Principal's Message

Nord Families,

Congratulations to our Comet Impact Students of the Month for September! These students, listed below, were nominated by our Nord staff for consistently demonstrating our Comet Impact of respectful, responsible, and safe. They were recognized during lunch periods, and each received a certificate to take home.

We also extend a special congratulations to Mrs. Fortune, our district Staff Member of the Month! Mrs. Fortune serves as an evening custodian at Walter G. Nord and goes above and beyond each day to support our staff and students.

As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow, October 10th. We hope you enjoy the long weekend—Go Comets!

Nick Toney
Principal, Walter G. Nord School

Quarter 1 PBIS Reward Store is Opening Soon!

The end of the first grading period is quickly approaching, and it’s time for students to spend their PBIS points!

Students can visit the School Store to purchase special reward passes for the first quarter. Purchases will be made on their Chromebooks during school hours.

🛍️ School Store Dates:
Monday, October 20th – Wednesday, October 22nd

🎟️ Pass Distribution:
Students will receive their passes by Friday, October 24th.

📅 Pass Usage:
All passes must be used during the week of October 27-31.

Encourage your student to check their PBIS points and plan ahead—reward time is right around the corner!

For the next 30 weeks, our Comet Impact team will be introducing The Comet 30: Small Choice, Big Impact to our Nord Students! These 30 life skills will help our students display their Comet Impact of respectful, responsible, and safe in our school and our community. Click this link for a complete list of The Comet 30!

Walter G. Nord School Climate Survey

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We value your voice and want to hear about your experiences with your student’s education at Walter G. Nord School. Beginning October 9, 2025, we invite all parents, guardians, and caretakers to complete our School Climate Survey.

This short, anonymous survey includes 20 questions about your child’s learning experience, communication, school-wide expectations, and our discipline system. It takes about 10 minutes to complete and will be open until Friday, October 31, 2025.

Your feedback helps us strengthen student relationships, improve learning conditions, and continue building a positive school environment for everyone.

As you respond, please think about your personal experiences as a parent, caregiver, or guardian at Walter G. Nord School.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mrs. McArthur, Dean of Students.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and help us make Nord the best it can be!
👉 Scan the QR code or click the link below to take the survey.

Congratulations to our Comet Impact Raffle Winners!

Fall Harvest Parties

Walter G. Nord School will be holding Fall Harvest Parties on Friday, October 31st. Homeroom teachers will be communicating further details with families in the upcoming weeks.

Students are allowed to wear costumes to school on Friday, October 31st as long as they meet the following conditions:

The costume should be appropriate for school.
The costume should not hamper the student’s responsibility of carrying school supplies or being seated and working in class. No inflatable costumes.
Costumes should allow access for students to use the bathroom.
No accessories or silly strings.
Costumes should not reflect graphic violence or extreme blood and gore.
No masks or hoods.
No excessive facial makeup. Makeup should not be brought to school, including tubes of cream, hair color spray, fake blood, etc.
Hats and wigs as part of the costumes are permitted as long as they are school appropriate.

Nord Student News

The Nord Student News has become a fun tradition at our school! Originally started a few years ago as a Computer Science Club initiative, the Nord Student News is now open to all Nord students. Episodes are filmed two to three times a month and are shown during student lunches, with a copy also sent to each student’s email. The Nord Student News features short stories about school events, written and recorded by student volunteers who work with Mrs. Schwartz, our Technology Innovation Specialist. Using green screen technology, students come in during recess to help film and gain hands-on experience with filming, editing, and adding closed captions. Students interested in joining the Nord Student News can reach out to Mrs. Schwartz at beth_schwartz@amherstk12.org.

Best Buddies

Our Walter G. Nord Best Buddies group held a match party on Thursday, October 2nd! Thank you Mrs. Costello and Mrs. Morron for leading this amazing group of students!

School Custodial Workers Recognition Day

Thursday, October 2nd was National School Custodial Workers Recognition Day. Shout out to our Walter G. Nord custodial team of Mr. Hembree, Mr. Jordan, Mrs. Fortune, Ms. Boyd, and Ms. Love! Thank you for all that you do for our Nord staff and students.

Nord Staff Undercover Spirit Week

During the week of September 29th, our Walter G. Nord staff held a "Undercover Spirit Week." From hat day to nothing but a cup day, our Nord staff showed their Comet Pride!

5th Grade 50 States Parade

On Friday, October 3rd our 5th Grade students held a 50 states parade at Spitzer Stadium! Thank you our Nord staff, the Amherst Marching Comets, our Marion L. Steele Navy National Defense Cadet Corps, and our families who made this a special day for our students!

Counselor's Corner- Mrs. Morron

Partnering for a Safer School: Celebrating Bully Prevention Month

Wear ORANGE on October 22nd to help promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion as we unite to prevent bullying!

October is National Bully Prevention Month, and at Walter G. Nord School, we are committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment where every student feels valued and respected.

Throughout the month, Mrs. Morron will be visiting library specials to discuss empathy, respect, and recognizing different types of bullying—including how to be an Upstander who safely speaks up or gets help rather than being a bystander. If you would not like your student to participate, please contact your child's homeroom teacher.

How Families Can Help:

Talk Regularly: Ask your child about their day, friendships, and challenges.
Listen & Support: Reassure your child that you believe them and are there to help.
Model Kindness: Show empathy and respect in your own interactions.
Teach Empathy: Help your child understand how their words and actions affect others.
Watch for Warning Signs: Notice changes in mood, appetite, or interest in school.
Monitor Online Activity: Discuss digital safety and respectful online communication.
Reach Out: If you have concerns about bullying, please contact your child’s teacher, the school counselor, or the main office.

Together, we can ensure Walter G. Nord School remains a positive, respectful, and safe place for all students.

Dean of Students Mrs. McArthur

Hello Nord Families!

My name is Mrs. McArthur, and I am thrilled to serve as the Dean of Students at Nord for the 2025–2026 school year. I have been blessed to be a part of the Amherst Schools community for 12 years and have taught PreK and Kindergarten as an intervention specialist, as well as first grade as a general education teacher. I am now in my second year in this role as Dean of Students here at Walter G. Nord School.

I am married to CJ, and we have two wonderful daughters. Our family also includes Alfred, our playful boxer. We love spending time together—playing sports, visiting with friends and family, cheering on our girls at their softball games, and taking trips to Cedar Point. I look forward to getting to know our students and families and working together to create a positive, welcoming school community.

My goal is to create a safe, welcoming environment and to strengthen our PBIS program by having students actively share and reinforce school-wide expectations.

I welcome questions, concerns, ideas, or even just a hello! You can reach me by email at rebecca_mcarthur@amherstk12.org or by phone at (440) 988-4441 ext. 1432.

Responsibilities as Dean of Students: