Families are recognized as essential members of the learning team for each student—their participation is welcomed, valued, and encouraged by the school. The school understands that families are important and influential resources because they know their children best. - Dr. Cory Steiner, Northern Cass School Superintendent 

• Family Engagement at Northern Cass

  • Northern Cass Strategic Plan

• Volunteering and Donation Opportunities

  • Community Partners

  • Wellness Pantry - Donations & Volunteers

  • Northern Cass Dollars for Scholars

• Northern Cass School Parent Organizations

  • PTO | Northern Cass School District 97

  • BOOSTER CLUB | Northern Cass School District 97

• Jaguar Wellness Pantry

  • Wellness Pantry Services

• Homework Help

  • Khan Academy  

  • Virtual Nerd  

  • Schoolhouse.world | North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (nd.gov)

• Parent Committees

  • Family Engagement | North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (nd.gov)

  • Post Prom Committee - Contact Doug Margerum

• School Board

  • Northern Cass School Board Website found on at NorthernCassSchool.org under About Us

  • School Board Member Toolkit (ndsba.org)

  • School Board Statement of Interest to Run (nd.gov)

• Legislature - Contact your Representative

  • North Dakota State Government 

  • Contact My Legislators | Legislative Assembly: State of North Dakota (ndlegis.gov)

  • Find Your Representative | house.gov

  • Contact Your Senator | senate.gov  

• After School Program

  • Coordinator jamie.haseleu@northerncassschool.com

• Summer Programs 

  • Summer School

    • Elementary   crysta.schenck@northerncasschool.com

    • Secondary   doug.margerum@northerncassschool.com 

  • STEAM Camp ashley.krinke@northerncassschool.com 

  • Sports Camps bryce.laxdal@northerncassschool.com 

• Activities - General Information

  • Activities Director bryce.laxdal@northerncassschool.com 

  • Activities and Coach/Contact List

  • Activity Handbook 22-23

  • Athletics Calendar

• Academic Activities - Classroom Extensions

  • Acalympics katelyn.zaun@northerncassschool.com

  • JETS - Junior Engineering Technical Society wyatt.whiteaker@northerncassschool.com 

  • Poetry Out Loud (Level 9-12) don.hollister@northerncassschool.com

  • Spelling Bee (Level 5-8) jessica.smette@northerncassschool.com

• Academic Clubs & Organizations

  • Close Up troy.kinn@northerncassschool.com

  • Destination Imagination stacy.erickson@northerncassschool.com

  • FCCLA stacy.riendeau@northerncassschool.com 

  • FFA lucas.schmaltz@northerncassschool.com

  • Jag Treks margo.walter@northerncassschool.com

  • Math Team nicole_severance@hotmail.com

  • National Honor Society beth.head@northerncassschool.com

  • PaY (Philanthropy & Youth) riley.thompson@northerncassschool.com

mackenzie.tadych@northerncassschool.com

• • Peer Leaders ashley.krinke@northerncasschool.com

  • Robotics Team kirk.howatt@northerncassschool.com

  • Science Olympiad wyatt.whiteaker@northerncassschool.com

nate.myers@northerncassschool.com

• • Speech ncspeech@northerncassschool.com

  • Student Council gage.sitte@northerncassschool.com

  • Writing Club taylor.diede@northerncassschool.com

  • Yearbook margo.walter@northerncassschool.com

• Athletics Home Page (also see Coach/Contact List)

• Fine Arts Activities

  • Band sarah.savrnoch@northerncassschool.com

  • Choir jeremy.young@northerncassschool.com

  • Dance Team autumn.melander@northerncassschool.com

  • Missoula Children's Theatre stacy.erickson@northerncassschool.com

  • Musical jeremy.young@northerncassschool.com 

sarah.savrnoch@northerncassschool.com

stephanie.kohl@northerncassschool.com 

• • One Act Play alyssa.danielson@northerncassschool.com

dalton.schnabel@northerncassschool.com

• Getting Your GED in North Dakota

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Programs: Financial Help: Services: Department of Human Services: State of North Dakota

• Job Services ND

• Job Training Programs in ND

Northern Cass is comprised of six communities within the district, but several of our learners open enroll from other cities outside the district. Listed below are the sites available for many of the cities in our Northern Cass family*. 

Argusville 

Argusville Fire Department 

Argusville Community Center 

Argusville Facebook Page 

Arthur

Arthur Volunteer Fire Department 

Arthur Facebook Page 

Erie

Gardner

Grandin

Grandin-Gardner Fire Department 

Grandin Facebook Page

Hunter

Hunter Facebook Page 

Reiles Acres

Harwood

Harwood Fire & Rescue 

Harwood Facebook Page 

*These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Northern Cass School District of any of the products, services or opinions of the city or organization or individual. Northern Cass School District bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the city sites or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content. 

Tips for Healthy Social Media Use
While there are many positives to social media use, there can also be harmful experiences, such as online bullying, harassment, and feeling inadequate when comparing yourself to the "online life" of those you follow. Here are a few ways to limit exposure to negative content and comments on social media, and practice mindfulness to help support mental health:

• Take Breaks.

• Turn off notifications. 

• Unfriend, unfollow, mute. 

• Track your screen time and set limits. 

• Balance how much time you spend online with time seeing your friends, engaging in activities, and being social in real life. 

• Set "screen free" family time during certain parts of the day

• Make a Household Plan for Social Media Use

Consider using AAP's family media plan tool or the Media Plan at kidshealth.org, which lets parents set household rules around social media use. How kids use social media and what they see there can be more important than how many hours a day they spend on it. Set rules you all can agree on and post the rules in a visible area (like on the refrigerator) so that everyone knows about them. 

If cyberbullying, harassment, or other problems happen, you or your child can report it to school staff, the social media platform, or local law enforcement. If you're worried about your child's mental health, talk to their doctor. 

Know how your kids use social media and encourage them to focus on its positive effects. And don't forget: Setting a good example through your own virtual behavior can go a long way toward helping your kids use social media safely.

Internet Safety

• Laws
  The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). COPPA requires websites to explain their privacy policies and get parental consent before collecting or using child's personal information (age 13 or younger), such as a name, address, phone number, or Social Security number. The law also prohibits a site from requiring a child to provide more personal information than necessary to play a game or enter a contest. 

• Protection Tools
  Online tools let you control your kids' access to adult material and help protect them from Internet predators. Many Internet services providers (ISPs) provide parent-control options. You can also get software that helps block access to certain sites, restricts personal information from being shared online, and monitor and track online activity. 

• Getting Involved
  Teach your kids safe and responsible online behavior, keep an eye on their Internet use and model good behavior. 

 Set guidelines with your kids for safe online use:
  - Follow the family rules, and those set by the Internet service provider.
  - Never post or trade personal pictures.
  - Never reveal personal information location and turn off app tracking.
  - Use only a screen name and don't share passwords (other than with parents).
  - Never agree to get together in person with anyone met online without parental approval and/or supervision.
  - Never respond to a threatening email, message, post, or text.
  - Always tell a parent or other trusted adult about any communication or conversation that was scary or hurtful. 

Online Supervision:
-Spend time online together to teach your kids appropriate online behavior and monitor time spent online.
-Keep the computer in a common area where you can watch it and monitor use, not in individual bedrooms.
-Consider not allowing phones, tablets and computers in individual bedrooms at night to allow time to rest.
-Bookmark kids' favorite sites for easy access.
-Check your credit card and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges.
-Find out what, if any, online protection is offered by your child's school and any place your kids are without supervision.
-Take your child seriously if they report an uncomfortable online exchange.
If you are unaware of the sending, use, or viewing of child pornography online, call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678 or go online to the CyberTipline. 

Watch for warning signs of a child being targeted by an online predator. These can include:
-Spending long hours online, especially at night
-Phone calls from people you don't know
-Unsolicited gifts arriving in the mail
-Your child suddenly turning off the computer or other device when you walk into the room
-Withdrawal from family life and reluctance to discuss online activities. 

Talk to your kids! Keep an open line of communication and make sure that they feel comfortable turning to you when they have problems online. 

• The Internet and Older Teens
  As kids get older, it gets a little trickier to monitor their time spent online. They may carry a smartphone with them at all times. Teens want and need some privacy, which is healthy and normal as they become more independent from their parents. The internet can provide a safe "virtual" environment for exploring some newfound freedom. To help your teen find balance, it's important to talk about how to use social media wisely. 

For More Information, Visit Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online

• What's Positive About Social Media Use?
    Social Media can help kids:
  -stay connected with friends and family
  -volunteer or get involved with a campaign, nonprofit, or charity
  -enhance their creativity by sharing ideas, music, and art
  -meet other people who have similar interests
  -communicate with educators and fellow students
  -find health information
  -learn about current events
  -get support when they feel sad or anxious

• What Are The Down Sides to Social Media Use?
  Cyberbullying
  Through cyberbullying, kids can be teased or harassed online.
  Privacy & Safety
  Kids also should know about privacy and safety. Without meaning to, they can share more online than they should. Many kids post photos of themselves online or use their real names or personal information on their profiles. Sharing this type of information can make them easy targets for online predators and others who might mean them harm. Some apps can automatically reveal a user's location, telling anyone exactly where to find the person. Talk to your kids about not sharing personal information and be aware of the apps your child is using and what information they collect and what you can turn off (such as location information).
  Risks to Their Reputation
  Photos, videos, and comments made online usually can't be taken back after they're sent or posted. Even when a kid thinks something has been deleted, it can be impossible to completely erase it from the Internet.
  Mental Health
  Studies show that spending a lot of time on social media can be related to mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. It's not just how much time kids spend on social media, but also how they use it that matters.
  Inappropriate, Harmful Content and Disinformation
  Kids may see online content or ads that aren't appropriate for their age. They may also see risky or dangerous content hat can include violence, self-harm, eating disorders, or discrimination toward some groups of people.
  
  

• What Can Parents Do?
  It's important to be aware of what your kids do online. But snooping can alienate them and damage the trust you've built together. The key is to stay involved in a way that makes your kids understand that your respect their privacy but they need to be safe. Tell your kids that when posting information online, it's important to:
  Be nice.
  Think twice before hitting "enter". Remind kids that what they cannot take back what they post. 
  Follow the "WWGS?" (What Would Grandma Say) rule. Teach kids not to share anything on social media that they wouldn't want their teachers, college admissions officers, future bosses, and yes even grandma, to see. 
  Use privacy settings. Privacy settings are important. Go through the settings together to make sure your kids understand each one. Explain the they should never share their password with anyone, even a boyfriend, girlfriend, or best friend.
  Don't "friend" strangers. 

For more information, visit:

• • • ConnectSafely for guides on Cybersecurity. 

    • Google's Online Family Page.

Guides for family discussions about digital literacy and citizenship:

• • • Google - Be Internet Awesome Family Guide

    • Google - Be Internet Awesome Tips and Activities for Families

    • ConnectSafely.org - Guides for Internet Safety 

Monitoring Your Child's Media Use

Kids have easy access to hundreds of TV stations and millions of internet sites. There's a lot of media out there, and some of it might not be appropriate for your kids, depending on their age and maturity level.  

The best way to monitor media that kids use is to experience the media yourself. Test apps and play games before your kids use them and watch what they watch so you can talk about what they see on their screens. Some families might choose to monitor more closely and control the media their kids watch, play, and use.

Internet Activity
Some parents might choose to spot-check their kids' devices every once in a while. Others might want to filter their kids' Internet use by setting up is iOS and Android profiles for them on all the online devices they use (smartphones, tablets, and computers). This lets a parent restrict apps and games that kids can download and play, and websites they can visit. Parents also can set time limits on internet use.

Most big email providers, such as Google and Yahoo, let parents create child email accounts for younger kids. These accounts can forward all emails to a parent to monitor contacts and communications. Kids must be at least 13 before they can have a Google or Yahoo account of their own. 

Social media sites usually require kids to be at least 13 before they can have their own accounts. To keep an eye on a child's social media activity, parents can set up accounts of their own and check their child's pages and activity for themselves. 

Programs and apps are available that can monitor kids' social media accounts and alert parents to any inappropriate language or photos. Some can give detailed reports of a child's browsing history and how long the child was online and on each site. Consider your child's safety and digital behavior when deciding whether to monitor devices. Then, if you choose to monitor, talk to them about it and explain why it's important. 

No amount of monitoring can protect kids from everything. And kids can often figure out how to get around parental controls. So it's best to encourage your child to be a responsible internet user by being a good role model and talking to your kids about online safety. 

TV Ratings and the V-Chip
Two ways you can help monitor what your kids watch are:

TV Parental Guidelines. Modeled after the movie rating system, this is an age-group rating system developed for TV programs. Find more information at http://www.tvguidelines.org/.  

The V Chip.  https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/v-chip-putting-restrictions-what-your-children-    watch.

Video Game and App Ratings
Some apps and almost all video games are rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). To search ratings, visit https://www.esrb.org/.

Navigating digital literacy can seem daunting but talking with your kids, setting boundaries together and modeling good digital citizenship will go a long way to making this a positive experience for your family. 

Virtual Visit Access Information
Northern Cass School, in partnership with Essentia Health, will provide convenient, quality healthcare access on-site virtual visit access point to your healthcare provider. This access site will be located on campus in a secure room and is available to learners in grades 7-12 as well as parents/guardians and staff. 

Services will include access to Essentia’s 24/7 telecare team via secure interactive videoconferencing for minor and acute illness and pain, minor injuries, behavioral health care, follow-ups, and more. While this on-site virtual visit access point is supported through our partnership with Essentia, learners, families, and staff will have the ability to connect with providers from other healthcare systems as well.

By offering these on-site services, we will:

·        Improve access to clinical and behavioral health services for our learners.

·        Reduce the need for our learners to leave school for off-site appointments.

·        Reduce parent/guardian time away from work to transport learners to physical clinic sites.

Additionally, parents/guardians can attend the virtual appointment from their work or home computer. 

How to Access

• Make an appointment through Essentia MyChart, then schedule the Northern Cass conference room for that time using SignUp Genuis. Please arrive to appointment a few minutes prior to get logged into MyChart to get your appointment video link. 

How do I set up an Essentia “My Chart” account/profile?

If you don’t have a mychart account:

1. Sign up here: MyChart - Sign Up (essentiamychart.org) or visit information here. 

2. If you are a minor age 12-17, you can

email: MyChartSignUp@EssentiaHealth.org for an electronic activation form, or

request MyChart access at your next doctor’s appointment.

3. Complete General Consent Authorization Form (GCA) (valid for 3 years) and consent to treat (annually required for ambulatory services).

4. Create proxy account: MyChart - Login Page (essentiamychart.org)

If you do have a mychart account:

1. Make sure the General Consent Authorization Form (GCA)  (valid for 3 years) and the Consent to Treat form (required annually) is up to date and on file with Essentia Health.

Find out more through the FAQ

Note: You will need to fill out consent forms PRIOR to making an appointment. If you have not already filled out the forms, you can find them below. Please fill out and send to your healthcare provider through MyChart.

General Consent Authorization Form - Renew Every 3 Years

General Consent for TREATMENT Form - Renew Annually

Confidential Services ND