Community Update January 13, 2023

I hope each of you had a wonderful holiday and that your new year is off to a good start.  Our students have transitioned back into routines seamlessly over the past two weeks and there is much to look forward to as we approach the midway point in the 22-23 school year.

At NES, many students are taking part in a newly created after-school program that will provide various supports as well as enrichment opportunities; many thanks to our teachers for facilitating this program and for our Transportation Department as they work to provide transport of students from these programs.  At the JH/ HS, preparations for the musical are underway, and our 7-12 students will be taking midterms at the end of the month.  This is often an excellent time of year to discuss with your child(ren) what has gone well at school to date and what areas could be improved, either academically or socially/behaviorally.  These conversations often lead to the establishment of goals and a growth mindset.  As always, our school staff remain open to support families and students in this important work.

As we transition to 2023, the new year is also a good time to remind our families and students about the role everyone plays in keeping our schools safe.  As we work collaboratively to support students, it is important to note that it is their eyes and ears that can often make all of the difference in preventing inappropriate behaviors, whether it be bullying, threats, or potentially more serious acts.  Providing pathways for students or families to share information with our district is an important piece in maintaining a safe environment.

To that end, I wanted to remind our community that NCS offers an online school safety reporting tool (SafeSchools) which is anonymous.  It can be found on our school website (https://www.naplescsd.org) housed under the district tab.

While it is often best when students/families/staff report concerns in-person, we realize that there are cases where an anonymous tool may be of benefit.  Of course, I would remind the entire NCS community that if there is ever a situation, particularly after school hours, where you believe someone has become a direct/imminent threat to themselves or others, calling 911 is always the best option. 

A full-time school resource officer, strong relationships with students, and a knowledgeable student support staff further assist us in keeping our students safe and we are grateful for all of this support.  I thank you for your willingness to serve as a partner in keeping our schools safe through open communication.

Have a wonderful weekend and always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Kevin Swartz

NCS Superintendent