Defer Dragon's Burning News
December 7, 2018
From the Principal
Dear Parents,
It was a great week at Defer! At the Town Hall meeting on Thursday, students celebrated Habit #2: Begin with the End in Mind, the student leadership team, December birthdays, the Robotics Teams, and our leadership nominations. During the month of December, we will also be collecting plastic bags for Motor City Mission.
Have a great weekend!
Dr. Rheaume
Defer Upcoming Events
December 12 - Strings Extraveganza at GP North High School
December 13 - Band-O-Rama at GP South High School
December 18 - Winter Music Concert 7:00 pm: Grades 1, 2/3 Magnet, 3, 4/5 Magnet, 5 & Defer choir
December 20 - Instrumental Concert 8:45 am
December 21 -PJ Day; Last day of school before Winter Break dismissal at 3:38 pm
December 22 to January 1 - Winter Break
January 2 - Return to School
January 17 - Young Fives/Kindergarten Information Night 6:30 pm
Healthy Communities Food Drive
Upcoming District Events
- High School Info Night - 6:30 p.m., Wednesday 1/9/19 (parents of current 8th graders attending high school in the fall) attend your neighborhood high school
- Middle School Info Night - 6:30 p.m., Tuesday 1/15/19 (parents of current 5th graders attending middle school in the fall) attend your neighborhood middle school
- Kindergarten and Young Fives Info Night - 6:30 p.m., Thursday 1/17/19 (parents of current preschoolers attending kindergarten or Young Fives in the fall) attend your neighborhood elementary school
- Multi-Age Info Night - 6:30 p.m., Tuesday 1/15/19 (parents interested in learning more about our district's Multi-Age program housed at Trombly Elementary, in the Trombly library, 820 Beaconsfield, Grosse Pointe Park
Office News
Cold Weather Reminder
Defer students go outdoors for recess two times each day throughout the school year, unless it's raining hard or the windchill is below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Please be sure that your child leaves for school dressed properly for the weather. It might also be helpful to keep an extra set of clothes in your child's locker in case clothes get wet during recess fun.
Please dress your child with a hat and gloves and a winter coat when the weather is cold. We also ask that you write your child's name on his or her gloves, hats, boots and coat. Our Lost and Found fills up quickly!
BEGINNING OF THE DAY
Please remember to use our 24 hour attendance line at 313-432-4001 to report your child's absence.
END OF THE DAY
Our dismissal bell rings at 3:38. Please make sure your child knows his/hers after school plans in the morning when you drop off. The only after school care available is Kids Club. Check out Defer's website for more information. If you need to change pick up plans, please call the office before 3:20 pm to make sure your child receives the message before the end of the school day.
Defer Diversity Parent Group
District Diversity Meetings (GPPUD)Upcoming Meetings: Thursday, January 31st 6:30 pm at Defer
The Defer Diversity meeting was Tuesday, November 27th with Ginni Winters, a facilitator from Wayne RESA. During the meeting the group had a rich discussion about race, racial identity, and racism. Talking about race and privilege can be uncomfortable and leave us with a feeling of non-closure. Each conversation helps to build a more equitable community as we share experiences, thoughts, and ways to confront racism. Below you will find links to two resources shared at the meeting.
Parent Resource: How to Talk to Your Child about Racism: and Age-by-Age Guide
Article: Why Talk about Whiteness?
If you have culturally rich materials and resources that can be shared with the school or if you would be willing to share your own culture/experiences with students please contact Dr. Rheaume or one of our parent organizers Susan Sutorka at susansuto@yahoo.com or Janice Fox at jcfcreative@gmail.com.
Defer Art Information
What's Happening in the Art Room:
Y5 - Snowmen Snowglobes
K - Clay Snowmen
1 - Clay Polar Bears
2 - Clay Critters
3 - Paper Mache Penguins
4 - Ugly Dolls
5 - Macro Animal Eyes
A special thank you to the Student Leadership Team who helped me create this beautiful wreath for the Trim-a-Wreath Contest at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House. See Defer's wreath on display at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Visitor Center tent during the holidays.
Check out Defer's Online Art Gallery: https://tinyurl.com/deferartsonia
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @deferartroom
Elementary gifted nominations due Wednesday 12/12
GPPSS is beginning the yearly process of identifying students for academic learning opportunities where they are most appropriately challenged for the fall of 2019. These include:
- Formal cluster grouping in math, language arts or both within their homerooms, fall 2019.
- The magnet program for academically gifted children in grades 2-5, fall 2019.
Magnet classrooms are a 2/3 split and a 4/5 split, and are housed at Defer Elementary and Ferry Elementary. Students in grades 1-4 may be nominated for formal clustering or magnet by parents. Families of nominated students receive a formal letter in April 2019 with a recommendation for classroom differentiation strategies, for formal clustering or for magnet placement beginning fall 2019. Families who nominate their child will complete the nomination form and return it to the Administration Building, 389 St. Clair, second floor c/o Mrs. Chinyere Crutcher by Wednesday, December 12th, 2018. Please see the letter with additional information that was sent home with elementary students, or visit our website.
Defer PTO Information
January to mid-February--Lunchtime Enrichment
Lunchtime Enrichment is a once-a-week indoor recess opportunity for students during the winter months. It involves parents and other volunteers to oversee/facilitate a one-hour leisure time activity with the students. Currently, we have 9 activities lined up but usually we have close to 20 different activities. Your ideas are welcome and encouraged. If you don't have a good class idea, you can also volunteer your time for an already established enrichment activity. See additional information in this flyer.
Leader in Me
Habit 3 - Put First Things First
Looking for less stress? Put First Things First is an organizational strategy. It means to decide what is most important and take care of that first. Then, focus on tasks that are less important. Thinking about what needs to be done tomorrow or by the end of the week can be overwhelming. This is especially true for children. But with practice, children can learn to prioritize the things that are most important and will most likely start taking care of them first! Using calendars, check-lists, daily check-in with planners are all ways to put this habit into action.
Read more Parent Pointers about Habit #3 in the link below:
7 Habits of Happy Kids
Grosse Pointe Public Schools
Our Vision: One GP → where everyone learns, every day
Our Mission: Promote Innovation → Maximize Potential → Embrace Community
Email: rheauml@gpschools.org
Website: https://mi01000971.schoolwires.net/Domain/1099
Location: 15425 Kercheval Avenue, Grosse Pointe Park, MI, USA
Phone: 313-432-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GPDefer/
Twitter: @GPDefer