Lissa Weidenfeller - Principal
lweidenfeller@rockfordschools.org
Jesús Santillan- Assistant Principal
jsantillan@rockfordschools.org
Jennifer Domagalski-Athletic Director/Student Activities
jdomagalski@rockfordschools.org
Address: 397 E Division Rockford, MI 49341
Website: www.rockfordschools.org
Phone: (616) 863-6300
Upcoming Early Release Days
February 5th
February 26th
Sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences!
Links close at noon on Monday, February 3.
Don't wait, sign up today!
Dear NRMS Families:
This year, we offer several formats for Parent-Teacher Conferences, including emails, phone calls, virtual conferences, and in-person conferences. Please note that you must schedule your Conferences using the links below. We appreciate your support and look forward to talking with you about your child!
All parents are welcome and encouraged to schedule a parent-teacher conference if desired. Parents are strongly encouraged to schedule a conference if:
Your child's grade is a C or below
Your child is struggling in school
Has had to be removed from class
Exhibiting extreme anxiety
You have concerns about your child's mental health, please schedule a meeting with one of our counselors Mrs. Angie Ohlman or Mrs. Karla Koops-Fikse NRMS Counselors by calling (616) 863-6313.
We appreciate your partnership and support. Our goal is to provide your child with the best middle school experience. If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know!
Dates, Format, and Scheduling Links
PLEASE NOTE: All conferences will require a sign-up for either in-person, phone call or virtual conference. You are welcome to email our teachers anytime using their first initial and last name @rockfordschools.org.
IN-PERSON CONFERENCES: Wednesday, February 5th, from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm in the classrooms. To register for an In-Person Conference, please use this link: https://www.schoolbookings.net/code/8pxak
Or scan the following QR Code:
PHONE OR VIRTUAL CONFERENCES: Thursday, February 6 from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. To register for a Phone or Virtual Conference using Google Meet, please use this link: https://www.schoolbookings.net/code/y45xx
Or scan the following QR Code:
The window to schedule conferences will close at noon on Monday, February 3rd, to give staff time to prepare for their scheduled conferences.
Join us for a virtual Parent Advisory Council Meeting on Wednesday February 5th at 9:00am.
Join us for our upcoming Virtual Parent Advisory Council meeting. This gathering offers an invaluable opportunity for parents to connect, share experiences, and discuss key issues that impact our children’s education.
Meeting Details
Date: February 5th, 2025
Time: 9:00am
Platform: Google Meet Code
Eating Disorders:
This flyer promotes an in-person event titled "Eating Disorders: Hiding in Plain Sight," taking place on January 29th, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Rockford Public Schools Auditorium, located at 4100 Kroes Street NE, Rockford, MI 49341. The event is free to attend and offers 2.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for eligible participants. It is designed for professionals, students, parents, and other interested parties.The program includes several key presentations. Dr. Daniel Schellenberg, Medical Director at Forest View Hospital, and Hilary Fowler, MSN, PMHNP, CPNP, from Sanford Behavioral Health, will present on "The Hidden Medical Consequences of Eating Disorders." Anna Flores, Doctor of Clinical Nutrition from Authenticity Recovery, will discuss "Recognizing the Signs and Responding with Support." The event also features a panel discussion titled "From Diagnosis to Recovery: Real-Life Tools for Managing Eating Disorders," with panelists from Authenticity Recovery, Forest View Hospital, and Sanford Behavioral Health.Additional features include vendor tables (available by invitation) and complimentary coffee and cookies in the auditorium lobby. The event is generously sponsored by Forest View Hospital.Participants can register by scanning the QR code on the flyer or by contacting Kelly Stone at kstone@sanfordhouse.com.Logos from Forest View Hospital, Sanford Behavioral Health, and Rockford Public Schools are displayed at the top of the flyer. The flyer’s design includes a light blue and gray background with illustrations of a human body and brain, emphasizing health-related topics.
Managing Worry and Anxiety:
The Pine Rest School Assistance Program, in partnership with Rockford Public Schools, is hosting a live stream presentation titled “Managing Worry and Anxiety” on February 3, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM via Microsoft Teams. This event will help participants learn how to distinguish between normal worry and anxiety versus conditions that may require treatment. It will also provide practical skills to limit the impact of worry and anxiety in daily life, along with strategies for adults to help children and adolescents navigate anxiety. To join, click the “Join the meeting now” link provided. For more information, contact Pine Rest at 800.442.0809 or email eap@pinerest.org. Additional resources are available at pinerest.org/eap. This presentation is brought to you by Pine Rest, Rockford Public Schools, and the Rockford Education Foundation.
BUY YOUR NORTH ROCKFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARBOOK
PaperGator recycling bins accept many types of paper products, including:
- Newspapers: Newsprint
- Magazines: Catalogs and magazines
- Books: Hard and soft cover books
- Junk mail: Unsorted mail
- Office and school paper: Notebooks, workbooks, and other paper
- Paperboard: Cereal boxes and other paperboard
- Cardboard: Pieces 12 in x 12 in or smaller
- Shredded paper: Bagged in clear plastic
- Wrapping paper: Without foil or sparkles
- Staples and paper clips: Standard staples and paper clips, including magazine staples
Please drop off in the West parking lot near the loading dock.
STUDENT DROP-OFF/PICK-UP PROCESS
If you choose to drop your child off and/or pick your child up from NRMS, you are required to use the Lincoln Street Entrance. This is the entrance used to access the student drop-off zone and athletic parking lot.
DROP-OFF TIME (ATHLETIC PARKING LOT)
7:10 am to 7:35 am
- Doors will open at 7:10 am
- Breakfast is available starting at 7:10 am
- Student hallways open at 7:25 am
- School starts at 7:40 am
PICK-UP TIME (ATHLETIC PARKING LOT)
- School dismisses at 2:30 pm
- Students should be picked up prior to 3:00 pm unless they are in athletics, attending a club, or with a teacher.
Cellphone or Watch Communications
Instructional time is for learning. With 1:1 computer access at school, cell phones no longer have a place in the classroom. Students are asked to leave phones (or similar devices) in their locked locker during instructional times.
Unless explicitly directed by a staff member, students are not permitted to use a phone (or similar device) during the instructional period. This policy extends to our hallways and common areas.
Parents/guardians who need to reach a student during an instructional period may call our main office at 616.863.6300 and we will ensure that the student receives the message. Thank you!
My Ride k-12
Transportation Update
Dear Rockford Community:
We are pleased to introduce you to My Ride K-12, a mobile app where you can access your student’s secure data at the touch of a button. Access to real-time data helps your student to be at the right place at the right time.
My Ride K-12 capabilities include the following:
- Stop location, assigned route, and scheduled pick up time
- GPS geolocation push notifications, giving estimated time of bus arrival and information concerning bus status changes
- Real time communication and messaging
- Secure and confidential log in
- Android/iOS app and Web Version available
The app is available for up to four users per student. If you would like to opt out of this platform, please contact transportation to have My Ride K-12 disabled for your student.
To access My Ride K-12 for your student, you will need to complete the set up by following the directions included in the Parent User Guide. Users will need their student’s ID number and Last name to link to their student. Please follow the Parent User Guide for instructions on how to access and use the app and Web Version. Please allow your phone to send notifications from this app and remain logged in to receive district notifications.
We trust this will be a helpful tool for you! Should you have any questions or concerns or would like to limit or remove access for your student on My Ride K-12, please contact the transportation department at 616-863-6328.
Rockford Public Schools
Transportation Department
Attendance at NRMS
Policy for picking up your student DURING the school day:
Please have your student come to the main office to pick up their pass when they arrive at school in the morning. A note stating the time they need to leave is helpful in case they forget the time they are leaving. This policy is to discourage calling into classrooms and interrupting teacher instruction. When you arrive to pick up your student please wait in the vestibule for them and sign them out on our sign out sheet.
If your student is sick or unable to attend school for the whole day please leave a message on our attendance line 616-863-6300 stating the reason for the absence. Please spell your students first and last name.
"Strive for less than 5"
Winter Weather is Here!
Weather Alert
Please listen to one of the listed media stations for notice of cancellations and/or delays:
- WOOD
- WOTV
- WLAV
- WGRD
- WMAX
- WZZM
Or visit the district website: https://www.rockfordschools.org
Be sure to tune in on icy or snowy mornings!
Lost & Found...Please Label Everything
The winter weather is here, and students are dressing in layers, which means our lost and found will be growing. To avoid your students clothing from going into the lost and found PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING!!! Label all coats, boots, mittens, hats, water bottles, etc. You can label the item's with last name, full name, etc.
Athletics
NRMS Athletic WebpageSRO Scoop
Rockford Department of Public Safety is hosting their annual Youth Night at MVP Sports Complex on Saturday February 22, 2025 from 5pm-7pm. The cost is $10 to register. Students in 5th-8th grade are invited to spend a night with local first responders playing basketball, dodgeball, volleyball, swimming, and pickleball (please bring your own equipment). Students who choose to use the pool must bring their own towels and suit.
Students who register before February 13th will receive a T-Shirt for the event.
The form and payment must be turned into Rockford Department of Public Safety, 7 S Monroe St, Rockford MI 49341. MVP and Rockford Public Schools cannot accept the forms/payment. Students may register on site the night of the event but must have a form signed by a parent/guardian prior to being allowed into the event. Students who register the night of will not receive a shirt. Parents/guardians must enter MVP at the conclusion of the event to pick up their children.
Any questions can be directed to Ofc. Pam Downing, at pdowning@rockford.mi.us, or by contacting RDPS at 616-866-9557.
Counseling Corner
Mrs. Koops-Fikse and Mrs. Ohlman are here to support your child! If your child is in need of academic, social, or emotional support, please have them come to our office. We are also available by contacting (616) 863-6313.
NRMS Counselors
Last Names A - L: Karla Koops-Fikse
Last Names M-Z: Angie Olhman
NRMS Counseling Dog
Chillie
Library Loop
CHROMEBOOK CARE:
We want to take a moment to remind you about Chromebook care. When we first issued devices to students years ago, we spent a lot of time reminding students of the ways to keep their Chromebook in good shape. Over time, we’ve gotten away from those reminders, but now that students are required to pay for damaged or lost devices, we want to remind you again:
- We recommend that students keep their device in a case when it’s not in your backpack. This provides extra protection in case of a drop.
- Please have your child always carry your device with two hands.
- Please remind your child not walk around the classroom or your home with your device open. Close the screen so you can carry it properly with two hands.
- Do not pop off keyboard keys as they will eventually not pop back on.
Do not touch another student’s device for any reason. You will be responsible for damage that results from an action you take, whether you meant to do the damage or not, so please be careful.
- Broken Screen $30
- Broken Keyboard (missing keys, etc.) $30
- Damaged chassis/lost device $200
- Charger $15
If you have any questions, please let us know. We appreciate your support!
Library FYI for families: If you receive a Thursday notification about lost or overdue book and have any questions, please encourage your student to come to the library and ask library staff OR login to their Destiny account in HelloID and see which books on their account need to be returned. If your family needs to pay for a book that was damaged or cannot be returned, your student should bring cash or a check (written to Rockford Public Schools) to the library. Library staff will update the student's account and print a receipt.
Student Spotlight
Grasp
GRASP is a correspondence program for students in Kindergarten through 8th grades which helps students maintain reading and math skills while they are on summer break. Enrolled students will receive a packet of materials with a booklet containing nine lessons. It should take your student approximately one hour to complete each weekly lesson. They can complete one lesson a week or work at their own pace, as long as all lessons are submitted before August 8th. The students can mail the lessons to GRASP for scoring and the results will be returned to them, via the email provided. Or, new this year, lessons can be scored with a parent/guardian cell phone instead of mailing them in! Details regarding this process will be sent in May to the email provided on the order. There is also an on-line version of GRASP for students in 4th through 8th grade and these students will also receive results via the email provided.
Students who successfully complete and submit at least seven lessons with 70% accuracy are awarded a certificate. Those who successfully complete and submit all nine lessons with 70% accuracy will receive a medal! Certificates and medals will be distributed by your student’s school at the beginning of the next school year.
Please order your student’s CURRENT grade level. If there are extenuating circumstances, order the level that is appropriate for your student. The fees for the summer of 2025 are $26 for one subject or $48 for both subjects for each student. You can enroll your student for the book version (grades K-8) or the optional online version (grades 4-8) by completing the registration and payment online.
School assistance program (SAP)
Enrollment opens 2/13/25
Helpful Links
