North Star Weekly Communication

Mission: North Star is a caring community that helps children grow.

Vision: North Star will be recognized as a school that inspires a love of learning.

Core Values:

• Respect for All
• Supportive Community

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nesZrgZQhFc

We are excited to announce that Jennifer MacBride has joined the North Star Team!. Jennifer was hired to replace Mrs. Donaldson's position as school counselor for grades 3-5. Please welcome her at your earliest convenience. Families wishing to connect with Mrs. MacBride can do so by emailing her at:

jennifer.macbride@redclay.k12.de.us

From the desk of the PTA:

Spirit Fest is North Star PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the year, helping fund student programs, classroom reimbursement, field trips & assemblies, recess equipment, family events, and staff appreciation.

No pizza. No wrapping paper. No selling! We’re simply asking for donations. Use this link to create a fundraising page for your child and share it with family and friends.

https://www.givebacks.com/causes/nsp%0Atal/campaigns/spiritfest2026/participa%0Ant-center/register

🎯 School Goal: $15,000 — just $25 per student gets us there!

☀️ Classroom Challenge: Every class raising $500+ earns a special visit from a student-themed Sunshine Cart!

This Week:

• September 21: No school for students in observance of Yom Kippur
• September 21: NSE Friendly's Night in Lantana Square 4:00-8:00-Dine in or carry out, a portion of the proceeds helps support the NSE PTA

• September 22: Practice Fire Drill at 10:30

• September 22: NSE Friendly's Night in Lantana Square 4:00-8:00-Dine in or carry out, a portion of the proceeds helps support the NSE PTA

• September 24: NSE Back to School Open House 6:00pm (Details below)

Thinking ahead:

• September 28: Coastal Wilds Assembly (Details below)
• September 29: NSE BYOP and Hayride 6:00-8:00 (Details below)

• October 6: Bus Evacuation Drills

• October 13: Red Clay Day-Wear red (Details below)

• October 16: Professional Development Day-No school for students
• October 20: District Choice Information Night 6pm (Virtual)
• October 21: School Board Meeting- Cab 7:00pm
• October 29: Red Clay College and Career Fair at The John Dickinson School 5pm-7pm
• October 30: End of the 1st Marking Period

In grades 2 -5 students take an adaptive assessment in Reading and Math that identifies the students' strengths and opportunities for growth. It is given at the beginning, middle and end of year. This information helps determine how to best support their learning.

Family access has been enabled for all schools for the Fall iReady test administration. Families can access the "For Families" report through their student's iReady Dashboard. The directions are shared below and we encourage you to view your student's iReady diagnostic results.

Please click on the link below to access the clickable Infinite Campus Links:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VDWxCR0glejEj5dTuIjQPIhHpM3pL1Y1/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115202154315913935041&rtpof=true&sd=true

From the desk of Mrs. Schweizer:

Hi, everyone! We will have Coastal Wilds visiting us on Monday, 9/28 for an assembly. All assemblies will take place in the gym.

Coastal Wilds’s free mobile animal education program is a great way to get kids more involved with natural wildlife and give them an up-close and personal experience with the different kinds of animals we share the planet with. Students participate by asking questions and responding to the speaker, making the program not only educational but also entertaining! Here is the webpage if you want to check it out:

https://www.coastalwilds.org/education

Families must sign a permission slip for their child to participate in the animal show (Paper copies were sent home, but you can also access the link below as well. Help support our Animal Ambassadors with an Animal Experience Photo or Merchandise (OPTIONAL)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HfOjmAzOTmHJm5trm9VIkwefgo72MB8v/view?usp=drive_link

Purchase timed tickets here: https://www.givebacks.com/causes/nspta1/events/0b27fe8960

Interested in being a part of our first big family event of the school year? WE NEED YOU!

We love our parent volunteers and we would love to have you! Please access the link below and sign up for a slot that works for you. Thank you for your time!

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/409054FA8AF23AB9-51400460-byop

Please access the link below to become a member:

https://nspta1.givebacks.com/

NSE Families,

For your convenience, I have included our Letter Day calendar and Specials Rotations so that you will be able to determine when your child has Gym, Art, Library, Music, and Guidance. Your child's classroom will have a different specials class depending on the letter of the day. Please check the letter day calendar first and then review the related arts schedule. Please reach out if you need any clarification.

Letter Day Calendar:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xwYng-MInG5sdwX3ASG26T6NYwtnjAZbRiTZvqIWKN0/edit?usp=sharing

Specials Rotations:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LZ2wVanSjnR8AtRBg4iotGxu66Q5FCvUX9V0in5lm4U/edit?usp=sharing

Please access the link below for our breakfast and lunch menus:

https://bit.ly/45Eig9q

The Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC) is pleased to invite your school to participate in the 2026 Disability History and Awareness Month (DHAM) Poster Contest. This year’s theme is “Kindness Makes Us Strong!” ​​

In 2011, Governor Markell signed House Bill 123, designating October as Disability History and Awareness Month in Delaware and encouraging schools across the state to engage in activities that promote disability awareness. Many districts and charter schools have participated in past years through school announcements, newsletters, guest speakers, and by encouraging students to submit artwork to the statewide poster contest. We hope to see participation from all Delaware schools this year. ​​

New for K–2 Students:
To ensure our youngest learners can join in the fun, we have included a special coloring sheet designed for students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. These students may submit a completed coloring sheet instead of creating an original poster, if that is more accessible or enjoyable for them.
You’ll find the coloring sheet attached with this email.

Key Details:

• Who may enter: Any student attending a Delaware public, private, or charter school.
• Divisions: Elementary (K–5), Middle (6–8), High (9–12), Computer Generated Art (Grades 9–12), and Adapted/Assisted Art. ​​
• Deadline: Posters (and K–2 coloring sheets) must be postmarked by Monday, November 30, 2026. ​​
• Submission: Entries should be mailed to the GACEC office in Dover, DE.
• Notification: Winners will be notified by December 7, 2026 and invited to a Cookie Reception on Friday, February 12, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. ​​

Please review the attached Poster Specifications and Contest Rules for full details. Entry forms may be duplicated and must be securely attached to the back of each poster or coloring sheet. ​​

Your support helps promote understanding, inclusion, and appreciation for the talents of Delaware students. If you have any questions, please contact Kathie Cherry, GACEC Office Manager, at (302) 739‑4553 or kathie.cherry@delaware.gov. ​​

Welcome back to a new school year! Delaware Coast Day is Sunday, October 4 and the University of Delaware has some exciting opportunities for your students.

Now in its 50th year, Coast Day draws attendees to UD's Lewes campus to explore cutting-edge science through hands-on activities, live demonstrations, lab and ship tours, and more. This year, the University of Delaware has TWO Coast Day student contests.

Coast Day Essay Contest

Delaware Sea Grant is excited to announce the return of our 5th-grade Coast Day essay contest. This year, students are being asked to describe their favorite ecosystem or habitat in Delaware to visit and explore, what types of animals and plants live there, why that ecosystem or habitat is important and what people can do to protect that ecosystem or habitat. This contest is only open to Delaware 5th Grade Students. Go to the Coast Day website at https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/ceoe/documents/community/2026_CD_essay_packet-8-27-26.pdf for more information. Essays must be submitted by 5:00 pm on October 9, 2026.

2026 Coast Day Student Poster Contest

Imagine floating high above the Earth and looking down at the ocean far below. What do you see? Swirls of blue and green water, a giant spinning storm, whales near a sandy coastline, ice shining white at the top of the world — or something no one has ever seen before! Make a poster of the ocean as you picture it from space and sky, full of color, waves, weather, and wonder.

Show us the ocean the way almost no one gets to see it — from a satellite, a rocket, or an airplane, looking all the way down. Make a poster of the ocean as you picture it from space and sky, full of color, waves, weather, and wonder.

Who can enter

• Ages 5–18 — you must be 18 or younger as of October 4, 2026.
• Live in or attend school in Delaware, or live within 15 miles of the state border.
• Enter solo or as a team of two (age group set by the older teammate).
• One poster per person or team — if more than one comes in, we keep the most recent.

Entries must be submitted by 11:59pm on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

For more information, view the competition flyer at https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ybo1yTxQVa0gO0zKuaZV3gKcR2PzTsu/view?usp=drive_link.

We hope to see you at Coast Day on October 4. Visit the Coast Day website for more information on the event at https://www.udel.edu/ceoe/about/coastday/.

David Christopher

Delaware Sea Grant

In keeping with our healthy school initiative and the District’s commitment to providing a safe learning environment for students with food allergies, individual student birthdays will not be celebrated with food. Please do not send food items (ie: cupcakes, cookies, Rice Krispie treats, candy, chips, etc.) in with your child, as they will not be distributed. Bags with party favors that have items such as pencils, erasers, fidgets, stickers, etc., are acceptable as an alternative to treats. School-wide, birthdays will be acknowledged through morning announcements. If you are having a private party, please do not send invitations to school unless the entire class is invited. We thank you for your attention and compliance with our policy.

NSE Families,

Please access the link below to review Red Clay's cell phone policy with your children. Thank you for your attention:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11WydFyqpZ5JX9YlNS_Mcwy8k89wE9VT8EYADl3u-cng/edit?tab=t.0

NSE Families,

Please access the attachment below to review our NSE Family Handbook.

Please access the attachment below for Red Clay's Student and Family Handbook.

Need to go back and locate previous weekly newsletters for information? Here is a link to access them throughout the school year:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14sZfRlhoUkpGIXbOsKlwX_nMAz8aZgiJbWLNQfnbsM0/edit?usp=sharing

Kai Coders is returning to North Star Elementary for the 2026–27 school year with after-school Tech-Focused STEM programming. The program runs in 8-week sessions that align closely with the school marking periods, giving North Star Bears the flexibility to try other activities throughout the year or continue with Kai Coders and explore a new STEM theme each session. The first session, Wild Tech: Create Your Own Critter, will have students exploring coding, creative design, and simple circuitry while creating their own one-of-a-kind creatures. Programs are available for grades 3–5 on Tuesdays and grades 1–2 on Thursdays. Families can learn more and register at www.kaicoders.com.

These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Red Clay Consolidated School District. The Red Clay Consolidated School District has neither reviewed nor approved the program, personnel, activities, or organizations announced in this flyer. Permission to distribute this flyer should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement of the program by the school district. The Red Clay Consolidated School District shall be held harmless from any cause of action or claim filed arising out of the distribution of these materials, including all costs, attorney’s fees, and judgments or awards.

Email: jason.martin@redclay.k12.de.us
Website: https://www.redclayschools.com/northstar
Location: 1340 Little Baltimore Road Hockessin, DE 19707

https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Sx4iLPjjSP1aD5K9
Phone: 302.234.7200