Willow Ridge Elementary School

 12840 Nixon Road, Grand Ledge, MI 48837     

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

Volume 30   |   Issue 7   |   October 10, 2025

 

School Hours

8:55 am -

3:55 pm

 

Do not drop

off before

8:35 am

 

Pick up no later

than 4:05 pm

DATES TO REMEMBER

October 21 - PTA Meeting 6:00 pm

October 24 - Picture Retake Day

October 24 - Fun Run

October 31 - Halloween Parade 11:00 am

November 7 - No School - Staff PD Day

November 11 - Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:00 pm (In Person)

November 13 - Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:00 pm (In Person)

November 14 - Half Day for Students - Dismissal at 12:10 pm

November 14 - Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00-3:00 pm (Virtual)

November 18 - PTA Meeting 6:00 pm

November 26-28 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

December 1 - No School - Staff PD Day

 

Students must be in their seats at 8:55 or they are late.  We continue to have a large number of students arriving late every single day.  This disrupts the teacher and the students who have already begun learning for the day.  Please have your students at school on time. 

 

We have also been receiving complaints from Hayes Intermediate staff that cars are speeding down the drive behind Hayes between 8:55-9:05.  Hayes students are in and out of the building all day and it's dangerous for cars to be speeding down that back road.  Please demonstrate HERO behavior to your children by having them to school on time and driving in a safe manner.  Thank you for your cooperation!

 

The Principal's Pen

As I mentioned before, I have been meeting with your child's teacher looking over how students did on DIBELS, NWEA, and our SEL screener.  From that information we spent time making goals around SEL, reading, and mathematics for all kids to benefit from and to help move our achievement forward.  Below are the goals for the grade levels:

 

Kindergarten

SEL - By winter data analysis, begindergarten and kindergarten will have at least 71% of students rate themselves as good at learning new things as measured by the SEL screener

Reading - By winter data analysis, at least 60% of students will at be at benchmark in the composite category as measured by DIBELS.

Math - By winter data analysis, at least 75% of students will score proficient as measured by NWEA.

 

First Grade

SEL - By winter data analysis, at least 85% of students will rate themselves that they believe they are good at learning new things as measured by the SEL screener.

Reading - By winter data analysis, at least 78% of students will be at benchmark in the composite category as measured by DIBELS.

Math - By winter data analysis, at least 75% of students will score proficient as measured by NWEA.

 

Second Grade

SEL - By winter data analysis, at least 34% of students will meet the self-management target as measured by teacher input on the SEL survey.

Reading - By winter data analysis, at least 81% of students will be at benchmark in the composite category as measured by DIBELS.

Math - By winter data analysis, at least 70% of students will score proficient as measured by NWEA.

 

Third Grade

SEL - By winter data analysis, at least 75% of students will rate themselves as good at learning new things as measured by the SEL screener.

Reading - By winter data analysis, at least 58% of students will score proficient as measured by NWEA.

Math - By winter data analysis, at least 56% of students will score proficient as measured by NWEA.

 

Fourth Grade

SEL - By winter data analysis, at least 71% of students will rate themselves as good at self management as measured by the SEL screener.

Reading - By winter data analysis, at least 65% of students will score proficient as measured by NWEA.

Math - By winter data analysis, at least 62% of students will score proficient as measured by NWEA.

 

When we come to winter data analysis, I will update this intermittent goals as either achieved or missed, and then relay new goals.

 

School Pictures

Picture packets are coming home 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 24. 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. 

 

PTA News

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. Thanks for your support!! Our goal this year is $20,000! We have already raised $3,605 

 

Visit www.getmovinfundhub.com and enter our School Identifier: 603939df5ad34 to register.

 

The Fun Run event date will be October 24th 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 - School Sticker

$50 raised - Mini pop it

$150 raised - Silly String Party

 

School Rewards

$5,000 - Popsicles at the fun run

$10,000 - Bubbles and music at drop off

$15,000 - Pajama Day

 
 
 

We continue to work on picking “good fit” books and reading quietly during library visits. Students are encouraged to check out books they can enjoy independently.  The updates to the library’s organization and displays were done to help make this easier for all students.  

 

Students have been very excited to now have year round access to all of our books about holidays and celebrations.  I have scanned out many Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas books along with the Autumn and Halloween books over the past few weeks!

 

Book Fair reminder:  The Scholastic Book Fair will be here the week of November 10.  Students will have the opportunity to shop during their regular library times, and there will be evening hours during Parent Teacher conferences on November 11 and 13.  Look here next week for information on setting up an e-wallet and shopping online!

 

Monday: Barnes, Shier, Ellis, Meeder, Baker

Tuesday: Bedard, Terranova, Grass, Sampson, Toomey, Gribble

Wednesday: Walker, Smith, Austin, Patterson, Price

Thursday: Sweet, Weidenbach, Rozycki, Oetting, Nelson

Friday: Ford

       

“Reading is a passport to countless adventures.” 

Mary Pope Osborne, author of The Magic Treehouse series

 

~ Mrs Garnaat

 

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 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 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. 

  *  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!

 
Recognitions and Acknowledgements in the Upcoming Days
  • Sep. 15-Oct 15.  is National Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Oct. is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
  • Oct. is National Bullying Prevention Month
  • Oct. is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
  • Oct. is National Principals Month
  • Oct. is Down Syndrome Awareness Month
  • Oct. is National ADHD Awareness Month
  • Oct. is Crime Prevention Month
  • Oct. 10 » World Mental Health Day
  • Oct. 11 » International Day of the Girl
  • Oct. 13 » Indigenous Peoples' Day
  • Oct. 13 » Columbus Day
  • Oct. 13-14 » Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah
  • Oct. 13-17 » National School Lunch Week
  • Oct. 15 » White Cane Safety Day
  • Oct. 16 » Boss’s Day
  • Oct. 16 » World Food Day
  • Oct. 17 » International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
  • Oct. 18 » Sweetest Day
  • Oct. 19-25 » National Forest Products Week
  • Oct. 19-25 » America’s Safe Schools Week
  • Oct. 20-24 » National School Bus Safety Week
  • Oct. 23 » Red Ribbon Week
  • Oct. 25 » Make a Difference Day
  • Oct. 27 » World Occupational Therapy Day
  • Oct. 31 » Halloween
  • Nov. 01 » All Saints’ 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.

 

District's Attendance Policy

Grand Ledge Public Schools wants to support every student, and regular attendance plays a big role in your child’s learning. We closely monitor explained and unexplained absences to keep records accurate and to offer help when needed.  Here is a one-page summary of the district-wide, consistent attendance policy.  

How absences are counted
 • 
Documented (AD): A note from a doctor or other professional covers only the dates on the note.
 • Explained (AE): You call or send a note, but there is no professional note.
 • Unexplained (AU): No call or note.

Important thresholds
 • 
After six full-day undocumented absences in a year, the school will send a truancy letter.
 • After ten full-day undocumented absences in a year, a mandatory meeting with a school official will be required.
 • School-related activities such as field trips or athletics do not count toward truancy.

Families can check PowerSchool to review attendance. If you have professional documentation, send it to the school so we can correct the record. If your family needs assistance with attendance or other things, please contact your child’s school to talk to a counselor, dean of students, or the administration.  The Tri-County Community Health Guide has additional information to support families, and anyone can call 211 when they are unsure where to turn when looking for assistance with a problem.

Keep Everyone Healthy!

Please use the Symptom Screener daily. Children and staff should stay home when appropriate to keep everyone healthy.

 
 
 
 

The Grand Ledge Emergency Assistance Program (GLEAP) is currently accepting paper applications for its annual Christmas Food Basket program for families residing in the Grand Ledge School District.  Donors in the community (individuals and groups) have volunteered to help provide a food basket during the Christmas season for families in need.  If this would be helpful for your family, please apply by October 28.  You may pick up a paper application in the school’s main office or print one from this link. You may return the completed application to the school’s main office or mail it to the address on the application.  Assistance is not guaranteed and will be given based on the donations received by GLEAP.   You will be notified of eligibility by Dec. 10th by email or text.