R-PTLE Weekly Family Communication

Dear Families,

As Mrs. Schmitt mentioned in her newsletter last week, I AM very excited to be here at Twin Lake Elementary! I am grateful, honored, humbled, and excited by this opportunity. Grateful to finally be able to engage with Twin Lake's staff, students, and community ~ full-time. Honored to be part of the amazing family environment that has been created here. Humbled by all the great work accomplished by the R-PTLE team and the path Mrs. Schmitt has laid down over the past 8 years. Excited for the successes to come as I get to work alongside this team and this community moving forward.

The newsletter will follow the same format as before. I will highlight the newly added pieces, if any, in this opening paragraph section. If there is information you are hoping to find in this newsletter please let us know.

Looking forward to a great week at R-PTLE!

Newly added: see below...

- Youth baseball sign-ups.

Sincerely,

Paul Siembida

Twin Lake Elementary

719-3190 Ext: 2225

Succeed Today!

What a great job leading by example! They may never forget they were selected during the same day that Mrs. Schmitt was honored!

Well done, all!

Our teaching team recognized Mrs. Schmitt with positive affirmations.

• Dawn is efficient and hard-working. She has a special way of always seeing the positive side of any situation. She is creative and thoughtful. It has been a pleasure working with her for the past 8 years.

• Thank you for helping us to make Twin Lake Elementary the BEST school at Reeths- Puffer. Thank you for helping me to be a better teacher and encouraging me to take risks and try new things! Best wishes on your retirement!

• Dawn is a positive leader who works hard to keep Twin Lake Elem at its best. She enjoys finding the strengths of those around her and encouraging them. opportunities for growth. Thanks for all you’ve done for us!

• Dawn is the most understanding passionate leader. She pushes her staff to tap into their unseen potentials, and always spreads rays of sunshine even on stressful days. She has a heart of gold, and loves each and every one of the students here at TLE with all her being.
  

• As soon as I came to interview at Twin Lake, I knew I wanted to work here because Dawn was the most welcoming person with the warmest heart. During the time I've worked here, I have had the pleasure of seeing her interact with hundreds of students, parents, and staff, and the level of love & respect that she shows to every single person that she comes in contact with is positively inspiring! It has been an absolute honor to know her, not only as a colleague and an educator, but as a human being who touches every life around her! I love Dawn and can't thank her enough for everything she has taught and done for me!
  

• Two years ago, I went way out of my comfort zone and decided it was time for me to search for a job at Reeths-Puffer. I walked into those very intimidating interviews and you were so welcoming. You took me in to be a Reeths-Puffer Rocket and believed in me. I am so thankful that I took the chance and had someone like you to understand how scary the process was. You've allowed me to grow and fall in love with teaching all over again. I wish you nothing but the best and most amazing retirement. Your energy and positivity you bring to Twin Lake will be missed by all of us. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today! Here's to your next chapter of endless hiking, gardening, early morning walks with Simba, and time with your family and friends!

• A star wants to see herself rise to the top. A leader wants to see those around her become stars. Dawn is a leader. She has created a school full of stars here at RPTLE. She trusts her team with all of her heart and has cheered them on through times of greatness and times of uncertainty. She is not afraid to lay down the law or take a pie to the face… if it’s what’s best for her students and staff. Dawn will be very missed here at R-PTLE but her legacy of love will live on.

• Ambitious, Balanced, Compassionate, Genuine, Devoted, Supportive, Encouraging... My Champion.

• Thank you for the many years of genuine love, support, and nurturing. You believed in me when others didn't give me a chance. You stood up for me and stayed committed to me as a teacher personally and professionally in uncertain times because you knew I would grow and do better. Your daily hugs and check-ins were always the boost I needed to start my day off on the right foot. I went through some of the worst challenges of my life, and you never left my side. Thank you for being MY fearless Champion.

• Dawn has been a kind and positive person in my professional and personal life. She leads with such grace and humility and will be truly missed!

• I want to thank you for being you. For putting up with this wild and crazy staff. For helping us weather life's storms. For always asking, "What can I do to help?" You deserve this retirement and all the perks that go with it! Congratulations and ENJOY!
  

Happy birthday to the following learners who celebrated this week:

RJ Walskey (1/17), Abby Bray(1/18), Alyssa Baker(1/21), Keira Kokx (1/21)

We hope that you have a FANTASTIC BIRTHDAY!

Monday, January 25th: PTO Pizza Kit Fundraiser Begins (ends Feb 15th)

Wednesday, January 25th: Mrs. Overkamp's Birthday!

Monday, January 30th: Mrs. Salazar's Birthday!

Wednesday, February 1st: Mr. Schuppe's Birthday!

Wednesday, February 8th: PTO Meeting in Room 20

Friday, February 10th: Popcorn Friday!

Thursday, February 16th: No School for Kids~Professional Development for Teachers

Friday, February 17th and Monday, February 20th: No School~Mid-Winter Break

Friday, February 24th: Pizza Kit Fundraiser Ends

If RP-TLE is going to be able to have a team, we need to have, at least, three more girls register. Remember, financial assistance is available! Please consider enrolling your 3rd or 4th grade daughter in this wonderful program!!

Thank you to the mommies who will be helping to coach our 3rd and 4th grade girls who are interested in being a "girl on the run". A shout out to Yolanda Blaser (mommy of Rebecca), Nicole Boroff (mommy of Kenadi), and Robyn Fisher (mommy of Lyndsey). Click on the image to the left for more information regarding registration, which starts on December 1st.

Princess Ball Planning

The Middle School PTO puts on the Princess Ball for all the elementary girls, and we would like your help with this event.

If you are willing to help organize and plan the big event please fill this form out. The exact date is still in the works, but most likely the second weekend of March. We will need to meet soon to firm up the date, theme, details, etc.

Click here to access the form to volunteer.

Any questions please reach out to Jessica VanderLaan at jessvanderlaan11@gmail.com.

We are in need of boys and girls pants sizes 5 and up. If you are able to donate to our clothes pantry, we would greatly appreciate it!!

CLICK HERE for the link to sign up! Reeths-Puffer Baseball League Facebook Page

This link will be open until march 5th!

HAND2HAND IS HERE! FREE FOOD!

Thanks to a partnership with group of local volunteers, our school will be participating in the Hand2Hand program. The program helps to provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who may be experiencing a financial burden. This program will be available to all of our kids and parents will give permission for their child to participate. We are grateful to the generosity of the volunteers in our community.

Food is discretely to children in the program each Friday.

CLICK HERE FOR LETTER

Are you raising your grandchild or children who are relatives? You are not alone. "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" is a kinship care program that offers support. All services are free. For more information contact Callie Sierra at 231-733-6654, or email her at sierrac@hccc-health.org.

Calling in Absences:

When parents call in an absence for a sick child and leave a message, it would be helpful if they could let us know the symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, etc.) that the student is having or if they have been seen by a doctor and have a diagnosis (strep, flu, pink eye, etc). We ask these questions when we get a live person, but it is important for accurate health reporting each week.

Emergency Contact Information:

If you need help updating your child's contact information, please call our office and speak with Carly, or Heather. Thank you for your help with this.

Office Team Contact Information:

Please know that our office is willing to help answer any questions that you may have at any time during the school year. Ms. Carly Akins (akinsc@reeths-puffer.org) and Mrs. Heather Nicholson (nicholsonh@reeths-puffer.org) are amazing and happy to help! Our number is 719-3190.

School Hours:

School begins at 8:45 and dismisses at 3:45. If you would like more information about before and after school care, please contact, Dawn Lynn at Lighthouse Learning. The number is 638-2172, or you may call 719-3190 x 2206.

Our teaching team teaches and reviews our RP behavior expectations during the first couple of weeks of school. This week each class will rotate through common and shared locations in our school to teach our learners our expectations for behaviors. This includes our shared bathrooms, hallways, lunchroom, lockers, playground and bus. Below is a PDF of our slide presentation. Please review with your child at home, as well.

A Note About School Meals:

There are a couple different ways that you can add money to your child’s school account to pay for their breakfast and/or lunch:

1. Go to https://www.familyportal.cloud and set up an online account, where you can add money for your child by putting in your debit/credit card information. Please see the attached letter for answers to frequently asked questions.

OR

1. Bring in/Send in an envelope with cash or a check enclosed. Please include the child’s first and last name, and write “Lunch Money”. If you are sending money for two students, please write how much each student will receive. The office will collect these envelopes and the kitchen staff will enter the funds into the correct account.

If you would like to apply for benefits, go to https://www.familyportal.cloud and fill out the online application, or you can stop in at the Twin Lake Elementary office for a paper copy.

If you have already applied for the Free and Reduced-Price program, you will receive a letter stating that your child has been approved and what benefit they will receive. Benefits will be effective immediately thereafter. If you have questions about the Free and Reduced-Price program, feel free to reach out to Jodi Connell at connellj@reeths-puffer.org.

In the event that your child does not have money in their account, but they do not have a cold lunch, they will still be able to eat a hot lunch. We will not let your child go hungry! However, please note that this will bring the account to a negative balance until more money has been added to the account.

*Go to https://ps-rp.muskegonisd.org/public

(There will be a default username and password in both boxes. Delete and create your own.)

*If you are a first time user, you will need to click on the “Create Account” tab, and fill out the

information. You will create a new Username and Password. You can add your students at the

bottom of the page using their Access ID and Access Password.

NOTE: The Access ID and Password is NOT the same as the Student Number and their

birthdate.

*If you have an existing account, use the “Sign In” tab to log in using your Username and

Password that you already have. If you do not remember these, call the office and we can help

you.

*Once you are signed in, you can add new students to your account by following these

instructions:

1. On the start page, click on “Account Preferences” from the navigation menu on the left. The

“Account Preferences – Profile” page appears.

2. Click the “Students” tab

3. Click the “Add” Icon to add a student to your parent portal account. The “Add Student”

dialog appears. Fill out the information and you should see a new tab for the student appear at

the top of the page.

*Once all of your students are added to your account, update the demographics for all of

your students by clicking on the “Demographic Update” button on the left side of the page.

Please electronically sign the required forms. Print the Emergency Procedure Card, sign it, and

give it to your child’s teacher.

IIMPORTANT: You'll receive a specific ID and Password for access to the Parent Portal. If you are a returning family, you may follow the directions above. Please don't hesitate to contact Carly, or Heather in our office if you need help.

FREE & REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION

This year, we are asking that all of our families complete the free and reduced lunch applications. Some of our families are surprised that they qualify based on their income. With food prices rising, it will be helpful for many of our families and we no longer have the grant that afforded free breakfast and lunch for all of our learners as was the case last year.

The link below is to the online Free and Reduced Application. Please consider completing an application.

Application

Mr. Paul Siembida

Principal, Twin Lake Elementary School

Email: siembidap@reeths-puffer.org

Phone: 231-719-3190

Location: Twin Lake Elementary School, 3175 5th Street, Twin Lake, MI, USA