Notes from the North Park Hive

Dear Families,

We are really hoping that the second week of February is better than the first week. We are hopeful that we will see our students all week. UPDATE: WE ARE OPERATING ON A TWO HOUR DELAY TOMORROW.

If your child finished the handwriting packet during the NTI/snow days, you can still send that in for the plush animal bracelet prize!

Valentine's Day celebrations will take place this Friday in classrooms. Please read the information your child's teacher sends carefully, as each teacher has their own plans and needs for their celebrations.

We will celebrate the 100th Day TOMORROW (or whatever or our first day back is this week).

Families - I need your help with a special project. Throughout the first two weeks of February, I am going to ask you to help show some love to our staff. It's easy and free! Please use the link in the next section of the newsletter to leave a message for a specific staff member, group of staff members or a whole department (like the cafeteria, office, kinder or preschool team, bus drivers or custodians). We want to fill our KudoBoard with shoutouts and LOTS OF LOVE for our staff!

Please call the NPES office at 270-351-4464 or email laurabeth.hayes@hardin.kyschools.us if I can help you with anything!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Hayes (principal)

Thanks to those who have submitted a message for staff. We have nearly 700 students, so we need a LOT more messages to share some love with our staff. If you can take a couple minutes to send a quick message of thanks, we would really appreciate it!!

Use the link below to add a message or note to LOVE on our staff. You can give a shoutout or statement to any teacher/staff member, a group (cafeteria, bus drivers, office, preschool/kindergarten, SRO, nurse, etc.). I've included a list of staff names if you needed to remember a name of a specific staff member or their role at NPES. Help us FILL OUR WALL with love for NPES! I will be sharing these responses in slide show form with our staff on Valentine's Day! Just click the link and then click "ADD TO BOARD" when it pops up. I'm making a slideshow out of all your messages for Valentines' Day!

We are so excited about our big preschool and kindergarten early registration day event! Each year, we register kindergarten students and have screeners for preschoolers in March. This is an important event for your children and our school! This year's event is March 6th from 9:00-2:00. If your child is coming to kindergarten, it is very important for him/her to attend this event. Even if your child is a current NPES preschooler, we still want you to attend. You will complete paperwork while we do some activities with your child. Your child will also get free gifts and items to take home! We can't wait to see you there.

Order your yearbook on this snowy day! Go to www.strawbridge.net and enter the code YB33362. See the graphic attached. We are accepting orders until 3/20/26, so order today so you don't forget! The yearbook is a perfect preschool and kindergarten keepsake!

REGISTER TODAY!!!!!!!! We want to raise a lot of money to support the Kids Heart Challenge (American Heart Association) and our school! This is such a great cause and also helps children learn how to handle a cardiac emergency with any adult they may be around.

https://www2.heart.org/site/SPageNavigator/ym_school_search.html

The Kids Heart Challenge (formerly Jump Rope for Heart) is part of the American Heart Association and a tradition here at NPES! Each year we have been able to raise $5000-$10,000 for the AHA through your support and sharing! Our kids earn TONS of cool prizes from AHA, we have a BIG event with stations, music and snacks in the gym, and kids love it! Our event was scheduled for February 13th to coordinate with Valentine's Day. We will now have the event on February 20th! Our school does receive some funding for PE equipment through the donations as well. Most importantly, the program helps save the lives of kids with heart conditions through research support/funding! It is an organization near and dear to my heart/family. More info to come. I have attached a video from Coach Ace showcasing the prizes!

The 100th Day of School was technically the NTI day last Wednesday. We will celebrate the first day we are back to in-person instruction. I know many of you have made/bought special shirts, outfits, etc. So, keep those handy and ready. As soon as we are back, we want to celebrate!

This week we will send home a HANDWRITING CHALLENGE packet to all kindergarten students (it is not developmentally appropriate for our preschoolers just yet). This packet will include practice pages for writing uppercase/lowercase letters, numbers, your child's name AND some of our frequently used red words (sight words). Handwriting is a VERY important skill that we do focus on each day in kindergarten. However, it takes muscle memory and PRACTICE to become better at fine motor activities, like handwriting. Many of our students simply do not get enough practice at school and need the extra practice at home. Handwriting is a core foundational skill that students use throughout all of school, so it is important to learn to form the letters correctly and not develop bad habits. Once your student completes the packet, he or she will earn a plush ocean animal bracelet!! Thank you for helping us give our students some extra support on this skill.

Help NPES receive money to help our students at no extra expense to you. You are already purchasing the items. Just scan your receipt and if there are any Box Top items NPES will receive $0.10 per qualifying item. Download the app and help us help your children!

In the month of December we earned $20.90 with your help. Let's see how much we can earn in January!

Thanks to our fabulous student teacher in preschool, Mrs. Taulbee, she has prepared some fun things you can do at home together as a family with music/movement.

Check out her link below!

Our February lunch menu is in revision right now due to the days missed. As soon as we have that menu, we will share it with you.

We LOVE seeing students reading at home with their families!!!! The February reading leaves will come home SOON. In the meantime, you can access the file below.