Mustang Messenger
2019-2020 School Year: Volume 27: Week of March 23, 2020
Be the Best YOU at Grandview!!!
We Miss You!!
Dear Families,
By now you know our world has been turned upside down given the Covid19 pandemic. I know I find myself in absolute awe of what has changed in just one week. Sports, restaurants, worship services, salons, libraries---and schools have been forced to close.
We will not be together each day. As of this writing, our school will be closed until at least April 6th. I'm not sure what to feel. I worry, but part of me is excited to sleep-in just a bit. I have not been doing a great job at putting away my cell phone or turning off the television, but I also feel I need to stay informed so I can better understand the situation. We just don't have all of the answers right now, and I am constantly trying to read and listen to find them for our community, but I cannot, and that feels weird.
However, I have decided to set some goals while we are out of school. I intend to read more. I want to exercise each day, even if it is just walking my dog. I will pull the puzzles out that have been in my cupboard. I want to call my friends and family daily to check in on them. I want to spend more time with my husband and my dog, and I want to help you.
I hope this issue helps you and know that I am here thinking about you. Don't be surprised if your phone rings and it is me, just checking in on you and your kids. I miss them and I want to help you, however I am able to, during these unchartered waters. I hope you have heard from our teachers. They want to help you too!!
In the meantime, we do have some great technology so we can try to stay in contact with each other. We can help our school and community-together. While I know you've been learning in a different way, I've been learning too!! So lets spend this week connecting and joining our school community daily!!! Every teacher at Grandview wants to connect and has a platform that brings us together. So please use it and don't be afraid to ask for help.
In the end, spend them time enjoying being together as a family and enjoying each other and stay healthy!!!
Your Proud Principal,
Melissa Carruth, Ed.S
How to take care of YOU during this time?
Our school social worker, Mrs. Harvey, shared some great resources. One in particular was from a Dr. Marshall, gave some strategies for you, the parents trying to keep yourself calm.
Human beings like certainty. We are hard-wired to want to know what is happening when and to notice things that feel threatening to us. When things feel uncertain or when we don’t generally feel safe, it’s normal to feel stressed. This very reaction, while there to protect us, can cause all sorts of havoc when there is a sense of uncertainty and conflicting information around us. A large part of anxiety comes from a sense of what we think we should be able to control, but can’t. Right now, many of us are worried about COVID-19, known as the “Coronavirus”. We may feel helpless about what will happen or what we can do to prevent further stress. The uncertainty might also connect to our uncertainty about other aspects of our lives, or remind us of past times when we didn’t feel safe and the immediate future was uncertain. In times like these, our mental health can suffer. We don’t always know it’s happening. You might feel more on edge than usual, angry, helpless or sad. You might notice that you are more frustrated with others or want to completely avoid any reminders of what is happening. For those of us who already struggle with our mental wellness, we might feel more depressed or less motivated to carry out our daily activities. It’s important to note that we are not helpless in light of current news events. We can always choose our response.
If you are struggling, here are some things you can do to take care of your mental health in the face of uncertainty:
1. Separate what is in your control from what is not. There are things you can do, and it’s helpful to focus on those. Wash your hands. Remind others to wash theirs. Take your vitamins. Limit your consumption of news (Do you really need to know what is happening on a cruise ship you aren’t on?).
2. Do what helps you feel a sense of safety. This will be different for everyone, and it’s important not to compare yourself to others. It’s ok if you’ve decided what makes you feel safe is to limit attendance of large social events, but make sure you separate when you are isolating based on potential for sickness versus isolating because it’s part of depression.
3. Get outside in nature–even if you are avoiding crowds. I took a walk yesterday afternoon in my neighborhood with my daughter. The sun was shining, we got our dose of vitamin D, and it felt good to both get some fresh air and quality time together. Exercise also helps both your physical and mental health.
4. Challenge yourself to stay in the present. Perhaps your worry is compounding—you are not only thinking about what is currently happening, but also projecting into the future. When you find yourself worrying about something that hasn’t happened, gently bring yourself back to the present moment. Notice the sights, sounds, tastes and other sensory experiences in your immediate moment and name them. Engaging in mindfulness activities is one way to help stay grounded when things feel beyond your control.
5. Stay connected and reach out if you need more support. Talk to trusted friends about what you are feeling. If you are feeling particularly anxious or if you are struggling with your mental health, it’s ok to reach out to a mental health professional for support. You don’t have to be alone with your worry and it can be comforting to share what you are experiencing with those trained to help.
Social Story to Explain Covid19 to your child..
Learning Should Be Happening?
- Do you need internet access?
- Do you need a Chromebook?
- Do you need help locating your teacher's platform (i.e Seesaw or Google Classroom)?
- What do you need?
I am here. I have resources to help you. I just need to know who needs help. Please reach out to me at either melissa.carruth@clarencevilleschools.org or clvhelp@clarencevilleschools.org. You can also call Grandview as we are checking the voicemails daily.
Need Food -- Free Breakfast and Lunch
In response to Michigan’s COVID-19 school closure, Clarenceville School District, in partnership with Southwest Food Excellence (SFE) and Trinity Transportation have developed the following plan to continue food service to ALL Clarenceville students. Unfortunately, we are only able to provide meals for children, and not adult family members.
Food will be distributed every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the length of the closure, including the district’s regularly scheduled Spring break (March 28-April 5).
Food will be distributed using a “drive-thru” and “walk-up” model. Food amounts will be on a per child basis, and will include breakfast and lunch meals. On Mondays and Wednesdays (and first Tuesday), the food distribution will include two days of grab-and-go meals, and on Fridays, three days of meals will be distributed. While this is the initial plan, we will continue to monitor the situation and make changes as necessary to meet the demand and nutritional needs of our Clarenceville School District students.
Looking for other areas for food?!?!
No M-STEP this year
To read more information, please see the article below.....
March is Reading Month can still continue
Just because we are not in school, we can still have fun with March is Reading Month
Fun days can happen at home to honor the fun of reading:
- 27th - Wear a shirt or jersey of your Favorite Sports Team
When we get back, the following will happen:
- Bookmark Contest deadline will continue until we get back. The first day back, we will allow students to turn in.
- Send in all of your basketballs from the time off and we will do daily drawings when we get back.
- A class MVP will be awarded to the student that has shown the most effort reading this month.
Continue to tweet and tag Grandview on social media or email the pictures to the principal or class room teacher so we can honor our readers.
Tuesday Night Night and Every Evening Night Night
If you cannot view Live, no worries, it is published to the Grandview Facebook Page so that families can view it at their earliest convenience for your children and their evening schedule. The point of this activity is to foster the importance of 10-20 minutes of reading each night. Remember it is super easy to view.....just visit the Grandview Facebook Homepage. I will be taking suggestions for books, so post away in our site so that I know what my Grandview readers want to hear at night. Can't wait to do what I love most....reading to students!!!
MOD FOG Meal has been cancelled!!!
Parent Walk-Up
If you child walks home, they may, but they will not be dismissed by adults.
Please do not express your displeasure by just picking your child up at 3:15. That misses excessive learning time. We are doing this for safety. Please support us.
Grandview Sports
All sports have been postponed at this time. This includes poms, basketball, and sending out baseball information.
Stacey Wittscheck, Grandview Sports Director, has a Grandview Sports website that has the documents linked. All of the information from schedules, rules, code of conduct, sign-up, forms, etc. will all be housed in one location. Check out this great communication piece for our families!!
Questions, reach out to Stacey at her email at GVSportsDirector@gmail.com.
Also be sure to follow the Grandview Sports Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/GrandviewSports/
Kindergarten Round-Up
Looking for new Kindergarteners or Junior Kindergarteners for this fall!
We have postponed these meetings. Please know that you can still register on-line your incoming kindergartner.
If you have a child who will be five years old by December 1, 2020, he/she may be eligible for Kindergarten or Junior Kindergarten next fall. Please complete the Round Up Registration form online by visiting this link https://forms.gle/cTJPR8cuwUFmsxPR7. Please pass this link along to friends and neighbors who have a future Kindergarten student but do not have siblings at Grandview or Botsford.
For Questions, contact the Grandview Office: 248-919-0404
Career Day
Grandview used to have a Career Day and we want to bring it back. The State of Michigan and our School Improvement Plan find the value in Career Development of our students. In order for this event to be successful, we need lots of speakers. We would like our career speakers to be Grandview parents or community members. If you are interested in presenting and joining our fun, please reach out to me. The event runs in the afternoon only on the 24th.
FOG Popcorn Day
April has two Popcorn days. The dates are April 17h and 24th.
$0.50 a bag!
Shoe Donation
Grandview FOG is starting their next fundraiser. This fundraiser does not need you to purchase one thing or give any money. This fundraiser is collecting used shoes. So if you plan on cleaning out closets, purchasing new shoes for the holidays, or have students who feet have grown through their shoes, we would gladly take them!
Outside of the music room is a large box for the shoe donation! So feel free to drop them off in the box or drop off in the office!!
This fundraiser not only will give back to Grandview, but it will give back to the world for students who are in need!!! It will continue through March!!
To learn more about this fundraiser, click on this link....
School Store Fundraiser
Our next office fundraiser continues for our students. The teachers received some gift cards this past week at the mid-way point in this fundraiser and were so excited with what they received. Remember, this is a Win-Win fundraiser as the school earns money, as well as, the classroom teacher. This fundraiser helped to purchase the clay that is used for art, this spring's assembly, as well as, the supplies for March is Reading Month.
School Store is an online shopping mall with over 400 nationally-known merchants including Sears, Target, Oriental Trading Co., Office Depot, Toys"R"Us, Family Book Store and many more. When your family and friends make everyday purchases from their favorite merchants through SchoolStore.com, your school, and classroom teacher earns money.
All you need to do is going to www.schoolstore.net and enter Grandview Elementary School's code (0000009438) and then shop away.
Box Tops for Education
We have a BoxTop Collection that is due March 1st. So any box tops that can be cut out are due February 26th.
Please remember that Box Tops are moving away from clipping paper box tops and moving to scanning qualifying receipts to earn school money.
Last year, Grandview earned $757.50 with Box Tops and we do not want to lose that revenue.
There is a Grandview parent that is already earning box tops via apps. Please download the app and log in, it is easy. Questions, stop in the office!!!
The Importance of Sleep
Cub Scouts Pack 279
Every Monday, at 6:30 are the weekly scouts meeting. At this time, they will not be held at GV. Please reach out to your troop/den leader to learn of where the new location will be.
Kroger and Grandview
Kroger and Grandview
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.
Volunteering at School
iChats are also needed to be filled out if you wish to be a WatchDOG dad or chaperone a field trip.
Job Opportunity
Important Dates and Upcoming Dates
All events have been cancelled through April 6th. Rescheduling will be discussed once we know when we are to return. No events after April 6th have been cancelled, yet. Stay tuned for this ever changing time frame.