NAMily Newsletter

Greetings NAMily!

November begins a month of gratitude and we are extremely grateful for the support we receive from our NAMily members! Thank you for attending conferences, after school events, and volunteering here at NAM. Our Trunk or Treat event and Vocabulary Parade were both a huge success! Please see Grandparents' Day information below for our next family event!

Principals Ferguson & Lewallen

November Highlights

6 Foundation Meeting 5p

6 PTO Meeting 6p

13 LSDMC 6:15p

8 Picture Day (Retakes)

14 Parent Teacher Conferences 4-7p

15 Career Day 9:30-11:30a

19 ILT Meeting 7:30a (due to Election Day)

20 LSDMC District Meeting 6-7:30 @ Ed Center

22 Grandparent’s Day 9:30-11a

25-29 No School for students (Holiday Break)

December Highlights

3 ILT Meeting 7:30a

3 Read a thon

10 Staff Meeting

4 PTO Meeting 6p

11 LSDMC 6:15p

17 ILT Meeting 8:00-8:30a

20 Holidays Around the World (AM Activities)

23-Jan 3 No School for students (Winter Break)

The G2W will have a Fish Fry Friday Fundraiser on Friday, November 8, 2024/
Parents can order anytime; students may order only after school. For details and to place orders, check the flyer, click the link, or scan the QR code.

Questions? Contact Ms. Sherrer (sherred@cpsboe.k12.oh.us) or Ms. Lena (brydiel@cpsboe.k12.oh.us).

Order Form: https://forms.gle/6ZfdE1kLwnHgEbxz9
Flyer: https://bit.ly/3NHksE6

Kudos to Girls 2 Women on an awesome Sneaker Ball. Everyone looked amazing and seemed to have a great time. Shout out to the G2W leaders, Ms. Denise Sherrer and Ms. Lena Brydie.

If you missed Trunk or Treat...you missed a great time. The weather was perfect, trunks were decorated well, the music was great, games were a lot of fun, costumes looked awesome, were volunteers were everywhere....a perfect combination for a well planned event. Thanks PTO for leading the charge on an amazing event! Go to the NAMS Community Facebook page to see more pictures.

PTO would like to extend a giant THANK YOU to our NAM community for making yesterday's Trunk or Treat such a success! Thank you to our trunk decorators, our candy and juice donators, our set up and clean up volunteers, our Fathers Group game-runners and train conductors, our school administration, and every parent who brought their excited kiddos out for a beautiful afternoon!

Congratulations to the Cross Country Team on a great season. Special shout out to Victoria Harloff who place #1 overall and Felix Robertson who placed #4 overall. Every player improved their time from the start of the season. Thanks to coach Caitlin for leading the team to victory.

See our guest readers below during the month of October.

President- Felix Robertson

Vice President- Elias Wright

Secretary- Zamirah Hicks

Treasurer- Dennis Ruff

Executive Board- Mirabel Ries-Brown & Liam Cookman

What is Thankfulness?

Thankfulness is being grateful for what you have. It is an attitude of gratitude for learning, loving, and being. It is appreciating the little things which happen around you and within you every day. It is having a sense of wonder about the beauty of this world. It is being aware of the gifts in your life.

Why Practice It?

Thankfulness brings contentment. It helps you find the good things in whatever happens. Without Thankfulness people can become negative. They wish things were different. They whine and complain when they don’t have everything their own way. They envy other people. With thankfulness, we keep a positive outlook. We can see the good in our lives and in whatever happens.

How Do You Practice It?

Being thankful is appreciating the things you have and the people you care about. Show your appreciation when someone does something kind for you. Focus on the good things about your life and count your blessings often. Even when things go wrong, you can be thankful if you find the lessons to be learned. Let others give to you. Expect The best in every situation.

What would Thankfulness look like if…

• You feel sad and defeated because of your problems?

• You wish you were more like a popular person you know?

• You go for a walk in a place of beauty?

• Your mother does something kind for you?

• You worry that you don’t have the right clothes?

• You are thinking about your day?

Affirmation

I am thankful for the many gifts within me and around me today. I appreciate my life. I look for the lessons. I expect the best.

Activities with Thankfulness

Thankfulness Ice Breaker

Walk around the room and when you come to someone ask “Marie, what are you grateful for?” Marie then asks you the same question. Move on to the next person, until everyone has shared with several others. Each time someone is asked the question, s/he needs to give a new answer.

Gratitude Journal

Each day write three things for which you are grateful.

Drawing Thankfulness

Make a poster or collage of things or people in your life for which you are thankful.

Poster Points

• An attitude of Gratitude

• An optimist to the end

• Look on the bright side

Quotable Quotes

“Have an attitude of Gratitude.”- Alcoholics Anonymous Slogan

“For what has been-thanks! For what shall be- yes!”-Dag Hammerskold

“Every morning, when we wake up, we have 24 brand new hours to live. What a precious gift!”- Thich Nhat Han

“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.”-Mary Jean Iron

“We receive more than we can ever give.”- Sir Thomas Moore

“The more we give, the more will come to us.” - Peggy Jenkins

Gratitude Journal for Kids

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about epilepsy, a chronic brain disorder that causes seizures. This condition affects individuals of all ages, races, and ethnicities. According to the CDC, in 2022, it impacted 2.9 million adults and 456,000 children in the U.S.

To show support during Epilepsy Awareness Month, we are asking everyone in the district to wear purple on November 15th!

Take a moment to read through the NAM Handbook. Sign this form to indicate that you have read the document.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G5ooJavbhKz1XQoXeLfeNUlBWAfHVvNt/edit

We have the best staff in the city of Cincinnati. join me in nominating staff members from NAM to be recognized for their great work in education. Click the link to see the various categories for nominations. https://greatercincyed.org/

Thanks to everyone who attended or assisted with the vocabulary parade. Please see pictures below from our Vocabulary Parade!

You have the right to know about the teaching qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher in a school receiving Title I funds

Check your child's backpack for information about purchasing Art to Remember that was made by your child. We have some amazing budding artists at NAM, don't miss a chance to get a copy of their keepsake.

Click here for steps to complete volunteer application.

Breakthrough Cincinnati is looking for the next cohort of amazingly curious and committed 5th and 6th-grade students who want to be academically challenged in the summer among a community of like-minded peers who aspire to go to college and make a difference in their community. Click here for more information.

If you are willing to serve as a Holiday Sponsor for a child or family, please email Rhonda Lewis at lewisrh@cpsboe.k12.oh.us with your name, phone number, email address, and the number of individuals you wish to support. Please include the following information:

1. Specify your preference for an individual or family size.

2. Holiday Sponsors will be paired with a Project Connect (PC) Liaison who will communicate the individual or family's wish list.

3. Sponsors will use this wish list as a reference for their shopping.

4. Once your shopping is complete, please inform your assigned PC Liaison, ensuring that the gifts are clearly labeled with the recipient's name(s).

5. Your assigned PC Liaison will arrange to collect the gifts and ensure they are delivered to the respective individual or family.

I am a neighbor of yours, living in the Belvedere. Every afternoon during the week a serious backup occurs on Clinton Springs because of the number of people trying to make left turns up Reading Road due to the very short turn light. Not only must it be frustrating for the drivers, but it makes it almost impossible for cars on Rose Hill to turn left onto Clinton Springs.

Part of the problem might be from the New School, but Probably more of your people might be among the frustrated.

The solution is for most people to go straight ahead across Reading Road for a short block, then turn right onto Dana at the roundabout, go a very short half block, and then turn right up Reading.

Our monthly Foundation meetings will be held in person in the NAM Music Room directly before the monthly PTO meetings. There will also be a Google Meet option (same link as the PTO meetings).

Foundation Meeting Agenda/Notes (Running Document):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_fKX2P2fPPbOlaBYPvSYS_tpL8tZgz8guAHfwribzFc/edit?usp=sharing

Google Meet Link if you need to join virtually:
Click this link: https://meet.google.com/tbo-edfm-xwn
Otherwise, to join by phone, dial +1 931-330-0530 and enter this PIN: 446 760 320#

NAM is hosting it's first Career Day, November 15 from 9:30-11:30a. This event is targeted towards 4th-6th graders. Professionals from various industries will be hosting activities at different stations. Students will rotate through these stations.

NAM administration is requesting parent volunteers to be an extra hand at each station, help move kids through the activities, and be floaters.

If you have questions please contact Ms. Brookins brookit@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

https://tinyurl.com/mtr4uhk5

The PTO has heard from many parents that they would like earlier communication about upcoming school events. Please reference this calendar throughout the year for school events. All PTO events are currently posted here for the year. PTO will update this calendar as we hear from other student orgs, like G2W, MORE, Student Council, etc.

https://namrockets.org/calendar/

Paper copies of school events will also be made available at the beginning of each quarter in the office.

The PTO often uses the NAM Facebook group to communicate with families. Please join to get important updates, voice your concerns, and join the discussion:

“2024-2025 NAMS Community”

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cincyNAMS

TriHealth Behavioral Services under the direction of Gwynn Griffiths is currently accepting referrals. If you are interested in services, contact Ms. Griffiths at griffig@cpsboe.k12.oh.us or 513-363-3900.

Click here to find Meeting agenda and notes. The next meeting will take place Wednesday, November 13th 6:15p Virtually. Click here to join the meeting.

Email: fergusk@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.cps-k12.org/northavondalemontessori
Location: 615 Clinton Springs Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Phone: (513) 407-2444
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPSNorthAvondale