The NMS TIGER "TALES" for MAY, 2021

Tiger STRONG. Tiger PROUD.
RESPECTFUL. RESPONSIBLE. READY. BE KIND.

Our NMS Mission

Northwestern Middle School is an organization that exists to serve the developmental needs of early adolescents. Our mission is to promote success for all students through a solid academic, exploratory and extra-curricular program that encouragesthe physical, intellectual, emotional, social and creative growth of our students in a safe environment while empowering them to become socially responsible citizens and lifelong learners.

NMS Activities - MAY

3-7 National TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!! NMS has the BEST middle school teachers on the planet! Help us celebrate them the TIGER way!
8 NMS Choirs YouTube Open Rehearsal
11 Douglas County Detectives Present on Adolescent Safety Online/Phones/Apps for Students
14 NMS Progress Reports Go Home - Check Skyward!
NMS Bands YouTube Open Rehearsals
18 Northlakes Dental Cleans Teeth at NMS
Douglas County Detectives Present on Adolescent Safety Online/Phones/Apps for Families (Adults Only), 6:30 p.m., NMS Cafeteria, Masks/Social Distancing Required
19 NES and IRES 5th Graders Visit NMS
31 NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day

Welcome Back to Our Online Tigers

Soooo many of our online Tigers RETURNED to campus to join us for the final quarter of
2020-2021! We are SO excited that the majority of our students who have been out are almost
ALL back! Our NMS hearts are SO very happy! With almost 168 million students still not yet back
in schools, we are SO thankful our TIGERS are!

Make a Difference Mondays

Every Monday I would like to start the week on a VERY positive note and highlight the GREAT
things happening here at NMS. Those great THINGS are done by PEOPLE. I would like to meet
with the following students this morning, as it has been brought to my attention that they have
been doing things that are MAKING A DIFFERENCE at NMS:
4/26/21
Preslie Lucca, Ryan Laborde, Fracesa Germano, Beau Helenius, Eve Kriske, Boden Teal, Eve Kriske,
Jack Zinmer, Harper Leith, Abbie Bobula, Jack Needham, Finley Pederson
Parents, Teachers, Staff: If you have anyone you would like to add to this list, please let the office know!

NMS Peer Tutoring Program

Our NMS PEER TUTOR PROGRAM is UP AND RUNNING! Thank you LAUREN WIITA for bringing this vision to fruition! Here is a link to the form you can submit if you want/need additional supports:
Peer Tutor Request Form:
https://forms.gle/ukDBdFEKzRfgCKcZ7
If you have questions you can email Mrs. Lear, glear@nw-tigers.org or Mrs. Kaufman, ekaufman@nw-tigers.org

NMS Student Spotlight

Are you doing something outside of school that we can showcase and celebrate? Let us know! Families...feel free to send items to kraaflaub@nw-tigers.org

• Elizabeth Powell, 7th Grade
  • Congratulations to Liz Powel for her team taking first place in her hockey tournament in Indiana!

Internet Safety for NMS Students AND Families

In an attempt to continue to inform and keep our middle school students safe while using their wireless devices we will be partnering with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department. Two detectives will be joining us and presenting to all of our students in the upcoming week. The
detectives presentation will focus on cyberbullying, online privacy, social media/phone apps, devices, defining child sexual exploitation/solicitation, and interpreting the law regarding the possession of child pornography. Due to the fact that middle school aged students are the most common offenders and targeted victims in these situations we feel it is important to continue to educate and inform our community and students. Parents always have the option of opting their student out of this event. There will be a designated space during the event for students whose parents/guardians have opted them out. Students will be able to read or work on school assignments at this time. If you would like to use this option please email the office: kraaflaub@nw-tigers.org . If you have additional questions, please contact our school counselor: ekaufman@nw-tigers.org .

• Students: Tuesday, May 11, 2021
• Adult Family Members: Tuesday, May 18, 2021, 6:30 p.m., NMS Cafeteria

Vaping Information

Unfortunately we know that the use of vapes and the addiction of vaping is on the rise in our country with teenagers and the general population. In an attempt to keep OUR teenagers safe in OUR community, here are some resources for both students AND families. You may be very surprised at what you learn. If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction, please know we have people here at NMS to help, as well as partnerships with other organizations that can, too. The first step is reaching out for support. Know we are here.

• One Hour Recording:
  • https://ntc.zoom.us/rec/share/qwVxUrWWMZ9JFoBwbE5eIY8SDiVBUGSP8f9yMvDGGuPsPfKSBYzsSti0RvQqHYzl.doHNUukxyb422W8W
• Additional Resources:
  • http://med.stanford.edu/cannabispreventiontoolkit.html
  • https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgZ982t2lqLjHYfUUUGoWIg1-hagnExd3RkSVoatdfXI_BGQ/viewform
  • https://www.tobaccofreewisconsin.org/
  • https://quitline.wisc.edu/
  • https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/tobaccoischanging/index.htm
  • https://tobwis.org/connect/

NMS See Something - SAY Something Initiative

This is a good time to remind all about the need to SAY SOMETHING if you SEE or HEAR SOMETHING. This correlates with the national initiative with the Department of Homeland Security. When/if you see or hear something or even just suspect something may endanger anyone in our school or community, we do expect here at NMS that you SAY SOMETHING. Find an adult here at school or at home. Communicate in any method that is most comfortable with you: In person, via phone, email, text, whatever. We continue to thank the TIGERS here at NMS who KNOW this and DO this. You will always remain anonymous. Please find a link here with additional information and resources. https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something

We also like to remind students this is part of our board approved policy. Failure to report information that you are aware of can result in disciplinary actions. And, for students who feel they are in a place where they need help in any way, shape, or form should know that we have over 50 adults that work on this campus everyday. We are fortunate to have two counselors in our building that are here to help, too. Reach out. Communicate. We are here for you.

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month

May is National Health Awareness Month. This year's message from the National Alliance on Mental Illness is "YOU ARE NOT ALONE". Here at NMS we will be sharing resources each Monday to increase mental health awareness and decrease the negative stigma around mental health. See the attached flyer to learn more about an opportunity for community members to take part in a Zoom Event called "Make It Okay"- It's okay to have mental illness, it's okay to talk about a mental illness, and it is okay to seek help for mental illness.

• Here are helpful links to the National Alliance on Mental Illnesses webpage:
  • https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month
  • https://makeitok.org/what-is-a-mental-illness/

NMS Educational Plans for 2021-2022

Our School Board has approved the Educational Plan for next school year, for grades 6-12. The main component of this plan has to do with what online learning will look like for next year. Please review the following and contact the office with any questions.

Educational Plan: 2021-2022

School District of Maple; Grades 6-12

• 1. In-person learning will take place 5 days a week.
• 2. Live-Streaming from the classroom will ONLY be available to those students and during those times individuals or groups of students are quarantined.
• 3. NO live-streaming or recording of lessons will be made available for extended family trips, vacations, etc. Work will be available via the Google Classroom.
• 4. The only online option will be provided through a third party vendor of the District's choosing. For the 2021-2022 school year those vendors will be Educere for core-related courses for grades 6-12 and eDynamic Learning specifically for CTE-related courses grades 9-12.
• 5. Students/Families must commit to a minimum of one term [9 weeks], during which courses would be required to be completed.
• 6. Students will not be allowed to take single courses on-campus. This would include band, choir, art, PE, etc. Choosing online would be 100% and only through the designated vendor[s].
• 7. Students must meet an eligibility criterion in order to take courses online:
• a. Students must have an attendance record of 85% or higher for the previous quarter.
• b. Students must have passed all classes at the end of the previous quarter.
• c. Students must not have any referrals or consequences related to cheating and/academic dishonesty during the previous quarter.
• d. Should a parent still request the student go online, a dr. note with an explanation as to the recommendation will be required as well as a release of information. In this way we can contact the doctor and share our information regarding the original denial.
• 8. Students who receive a failing grade, or fail to complete a course within the required time [9 weeks], or violate any part of the online agreement would forfeit any future eligibility to sign up for online coursework.
• 9. A mandatory meeting would be scheduled for the first week in August where the rep from the vendor[s] providing the online service would present [via video] to parents who are thinking about choosing the online option.
• 10. This meeting would be required of all parents and students who would ultimately choose this option. Those who do not attend would be required to watch a recording of the presentation. A deadline for signing up would be set to allow for appropriate choosing of courses through our Student Services Office.

Approved by the School District of Maple School Board; April 12, 2021

NMS Earth Day Activity Recap

Did you know that cigarette butts are the most common litter on earth! In honor of Earth Day on April 22nd our FACT group invited students and families to join them in making a difference by doing a cigarette butt clean up near their house or neighborhood some time over the next week.

Please see the following handout about picking up litter safely: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IOkVpWmBq2Npd7yxsG7TJ2-4a_cYrhIf&authuser=0
If you wish to continue to the work and need gloves or bags for cleaning up see Mrs. Kaufman and remember to check with your parents before going near any roads to pick up litter or better yet make it a family event and have them join you!

Band/Choir Sign-Ups for Next Year!

Students will be receiving an email with a Google Form link asking if you will be signing up for band, choir, both, or neither for next year. Each student will receive an individual form that we do need completed and submitted so we can schedule appropriately. Thank you! Here is the link: https://forms.gle/hxmcGKCrw2zLEgXp6

Band/Choir YouTube Live Open Rehearsals

The bands and choirs have been rehearsing some great music during this semester and would like to share it with you! We will have open rehearsals on the following dates:

• Tuesday, May 4 8:30am NMS Choirs https://youtu.be/JKMgRgwaQh4
• Friday, May 7 8:30am NMS 7th and 8th Grade Bands https://youtu.be/IPG2PfIVT0w
• Friday, May 7 9:15am NMS 6th Grade Band https://youtu.be/CRZBBZcANgE

For those wanting to join us at school, please follow these guidelines:

• Parents are welcome.
• Park in the school lot.
• You will "buzz in" offering your name and student you are there for.
• You will be asked to sign in.
• Masks are required.
• Social distancing in the gym of 3-6 feet will be required in order to keep our students safe and our schools open.
• NMS Water Bottle Reminders

Just a friendly reminder that ALL water bottles, as per our district policy, need to be:

CLEAR and with WATER only in them. All others will be collected, rinsed, and can be picked up in the office. And...it should go without saying...but...let’s say it anyway...you should not be sharing your water bottles (yes, we have witnessed this with our own eyes). Yikes. Thank you for helping keep NMS students as healthy as we can! FINISHING STRONG!

NMS TIGER PRIDE!
3rd Quarter Encore Students of the Month for February & March

Art 6 ChiRho Thompson, Harley Erickson
Art 7 Ashley Erickson,  Cameran Jonasen
Art 8 Eve Kriske, Ashlyn Sutherlund
Band 6 Ellie Hanson, Carter Olson
Band 7 Hudson Landwehr, Evan Kreuser
Band 8 Adeline Pooler, Trevellyan Amundson
Choir 7 Hailey Gilderman, Trevor Peterson
Choir 8 Shardae Burrow, Tebogo Anderson
Music 6 Wilson Isaksen, Indiera Connors
Health 6 Abbie Bobula
Health 7 Haley Gilderman
Health 8 Josh Hanson
Guidance 6 Wilson Isakson, Mya Hugdahl
Physical Ed 6 Keagan Hardee,  Vincent Germano
Physical Ed 7Andrew Phillips,  Ricky Erickson
Physical Ed 8 Wesley Ormston, Brayden Anderson
Spanish 7 Aiden Hall, Gracie Schullo
Spanish 8 Brayden Anderson, Shardae Burrow