Spirit Wear at Secondary for week of December 17 
Mr. Kraner and Mr. Nelson have announced the week of December 17 th , the students may wear jeans and an NCS spirit shirt Monday through Friday.
    Please remember exams will be given Tuesday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. and then students are dismissed to go home. Click for the exam schedule.
Merry Christmas!

Holiday Hoops Camp
Hoop It Up Over the Holidays! You don't want to miss this. Fun will be the focus of this 3 day hoops camp for all 1 st through 5th grade girls and boys. Holiday Hoops Camp will run January 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, from 10:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. at the elementary gym. Come and learn basketball skills, play games, compete in contests and win prizes.
    This camp is also open to all non-NCS students, so bring a friend from your neighborhood to join in the fun. All interested can register on the NCS web page under quick links and online payments. A handout was sent home last week with your child giving details about the camp. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Kent Hart

Remember we have long sleeved polos, turtlenecks, sweatshirts, red sweaters (elementary girls), and long sleeve spirit shirts for warmth. We have recently received another shipment of black long sleeve spirit shirts in youth small if you have been waiting for this size. Also don't forget that we have long sleeve black dri-fit shirts that may be worn for a spirit shirt. For elementary girls and boys, the store has black spirit pants for Wednesdays. For secondary girls, we have black sport pants for warmth.

Cougar Store hours are noon - 4 PM.
The last day this calendar year that the store will be open is Wednesday, December 19. We will reopen at noon on Tuesday, January 8, 2008.

annual health screenings at Secondary  
Dear NCS family,
I will be conducting our annual health screenings at the secondary on Mon. Dec. 3rd in the morning. High school doesn't have any screenings mandated, however if you would like to have your child screened (vision, hearing, spinal) please contact me. Please let me know if you are new to the state of Texas. Those students will need to be screened (by law). When contacting me please include name of student, grade, and screen you would like to have performed on your child. You will be notified of any abnormal results by written letter.

Sincerely,Jill Tackett, RN - NCS School Nurse

secondary PTO reminder
Friday, November 30 will be the last opportunity to help your student’s grade earn a free ‘jeans day’. If you have not already done so, please go to the Northland website and sign up for the Secondary PTO.
Thank you for supporting your child and our school.
Secondary PTO

Upcoming Fine Arts Christmas Events 
Dec. 4th Kick off your Christmas season with this wonderful evening of music and drama featuring the Elementary and Secondary Orchestras and our Theater Arts students. 7pm - Bammel Chapel.

Dec. 6th  Enjoy the Mystery and Wonder of Christmas. This program will be held in the Bammel Worship Center and feature the Elementary and Secondary Choirs with coordinating Art Exhibit and Jazz Ensemble performance beginning at 6:30pm with the concert beginning at 7pm.

Letter Jacket Order Info
The Neff Company Representative will be in the Cougar Store on Tuesday, November 27th from 12:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. to take Letter Jacket orders. All eligible students need to come by and pick up a packet prior to that Tuesday (Nov. 27). We will also be taking orders for additional patches for students who have already purchased the letter jacket. If you are not sure if you have lettered in your Athletic Sport or Fine Arts activity, please check with your coach or teacher. National Honor Society inducted members are also eligible to order a letter jacket. The next available date for ordering Letter Jackets will be in May 2008.

COUGAR STORE NEWS!! 
New hoodies are in! These are available in black and red in most sizes. $32.95
Girls spirit pants: $31.95 These are for Wednesdays at the elementary campus.

With colder weather returning, please come by the store if you need long sleeve polos and spirit shirts and turtlenecks.

Ellen Karasevich, Cougar Store Manager, 281 587-6416

Elementary Yearbook Ad Purchase  
It is that time again! Elementary Yearbook ads! I will send a flyer home with your children the week we return from Thanksgiving. Also the online payment will be available that week. I wanted to go ahead and send you the early discounted prices just to get you thinking about it!!

Northland elementary has a wonderful parent volunteer who will create your ad for you if you don't want to do it yourself, but please be prompt with the deadlines so she can adjust her schedule. (She will also take pictures of your child for you, if you need!) More information to come after the holidays!! Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

In Christ, Erin Parker -Welcome Center 281-440-1377

The Thanks-for-Giving Blood Drive is this friday!   We would love for each and every one of you to donate, if at all possible. It will be occurring from 10:00 am until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 16 in the Secondary Campus Gym (Building 6). You can sign up at any time from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in fifteen minute increments (10:15, 3:30, etc) by emailing elizabeth_knudson@ncstudents.org.

If you want for your 16 year old to participate, they will need to pick up a permission slip in student services, where there will also be a sign up sheet.

BLOOD DRIVE AT SECONDARY - NOVEMBER 16  
On FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., in the secondary gym (Building #6), the Christian Council will be hosting a "Thanks-for-Giving" BLOOD DRIVE. This is an awesome way for us to share the gift of life with our community, and we need all of your involvement to make it work, especially in the area of donating blood . Faculty, parents, and students 16 and older can donate, however 16-year-olds must have a parental permission slip. We'll be sending out the consent forms for 16-year-olds as well as a sign-up sheet within the next few days. We hope all of you will be able to participate!
    Just as Jesus gave His blood to save, let us give our blood to save.
    For more information on the profound need for blood donations, visit the following website: www.giveblood.org
Thanks-for-giving! Northland Christian Council

LETTER JACKET ORDERS  
The Neff Company Representative will be in the Cougar Store on November 27th from 12:00 p.m. until
4:30 p.m. to take Letter Jacket orders. All eligible students need to come by and pick up a packet prior to that Tuesday (Nov. 27). We will also be taking orders for additional patches for students who have already purchased the letter jacket. If you are not sure if you have lettered in your Athletic Sport or Fine Arts activity, please check with your coach or teacher. National Honor Society inducted members are also eligible to order a letter jacket. The next available date for ordering Letter Jackets will be in May 2008.

1 Student Folder and Binder (Behavior and Work Habits Calendar, Student Work, Notes from the teacher and the school)
2 Student Agenda / Assignment Book for 3rd through 5th grade students
3 Weekly Newsletter emailed by each grade level teacher(s).
4 Updates and Spotlights sent by email from the elementary administration team regarding curriculum and other important information
5 NCS Web page, which gives information about what is going on at school
6 Parents Web, which serves as a daily progress report (lesson plans, grade book, behavior and work habits information). Check this one at least a couple of times each week.

Our goal is to keep you as informed as possible about the things going on in life at the elementary for your child. We do realize that on occasion, email systems go down or at times we have some families that their email providers are blocking our email messages. Please let us know if you feel as though you are not getting information from the sources that I have described in the above list.

Kent Hart, Elementary Principal

Veterans' Day Chapel - Elementary  
We are honoring our country's military veterans in chapel next week and would love to have you join us. The Elementary Honor Choir will give their premiere performance and a team of 5th graders will be presenting their GenYes project about Veterans' Day. This special chapel will take place in the Worship Center. Please invite any veterans you know to attend this event as we would like to honor them for their selfless service to our country. The chapel service will begin at 8:15 and conclude about 8:45. We hope to see you there!

Juniors and Senior Info  
New information regarding college preview days, application deadlines and scholarships is continually added to the College Counseling section on the Northland website. Please review this information and take advantage of the many opportunities that are available to you.
    If you have any questions or need assistance as you pursue your goals, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely, DeAnna Graves, Counselor

Elementary Update                                                                                                                (11/1/07)
Veterans Day Chapel is coming up next Friday, November 9th at 8:10 A.M. in the Worship Center. You are always invited to join us for chapel, but this is always a very special event.

--- Guests At Lunch    You are always welcome to come up and eat lunch with your child. We do ask that only one other student join your child to eat with you. Having larger groups many times creates ill feelings among the other students that are left out.
--- Drop-Off   If you are dropping you child off for school, please do this only through car-pool on the north side of the building. Please, no dropping off students on the east side and letting them walk in on their own. The safety of each child is our main concern.
--- Parent Conference Day  We had a tremendous turnout for our parent conference day. I pray that you had a productive visit with your child's teacher. If you were not able to attend, I would strongly encourage you to contact your child's teacher in the next couple of days and set up a conference.
     I am convinced that many of our challenges and struggles could be avoided or minimized through good and timely communication. I hope that you feel that we are welcoming and open to your feedback and concerns. The more information we have at home and at school, the more effective job we can all do in meeting the needs of each of our children. I have had the blessing to sit down and visit with numerous parents about all types of issues. I appreciate it so much when parents go to teachers and come to me when they have feedback or concerns. It opens lines of communication, clarifies situations that are sometimes blurred or not accurate, allows us to hear various perspectives, and many times gives us new ideas.
--- Compassion International   I would like to thank you for your ongoing participation in our Elementary Compassion International Program. We know Gods call on each of our lives is to help take care of the needs of others and spread hope and the good news of Jesus Christ to all parts of the earth. To not only teach this vision to our children but also give them ongoing participation in that commission is one of our goals for each of our children at NCS.
     We are praying that each of our children and families take part in this special program. The two children sponsored by each grade level will continue to be supported by that class until their high school graduation. Northland's long term vision is to be sponsoring at least 24 kids (1 st through 12 th grade) at all times. It is also envisioned that the classes would be able to go and visit the boy and girl they are sponsoring at various times throughout the years.
    In order to financially meet our commitment to each child, it will take at least a $3 per month donation from each student. This will allow for funds to be available during the summer months when our children are not in school. Compassion International also encourages additional funds to be given so that each child can have something special for their birthday and at Christmas. Collected funds for the month will be turned in by each teacher on the 1st of each month.
    Financial sponsorship is just one way our kids can help encourage these children. There will also be ongoing correspondence. This of course puts meaning and purpose behind the reason for their giving and prayers for the girl and boy they are sponsoring. We want our children to be able to establish meaningful relationships with the children they are sponsoring as they grow older. It is an incredible thought that our children can already have an eternal impact on lives right now and for generations to come.
    We have already had numerous families give beyond the $3 per month donation amount. We would like to say thank you. We would also like to say thank you to everybody that has already participated. Every amount given is important. Please let us know if you have any questions.
--- Prayer Rally at the Elementary   The format is simple, come and pray for NCS (students, families, teachers, staff, administration, board of directors) as long as you want between 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. on Saturday, November 10 th in the elementary chapel. There are no sign ups or set ways to do this. Just come and bring your family and pray together or with other Northland families. We will also have available to you, specific things you can pray over your kids and our families and school. I know our weekends are sometimes very busy, but I would ask that you commit at least 30 minutes to come and pray. I can not think of anything better each of us can do for one another and our school. It would be great to have at least 80% participation. Each family is important to the Lord and to NCS. We are all part of one body, each having a very important part in helping the whole function as God designed.
--- Closing Comments   Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the preceding information. Thank you again for allowing us to partner with you in doing perhaps one of the most important things this side of heaven, guiding the hearts, souls, and minds of each child in the way the Lord has designed them and want them to go. WOW! What an awesome opportunity, responsibility, and privilege.
    As I hear the recent debate about whether a time of silence in schools in Illinois is considered prayer, I am so thankful to be in a place that we don't have to worry or apologize for acknowledging our God and Father. It is no surprise that our school systems as a whole are undergoing such a downward spiral, when they have asked the God that we once invited into our schools to leave. He will not come where He is not wanted and invited. We invite the Lord into Northland every day because we realize that we can not make it without Him. Thank you for realizing this for your children and placing them in a place like NCS where they can be encouraged and instructed in the Lord. This is their hope and their salvation. May the Lord bless you.
In Christ, Kent Hart

Cougar Store News - Secondary                                                                                    (11/1/07)
Girls sport pants: These pants may be worn under the girls skirts at the secondary campus on cold days. They are available in both youth and adult sizes for $31.95. The girls may also wear plain black leggings that come below their knees. These are not sold at the Cougar Store.
   Long sleeve spirit shirts: $19.95 These are available in black for youth sizes and dark gray for adult sizes.
    If you need uniform pants for the coming cold weather, please come in soon. We are well stocked with most sizes. However, if you need to order something that we do not have in stock, it is important to do this ASAP before the weather gets too cold. We do have plenty of long sleeve polos and turtlenecks.

Cougar Store
281 587-6416

Elementary AR information                                                                                               (11/1/07)
Many of you have written to me asking how to find books that can be tested on AR. Here are some ideas:

1. Have your child log in to the AR web page and choose take a quiz. Type the name of the book that you want to check and when it appears, it will have the point level and the grade level listed. Don't click to take the quiz, just use this location to view if it is on the appropriate level. This is for books you already have at home.

2. In our library, many of the books are labeled with orange tape as to what level they are and the number of points.

3. Use this link to copy and paste into your address, then save to favorites:
http://www.renlearn.com/store/quiz_advanced.asp?c=MA+03%3A02%3A01+7002%2F03%2F01
Or just save the email and open the hyper-link by clicking on it, if it didn't loose the link when sent to you. When you get to the web page, enter the book level you are looking for and the interest level. For grades K-3 choose lower grades, for grades 4-8 choose middle grades. Then press the go button and a list of several hundred books will appear with the information you need.

I hope this helps as you support your child at home! Thank you for your patience with the new system. I will be removing student locks daily, so if you get a message that your child is "locked out," try again the next day and you should be able to get in...unless the password is incorrect!

Thank you!
Kim Huff

secondary PTO  
The NCS Secondary PTO would like to thank the families that have joined the PTO for this school year. Your support is greatly appreciated as we create a good relationship between home and school.

If you have not joined the PTO, please consider doing so at a nominal fee of $30.00 per family. Joining is simple. Just click here to Pay Membership Fee Online.

At the end of the membership drive, the high school and middle school grade winners will receive an extra "jeans day".

If you have questions about your membership status, please contact Marian Richards - marianr2@comcast.net, or 281-580-9106.

Thank you, NCS Secondary PTO

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (New International Version)