NMS December Newsletter

As the temperatures start to dip, we want to make sure our students stay warm and comfortable throughout the school day. While cozy blankets and heavy coats are perfect for the walk in or ride to school, they cannot be worn during class time.

Dressing in layers is the best way to stay warm while still meeting our dress code—sweaters, hoodies, and long sleeves are all great options.

Below is a reminder of our Attire Expectations

-NO HEADGEAR - (hats, beanies, bonnets) as stated in the Student Code of Conduct.

-NO CROP TOPS - Shirts must touch top of pants

-Shorts must be of reasonable length (mid-thigh)

-NO SLIPPERS - Footwear must be school appropriate

-BLANKETS/COATS can not be used throughout the school day

VIOLATIONS

• Asked to change clothes by either calling home or wearing a donated item from Petey's Closet
• Arguing will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary consequences

We want to provide a friendly reminder to families about our expectations for middle school students who remain on campus after dismissal—whether they are waiting for a younger sibling or have a later pickup time.

To ensure a safe, respectful, and orderly environment for all, please review the following guidelines:

• Students waiting for an Elementary sibling must remain on the middle school side of campus until 3:05 p.m.
• Warm weather: Students will wait outside the middle school doors until 3:05 p.m., then may walk over to meet their sibling or wait for pickup. They must leave campus promptly afterward.
• Cold weather: Students will wait inside the middle school foyer only. They are not permitted to re-enter the school building for any reason.

At all times, students are expected to behave respectfully, use appropriate language, and avoid any disruptive or unsafe behavior.

Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and may result in the student losing the privilege to remain on school property after dismissal.

Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a safe and positive school environment for all Northwood students.

• Dates to Remember
• School Contacts / School Nurse Notes - Medical Forms
• Honor Flight Donation
• Thank you- Pink Cookie Fundraiser
• Field Trip Central - SIGN UP NOW FOR END OF THE YEAR TRIPS!
• School Safety
• Student Drop off / Entry Map
• PBIS Focus
• While Out Walking
• School Clinic - Non-Urgent Visits
• PowerSchool Parent Portal - Communicating Missing/Makeup work
• Stay Connected! - Download the REMIND app
• Student Activities
• Electronic Expectations
• Quick Links
• Help Guide / Questions-Concerns

• 12/1 - Tech E Club - 2:15-3:00pm (permission slip required)
• 12/17 - Student Council Meeting - 2:30-3:00pm
• 12/18 - Choir / Orchestra Concert
• 12/19 - End of 2nd grading period
• 12/22 - RECORDS DAY - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
• 12/23-1/2 - NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
• 1/5 - SCHOOL RESUMES
• Every Wednesday - Acapella - 2:15-4:00pm

• January 5th - School Resumes from Winter Break
• January 13th & 15th - JVS Field Trip - more info TBA
• January 19th - Schools Closed - MLK Day
• January 20th - Semester 1 Awards - Invitation only - more info TBA
• January 30th - No School for Students - Professional Day

MAIN OFFICE - phone: 440-284-8016 fax: 440-284-1546

For Attendance and General School related inquiries.

• Secretary - Mrs. Jennifer Roy - royjennifer@elyriaschools.org
• Receptionist - Ms. Alena Valles - vallesalena@elyriaschools.org
• Assistant Principal - Mrs. Elizabeth Andrachik - andrachikelizabeth@elyriaschools.org
• 5/6 Principal - Mr. Michael Basinski - basinskimichael@elyriaschools.org
• 7/8 Principal - Mr. Jean Capacetti - capacettijean@elyriaschools.org

SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Mrs. Jill Marzec-marzecjill@elyriaschools.org

For schedule changes, or inquires. 504’s, College Credit Plus, JVS and Ohio State Testing.

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER - 440-284-8235

Chantille Jackson, MSW, LSW - JacksonChantille@elyriaschools.org

CLINIC - 440-284-8169

Nurse - Mrs. Tara DiFranco - difrancotara@elyriaschools.org

Health Aide - Ms. Megan Altheide - altheidemegan@elyriaschools.org

CLICK HERE for School Nurse Notes - Medical Forms

TRANSPORTATION: GGC BUS of Elyria - 440-284-8030

For any School Bus transportation questions or concerns.

ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT - 440-284-8260

For any student athlete questions or needs.

It was an absolute honor to deliver a cashier’s check for $1,169 to Honor Flight Cleveland. This incredible contribution was made possible by the generosity of our Northwood Campus families and the unwavering support of our community.

A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who donated, shared, and showed up—especially our veterans and all who attended the Veterans Day parade. Your presence and participation made the day truly meaningful, and it’s because of you that we can continue supporting programs that honor those who have served.

Thank you to everyone who supported our Pink Cookie Fundraiser!

All proceeds will go directly toward celebrating our amazing office aides, who support our office staff every single day with essential tasks like sorting materials, delivering messages, running errands, and so much more. Because of your generosity, they will enjoy their first-ever—and well-deserved—spring field trip.

We are truly grateful for the kindness and support shown by our school community. 💕

It’s that exciting time of year again—field trip season!

This is your go-to spot for all the details about our grade-level end-of-year trips. Each grade has its own special destination and trip advisor, who will be your main point of contact for any questions.

Below, you’ll find each grade’s trip information (as we get it), advisor contact details, and PDF attachments with all the important info. We’re looking forward to another great year of learning, laughter, and adventure on these annual trips!

5th - Firelands Scout Reservation -More info TBA - Advisors- Mrs.Duffner - Ms. Meyer

6th - COSI - more info TBA - Advisor - Mr.Basinski

7th - Henry Ford/Greenfield Village - Advisor - Mr. Capacetti

8th - Washington DC - Advisors - Mr. Black - Mr. McGeehen - Mrs. Yearley

Morning Traffic Safety

Please help us maintain a safe and orderly traffic pattern during morning drop-off. We have nine buses that arrive daily, and they may be delayed for a variety of reasons. For this reason, it is essential that families do not drop students off in front of the middle school entrance or near the stop sign.

Last year, a student was nearly pinned between two cars during morning drop-off. To help prevent incidents like this, Mr. Basinski is outside each morning to safely cross students at the crosswalk. Thank you for following the traffic pattern—your cooperation helps keep everyone safe.

Student Interactions and Verbal Safety

We also ask that you speak with your child about the importance of choosing their words carefully. Any threat—no matter the intent—must be taken very seriously. Students sometimes explain inappropriate comments by saying they were “just joking,” but in today’s society, we cannot and will not overlook any statement that could be interpreted as a threat toward another student.

Please remind your child to communicate respectfully and responsibly, and to seek help from an adult if they ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

Thank you for your continued support and vigilance. When families and school staff work together, we create the safe, welcoming environment every student deserves.

We love capturing the excitement of learning each day at Northwood! Here are a few snapshots of our students hard at work, collaborating with classmates, and engaging in their classrooms.

We’d like to address an important concern regarding the increasing number of student clinic visits. Our nurse and health aide support both the middle and elementary schools—responsible for just under 1,000 students daily—while managing timed medications, care plan development, education, conduct health screenings on over 500 students, urgent medical needs, etc.

Recently, there has been a noticeable rise in non-urgent visits. While we always want students to feel supported, frequent trips for minor issues—like slight headaches, stomachaches, or general fatigue—take time away from learning and strain clinic resources. We are asking families to talk with their students about when it’s appropriate to visit the clinic.

Moving forward, our staff will prioritize emergent medical needs, such as medication administration, injuries, allergic reactions, and fevers. Students with minor symptoms may be asked to remain in class when appropriate.

Thank you for your understanding and partnership as we continue to ensure the clinic is available for students who truly need immediate care.

• Check grades, assignments, and attendance anytime.

• Coordinate collecting missed work due to absences.

• Email teachers directly → Log in → Grades & Attendance → click the teacher’s name.

• This opens a direct line of communication about assignment details, due dates, and whether work is online or needs to be picked up from the office.

At Northwood Middle, we do our best to ensure that important information is shared with families through as many channels as possible. To help us maintain clear and consistent communication, we ask all parents and guardians to:

• Download the Remind app and join the grade-specific class for your student using the code provided below. This code will follow your student throughout their time at Northwood.

8th-(NMS Class of 2030) Code: @d93c97

7th-(NMS Class of 2031) Code: @278kfcd

6th-(NMS Class of 2032) Code: @bbg7c9

5th-(NMS Class of 2033) Code: @a2e6hdd

• Follow us on Facebook

• Sign up for text message updates for district school closures and urgent announcements. Send a text message saying "Yes" or "Y" to 67587.

• Keep your phone numbers and email addresses up to date in our system.

We understand that papers can get lost in backpacks or buried on kitchen counters, and emails can easily be missed. By using multiple platforms and encouraging families to opt in, we hope to minimize the chances of missing important updates about field trips, fundraisers, after-school activities, spirit weeks, and more.

Northwood offers a variety of clubs, extracurricular activities, and athletic opportunities throughout the school year! Be on the lookout for emails with sign-up dates, meeting times, and advisor contact information. Please note: Students must have their Back-to-School Update completed in order to participate in any club, sport or activity.

Clubs & Activities:

• Academic Challenge – Advisor: Mrs. VK

• Elyria Robotics – Advisor: Mrs. Chachko

• Spelling Bee – Advisors: Mrs. VK & Mrs. Kothe

• Student Council – Advisor: Mrs. Kothe

• Digital Skills Society - Advisor: Mrs. Kothe

• Tech E Club – Advisors: Mrs. Chachko & Mrs. Brillhart

• Theater/Play – Advisor: Mrs. Brown

• A-Capella – Advisor: Mrs. Brown

• WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) – Advisors: Ms. Geschke & Ms. Repas

Athletics (Grades 7 & 8 Only):

• Fall: Volleyball, Football, Cheerleading, Cross Country

• Winter: Boys & Girls Basketball, Wrestling, Cheerleading

• Spring: Track

For athletic-related questions, please contact our Middle School Athletic Director,

Matt Siwierka SiwierkaMathew@elyriaschools.org

Students are not permitted to use outside electronic devices during the school day. This includes cell phones, earbuds, headphones, tablets, and gaming devices (e.g., Nintendo Switch). If these items are seen or used, they will be immediately confiscated and handled according to the same procedures as our Cell Phone Policy.

Please note: The school is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged electronics. These items should not be brought into the building. Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining a focused and respectful learning environment.