Friday Flash 2/14/03
The ninth grade teachers have taken some time to put together ideas on how you can help your child become a more effective learner. Right after vacation is a good time to begin or reinforce some of these suggestions to enhance learning:
o CREATE A PATTERN OF HOME STUDY. Set aside time each evening for homework. The amount of time will vary for each student but should be approximately one hour each evening. At times much more than an hour may be required. Ideally, this would occur at the same time each evening.
o ASSUME THAT THERE IS HOMEWORK. Every class has daily assignments and ongoing, long term projects. There is never a moment when your student does not have work that can be done. Check out www.schoolnotes.com for the specifics.
o READ. Provide your student with books and periodicals for pleasure reading. If assigned homework is completely finished have your student read silently or read aloud to your student for the allotted homework period. The readings should be of interest but also provide some challenge. This activity will benefit class work in all disciplines.
o TURN THE TV OFF. Limit or eliminate television watching and video gaming. Look forward to National NO TV WEEK at the end of April. We will be publicizing this during school.
o PLAY HARD. Increase physical activity.
o FOCUS ON LEARNING. Do not allow your student to bring distracting items to school. We have found these items to limit the learning at school: personal music devices and headphones, walkie-talkies, cell phones, bandanas and hats.
UPCOMING DATES
Tuesday, February 25th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. NCCES Board Task Groups, Conference Room (see Newsletter)
Tuesday, February 25th, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Community Meeting, Common Area
Saturday, March 1st, 8:00-noon Saturday School
Tuesday, March 4th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. PTO Meeting (at Rollstone Church)
Friday, March 7th, 5 p.m. - Application Deadline for New Students for Fall 03
Friday, March 7th, 5-7 p.m. PTO Spaghetti Supper, Rollstone Church, 199 Main St., Fitchburg
Monday, March 10th - NCCES Board of Trustees, Conference Room
Tuesday, March 11th - Lottery for New Student for Fall 03
PTO Spaghetti Supper - March 7th at the Rollstone Church in Fitchburg.
We are now selling advance tickets to the March 7th PTO Spaghetti Supper. The dinner will include spaghetti with vegetarian marinara sauce, meatballs (on the side), salad, dessert and drinks served by NCCES students. Advance tickets are $5 each with a $15 family maximum. Prices at the door are $6 each ($20 family maximum.) Advance tickets are available in the office. If you would like to help at the supper e-mail the PTO at [email protected] or call Ruth Matthews at 978-537-5856. The next PTO Meeting will be on Tuesday, March 4th at the Rollstone Church (199 Main Street, Fitchburg).
MORE NEWS�› �›
Special News From the School Nurse
It’s been a very busy month here at the Nurse’s Office. With all the cold weather and indoor activities, we have had a wonderful opportunity to share germs !!! There has been a variety of illnesses around the school. They range from the stomach bug to strep throat. If your child has diarrhea, a temperature, or has been up all night coughing, please keep them home from school. Please remember: HAND WASHING is the best prevention.
Please let me know when your child is absent by calling the sick line or e-mailing me at [email protected]. Please levae tou child’s name, grade and illness. I need this information not only to know that your child is sage at home but also to track illnesses.
FYI - Parents be aware of what OTC(over the counter medicines) your child is taking. There is a new craze creeping into local high schools: getting high on name-brand, OTC cough and cold medicines, specifically the cough syrup Robitussin and the cold pills Coricidin HBP. Doctonrs say these medicines give users a mellow, slow, sometimes foggy feeling simimilar to PCP and can quickly become addictive, The effects of overdoses are lethal. Any questions regarding this please feel free to call me.
Ninth Grade News -
Ninth graders have been very busy in all of their classes. Social studies and English have been combined for several weeks as the students have focused on the Colonial Era in the United States. Reading The Crucible was a part of this unit. Clothing catalogs have been created in Spanish class and now students are preparing menus in the language. Students have become mesmerized with geometry in math class as they have designed their own 2-D forms. In science, a unit on plastic chemistry was brought to a close with a field trip to Fosta-tek in Leominster. We appreciated this business’ hospitality in welcoming us to see the actual manufacturing of plastic products. February will be dedicated to Science Fair! Math and science classes with be focusing solely on supporting the students in their projects. Much of the work may be done at school but some may need to be accomplished at home. Each student should have an experimental design in place by February 14th. This will enable student to do experiments and/or research during the winter break. We will begin to analyze the resulting data when we return to school. Our school’s science fair will be Wednesday March 5th. Come see what the students have discovered in a month of intensive study. Ninth grade was visited by Derrick Jensen, noted environmental activist and author. The students gave him an enthusiastic reception and were really engaged in his talk. They would probably love to share their opinions and reactions with home. Be on the lookout for the anticipated International night at the end of March!
It is time again for Airtime/Problem-Solving and the first half of the meeting will be dedicated to the process we went through back in October. We’re hoping to get some specific feedback on the report cards recently mailed home, as well as other aspects of assessment, curriculum, and any other issues for which there might be good ideas out there that would make our school better this year or next. The second part of the forum will be used to generate questions and topics for a School Climate Survey to go out to the community this spring. We want input on the kinds of issues that matter most to parents and students about school and this school community, such as inclusiveness, academic success, leadership, communication, student behavior, and more. This survey we create will become an important part of our annual data gathering about how the school’s doing.
MORE NEWS�› �›
Our last ski club day is Tuesday, February 25th. We will be having a Pizza Party at the Mountain at 6 p.m. if any parent would like to come. Hope for good weather!
Lunch News -
PIZZA DAY - Thank you! - Thank you to Sharon Keefe, Marianne Pelletier and Karen White for making Wednesday’s pizza day possible. Our roster system for lunches seems to be working well. We will remind students when their accounts are running low. Peanut Butter & Jelly and Vegetarian Sandwich available every day as well. Milk, fruit and vegetable are also served.
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FEB 24 Ham & Cheese |
FEB 25 Italian Grinder |
FEB 26 Bologna & Cheese |
FEB 27 Turkey Rollup |
FEB 28 Roast Beef |
Fall Enrollment
We have admitted 54 students for next year’s seventh grade class and have set up a wait list for next year’s 8th, 8th and 10th grades. Our final fall enrollment deadline will be March 7, 2003. We will finish filling the seventh grade and add new students to the existing waiting lists. Please make sure any of your friends or siblings interested in enrolling in the school next fall are aware of this deadline. Sibling Applications - DON’T FORGET! Any siblings interested in attending NCCES next fall must complete a student application, prior to the February 7th application deadline. Siblings and parents are welcomed to attend the Information Session this but this is not a requirement. Students already enrolled at NCCES do not need to fill out an application. You already have a spot in the school. We’ll be asking for your official commitment for next fall in the spring.
Homework Club
There are still openings on all three days (Monday, Tuesday or Thursday). However, students must be signed up in advance to attend. No “walk-ins” will be allowed. Pick up a sign-up sheet in the office. We’re still looking for some parent volunteers to help with the homework club. Contact Ms. Desrochers ([email protected] or 978-345-2701 Ext. 504) or Ms. Doucette ([email protected] or 978-345-2701 Ext 505) if you can help.
Athletics
The boys and girls
middle school teams will be competing in the Monty Tech Tournament beginning
Saturday March 1st. Players will be notified of exact times and dates when
they become available. There will be no practice next week [school
vacation week] but practices for the middle school teams will resume the week we
come back to school. The boys freshman team have concluded their
season. Plans are under way for a breakup party for the team. Coach
Summers will be in touch regarding the specifics.
SNOW CANCELLATION INFORMATION
NCCES calls our own snow days and does not simply follow Fitchburg. Watch Channel 7 and Channel 4 or listen to WEIM radio (AM 1280) for this information. . You can also check the school announcement line by dialing the main school number (978-345-2701) and then pressing “302” for the announcement line.
NCCES PTO WANTS YOU!
We’re looking for new members. Do you…
� Have ideas or suggestions you would like to share?
� Want to have a voice with the school’s administration?
� Want to be involved with some of the decisions related to your child’s school?
� Want to make a difference at NCCES?
� Want to contribute to the success of the NCCES PTO?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, then we need your help! Your nominal $5.00 annual membership fee will help fund field trips, after-school activities, teacher appreciation efforts, school wish lists, and so much more! Plus you will be notified of PTO meetings, which you are welcome to participate in. Of course, if you would rather be a “silent” PTO member, that’s okay, too!
Please help us get NCCES off to a good start, and enroll today! Simply complete the enrollment form below and send it in with your membership fee to the address below.
Questions? Feel free to e-mail or call us:
Teri Bisbee, Acting President [email protected] 978-840-6780
Deb Willard-Parker, Acting Treasurer [email protected] 978-342-3218
Your Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________ City, State, Zip _________________________
Telephone: __________________ E-mail Address: ________________________________________
Your child’s name: __________________________________________________________________
Your child’s advisor: _________________________________________________________________
Please check one:
q I am interested in becoming an active member of the NCCES PTO.
q I cannot commit to attending meetings on a regular basis, but may be able to help out
behind the scenes (fundraising assistance, etc.)
q I cannot get involved at this time, but would like to submit my membership fee to help the PTO get started.
Send your $5.00 membership fee to:
Deb Willard-Parker,
NCCES PTO Treasurer
143 Hurd Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
Make checks payable to NCCES PTO.