Just a friendly reminder that we provide only one conference per child during conferences. If the parents of a student are not together, please take it upon yourselves to coordinate an amicable time for conferences. Any doubling of conferences on the online sign-up will result in one of the appointments being cancelled to make room for other parents. Thank you for your cooperation.
You will begin to see movement on the construction beginning next week. The construction fencing will be installed on Monday around different areas of the building. The office will be relocating to what is currently our teacher's lounge on November 15th. More specific details around any changes to procedures will be coming soon.
I hope all of those who are participating in Halloween have a great time Trick-or-Treating tonight!
Happy Diwali for those celebrating this festival symbolizing the victory of light over darkness and good over evil!
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held:
Tuesday, November 19 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm - IN PERSON
Thursday, November 21 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm - IN PERSON
Tuesday, December 3 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm - VIRTUAL
Here is the link, or you can click on Parent Teacher
Only a few more days to donate to the Fun Run. We have raised $23,985 so far! Let's see if we can get to $25,000 and have the end of the year block party free for everyone!! Thanks to everyone that has registered and donated. The money raised will 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 and get a smencil! Thanks for your support!!
Morning Drop Off Line
A couple of drop off notes:
Do not turn left into the parking lot when coming south on Nixon. Please follow the traffic pattern shown below to get in the loop.
The only exception to this is for employees who have a laminated sign in their window. Please allow these staff members to turn into the parking lot. Thank you for your cooperation!!
Counselor's Corner
All grade levels had the opportunity to participate in library centers this week. Activities included a variety of puzzles, building manipulatives, and writing and coloring materials. Pictured are just a few of the activities and creations seen in the library this week.
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to the Willow Ridge Library November 18-21! Teachers have been asked to nominate students who have been showing HERO behavior to be entered into a drawing to win a free book from the Book Fair. Winners will be announced on Friday, November 15.
You can help with the Book Fair by volunteering to assist students with shopping during school hours or helping with family shopping hours during Parent Teacher Conferences on Tuesday 11/19 or Thursday 11/21.
You can also help by donating to Share the Fair. Donations of cash made directly to the library or funds to our e-wallet (more instructions coming soon!) are used to help purchase books for students who otherwise would not be able to shop the Book Fair. Any remaining funds are used to purchase books from the teachers’ wish lists and those used as prizes in our Library Hero drawing.
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
Safeties of the Week:
Emilia Ulrich
Drew Flammer
Gabe Smethurst
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.
Documented Absence (AD) - Absence that includes a note from a professional (ie. doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.) to explain the absence. Absences are only considered documented for the days identified in the note. For example, if a doctor excuses a student for Monday and Tuesday, but the student is absent on Wednesday and Thursday as well, only Monday and Tuesday’s absences are considered documented. Any absence that does not include a note from a professional is considered undocumented.
Explained Absence (AE) - Undocumented absence in which a parent/guardian calls the office or sends a note to alert the school their child will not be in attendance, but does not include a note from a professional (ie. doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.). This is important because explained absences are necessary for schools to meet pupil accounting requirements.
Unexplained Absence (AU) - Undocumented absence in which a parent/guardian does not call the office to alert the school their child will not be in attendance.
Attendance Policy - Undocumented Absences
A student's school will send a letter after 6 undocumented absences and after 10 undocumented absences in a school year, providing you with notice of the absences and outlining steps to help your child attend school regularly.
A student's school will communicate with families if the student has undocumented absences on more than 10% of the first 30 days.
Ten (10) or more days of undocumented absences in a school year can be sent to court. However, GLPS will make every effort to work with you and your student before it gets to that point.
Please note that school related absences, such as field trips or athletic events, are not factored into any truancy related processes.
Extra Clothes
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.
Absent Students
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.
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.
Illness Reminders
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!
Oct. 31 » Halloween
Oct. 31 » Samhain
Nov. is National Native American Heritage Month
Nov. is National Youth Homeless Awareness Month
Nov. 1 » All Saints’ Day
Nov. 1 » Diwali
Nov. 1 - 2 » Day of the Dead
Nov. 2 » Birth of the Bab
Nov. 3 » Birth of Bahá'u'lláh
Nov. 3 » Standard Time begins; Daylight Savings Time ends
Nov. 5 » Election Day
Nov. 5 » National Redhead Day
Nov. 11 » Veterans Day
Nov. 18-22 » American Education Week
Nov. 13-17 » Geography Awareness Week
Nov. 13 » World Kindness Day
Nov. 15 » America Recycles Day
Nov. 15 » Guru Nanak Dev Sahib’s Birthday Festival
Nov. 20 » Education Support Professionals Day
Nov. 21 » National Parental Involvement Day
Nov. 22 » Substitute Educators Day
Nov. 20 » Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution
Nov. 25 - 29 » National Family Week
Nov. 28 » Thanksgiving Day
Is something missing? Please share with John Ellsworth, GLPS Director of Communications, any additional Recognitions & Acknowledgments you think we should include on this list or upcoming lists – email him at EllsworthJ@GLcomets.net.
Nov. is Native American Heritage Month
NativeAmericanHeritageMonth.gov has more information. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
