Northside Elementary

Upcoming Events for November

🛎⛈IMPORTANT - WEATHER UPDATE🛎⛈ Based on conversations with state and local emergency management agencies regarding the incoming inclement weather from Hurricane Helene, Thursday, September 26 and Friday, September 27 will be Learn-from-Home days for all Polk School District campuses. Please refer to communication channels from your student’s respective school/teacher for guidance and expectations regarding assignments. A decision related to extracurricular activities/sporting events for Friday and Saturday will be announced at a later time. We apologize for the inconvenience, but will always make decisions in the best interest of our students and staff, keeping safety our first priority. Thank you for your continued support and stay safe.

⛈WEATHER UPDATE⛈ As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff, we are continually monitoring updates from state and local emergency management agencies on the anticipated effects to our area from Tropical Storm Helene. The latest briefing indicates that school district operations could be impacted for Thursday and/or Friday. In an effort to help you best plan and prepare, we will provide an update regarding any potential delays or cancellations after 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 25. We appreciate your understanding and continued partnership.

Please Read: Information about our Car Rider Line

SAFETY UPDATE: Polk School District families, As your Superintendent, but most importantly as a parent, I understand the uneasiness and uncertainty you may be experiencing regarding your child’s safety while at school. Last week’s horrific event proved that we can never put too much emphasis on protecting our most valuable assets–our children. As such, we have many security measures in place to protect our students and staff on a daily basis. Some of these safeguards which have been in place for three years or more include Centegix alert badges for all employees, multiple metal detectors at all schools/district facilities, access controls on all external doors, KIST (Keep It Safe to Teach) locks installed on classroom doors and throughout the building, mental health therapists, and a fully staffed Police Department that includes an officer at every school in our district, including two at each of our high schools, one of which is a K-9 officer. This list, however, is not exhaustive of all of our safety efforts because we do not want to compromise our security measures by sharing them publicly with those that could potentially use the information to do harm. We hope you can appreciate this added layer of protection. As a district, we firmly believe that school safety is a shared responsibility. We ask that you take the time to have a conversation with your student(s) about the importance of their actions, especially when it comes to potential threats. We ask that all stakeholders that see something, say something by reporting alarming information to school authorities or through our anonymous tip line. In addition, we ask that you stress the consequences for students that make threats, whether spoken or written, in person or online. Any such act directed towards our students, staff, or schools, upon investigation, will result in the appropriate charges by our law enforcement officers. Please discuss the seriousness of such behavior with your child. Lastly, we ask for your continued partnership in helping us maintain a secure environment by adhering to our district policies and procedures. While they are not always convenient, they are all in place to protect those in our care. It takes all of us to ensure our schools are a place where staff can teach and students can learn because they feel safe and secure. Respectfully, Dr. Katherine M. Thomas, Superintendent

🚨IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT🚨

In order to address truancy and attendance, as well as school climate, Georgia state law (O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690.2) now requires that communities and schools work together to address school climate and truancy through the recommendations of their local Student Attendance and School Climate Committee (SASC). This committee was formed during the 2023-24 school year to implement protocols that will take place beginning this school year. Per 2024-25 SASC protocols, each school will have an Attendance Support Team made up of school personnel. The purpose of this team is to review cases of chronic absenteeism and early dismissals/tardies. This team will work to determine contributing factors for poor school attendance on a case-by-case basis and to offer support to the family. The team will be made up of the school Attendance Clerk, Counselor, Academic Recovery Specialist, Intervention Specialist, Wrap Around Support Specialist, and an Administrator. A referral to the team may be made if a student is chronically tardy or if a student has three (3) unexcused absences. The Attendance Support Team will be asked to meet with parents and the child (age 10 or older) if the student reaches truancy at five (5) unexcused absences. The purpose for these meetings is to intervene and help the parents find solutions to the attendance problem before it becomes a legal issue. These meetings will be arranged by the school Attendance Clerk. We appreciate everyone's efforts to get students in school everyday!

COMPLETE YOUR ANNUAL REGISTRATION FORMS TODAY! **Please ensure each student you have enrolled in a Polk School District school has updated enrollment forms for the 24-25 school year. These forms impact student sign-outs, nursing services, etc.** Polk School District has made it quicker and easier for families to complete required yearly forms by moving them online. Annual Registration is your opportunity to complete necessary back-to-school forms such as parent/guardian contact information, parent consent information and other district and state required forms. **Please note: Registration forms must be completed each year for all students K-12** Enrollment Instructions (English Version) https://5il.co/2tlpt Enrollment Instructions (Spanish Version) https://5il.co/2tlpu **Students who do not have online registration complete will not be able to see the nurse at NES! Please complete ASAP!

Join us for spirit breakfast this Saturday from 9-11 am!

All parents must log into their parent portal Powerschool account and complete registration forms for your student for this school year. It is vital that you do these forms right away so your child will have permission to see the nurse and make sure your current information is up to date. You can find it under the parent resources tab on the Polk school district website. www.polk.k12.ga.us. If you have created an account in the past school years you can click on the forgotten username or password link to reset your account. If you have never created an account, please request your parent portal log in information from your child's teacher or by calling the front office to request it. We have chrome books and help available on Mondays between 1 and 3PM if you would like to come to the school and get help logging in to complete your child's forms. Please feel free to call and reach out to Mrs. Beck in the front office if you need help.

YOU CAN NOW PAY ONLINE! We are excited partner with School Window to provide an online payment option for our families and community this year! Scan the QR code or follow the link below to visit our online store! ❤️🖤💛 #whateverittakes #makeithappen #PSDProud #psdtheplacetobe https://polkcountyga.schoolwindow.com/estore.html

Please see the attached Right to Know Notification for the 2024-2024 school year. Check out our Family Engagement page for more resources! https://www.polk.k12.ga.us/page/family-engagement

COMPLETE YOUR ANNUAL REGISTRATION FORMS ONLINE! Polk School District has made it quicker and easier for families to complete required yearly forms by moving them online. Annual Registration is your opportunity to complete necessary back-to-school forms such as parent/guardian contact information, parent consent information and other district and state required forms. **Please note: Registration forms must be completed each year for all students K-12** Enrollment Instructions (English Version) https://5il.co/2tlpt Enrollment Instructions (Spanish Version) https://5il.co/2tlpu

Congratulations to Camden Wallace and Akyn Beck who have been voted as our next parent representatives for the NES School Council. We look forward to having them represent NES well. As of today, we have 145 online student registrations in powerschool. It is important to note that ALL students new and returning must be registered online using this link: https://powerschool.polk.k12.ga.us/public/home.html. If you need your login, please contact the school. We are also open the next two Mondays from 1-3 pm to assist you with online registration. Please RSVP for 2nd/3rd grade Curriculum Night, next Monday, August 19 from 5-6. link is here to sign up: https://forms.gle/9hh6FRN66ynNqBDV8. Pizza and drinks provided! Have a great week!

Please complete online registration if you have not already done so! This can be completed by logging into your Powerschool account for parent access. You may contact the school if you need login information. We will be open the next three Mondays from 1-3 pm to assist in house with registration and will provide wifi and device access. Let's #makeithappen!

All K-1st grade parents are welcome to join us at our curriculum night. Please use the link below to RSVP for pizza. See you on Monday, August 12 from 5-6 pm. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jpsiq8jJ-S6pUjbk7k9L0jW7OPaDLXEyp65Bc9v_bTQ/edit

Great first day at NES! Here are some reminders: -The school day ends at 3 pm. Any students who are not picked up by 3 pm will be sent to afterschool care where a daily charge will be in effect. -Any students who did not register at the bus orientation will need to complete the registration form that went home today. Please give to the bus driver in the morning. -No walkers will be dismissed until 3 pm due to safety and an increased car rider line. It is best to join the line. -Please refrain from getting out of your car in the car rider line. We also use our front parking area for the buckle up zone as we are not authorized to buckle children. - No ice cream sales until next Tuesday. -We sent home a fundraiser permission form for the chocolate sales to benefit our Renaissance program. Please complete these and return to school tomorrow. -Shirt order forms came home and you can use our online pay system to secure a shirt- https://polkcountyga.schoolwindow.com/captcha.html?requested_page=%2Festore.html -Kindergarten parents- please complete the home language survey that was sent home today. Return to school tomorrow. -Remember if your child has a transportation change, we must have this in writing, not over the phone due to safety protocols. We appreciate an awesome day at school and look forward to another great day tomorrow!

Tomorrow is our 1st day! Just a reminder that doors open at 7 am. Students should be dropped off in car rider line or ride a bus. All pickups should be made by 3 pm. No ice cream sales the next two days. See you tomorrow!

We are currently seeking two parent volunteers to serve on our school council for the 24-25 school year. Parents serving must have students enrolled at NES and be willing to serve a two year term. Please click this link to complete the form to nominate yourself. Voting will be held soon. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeM5IsMXB8o31oUZM7DPG-kKaUi-JdLaTT-RGuR1bzK9mkkgQ/viewform

Good morning! This is a reminder of our Open House tonight from 3-6 pm. Please come through the double doors nearest the front office and receive an open house checklist. You will visit your child's teacher, get your car rider tag from your teacher, have an opportunity to buy our new shirts, check your bus route in the gym, sign up for ASP in the gym, and stop by the gym to take a box of chocolate for fundraising. We also will have a photo booth will real life saddles! Come dressed in your western best. IMPORTANT- Every student must be registered online this year. This is where you will complete all required forms this year. Stop by the media center if you need assistance with completing online registration or need your username and password to complete this at home. See you tonight!