Principal's Message

Dear Families,

I hope you and your family were able to enjoy the recent warm weather. It has been wonderful to see students excited about sunshine and outdoor time. However, we are still in February, and Indiana weather can change quickly. Please continue sending students with appropriate layers, as we may still experience colder temperatures in the coming weeks.

We are also looking ahead with excitement to Read Across America Week, which will take place March 2nd through March 6th. This is always a special time at North White as we celebrate reading, literacy, and the joy of books. We encourage families to build excitement at home by reading together each evening and talking about favorite stories. Creating a love for reading now builds lifelong learners.

Additionally, IREAD-3 will be administered to all 2nd and 3rd grade students on March 3rd and 4th. This assessment is an important measure of foundational reading skills and helps us ensure students are on track with state literacy expectations. Families can support students by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, arrive at school on time, and practice reading fluency at home. Encouragement and confidence make a big difference.

We also want to remind families of the importance of attendance. If your child will be absent, please call the main office to report the absence. Unexcused absences will be documented, and attendance calls will be made. Regular attendance is essential to academic success.

Finally, please mark your calendars for Spring Break, March 23rd through March 27th. We hope this provides families with time to rest and recharge.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We appreciate all you do to help our students succeed.

Warm Wishes,

Mr. Dennis Briciu

Principal, North White Elementary

Update from our School Counselor

Dear Parents, 

According to Indiana Code (IC 20-30-5-5.7), North White Elementary School has to educate all students on child abuse using research and evidence-based curriculum by the end of the school year. If you have any questions, reach out to Mrs. Cosgray at ccosgray@nwhite.k12.in.us or 219-604-4006. 

North White Elementary Learning & Fun! 

IREAD Prep

Our 3rd Grade Team is gearing up for IREAD! We are doing our best to prep kids for this very important test! They are learning about test taking strategies and practicing important reading skills. 

4th Grade Guest Speaker! 

The 4th grade classes were visited by Joe Spear and his team. They introduced the topic of electrical currents and how it is transferred through conductors and insulators. Our students were then able to build their own circuit board powering a light bulb. The students constructed the board and then cut and ran the wires to power a light bulb using a switch. 

ILEARN Checkpoint Data Dive! 

On Wednesday, February 18th, 3rd, 4th & 5th grade teacher's used their "early realse" time to dig into their ILEARN Checkpoint 2 data. Together they developed a plan to support students in becoming proficient in both Reading and Math on ILEARN.

Transportation

Morning Car Drop off:

• Time: Doors open at 7:45 AM. Students should arrive no earlier than this time, as there is no supervision before then.

• Location: All car riders must be dropped off at Door 16.

Traffic Flow:

• • Enter the car rider lane and pull all the way forward before letting your child out.

  • Students should exit the passenger side only.

  • Remain in your vehicle—staff will be available to assist younger students.

  • Breakfast: Students eating breakfast at school should arrive between 7:45–8:00 AM.

Afternoon Car Pick Up:

• Time: Dismissal begins at 3:00 PM.

• Location: All car riders are picked up at Door 16 using the car rider lane.

Traffic Flow:

• • Pull forward as directed by staff.

  • Have your Car Rider Tag clearly visible in your front window.

  • Students will be brought to your vehicle by staff—please remain in your car.

Transportation Changes: All changes must be communicated with the Main Office before 2:00 pm (219) 604-4006. 

Attendance

If your student is going to be absent....

• Call the school office at (219) 604-4006 before 8:30 AM.

• Please state your child’s name, teacher, and reason for absence.

• If the absence is due to illness, let us know the symptoms so we can monitor for patterns in the school. (Provide a Dr. Note if your child was seen by a medical professional.) 

Behavior

North White Elementary is dedicated to supporting all students. Our Behavior Matrix is a guide  to support behavior building wide. The Behavior Matrix covers: 

• • 3 levels of behaviors

  • Supports and consequences given to students who display certain behaviors

  • Parents will be notified about behaviors and consequences assigned in some or all of the following ways: Skyward, phone call from the school, Letter home. 

Classroom Communication-Rooms 

All classroom teachers will be using "Rooms" within the North White School Corporation App to communicate with parents. To make sure you have access to "Rooms" 

• Go to your phone's App Store and download the North White School Corporation app and enable notifications

• See the "Flyers" page for more information. 

• Reach out to your student's classroom teacher with questions. 

We know that cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) are circulating and we want to share information from the CDC about this.

HFMD is a contagious viral illness spread through direct contact with the discharges from the nose and throat and through the fecal-oral route.

Symptoms can include a sudden onset of fever, malaise, poor appetite and sore throat followed by lesions in the mouth 1-2 days later. The lesions begin as small red spots that blister and may become ulcers. They are usually located on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks and can be very painful. A skin rash then develops, which is usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The sores may also appear on the buttocks, legs, and arms.

Please do not send your child to school while ill, especially if they have fever, mouth blisters with drooling, and weeping lesions on hands.

There is no specific treatment or vaccine for HFMD. To prevent additional cases of HFMD,

• Wash and sanitize articles soiled by discharge, including toys and doorknobs.

• Encourage frequent handwashing, especially after handling discharges and after using the restroom. Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• Encourage good cough and sneeze hygiene (into the elbow of the arm).

• Avoid close personal contact such as kissing and sharing food/drink/vapes.

More information about Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease is available at https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/about/index.html