North Branch Area Middle School

FREE COMMUNITY EVENT TONIGHT! THE FENTANYL CRISIS 📅 November 12 | 5-8 PM 📍 North Branch High School Cafeteria 🍕 Free pizza (5:30-6:15 PM) Learn about the dangers of fentanyl poisoning. Hear from experts and families impacted. Hosted by: Fentanyl Free Communities Foundation Chisago County Opioid Action Council North Branch Community Education Come for knowledge, support, and hope. Together, we can make a difference. #OnePillCanKill #FentanylAwareness #OpioidCrisis #CommunitySupport #FightForChange #FentanylFreeFoundation #PAUSE4Life

Our deepest gratitude to the North Branch American Legion and local veterans, who gave up much of their day to be with students and staff across the district! It was such a pleasure to have you with us today to help teach students the importance of honoring those who serve this great nation. Thank you for your service! You can view all the photos from today here: https://www.facebook.com/nbapschools/posts/pfbid02HMjGHbur7N9TZxqK9yyyXSxfTw5v2JvYAip8VnGNTT64K6EiayUTTmAp9rv3WGCCl

This week, students in 8th Grade World Cultures learned how to play Dara, a traditional Nigerian strategy game played across all of Northern Africa. Students learned about how traditions are passed on through storytelling, and that's how this game has been passed from generation to generation. This game is believed to have been created to teach children critical thinking, strategy, and observation skills that could be transferred to hunting and trading situations. In Africa, kids dig a grid in the ground, find some stones and sticks, and play against each other that way. Our students played with paper and colored blocks. It was a hit with everyone!

NBAPS is pleased to announce the first Floral Sale at NBAHS! The Advanced Floral Class is offering Thanksgiving floral arrangements for sale for you to enjoy (or give as a hostess gift)! Go to https://gofan.co/event/2137445?schoolId=MN19629_2 to see offerings, but know there are options and price points from $25-$53. When you purchase your ticket on GOFAN, you will be asked to provide a delivery/pickup option 11/20, 11/26, or 11/27. Arrangements can be picked up at the Ag room at NBAHS or delivered to district sites 11/26. Students will prepare arrangements with care to industry standards, and proceeds from this sale will fund learning opportunities in the Agriculture program at NBAHS, NBAMS, and NALC.

Congratulations to NBAPS's 2024 Leadership in Educational Excellence Award winners! Pictured are (l to r): Juanita Worthley and Lynne Wilzbacher. Pictured separately are Johannah Gillquist and Pamela Newbauer.

Get ready to make a difference in our community! The NBAMS Student Council is excited to announce the annual Homeroom Food Drive Competition. Let's show our NBAMS school spirit and support the Viking Vittles program. How to Participate: Collect: Gather canned goods or non-perishable food items. Compete: Homerooms will compete against other homerooms in your grade level to see who can collect the most food. Donate: Bring donations to homeroom. The Food Drive will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 6 and end on Friday, Nov. 22. The winning homerooms in each grade level will receive a special prize! Let's work together to make a positive impact. Every item counts!

Don't miss the 5th graders Veterans Day concert on Monday, Nov. 11, at 10 am. You can listen to the livestream here: https://youtube.com/live/KO7-PUJC6Lc?feature=share It's a wonderful salute to service!

Sixth grade students in Mrs. McWilliams English class were working on sentence structure last week. They were asked to take a stack of words and figure out the correct order and part of speech, (subject, verb, adjective, etc). Students then were asked to write the sentence and mark the parts of speech. They then rotated to the next sentence around the room. All did a great job on this as a review!

Arts Fest is coming up Saturday, Nov. 23, 9 am to 3pm at NBAHS! There will be over 200 crafters, and free shuttle service from the middle school. Only $2 admission! See flier for more details.

Pickleball Lessons Nov 11/ 5-6:30 PM Come and learn how to play Pickleball in a fun event. Peiwu has 8 years of Pickleball experience and will coach you on how to play. At the end of each training period we will have a mini round robin tournament where you will be able to showcase your newly acquired skills against players of equivalent skill levels. Bring your own racket or use one of ours. Pickleball Started Oct 7 / 7-9:30 PM Pickle Ball comes to North Branch! Six Indoor courts at North Branch Area High School, North Gym. We will have courts set up for beginners and intermediate/advanced. Cost $5 per Monday and Wednesday (pay on site) or $20 for a 5 punches punch card. Punch cards may be purchased at the North Branch Community Education Office 651-674-1025. Drivers Education Zoom Class Starts Nov 11 / 3-6 PM Is Your Waistband Too Tight Today? How to Beat Belly Bloat Virtual Workshop Nov 12 / 6-7:30 PM Social Security Facts and Strategies Nov 12 / 6:30-8 PM Beginner Needle Felting Ornaments Nov 14 / 6:30-8:30 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

NBAMS 6th grade art students had the opportunity to create Peace Posters for a contest with the North Branch Lions Club. Art teacher, Lee Ann Falen, and Lions Club member, Bob Olsen, worked together to offer our students the challenge of visually representing what the contest theme of "Peace Without Limits" could look like. All 30 art students created a poster and the class voted on which projects they thought were the strongest. The 10 that earned the most votes were sent to the Lions Club for final judging. The final results were: 1st place with $100 prize--Grant Ray 2nd place with $75 prize--Bailee Eisenschenk 3rd place with $50 prize--Emilee Determan The next step is having Grant's drawing move on to the next step of judging. This is an international contest, so only one project from many countries will be chosen as the overall winner. * Pictured left to right in the large group photo, front row--Emilee Determan, Bailee Eisenschenk and Grant Ray. Adults in back row--NBAMS Assistant Principal Matt Lattimore, Principal Kelly Detzler, Lions Club member Bob Olsen and NBAMS art teacher Lee Ann Falen. UPDATE: This post has been edited to reflect that Bailee finished in 2nd place and Emilee in third place. Sorry for the error!

Region 7AA Section Pricing $11 adults/$6 students All spectators must pay admission for section games. Ticket sales will be online only GoFan Tickets: https://gofan.co/event/1986551?schoolId=MN19629 Tickets can be purchased at the gate via QR code or credit card reader. No cash sales. Family Passes are not accepted at section games.

Coming up in Community Ed! Learn the Sport of BMX Bike Racing Nov 7 / 5:30-7:45 PM Drivers Education Zoom Class Starts Nov 11 / 3-6 PM ESSENTRICS: Restorative Fitness Starts Nov 6 / 6:30-7:30 PM Deer in the Fall Woods Nov 6 / 6:30-8:30 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

The Viking Newsletter - October 2024 is now available! Click here to read: https://secure.smore.com/n/18gca

Region 7AA Section Pricing $11 adults/$6 students All spectators must pay admission for section games. Ticket sales will be online only GoFan Tickets: https://gofan.co/event/1986551?schoolId=MN19629 Tickets can be purchased at the gate via QR code or credit card reader. No cash sales. Family Passes are not accepted at section games.

Save the date for this important event! Free pizza and an opportunity to learn what you need to know about the Fentanyl Crisis!

The winter sports meeting is Monday, Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m., at North Branch Area High School. For more information see the accompanying image.

Coming up in Community Ed! Strong is the New Skinny! Strengthening Exercises to do at Home Virtual Workshop Oct 29 / 6-7:30 PM Youth in Action Basketball Grade K Nov 2 / 9-10 AM Youth in Action Basketball Grade 1 Nov 2 / 9-10 AM Youth in Action Basketball Grade 2 Nov 2 / 9-10 AM Youth in Action Basketball Grade 3 Nov 2 / 9-10 AM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

Eighth graders were challenged to create two different watercolor paintings inspired by “painted” corn, also called decorative or flint corn. One painting was a close-up view of 12+ kernels, which needed to show 4 different values in each single kernel. This gives the illusion of form. The other painting had to include 3 whole corn cobs, with texture on the husks and each cob had to be different from the others. Students did an AMAZING job! Proud art teacher is Lee Ann Falen.

It was Unity Day today at NBAMS. Students and staff wore orange to encourage kindness and acceptance, and students in all grades put positive messages on orange paper that were used to create chains for each classroom.