Updates

Check here at the beginning and of each month for updates about life on hall and on campus!  The newest update will always be on this page.  Previous updates will be archived in the drop down menu. 

Hello parents and students!

It's been a whirlwind of a month. So far it's been amazing getting to know all of you. We've done so many activities this week, like kickball, the club fair, and making s'mores. It doesn't even feel like it's been a month.

I hope that we can continue to work together to build a supportive and friendly community here in 3rd west. Parents, if you'd like to set up a time to meet during family day, please reach out! I'd love to met you and talk more about all the fun we're having here. 

Family Day Preview: 

Family Day is an opportunity for students and families to participate in activities that share aspects of living and learning at NCSSM. Come meet your student’s instructors, counselors, and other members of the campus community, while getting a first-person feel for your student’s schedule. This year Family Day is on Saturday, September 17.


The Tentative Family Day Schedule is now available, but please keep an eye out for a finalized version and more details as Family Day approaches. A copy of your student’s schedule will be released electronically the week before Family Day, and paper copies will be available at the registration desk.

College Fair Preview: 

The NCSSM Community is excited to host college day on our Durham campus on Friday, September 16, at the end of the academic day from 3:30 to 5:30pm. This is an amazing opportunity for juniors and seniors to learn more about colleges across the country and explore what school might be right for them in the future.


In the past representatives from more than 70 schools from around the country have been available to talk with students and families about their schools, the college admissions process, financial aid, and scholarships. More information about the schools represented at the college fair this year and student requirements for attendance will be shared in the coming weeks.



Workload Increasing:

Now that we have made it to the first extended weekend, students should be getting into the swing of things with classes and life at NCSSM. Around this time students will also notice their workload increasing. It is imperative for them to develop strong time management skills and learn to seek out help as they begin to face these new challenges. Students can reach out to their CC and/or any of the following resources:

Tutorials: Most classes and departments offer formal tutorials for students. These tutorial sessions are led by both faculty and student TAs. You can find tutorial sessions or resources on each department’s website. 

Residential Education Classes: All juniors take RE102; during the fourth week of class they will be learning about academic success strategies. The skills they develop and the resources provided by their instructor will be helpful to revisit as they face challenges throughout the year. 

Progress Reports

As September draws to a close, faculty across campus will be completing grading assignments so that we can release progress reports for your students on September 23rd. To view your student’s progress report you will need to log into Blackbaud and select the “progress” tab. Then click where it says “report cards” to open all the progress reports for this year. Select either “Semester 1 - Durham” or “Semester 1 - Durham (no comments),” depending on whether you want to view grades and teacher feedback, or just grades.


If you have concerns about your student’s performance, please let me know. I always meet with students who have multiple Cs or a D to help develop a plan for improvement, but will be happy to meet with anyone if there are concerns. It is also important that your student reach out to their individual teachers, guidance counselor, and the Center for Advising and Academic Success for advice on how to improve. This is also a good time for students to evaluate whether they should be attending tutorials more often. 

Residence Halls Closing & Opening:

Just a quick reminder that the Residence Halls will be closing twice during September.

 

Students will complete an electronic Extended Sign-Out Form during hall meeting.  On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their destination.  If students have specific questions about checkout procedures for Extended Weekends, they should speak to me.