Parents & Guardians,

It has been a great first few weeks at 1R for students and staff. It is hard to believe we are already at Labor Day weekend. I hope everyone can enjoy one last long summer weekend.  No school on Monday, September 2nd. 

We just completed school pictures. If you need assistance with orders or have questions please contact Cassie Price Photography- 308-850-1179 or email:  cassie_price@live.com School picture retakes are (Friday, September 20th).

Parent Teacher Conferences are Wednesday, September 25 and Thursday, September 26 from 3:30 PM-8:00 PM. Students will be dismissed at 2:00PM. K-5 teachers have scheduled times. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have not set up a time. Middle school conferences are not scheduled – just come when you are available. There is NO school on Friday, September 27. 

I would like to remind parents and legal guardians of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). We cannot share academic information with anyone other than biological parents or documented legal guardians. While we value and recognize it takes a community to raise a child, we cannot share academic information outside these parameters——meaning stepparents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, boyfriends or girlfriends etc. We thank you for your cooperation with meeting these requirements of the law.

Mrs. Cadwalader will have the Book Fair in conjunction with Parent Teacher Conference days. PTO will also host Breakfast Buddies on Thursday, Sept. 26th at 7:15 AM in conjunction with the Book Fair.  Come out and enjoy a donut and buy some books to share with your child. Let’s help Mrs. Cadwalader instill the passion for reading and support the library!

PTO meets on the first Monday of the month at 6:00 PM.  PTO will meet on Monday, Sept. 9 at 6:00 PM this month.  On behalf of the PTO, I would like to encourage you to consider coming to the meetings. If you are not able to attend the meetings, but would be willing to help in any other way, please let our PTO know. Thank you PTO and to all the 1R families who came to the Open House. We had a great turnout, amazing raffle prizes and some great food. PTO will continue to utilize Peachjar to share information.  Check out our websites for updates and access to Peachjar. Culver’s will be hosting a PTO Dining Night out on September 17th from 4-8PM. 

Please make sure you are receiving information through our BrightArrow system. If you are NOT receiving text messages or emails from the district office or myself, please send a text message to: 

Text: 79041

Message: Yes

This will allow you to keep up to date with news, messages and event updates. 

Parents- please do not drop off your child until at least 7:45a.m. Our hours are 7:45-3:45p.m. daily. In order to provide proper supervision we need your help with this. School starts at 8:00a.m. daily. Please arrive between 7:45 and 8:00a.m. 8:02 is the tardy bell. 

Your child’s attendance at school is very important to us and imperative to their success in the classroom. Instruction begins when they walk in the classroom door.  Please call the office before 8:00 a.m. on days your child will be absent or ill.  Mrs. Bachle will be following up if she has not heard from you by 9:00 and alerts may be sent notifying you. Please contact us at 385-6352. Thank you for your support with this. 

Lunch Menu may be found on Northwest district website under the parents tab.  Parents and guardians you will need to set up and/or revisit your lunch accounts. Students will need to have current daily balances for a hot lunch.  If not, you will receive alert notifications, paper notes and/or your child may be asked to call home if balances are negative. 

Middle school sports have started practices and games are right around the corner. We wish all our teams good luck this fall. Our student athletes and coaches are working hard and improving each practice. Their schedules are posted on the 1R Google calendar. Please contact your coaches if your athlete will be absent or with questions on practices, game times and locations. They are the most up-to-date with any changes.  

Northwest uses the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) system. (SRP) provides consistent, clear, shared language and actions among all students, staff and first responders. We have and will continue to practice fire, tornado, lockdown and evacuation drills. Our district and staff have trained with law enforcement in many of these protocols. We practice to be prepared and pray we will never use them. The law enforcement and fire department are invited to participate so they can monitor and provide feedback. Our Rural Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department have been great support and we thank them for all their service.

Here are some tips to help your child at school:

• Establish good routines:  bedtime, wake up times, and breakfast
• Backpacks and clothes laid out the night before ready to go in the morning
• MS students- CHARGING their Chromebook overnight
• Set aside time and a quiet place to study and/or read at home 

5th grade band opportunity. Mr. Meyer has set up Wednesday, September 4th, at 6:30p.m.in the Northwest High School band room as an informational night. Ron’s Music and Yanda’s Music will also be there to provide information on instrument rental and to try out instruments. Mr. Meyer has sent home notes with students or you may reach him at: tmeyer@ginorthwest.org 

As a district and building we continue to ROW together! The ROW acronym stands for being: R-Respectful, O-taking Ownership, and W-Working as a team. These expectations are part of the 1R School Improvement Climate & Culture Goal. Teachers shared lessons with students the first week of school on how and what it looks like to ROW in our building, the classroom, hallway, lunchroom, recess etc…. I encourage you to ask your child about ROW Expectations. Each day teachers are looking for students who exhibit these expectations. Students are given ROW rewards and their names are placed in a weekly drawing.  

We will continue with our House System as well this year. Our first House gathering is this week. New students and the Kindergarten class will join their new house families. Students will create their crest for their lockers and hallways. We have a lot of awesome students doing great things everyday!

Again thank you for your continued educational partnership. We greatly appreciate your support. The best and most updated way to stay connected is with the 1R Calendar and Northwest District calendar. You may also follow us on the 1R Facebook page, 1R Website and Northwest Website. Please do not hesitate to contact the office or myself if you have any questions 308-385-6352. 

Sincerely,

Mr. Retzlaff, Principal