Visit the NMS website Wildcat Weekly

October 19, 2018

From Mr. Chester

Greetings,

Thank you for all of your support this week. I was able to get into many classrooms this week and sawgreat things from our students. Thank you for sending them extra focused and prepared to do greatthings.

November 1st Release Day and Conferences

We will be holding parent conferences on the Nov. 1, 2018 full release day from 8 AM to 4 PM.Remember, students do not come to school on this day. This full release day may not be common tostudents at other FCS schools, including those in our feeder pattern.

Our staff is excited to see you and to engage in dialogue geared toward collaborating for your student’ssuccess. Our goal is to provide a space for you and your student’s teacher to discuss areas that willbenefit the growth of your student. Conferences will be focused on student progress academically,student success skills, or areas that may concern you regarding your student’s levels of success orbehavior. Conferences will be held in 15 minute intervals. We have a finite number of appointmentslots so reserve your spot while they last. In the event that you are not able to secure an appointmenton this conference day, you are more than welcome to schedule an appointment at a later date.

After securing your appointment time, be sure to get an idea of your student’s current progress or anyother concerns you would like to discuss. On the day of the conference, please enter the buildingthrough the front entrance and proceed to your appointment location. We look forward to seeing yousoon!

IPR Reports

IPR Grade Reports came home Wednesday October 17, 2018. Please reach out to your student’s firstperiod teacher if your student did not come home with a grade report. Please feel free to reach out toyour child’s teacher of a specific course if you have concerns regarding their progress in that course.Please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher to share positive feedback as well. If you needassistance scheduling a conversation or conference with your student's teacher, please send an emailto the grade level assistant principal.

Home Access Center (HAC) is now available. Thanks for your support and please feel free to reach outto us as needed.

Red Ribbon Week

Please help us to celebrate Red Ribbon Week next week. Red Ribbon Week has touched the lives of

millions of people around the world. Red Ribbon week helps us to educate our students and toencourage participation in drug prevention. We hope to educate and to motivate our students to do theright thing and to say no to drugs. Please see the information regarding Red Ribbon Week in thisweek’s edition of the Wildcat Weekly.

Please have conversations with your students regarding the dangers of drug and alcohol use. As youmay know, our students have a lot of access to positive and negative resources. I encourage you to dobook bag and bedroom checks periodically to assure that your student has not made bad choicesregarding access to negative resources. We all want them to have great, successful, and healthy lives.Thank you for your support!

IOWA Assessments

Our 8th Grade students will be engaging in Iowa Assessments next week, October 23 - 26. The IOWAAssessment is a norm-referenced test (NRT). Scores from the NRT are used to compare theperformance of Fulton’s students with the performance of students in a national sample who are in thesame grade and who took the test at the same point in the school year.

The IOWA Assessment will be administered online. Our local school schedule has been developed inorder to meet the needs of our students, to protect instructional time, and to be administered with theresources that we have available. Please make sure that the students have their devices fully chargedon these days and that they get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast. Please feel free toreach out to Ellen Mayo (MayoEllen@fultonschools.org) if you have any questions regarding thisassessment.

Halloween Dress Up

Our Student Council and Drama department will be sponsoring a fundraiser that will allow students towear literary character costumes on Halloween. Students are allowed to wear costumes that do notcover faces for identification purposes and are within our dress code policy. Thank you for assistingwith this. We hope that this is an engaging, safe, and fun day for students.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Please stand with us in support of our very closeloved ones battling breast cancer. This is a huge fight, but together we can support those that arebattling or have loved ones battling breast cancer.

Thank you again for a great week. Please enjoy your weekend and we hope that you will stay involvedin the school community.

Kind Regards,Charles ChesterPrincipalNorthwestern Middle SchoolFollow me on Twitter: @CChesterNMS

Announcements

Picture Make-ups * Thursday, October 25th

Read All About It!

Read the latest edition of the NMS NewspaperHERE!

8th Grade IOWA testing

It is very important that all students remember to bring their fully charged Surface to school next week!Please help make testing a success by ensuring that sure your students update and charge theirdevices!!

RED RIBBON WEEK!October 29 - November 2

"Life is Your Journey. Travel Drug Free"

Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country. It serves as avehicle for schools, communities and individuals to take a stand for the hopes and dreams of ourchildren. Red Ribbon Week is a campaign that recognizes the commitment to live drug free lives withthe creation of drug free America.

This year Northwestern Middle School will participate in this drug prevention campaign. We willprovide information on the countless benefits of a drug free life, the devastation that drugs canhave on individuals, families and communities. We hope the annual participation in the drug awarenesscampaign will be informative and educational.

Stay tuned for the schedule of exciting spirit activities planned for this week.

Put on your best '80s gear for the 6thGrade Dance!

Monday, October 29th4:05-5:30 p.m.Cost: $5.00 per studentConcessions will be available for purchase.

Literary Character Day

Dress up as your favorite character for Halloween for $1! All proceeds benefit Northwestern’s StudentCouncil. Costumes must meet dress code requirements, which includes no fake blood, face paint, ormasks. Council Members and Volunteers will be set up when you enter the school.

Musical News!

Chorus Concert

Please come hear the NMS Chorus Thursday night October 25, at 7pm in the NMS gym for our FallConcert. Admission is free. We hope to see you there!

Orchestra Concert

The Fall Orchestra Concert is October 23 at 7.pm. in the NMS Gym. Admission is free.Gym

ASO Trip

On October 17, the Mrs. Champion and Mrs. Grant took students to hear the Atlanta SymphonyOrchestra. The orchestra played songs about Heroes. Thanks to all of the parents who chaperoned thetrip. We really appreciate you!

6th Grade Field TripTuesday, December 4th

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Activities include:· Program- Explosive Earth: Volcanoes & Earthquakes· Museum tour· Giant Screen Movie-Flight of the Butterflies· Lunch not included. Students should pack a lunch to eat at the museum.

Cost: $35 – Pay online only November 9th to 16th (link forthcoming)Permission slips and payment will be due on November 16.

Volunteers needed! If you are interested in chaperoning, please complete both forms below.Fulton County volunteer form: http://www.fultonschools.org/en/community/

Northwestern Middle School volunteer form: https://goo.gl/forms/k3VHTusJk5KGPoa03

Note: Once verifications of completed applications have been reviewed by the committee, names willbe drawn for chaperones from each first period class. Every effort will be made to group a parentchaperone with his/her child.

Spelling Bee Information

NMS Classroom Spelling Bees will be held in allstudents' Language Arts classes the week afterThanksgiving. The 25-30 students who score thehighest in the entire school will qualify to compete inthe school bee which will be held after winter break.

If your student would like to study for their classroombee, the study word lists are posted on the MediaCenter website--HERE.

Announcing the 8th grade Northwestern International Travel Cub destination for 2019: 12 day tour toBerlin, Prague, Kraków, Budapest, and Vienna. Because this is an international trip, 8th graders needto have recommendations from their teachers. The itinerary and recommendation forms can be pickedup in the office. Please direct any questions to nmstravel2019@gmail.com

Organizers of the trip are Harriet Tuggle and Lea Crissman. Ms Tuggle has traveled with students toEurope before and is a regarded teacher at NMS. Lea has successfully taken over 700 students oninternational travel. Lea wants her grandchildren, that attend NMS, to have the same travel experienceand benefit she has given to others. Space is limited, so if interested please get started with therecommendation process. This 12 day trip will be between June 24th and July 12th, specific dates willbe known about 90 days before the trip.

Our trip will travel through the Iron Curtain and World War II to Gothic cathedrals and ancient cities thatare now more vibrant than ever. Berlin mixes historical significance, rich culture and an excitingcosmopolitan energy. Prague, which escaped the bombs of WWII, woos you with old-world charm. Andin Kraków and Budapest, two of Europe’s most underrated cities, architectural gems await aroundevery corner.--"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness," Mark Twain

Lea - 303-507-9945 cell

Sports Club

Sports Club meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings in Portable 1611 at 7:55 a.m. In Sports Club,students will be able to participate in a wide variety of sports activities before starting the school day. Ifthis interests you, please fill out an Intramural Registration form and turn it in to Coach Allen. TheIntramural Registration form can be found within the Intramural Handbook on the Extracurricular tab ofthe school website. If you have any questions email Coach Allen at allenb4@fultonschools.org

Intramurals

Greetings,

Any 6th – 8th grader is welcome to attend Intramural activities once they have brought in a completedIntramural form. The form can be found on both Fulton County and Northwestern Middle School’swebsite. They are also available in the PE Office. This year, intramurals will be held Monday – Thursdayfor each ‘season’. Please refer to the schedule below for times and activities.

Fall (September/ October)Run Club – Monday’s and Wednesday’s PM (4:15 – 5:15 pm) Where: PE Hallway Coach Brock brockj1@fultonschools.orgSports Club - Tuesday and Thursday AM (8:00 – 8:45 am) Where: Recess Basketball CourtsCoach Allen allenb4@fultonschools.org

Winter (December/ January)Run Club - Monday’s and Wednesday’s PM (4:15 – 5:15 pm) Where: PE Hallway Coach Brock brockj1@fultonschools.orgSports Club - Tuesday and Thursday AM (8:00 – 8:45 am) Where: Recess Basketball Courts weatherpermittedCoach Allen allenb4@fultonschools.org

Spring (March/ April)Run Club - Monday’s and Wednesday’s PM (4:15 – 5:15 pm) Where: PE Hallway Coach Brock brockj1@fultonschools.orgSports Club - Tuesday and Thursday AM (8:00 – 8:45 am) Where: Recess Basketball CourtsCoach Allen allenb4@fultonschools.org

Hello Wildcat Parents,

We are working on establishing a new program at Northwestern Middle School for Watch DOGSDad's. We have had a few programs in North Fulton County Elementary Schools for the past few yearsand we are looking to bring the program to NMS. So what is Watch DOGS Dad's:

WATCH D.O.G.S. ® (Dads Of Great Students) is a family and community engagement educationalinitiative. There are 2 primary goals of the WATCH D.O.G.S. ® program. 1) To provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence thateducation is important. 2) To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.

WATCH D.O.G.S.® began in 1998 in a single school in Springdale, Arkansas and has since grown intoa nationally recognized program that has brought hundreds of thousands of fathers and father figuresinto the school classrooms and hallways across the country, creating millions of hours of “in school”volunteer time and having a tremendously positive impact on the educational process.

Program Benefits• Students gain positive male role models.• Schools gain an extra set of eyes and ears.

The presence of a father or father figure will provide an additional deterrent to bullying, enhance asense of security in the building, and will help to create an environment conducive to learning.• Fathers get a glimpse of their students’ everyday world and learn about the increasingly complexchallenges and decisions today’s youth are facing. As a result, they can learn to relate better to theirstudent and hopefully connect with them. • Fathers gain a greater awareness of the positive impact they can have on their student’s life in threecritical areas including: academic performance, self-esteem, social behavior. • Due to budget shortfalls and cutbacks, often teachers are presented with larger classrooms eachyear.

The WatchDOGS volunteers provide real and important help for the teachers and the students. Who

are WatchDOGS (Dads Of Great Students)? WatchDOGS are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and otherfather-figures who volunteer for at least one day each year at an official WATCH D.O.G.S. ® school.During the day, WatchDOGS may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunchwith students, watch the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow and any other assignedactivities where they actively engage with not only their own students, but other students as well. Manyschool principals have reported that the mere presence of a WatchDOG dramatically reduces reportsof bullying. On the day of their participation, WatchDOGS are given a brief review of their involvementand they wear an official WATCH D.O.G.S. ® t-shirt with a disposable ‘Dog Tag’ identifying them asWatchDOGS.

More information on the program can be found on the organizations web site- http://dadsofgreatstudents.com

We are gathering information and building a distribution list of interested participants. Please sent anemail with questions and / or comments to - nwmswdd@gmail.com

Thank you and we look forward to launching a great program.

Thom Peer and Kevin Swan

PTO News

Join the NMS PTO online: https://northwesternpto.membershiptoolkit.com Order your new 2018-19 NMS Spirit Wear here: https://pswear.com/Northwestern PTO Roster 2018-2019

News from our Feeder Schools

Milton Basketball Tip Off Club FundraiserSaturday October 20, 2018

8am-1pm 25% of all sales from receipts turned in at the Shoot A Thon will come back to ourprogram

Milton High School Counseling Department & PTO present:Parent University

We hope you will join us for informational sessions on relevant topics to Milton High School parents inan ever-changing school environment.

The Risks of E-Cigarettes for Teens and How to Identify ThemSpeaker: Officer Chad West – Milton Police DepartmentOctober 29, 20186:30 – 7:30 pm in the MHS Media HubNo RSVP requiredE-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students inthe United States. They do not look like regular cigarettes and can be mistaken for pens, USB drivesand other every day items. E-cigarettes can also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs. Thispresentation will discuss all the risks of using e-cigarettes and real examples of the different typesavailable to our students.

Please Save The Date for our future presentations:

November: Alternative Problem Solving – Your guide to new ideas that will help your child stay morefocused, less anxious and less stressed.February: Beneficial Parenting – What apps you need to know about to stay informed on your student.March: New Drivers – A guide to know your legal and academic responsibilities for you and your childlearning to drive.

*Al l presentations wi l l be 6:30 – 7:30 pm in the Media Hub. Officia l dates wi l l be forthcoming.

Northside Hospital Concussion Symposium Presented by Daniel Charek, PhD. To be presented at Milton High School Media Center 13025 Birmingham Hwy Milton, GA 30004

November 8th at 6:30pm EVERYONE is invited and encouraged to join!

What will be discussed? • What is a concussion and what is NOT a concussion? • Commonconcussion Myths vs. Facts • Every concussion is unique, affecting different athletes in different ways •Introduction to the different types of concussions that an athlete may experience • Concussions are atreatable injury warranting appropriate medical attention

Who is Dr. Daniel Charek? Dr. Daniel Charek is a fellowship-trained, licensed neuropsychologist, whospecializes in the assessment and management of concussions in athletes and non-athletes. Dr.Charek has experience assessing and managing concussions in adult and pediatric patients, and inworking with recreational, high school, college and professional athletes. His expertise is inperforming comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations, including the assessment of cognitiveskills such as memory, attention, reasoning and reaction time, in order to establish baselines for eachindividual, and in the case of a head injury, diagnose the extent of the injury and track treatmentprogress. He uses the most up-to-date tools and assessment procedures to identify specific areas ofdeficit secondary to concussion and customize concussion management plans based on the uniqueneeds of each patient. In addition to providing patient care Dr. Charek seeks to educate the communityon concussion identification, as well as the importance of proper post-injury management

News from the Community

Rivers Alive Annual EventJoin Us for Milton’s Rivers Alive Annual Clean- up

Bailey Farm and GardensSaturday, October 20, 2018, 9:00 – 1:00255 Hickory Flat Rd., Milton, GA 30004

Please join us for the annual Rivers Alive Environmental Education and Clean-up event as we worktogether to clean up some of Milton’s waterways and roadways. This is a state-wide programsupported and hosted locally right here in your community.

Rivers Alive is Georgia's annual volunteer waterway cleanup event that targets all waterways in theState including streams, rivers, lakes, beaches, and wetlands. The mission of Rivers Alive is to createawareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia's water resources. Georgia's 70,150miles of streams and rivers need your help. Our waterways provide us with fresh drinking water, andgreat recreational opportunities like canoeing and fishing as well as a habitat for numerous species ofwildlife. October 20 from 9:00 – 1:00 p.m. will be your opportunity to help protect one of our mostprecious resources. Help us clean our rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands here in Milton by joining insupport of Rivers Alive.

We’ll gather Saturday, October 20, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Bailey Farm & Gardens (onemile west of the Birmingham Crossroads). We’ll have various opportunities to learn about waterquality with fun, hands-on activities like the “Environscape” while also going to other various localwaterways and roadways for specific clean-up activities.

This is a great way to get involved with your community, make a difference as you help to clean-up localwaterways and have some terrific fall fun with friends and neighbors.

Everyone is welcome! Waders and boots will be a plus for those who want to get in the streams andcreeks. If you can, please register in advance by e-mailing or calling us at:baileyfarmandgardens@mindspring.com, or if you have questions call Mrs. Zahner-Bailey at 404-310-6344.

And remember, this is a terrific way to earn service hours for various organizations such as Jr. Beta,Scouts, etc. AND you earn a Rivers Alive t-shirt for your participation.

So, please join us, this Saturday, October 20 from 9:00 – 1:00. For more information, ask Mrs. Zahner –Bailey, in Room 713 or look for the posters and signs around school.

Milton Cotillion ClassesManor Golf and Country Club

Don't miss out on

Registering your student for Milton Cotillion!

Registration Still Open for January/February Sessions

Milton Cotillion teaches social etiquette and traditional dancing to 6th and 7 th gradestudents that feed into Hopewell and Northwestern Middle Schools. The sessions

bridge traditional etiquette with today's social setting. It is great to see our childrendressed up learning traditional dancing, table manner etiquette, plus etiquette on the

ever changing world of social media - all with their friends!

Class size is lim ited and will fill quickly. Please do NOT delay in registering!

To Register email

info@miltoncotillion.com

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