July 27, 2023
Dear Northside Families and Students,
I hope you have had an amazing couple of months taking life at a more leisurely pace and enjoying all the gifts of the summer season. For me, there were no big travels, but it really felt good to take the days at a slower pace, read for fun, catch up on home projects (organizing and cleaning!), golf, and spend a lot of time with family and friends. The summer also allows the staff and I to meet, plan, and make each year better than the last.
This year marks my sixteenth year as the Northside Principal and I cannot believe how quickly this time has gone. I continue to always have a mixture of excitement and anxiety about starting a new school year. It’s a long to-do list in order to get ready to welcome our students to a new school year, but the feeling of a fresh start with excited students who love being at school is why we love what we do. I couldn’t be more proud of the school we are and my hope is that all of our families feel this sense of pride as well. My goal every year is to be THE SCHOOL where strong relationships are built and children enjoy learning. I want all students to feel connected to their teachers, staff, and peers; for students to feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes; and for students to feel safe and supported (physically and emotionally). The spring 2023 family survey data supports this as 98% of our families are satisfied with Northside. Other survey data shows that we have many strengths to build upon.
96%--Northside has adults that really care for my child and their success in school.
93%--I feel connected to the teachers and staff at Northside.
96%–The school promotes academic success for ALL students.
91%--The school enforces the rules and expectations.
98%--My child has at least one trusted adult at school.
Continuous improvement is our goal every year. We push our students to exceed academically and practice civility. We want students to learn in a safe, nurturing environment and empower them to reach their greatest potential. This is our mission and I truly believe that every year we do our best to be better and do better.
The following is a quick summary of the important notes for this year:
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The District has added ten minutes to the school day. School start time is now 7:55.
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The bell for all students to enter is 7:50.
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This is a huge adjustment for families as I know how hectic morning routines can be. If you have children at multiple buildings, please see the other start/end times.
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Abe Lincoln - 8:05-3:20
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Parkside - 7:50 - 3:05
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MMS -8:00-3:28
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MHS - 8:00- 3:30
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Last year was the first year of implementation of the new literacy curriculum called Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA). This curriculum in combination with our teachers participating in expansive training in literacy best practices has resulted in a huge jump in our literacy scores across the grade levels. We are ecstatic to see such positive results after only one year of implementation! We are even more excited to see what year two will bring.
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Our math achievement continues to indicate that we have strong practices in place. Because we always strive for excellence, this means that over the next few years, we will be evaluating the curriculum and instructional practices to ensure that we set our students up for success at the secondary level.
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The theme for the school year is Camp Northside! Our PBIS Team (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is working hard to hone in on the essential behaviors that will lead to success inside and outside of the classroom. (Read the Progressive Discipline plan for more details on all of the supports in place as well as the “leveled plan” for inappropriate behaviors.)
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Construction projects have finally wrapped up over the summer and our building is in great shape. We are very excited that new LMC furniture will be arriving in late August and it will hopefully be here for Meet Your Teacher. The purchase of the new furniture would not have been possible without the generous support of all of our Northside families as a large chunk of the funding came from our invaluable PTO!
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Big change!! The MORNING (only) drop-off zone is changing to the parking lot area. And, there is only ONE entrance to the parking lot which is the bottom driveway on 32nd Avenue. Please see the map and read this detailed information in the “School Days Procedures & Information” section.
I continue to feel blessed and honored to work among the “best of the best” in regard to our staff. They are such a dedicated, intelligent, talented, and student-centered group of educators.
I cannot wait to see you on August 30th and please know that my door is always open throughout the school year if you ever have any questions or concerns.
On behalf of the entire staff, welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!
Amy Timmerman
Principal
amytimmerman@monroe.k12.wi.us
608-328-7129
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