Northwest School District

The Woodridge Middle School Art Club, sponsored by Macey Bruce, put their creativity to good use by making dog toys from materials donated by students and staff. Today, they donated the toys to Jen Dix from 4 Paws 4 Rescue for dogs waiting for their forever homes.

High Ridge Elementary has been busy today! Mrs. Smith’s kindergarteners are learning lowercase letters and their sounds, Mr. Baker’s fifth graders are writing to compare and contrast, and Mrs. Banks’s second graders are crafting personal narratives.

It’s a beautiful day for learning! Ms. Krampf’s first grade class spent part of the afternoon exploring new math concepts. We love seeing our young Lions so excited to learn!

Work is progressing on the Valley Middle School Fine Arts addition. Here's a sneak peak inside!

Today is Custodial Staff Appreciation Day! We want to thank every single one of our Custodial Staff across the district for everything they do. From waxing floors to setting up tables and chairs for events, and so much more, our Custodial Staff is the absolute best. Across our district, we all want to say "Thank you!" for all you do for us in Northwest Lion Nation!

Cedar Springs Elementary students were hard at work today! Ms. Foster’s 4th grade class kicked off their new book, The Wild Robot Escapes. Mrs. Toenjes’s class tackled division in math. Mrs. Anderson’s class focused on reading responses by finding text evidence to support their answers. It's always great to see our students focused and attentive as they learn.

STEM classes are always fun! We stopped in on Mr. Partin's 5th hour Robotics class to see students busy working on their creations.

Woodridge Lighthouse students collected more than 250 games for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)! CASA volunteers support children in foster care, and the games will serve as fun icebreakers to help children and their advocates connect through play. Way to go, Lighthouse! We’re proud of you!

STEM labs are always fun! Mr. Mitchell's third hour science class at Valley Middle School worked through a lab this morning where they made thermometers from canisters, clay, isopropyl alcohol, food coloring, and a straw. Students then placed their thermometers in different temperatures of water for observation.

We took a quick walkthrough of the new House Springs Elementary gym this afternoon. The floor is freshly striped and the center court logo still curing. New bathrooms and sinks are tiled and installed. The natural lighting of the windows helps to brighten the space, while acoustic panels help control the echo normally found in gymnasiums. The section connecting the school to the gym is finished with stairs and a chair lift, ensuring all students have access to the facilities. We can't wait until our students get to use the new facility! This was made possible thanks to the support of our community with the passage of Proposition S in April 2023. Thank you!

Congratulations to Northwest High School senior Jack Walker! He has been selected as a National Merit Semifinalist.

Over 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as the initial screening for the honor.

Jack has also achieved a perfect ACT score of 36. We are proud of Jack for his hard work and commitment to his studies!

Northwest enrollment has increased since the first day of school, and we are excited to have the chance to add another Kindergarten teacher to the High Ridge Elementary family. Apply online at https://northwestschools.net/jobs Our benefits include: First-Year Teacher Base Salary: $43,500, honoring up to 10 years of experience on the salary scale for experienced teachers Employer-paid health insurance Late-Start Wednesdays to support teacher professional development No-cost Employee Assistance Program for staff and family Numerous mentoring and professional development opportunities available for all teachers and staff A great life-work balance

The Northwest R-I School District has Critical Need Paraprofessional openings at Cedar Springs Elementary and the Northwest Early Childhood Center.
Apply online at https://northwestschools.net/jobs

Benefits include:
Competitive Salary
We honor up to 10 years of relevant experience on the salary scale
Employer-paid health insurance
PEERS Retirement Plan
No-cost Employee Assistance Program for staff and family
Numerous mentoring and professional development opportunities available
A great life-work balance

It’s the third day of school, and progress continues on the new Fine Arts addition at Valley Middle! Crews are busy this morning installing the air and water barrier panels on the building’s exterior.

The Northwest R-I School District has a job opening for a Registered Nurse to serve both Maple Grove Elementary and the Northwest Early Childhood Center. Apply online at https://northwestschools.net/jobs

At Murphy Elementary, students are already back into the swing of things, learning about the expectations in their classrooms and even starting work on their Leadership Binders today.

Happy First Day of School! We started our day welcoming the students at High Ridge Elementary. Lots of smiles and excitement from our students and teachers this morning; it's going to be a great day and school year!

Welcome back to school, Lion Nation! We missed you! Let's have a great first day!

The Northwest R-I School District has three Critical Need Paraprofessional openings at Northwest High School.
Apply online at https://northwestschools.net/jobs

Benefits include:
Competitive Salary
We honor up to 10 years of relevant experience on the salary scale
Employer-paid health insurance
PEERS Retirement Plan
No-cost Employee Assistance Program for staff and family
Numerous mentoring and professional development opportunities available
A great life-work balance