Navigator News

UPCOMING DATES

Feb. 4 (Wed): An Evening with Kurt Wootton, 6:00pm

RSVP HERE

Feb. 11 (Wed): Book Swap, 5:30

Feb. 13 (Fri): Progress Reports sent home

Feb. 13-27: Read-a-Thon

Feb. 16 (Mon): NO SCHOOL, President's Day

Feb. 18 (Wed): PTO Meeting at Mountain Air

Feb. 23-27: Screen Free Week

Feb. 26 (Th): Screen Free Week at Cuppa Yo, 4:00-9:00

a portion of the proceeds will go to North Star PTO

Principal Message

Dear North Star Families -

Well, it's still winter but it certainly feels like spring! Thank you to everyone that participated in the Youth Truth Family Survey. Once we have the results, we will share them with our community. Although February has just begun, we have many exiting things happening at North Star!

Joyful Exploration

Kurt Wootton will be with us February 3-5. We hope you can make it to the Family Session on Wednesday evening (2/4), 6:00! Please RSVP HERE if you are able to attend. Our teachers and staff are eager to continue the work we have been building with Kurt throughout the year, and we will share highlights with families once the week is complete.

Academic Growth

In January, students participated in winter benchmark assessments for reading and math. Teachers use this information to reflect on student learning and make instructional adjustments. As a school, we also review the data to monitor grade-level progress and evaluate our systems. Progress Reports provide a helpful snapshot of your child’s academic growth, especially as spring conferences approach later in March.

Culture of Care

This week’s 4Cs assembly focused on Compassion. We celebrated the story of our 4th-grade student, Tegen Crooks, who is also serving as the Sparrow for Bend Senior High School this year. Tegen and his family truly embody compassion and are wonderful role models for our school community. The video shared during the assembly is included below, and we hope you’ll take a few moments to watch.

With gratitude,

Beth Martin

PTO Happenings!

Upcoming PTO Dates:

February 11: Book Swap
February 13-27: Read-a-Thon
February 18: PTO Meeting at Mountain Air
February 23-27: Screen-Free Week
February 26: Cuppa Yo Night

Find details, RSVP links, and volunteer sign-ups at northstarelementarypto.org/events

Book Swap: Join us for a fun community evening Wednesday, February 11, 5:30 – 7:00 PM at North Star centered on sharing the love of reading! Students are invited to bring gently used books to the front office. During the Book Swap, they can "shop" for new-to-them favorites.

Read-A-Thon: The Read-A-Thon begins Friday, February 13, 2026! This event is designed to get students excited about reading while giving friends and family a simple and meaningful way to cheer them on. Families may activate their reader’s account at any time by visiting: Read-a-thon Activation Link

Screen Free Week: February 23 – February 27: Screen Free Week takes place during our Read-A-Thon and is a great opportunity to unplug, enjoy family time, and make space for reading at home. Students can sign a “pledge”, record their Screen-Free days, and compete to earn a party for the class with the most Screen-Free days! Printed Screen-Free alternatives will be available at the school.

Screen-Free week at Cuppa Yo: On Thursday, February 26, 4:00 – 9:00 PM you can purchase dessert at Cuppa Yo’s Henry Ave. location (near Costco) and mention North Star. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the PTO.

PTO Meeting: All North Star parents and caregivers are invited to our next PTO meeting February 18, 5:30pm at Mountain Air. Enjoy a free hour of jumping while we share a brief PTO update starting at 6pm. Mountain Air closes at 7pm, so arrive early if you’d like more jump time. RSVP here

Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT): We’re excited to bring MCT on board for an upcoming school production of Hercules, taking place May 4–9! You can find more information here: https://www.mctinc.org/red-truck-tour/faq/

Help Wanted!

Join the PTO Board: We're actively seeking enthusiastic parents for PTO board positions, including Vice President, and welcome members to join our Fundraising Committee. If you are interested in making a difference, please email us to learn more: info@northstarelementarypto.org

Missoula Children's Theatre!

Mark Your Calendars! Missoula Children's Theatre will be at North Star Elementary May 4-9 to put on a play with 50-60 of our students in the cast. Students will audition and practice after school throughout the week with two culminating performances. We can not wait for this experience to come to life at our school! You can find more information and FAQs HERE.

Progress Reports

Progress Reports will be sent home Friday, February 13. Please note that Progress Reports from North Star may come home later than other schools. This is due to assessment dates and the various events/school activities taking place around school.

Forest Day with Buddies!

Our kindergarten students had the most amazing time with their 3rd grade buddies at Forest Day! It was a magical experience for everyone. There's just something about being in nature and the simplicity of play that is good for the soul.

Volunteer Background Check

If you are interested in going on a field trip with your student’s class, or think you may be interested in the next few years, please fill out a volunteer background check! It takes 48-72 hours to clear, and is valid for two years. Please consider filling this out! If you have not filled it out, or it hasn’t yet cleared, you will not be able to go on a field trip or volunteer with your student’s class. There will be no exceptions.

https://www.bend.k12.or.us/district/organization/volunteer

Navigator News

February 2026