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Northwood School Laker

December 1, 2023

Social Media


Dear Northwood parents and caregivers,  

We want to remind parents and guardians to monitor children’s use of social media and online communication. Some social media apps are structured in a way that allow users to say pretty harmful things about each other. Kids may engage in these messages directly or just see them on friends’ accounts. These kinds of interactions can cause students to feel anxious and depressed, even if they’re not directly involved in the unkind exchanges.  


This behavior is not a reflection of the student's character. Some social media apps were developed to take advantage of children and profit from these interactions. One of the worst offenders, sendit, allows one user to post anonymously about another user and then charges a hefty fee for that person to see who posted the comment. Sendit is used in conjunction with Snapchat or other social media apps.


Another risk of social media is children being exposed to images, language, and content that are inappropriate or that they're not yet developmentally ready for. Children may also unknowingly interact with other kids or adults who do not have their best interests in mind. We recommend talking to your child about their online experiences and specifically ask about who they're talking to.


Research shows that social media use can positively and negatively affect children. Children report a mix of good and bad experiences on social media platforms, often depending on their social-emotional state at the time. We can look at this "problem" as an opportunity to teach our children how to use social media responsibly.


Social media is still uncharted territory, and as parents/guardians, we can help our children navigate social media. We can do this in a few ways:

  1. We can educate ourselves about the social media our children are exposed to.
  2. We can have open and honest conversations with our children about social media's positive and negative effects.
  3. We can monitor and control their access to and use of social media. 


Most of us didn't have access to social media as children; it can seem daunting to figure it all out. Every child is different, so we, as parents, decide how to approach social media use. Common Sense Media is a fantastic resource for parents and caregivers to learn more about the social media that our children are engaging in. Browse the website to find tons more valuable information! I have provided links below to the more popular social media apps. 


Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between | Common Sense Media


Parents' Ultimate Guide to Snapchat | Common Sense Media


Parents' Ultimate Guide to TikTok | Common Sense Media


What Are Some Basic Social Media Rules for Middle Schoolers? | Common Sense Media


How to Help Teens Manage the Effects of Social Media on Their Mental Health | Common Sense Media


In March, Northwood School will be offering a parent night presented by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. We hope you'll join us!


Have a wonderful weekend!

~ Fay Aucella & Jocelyn Young

Parent Volunteer Needed

We are looking for a parent volunteer to serve on the calendar committee to develop the 2024-2025 school calendar. The committee generally meets once or twice for about an hour after school (work schedules can be accommodated) in January. One parent will be selected randomly from the pool of volunteers. If you are interested, please contact Jocelyn Young by email or phone (603-942-5488).

HAVEN Presentations for Grades K-5

This week a group from HAVEN came to speak with students about personal body safety. Students in grades K-4 had puppet shows as part of their presentations. The puppets were a big hit with the students. If you would like more information about HAVEN follow this link or contact one of the school counselors, Ms. MacDonald (K-4) or Ms. Aucella (5-8).

Calendar Raffle

The 8th grade advisory team is putting together a Calendar Raffle fundraiser to raise money for their trip to Boston this spring. The Calendars will go on sale Monday, December 4th. The last day to purchase one is Wednesday, December 20th. Calendars are $15 a piece and each calendar will give you 31 chances to win a prize including our $500 grand prize. Thank you in advance for supporting the 8th grade class!

News from the Library

The 8th grade Info Tech students recently completed their Professional World unit. They each selected a career or job to focus on, created a resume, composed a cover letter, organized a digital portfolio and had a mini job interview with 'prospective employers' in the library.

The beginning of December brings with it the Hour of Code! We use this month to exercise our computer coding skills. The 4th graders recently worked on the Toxicode: Compute It challenge, which is a series of puzzles involving directions, loops and if/then cues. It starts out simple, but it gets tricky quickly!

The 6th grade is currently working on The Red Ball Challenge. This is a Stop Motion Animation project in which the students have to line up their laptops, and make the red ball move from one screen to the next.

And just so you don't think it's all work and no play, here are some pictures of our younger students enjoying some Free Choice activity time, which happens after the lesson and book check-outs.

School & Community Information

Santa Holiday Parade

Sunday 12/3, begins at 3:00


The parade will start at Northwood School at 3:00, Santa will be traveling down Route 4 East • Right on Deer Run Lane • Left to Mountain View • Right on Route 4 east • Right on Masten Drive • Left to Davlynn Drive • Left on Route 4 west • Right on Rochester Rd (202) • Left to Strafford Rd • Left to Allen Farm Rd (loop) •Right to Strafford Rd • Right at Church St turning into Hannaford Parking lot • Right on Route 4 west • Right on Green St • Across Route 4 on to Bow St on left • Across Route 4 on to Ridge Rd • Left on Sherburne Hill • Right on Knowles Way • Left on Pender Rd • Left on Bow Lake Rd • Right on to Route 4 • Left on Kelsey Mill Rd •Right to Blakes Hill Rd • Straight across Route 4 to Main St • Left on School St • Straight across Route 4 to Lakeshore Dr • Right on to Route 4 to Town Hall


Please Follow Santa to Northwood Town Hall to greet him and share some Holiday Cheer!

Guest Teachers Needed

If you are interested in being a guest teacher (also known as a substitute teacher), please apply at this link. The pay is $100 a day and you get to work with great kids and great staff! Please contact Ms. Roy or Ms. Young with any questions.

Important Dates

December 6 - School Board meeting, 6:30

December 13 - Winter Band & Art Show, Art show opens at 6:00, concert begins at 6:30

December 15 - 6-8 Dance, 6:30 - 8:30

December 20 - School Board meeting, 6:30

December 22 - Early Release, 12:35

December 25 - January 1 - Winter Break, no school


Please check the Athletics Calendar for information on games and meets.  

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