November 15, 2023
REMINDER: School begins at 8:40 am. We encourage students to be settled in their classrooms by 8:35. Please aim to have them arrive a bit earlier if coming by car or walking. Also, please do not park in the Handicapped spots. Thank you! 😊
🗒️Message from Assistant Principal Shawn Wilson
NCES Families,
Last week, we had two great events with our Math KNight on Thursday and Veterans Day ceremony on Friday. A huge shoutout goes to our academic instructional coach, Nicole Feld, for her organization and facilitation of our Math KNight. It was a great experience for our school community. We are grateful to our NCES PTA for providing pizza. We also appreciate our staff volunteers and our student volunteers from Ballard High School. Without their contributions, the event would not have been such a success.
On Friday, we started the day with a program to honor our veterans. With Principal Terry organizing the event and our BETA Club students providing breakfast for veterans and their families, our school community shared our gratitude for the sacrifices of our veterans. We want to thank Sergeant Powell, one of our speech teachers who is also a veteran, for playing the euphonium for our school. Our BETA Club students also created snack bags for veterans that they delivered to Middletown VFW. Thank you to Christi Davis, Crystal Handel, and Candace McCollum for their sponsorship of NCES Beta Club.
To add one additional piece to my message this week, Safety Patrol is returning to NCES. We had 22 5th grade students apply for membership in the safety patrol. I'm happy to say that all 22 students were selected to be part of our team. Safety Patrol members will help ensure the safety of all students in the building through their work at designated locations during both our morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. Members will work in designated locations according to a schedule. These students will be expected to display leadership in our school community through setting a positive example for other students and displaying responsibility in their duties. Congratulations to the students listed below on their membership in NCES Safety Patrol.
Ahmed A. Camden E. Stella M. Hannah S. Knox W.
Anne A. Braxton J. Joseph M. Sowrirajan S. Zheng W.
Aaron A. Maebry K. Nathan R. Aadvik S.
Teddy B. Rohee L. Pranshi R. Charlotte T.
Michael C. Sileem M. Mangamur S. Kennedy T.
🌟 Amazing Opportunity 🌟
Sign up at link below before the deadline.
Sign up for Gifted G.I.R.L.S. here no later than 4:00pm on 11/21.
Academic Information 📝
The JCPS application window for the 24-25 school year is officially open. The window will close December 22nd. Please use the link HERE to apply
🟰 Thank You! ➗
Math KNight was a huge success! We had nearly 350 guests attend! Special thanks to our staff members and 26 Ballard student volunteers.
We appreciate the Y for letting us use the gym in the evening, the PTA for the pizza, and Mathnasium of Springhurst for paper products, water, cookies, and prizes!
We hope your family enjoyed the time talking about math, playing games and solving problems together.
🍎 Parent Teacher Association
Visit the PTA Website for information and events!
Volunteer opportunity: Join the NCES PTA from 10am-1pm on 11/30 at the JCPS Clothing Assistance Program. If you are available to help, please sign up here
Special recognition to Rishik and Addison for entering artwork into the "I am Hopeful Because..." PTA Reflections Contest!
🎉 Celebration 🎉
Learning about one another is an amazing way to create a welcoming community where everyone belongs. We appreciate our families from 2nd grade who shared their culture with us last week.
🗓️ Important Dates
11/15: Bending with Bowden Club 8:00-8:30
11/15: Let's Code Club 3:30-4:00
11/15: Quick Recall 3:20-4:45
11/15: Basketball 3:30-5:00
11/16: Post Office Club 8:00-8:30
11/16: STEM Challenges Club 3:30-4:00
11/17: Best Buddies Club 8:00-8:30
11/21: Gifted G.I.R.L.S. sign ups end at 4:00 (see above)
Recurring Information
Transportation Change Form and Transportation Reminders:
From 8:15-8:40 AM, the parking lot closest to the carpool lane will be closed. If you need to visit the front office during this time, please park in the lot located on the cafeteria/bus drop-off side of the building The map below shows the area marked in green. In short, during these times, the carpool side will be exit-only.
For everyone's safety, please refrain from dropping your student off at the four-way stop on the carpool sidelines that you see marked in red on the map below. Instead, always use the designated carpool line.
To assist with traffic flow and clarity, parts of the carpool map will be color-coded. Areas marked in red will be no-access zones or have blockades to help traffic flow, while those highlighted in green will indicate suitable parking areas if you need to enter the school building during that 8:15 to 8:40 time frame.
There are 3 forms that we need completed, the Educational Benefits Forms (EBF), Residency Form and the FRC Needs Assessment. The first two can be completed on your Parent Portal account. (Go here to log-in/sign-up and complete the forms designated "required"). You can access the Assessment here. If you would prefer to complete a paper copy of these forms, please reach out to me at the email below. Classes who have over 95% of their students complete the forms by Nov 1 will receive a special treat! Please help your student's class earn a prize!
Please ensure you've submitted the nursing consent form, which can be found in the Parent Place. Additionally, we need the most recent immunization records for your child. For any child new to JCPS and all kindergartners:
A physical examination record.
Dental records by 1/1/24 (Note: The school dental exam is acceptable).
A vision exam conducted by an optometrist or ophthalmologist by 1/1/24 (Please note that the school's vision test does not meet this requirement).
Photo ID is always required when entering the building during the school day.
Parents may join their child for lunch! Lunch schedule linked here. No restaurant food is permitted. Photo ID required.
Follow us on social media! Facebook: Norton Commons Elementary School, Instagram: @NCES_Knights, X (Twitter): @NCES_Knights
If you are not getting text alerts from NCES, make sure to sign up for School Messenger.
Our ECE Department is raising money from Box Tops! Download the app and email rachel.murphy@jefferson.kyschools.us or christina.frederiksen@jefferson.kyschools.us with questions.
FRC Recurring Information
Dental Clinic- Offered by NCES and School Smiles in November. If interested, follow this link to sign up (also sent this form in the beginning of the year packet). This exam will fulfill the JCPS requirement for a dental exam for all 5-6 year old students.
Hearing and Vision Screenings on 12/14 and 15- If you DO NOT want your student to participate, you must sign and return the notice of non-consent, coming home this week. (This doesn't count as the JCPS required vision exam for 5-6 year old students, but reach out to me for referrals to affordable eye doctors if you need one.)
Just a reminder:
If you are interested in having your student participate in Blessings in a Backpack, please complete this form.
If you need clothes for your student from the Clothing Assistance Program (CAP), please complete this form.
Any questions about this information or if I can help your family in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at 502-357-6265 or christina.case@jefferson.kyschools.us
