Mustang Messenger
2020-2021 School Year: Volume 5: Week of September 28, 2020
Be the Best YOU at Grandview!!!
Good-Bye September.....Hello October!!!
As I turn my calendar and look to October, I am so thankful to all of you for making our first month of the school year as positive as it could be. Thank you to all of the new families for taking time to acclimate your child to our Grandview Learning Community. It is a great school and one that I am honored to lead.
Some of you when you turn your calendar to a new month in 2020 start getting anxious and nervous as to what changes will ensue. It feels like every month brings about new changes in routine and schedules. We are going to try and keep things at Grandview as consistent as possible. Though, I would be remiss to say that at the last Board Meeting, discussion did begin about when is it safe for us to return to school. Some of you may be clicking your heels in excitement and some of you may feel your anxiety levels elevate....in the end, we are at a discussion and researching phase. The Board has asked for specific information to help them in making a well thought out transition and they have asked the Clarenceville administrative team to continue planning for this transition. They would like an update at the October 22nd meeting. The law has asked us to update and review our plan every 30-days. So that is what we will be doing. At this time, we do not have an official date for a return, but the important conversations are beginning to happen.
So here is where you all come in.......we are starting to bring students in to test. We will be bringing 4th and 5th grade in the coming weeks. With each pod of students that enter our building, we are refining, fine tuning, and strengthening our safety protocols. Thank yu to everyone for bringing your students up to Grandview. This is important information we are gathering to help us guide our instruction. Surveys will be coming out to families asking all of you on your comfort level about bringing students back to school before January. Be honest to your comfort level.
Remember that with each change, you will be notified, be made aware of, and continue to be part of the plan. I appreciate the families that call me asking for clarification and suggestions and I so value the support and faith you all have in me and the Grandview teaching team to continue to lead us through these transitions.
Again, we DO NOT have an official date for a return, but the conversations are happening. Other districts are starting to trickle back in with a gradual return and we are monitoring their success and challenges so that when we go back it will be HEALTHY and SAFE for our students and teaching staff.
We will continue to support you through this time. We need to keep the stamina going and the learning environment rich at home so that when we do transition, the students are ready. We need your students out of their bed and off of their couches and sitting at a table or a desk during their Google Meets. We need your students to get on a consistent and healthy sleeping schedule as noted below. We need your students out of their pajamas and into clothes so that they are alert and ready to go. And we need you to monitor your child's progress through Seesaw and Google Classroom. Learning would be completed at school, with consequences, when students are falling behind on completing their learning, we need that to happen at home too. Learning needs to be first before the fun, video games, and play dates.
We are here for you! Let us know how we can support you!
It is great to be a Grandview Mustang!!!!
Your Proud Principal,
Mrs. Melissa Carruth, Ed.S
Another Week of At Home Learning
Family of Learners
Proud Learner
Google Meet Rock Star
Curriculum Event for ALL Families
On Tuesday, September 29th at 2:00 is curriculum night. This event is devoted to the families to help them to gain the knowledge of what your child will be learning this school year. It is not a time to communicate with your child's teacher about your specific concerns about your child, but rather a time to ask general questions and to learn about your child's new year and teacher's expectations.
This event will run 2 - 20-25 minute sessions with a 5 minute break between the 2 sessions. The reason for the two sessions is to allow you to visit multiple classrooms for your multiple children. If you only have one child at Grandview, then you only need to attend 1 session, but you could attend both sessions. The sessions will be from 2:00-2:25 and 2:30-2:55. Remember attendance is important as this virtual journey is a shared effort between home and school. We look forward to having you attend this important event!!
Grandview Spirit Wear - ENDS TOMORROW!!!
Virtual Spirit Week - October 5-9th
If we were back brick and mortar, we would be having a Spirit Week to get all of us excited about Homecoming Week in Clarenceville. So let's keep the tradition going. So for the Week of October 5th-9th, our students will be having fun with our virtual Spirit Week. Come to your child's Google Meet following the fun schedule of....
Monday, October 5th: Fancy Day: Wear your fanciest clothes to your Google Meets.
Tuesday, October 6th: Superhero Day: Dress up as your favorite superhero.
Wednesday, October 7th: Sports Day: Wear your favorite team's jersey or shirt.
Thursday, October 8th: Wacky Hat Day: Wear your wackiest hat or create your own!
Friday, October 9th: Grandview Day: Wear your Grandview Gear!
Household Survey -- Every Family Needs to Complete
We need EVERY family to fill out and sign the Household Information Survey (one per family), which is needed for administrative purposes, not to determine eligibility. This survey allows our school to benefit from various State and Federal supplemental programs, like Title I A, At Risk (31a), Title II A, E- Rate, etc. This survey is critical in determining the amount of money the school receives from a variety of supplemental programs. Programs, such as our Intervention program, including teachers and paraprofessionals and student support coaches could be lost if these surveys are not completed. We are asking that you please complete and submit it as soon as possible, but no later than September 30th. All information on the survey submitted is confidential. Without your assistance, the school cannot maximize utilization of available State and Federal funds.
The form is on-line on the Parent Portal, so you will need your students PIN and password.
It is at a seperate location than the enrollment forms.
To access the form, you will do the following...
1). Log-in with your PIN and password
2) Once log-in. Select your child or one of your children.
3) Once you select your child, you will see the following....
Click on the please click to complete Household Income Report
4) . Once you clicked, you will be prompted to do the following........
Click the submit a 2020-2021 Household Information Report. This is also in your enrollment packet too.
This is so important and very time sensitive!!! Thank you for responding promptly to this request. Should you have any questions, please contact the office.
Yearbook Pictures
First Day of School, Grandview FOG Facebook Page, Constitution Day, Virtual Spirit Week has all brought in some great pictures for our yearbook committee, but we need more. Thank you to those families that have sent me pictures, but we still need more. If you have some great pictures of your child learning virtually, please email them to the following address.....gviewyearbook@gmail.com. It will take a village for us to ensure that we have enough pictures to mark this historical year.
Compliment Cards are Back
Assessment Window Update
Thank you to all of the families that have brought your K-3 children to Grandview for testing.
Thank you for all that you did to have your child at school ready to learn and with their mask on. The kids loved being back in the school building and boy did it feel right to have them back in the building.
We still have about 20 students that need to test. We are reaching out to you to set-up a testing time. We need all students tested. On Wednesday, September 30th, we have an evening NWEA testing session for families and there will be a Botsford - Grandview virtual session coming up for the few that do not want to come back into the building.
4th and 5th grade will be assessed starting the week of October 12th. Stay tuned for more information on how we can support these students!!
Again, we have to do these assessments. These assessments will help us to guide our teaching, small group instruction, and to comply with the Read By Grade Three and the Return to Learn State of Michigan Legislature. Your children will take two assessments while they are here.
Please note:
- All COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed during testing including 6 ft Social Distancing, mask wearing, disinfecting, and health screenings.
- Attendance during testing would not impact attendance in the live classes. Students would be counted as present.
Thank you for your help with this!
School Supplies and Distribution - Round 2
It was great to see all of you at Friday's pick-up. There are still about 1/3 of the school that did not pick up their supplies and there are some students who have not picked up ANY supplies from either distribution. You need these supplies. It contains the asynchronous learning opportunities that allows for your child to disconnect and get off of the screen, but continue to learn. Please know that the office is open from 8-4:00 daily, so come on up during that window to pick-up supplies.
Mark your calendar for October 9th! That will be the 3rd distribution day!!
Immunizations
Please let us know how we can help you to reach this time-sensitive deadline. These mandates are from the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that all school districts must abide by.
Live Online Class Meetings - WE NEED TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE!!
Thank you to the families that have already filled out this survey. If you have not, please fill out this immediately. The reason for the survey is because teachers, in our remote settings, are asked to record their class meetings. The meetings are then shared with the class within the class learning platform (ie Google Classroom or Zoom) so that students that were absent or those needing a second viewing can review material. Please complete this form to provide consent to have your child's class recorded.
PLEASE COMPLETE ONE FORM PER CHILD. The form is attached!!
RULER
If you have questions about RULER, Ms. Venessa is taking the lead on this and we will be providing some parent resources and some home resources throughout the year. An overview of the program is also attached below.
This Week's Specials Content Introduction Video
Still Not In the Special's Google Classroom, here are some tips to help you.....
Junior Kindergarten through Second Grade students who have not yet enrolled in their Specials Google Classroom have been added to the classrooms. You will not need to follow instructions for joining with a code. Instead, go to classroom.google.com and you'll see the Specials class automatically listed. Click the "Join" button and then the classroom will open. Look at the image below to help guide you.
Third through fifth grade students who have not yet enrolled in their Specials Google Classroom should follow the instructions to join with the code provided. Each of your classroom teachers have the codes listed.
School Hours and Attendance
This week we are starting tardies. If you are more than 10 minutes late into the meetings, tardy will be marked. So any student in after 8:40 or 10 minutes after their afternoon session, will be marked tardy. That will happen in brick and mortar.
Any student that misses more than the majority of the lesson, will be marked absent. Students are coming in with under 5 minutes to go, that is missed learning. The teachers will try and keep your child on to catch them up, but small group sessions are happening and they might not be able to.
Tardies can affect truancy, as does attendance. Remember, attendance IS taken daily. Attendance will be monitored. Truancy laws will be upheld. Under State of Michigan legislation, truancy is defined as a child who has 10 or more unexcused absences per school year. If you are option 1 - hybrid remote, teachers will take a morning and afternoon attendance, just like in brick and mortar. If you are in option 2 - virtual academy. You have a little more flexibility, but daily contact with the teacher is still expected. You can still call into the attendance line to excuse your child, but please do not get yourself into trouble with attendance. Unlike the spring, attendance is mandatory.
Calling all 4th and 5th Grade Artists
Calling all 4th and 5th graders who want to help the Earth and love to draw!!
Entries are due October 9th and Mrs. Hayes can help with the paperwork and submission for
anyone interested. rachel.hayes@clarencevilleschools.org
Artwork Theme : We Can All Help to Keep Oakland County's Lakes, Rivers, Streams and
Watersheds Clean!
Entries should promote how to protect our lakes, streams, rivers and watersheds from pollution
and how to conserve water.
Check out the website and video for more information.
https://www.oakgov.com/water/resources/education/Pages/Calendar-Contest.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=283&v=RgOc3OSdSYo&feature=emb_logo
Free Breakfast and Lunch
Curbside meal pick-up for all children 18 and under or any mentally or physically handicapped adults ages 19-26 will take place on Thursdays at Clarenceville High School, Door 21. On most Thursdays, students will be given 7 days’ worth of breakfast and lunch meals. Parents/students can pick up their meals during one of the following service times: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM OR 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. See the 2020-21 First Semester Meal Pick-Up Schedule for a complete list of service dates and the number of meals to
be provided on each date.
If you are in need of food, but cannot get to Grandview for food, please reach out to myself or the Grandview office so that we can help you to get food. I have included another free food resource from Bush's.
FOG Positions and FOG News
Congratulations to Jackie Hart and Mallary Louiselle as they are the new FOG Treasurer and Secretary.
The following positions are still available:
FOG President:
FOG Co-VP with Nick Dorst:
If you are interested, please reach out to myself or Nick Dorst at fogvp2020@gmail.com
Tech Support this School Year
Click here for Google Meet Support Link
Click her to access Google Meet for Tech support
Tuesday Night Night
Grandview and Kroger
We get money from Kroger if you add Grandview to your profile. Thank you to all of you who have already added Grandview to your account. Though know that it is never too late to sign-up and join!!! So shop away, Grandview is benefitting from your grocery shopping!
Simply encourage your participants to visit http://www.kroger.com. Once logged into their Kroger account they can search for Friends of Grandview either by name or TH003 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a rewards card.
*Customers must have a registered Kroger rewards card account to link to your organization.
*If a member does not yet have a Kroger rewards card, please let them know they are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger
REMEMBER, purchases will not count for your organization until after your participants register their rewards card.
Participants must swipe their registered Kroger rewards card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Kroger rewards card when shopping for each purchase to count.
Interested in Cub Scouts
Grandview Sports
In the meantime, check out this great communication piece for our families!!
Important Dates and Upcoming Dates
September
28: Spirit Wear Deadline
29: Virtual Curriculum Night -- 2:05-2:30 and 2:35-3:00
30: Evening Testing Session for Grades K-3 starting at 4:00
Household Survey Deadline
October
1: Immunization Deadline
2: Mrs. Carruth's Weekly Video to the community begins
5: Virtual Spirit Week Begins -- FANCY DAY
6: Virtual Spirit Week Begins -- SUPERHERO DAY
7: Count Day and Virtual Consent Deadline (Link is in the survey)
Virtual Spirit Week Begins -- SPORTS DAY
8: Virtual Spirit Week Begins -- WACKY HAIR DAY
Board of Education Meeting @ 6:30 pm
9: Virtual Spirit Week Begins -- GRANDVIEW SPIRIT DAY
Third Supply Distribution
4th & 5th Grade Artists Contest -- Clean Water Calendar Contest Deadline
12: Assessment Week for 4th and 5th Grade