm.shtml

In Maryland, 14-year-olds can find employment at several major fast-food chains, grocery stores, and local businesses, including Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Giant Food to name a few.

CCBC's Summer Youth Classes

Looking for summer activities for your young learner? CCBC's Continuing Education offers a variety of summer classes for students ages 7-17. These classes are equal parts learning and fun – spanning from academics and STEM to cooking and baking, visual and performing arts and more! Whatever your child enjoys – we have a class for that!

Choose from our on-campus options at CCBC Essex and CCBC Owings Mills. Use the search button to see all upcoming youth classes or browse our catalog by topic.

If you need to request a copy of your child's 4th Quarter report card please fill out this form and it will be emailed to you.