April 23 - Hanging Basket Order Forms and Money Due
April 25 - Popcorn Day
May 2 - Block Party 6:00-8:00
May 8 - Hanging Basket Fundraiser Delivery
May 16 - All Library Books Due
May 16 - Mother Son Bowling 6:00-8:00
May 20 - Talent Show Dress Rehearsal 4:00-5:30
May 22 - Talent Show 5:30-7:00
May 23 - No School - Teacher PD Day
May 26 - No School - Memorial Day
June 6 - Last Half Day of School - Dismissal at 12:10
The Principal's Pen
This week I presented about our school to the Board of Education. The presentation highlighted our academic progress as well as the fun we like to have here. If you would like to watch the presentation, you can do so here. Click on the April 14, 2025 Work Session tab and you'll see the video of the meeting.
If you have a new student to enroll in BK or Kindergarten for the 2025 - 2026 school year, please Enroll Today!. Once your child is registered you will be invited to attend ONE parent meeting. During the parent meeting, we will discuss our BK and K programs, kindergarten curriculum, expectations, preferred school supplies, and other important information to help you and your child prepare for their kindergarten year. Your child must be registered before attending a parent meeting; we ask that you attend only ONE parent meeting.
PTA News
Our annual Hanging Flower Basket fundraiser order forms are due back on April 23rd. Please share with your friends and family. Baskets will be delivered May 8th just in time for Mother’s Day! Please see the signup genius link to help with the flower delivery.
The Willow Ridge Block Party will take place on May 2nd from 6-8 pm. It’s going to be a fun night to gather with everyone from Willow Ridge for food, music, and games. The silent auction will be baskets, Classroom fingerprint plates, and lunch with teachers and staff. Please see the Sign-Up Genius link below as we are looking for volunteers and material donations (some just to borrow) to make this event successful. Classrooms are still collecting items for their baskets. Please send those things in. Thank you for helping us support this great school!
Please see the signup genius link to help with the Block Party.
Physical activity is an important part of childhood development, which is why MSU Health Care Sports Medicine is sponsoring the Fitness Finders Mileage Club®. This running and walking program is designed to help kids get fit and discover that fitness can be fun. Mileage Club® is an opportunity for children to participate in noncompetitive physical activity. The program will run 3 days each week during the lunchtime recess.
No one needs special equipment or shoes to participate. Each child is free to run or walk as little or as much as they like within the designated time. Participants will earn rewards - Toe Tokens® - for their achievements. This is all free and sponsored by Willow Ridge PTA.
We are confident that your child will enjoy Mileage Club®! Please click the link below to volunteer. We cannot do this without you!
April is National Poetry Month! This week kindergarten and first grade classes read selections from a variety of poetry books. Second, third and fourth grades continued with their chapter books. We are nearing the ends of our stories!
LAST WEEK TO CHECK OUT BOOKS: MAY 5-9
ALL BOOKS DUE BACK: MAY 16
As we near the end of the school year, library notices will continue to be sent weekly.
Library Schedule:
Monday - BK and Kindergarten
Tuesday - First and Second grades
Wednesday - Third Grade
Thursday - Fourth Grade
~ Mrs Garnaat
Occupational Therapy Month
We are very lucky to have Mrs. Shari Burg as our occupational therapist at Willow Ridge. She is the best!!
In schools, occupational therapy (OT) supports students' participation in learning and daily activities by addressing physical, cognitive, and sensory challenges that might hinder their ability to succeed in an educational environment.
Visit our Occupational Therapy website at ERESA to learn
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!!
Spare Clothes in Lockers
While our office is under construction for the remainder of the school year, there will not be any extra clothing to offer in case of accidents. Please send in clothes (socks, underwear, pants and shirt) to keep in their lockers. Thank you for your support and patience as we all navigate through this construction phase to make our school even better!!
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. The approval is good for one calendar year. After that year is up, you will need to reapply.
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, stickers, 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!
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.
Beagle art teacher Erin Fredericks was presented with an Education Excellence Award at the March 11, 2024 Board of Education meeting, and she shared about the Beagle STEAM Showcase. Watch the video of her speaking to the Board.
Changes to Next Year's School Calendar!
The days students come to school and do not come are still the same – those did not change.So what did change?
Conferences – the most significant change is to the conference schedule; dates, times, and type (in-person or virtual) were changed as part of a recent letter of agreement between the district and the teachers.
A few other items were added as well:
• Kindergarten Launch on August 18 & 19, 2025
• Kindergarten Open Houses on August 21, 2025
• May 21, 2026 will be the Seniors (Class of 2026) Last Day; other students continue to June 5, 2026
REMINDER: The first day of school is Tuesday, August 26, 2025. It will have a regular start time, and students will be dismissed 60 minutes early on the first day.This should ease the transition from summer break and assist with transportation logistics.
Wacousta Community Block Party's KIDS MARKET » 1-hour time slots are available for kids to showcase and sell their handmade crafts, artwork, toys, jewelry, and more! Whether it’s their first time or they’re already seasoned creators, this is their moment to shine! Sign up HERE.
Summer Learning 2025 is happening! This year's program will be 4 weeks long, July 7 - 31, and it will take place at Holbrook Elementary School. Summer Learning is open to current GLPS students who are currently in grades K-6. Registration is scheduled to begin before the end of May.
