Navigator News Episode 4 - Ms. Gay's in the Teacher Spotlight!

Welcome to Navigator News Episode 4 - December 15, 2017.  Highlights of this episode include the Book Fair and spotlighting Ms. Gay as our Teacher of the week.  Please enjoy!

Click on the NNN Logo above.

Navigator News Episode 3 with information on Book Fair and Spotlight Teacher, Ms. Fearrington

Here's a link to our newest Navigator News episode with 5th grade anchors, Kendall Headen Ross, Eliot Ludwig Mauldin and Mira Kumar. This week our crew interviews this week's Spotlight Teacher, Ms. Fearrington, one of our amazing Kindergarten teachers and Ms. Cole, our phenomenal Librarian about our upcoming Book Fair.  We hope you enjoy it!

Click on the NNN emblem to open episode.

Navigator News Network Episode 2 - Spotlight Teacher - Ms. Jones

This week's Navigator News Network (NNN), episode includes a review of Beautiful and Brave, 2 new books in our library by Stacy McAnulty. Also included is an interview with Ms. Kirtisha Jones, 4th grade teacher being honored by our News Crew as our first Staff Spotlight recipient. Let us know your opinions, suggestions, and praise. We are working hard here at Northside Elementary to share student voices and give them choices in their learning.

2017-2018 Boys 2 Men Community

At Northside Elementary School our students have been learning about the importance of a “community.” To bring light to “community” and improving “unity” amongst our future male student leaders and male staff the group “Boys 2 Men”was created. Not only was this group created to teach “community” and “unity” but also how to dress for success.

An important part of Boys 2 Men requires the young men to partake in “Dress Up Wednesday’s,” where they come to school dressed in a white button up shirt, bow tie and khaki/navy pants. This attire requirement will supports the vision to create “community” and “unity” within the group and hopefully spread amongst the Northside community. Under the leadership of Mr. Pedro Wilks & Mr. Barry Garrett two resource teachers here at Northside.

Boys 2 Men has “5 Star Key Points” of success that we are teaching our young men:

●      Responsibility

●      Respect

●      Leadership

●      Unity

●      The Importance of Education

Northside Navigator Network Debuts!

With the inspiration of Barry Garrett, EC Teachers' Assistant, the premiere episode of Navigator News has launched!  Each week our three 5th grade Anchors, Kendall Headen Ross, Eliot Ludwig Mauldin and Mira Kumar will present topics to share our students' voice. 

Segments like Playground Sports, and Current Events will be covered along with  Staff Spotlight, New in the Library and others to be offered by our "In The Field" reporters - other 5th graders interested in sharing their voices on the exciting new medium.

Each week, the news crew prepares and records segments which are then spliced together using iMovie for Friday release. Classrooms have access to a file location that gives them flexibility in when to show the program.

Click on the video above to take a look at our very first show!

3rd Annual Literary Pumpkin Path is a Bumper Crop This Year!

From our amazing librarian, Mrs. Cole, "Our 3rd annual literary pumpkin patch is up and on display along the tops the shelves in our library.  We had 39 this year - wow!" 

Take a look! Just click on the video link below for a short holiday themed view of our entries.

Pumpkins in our patch represent a favorite book character appropriate for elementary students.  Along with the pumpkin, a list of the title and author of the book and the book itself or a picture of the book cover to display with pumpkin/gourds can be found this week throughout our library.

Voting takes place across the school after students have the opportunity to view the pumpkins and stroll through the patch. Pumpkins are judged according to the following categories:

• Pre-K thru 2nd Grade “Family” Pumpkins
• 3rd Grade thru 5th Grade Student Pumpkins
• Faculty & Staff Pumpkins

Message from our Northside School Improvement Team (SIT)

Hello Navigator Families,

The Northside School Improvement Team (SIT) will be hosting a focus meeting on Friday, October 27th during the school dance (6:00-7:30). This is an opportunity for parents and community members to share feedback to be used in the development of the district’s new strategic plan.

Please RSVP your participation in the Northside meeting by emailing co-chair Tequila Powell (tpowell@chccs.k12.nc.us)  or Allison Crawford (acrawford5000@gmail.com) so that we’re able to select a location that will accommodate the group. Feel free to ask questions.

The district will also be hosting a series of community focus groups for those who live in our area but are not associated with a school, or for any parents who could not make it to their school's focus group. Those dates will be on the district calendar.

NORTHSIDE Library Update from Ms. Cole

We are excited about our theme for this year, "Lift Every Voice" and in the spirit of this belief, we created a digital video response that introduces each of our staff members to our Northside families.  We have lifted our own voices so you can get to know who we are.  You can view this on the front page of our school website or by clicking this link. 

We are thrilled to once again partner with Flyleaf Books to bring in another great author, Alan Gratz next Thursday to meet our 5th graders.  He will discuss his recent highly-acclaimed book, REFUGEE and share about his life as writer.  This will take place next Thursday at 9:00 in the Northside Library.  Books can be purchased from Flyleaf and delivered onsite for him to sign the day of the event.  For more information contact Flyleaf Books at (919) 942-7373

Don't forget our library has lots to share! You can connect via social media at www.Facebook.com/NESLibrary or find us on Twitter @Neslibrary....and while you're there be sure to follow our school's social media accounts as well. These can be found on our school webpage.

Finally, the library is seeking volunteers who would like to commit to a 2-3 hour block of time each week to help oversee library circulation and shelving of materials.  If you are interested, please contact our librarian Kathryn Cole at Kcole@chccs.k12.nc.us . This will be a wonderful way you can support our school community. 

Click here to Reply or Forward

Starting the Year off Well! from our Social Worker, Ms. Norwood

Hello Navigator Nation!

Four ways to help your child make this school year great

1. Be positive about challenges.

     The children who do the best in school are those who approach a new task with a positive attitude.  Look for ways to model that behavior at home: "I don't know how to use this computer program. Shall we figure it out together?"

2. Break down big assignments.

     Reading an entire chapter book may seem overwhelming. But reading one chapter is something your chid can do. Teach your child to break down tasks into smaller, achievable steps.

3. Pay attention to instructions. 

    A classroom runs more smoothly when students do what the teacher says. Spend time at home learning to follow directions. Do activities together and talk about what happens if you don't follow the instructions exactly.

4. Solve problems on their own.

If your child can't figure out the answer to a math problem, help him think about a way to find the answer. Ask "Have you worked other problems like this?  

What can you do if the school year doesn't start off well?

Sometimes new classes don't meet students' expectations. Kids might complain "I don't like my teacher" or School is too hard". The best approach is to be calm, caring and cooperative. Think of yourself as:

• An investigator. Ask questions and read between the lines. If your child says the teacher is "mean" probe for details. There's a big difference between, "She makes me do all my work" and "She yells at me."
• A mediator. If the problem seems significant, take notes and say something like, "I'm sorry you're going through this. I'll talk with the teacher about it." Stay neutral. Remember there are always two sides to a story.
• A partner. Approach the teacher in a positive and non-critical manner.  Work together to understand your child's complaints.
• A parent. Occasionally, despite multiple tries with a teacher a problem can not be solved. In that case, school administration can help. 

Remember, you and the school share the same goal: your child's academic success. By working together, you can make this school year a great one! Have a great weekend and see everyone Mondaymorning. 

5th Graders offer solutions to Ecosystems problems

As the culminating activity to their unit of the world's ecosystems,

Content (Science)

5.L.2 Understand the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystem.

• 5.L.2.1 Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.
• 5.L.2.2 Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve: producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors)
• 5.L.2.3 Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and animals to their ecosystem,

and, incorporating Reading, Writing, Language, Technology, Speaking and Listening curriculum goals as well, Ms. Gay's students took on a challenge to find a way they could positively impact their assigned ecosystem. While some students made advocacy videos, others created 3D models of products that could greatly improve their ecosystem. 

Below, you may click on each of the links to give you access to the students' videos, reports and documentation they created as a portion of their demonstration of knowledge.

The Deciduous Forest

Ocean Project

Oceans

   Grant Request link

Ganges River Project

                                          Rivers            

                                                      Grant Request link

                   

Save the Savanna Project

  Savanna
   Promotional video

   Grant Request link

Rain Forest Project

                                         Rain Forest  

Boreal Forest Biome Project

 Tiga






                                  

Wetlands Project

                                             Wetlands

Mark your calendar! Northside Festival is on Saturday, April 29!

     The Northside Festival, which celebrates the history and diversity of this great neighborhood is scheduled for this Saturday, April 29 from 11:30 to 3:30 p.m. This awesome celebration is hosted by the Jackson Center and will be held on Rosemary Street between Roberson and N. Graham.  

    There will be lots of things for families and kids to enjoy, like face painting, games, food, performances, gardening, and much more! Please come out to celebrate the history and diversity of our school's great neighborhood, and to enjoy some family fun.

Click here for more information. 

I Am Me.

Charles R. Smith, 

2017 Steinfirst Author-in-Residence will be spending the week with us here at Northside Elementary beginning April 17th. 

Charles R. Smith Jr., award-winning, best selling children’s author, photographer, and poet is the author of many critically acclaimed titles including Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration title My People, Coretta Scott King Honor Author Award title Twelve Rounds to Glory, 28 Days, and Brick by Brick. You may read more at this website. http://steinfirstartistinresidency.web.unc.edu/2017-residency-program/

Our students have been busy anticipating for his arrival under the guidance of our librarian Kathryn Cole, who has curated photo sessions of our student population using green screen technology to support Mr. Smith's "I am Me"  project. She and UNC SILS persons have also supported unique 4th and 5th grade book study sessions giving opportunities to small groups of our students to enrich their understanding and experience in advance of the author's arrival.  One especially lively 5th grade session was enjoyed when CJ Suitt spent time with our students as seen in the video clip on Twitter,

(Click on photo)

Students will benefit from Charles' time at Northside by creating written works describing themselves and their identities. The writing along with the photos of themselves will give them opportunity to build forms of identity and awareness of their own personas and those of others. 

Also, Charles will be giving two school presentations while he's on our campus: one to students in grades K-2 and one to students in grades 3-5. He will also spend some time meeting with UNC SILS youth services students discussing his work.

4th Grade Carolina Ocean Studies Field Trip - Your Support is Needed!

Gofundme.com/p/nbnn

Help give our Northside students the opportunity to experience firsthand the Science wonders of our NC coastal region.

As a culmination of our Ocean Life and Animal Habitat unit, our Northside Elementary 4th grade students are headed to explore the coastal region of North Carolina. 

Our Students will have the opportunity to bring to life our study of the NC coastal region via island and sound exploration. Imagine a hands-on experience to study this area's ecology! There is nothing like running your hands through the water as you study the fascinating inhabitants of the estuary.

Our students are very curious. Regardless of a student's academic strength in the classroom, hands-on activities in science lead to greater student learning. During this field trip to the coast, they will become ecologists of our Coastal Region. They LOVE science! They LOVE experimenting and using the scientific method. There are children from impoverished home environments and children who are not. We represent a diverse ethnic and racial group of children and collectively enrich the lives of our school and greater community. Our goal is to increase student achievement through access to hand-on science activities, decreasing the gap in student achievement.

Our 4th grade field trip will begin at Carolina Beach marina. We will cruise to Myrtle Grove Sound, Snow's Cut and the Intracoastal Waterway and Carolina Beach Inlet. During this trip, we will learn about the ecology of our estuary. We will study the life cycle of live blue crabs, discuss their diet, and learn about their adaptations. On Masonboro Island, we will have a scavenger hunt at the marsh which will include clamming. Students will catch blue crabs on baited lines and study their behavior as they scavenge upon a chunk of fish. We will study the predator/prey relationships and food chains. At the beach, students will learn about fascinating adaptations found in the animals and plants that live in this harsh desert-like environment. Afterword, we will travel through the estuary and examine the feeding behaviors of egrets, herons, cormorants, and osprey. Finally, we will visit the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher where our students will dive into a world of wonder and water, studying a wide array of educational exhibits.

Some students cannot afford an experience like this. Without this field trip, they might never hold a blue crab or go clamming or travel through our estuary. Can you imagine anything more wonderful than studying animal habitats and ocean life through books and videos and then traveling to immerse yourself, first-hand, in the ecology of a coastal habitat? Making a donation means all of our students will be able to join in on a fabulous learning experience and do so with a great sense of dignity.

Our Appreciation. Due to the nature of the field trip with bus reservation and Carolina Ocean Studies timeline, all funds need to be available to us by April 24th 2017. Your help with this project is priceless. If you could see the faces of these children having the field trip of a life time, you would know how grateful we are for your assistance.

Help spread the word! Donate today!  Gofundme.com/p/nbnn

Recognizing Black History Month with a very powerful video.

Please appreciate this very well done, thought provoking video performed by some of our 4th grade students in honor of Black History Month. Click on the title below the video pic.

A World Without Black People

Northside Edition

2016-2017 Northside NAVIGATORS Yearbook on SALE Now!

It's time to buy those memories to save for years to come!  This year's Northside Navigators' yearbook is on sale now.  One quick way to buy your child's today is to locate the picture below on our website, click and complete the form. See the link circled on the pic below!

Here's the link: www.schoolannual.com

Here's a sneak peak of the great offerings you'll find in our 2016-2017 Northside Navigators' Yearbook.

Order Your Free Energy Kit!

We only need ten more kits ordered and we will receive $250.00 for our school. So….if you have not ordered your free energy kit offered by Duke Energy, please don’t delay. Energy kits include LED light bulbs, LED night lights, energy efficient shower head, faucet aerators and more. You can go to www.myenergykit.org or call 1-855-386-9548 to order your kit.

Props to Samone Oates-Bullock!

Samone Oates-Bullock is a full-time student at UNC-Chapel Hill who, with her sorority sisters, weekly comes to Northside Elementary School to coach our NOTM step team.  She was recently spotlighted on WRAL as one of four outstanding young people who making a difference in our community. We are very fortunate to have Samone, and others like her, who support our school community. Please take the opportunity to watch the article by clicking on the photo.

Inspiring Marathon by Ms. Athey - Running in Honor of Those Who Can't.

On Sunday, January 8 2017, Ms. Sandy Athey, one of our amazing Northside Elementary staff, ran her very first full marathon.. in Disney World!  After attempting this same race last year and having to drop out halfway through due to an ankle injury, the finish this year would prove to be even more special and inspiring.  

Ms. Athey realized quickly after last year's attempt that she would ultimately try again, "When I was being shuttled to the finish line after my injury last year, I met a woman sitting next to me who told me she was proud of how far she got because she knew she wouldn't finish the race anyway.  When I asked her why her reply was "Well, cancer'll do that to you."  At that point I decided I would run this race again and finish it in honor of those who can't or may never get the chance to."   

After raising hundreds of dollars for children with cancer, Ms. Athey ran the marathon as a member of Kellsie's Krew, within a charity organization called Kellsie's Hope Foundation through RunDisney  Click on this link, http://kellsieshopefoundation.com/, to donate and/or learn more about Kellsie and Kellsie's Hope Foundation, Inc. 


This year's attempt was not without anxiety or doubt.  Race morning dawned windy and COLD!!!  The wind chills were as low as 20 and the actual temperature was barely over freezing. As she passed the the halfway point of the marathon, she came to the point where she had had to drop out last year due her ankle injury. She ran past the medical tent where she had stopped and thanked God that she was still running this time even though her left ankle and right knee were starting to complain a bit.  However, it was with 8 miles left, with her ankle starting to really scream at her, she seriously questioned if she was destined to fail yet again.  


Ms. Athey shares her final push to the finish line, "At mile 18, I told myself "If (co-worker) can come to work each day with a pretty head wrap on her head and a smile on her face, then I can run one more mile".  At mile 19, "If (4 yr old child) can continue smiling and fighting until the day he passed away, then I can run one more mile".  At mile 20 "If (new friend) can run this marathon after getting a cancer treatment 6 days ago, then I can run one more mile!".  This continued for each remaining mile and gave me the strength I needed to keep going despite the pain and exhaustion I was feeling."

For a better account of Ms. Athey's memorable trip and accomplishment as well as to enjoy the great photos of her experience of a lifetime, you may read her blog, Running in the Autumn Rain,  http://runningintheautumnrain.blogspot.com/.

Ms. Athey is an inspiration to all her know her. We are grateful for her altruism and dedication. She leaves us with one final reflection, "Will I ever run another full marathon?  I'm not sure yet, but I do know that this event was life altering for me and that I will cherish the entire experience forever.  And I will never stop running, racing, fundraising, and fighting for those who need it!" Thank you, Ms. Athey!