Franklin Focus
Week of January 25-29, 2021
Message from Mr. A
We had a great first week back to full in-person instruction after the long break. It is so good to see smiling faces in the school hallways and classrooms! We are hopeful to remain in full in-person session for the long haul, but to do so will require our collective efforts. As a school community, we must remain committed to the safety/mitigation procedures...wear those masks, wash those hands, practice social distancing to the extent possible, and stay home if you are not feeling well. Let’s all do our part so we can stay together!
Upcoming Half Days
There are two scheduled half days for students during the 2020-2021 school year. The first half-day is scheduled for Friday, January 29. School hours for the first half day are:

  • Grades 1-5 - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
  • AM Kindergarten - 9:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. 
  • PM Kindergarten students will not report on January 29

Students in grades 1-5 will have lunch before being dismissed.

The second half-day is scheduled for Thursday, April 1. School hours will be the same for the second half-day, except PM Kindergarten students will attend school 9:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and AM Kindergarten students will not report.
Counselor's Corner
Important Dates
January 28 - End of Quarter 2 Report Period for Elementary Students
January 29 - In-Service Half Day (Classes held in the morning)
February 1 - No School (Act 80 Day)
February 2 - Start of the 3rd Quarter
District Updates
Launching Into Kindergarten

Have a child starting in kindergarten next school year? Join us virtually on February 3 to learn all about kindergarten at NA! The meeting agenda and discussion points include:
  • A Day in the Life of a Kindergartener
  • Is your child ready for kindergarten?
  • Registration Information
  • Preparing your child for kindergarten
  • Kindergarten Orientation (Process and Transitions)
  • Curriculum Night

A link to the meeting will be posted on the NA website soon!
Transitioning from Blackboard Collaborate to Google Meet

Starting in the second semester, teachers will begin to transition to the use of Google Meet in place of Blackboard Collaborate. This transition is occurring to address some of the technical issues that have been experienced by some families when using the Blackboard Collaborate platform.
Your child’s teacher has been working on setting up Google Meet sessions so that they can be securely accessed through Blackboard in a manner similar to how they accessed classes in Collaborate. As a part of Google Meet security, students cannot enter a Google Meet session unless a teacher is in the session. If your child tries to join a class before the teacher arrives, he/she will receive a message that says “You are not permitted to join the meeting“. If this occurs, your child should wait a few minutes and try again to enter the class.

This document will provide more information about Google Meet. If you have a child in grades K-8, the Google Meet app should already be installed on their iPad, but if it is not, it can be downloaded through the Self-Service app.
New Testing Window for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) for grades 2-7

The new testing window for the ITBS will be February 8-12 for students participating in in-person instruction in grades 2-5. Students participating in in-person instruction in grades 6 and 7 will be administered the test on January 27 and 28. Fifth grade students in NACA will have the opportunity to participate during this testing window as well. Students in Grades 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 who attend NA Cyber will be able to take the ITBS later this spring.
Resources
Missed a Newsletter?

All building newsletters are archived weekly on the North Allegheny website. This designated webpage will be updated with links to the previous week’s newsletters at the beginning of each school week by 11:30 a.m. A link to the archive is accessible on the District’s homepage and on each building’s homepage.
Community Flyers
The North Allegheny School District often receives requests for the distribution of athletics and approved non-profit community organization digital flyers. All requests for community flyers to be included in this newsletter must be submitted via email only at flyers@northallegheny.org. Flyers will only be posted and removed from the District website on Friday. Visit our website for details on how to submit flyers.
Building Contacts
Main Office - 412-366-9663
Nurse's Office - 412-366-9663
Counseling Office - 412-366-9663