NNCS Flyer Update

It's Soccer Season! Our teams are working hard on and off the field! Check out the link in the Athletic Highlights section for game schedules so you can come out and cheer our Flyers on!

Dear Flyer Community,

As we navigate the school year, we often focus on study habits, extracurricular activities, and busy daily routines. However, one of the most critical foundations for a student’s academic success, physical health, and emotional well-being is often overlooked: a good night’s sleep.

Sleep is not merely downtime for the body—it is an active state where the brain conducts vital maintenance. When students don't get enough sleep, their brains face significant challenges:

• Memory Consolidation & Learning: During sleep (specifically deep sleep and REM cycles), the brain processes and synthesizes the information learned throughout the day. Without sufficient rest, the neural pathways needed to store new facts and concepts are weakened, making it much harder to retain lessons and perform well on assessments.

• Focus and Executive Function: Sleep deprivation directly impacts the prefrontal cortex—the region of the brain responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, attention, and impulse control. A lack of rest leads to reduced concentration, slower processing speed, and increased difficulty staying on task.

• Emotional Regulation: The brain’s amygdala, which manages emotional responses, becomes hyperactive when sleep-deprived. Without enough rest to reset emotional balance, students are significantly more prone to mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and stress.

According to health professionals, students require substantial sleep to support their ongoing growth and brain development:

• Elementary Students (Ages 6–12): 9 to 12 hours per night

• Teenagers (Ages 13–18): 8 to 10 hours per night

Here are just some tips for building better sleep habits:

Establish a Consistent Schedule: Encourage your child to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—even on weekends.

Implement a Screen-Free Wind-Down: Turn off smartphones, tablets, TVs, and computers at least 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals to the brain that it’s time to sleep.

Create an Optimal Sleep Environment: Keep bedrooms cool, dark, and quiet.

Limit Evening Stimulants: Avoid caffeine (found in sodas, energy drinks, and tea) in the afternoon and evening.

By prioritizing sleep, we give our students the mental tools they need to stay focused, emotionally grounded, and ready to learn each day. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students' health and achievement!

Hoping you all have a restful weekend!

Brooke

Thursday, October 1 - Picture Day ( Grades 7-8)

Friday, October 2- Picture Day ( Grades 5-6)

Friday, October 9 - Staff Dev. Early Release

Monday, October 12 - Columbus Day – No School

Tuesday -Friday - October 13-16 - Spirit Week

Friday, October 16 - Pep Rally

Friday, October 23 - Key Club Middle Level Fun Night

Saturday, October 24 - Key Club Haunted House-All Welcome

Friday, October 30 - Staff Dev. Early Dismissal

Saturday, October 31 - Key Club Trick or Treat for UNICEF

Thursday, November 5 - End of 1st Marking Period

Student-athletes from across Section X took part in the Fall Student Leadership summit at Clarkson University, gaining valuable leadership skills, building connections and learning to make a positive impact in their schools and communities. Pictured above our Athletic Coordinator Becky Byrns works with a student group at the Summit on the Lego Challenge. We're proud of our future leaders for representing the Flyer teams and our schools so well! #studentathlete #LeadershipMatters

Congratulations to our Athletics Department on being recognized with School of Excellence status! We received this recognition because at least 75% of our varsity teams received Scholar-Athlete Team recognition during their respective sports seasons, highlighting a strong commitment to academic achievement across athletic programs. We are very proud of our Varsity Athletes for achieving this status!

Left to right: Erika Backus, director of athletics at Lisbon Central School, Hayden LaMere, director of athletics at Tupper Lake Central School and Becky Byrns Athletic Coordinator at Norwood-Norfolk Central School.

Please feel free to contact me regarding any questions or concerns.

Click here to book an appointment with the Superintendent