News from the Nest 10/23/26
Posted Date: 10/23/26 (03:54 PM)
Note from the Principal's Desk
We have a short but exciting week ahead at North Elementary! It's Red Ribbon Week, and we are looking forward to a week filled with fun activities and opportunities to make positive choices!
🎃 Pumpkin Drop & Halloween Fun: Our annual Pumpkin Drop will take place on Wednesday, October 28th, for students who have earned this PBIS celebration by having fewer than two discipline referrals. Students may also wear their Halloween costumes to school on the 28th! Please remember that inflatable costumes, masks, full-face paint, and weapons are not permitted. Costumes should be school-appropriate and comfortable enough to wear throughout the school day.
Fourth Grade Families: Due to the fourth-grade field trip on October 28th, our fourth graders will celebrate the Pumpkin Drop and wear their Halloween costumes on Tuesday, October 27th instead.
📚 Parent-Teacher Conferences: We look forward to connecting with our families during conferences on Thursday, October 29th and Friday, October 30th. These conversations are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student growth and work together to support continued success.
🍬 A HUGE Thank You! Thank you to all of our families who joined us for our annual Trick-or-Treat Night! We loved seeing our Redbird families come together for an evening of fun. Your support and participation make our North community so special!
It's going to be a busy but wonderful week of learning, celebrations, and family connections. Thank you for being such an important part of our North family!
One School. One Family. One Redbird Nation.
Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes.
— Lisa Harris, Principal
Upcoming Events
- October 26th-30th - Red Ribbon Week
- October 27th - 4th Grade Halloween costumes, celebrations and pumpkin drop
- October 28th - 4th Grade Field Trip
- October 28th - 2nd, 3rd and 5th Grade Halloween costumes, celebrations and pumpkin drop
- October 29th-30th - No School - Parent Teacher Conferences
- November 11th - No School - Veterans' Day
- November 13th - Picture Retake Day
A Glimpse into our World
A Glimpse Into Our World! 🎥
On Tuesday, October 27, North will welcome visitors who will capture brief moments of learning, laughter, and fun throughout our building for a special district video celebrating the great things happening in our schools!
All families’ media release preferences will be honored. Students without permission to be filmed will not be included. We’re excited to showcase the everyday moments that make North special!
Parent Teacher Conferences
📅 Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up! This is a great opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher, discuss their progress, and work together to support their success.Conference Times:
🍎 Thursday, October 29th: 1:00–7:00 PM
🍎 Friday, October 30th: 8:00 AM–1:00 PM
Families may call the North office at 618-463-2171 to schedule a conference.
We look forward to meeting with our North families! ❤️
Celebrating our Redbirds!
⭐ Student of the Week
Starting next week, we will begin celebrating our Students of the Week! Each week, two students from each grade level will be recognized for demonstrating strong character, showing kindness to others, and giving their very best each day.Mrs. Bick - Evie Kuhn
Mrs. Saenz - Piper Droste
Mrs. Myette - Azeraia Womack
Mrs. Kuhnline - Maebri Gill
Mrs. Gable - Mara Batton
Ms. Steed - Charlie Rhanor
Miss Greenberg - Deandre Walker
Mrs. Forsting - Fiona Hill
💛 Yellow Bird Bucks
Our Redbirds are doing a great job earning Yellow Bird Bucks!Congratulations to Mrs. Kuithe, Mr. Moore, and Mrs. Forsting's class for making the Yellow Birdbuck goal of 50 Birdbucks! They will earn popsicles!!
Keep showing those Redbird expectations—we can’t wait to celebrate more of our classes!
📚 Redbird Role Models
Our character focus for October is RESPONSIBILITY—this week we caught a few Redbirds showing what responsibility looks like! Way to go!⭐Xander Muscarella
Kora Seymour
Kylie Hoekstra
Maria Viviano
Brier Bechtold
Cole Suter
Chase Kelly
Carter Kincaid
Aria Peipert
Eli Wohlert
Brentley Klausner
⭐ October PBIS Reward: Pumpkin Drop!
On October 28th, classes will put their creativity to the test by building a pumpkin protector using recyclable materials. Will their pumpkin survive the drop? Students must have fewer than two discipline referrals from October 1–28 to attend. Keep making positive choices, Redbirds!
🎃 Halloween Classroom Celebrations
We’re excited to celebrate Halloween at North! Students in 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades may wear costumes and enjoy classroom celebrations on October 28th. 4th grade will wear costumes and celebrate on October 27th due to their field trip on the 28th.
Students may wear costumes to school. Please no inflatable costumes, masks, full-face paint, or weapons. Costumes should be school-appropriate and manageable for students to wear throughout the school day.
❤️ Red Ribbon Week
Since we will be celebrating Halloween with costumes, we will not be having a Red Ribbon Week dress-up week this year. However, the district has put together some quick and easy activities for our students to participate in! Please see the flyer below for details.
Culture of Belonging Scorecard
Our goal is for 80% or more of our students to report that:❤️ I feel safe at school.
🤝 I am treated kindly by my peers and staff.
⭐ I am recognized for the good things I do.
Student voice matters, and we want every Little Redbird to feel safe, valued, and like they belong at North!
Area |
On Track |
Current Week |
Q1 Average |
Q2 Average |
Q3 Average |
Q4 Average |
Feel Safe |
yes |
90% |
91%
|
|||
Treated Kindly |
yes |
88% | 90% |
|||
Acknowledged |
yes |
88% |
88% |
Attendance
🏫 Every Day at School Matters!
Every day at school matters! We are working toward our school-wide attendance goal of 95%, but we’re not there yet. We need your help! Please make every effort to have your child at school, on time, every day. Together, we can reach our goal!
🎉 Congratulations to Mrs. Thompson’s class—our FIRST Mr. Potato Head Challenge winners! 🥔🏆
They had 100% attendance for 12 days, earning every piece of their Mr. Potato Head and a chip party! Way to show up, Redbirds! ❤️
Our Goal is 95% of students present everyday each week.
Week |
% of Students Present Everyday This Week |
| Quarter 1 Average | 82% |
August 24th-28th |
83% |
August 31st - September 4th |
82% |
September 7th-11th |
87% |
September 14th - 18th |
80% |
| September 21st-25th | 83% |
September 28th - October 2nd |
79% |
October 5th-9th |
85% |
| October 12th-16th | 81% |
| October 19th-23rd | 74% |
Academics and Striving for Proficiency
🎯 Tracking Academic Success
For our 2nd and 3rd graders, we will also begin tracking the percentage of students earning a 3 in all basic skills each quarter. We would like to increase each quarter by 10%.
Week |
% of 4th and 5th Graders Passing All Classes |
| Quarter 1 Average | 89% |
September 7th-11th |
90% |
September 14th-18th |
89% |
September 21st-25th |
88% |
September 28th-October 2nd |
88% |
October 5th-9th |
86% |
October 12th-16th |
88% |
| October 19th-23rd | 91% |
| Week | % of 2nd and 3rd Graders earning 3's in Basic Skills |
| Quarter 1 Average |
Notes from the Office
Parent Pick-up Reminders
A few quick reminders to help keep arrival and dismissal safe and running smoothly:
- 🚗 Please do not line up for parent pick-up before 1:30 PM, as students are still outside at recess.
- 🪪 Have your car tag visible when picking up your child.
- ➡️ All vehicles must turn RIGHT onto Stamper Lane when exiting our parking lot.
- 🚫 Please do not drop students off on Stamper Lane or Godfrey Road.
- 🚶 If you are walking your child to or from the building for drop-off or pick-up, please use the designated crosswalk on Stamper Lane for everyone’s safety.
- 📞 Contact the North office by 10:00 AM to report an absence or make any transportation changes.
Box Tops!
Communication Reminders
- Parent Square - All school communication is shared here. Please make sure you are connected.
-
Phone Numbers -
- North Elementary - 618-463-2171
- Bus Garage - 618-466-5400
- Facebook - Lewis and Clark & North Elementary Parent Teacher Group
- My Ride K-12 App: Stay connected to bus transportation using your child’s 6 digit “Other ID” from Skyward Family Access.
❤️ Thank you for being an important part of our North family. Together, we are creating a place where every Little Redbird can learn, grow, and belong.
One School. One Family. One Redbird Nation.