RP-TLE Weekly Family Communication

Dear Families,

We had a busy week of teaching and learning. The kids are doing a great job staying focused and engaging and our teaching team continues to masterfully design lessons that keep everyone moving forward.

Enjoy the photos below and be sure to jot down important holiday dates. We have lots going on this time of the year!

Sincerely,

Your RP-TLE Team

We are so proud of Kady, Jayla and Stella for being brave as this week's Lead Learners! Mrs. Schmitt was visiting Mr. Mikesell's classroom and noticed that they were working hard on their reading strategies. The girls shared three important strategies when reading:

Stella: " We have been working on looking at punctuation while reading and making our voices go up and down depending on the punctuation."

Kady: "We have also been working on reading at the right speed. Not too fast and not too slow."

Jayla: " When something doesn't make sense or sound right, we go back and read it."

After the girls shared their strategies with the whole school, they choral read a passage to demonstrate what they had shared.

"Rocket Three" to these amazing second graders and to their teacher, Mr. Mikesell, for encouraging and preparing them.

This month, our school-wide theme is "responsibility". Our teachers chose several of their learners who have shown responsible behavior this week to participate in the Rocket Games with Mrs. Kolbe. The kids have so much fun participating and cheering on their grade level friends! Below are a few captured moments.

Our teaching team recognized Mrs. Olsen with positive affirmations.

• Mrs. Olsen is one the most genuine, dedicated and kindest teachers out there! So blessed to have been able to teach with her for many, many years♡
• Mrs. Olsen is a power house at TLE. She has such a strong, veteran presence as an educator in our building. I'm so thankful to her commitment and passionate work ethic. She's an inspiration!
  
• Mrs. Olsen is an icon in our building. She's been here so long, and is so loved! She is patient, helpful, and encouraging. I trust her judgment and value her input.
  
• Mrs. Olsen will always be more like family to me than a co-worker. We often get mistaken as sisters , and we both are flattered! I can count on Rose to be by my side during the good times and the challenging times of my life. The greatest moment of my teaching career was being given the opportunity to work as grade level partners. We have grown together both professionally and personally. She's my calm and I am her spice! I am blessed to get to work side by side with one of the best!
  

Happy birthday to the following learners who celebrated this week:

Kourtney Kiesgen, Charlotte Rynberg and Aiden Proctor....

We hope that you have a FANTASTIC DAY!

A shout out to our teachers who applied for and received a $200 grant from the Lions organizations. The money will be used to enhance learning inside and outside of the classroom. Our first grade teachers are planning on using it to provide birdhouses for our outdoor classroom.

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.

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!!

12/14: PTO Meeting at 4:00 to finalize Christmas dance details.

12/16: Christmas Dance from 6-8 pm (Click photo for link to details)

12/19-12/23: PTO Sponsored Holiday Shop

12/26-1/6: Holiday Break

1/9/23: School Resumes and Happy Birthday to Mr. Mikesell

1/11/23: Second Grade Trip to Lakeshore Museum (Sack lunch needed)

Holiday Shop is Mon. Dec 19th - Wed. Dec. 21st! The kids have fun shopping for family their family members!! All items are $2 each, we also have items for pets! In order to make it successful the RPTLE PTO is looking for volunteers! Do you have some spare time to help the kids shop/wrap?

Please click on the photo of our PTO mommies (above) to sign up for specific days & times.

Twin Lake Elementary’s Christmas Spirit Week!

Join in on the holiday fun as we celebrate our final week before Christmas Break!

Week of December 19th-December 23rd

Monday December 19th: “ Polar Express Day”

All Aboard! Let’s jump on the Polar Express wearing our favorite pajamas!

Tuesday December 20th: “We Wish you a Merry Christmas from our RPTLE Family!”

Channel your Flannel Day… Wear your favorite plaid shirt!

Wednesday Dec. 21st: “Grinch Day!”

Dress in your Grinch Gear, Green and Red, or Dress as a Who from Who-ville!

Thursday December 22nd: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”

Let’s celebrate the holidays wearing our favorite Christmas Attire!

(Christmas Best, Christmas Shirts and Sweaters, Christmas Hats and Scarves!)

Friday December 23rd: “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

Dress like one of Santa’s Helpers (elves, reindeer, Mrs. Claus).. Or dress like the Big guy himself! Ho! Ho! Ho!

As always, Please make sure that all Holiday outfits are school appropriate.

This month, we’re challenging your students to reflect on their experiences and take responsibility for how they choose to learn and grow from these experiences. We are partnering with you to grow and develop your child’s sense of responsibility. As you reflect as a family, celebrate your accomplishments, identify areas you may want to improve, and consider new ways to serve others in the days ahead.

ENGAGE: 100 Family Memories

100 Family Memories. This December, challenge your family to list 100 family memories from the year, big and small. As memories come to mind, add them to the list. At the end of the month, share and reflect on these memories as a family. Celebrate the good ones, talk about the lessons you may have learned from the hard ones, and think about how you have grown this year.

EMPOWER: One Word

Instead of writing a long list of resolutions or goals for the new year, ask each family member to focus on one word. Set aside time and ask each family member to share their wordand why they chose it. Get creative and make a sign or decorate a notecard with this word to remind you.

EXCEL: Neighborhood Sunshine Walk

Neighborhood Sunshine Walk. As a family, write a few notes of encouragement to uplift or affirm those in your community. Take a walk in your neighborhood or apartment building and leave these notes of

encouragement on windshields, doors, or mailboxes to spread a little sunshine.

CONVERSATION STARTERS:

• What's your favorite memory from this year?
• What are three important things you have learned in school so far?
• What is one thing you want to learn to do next year?

What: Boys in 5th-6th grade and Girls in 3rd – 6th grade, join us for this exciting experience!

Coaches and current Reeths-Puffer Players will share their knowledge and enthusiasm for this fast-paced sport.

When: January 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, 2023

Girls in 3rd & 4th grade from 5:00pm – 6:20pm. Girls and Boys in 5th & 6th grade from 6:40pm – 8:00pm

CLICK HERE FOR FLIER

Reeths-Puffer High School Band

Holiday Concert, December 13th at 7:00 in the Rocket Centre For The Fine Arts.

CLICK HERE FOR FLIER

Reeths-Puffer High School Choirs

The Reeths-Puffer High School Choirs will be presenting their Holiday Concert, Candlelight Carols, on Tuesday, December 20th at 7 p.m.

The high school choirs will be singing holiday favorites, and we will be joined by, Burnished Brass, a local brass quintet. Tickets are available at RPHSRocketChoir.ludus.com.

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

Mrs. Dawn Schmitt

Principal, Twin Lake Elementary School

Email: schmittd@reeths-puffer.org
Website: www.reeths-puffer.org
Location: Twin Lake Elementary School, 3175 5th Street, Twin Lake, MI, USA

Mr. Paul Siembida

Assistant Principal, Twin Lake Elementary School

Email: siembidap@reeths-puffer.org

Phone: 231-719-3190