12840 Nixon Road, Grand Ledge, MI 48837     

Phone: 517-925-5775   |   Fax: 517-925-5811   |   Attendance Line: 517-925-5812

Volume 29   |   Issue 07   |   October 11, 2024

School Hours

8:55 am -

3:55 pm

 

Do not drop

off before

8:35 am

 

Pick up no later

than 4:05 pm

October 15 - PTA Meeting 6:00 pm

October 25 - Picture Retake Day

November 1 - No School - Teacher PD Day

November 15 - Half Day for Students - Dismissal at 12:10 pm

November 19 - Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:00 pm

November 21 - Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:00 pm

November 27-29 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

December 2 - No School - Teacher PD Day

December 3 - Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00-7:00 pm

Dec. 23-Jan. 3 - No School - Winter Break

January 6 - No School - Teacher PD Day 

 

All grade-level teachers spent time with me this week looking at behavior, reading, and math data from our fall assessment window.  We spent time working through celebrating positives in those areas, and where there were places for improvement, looking at figuring out the root cause for the issues and setting goals and action items to address them.  We are always striving for at least 80% of students to meet respective grade-level expectations (core) for behavior, reading, and math. The grade level's goals are as follows:

 

Kindergarten

Behavior: By Winter Data analysis meeting, Kindergarten teachers will have a decreased score on the Kindergarten teacher TIER 1 survey to 10%.

 

Reading: By winter data analysis, students will maintain the 85% at, or above benchmark score, as measured on Acadience.

 

Math: By winter data analysis, students will go from 60% to 62% core as measured by NWEA.

 

 

First Grade

Behavior: Maintain successful classroom management and PBIS incentives.

 

Reading: By winter data analysis students will go from 57% composite to 64% as measured by Acadience.

 

Math: By winter data analysis our students will go from 59% to 65% core as measured by NWEA.

 

 

Second Grade

Behavior: Maintain successful classroom management and PBIS incentives.

 

Reading: By winter data analysis students will go from 77% composite to 80% as measured by Acadience.

 

Math: By winter data analysis our students will go from 43% to 50% core as measured by NWEA.

 

 

Third Grade

Behavior: Maintain successful classroom management and PBIS incentives

 

Reading: By winter data analysis students will go from 52% to 59% core as measured by NWEA. (This is intended to help surpass our goal of 65% of this year's third graders in scoring at least proficient on the M-STEP.)

 

Math: By winter data analysis our students will go from 39% to 50% core as measured by NWEA. (This is intended to help surpass our goal of 60% of this year's third graders in scoring at least proficient on the M-STEP.)

 

 

Fourth Grade

Behavior: Maintain successful classroom management and PBIS incentives

 

Reading: By winter data analysis students will go from 64% to 69% core as measured by NWEA. (This is intended to help surpass our goal of 65% of this year's fourth graders in scoring at least proficient on the M-STEP.)

 

Math: By winter data analysis our students will go from 44% to 52% core as measured by NWEA. (This is intended to help surpass our goal of 60% of this year's fourth graders in scoring at least proficient on the M-STEP.)

 

School Pictures

Picture packets were sent home last week in Friday Folders.  You must return the picture packet you received today if you want your child's picture retaken.  Picture retake day is October 25.  Picture packets should be brought to school on retake day.  If your child did not have pictures taken in September, please request an order form from the office. 

 

The Fun Run is going great! Thanks to everyone that has registered and donated so far. Our school will be raising money to help our PTA continue to make Willow Ridge the best school we can be. The PTA uses our funds to help support assemblies, classroom supplies, staff appreciation, school t-shirts, fun events, and more. Sign up your student today, share their personalized webpage through Facebook or email. Everyone who registers gets a mini resin animal! Reach $50 get a smencil! Thanks for your support!! Our goal this year is $20,000! We have already raised $13,415! 

 

The Fun Run event date will be October 18th at Willow Ridge. The times for each grade level will be posted closer to this date.  The kids can walk, run, or dance! Parents can join in as well! 

 

Individual Rewards 

Register - Mini Resin Animals

$50 raised - Smencils

$150 raised - Silly String Party

 

School Rewards

$5,000 - Popsicles at the fun run

$10,000 - Bubbles and music at drop off

$15,000 - Hat and Crazy socks

$20,000 - Popcorn and a movie in the gym

$25,000 - Block Party is free this year

 

Top 5 classes get a pizza party

Top class slimes Mr. Gee!

 

Counselor's Corner

 

This week, we celebrated some of our favorite authors with October birthdays: Shel Silverstein, Dan Gutman (My Weird School series), R.L. Stine (Goosebumps), David Shannon (No, David!, Duck on a Bike) and Laurie Halse Anderson (Vet Volunteers).  Fourth Grade classes enjoyed Book Bites, one to two page selections of books read aloud, from each of these authors.  

 

Additionally, First Grade read Applesauce Day, Second Grade read Little Acorn, and Third Grade enjoyed the second installment in the saga of Old Man Fookwire and the squirrels, Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door. 

 

Due to increased interest in the wake of the movie release, we have an extensive wait list for books in The Wild Robot series.  I talked to some classes about other places to find these books, like local public libraries, library apps on e-readers and other devices, and local book stores.  If your student or your family is interested in reading any of The Wild Robot books, I recommend checking these sources as the wait for copies from our library will likely be long.

 

Library reminders are being sent to the first email on file for each student with materials checked out, the evening before their library day.  

 

 

When does your child’s class visit the library?

 

Begindergarten and Kindergarten - Monday

First and Second Grade - Tuesday

Third Grade - Wednesday

Fourth Grade - Thursday

 

~ Mrs. Garnaat

 

Possession of Cell Phones, Smart Watches, and Other Electronic/Recording Communication Devices 

The use of cell phones, smart watches, or any other ECD are prohibited to be used during the school day.  It is recognized that some students may need access to these devices for transportation purposes after school and are therefore permitted after dismissal.  During school, however, cell phones, smart watches, and other ECDs shall be turned off and stored away out of sight.  If you are concerned that an electronic device might be stolen, broken or inappropriately used, please do not allow your student to bring it to school. 

Attendance / Absence Policy Update

All absences from school conflict with the continuity of learning and need to be avoided when possible. Regular school attendance is necessary to academic success and continuous and consecutive attendance in school is required by State law; 10-undocumented absences limit per school year.  The 10-absence limit per school year includes both Explained Absence (AE) and Unexplained Absence (AU).

 

In order to help provide supports for students and families, GLPS closely monitors explained and unexplained absences. We also work with families to ensure that as many absences as possible are documented, because undocumented absences can trigger truancy considerations.

Attendance Policy - Undocumented Absences

 

PLEASE send your child to school with an extra set of clothes to keep in their locker for emergencies.  This could mean they wet their pants, fell in the mud, spilled their lunch, etc.  If they use those clothes, please send in another set to keep in their locker.  

BREAKFAST IS ONLY SERVED UNTIL 8:55

If you arrive after 8:55, you will not be able to get breakfast

Background Checks

If you are interested in working with students during the school day or chaperoning field trips, you need to complete the volunteer application here.  This process will run a thorough criminal background check.  Once approved, you will need to check in at the office using our new Raptor system that will run your state issued ID and print you out a badge to wear.  You will need to check in at the office and run your ID each time you volunteer.

Birthday Treats

Our classes do not have students bring in birthday treats.  We have a number of food related allergies across the building so that is a practice we have not done for quite a number of years now.  If your child wants to bring something for the class, it can be non-edible items like bookmarks, pencils, etc.

The office needs to be notified if your child will be absent or tardy.  You can leave a voice message on the attendance line at 517-925-5812.  In that message, please leave the following information:

 

  *  Student Name

  *  Teacher

  *  Reason for Absence (out of town, funeral, car trouble, sick, etc. If your child is sick, please leave

     the nature of the illness – fever, vomiting, pink eye, cough, respiratory trouble, head lice, etc. 

  *  Lunch choice, if arriving later than 9:30

 

If you email the teacher, please copy douglasj@glcomets.net and leel@glcomets.net.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  Teachers can only mark students unexcused. The office has to change those to excused absences after you call in or bring your child to school. This can take some time to get all the absences updated. If your child is still marked unexcused after 11:00, please feel free to contact the office.

We ask that your child be 24 hours free of fever, vomiting or diarrhea before you send them back to school after they have been out sick.  We appreciate your cooperation with this!