NES Parent Newsletter 10/27/25

Dear NES Families,

Thank you for all who attended our first awards ceremony for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. We appreciated your patience and understanding as we worked through the check-in process. Our next ceremony will be in January with awards for K-2nd grade as well. All details will be shared as we finalize dates and times.

This upcoming week, along with our Book Fair, we'll be celebrating Red Ribbon Week, which is a great opportunity to talk to our students about making healthy choices and living a drug-free life. See the flyer below for daily themes and activities we'll have at school to promote this important message!

We are also hosting our annual Math Spooktacular! This will be a fun-filled evening where students can enjoy math-themed games and activities, plus a special trick-or-treat experience.

Costume Policy for Spooktacular and October 31st:

Students are welcome to dress up in their Halloween costumes for the Math Spooktacular event and again on October 31st!

However, please note the following safety rules:

• No face covering masks are allowed.

• No weapons of any sort are permitted, even fake or prop weapons.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our school environment safe for everyone!

We are still gratefully accepting candy donations to ensure every student can enjoy the trick-or-treat portion of the event! If you are able, please drop off individually wrapped candy/snacks in the front office. Every donation helps make the event a success!

We would love to have you join us for the Math Spooktacular or Book Fair! If you are an approved volunteer and are interested in helping out with either event, please reach out directly to Mrs. Suzette Murphy, PTO President, or Rosa in the front office for more details on how you can assist.

We look forward to a great week and seeing many of you at the Math Spooktacular!

With gratitude and positivity,

October:

10/27-10/31: Book Fair; Red Ribbon Week

10/28: Math Spooktacular and BOOK FAIR 5:30-7:30PM

November:

11/3: Fall Picture Retakes

11/4: PTO Meeting 3:15PM - Fundraisers, teacher supports, clubs

11/11: Veteran's Day

11/13: SAC Meeting

11/17 - 11/20: PBIS Mini Bash

11/21: STEM/Early Release Day

11/24-11/28: No School/Fall Break

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming! SAVE THE DATE for 10/27-10/31 and get your reader psyched to pick out their own books! Create your child’s Book Fair eWallet so they can shop cash-free, worry-free, and independently! It’s easy to set up and easy for others to contribute funds! Start here: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/northelementaryschool.

It's time for the North Elementary Read-A-Thon!

Our school Read-A-Thon begins on Wednesday October 1, 2025 and is sure to be a fun and exciting event.

We understand that your time is valuable. We also know that providing the best education for your child is important. That's why we are encouraging everyone to activate their student's Read-A-Thon account as soon as possible. The instructions are straightforward, making it quick and hassle-free, and it should take less than 5 minutes of your time.

This account will serve as a hub for recording and monitoring your child's progress as a Reader in the event, and for you to share their Read-A-Thon message with friends and family. Use the link below to activate your student's Reader account:
https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/pdBDQA/1?utm=email

Thank you so much for your participation and support. Together, we can make this Read-A-Thon an amazing experience for our young readers!

This is the mockup for the school jerseys similar to our staff shirts that some of you requested for students. These will be sold as pre-orders only and we will send information home once the Revtrak account is ready to receive orders. These DO NOT have a name/number on the back. The cost of these shirts will be $25. If you are paying with cash, the amount must be EXACT CHANGE. Once orders are opened (you will receive the order information in the newsletter and sent home with students) we will run the preorder for 2 WEEKS prior to ordering and will reach out once we receive the order. PLEASE DO NOT SEND IN MONEY AT THIS TIME.

We're wrapping up our discussion of Rule #1 from Jon Gordon's The Energy Bus: "You are the driver of your bus."

This is such a powerful message for our children (and for us!). It teaches them that they have control over their own attitude, effort, and choices, regardless of what happens around them. When they realize they're in the driver's seat, they stop seeing themselves as passive passengers and start taking responsibility for the direction their day, and their life, takes. They learn that they choose their own "route."

Action Step at Home

To reinforce this crucial lesson, here is a simple action step you can practice with your child this week:

When your child experiences a disappointment, a frustration, or even just a bad mood, try to gently shift their focus from the problem to their power.

Instead of accepting a statement like, "This is too hard!" or "My day is ruined because of X," try responding with one of the following "Driver Check-In" questions:

• "What 'road' are you choosing to drive on right now?" (Are you choosing the 'grumpy road' or the 'get-it-done road'?)

• "As the driver of your bus, what's one thing you can change about your attitude right now to make the trip better?"

• "Since you're the driver, what's the next positive action you can take to get your bus moving again?"

By using this language, you are empowering your child to grab the steering wheel and choose a positive direction!

Let's work together to help our students choose a positive route this month!

Lunch :

Monday - queso pull-aparts / turkey and cheese sandwiches

Tuesday - taco / grilled cheese

Wednesday - chicken patty on a bun / hot dogs

Thursday - Bat Chicken Nuggets / chef salads

Friday - pizza / pbj

Click below for the NES Student-Parent Handbook. Printed version is available in the front office upon request.

🎉We are loving our new app! ✨Access documents, news updates, and even emergency notifications, right from your pocket. Download for Android https://aptg.co/hJj62B Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/b6Km3j

FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials.

By accessing FortifyFL, students can provide a description of the threat, share pics and videos and optionally submit their contact information.

Click the button above to access the online reporting link.

NES Mission Statement:

Driven by our love for kids and passion for teaching, we provide a safe, structured, and joyful space where every child feels connected, cared for, and empowered to learn. Through collaboration and purposeful planning, we make learning fun, build strong foundations, and prepare students for their futures.

NES Vision Statement:

At NES, every student is known, loved, and empowered in a joyful, trusting community that builds strong foundations for lifelong success.

NES Core Values

Connection • Community • Safety • Growth