👋 NVMS Email Blast 161

Place your Panda Express order TODAY!

No need to worry about dinner on Thursday, 8/19: Just order Panda Express online or via their app, use the Promo Code 904556 and 28% of your purchase will be donated to our school! It's fast and easy and all of the information is at this link . In fact, share it with your friends and family anywhere in the nation because we will get credit at any Panda Express location! Remember Thursday, August 19th and thank you for supporting Niu Valley!

Parent/Guardian Email Blast

If you are in our current email blast group, you may have noticed that you are receiving two email blasts from our school. The first email blast is on our current Mailchimp platform. The second blast is from our School Messenger Email Blast service.

We will be fully transitioning to the School Messenger service by the end of the month. If you know you were previously receiving an email blast, but only received one blast last week, you may need to update your email address in our school system. Please email PCNC Joanne Imada with an updated email, or if you are not sure, or if you no longer receive email blasts.

Carpool Inquiry

If you live nearby the address 7000 Hawaii Kai Drive and would be interested in carpooling, please email PCNC Joanne Imada.

Bell Schedule Reminder

Please go over the new bell schedule with your child. This current bell schedule is posted on our website. Be aware that if you search online for NVMS bell schedule, you may find an outdated one.

Picture Taking Update

Make-up/retake picture day is tentatively scheduled for September 24.
Students who missed photo taking day, or if the student does not like their picture can participate.
Please have a note written with feedback for the photographer for why the retake is needed.
Retakes apply only to those students who ordered a photo package.
Retakes will only affect yearbook and ordered pictures, but not student IDs.

School Meal Menu

Click here for August Menu
Menu Changes:
AUG 19
Lunch: Creole Macaroni, Green Salad with Edamame, Sliced Peaches
AUG 26
Breakfast: Bagels with cream cheese, Sliced Peaches, Fresh Fruit

School Laptop Reminder

Please remind your child to return their laptops to their Advisory teacher at the end of each school day.

Traffic Safety

NVMS Administrators, Counselors, teachers and Leadership students came out on Wednesday August 11 to support our partnership with the Honolulu Police Department and our school's Community Traffic Awareness sign waving program. HPD Officers John Mau and Kaimi Kellett were on campus helping our school with spreading traffic safety awareness. It was good to see vehicles moving forward to fill up the gaps, drivers mindful of pedestrians, and students using the crosswalks. This on-going program's objectives are to keep our students safe and to help with the flow of traffic during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

Some important reminders:

Drive forward towards the school marque sign, even if your child wants to be dropped off closer to their classroom.
Keep gaps in front of your vehicle at a minimum.
Make sure your child has everything they need near them - backpack, water flask, etc. so that they are ready to exit their vehicle.
Arrive before 7:30am when traffic is at it's lightest.

Student Travel

Complete and submit the Student Travel Notification Form which is available in the office.
Submit the completed Form to the office at least one week prior to the date of absence/trip.
This form can be found on our school website under the scroll down menu item SY 2021-22, under Forms and Guidelines - Student Travel Notification.

School Parking Lot

Please do NOT enter the school parking lot or the Teacher Auxiliary parking lot (on the mountain side of Halemaumau) for morning drop off or afternoon pick up.
It can be dangerous to use either area because of the high traffic of vehicles entering during these times.
Please avoid blocking the entrance to the Teacher Auxiliary parking lot. It is a small area and cannot accommodate too many cars entering or exiting at the same time.
Please view this short, instructional video for details on our school road safety.

Time to Get Back to School!

Welcome Letter from NVMS Principal Laura Ahn
Opening Letter from Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi
NVMS Safety Handbook - Please access this link and review.
First day of school: ALL students will spend the entire day with their AdvisoryHomeroom class.
Traffic Safety Instructions: Please view this short, instructional video prior to the first day of school. This will help provide a smoother process for both drop-off and pick-up times.
After School Care: NVMS will no longer be offering any after school care. Updates on After School Extramural Athletics will be announced to our student body during our morning Niu News broadcast. In addition, updates will be provided in our email blast and posted on our website.
Please Submit School Fees! This is an annual payment for every year your child attends NVMS. Please see the attached flyer for the form and instructions. (Only check and exact cash will be accepted)
Meal Accounts: Please see separate post below.
Mandatory Forms: Online Fillable Forms
- Emergency Card
- Student Publication Audio/Video Release Form
- McKinney Vento Act (MV1) Form
- Technology Responsible Use Form (TRUF) - Only 6th Graders & New Students to NVMS

Visit our NVMS website at niuvalleymiddle.org for current updates!

Other School-wide Information

-Purchase the school uniforms
-Purchase the school supplies
-On Hold Due to Recent Announcement: Create your child's lunch account and deposit lunch money
Etrition Guidelines
Meal Account Refund
-Get accustomed to the new bell schedule
-Check the school calendar for important dates
-Review the NVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Handout
-Check out the school website for important information

Facilities Update

It is with gratitude and appreciation that we send out a Big Mahalo to Jarod White of WhiteRock Electric who did our electrical work for a discounted rate in preparation for the cooling of our Science classrooms. Installation of any cooling systems would not be possible without this upgrade.

Health and Safety Guidelines

While the CDC has lifted the mandate on masks for those who are vaccinated, the guidance from HIDOE has not yet changed. Masks are mandatory while on our school campus. Niu Valley Middle School will continue to follow the DOE Health and Safety Guidelines. The most important mitigating factor is wellness checks at home.

Step 1: Take your child’s temperature every morning. If your child has a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher - do not send your child to school / do not come to school.

Step 2: If you/your child has any symptoms of illness, do not send your child to school / do not come to school:

❏ Fever (a temperature of 100°F or higher)

❏ Chills

❏ Cough

❏ Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

❏ Fatigue (tiredness, weakness)

❏ Muscle or body aches

❏ Headache

❏ New loss of taste or smell

❏ Sore throat

❏ Congestion or runny nose

❏ Nausea or vomiting (stomach ache)

❏ Diarrhea

Leaving the Hawaii DOE? Application for Lunch Account Refund

If you are leaving NVMS at the end of the school year and NOT entering another Hawaii DOE school, please be sure to submit this form to receive a refund of your balance in your school meal account.

Parent/Guardian Text Message and Email Blast for SY 2021-22

NVMS will be converting over to the DOE School Messenger service for email blasts. We are currently using this service for Text Messages.
Participate in this free Text message service by sending a text “Y” OR “YES” to the number 67587.
·      Repeat this process for any wireless number you wish to include.
·      You can opt-out of these messages at any time by simply replying STOP.
·      Message and data rates may apply so check with your wireless carrier for possible charges.

For the email blasts, the email addresses that you currently provide to your school will be automatically sent an email blast. We will send out a test email blast before the first day of school. If you do not receive one, please be sure to complete the information forms clearly and accurately at the start of the new school year.

Amazon Smile Reminder

As summer approaches, you'll be surprised how many purchases add up as you prepare for vacations, house projects, back to school, etc. As an example, one individual was notified that her family accumulated purchases that earned our school almost $150 during the COVID stay at home restrictions and the holidays, and, we have earned almost $6,000 since we started participating as a qualified non-profit organization. It's fast and easy! Just follow these step by step instructions:

Go to smile.amazon.com
Click Get Started
In the Search box type in: Friends of Niu Valley Intermediate
Click Select next to the name when it comes up
Now, every time you shop, go to smile.amazon.com or bookmark this page

For Amazon Mobile App:

For Amazon Smile... there is an extra step needed for those using the Amazon mobile app to activate Amazon Smile within the app.
Once activated there is no further action needed, only a re-activation every 6 months.
Click here for the instructions.
If you do not actively turn on the feature within the app, there is no 0.5% going towards the charity.

Request to Unsubscribe

We are currently in the process of streamlining our subscriber group. If you no longer wish to receive this email blast, please unsubscribe at the bottom of this email blast or respond to this email with "Unsubscribe".

REMINDER! EZSchoolPay Information

As your child returns to campus for the blended learning schedule, please be sure to check on their meal account balances, if you are planning on having them purchase school lunches. Instructions here and general information and link below:

Free Parent account to view the purchase activity on their children's accounts. All children attending a Hawaii DOE school can be added to one account.
Allows Parents to set purchase limits.
Notifies Parents via email when the child's account balance is getting low (parent sets that low balance notification amount).
Has an auto-pay feature via credit card so that your child never misses a meal.
Cash and check deposits will continue to be accepted at the Office, or Parent can make an online credit card payment with this EZSP account for a small bank convenience fee.

When enrolling, go to the website: www.ezschoolpay.com
School District: Hawaii (Hawaii DOE will appear; use that selection)
You can add your children by either their 10-digit school ID number or their child's birthdate.

Message from our Registrar

Moving to the mainland or off island?
Parents, we request that you inform the front office of your child’s last day.

We will prepare a Request for Release form for you to fill out at the front office. Photo identification is required.
Please contact NVMS at least two weeks prior to departure so we can process your child’s documents along with their other school obligations.
On your child’s last day we will provide you a Release of Records Packet so you can deliver it to your child's next school of enrollment.

From our NVMS Counselors

Check out these available Parent Rsources that provides good learning opportunities for your children.

Continuous Notice - For Your Information

The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) and its schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, and religion in its programs and activities. Please direct inquiries regarding HIDOE nondiscrimination policies as follows:

Beth Schimmelfennig, Director
Rhonda Wong, Compliance
Aaron Oandasan, Title VI
Toby Yamashiro, Title VII
Nicole Isa-Iijima, Title IX
Krysti Sukita, ADA/504

Civil Rights Compliance Branch Hawaii State Department of Education
P.O. Box 2360 Honolulu, Hawaii 96804 (808) 586-3322 or relay CRCB@k12.hi.us