Notes Home -- NVMS January 6, 2025

NVMS Notes Home

January 6, 2025

Monday, January 6th                                 A Day

Tuesday, January 7th                                 A Day

Wednesday, January 8th                          A Day

Thursday, January 9th                                B Day

Friday, January 10th                                   B Day

Monday, January 13th                              A Day

Tuesday, January 14th                               A Day

Wednesday, January 15th                        B Day

Wednesday, January 15th                       Taproot Theater presentation

Thursday, January 16th                              B Day

Friday, January 16th                                   B Day

Looking ahead:

Wednesday, January 29th                        7th grade History Night (see attached)

Thursday, January 30th                             End of Semester 1

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We see patterns of success in our students at Nooksack Valley Middle School and a few things we notice are that students who get over 8 hours of sleep a night, eat a well-balanced meal, limit cell phone use and get regular exercise perform much better in school than their peers.  As the new year begins, we have set some new year's resolutions in our Advisory classes regarding academic performance for the remainder of the school year.  

Please partner with us and take some time with your child to talk about the following things they can do to be successful in school.  The middle school age is a good time for students to start to take ownership over their habits and routines, but they generally struggle to be consistent in establishing positive habits and routines without parent support.  

1. Ensure Regular Sleep Patterns

Adequate sleep is essential for focus, memory, and emotional regulation. Middle school students need 8-10 hours of sleep per night. To help your child establish a healthy sleep routine:

• Set a consistent bedtime, even on weekends.
• Limit screen time before bed, as blue light (from any electronic) can interfere with sleep.
• Create a calm bedtime environment to help them wind down.

2. Encourage Healthy Eating Habits

Balanced nutrition fuels your child’s brain and body for learning. Encourage your child to:

• Eat a healthy breakfast every morning.
• Choose snacks like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day.
• Sugar and caffeine have major negative impacts on Middle School aged students.

3. Limit Cell Phone and Screen Time

Excessive screen time can impact focus, sleep, and social skills. Help your child manage their technology use by:

• Setting clear rules for when and where phones can be used.
• Establishing "screen-free" times, such as during meals and homework.
• Monitoring their online activity to ensure safe and productive use.

4. Encourage Regular Physical Activity

Exercise is not just for physical health—it also boosts mood and focus. Help your child stay active by:

• Encouraging at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.
• Supporting their involvement in sports, dance, or outdoor activities.
• Being active together as a family when possible.

By fostering these habits, you’re setting your child up for success in school and beyond. 

Thank you for your partnership in supporting your child’s growth and success!

Joel VanderYacht
 NVMS Principal

Soccer for 6th graders:

Nooksack Valley Soccer Club now has registration open until March15th. We welcome kindergarten through 6th grade as well as boys and girls. Practices will be local and games will be played on the Phillip 66 fields on the Smith road in Bellingham. Games start on April 19th and run every Saturday until June 14th with the exception of the holiday in May. You can sign up your child though whatcomsoccer.com and this is the same website to sign up to coach. Thank you and we will see you on the field! 

Drop off/Pick up reminder:

• Please respect the drop off/pick up areas.  No cars in the bus areas until after 4:15. Buses are coming and going through that time.
• In front of the school, be sure to pull ahead as far as you can when you are waiting to pick up your student.  We cannot have traffic back up on the road or block our bus entrance.  
• Leave the left lane open for passing by.

Annual Student Updates needed:

If you have not already done so, please log onto Skyward and complete your student’s Annual Student Update.  This is where you can update emails, phone number and emergency contacts, verify other information as well as complete the annual forms we are required to ask for (Military, Opt Out, etc.).  Please complete this ASAP.

Cell phone policy change:

This year we will be making a few changes to our school handbook.  One of those changes will be that cellphones will not be allowed out on campus until the end of the school day at 2:15. This change is being made for several reasons as research is showing the many harmful effects of cellphones, social media, and the constant pressures those bring on our youth.  We have had several incidents of students using their cellphones to post pictures (without permission), bully and harass other students while at school.  With our focus on ensuring NVMS is a safe place for our students to grow and learn, we have made the decision to not have cell phones available during the school day.  We hope you as parents will support us in this change as the intent is to make it easier for our teachers to teach and our students to learn.  

A suggested book for any parent of a middle school student: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness