North Windy News

October 19th - 23rd - SPIRIT WEEK *See flyer below

• Monday, October 19th - 🦅Blackhawk Brigade (6th Graders) to 🏐 NBMS Volleyball Game!
  
• ⭐💃🏼🕺🏼No after-school Zumba on Monday, 10/19. The final Zumba session will now be extended to Monday, December 7th.
• Friday, October 23rd - Homecoming @ NBHS
• Wednesday, October 28th - End of First Quarter
• Friday, October 30th - Early Dismissal (12:55 pm)
• Tuesday, November 3rd - Optional Teacher Work Day (No School for Students)
• Wednesday, November 11th - Veteran's Day (No school for students)

Buncombe County Schools District Calendars

WOW! What an incredible Ninja Run! 🥷🎉 Not only did we enjoy a beautiful fall day filled with fun, excitement, and school spirit at The Ridge, but we also SURPASSED our fundraising goal!

Our community is truly what makes North Buncombe schools so special! We are incredibly grateful for the generosity and support of our families and community members, and especially for our amazing PTO, who worked tirelessly to create an unforgettable experience for our students while raising much-needed funds that directly support our students, teachers, and school.

What a wonderful reminder of what we can accomplish when our school community comes together! THANK YOU! ❤️🖤

Mary Nichols
Principal

#RiseReadyatTheRidge!

You can find all North Windy News links here

Afterschool Enrichment is underway and we’re so glad to see our students enjoying these activities.

Just a reminder, please make sure your child is picked up on time at 4:15 for the following afterschool enrichment groups (Mondays: Zumba & Chess, Tuesdays: Soccer& Take Apart, Wednesdays: Crochet & Running).

• Miles/Cripps
• Edmonds/Roberts
  
• Dual Language - Ulloa
• Trader/Whitcher/Teague
  
• Clark/Prott/Miller
• Fleck/Hesson/Smith
  
• Kessler/Wilde/Shimer
  
• Maas/Deitz/Lawing

Last Chance to Contribute to our Fundraiser!

Log into MYBOOSTER.COM

Wow Blackhawk community! What an incredible job you've all done in contributing to our Ninja Run fundraiser!!! Thanks to you and your support, we have surpassed our goal for this year! Our program closes tomorrow morning, Oct 19th and we are so grateful for all the amazing contributions!

We had an incredible time at our run on Friday! Thank you to ALL for making this year’s Ninja Run one of the best ever, we couldn't have done it without each one of you!

You can still contribute at mybooster.com! THANK YOU BLACKHAWK FAMILY!

NWR PTO Website-> HERE! *

“Like” our NWR Facebook-> HERE!

At North Windy Ridge, the safety and well-being of our students is always a top priority. We utilize Linewize, a technology monitoring program that helps us keep students safe while using school-issued devices. Linewize can alert school administrators when students type potentially harmful, threatening, inappropriate, or concerning language, allowing us to follow up and provide support when needed.

While technology is an important tool for learning, it is also important that students understand the responsibility that comes with using it appropriately. I encourage parents to have conversations with their children about digital citizenship, making positive choices online, and using respectful language in all forms of communication. Together, we can help our Hawks stay safe, make good choices, and use technology in ways that support learning and positive relationships!

We will upload Conexiones Podcasts weekly on our YouTube channel here.

As you know, video cameras are used in common areas throughout our school to help support the safety and security of our students and staff. On October 1, 2026, the Board of Education adopted Policy 7325, "Video and Audio Recording by Employees," to formally establish guidelines for these systems. The policy does not change how our cameras are used, rather it provides a clear framework for their continued use. We appreciate your partnership in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all.

Monday:

• Zumba with Ms. Young (9 weeks until 4:15) - starting September 28 through November 30, 2026 (no school on Oct 5) in Ms Young's Room East Hall

• Chess with Ms. Whitcher (9 weeks until 4:15) - starting September 28 through November 30, 2026 (no school on Oct 5) in Ms Whitcher's Room South Hall

• Battle of the Books (5th Grade) with Ms Cripps - (starting Oct 26 through March, select Mondays) in Media Center

Tuesday:

• Take Apart with Ms Fleck (9 weeks until 4:15) - starting September 29 through December 8, 2026 (no school on Oct 6 & Nov 3) in North Science Lab

• Soccer with Sra Ulloa (9 weeks until 4:15) - starting September 29 through December 8, 2026 (no school on Oct 6 & Nov 3) at the Playground or Gym

• Chorus with Ms. Budhisetiawan (starting Sept 22 through Jan 19)** in Music Room East Hall

Wednesday:

• Crochet with Ms. Deitz & Ms Smith (9 weeks until 4:15) - starting September 30 through December 9, 2026 (No school on Nov 11 and Nov 25) in Ms Deitz's Room East Hall

• Running & Fitness with Ms. Jamerson & Mr Prott (9 weeks until 4:15) - starting September 30 through December 9, 2026 ) (No school on Nov 11 & Nov 25) on Playground track or Gym

• Battle of the Books (6th Grade) with Ms Garden & Ms Brillisour - (starting Oct 7 through March) in Media Center

Thursday:

• Math Counts - (starting Oct 22 through Spring in Ms Keitt's Room North Hall)

• Zaniacs* 3:00 - 4:00 (starting Sept 24 through Dec 3 in STEM Room)

Blackhawk Brigade is open to all 6th graders! This unique opportunity support Blackhawk Pride, an introduction to middle school sports, and it also helps students get excited for their future transition to middle school. After all, that's what we're all about! Students can ride a bus with friends to the middle school game (Football, soccer, volleyball), hang out and watch the game, and then they get picked up by parents/family. Students do spend time "hanging out" at NBMS in between arriving and when the game starts at 4:30. They can do homework or play ball on the blacktop. A NWR staff member will supervise. The cost is $8 - this covers the ticket to see the game, snacks and other materials we might use in that time between arrival and game time.

Winter Sports Schedule Coming Soon!

Every 6 weeks our school hosts a PBIS reward for students who meet these criteria. The purpose of this is to inspire and encourage our students to attend school, be on their best HAWKS behavior, and complete their work/aim for good grades. Our rewards are usually a fun social event with the whole grade level so students can spend time with their friends.

High Expectations + High Supports is at the heart of what it means to Rise Ready! As our students grow, we want them to take greater ownership of their learning—but we also know organization and independence are skills that must be taught, practiced, and supported. Our SOAR Organizational System gives every Hawk consistent tools and routines to Stay Organized, Own Their Learning, Always Be Prepared, and be Ready to Learn. Learn more about how SOAR will help your child build the habits and confidence they need for middle school and beyond!

• We have an email address for all attendance and transportation-related inquiries. You can reach us at: nwr.attendance@bcsemail.org This email address is monitored throughout the day!
• If you need to check your child out early, please check them out BEFORE 2:15. We will not be checking students out the last 30 minutes of the day as this interrupts instruction.
• If you need to make a dismissal change for your student, please contact the front office before 1:15 pm. each day. All dismissal changes must be in writing.
• If you have a last-minute emergency transportation change at the last minute, please email & call the school to confirm the update.

If you do not have your car tag, we will ask you to park, come inside, and show your ID. This safety measure helps us ensure every student leaves with an adult who has permission to pick them up. We may not have done this consistently in the past, but we will be consistent with this procedure going forward. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe!

Afternoon Car Line
Due to a large number of car riders, we have some buses that can’t get into our bus lot on time. In order to support our buses getting into the bus lot, please pull up to the car in front of you to avoid leaving large gaps between vehicles. Thank you for your help!

Help Us Keep Carline Safe! ☀️

Our afternoon carline is a busy place, and with the beautiful Fall weather, we know it’s tempting to step out of your vehicle and enjoy the grounds while you wait. However, for the safety of everyone involved, please remain inside your car at all times—including the period before dismissal begins.

Between staff transitions and students moving toward their vehicles, there is a lot of activity in a small space. When cars begin to move, having people standing outside their vehicles creates a significant safety risk.

To ensure a smooth and safe dismissal for our students and staff, please adhere to the following carline policy:

• Stay in your vehicle: All adults and children must remain inside their cars at all times (including before dismissal begins).

• Safety First: While the Fall weather is lovely, having individuals outside their cars creates dangerous blind spots for moving vehicles.

  Focus on Flow: Our staff and students are constantly moving through the line; keeping everyone inside their cars allows us to manage traffic safely and efficiently.

  
  

  Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our campus and our children safe every afternoon!

The NWR campus will open at 7:20 for morning arrival. No students may be dropped off prior to 7:20 AM. Students will wait in the cafeteria until they are dismissed to their homerooms at 7:30 AM. All students should be in their classrooms and ready to learn by 8:00 AM. Students who arrive after 8:00 AM will be marked tardy.

Car Riders:

Please follow the car rider line map in this newsletter. Never pass cards in the car line. Remind your child to be ready to exit the car when it's your turn. Always drive slowly on a school campus.

Please be respectful and patient. The first weeks of school are always a little bit confusing for everyone, and wait time can be longer. I promise it will improve as we move into the school year.

We love having families in our building, and we promise to have many opportunities for our community to be in our school this year. We also want our first day for students to start with high expectations for safety and routines. Because of this, we ask that you make sure your student is prepared to walk to class on their own. We will have many staff ready and waiting to help them along their way. Thank you for respecting this request.

Students will be dismissed from class at 2:55 pm. Buses will load in the bus lot.

All parents of car riders must use the car rider line to pick up their child(ren) in the afternoon.

Please view the illustration above to see how the car line works.

Dismissal Car Line Pro Tips:

• Pull all the way forward to the empty space, and a staff member will call for your child to come out.
  
• Please use your car tag each afternoon if you plan to use the car line. This will help the line move swiftly and efficiently.
• If you have someone picking your child up that is not YOU, make sure this person is listed in Infinite Campus, our new Student Information System, as someone who can pick up your child. We will ask for their ID to make sure they are who they say they are. We appreciate your patience and kindness in these circumstances; we definitely want to make sure we're sending kids home with adults who have permission to pick them up!
  
• If you do not have your car tag with your child's name, we will ask you to come into the office and get one, and we'll ask you to show and ID. We can't do this in the car line because only our office staff have access to that information in powerschool. Please remember that this is a commitment to keeping each child safe. We only want students going home with grownups who are approved for pick-up.
• Please be patient during the first few weeks of school. The car line always take a bit longer in the beginning, but we'll get the hang of it! After a week or so, it's usually about 15 minutes.
  

The Buncombe County Schools Transportation Department is excited to bring our families the Edulog Parent Portal App. This smartphone app allows parents to receive specific information about their child’s school bus ride. Parents will be able to:

• Access designated bus stop times and locations for their child.

• Monitor real-time information about the location of their child’s school bus.

• Receive notifications when the bus is getting close to the assigned bus stop.

To Download the app search for Edulog Parent Portal in the app store for Apple or Google or Scan the QR code below.

Links to Parent Portal Information

Edulog Parent Portal Video

Edulog Parent Portal Step by Step Directions

Edulog Parent Portal Step by Step Directions (Spanish)

Our counselors, Ms. Olenick and Ms. Jamerson, will be offering Infinite Campus support for parents from 7:45-8:15 from Friday, August 28th - Friday, September 4th. Drop-in (no appointment needed) and we'll be available to help you get signed on and get your app working! Monitoring Infinite Campus is an important way you can help your student be successful at North Windy Ridge.

Below are directions if you want to give it a try on your own!

Campus Parent App

One MAJOR way you can support your child at NWR is to sign up for and monitor Infinite Campus Parent App (Campus Parent). You can help your student monitor their grades, attendance, and more.

Setting Up Your Infinite Campus Parent Portal

*If you're setting it up for the first time, try using a web browser, not the app, to set it up. THEN install the app on your device.

1. Visit this link for NCSIS registration.

2. Select Buncombe County Schools from the drop down menu.

3. Enter your student's ID number (they may know it as their "lunch number"), their first name, last name, and date of birth.

4. Follow the instructions to verify your identity.

5. You should instantly receive an activation key and link to complete your parent portal setup.

Once your parent portal is established, use this link to sign in anytime with your user name and password. You may also want to download the Campus Parent mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.

Click here to visit our district NCSIS page for quick-start guides and helpful videos to learn how to use all of the features of your Infinite Campus parent portal.

Intermediate school is such a unique and important time. Students arrive still very much connected to their elementary school experience, and just two years later, they leave us ready to take on middle school. During these years, they’re ready for more—more responsibility, more independence, more ownership, and new friendships. At the same time, they’re still learning how to navigate all of those things. That’s where we come in.

At North Windy Ridge, we see these two years as an incredible opportunity to help students discover what they’re capable of while giving them the support they need along the way.

This year, you’ll notice a new phrase throughout our building and in my newsletters: Rise Ready.

These are the years that build momentum. At North Windy Ridge, students are challenged to stretch, supported to succeed, and equipped with the skills and confidence to RISE READY for middle school.

That is more than our theme for the year—it’s our commitment to your child and your family. We will work hard to know your child, challenge them, support them, celebrate their growth, and help them become more confident and capable versions of themselves.

We can’t wait to get started.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided at no cost to all students this school year!

*You can add money to your child's account for extra purchases like snacks, ice cream, or additional items from the lunch menu. Use this link to add money.

We are pleased to inform you that Buncombe County Schools will be implementing a program available to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

What does this mean for you and your child(ren)?

Great news! All enrolled students at Buncombe County Schools are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no cost to your household each day of the school year. NWR Parents, there are no action steps for you to take at this time to participate in this program.

K-12 Prepayment will remain active allowing parents and guardians to place money on their students accounts to purchase a la carte items if they would like too. We look forward to serving your students during the 25-26 school year. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact us at Buncombe Schools Nutrition Office, 828 255-5932.

Participation matters! The more students who eat lunch and breakfast at our school increases the likelihood that this program will continue.

Students use lunch account funds to purchase things like extra snacks, Ice cream, and extra servings.

The information below are parts of our Student & Families Handbook. While we're still a month away from the start of school, it's important that our families know all the procedures and safety expectations. I'll leave these in our North Windy News throughout the year.

Translated versions will be coming soon! If you have any questions, please contact our front office.

Safety is one of my top priorities, and I want to be very clear with all of our families about the ways we will keep our students safe on our campus. The following procedures and expectations are in place with safety in mind. Please support our staff and students in keeping our campus safe by following these expectations at all times.

• All visitors must check in each time with no exceptions. You'll get a badge or sticker to wear, and you must wear the badge/sticker at all times. If you do not have the badge/sticker on, our staff will politely ask if we can help you, so please be kind to staff in response.
• Visitors are only allowed to visit a classroom ONLY if they have a scheduled appointment with the teacher. We want to protect the instructional time of all students.
• All doors will remain locked at all times. We do not prop doors for any reason.
• Visitors will not use the front doors any longer. Visitors will have a special door to the left of the front door.
• If you are already inside the school, please do not open the front door for others. Please allow our office staff to safely screen each person entering the building.

Please follow this "Multi-visitor Entrance Procedure:"

1. If you have buzzed in and are being screened and you notice another visitor is arriving, please don't hold the door and allow anyone in without being screened first.
2. If the other visitor is 15 feet or less from the door, please buzz in and be screened together.
3. If the visitor is more than 15 feet from the door, please buzz in and ensure the door is closed completely after you enter.

We certainly want to encourage politeness, and we also want our visitors to understand that it is unsafe to hold doors and allow visitors in without being verified by front office staff first. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

School safety is the most important component of our day. We know we must balance safety with having a welcoming school building so that parents and community members can be part of our school. Please help us do this by honoring these safety protocols about entering our building.

Visitors will only be allowed to visit a classroom if the visitor has scheduled the visit with the teacher beforehand or if the visitor is a scheduled volunteer.

ALL parents and visitors to campus must sign in at the office and obtain a visitor sticker (or a volunteer pass if applicable). Please note that you must sign in even if your visit will be brief. Your cooperation in helping us to follow district policy and ensuring the safety of all children is expected and appreciated.

If you have an appointment or scheduled time to be at school in the morning, and wish to walk in with your child, please still plan to follow the established procedure of coming to the office, signing the visitor registry, and obtaining a visitor tag.

We have a new front office configuration. Visitors must sign in before they can be allowed to enter our building from the waiting area.

Here's the excerpt from our NWR Student & Families Handbook:

All visitors must enter the building through the visitor’s entrance at the front of the school. You will be allowed to enter a small space, where you then must sign in and get a visitor’s pass from the Raptor Visitor Management system before being buzzed into our waiting room. Raptor requires a driver’s license/passport to sign into the system.

• Anyone visiting or volunteering should have their driver’s license/passport with them.

• For the safety of ALL students, having lunch with your child in the school cafeteria is not recommended unless there is a school wide invitation to families.

• Also, please remember to sign out in the office before leaving the building.

• Volunteers with a scheduled volunteer responsibility will be allowed to enter the main part of the building to complete their task/s.

• If you are picking up your student, you must wait in the waiting area, which is connected to the new visitor entrance.

• We do not allow parents to walk to classrooms for unscheduled visits or conversations with teachers. If you have a conference scheduled with a teacher, we will confirm with the teacher before allowing the parent/guardian to exit the waiting room.

North Windy Ridge School encourages students to dress in comfortable clothing that complements a positive school climate.

• Students will refrain from wearing baggy pants that fall below the waist and shirts that expose the midriff.
• No hats, hoods, bandanas or other head coverings are to be worn in the building. This includes headbands with ears or other costume-related head coverings.
• Attire should not include pajama wear.
• Shorts and skirts should be at least mid-thigh.
• Dresses, tank tops and any straps must be at least 3 fingers wide.
• Clothing must not advertise alcohol, drugs, or tobacco products or display inappropriate language or gestures. (This includes items that suggest inappropriate things as well).
• No "costume" attire, such as tails or paws or ears.
• No bedroom slippers. Shoes should be of a type suitable for daily physical education and/or recess. Students must wear tennis shoes on days scheduled in the gym for physical education.
• No chains or spikes on clothing or accessories.

The state legislature has recently passed a new state law prohibiting the use of cell phones during the instructional school day (8:00 am - 2:55 pm).

What does this mean? Your child may bring a cell phone to school but it is to be powered off and not seen or used during the instructional day. This also applies to other electronic devices. Please see the language below in the BCS School Board Policy.

Policy 4318: Therefore, students are permitted to possess such devices on school property so long as the devices are not turned on, used, displayed, visible, or otherwise creating a distraction during the instructional day. Wireless communication devices include, but are not limited to, cellular phones, smartwatches, earbuds, headphones, gaming devices, paging devices, two-way radios, tablet computers, laptop computers, electronic devices with internet capability, and other similar personal electronic devices.

1st Violation: The device will be taken and returned to the student at the end of the day.

2nd Violation: Parent/Guardian will be required to pick it up after school.

3rd Violation: Student will be required to leave the phone in the office each day.

*Refusal to turn over the cell phone to a staff member could result in additional consequences.

In Conclusion: Students will not be allowed to send or receive text messages from parents throughout the day. This means that families will need to discuss plans for after school and ensure that your child knows what that plan is. Parents will need to call the office for any after school changes.

• Students cannot have wireless earbuds/airpods/headphones on campus.
  
• Students should have WIRED headphones/earbuds to use for classroom instruction and classroom videos.

North Windy Ridge is lucky to have such an amazing office staff to support our staff, students, and families! Meet the ladies that make things happen at The Ridge!

The NWR Spirit Rock is ready to rent! Read below to learn more about this opportunity.

Click here to sign up: NWR Sign Up Genius

The NWR Spirit Rock is a great way to send a message for all to see! Congratulate your favorite student on an accomplishment, wish a student a Happy Birthday, show appreciation to your favorite teacher or staff member, celebrate a team win or let everyone know how much you love your school. The rock is available to reserve for the day or multiple days.

Reservations will be made only to a custodial parent or guardian of a current student, and NWR staff for their use and enjoyment.

Please read below for more information:

• The cost to rent the rock is $10.00 per day. The day is a 24 hour period and runs from 3:30 PM on the day before your rental day (time to get it painted) until 3:30 PM on your rental day.

• Reservations for Mondays include painting time on Friday afternoons after 3:30 PM. The campus gate will not be unlocked for weekend painting.

• Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Your reservation is not confirmed until payment has been received.

• Cash or Checks only. Checks should be made out to NWR. Payment should be turned in to the main office.

• No refunds will be given, even in the event of inclement weather.

Please remember the following requests:

• If you need to check your child out early, please check them out BEFORE 2:15. We will not be checking students out the last 30 minutes of the day as this interrupts instruction.
• If you need to make a dismissal change for your student, please contact the front office before 1:15 pm. each day. All dismissal changes must be in writing.
• We now have a new email address for all attendance and transportation-related inquiries. You can reach us at: nwr.attendance@bcsemail.org This email address is monitored throughout the day!
  
• If you have an emergency transportation change at the last minute, please email & call the school to confirm the update.

Ingles:

As we start another school year, remember it's time to link your Ingles Advantage Card to North Windy Ridge Intermediate School. This must be done each year to ensure the benefits from your card will support our school! Ingles Tools for Schools makes a huge difference in our school. Thanks for your support.

https://www.ingles-markets.com/tools-for-schools-link

Students must be in attendance for more than half a day (11:30 a.m.) to be counted present for the day. On a two hour delay, the half day mark is considered 12:15. On a three hour delay, the half day mark is considered 12:45. Students arriving at school after 8:00 AM must report to the office and to sign in. Tardies will only be excused if accompanied by a medical (doctor or dentist) statement or if excused by the principal. These notes/statements should be presented to the office staff when signing in. Upon returning to school from an absence, students must bring their teacher a parent note or medical statement (doctor or dentist) giving the reason for the absence.

Our day starts promptly at 8:00 am. Please work together as a family to have your child arrive on time, with time to get settled in their classroom, and ready to learn at 8:00 am. If your child plans to eat breakfast at school, please do your best to have them arrive with time to eat before lessons begin at 8:00 am.

If your student will be taking an extended trip during the school year, please communicate with our data manager, Alisha Young (Alisha.young@bcsemail.org) at least 2 weeks before the trip is to take place. This will allow us to properly document the student's absences and complete any necessary paperwork.

Email Alisha.Young@bcsemail.org, NWR Data Manager, to check your Powerschool settings and contact information.

Phone: 828-658-1892

Address: 20 Doan Road, Weaverville, NC 28787

Email:

Mary Nichols - Principal (Mary.Nichols@bcsemail.org)

Tara.Conley - Assistant Principal (Tara.Conley@bcsemail.org)

Leah Erwin - Receptionist (Leah.Erwin@bcsemail.org)

• Buses
• Dismissal changes
• Absence notification

Alisha Young - Data Manager & Student Information Specialist (Alisha.Young@bcsemail.org)

• attendance
• student information/records
• immunizations
• enrollment

Mandy Brewer - Head Secretary (Amanda.Brewer@bcsemail.org)

• general inquiries
• money questions related to school

Lillian Woods - Nurse at Weaverville Elementary & North Windy Ridge (Lillian.Woods@bcsemail.org).

• Medications
• Health History
• Safety Plans