Tiger STRONG. Tiger PROUD.
RESPECT. RESPONSIBILITY. READY.

NMS Mission Reminder

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 encourages the 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.

School District of Maple Ranked HIGH in the State of Wisconsin for Academic Excellence

Did you know that the School District of Maple is ranked 28th out of 419 districts in the state of Wisconsin? Check out this article that was sent to us from the Milwaukee area: https://patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/2019-school-report-cards-all-419-wisconsin-districts-ranked

Musical Excellence

To all of our NMS Choir and Band Students...Wow, just wow. The auditorium was packed and they rocked it. Our students took the word “excellence” and put it right up there on the stage and showed the whole place PRECISELY what Tiger Excellence looks like. Way to go! And a special shout out to Mr. Goodlet, Mr. Hintzman, and Ms. Olson for leading in the incredible way you do. Tiger Pride, Tiger Proud.

NMS Teacher Becomes Nationally Board Certified

Congrats to Mr. Mike Ketola, NMS Social Studies 7 and 8 teacher, who has just become Nationally Board Certified. This is quite the professional feat, taking over two years to complete. Now Mr. Ketola is part of the 3% of all educators in the United States to accomplish this achievement.

NMS Gratitude To:

● All of our staff members who helped dig each other out of the parking lot during our snowy days here at NMS! #TEAMWORK!
● NMS Door Decorating Winners!! Non Advisory Winners…..3rd place The Library, 2nd place Room 63 (6th grade wing), and in 1st place Room 77 (down by the Spanish room)! Advisory 3rd place Mrs. Teal’s, 2nd place Ms. Schuster, and in 1st place Mr. Gustafson!!!! Congrats to all of the participants and thank you for making our school look AMAZING!

Additional NMS Info for Families:

• Youth Wrestling Club is now happening. Wrestling Club is for any students in grades K-8. The practices will be Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7-8 pm.
• Congrats to our NMS Boys Basketball Team who finished up their season. They will be played on campus in the sold out, standing room only (haha!) NMS Stadium for all to watch on Friday. It was AWESOME!
• 7th and 8th grade Volleyball sign-ups in the office. Start signing up on-line and getting your physical up to date. If you have questions see Mr. Lawton.
• Our FACT Team has been meeting during lunches and doing great work here at NMS. Contact Mrs. Kaufman with questions.
• Choir Members: Don’t forget to turn in your CONCERT REPORTS to Mr. Goodlet!
• On Friday we closed out the DECADE with our annual Winter Activity extravaganza! Ask your child what he/she/they did for this fun tradition here at NMS!
• Progress Reports go home on Friday...Check Skyward for missing assignments.
• NMS Forensics Club sign ups are happening. Forensics provides students a fun opportunity to improve their oral communication skills. It’s a great way to get involved in an after school activity. Contact Mrs. Honkanen or Mr. Ward with questions.
• The Geography Bee Competition will take place at 9:30am on January 17th. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Ward. Qualifying students were announced today. Ask your child if he/she/they were one of them!
• Remember...NO SCHOOL December 23-January 1. Stay safe and warm!

NMS JANUARY ACTIVITIES/REMINDERS

• 1 No School
• 6 NMS Forensics Team Practice Starts 3:20 p.m.
• 9 NMS Quarter 2 Dance, 3:20-5:45 p.m.
• 13 8th Grade Orientation Meeting for Families, 6:00 p.m., NHS Auditorium
• 14 NWMA MS All-Conference Band (5:00 pm concert at NHS)
• 16 NMS Parents Group Meeting, 3:30-4:00 p.m., NMS Library 
  • Contact Becky Landwehr, landwehr@live.com
  • Can't make it due to schedules or other obligations?
  • No worries!
  • Just DIAL in: 712-775-7031 (ENTER MEETING ID 555-984-859)
• 21 NMS Do It Yourself (DIY) Club
  • Must have signed permission slip on file and be signed up in the office.
• 23 End of Second Quarter - CHECK SKYWARD for missing assignments.
• 24 NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice

Band & Color Guard

The band & color guard put their marching uniforms back on for the KBJR Christmas City of the North Parade on Friday, November 22.  The annual event kicked off in downtown Duluth at 6:30 pm.

In December, the band will have several performances.  On Saturday, December 7, the Jazz Band will perform at the annual Java Jive Concert.  Please note, this year’s concert is at 10:30 am and will be held in the NHS Cafeteria.  On Monday, December 16, the NHS Concert Band will join the NMS bands on the Winter Band Concert.  The concert will be at 7:30 PM and will take place in the Patricia Luostari Theatre for the Performing Arts at NHS.

You can follow the band on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/northwesternhighschoolband/

Choir

The concert choir is preparing for their winter concert that will take place on Monday, December 9 at the Patricia Luostari Theatre for the Performing Arts. As part of their tradition, orders are now being taken through December 5. Please consider supporting the choir with a poinsettia purchase while at the same time taking the time to honor, thank, or memorialize a loved one. Please email mgoodlet@nw-tigers.org to receive an order form. 

Drama

The Night of One Acts was held on November 14 and was a great success! Students performed two shows, The Blue Mailbox, and the contest play You Can’t Take It with You for a very appreciative audience. On Saturday, November 23, the company performed You Can’t Take It with You for a panel of state judges in Milwaukee.

The judges were extremely impressed by the professionalism of the production, and presented the team with the following awards at the state level: Outstanding Acting: Ariel Rutten, Lily Cain, Josh Olson; Outstanding Ensemble; and, the highest award possible, Critics Choice

Congratulations, team! Now...on to musical!

Show Choir

The NHS show choir, Tiger Beat, performed a show of Latin American music at the annual Washburn Show Choir Extravaganza on Saturday, November 16. The extravaganza included show choirs from Drummond, Ashland, and Washburn as well. It was a non-competitive, supportive concert with schools supporting schools.

Student Council

The Northwestern High School Student Council will be hosting the annual Toy Drive for KIN (kids in need). Students and families who are able are asked to bring unopened, unwrapped gifts or monetary donations and they will be donated to KIN for children in the district. We are accepting gifts until December 18th. 
 

REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
School District of Maple
District Conference Room at Northwestern High School
Room 2270 (Entrance E)
Monday, November 11, 2019 – 5:00 p.m.
    
This meeting is a meeting of the Board of Education in public for the purpose of conducting the School District’s business and is not to be considered a public community meeting.  There is a time for public participation during the meeting as indicated in the agenda.  
    

AGENDA

1. Call to order, roll call, and Pledge of Allegiance. 
2. Report on how the public was notified. 
3. Approval of the November 11, 2019 agenda.
4. Consent Agenda:  
   1. October 14, 2019 board meeting minutes, open and executive sessions.
   2. Treasurer’s Report.
   3. Payment of Invoices. 
   4. Resignation(s)/Employment.
5. Report on Allergy/Anaphylaxis – K. Clemmer and H. Miller 
6. Approval Items:   
   1. Mr. Goodlet, One Act Plays assistant coach, is requesting approval for an overnight state competition at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse on November 21-23, 2019.
   2. Mr. Nyhus, FFA Advisor is requesting permission for six (6) students to attend the 212/360 Leadership Conference in Wisconsin Dells November 15-16, 2019.  
   3. Mr. Kaufman, Head Wrestling Coach, is requesting to attend three overnight tournaments:  1) Ellsworth, WI Invitational on December 6-7, 2019, 2) the Wisconsin Dells Duals on December 13-14, 2019, and the Northern Badger Invitational on December 27-28, 2019 in River Falls, WI.
   4. Mr. Eberhardt, Head Girls Basketball Coach, is requesting to attend the overnight Menomonie Holiday Tournament in Menomonie, WI on December 27-28, 2019.  
   5. Mr. Lawton and the Northwestern Middle School Student Council request to hold Experience Day on February 21, 2020.
   6. Support Staff Policy #4140 – Termination (Revision)
   7. Final Budget and Certification of the 2019-20 Tax Levy 
7. Administrative reports:
   1. Communications Received
   2. School Board Election Notice and Schedule
   3. Maintenance Update
   4. 99th State Education Convention – January 22-24, 2020
   5. Donation(s)
   6. WASB correspondence and legislative report  
   7. CESA #12 Report 
   8. Reports from Northwestern High School, Northwestern Middle School, Northwestern Elementary/Iron River Elementary Schools, Athletic Director/Activities Coordinator, Director of Special Education, and Student Board Representatives.
   9. Student, staff, and community recognition:
8. Comments from the audience.
9. Consideration to move to an executive session pursuant to an executive session necessary for items exempted under open session according to Wisconsin State Statutes §19.85 (1)(c) and (f).  Included under these items are a discussion on post-employment compensation proposals and an expulsion hearing.   
10. Adjournment. 
     

The Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin (GCAW) is pleased to announce that Claire Jarman  of Northwestern High School is an Academic All-State honoree for the recently concluded 2019 girls’ golf season, receiving a designation of High Honors.  In addition, McKenzie Tuura is also an Academic All-State honoree receiving a designation of Honors.  
 

Congratulations to the Northwestern Girls Golf team as they won the Heart of the North Conference Championship. Senior Kiernan Smith was the medalist at the conference golf tournament shooting a score of 80. This is the third consecutive championship for the team!!
 

Bus Safety Tips for Parents and Children

As we prepare for another year of school, it is a great time to remind children the importance of school bus safety. According to the American School Bus Council, nearly two-thirds of school bus-related fatalities of school-age children occur outside of the school bus and one-third of those children are between the ages of 5 and 7. Teach and remind your students of these safety tips.

• Get to the bus stop early. If a student is running late, this results in hurrying which can lead to accidents.
• Understand the safe distance from the bus is 10 feet from the bus in all directions. Have your student take 5 big steps to estimate 10 feet.
• Explain the importance of waiting at a safe distance until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching the door. 
• Supervise younger students and those riding the bus for the first time at the bus stop.
• Look both ways AND make eye contact with the bus driver before crossing the street. The child should be able to see the driver when crossing in front of the bus.
• Do not walk behind the bus.
• Let parents know they can report vehicles not obeying school bus signals to local law enforcement.
• Stay in your seat at all times during the bus ride.
• Talk softly and minimize noise to avoid distracting the bus driver during the bus ride.
• Remind parents to drive cautiously around school buses and school bus stops.
• Do not pick up something that has gone under the bus. Communicate with the bus driver regarding the situation and determine if the item can be safely retrieved. Do not attempt to retrieve the item if direct communication with the bus driver has not occurred. There’s no item worth the risk of injury.
• Use the hand rail when climbing onto the bus.

Students cannot rely on every driver obeying the rules of the road and the school bus signals. These safety tips should help keep students safe as we start another school year.

Taken from Taking Care of Business, Volume 22, Number 4, August 2018.  Written by contributor Kevin Miller.

WIAA Award of Excellence

For the second year in a row, the Athletic Department at Northwestern High School has received the WIAA Award of Excellence. NHS met all the criteria established to be recognized for this award. Areas of leadership, sportsmanship, and integrity are focused on. The Tigers were one of only 27 schools statewide to receive the award!!  Congratulations!!

AUGUST 2019 NEWS OF YOUR SCHOOLS!

The August 2019 News of Your Schools is available by clicking here.  This month's newsletter includes a welcome back message from Dr. Croney, back to school activities, registration information, support staff/teacher of the year announcements and much more!

Athletic schedules are available here: Fall Schedules; Winter/Spring Schedules

Previous issues of News of Your Schools can be accessed by clicking here

BUS DRIVERS NEEDED FOR THE 2019-20 SCHOOL YEAR!

Are you interested in working mornings? Afternoons? Both?

WE WANT YOU!!

Be apart of the driving force behind education by joining our professional team of school bus drivers! If you are responsible, friendly, and like working with children, our experts will train you to obtain your Commercial Drivers License (CDL) and necessary endorsements.

WE PAY THE COSTS FOR YOU TO OBTAIN YOUR LICENSE INCLUDING TRAINING, DOT PHYSICAL, AND PERMIT!!

Starting Wage Rate is $16.32 per hour up to $17.61 per hour after 400 hours of service. Benefits package to include paid family health insurance!

No experience necessary. Qualifications include High School Diploma or equivalent and you must possess a valid driver’s license.

CALL OUR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION at 715-364-2855 NOW TO RECEIVE AN APPLICATION!

#GoNWTigers

Congratulations to Xander Polkoski who has qualified for the USATF Region 8 Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships July 4-7 in Fargo, N.D!! We are so proud!! #GoNWTigers #TigerProud