Back to School Letter

Hello,

We’re excited to welcome you to Northwestern Middle School for the 2026-2027 school year and provide you with additional back to school information.  Please be on the lookout at the start of next week for our back to school newsletter which will include our updated staff lists and more updates.  

Additionally,  I would like to address some frequently asked questions: 

• - Please make sure you finish online registration in Skyward.  When logging into Skyward, your user name is typically your first name.last name and is not your email address. You may have changed your password, our passwords now must contain at least two characters, which is different from what we have used in the past.

• - Your child's schedule is subject to change. Please be sure to check this the day prior to school starting to double check nothing has been changed.

• - If you have any difficulty with registration, please do not hesitate to contact the school office at 765-454-2323

•  6th Grade Orientation is July 30th 1-3pm.  This is open to all 6th Graders and any student attending our school for the first time.  Students will have time to practice their locker combos and locks at orientation.   Please enter via Door #36. Topics: Pickup/Dropoff; Schedules; Lockers; Cafeteria; Sports; Grade Expectations

• New Event: Ice Cream Social:  July 30th 5:00pm-7:00-pm. Eat Ice Cream, eat at a food truck (bring cash), visit friends, decorate lockers.  Enter Door 1 HS or Door 7 MS.  (Coke Shop also open) 

• Additional.. locker deco/building walkthru times are as follows: July 30-Ice Cream Social (5-7pm), July 31st (9-3pm), June 3rd (1-3pm)

• School begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 2:35 p.m. Here is our Master Calendar.  

• Car Rider morning drop-off location is Door #1 and Door #2 of the High School.  Please do not drop off students where the buses park in front of the MS.  We do not want students walking behind and between busses. 

• Afternoon car rider pickup location is the parking lot (lot with Purple Band Tower) across the street from the High School Door #43 (HS Gym/Tiger Den Entrance).  Students must use the crosswalk.  (This is supervised immediately after release).  First Day(s) We will have a staff member walk students to learn that exit.  We have a room with supervision (Library) until 3:15 p.m. if needed. Those students will also exit Door #43.  

• Students are allowed to have Bookbag and Phones.  They MUST be kept in lockers before the start of instructional time. (7:45am)   The new state law also requires phones to stay in lockers during lunch. Students have 5 minutes between classes.  Students will still be allowed to contact parents.  Students who violate the phone policy will need to keep their phone in the office safe.  

• For Transportation questions please see the ‘26-27 Busing Information”’ email from Amber Collins.  Transportation requests will open back up in skyward when routing is complete. 

• Buses are only for those students that have been approved via transportation.  Students riding home with a friend will not be allowed.  

• See this link for school supplies  

• In the event of an "2-hour Delay". Everything starts 2 hours later.  Start time is 9:45am and meetings before that time would be cancelled.  

• Check your email for skyward notifications:  These will also include our periodic newsletter with more information. 

• Cafeteria Meals:  If you pay for meals or want your students to have money in their accounts for ‘Extras’ please use MEAL MAGIC.    FREE or REDUCED lunch students must still pay for “EXTRAS’ such as cookies, chips, or ice-cream.  

• Please complete ‘final forms’ if your child is interested in athletics regardless of the season they play. Also select which sport in which they have ANY interest..  This can help ensure you receive the callout information.   If you have no idea what final forms are please contact the athletic department. 

• The Athletic Office now has its own entrance on the North side of campus. Feel free to use that to get a sports pass, obtain physical forms, or to see the new secretary Nikki Davis.   

•  Bookmark this page for all sports schedule/ticket information:

• Middle School staff and contact information is located on the staff page on our website. Updates will come after this week's board meeting. 

• School schedules and grades are available through Skyward. It is always best practice to double check schedules online the day before school in case of a last minute change.  ericka.ecklebarger@nwsc.k12.in.us will handle change requests before the first week of school ends.  We will help students find their classes and look for ‘lost’ students when school starts.  

• Thank you for trusting us with the education of your child.  We hope this is the best year of school yet!