June 5 - Last Day of School (Half Day) - Dismissal at 12:10
~ SUMMER BREAK~
August 17 - Kindergarten Launch
August 19 - Kindergarten Open House 4:30 - 6:00
August 19 - First-Fourth Grade Open House 5:30 - 7:00
August 25 - First Day of School - Half Day
September 4-7 - No School - Labor Day Weekend
The Principal's Pen
Next week we will be looking at the spring assessment data and celebrating successes and making plans for any areas we want to improve on. We will also be looking at rostering students for next year using the input of NWEA reading, parent input survey, and teacher survey. A couple of reminders have come out regarding the parent input survey, so if you haven't done so already, please be sure to do that this weekend. More information regarding the change in process can be found at https://www.glcomets.net/family-and-student-resources/#elementaryclassplacementprocess.
The last 9 and a half days are going to fly by with all of the various activities that are happening. Please be sure you are checking in on emails from our office and your child's teacher so you don't miss something!
The outpouring of love and support for our Willow Ridge Staff Family continued this week. Thank you to GLPS Board Member Nicole Shannon, Representative Angela Witwer, Hayes/Beagle PTO, Herbison Woods Elementary Staff, Haslett Education Association and the Willow Ridge Retired Teachers. We appreciate it very much!
Thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers who helped us with Mileage Club! We couldn't have done it without you! We celebrated the last day of Mileage Club on Wednesday with music, a sidewalk full of chalk compliments, volunteers blowing bubbles, and every child that participated Wed got an extra token for their collection.
So many kids showed kindness to other students and the volunteers during Mileage Club this year and we are proud of their HERO behavior. It is so rewarding to encourage the kids in fitness and see them having fun with their friends.
The totals are in:
4th grade
1st - Luke, Paddy and Brennan (Price) tied at 35 miles
2nd - Landon (Ford) and Emerson (Price) tied at 24 miles
3rd - Ella (Ford) at 22.25 miles
3rd grade
1st - Chris (Walker) at 26 miles
2nd - Harrison W (Sweet) at 25.25 miles
3rd - Westley B (Sweet) at 24.25 miles
2nd grade
1st - Sawyer (Austin) at 15.25 miles
2nd - JD (Austin) at 14.25 miles
3rd - Charlotte (Rozycki) at 13.75 miles
1st grade
1st - Theo (Weidenbach) at 18.75 miles
2nd - Riley (Weidenbach) and Carter (Smith) tied at 13.75 miles
3rd - Gus (Smith) at 13 miles
K/BK
1st - Mason (Toomey) at 15.75 miles
2nd - Landon & Eloise (Toomey) at 15 miles
3rd - Owen (Toomey) at 13.5 miles
Congratulations to all the participants! And a big thank you to Fitness Finders and MSU for providing us a grant to keep this going!!
Mileage Club Committee ~ Kerry Bryan, Erin Cobb and Colleen Lee
Next School Year
We are planning for next year. If you know your student(s) will not be attending Willow Ridge next year, please contact our office at 925-5775.
Medication Pick Up
Your child’s medication(s)
must be picked up at school
on or before June 5.
This week, classes who visited the library read books that welcome summer. We also had free choice stations with some favorite activities like origami, coloring and jigsaw puzzles. While our library visits have concluded for the school year, I welcome students to stop in and say hello or return a book in person.
All library books were due back on Thursday, May 21. Email reminders have been sent which should include the titles and cover images of any currently checked out materials. Please take a moment this weekend to locate any library books to be returned. Next week I will begin printing return/replace notices.
~ Mrs Garnaat
Special Ed News
Hello Willow Ridge Families!
Thanks to your generosity from the Bills Vs. Coins war, we were able to provide shirts for the whole kindergarten and 4th grade class. We plan on providing shirts to kindergarten and 4th grade next year as well (with a new design).
Many parents and family members saw the shirts this year and asked if they could order one. Due to the limited time left in the school year, we will be selling them in the fall. Be sure to keep an eye out if you are interested in ordering one for siblings or parents to match! Thank you for all your support, and have a wonderful break!
~ The Willow Ridge SPED Team
Attendance / Absence Policy
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 students arrive after
8:55, they 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 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
Illness Reminders
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.
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!
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.
Grand Ledge Emergency Assistance Program (GLEAP) - The GLEAP Food pantry serves the GLPS district. ID & proof of residency required. Call ahead to place an order at least 1 hour before the pantry closes. Open Tue. 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Thu. 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. 4980 Burt Ave. 517-627-4348
MI Capital Cares - Resource for finding the services and supports you need within your community. Select one of the service areas listed to search for the resources you need or call 2-1-1 or 866-561-2500 for additional assistance.
Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton Counties - This charity has an active community kitchen, food pantry, & bread rack. Hot breakfast (9:00 - 10:30 AM) and lunch (11:30 AM - 1:00 PM) provided Mon. - Fri. at the Cristo Rey Campus. Make an appointment to access food pantry: 517-372-4700.
Helping Hands Food Pantry Charlotte - Clients are subject to low-income guidelines and residency requirements and are required to sign a statement attesting to their need and the accuracy of the information. Open Tuesday (11:00 AM - 5:30 PM), Wednesday (10:00 AM - 4:30 PM), and Thursday (9:00 AM - 4:00 PM). 621 Jefferson St, Charlotte. 517-543-8737
The Salvation Army - This location has a food / personal needs pantry and hot meals available. The food pantry is open Monday thru Friday (9:00 AM -12:00 PM and 1:00 - 4:00 PM). Walk-In only. Hot meals are served Tuesday - Friday (12:00 -1:00 PM). 525 N. Pennsylvania Ave. 517-484-4424
517 Living - A list of the area food-focused nonprofits.
