Leading Edge Weekly Update

Hello Leading Edge Families!

This week in Leading Edge our Counselor Ms. G shared coping activities and wellness resources during Lunch for Suicide Prevention Week. LE students also started WIN (What I Need Groups), which provide differentiated support for students. Groups focus on literacy, portfolio work, leadership, math intervention, yearbook development and more! On Wednesdays during WIN time, students have the opportunity to meet with teachers for office hours.

Sincerely,

Caroline Hines

LE Principal

• LE showed hard work and perseverance at Thursday's away games against Heron!
• NCS Cross Country Running Team participated their 1st Meet today: "American River Open"
• Leading Edge 7/8 Volleyball and Flag Football have their first home games on Tuesday 9/15
• LET'S GO KNIGHTS!

09/14/26 - Panda Express Fundraiser (All Day!)

09/16/26 - LEAP Parent Meeting, 6:00pm (LMC, Blackrock Campus)

9/24/26 - NCS/BSU Family Mixer, 5:00-7:00pm (MPR, Blackrock Campus)

9/30/26 - Blackrock Math Night, 5:00-7:00pm (Blackrock Campus)

10/5/26-10/9/26 - Fall Break, No School

10/16/26 - NCS Family Carnival, 5:30-8:00pm (Blackrock Campus)

Order online at pandaexpress.com or through the app on September 14, use the fundraising code 9018008 at checkout, and we get 28% of all sales to support LE Academy. Please share the flyer, code, and information with friends and family to boost sales!

When: Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:45-3:30pm

Where: H-3 Classroom

Students are expected to be on task and engaged in work during this time. Study Hall dismisses at 3:30pm and students must exit campus and wait for their ride or check into KLE (Knight's Landing After School Program).

Student who are present and arrive on time to school (not tardy) from September 8th - October 16th are entered into a daily drawing. Student winners will get to select a prize from the PBIS ROCK Store and are announced on Schoology each week!

Parents, please check your email or text messages for direct access to your student's gallery. You may also visit our website below. This will require an "ONLINE CODE". This will be unique to each student and is their (Student ID Number).

Direct Link: NATOMAS CHARTER LEA FALL 2026-2027

OR

Go to https://billsmithphoto.com

Select View/Order Sports & Event Photos from the "View My Images” dropdown menu

Select NATOMAS CHARTER LEA FALL 2026-2027

Select your package

Order Questions? Call or Text (916)749-1026 (Press 1 if calling) or email services@billsmithphoto.com

We are looking for donations of individually wrapped snacks for students to purchase with their ROCK Tickets after School. Please drop donations in the Front Office Marked/Tagged with "Leading Edge ROCK Store" or Caroline Hines" on top (to ensure they go to Leading Edge).

Suggestions:

Gatorade, Sports Drinks

Pretzels, Crackers

Potato Chips, Tortilla Chips

Meat Jerky (Beef, Chicken, Turkey)

Spicy Chips

Cookies, Granola Bars

Protein Bars

Fruit Snacks

Visit https://yearbookordercenter.com?school=21679 to order now, and check this off your list before the price goes up on October 1st.

Next monthly meeting is Wednesday, September 16th from 6:00-7:00pm in the Library (LMC). We will be discussing several upcoming events, including the NCS Carnival on October 16th!

Virtual link for monthly meetings coming soon!

The NCS/BSU is excited to invite you to our 3rd Annual NCS/BSU Family Mixer! This special event is BSU’s way of celebrating the beginning of the 2026–2027 school year while creating an opportunity for our school community to connect, build relationships, and celebrate the richness of our culture.

Thursday, September 24th, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (MPR)

Come out and enjoy an evening filled with: Food, Music, Games & Activities, Fellowship & Connection, Culture & Community, Family & Fun. ALL ARE WELCOME! Whether you’re part of PFAA, Leading Edge Academy, or ECA, we would love to see you there.

If you are looking for ways to support your LE student with Middle School Math, this is the night attend! Our LE Math Teachers will be on site to provide strategies, support, and resources. Families who attend will be entered into a raffle to win a gift basket - more details to come!

Financial Literacy: The Garden Marketplace

Looking to give your student a head start on real-world financial skills and entrepreneurship? In this dynamic, hands-on 8-week enrichment course, Financial Literacy: The Garden Marketplace, students in grades 6-12 will step into the shoes of small business owners. Kickstarting week one, we will have market research surveys and peer product pitches. Throughout the session, participants will receive entry level analysis of product creation costs, working with practical math skills to determine profit margins, manage their own personal expense ledgers in Google sheets, as well as bringing their own products home that they have made in this course. Space is somewhat limited to ensure an interactive team environment!

Course Details:

Dates: Tuesdays starting September 22nd (8 sessions total; no class on 10/6, a non-school day)

Time: 3:45pm-4:45pm

Location: H3 Classroom

Deliverable: Hands-on product creation, real-world spreadsheets, and a final marketplace showcase!

Deadline: September 18th

Secure your student’s spot today via this Google Form!

Greetings Natomas Charter School Blackrock Families!

Your student is invited to join the NCS Readers Association. This is a literacy incentive program that the Blackrock Library Media Center is launching this school year!

How does this work?

Once your student signs up they will receive an email each week with a brief Google Form to track their minutes spent reading. As their time spent reading grows they will earn various prizes, like stickers, pencils, erasers, bookmarks, keychains, and other cool rewards.

By encouraging your student to sign up you are affirming the importance of reading!

How can students sign up?

There are two ways your student can sign up. They can either stop by the Blackrock LMC and sign up in person or they can use the link posted on Schoology (they must be logged in with their NCS email to access the Google Form).

Sign ups will be accepted until September 18th but will reopen at the start of next school year.

Knight's Landing is available cost-free for students who need to wait for a PFAA sibling until 3:35pm (when PFAA dismisses). This is the safest and preferred location for students to wait after school for their rides. For more information about KLE, please contact Greisy Delgado at gdelgado@natomascharter.org.

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global competition for students between the ages of 13 and 18. The Challenge invites them to create a short video - no longer than two minutes - that clearly and creatively explains a concept in life sciences, physics, or mathematics.

Watch the 2025 winning video to get inspired.

The winning student earns a $250,000 college scholarship. The teacher who inspired them gets a $50,000 award, and the student’s school receives a $100,000 high-tech science lab. They will also be honored at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony.

Submissions are due by September 25, 2026.

NCS Students and Families get a "buy 2 drinks get one free" special at Tapioca Express in Natomas on every Tuesday and Thursday! Just share that you are an NCS student or family to take advantage of the Special each week!

LE Bell Schedule 26-27

Leading Edge 26-27 Calendar

LE A/B Yearlong Calendar

LE Student and Family Handbook

Historical Family Communication

Leading Edge Facebook Page (Public Page - Please Follow!)

Leading Edge Parent Facebook Group (Private - Request to Join)