Welcome to Week 23!

Thank you parents for reading our newsletter! We are now more than half way through the third grading period. A huge thank you to our teachers who have kept a steady instructional focus but have also found opportunities to weave in some fun. Jump Rope for Heart on Friday was a great opportunity to get students outside and moving! We are now in the process of organizing the Spring Book Fair that takes place on site during the last week of February! 

Students who are classified as English Language Learners will participate in WIDA testing during upcoming weeks.

There is no school on Monday, February 15 due to observance of Presidents Day. We hope you will enjoy your long weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope that you have an amazing Valentine's Day on Sunday, February 14. A friendly reminder - we are not accepting any deliveries at this time. Please check with your child’s teacher to see if they will hold a card/candy exchange. If so, your child is welcome to bring these to class. No open candy, cookies cupcakes, office deliveries, etc. Thank you for understanding and helping us keep everyone healthy and safe!

Time to Order Yearbooks!

NES 2020-21 yearbooks are now available for orders! This year, we will be accepting online orders, only. To place order, visit: https://strawbridge.fotomerchanthv.com/search/FMYB108165.

Yearbooks are $25 each. Personalized pages are available! Full page $75 and half a page $40. Flyers were sent home with students last week!

This week is FTE week. Students’ attendance and enrollment in programs is captured this week for funding purposes. Please ensure that your child is at school, on time each day! If sick, please do not send your child to school. Students who are on quarantine due to the Health Department guidelines will NOT be marked absent. However, they will be expected to participate in school work during their quarantine. Students who do not participate will be considered absent.

 

Black History Month Contest

First Lady Casey DeSantis announced that the theme for Black History Month will be “Community Champions – Celebrating the Contributions of African Americans in Florida’s Communities”.

Students can submit work in the following categories:

Student Art Contest - open to all K-3 students in Florida. Each student will submit original, two-dimensional artwork based on this year’s theme. Two winners will be selected.

Student Essay Contest - open to all 4-12 students in Florida. Each student will submit one essay no longer than 500 words based on this year’s theme. Three winners will be selected: one elementary school student (grades 4-5), one middle school student (grades 6-8) and one high school student (grades 9-12). Each winner will receive a 4-Year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation.

Excellence in Education Award - open to all full-time educators in an elementary, middle, or high school in Florida. Three winners will be selected: one elementary school teacher (grades K-5), one middle school teacher (grades 6-8) and one high school teacher (grades 9-12). Nominations may be submitted by a principal, teacher, parent/guardian or student.

Student contest forms and educator nomination forms must be mailed to Volunteer Florida or submitted online at www.FloridaBlackHistory.com.

School Lunch Menu This Week  

Lunch and breakfast are free to all students! 

Weekend Meals

Weekend meals continue to be served at North Elementary School! Breakfast and lunch for Saturday and Sunday may be picked up (from the convenience from your car) at North Elementary students drop off and pickup loop (south side of the school) from 3:30 to 5:30 PM. Please do not line up prior to 3:20 PM as out student dismissal goes until 3:15 PM. Additionally, please use the interior lane for food distribution and exterior lane for aftercare pickup.

Important Dates

02/09/2021 School Board Meeting 6:00 PM. Mr. Victor Talavera will be recognized for his years of service with Okeechobee County Schools

02/15/2021 Presidents’ Day - No School

02/22/2021 NES Book Fair

02/25/2021 Parents Information Session and Family Night at the Book Fair

03/11/2021 NES School Advisory Committee Meeting 5-6 PM

03/12/2021 End of 3rd 9 Weeks

03/15/2021 Spring Break starts

Additional Learning Activities and Resources

• NEW! Students in grades 3-5 can access their Acaletics practice tests at http://www.acaletics2.com/ under Math Club Portal. This includes video tutorials for items that they missed on their test.

• All district programs are accessed at https://launchpad.classlink.com/okeechobee

• Tutorials on Florida Standards are available at http://www.floridastudents.org/

• Video tutorials and practice for core subject areas on each grade level are available at https://www.khanacademy.org/

• Students are encouraged  to complete math practice in Reflex Math (access through launchpad) until they reach a green light, and read at least 20 minutes each day.

Required Self-Screener

Self-screening is required prior to entering campus. Students exhibiting these symptoms at school will be sent home and may return according to the guidelines from our clinic.

• Temperature 100.4 degrees F or higher 
• Sore throat
• New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for students with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline)
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain
• New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
• Chills
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste of smell
• Congestion or runny nose

And/or,

• Had close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes) with a person with confirmed COVID-19

Additionally,

• Temperature checks are conducted for students and staff
• Walk in visitors are not allowed - always call ahead for an appointment
• Parent meetings are held virtually when at all possible
• Drop off of non-instructional items is not allowed.

School Safety

Reports concerning unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities, or the threat of these activities, can be made to appropriate public safety agencies and school officials using the following link: https://getfortifyfl.com/Tip.html. All students have access to this reporting tool on their Chromebooks at school.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tuuli Robinson

Principal of North Elementary School
robinsont@okee.k12.fl.us