December 1      8th Grade Family Council        5:30 – 6:30 pm   CafetoriumDecember 2    Music Booster Holiday Dance       7‐9 pm   Gym/Cafetorium December 5    REDCOATS Performance       @ Danville Garden Club 

  December 7    Early Dismissal @ 2:45 pm December 12    Holiday Instrumental Concert       7‐8 pm December 16    AVID Holiday Extravaganza December 22 – January 3  Winter Break January 4    School resumes at 9:00 a 

Miss Brooks – Principal Mrs. Fluno – Asst. Principal

Office: 444-3400 Report Absences/Dismissals: 444-3404

Homework Requests: 444-3404 Website: northridge.danville118.org

Engage Educate Empower Every Student

Every Day

Make-A-Wish Grants Wish for NRMS Student (Mr. Ferber – 7th Guidance Counselor)

Marissa Sauseda is getting her wish to vacation in Hawaii granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Marissa is an 8th grader at North Ridge Middle School and was diagnosed with lupus during her 6th grade year. She will be travelling to Hawaii over Thanksgiving break with her mother and sister where she plans to lay on the beach, ride a helicopter up to a volcano, and swim with dolphins. A Hawaii-themed party was held in the NRMS library on November 4th and fellow NRMS students, friends, and family were there to celebrate with her!

 

7th Grade Social Studies– Mr. Warren Dear 7th grade parents, We are finishing the 1st half of the year in geography studying cultures of the United States, Canada, and the Middle East. Have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas! It's coming before you know it. 7th Grade Science - Ms. Huber The students have finished the chemistry unit. We learned how to tell substances apart using their properties, and we got to witness several different chemical reactions. We even made our own soap from fat and a substance called sodium hydroxide in class! We are transitioning into our Physical Science unit. We will be learning about different types of energy so that we can answer the question, “Why do some things stop while others keep going?” We will get to see how pendulums work and why a ball bounces lower and lower each time. Students will be receiving new science books which they should bring to class every day. 8th grade Language Arts - Mrs. York The students are reading the novel The Outsiders. The novel is narrated by a fourteen-year-old boy who describes the struggles that exist between the greasers (poor kids) and the socs (rich kids) and the tragedy that results. While reading, students will engage in a variety of activities and assignments that explore themes, characterization, and the use of figurative language throughout the novel. 8th grade Social Studies – Mrs. Overley The students are currently working on the Reconstruction Period. We will also be covering the Illinois State Constitution and taking that mandatory test before we leave for Winter Break.

News from the LIBRARY – The NRMS library is getting some "high interest" books from Southview that never made it over here during the move. They are 7th and 8th grade

level and it was reported that the students really liked these books!! COMING SOON!! “Book Club” will meet after break on Wednesdays from 3:45-4:30 pm in the Library. Please see Mrs. Blodgett (Librarian) for a permission slip!

* The “school environment” includes all aspects of schooling—including transportation to school. Poor behaviors on the bus distract drivers! Please remind your student that good behavior is expected on the bus and students should always be seated and talking in appropriate tones. Students who do not follow bus rules may lose bus transportation privileges. * During any emergency, the safety of our staff and students is first and foremost important. During a disturbance, Crisis Plans at each building are implemented. Some actions for safety issues are different due to circumstances and severity. For example: A Soft Lock Down means that a danger exists in an immediate area outside of the school. All exterior doors are locked and no one is allowed in or out of the building. No classes are outside. Classes continue- students may not need to be told that a soft lock-down is underway. On occasion, it may be necessary to restrict student movement. A Hard Lock Down means that a danger exists in the school and presents a jeopardy to safety of students/staff. Students and staff lock doors and close windows and specific steps are taken to ensure the safety of staff and students. In either situation, parents will be notified of any emergencies via SkyAlert. Please help us and make sure your contact information is current!

NRMS extra-curricular activities – Which one interests you??

Fall Activities: Winter/Spring Activities Computer Club Baseball – boys Track – boys and girls Chess Club Softball – girls Drama Club Future Problem Solvers Basketball – boys and girls Girls’ Volleyball NJHS Cross Country – boys and girls Spelling Team Newspaper Cheerleading Orchestra - Performance

All Year Activities Radiant Reds Band and Jazz Band Redcoats – Show Choir

Builder’s Club Scholastic Bowl Chorus – Performance Student Council

Yearbook

North Ridge Middle School staff believes that it is important for students to be on time for class and dress appropriately. When students are late to class they miss directions and instruction. Being on time for class is a good habit that can help students when they decide to get a job and enter the workforce. We have developed a plan that will encourage students to be on time for class.

Tardies:  

Consequences:   All tardy students will sign the tardy book when they enter the classroom.   November 21‐23: Students with 3 or more tardies will receive a detention.  November 28‐December 2: Students with 3 or more tardies will receive a detention.   December 5‐9: Students with 2 or more tardies will receive a detention.  December 12‐16: Students with 2 or more tardies will receive a detention.  December 19‐21: Students with 1 or more tardies will receive a detention.   10 or more tardies within the November 21‐December 21 period will result in a DPPC. Any unserved detention after one reminder will be a DPPC.   

 

Positive Incentives:  Students arriving on time will receive a red reward. Red rewards will be collected at the end of the week. We will host a drawing at the end of the month cycle.   Prizes:  (1)$25 gift certificate, (2) $10 gift certificates, (6) $5 gift certificates, a variety of gift cards and (10) free jeans day cards (Students must wear the sticker, so that we will be able to identify them).  

 

Headphones:   Headphones and earbuds are not allowed in classrooms. Please advise your student to leave them at home or place them in their locker upon arrival.   

 Uniforms:   The staff at North Ridge would like for every student to follow the uniform policy set by the Board of Education. Included you will find a copy of the  uniform policy. Please be aware of the Section marked Middle School.   

 

As a reminder:   * Hoodies are not allowed  * Shirts can only be of solid color. They cannot be striped or checked.  * No jeans.  Students are wearing jackets with no uniform shirt underneath, so we are asking that students keep  their jackets unzipped to a point where the collared shirt can be seen.   

 

Arrival:   When students arrive they should go to their locker and report to their 1st hour (8th grade) and 2nd hour (7th grade) classes.   

 Dismissal:  Only students riding the bus will be allowed to walk in the bus aisle. Walkers and car riders are required to use the sidewalk. Walking behind the buses is a safety issue. Buses have been known to roll backwards and could cause injury to a student.   

 The North Ridge Builders Club would like to thank everyone who donated to our Wreaths Across America project!! We were able to collect enough money purchase 122 wreaths!! This will help cover a small portion of the almost 10,000 graves at our Danville National Cemetery. This was 22 wreaths over our goal of 100!! The Builders Club is proud to honor all of our veterans who have sacrificed so much!! Many of the Builders Club members will be participating in the wreath laying on Saturday, December 17th at 10:00 A.M. The Wreaths Across America ceremony will begin at 11:00 A.M. at the center circle at the Danville National Cemetery. The Builders Club is also collecting items to send to a soldier from the local area. These items will be sent to help brighten their holiday season. We are collecting items such as toiletries, gum, candy (no chocolate), sports or fitness type magazines, small games, puzzle books, playing cards, pens, and paper. In December, the Builders Club will be ringing bells for the Salvation Army, and we will also be collecting toys to take to our local women's shelter. The items needs are: small games and puzzles, books, coloring books and crayons, Barbies, Hot Wheel type cars, action figures, DVD's, body splash or lotion, or any small gift for any age child. The deadline for toy items is Wednesday, December 14th. From the desk of Mrs. Funk – ATTENDANCE: We hope your family had a good Thanksgiving break, and we’re happy to see so many students back in school, ready to learn this week. As we enter the holiday season, we want to reinforce the importance of school attendance. Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after winter break as families squeeze in a few more vacation days. It’s time to break that cycle. This holiday season, the best gift you can give your child is a good education. And the best place to get that education is in school. We know that just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school. We also know that attendance is a habit that children should learn early on if they’re going to succeed in school and eventually on the job. We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning, right up until vacation starts. You can help us convey that message. Give your children the gift of an education and the habit of attendance.