North Allegheny's
Beyond the Stripes
Newsletter
A resource designed to help students and families succeed beyond the classroom
Winter 2019
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What You'll Find In This Email:
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Welcome to
Beyond the Stripes
, an e-newsletter produced by the North Allegheny School District.
Beyond the Stripes
features useful information to help NA Tiger families succeed beyond the classroom.
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- Flexible Instructional Days
- Measuring Success Annual Report
- Slow Down in School Zones
- Social and Emotional Learning
- Media Consumption During School Breaks
- Tips for the Holiday Season
- Too Sick for School?
- Website Redesign Survey
- Radon Testing
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Flexible Instructional Days
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During the 2019-2020 School Year, North Allegheny School District will be utilizing Flexible
Instruction Days (FIDs), which may be used in place of a school day that would be cancelled because of inclement weather or another emergency situation. On a FID, students will complete learning activities and assignments provided by their teachers at home.
What's the benefit of a FID?
Implementing a FID will not require additional make-up days when school is cancelled.
These make-up days could shorten the spring break or extend the school year. The District can use up to five (5) FIDs per school year. FIDs are considered a school day and count toward the number of instructional days/hours required under Article 15 of the Public
School Code and Chapter 11 of the State Board of Education regulations.
If the District calls for a FID, how will I know?
Students and parents/guardians will be informed of a FID through the District's notification
systems in the same way that school closings and delays are currently announced.
Notifications will be distributed via School Messenger and will be posted on the District's
Will every school day that is canceled because of inclement weather be considered a FID?
The first FID will be implemented if/when North Allegheny uses all four of the built-in snow days.
Where can I learn more about FID?
The District has a web page with information regarding lessons and assignments for FID. Click the button below to visit the web page.
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NA Releases Measuring Success Annual Report
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At the December 4, 2019, School Board Reorganization Meeting, the District Administrative team presented the 2019 Measuring Success Annual Report to the community.
The Measuring Success Annual Report is guided by the District’s Measuring Success Framework, which serves as an important communication tool regarding what is measured at North Allegheny and why. Unlike a traditional annual report, the Measuring Success Annual Report looks beyond the standard metrics of test scores, graduation rates, and rankings.
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Slow Down in School Zones
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Please be mindful of the speed limits on and around school campuses. Even if it’s before or after school hours, or during the upcoming Winter Break, there are many community members who enjoy walking or exercising on our beautiful grounds.
Slowing down, even more, when the winter weather arrives in just a few months is crucial to keeping yourself and others safe. Be sure to plan more time for the normal morning commute, and be aware of employees performing salt and snow removal duties in parking lots and along walkways.
Additionally, all motorists are required by law to stop for school buses when red lights are activated. This includes on and off of school campuses. As long as the red lights are activated, no one is permitted to drive past a bus no matter where it is parked.
For additional resources on school bus safety, please visit PennDOT’s website:
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Social and Emotional Learning
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Pennsylvania’s economic future depends on having a well-educated and skilled workforce that is prepared to meet both the current and projected demands of a global, knowledge-based, 21st-century economy. It is imperative that Pennsylvania students, at all educational levels, have access to high-quality academic and technical education. Also important is the opportunity for students to identify aptitudes, develop employability skills, and explore career pathways that align with their post-graduation career plans. (
Source: PA Department of Education
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The Pennsylvania Career Ready Skills (PA CRS) support the development of students’ social and emotional competence. By design, the PA Career Ready Skills reflect priorities to ensure youth are career-ready and prepared to meet the demands of the 21st-century workforce. The PA Department of Education has created a continuum that aligns with the principles of Social and Emotional Learning titled the
Pennsylvania Career Ready Skills Continuum
. This Continuum addresses the following:
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- Self-Awareness and Self-Management – teaching students the skills to understand and manage behavior, including the abilities to set goals, recognize feelings, and respond effectively to challenges.
- Establishing and Maintaining Relationships – teaching students the skills that support healthy relationships, including awareness and respect of diversity, and the abilities to communicate and resolve conflicts effectively.
- Social Problem-Solving Skills – teaching students the skills that support students to understand social norms, make responsible choices, and engage effectively in diverse contexts.
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Media Consumption During School Breaks
With the two-week Winter Break on the horizon and a bit more indoor time during the winter, some children may want to spend more time consuming media. As a family, this may present an opportunity to discuss and plan your expectations about your child’s media use. Mixing media and tech time with other activities often help families find that happy medium. This might be a great opportunity to have your child teach you how to play Fortnite or Mario Kart, or to learn a new DIY activity by watching YouTube together.
Having discussions about how much time your child spends consuming media may also provide some benefit to your family. Setting expectations for how much time your child will spend online, watching television, or gaming may help frame expectations for everyone. You may want to look to technology to help you maintain time expectations. Many Internet providers and/or router providers have tools developed that can control the amount of time certain devices are connected to your home network. You can check with your Internet provider to find out more about the tools that may be available to you to help manage your home network.
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Tips for the Holiday Season
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‘Tis the season for food, friends, family, fun, and often a bit of chaos! Click on the buttons to access helpful articles to help you and your family navigate the holiday season.
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Additionally, don’t forget to wash your hands! This is important for students and adults alike, and will help prevent the flu. For more information, click the button below.
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The North Allegheny School District is reviewing the design of the NASD website with intentions to modernize it for the 2020-2021 school year. As part of this effort, we would like to know how you use the NASD website.
The survey linked below contains five quick questions and should only take a few minutes to complete. Please help us improve our website and make it more useful to you by telling us about your experiences.
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The safety and well-being of our students and
staff will always be our number one priority here at North Allegheny. To continue the proactive approach to health and wellness within the District, radon tests will be conducted in school buildings through June 2020. The tests are placed in rooms throughout the District on the ground floors of buildings while the rooms are occupied. There is nothing hazardous or toxic in the detector; however, detectors are not to be moved, disturbed, or otherwise tampered with durin
g the testing process.
Pennsylvania does not currently require public schools to test for radon within school buildings; however, North Allegheny is committed to continuous, proactive efforts to ensure the health and well-being of students and staff.
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A.W. Beattie Career Center Spring Open House on March 5, 2020
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Mark your calendar for the A.W. Beattie Career Center Spring Open House. The event will be held on
Thursday, March 5, 2020, from 5:15-8:15 p.m.
This is a great opportunity for students to learn more about A.W. Beattie's course offerings!
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Happy Holidays from North Allegheny!
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Click the video above to view the 2019 Holiday Card.
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