Northwood School Laker

August 30, 2024

Welcome back!

Dear Families,

Welcome to the 24-25 school year! Students and staff have had a busy but fantastic first few days of school! Many new staff and students have recently joined our school and I have been reminded once again of how welcoming our community is.  

We will be holding an Open House on Monday, September 23, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Grades K-4 will visit classrooms from 5:00 to 6:00 and then are invited to come to the softball field for a cookout. Grades 5-8 will enjoy the cookout between 5:00 - 6:00 and then will visit classrooms between 6:00 and 7:00. 

Next week, we will begin administering the beginning of year NWEA assessment in reading and math. NWEA is a computer-based test that provides your child's teacher and/or team with valuable information about your child's skills and understanding of concepts which helps us to adjust our instruction moving forward. Tests are administered by the teacher within the child's classroom and typically last less than an hour, though students may take longer if needed. Teachers schedule their testing sessions based on their class schedules and student needs. Tests are spaced out over multiple days to avoid assessment fatigue. Check out NWEA's family toolkit for additional information here.

If you have any questions regarding NWEA testing, please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher, Mr. Ling, or me.

As always, please reach out if you have any questions. Enjoy the long weekend!

Jocelyn

Introducing our new faculty and staff members...

Jenn Cannella

Administrative Assistant

Sarah Gilliam

Assistant Principal

Nick Gorman

Art Teacher

Emma Wheeler

4th Grade Teacher

Alison Parkin

5th Grade Teacher

Jill Paré

6th Grade ELA Teacher

Liam Quinn

Behavior Support/

Alt-ed

Linh Weddington

K Teacher

Liz Lampron

8th Grade ELA Teacher

Kelly Gray

7th Grade ELA Teacher

Heidi Clyborne

Special Educator

Pam Bond

5th Grade Teacher

Wayne Scott

8th Grade Math Teacher

Heidi Clyborne

Special Educator

Meghan Gregoire

NECC Tutor

Ryan Massey

NECC Tutor

News from the Assistant Principal

This year, Northwood School will be providing additional services for all students in the building in the form of a Student Support Room. Should a student require behavioral support outside of the normal universal strategies provided in the classroom environment, the student may be invited to visit the SSR (at times, circumstances may cause the SSR to be unavailable). Our newly hired behavioral interventionist, Liam Quinn, will provide the support and structure needed to rejoin the classroom by working with the student to identify the underlying cause of the behavior and determine strategies to help the student be successful in the classroom.  This support is intended to help students understand why negative behaviors occur, what consequences could arise, and how to move forward from them in a positive and consistent manner.   The SSR is a complementary support to the school’s established disciplinary practices.  

In short, the Student Support Room is a place:

• Where additional behavioral or social-emotional support is provided; 
• Where students can decompress, process, and create a plan to meet their individual needs;
• Where a student may go if their behavior cannot be supported by existing classroom strategies and whose behavior disrupts the learning environment.

The Student Support Room is NOT:

• A punishment or a time out;
• A replacement for teacher or administrator-assigned consequences;
• A place to complete classwork or have extra time on assessments.

As educators, it is paramount that we allow students the ability to process behaviors, actions, and emotions with a consistent and thoughtful process. The Student Support Room will be a space for reflection, processing, and the development of strategies to be successful in and out of the classroom at Northwood School.   If you have any questions about the Student Support Room or behavioral supports at Northwood School, please feel free to contact me at 603-942-1290 or sgilliam@northwoodschoolnh.org.  Have a wonderful weekend!

~ Ms. Gilliam

School & Community Information

NH Thunder 2024 Cross Country Program

Now accepting registrations for the 2024 Season of NH Thunder Cross Country. The program this year will again be held at Coe Brown Northwood Academy. Kids will participate in running games such as scavenger hunts, relay races, and obstacle courses while they learn the fun of running on the trails, being active, and making healthy choices. 

Participants will also receive a t-shirt to keep.  

We will be having a small xc race in conjunction with the Div. II JV State meet held at Coe Brown at the end of the season.

For more information please contact:

Karyn Fisher at 5fishers@metrocast.net.  

You can register on-line at:

https://www.nhthunder.com/registration

Cost: $40.00 

Grades:  Age 5 yr. - 4^th Grade

When: Wednesdays beginning September 11th through October 16th

Time: 5:30-6:30 pm

Location: Coe Brown Northwood Academy up near the track

Guest Teachers Needed

If you are interested in being a guest teacher (also known as a substitute teacher), please apply at this link. The pay is $100 a day and you get to work with wonderful kids and great staff! Please contact Ms. Cannella or Ms. Young with questions.

Important Dates

September 2 - Labor Day, no school

September 4 - School Board meeting, 6:30

September 10 - Voting Day, no school

September 18 - School Board meeting, 6:30

September 23 - Open House, 5:00 - 7:00

September 24 - Picture Day

Please check the Athletics Calendar for information on games and meets.