Navigator News
Making Every Day Count: A Season of Academic Growth
Dear NPA Families,
As we move into the second quarter, I want to emphasize how important the next several months are for our students. The second and third quarters are especially valuable for academic growth. Students have established their routines and are now building on the foundations developed during the first quarter. Consistent attendance, daily practice, and family support make a tremendous difference during this important time.
Focusing on Growth, Not Just Grades
While report card grades are important, our greatest priority is ensuring that students are developing the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Our grading practices are designed to reflect what students actually know and can do in relation to grade-level standards. We encourage families to celebrate academic improvement, persistence, and the mastery of new skills, not just letter grades. Every step forward is worth celebrating!
Supporting Our English Language Learners: Volunteers Needed!
We recently identified that a little more than 12% of our students qualify for English language learner services. We are organizing opportunities for parent volunteers to read with these students and help strengthen their language and literacy skills. Even a little extra one-on-one reading time can make a meaningful difference! If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to me directly. We would love your help!
Student Desks Available for Families
We have some student desks that are no longer needed at school, and we would love to donate them to families who could use a dedicated learning space at home. If your child could benefit from having a desk, please contact me directly, and I will arrange to have one held for your family while supplies last. Thank You for the Books! We Need Bookshelves!
A heartfelt thank you to all the families who generously donated to our book drive! Your contributions have been incredible, and we are excited to put these books into the hands of our students. With our growing collection, we are now in need of additional bookshelves. If you have a bookshelf in good condition that you would like to donate, we would greatly appreciate it! Families who would like to sponsor a new bookshelf can also purchase one of the same shelves we have previously used. Below is the link for your review.
With your permission, we would be happy to recognize your family's generosity in an upcoming newsletter. Thank you for helping us create inviting spaces that encourage a love of reading!
Working Together for Student Success
We are grateful for our wonderful families and their continued support. Whether you are helping your child practice skills at home, volunteering, or donating supplies, you are making a difference. Together, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
As always, please reach out with any questions, ideas, or concerns. Your communication and involvement are always welcome!
Michelle Petrulsky
NPA Executive Director
Red Ribbon Week..Making Healthy Choices Every Day!
This week, NPA is celebrating Red Ribbon Week! This national event reminds students to make healthy choices and stay away from drugs and alcohol. Our message to students is simple. Your choices matter! Make choices that help you stay healthy, reach your goals, and build a bright future.
Why Is It Important?
At NPA, we want students to learn how their choices affect their health, friendships, and future. Making healthy choices includes eating well, staying active, getting enough sleep, choosing good friends, and staying away from harmful substances. As students grow, they will face important decisions. Learning to make good choices now can help them build healthy habits that last a lifetime.
This week, NPA students will take part in activities to celebrate Red Ribbon Week and learn more about making healthy choices.
Red Ribbon Week Activities at NPA
Monday, Oct. 26th - Color Red Ribbons
Tuesday, Oct. 27th - Chain of Good Choices
Wednesday, Oct. 28th - Wear a Red or White Uniform Shirt Day/ Find the Hidden Red Ribbons
Thursday, Oct. 29th - Have the Courage to Say No Class Activity
Friday, Oct. 30th -
NPA Staff Spotlight - Meet Mrs. Woods, 2nd Grade Teacher
It was an ordinary school day at NPA, or so it seemed. But even Nancy Drew knew that the quietest day could hide a mystery. Somewhere among the school’s busy classrooms, a strange note had appeared, and only one person seemed likely to solve it, Mrs. Woods. The first clue was a scrap of paper covered in numbers. While most people might have dismissed it as a simple math problem, numbers had a way of catching her attention. Science had been her favorite subject as a student, but over time, math had taken the lead. The next clue was a drawing of a dancer, which made sense since she also teaches dance when she isn’t at NPA.
As she followed the trail, she discovered that this mystery was much closer to home than she had imagined. Born and raised in the Salt Lake area, Mrs. Woods attended NPA from kindergarten through ninth grade. Long before becoming a 2nd grade teacher, she had been a student walking through these very halls. Another clue she found was a small Halloween symbol, perfect for someone whose favorite holiday is Halloween and loves all things spooky. But the most revealing thing was a photograph of a young girl pretending to be a teacher. As a little girl, Mrs. Woods liked to make up lessons and played school because she loved working with children. Suddenly, the pieces began falling into place. The clues were leading to her; uncovering the story of a girl who had always dreamed of working with students.
After leaving NPA, she continued her education at Itineris and later attended Western Governors University, where she is now finishing her master’s degree. Her journey had taken her far beyond the classrooms she once knew, yet the trail of clues had led her right back to where her school story began. Just when she thought she had uncovered every clue she found one final note with a question. “What is the greatest treasure at Navigator Pointe Academy?” She thought about her years as an NPA student and the years she now spends as an educator. The answer was clear. The students. She hopes they remember NPA’s values, exciting projects, strong sense of patriotism, and the idea that learning is an adventure that follows them wherever they go.
Ask Away!!!
This week, we asked some of our older students which book series they would recommend to fellow NPA students. Here are a few of their favorites! Perhaps someone in your family will discover their next great read among these student recommendations.
“Anything Goosebumps!” - 4th Grader
“Adventurers Wanted series.” - 5th Grader
“Percy Jackson.” - 5th Grader
“Gregor the Overlander series” - 6th Grader
“Michael Vey” - 6th Grader
Help NPA Close Out Our October Book Drive Strong!!
As we enter the final week of October, we want to again extend a huge thank you to all the families and friends of our NPA community who have already given so generously. Thanks to your incredible support, we have collected more than 1,000 books this month.
These donations will go directly into the hands of our students, helping us continue to promote a lifelong love of literacy throughout our school. If you have not had a chance to
participate yet, or if you find a few more stories to share, there is still time to make a difference. While this book donation drive continues through the end of the week, we will gladly accept donations beyond the drive and throughout the year. Every book helps fill our shelves with fresh, exciting stories for our students to discover.
A big thank you also to our Student Ambassadors for organizing the book drive, spreading the word, and counting donations. Let’s see how many more books we can collect and finish strong!
Discovery Gateway Brings Hands on Fun to NPA
Educators from the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum visited our kindergarten students last week to provide hands on science activities exploring the physics of push and pull. Students engaged in interactive experiments, including a tug of war game that demonstrated balanced and unbalanced forces in real-world applications. Thank you to the Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum for coming to NPA and inspiring our students to discover, learn, and grow!
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