Principal’s Notes from Nottingham – January 10, 2018

America is a poem in our eyes; its ample geography dazzles the imagination, and it will not wait long for metres. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Early Release Wednesday
A friendly reminder that today, Wednesday, January 10th is an early release day. Knights will be dismissed at 1:26.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
There will be no school Monday, January 15th, 2018 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I hope you will be able to take advantage of the many MLK, Jr. events that the D.C. area has to offer.

Attendance Update: NEW PROCEDURE
If your child is going to be tardy or absent please call the attendance line at 703-228-5292 and email attendance.ntm@groups.apsva.us as well as your child’s teacher.

APS School Talk messages through School Messenger.
Did you miss receiving yesterday’s text message about the 2-hour delay? If so, there’s an easy fix. As long as your cell number is already in the school’s database, just text the word YES to 67587. This will verify that you can receive text messages to that phone.

Meteorological winter is here and that means there is always a possibility of school delays and closures. Whenever snow and icy conditions are in the forecast, APS begins making preparations to ensure that schools can remain open whenever possible.

APS crews communicate closely with County staff to make sure accumulating snow is cleared and icy conditions are treated on bus routes. If a storm occurs during the overnight hours, APS crews monitor road conditions thoroughly and provide updates to the Superintendent. (Winter Weather PSA)

Throughout the winter season, we encourage families to be prepared for the possibility of school delays or closings by establishing plans for alternate work arrangements and/or child care if schools delay opening, close early, or are closed for the whole day. If a decision is made overnight to open late or to close for the whole day, families will be notified typically by about 5 a.m. You can also get the latest information through the many other communication channels that APS uses:

• Visit the website at www.apsva.us.
• Check your email for an update from APS School Talk.
• Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
• Tune in for news updates on major English or Spanish television & radio stations.
• Announcements will be posted on AETV on Verizon Channel 41 or Comcast Channel 70.
• Call the APS Hotline at 703-228-4277 to hear a recorded message.
• Download the free APS app to receive a notification on your mobile device.

For more information on snow-related closings, delays, and emergency updates, visit https://www.apsva.us/emergency-alerts/.
Thank you for your efforts to keep our Community of Learners healthy and happy this winter season!

Geography Bee:
Nottingham’s annual Geography Bee will take place on Wednesday, 1/17 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Each fourth and fifth grade class will hold a preliminary round in their classroom and the top ten finalists will complete the the school bee. If your child would like to brush up on his or her skills, they can go to: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/bee/study/play-kahoot/
Also, check out the Study Corner on the navigation bar for more practice.

Upcoming Important Dates:
Jan. 17 Nottingham Geography Bee 2:00 in the Multi Purpose Room
Jan. 19 Sock Hop (Snow day is Feb. 2)
• 6:30-8:00pm Dance for K-2nd graders
• 8:00-9:30pm Dance for 3-5th graders

Jan. 26 Teacher Planning Day – no school for students

Thank you for being a partner in your child’s education.

Mary Beth Pelosky
Marybeth.pelosky@apsva.us
@NTMPrincipal @NTMKnightsAPS