News From The Nest🦅
Madison Elementary Parent Newsletter January 2024
Happy New Year!! Welcome Back!
Happy New Year! Although our well-deserved break has come to end, I hope your students are as excited as we are to return to school and see what 2024 has in store for us! Hopefully everyone has had some time to rest, reflect and rejuvenate, and are now filled with the excitement and momentum that a fresh start can bring. However you spent your time away, we hope it brought you joy, peace and many treasured moments with those you love!
As we all begin our new journey into 2024 together, we are thrilled to welcome our students back to school, ready for another exciting trimester here at MES. The past few months have been filled with many fun experiences and we are eager to continue to provide more opportunities to learn and grow together as a school family!
Winter is Here!
As we navigate the winter months ahead, please make sure your students are properly dressed for the decreasing temperatures and snowy weather! Classes will line up outside at arrival, and go outside for recess as long as the temperature is above 20 degrees with no precipitation. If your student is in need of winter items such as hats, gloves, coats, and/or boots, please contact the main office so we can help provide you with resources to acquire these necessities.
When severe weather is predicted, remember to check our website, and various communication methods, such as ClassDojo & Parent Square, for any updates on school closures and other important announcements. Your partnership and involvement are essential in ensuring a successful and positive school experience for your child.
📅 Save The Date!
January 8- School Resumes!
January 15-MLK Day! No School for Staff & Students!
January 18-Half Day for Students-Dismissal @ 12:00pm!
- Girl Scout Junior Troop (3rd-5th) Informational Parent Meeting 6:00pm
January 24-Family Game Night 5:30 @ MES
A Look Ahead...
February 8-Family Formal Dance
An Important Safety Message From DTE
Please help us keep your students safe!
Extreme weather is expected over southeast Michigan and Thumb regions over the next several days, with heavy snow predicted along with strong winds, followed by bitter cold temperatures.
Electric wires may come down following the heavy snow – and then be covered by additional snowfall. Please ask your students to:
Look up when they’re playing outside. If they see a wire coming down from a pole into the snow – they must stay at least 25 feet away, or the length of a school bus.
Stay away from any fallen trees or branches – they could have brought down a wire. Downed wires can look like sticks, so don't pick up any sticks or branches. Yard debris pick up can wait until after the snow has melted.
We’re also asking parents to stay outside with their children and be vigilant about identifying whether wires are down by looking up as well.
Remember: Always keep at least 25 feet away from a downed power line and stay away from anything touching that wire, like a fence. Always assume a downed wire is live and dangerous.
Parents, please report any downed line immediately by clicking on the link button below connecting to outage.dteenergy.com, the DTE app or by calling 800-477-4747. If it’s an emergency, dial 911.
Thank you in advance for your help with keeping our students and school community safe!
- DTE Energy
Don't Forget!
Please be mindful that dismissal is at 3:25 daily! Our staff is often involved in afterschool activities, meetings and other commitments that prevent them from being able to supervise students at the end of the day. With construction and bad weather, traffic can be heavy around this time, so please allow yourself adequate travel time so you can be here to greet your child when they exit the building. If you are in need of before or after school care, the Learning Tree school-age child care program is available at the Early Childhood Center for a small nominal fee. Students are bused to and from Learning Tree to MES. For more information contact Lisa DiGuilio at 248-543-5465 or click the link below to register. If there will be a change in your child's transportation home, please contact the main office by 2:00 so we have ample time to communicate changes with the teacher.
Winter NWEA Begins This Week!
Many classes will begin taking our winter session of the NWEA standardized assessment in reading and math this week. Consult your child's teacher for the specific days they will be testing. Please make sure your child gets plenty of rest the night before the test, and on the morning of the test, get up in plenty of time, so he/she doesn't feel rushed. Do what you can to make your child feel comfortable, and try not to say things that will make him/her more nervous. Most importantly, reassure your child that no matter what happens on the test you will still love him/her, and encourage them to simply do their best.
Let's Get It Poppin' Again!
Popcorn Sales will resume next Friday as long as we have enough volunteers to pop, bag and deliver the popcorn. Our students look forward to purchasing these small bags of yummy goodness, so if you are willing and available on Friday mornings, please click the button below and sign up to volunteer to help. Remember all volunteers must have a valid background check on file with the main office. Thanks in advance for your help!
Congrats to our January Students of the Month!
Benjamin Thrasher-1st Grader
Ben is a 1st grader in Mrs. Voisin's class. He was chosen as one of our students of the month because of his kind heart, responsible nature, and consistent commitment to learning! Ben comes into class each morning with a smile and an assured readiness to tackle the tasks and activities for the day. He is a wonderful classmate to his peers and a pleasure for all his teachers to have in class! Benjamin works hard, has impeccable integrity, and stays curious. He’s a super star first grader on all accounts!
Joy Andrews-1st Grader
It is an honor to have Joy here at MES! Joy has shown that she is a steady and committed student, day in and day out. Her positive and open attitude has helped her build her knowledge and investigate new skills. She listens well and eagerly shares her thoughts during class discussions. She strives hard to do her best and will go above and beyond to prove that. Joy is extremely kind and friendly to all around her. She is a tremendous leader in 1st grade by following our social contract and encouraging others to do the same. Her commitment to her academic excellence, her friendships and her ability to inspire others have earned her the well-deserved honor of receiving the student of the month award. Keep up the great work Joy, we are so proud of you!
We Appreciate our January Employee of the Month!
Faith Uicker-Communities in Schools Student Support Coordinator
Although Faith has been with CIS for two years, this is her first year working at Madison, but you would never know it because she fits into our school family so well! Faith comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience, based on a Master's degree in Psychology, with a focus on child development, but is still always striving to learn more about how best help our students and their familes. She has become a familiar friendly face and another trusted adult that students can rely on. Faith loves her job here at Madison, but when she's not busy at work, she loves to spend time with her family and pets. She is a proud parent of a six-year-old daughter, and three adorable cats, Cookie-Dough, Moose-Tracks, and Barry-Cherry. She is an avid reader and enjoys diving into books of all genres but fantasy and mystery are her favorite. In her free time, she likes to go on camping trips, listen to music, explore new places, and enjoy road trips with my loved ones.
Faith was nominated by colleagues who noted how quickly she acclimated herself to MES, and consistently helps to provide resources to staff and students, while also assisting in other capacities within our building. She has built strong relationships with students that allow her to determine how to best meet their needs, while serving as an additional person they can count on for support. Her goal of adopting families for the holiday far exceeded our expectations and made several families very happy during this holiday season. When she sees a need, she takes the initiative to figure out how to meet that need, no matter who it’s for. We are so lucky to have her on our team! Thanks Faith for all you do to make MES great!
💜💛💜Capturing Kids' Hearts💜💛💜
We Showed Responsibility in December!
At the end of each month, we celebrate selected students who have consistently exemplified the CKH character trait focus for that particular month. Our focus characteristic for December was "responsibility". Click the link below to help us celebrate the students who were recognized for their ability to own their words, thoughts and actions, and make good choices by realizing how they impact others!
This Month's New Focus is Respect!
Respect is the willingness and ability to act professionally and thoughtfully with ourselves and others. Leaders can deal respectfully with opposition and provide space for both dignity and differences to coexist.
Why focus on Respect?
- Respect contributes to a positive culture. People feel safe, supported, and engaged in the context of thoughtful social, emotional, civic, and intellectual interactions.
- Respect decreases conflict. Respect helps us, and others, to be able to express ourselves without fear of being judged, humiliated, or discriminated against.
- Respect encourages empathy. Respect helps us to understand each other and put ourselves in someone else shoes.
Looking for Some Fun Things to Do? Check Out These School Events!
Wanna Be A Girl Scout?
We have a thriving Daisy Troop here at MES that does all kinds of fun things together, so we would like to be able to offer the same opportunities to our older students by reviving our Junior Girl Scout Troop this year. If your daughter is in 3rd-5th grade and would be interested in scouting, please join us here in the cafeteria on Thursday, January 18th at 5:30 to find out more information.
Family Game Night at the MES!
Take a break from your normal evening routine and join us here at MES for our annual Family Game Night on Wednesday, January 24th from 5:15-6:15! We will enjoy learning to play various fun and educational games that will help students with reading, math, and critical thinking skills. Each game played will be available for purchase, with prices ranging from $4-$27. The first 100 families to RSVP and attend will receive a voucher for free game of their choice (valued up to $15)! Claim your game by returning the RSVP form sent home by your child's teacher by Monday, January 22nd!. Hope to see you there!
MES Family Formal Dance
Back by popular demand!
Get dressed to impress and come dance the evening away with your friends and loved ones on Thursday, February 8th, from 5:30-7:30 at Club Venetian Banquet Hall (29310 John R. Rd)! If you didn't attend last year, you missed a great time...Fun was had by all, so don't miss it this year! Tickets are on sale now for $15/person, which includes dinner, dancing, and a family photo! Money is due by Thursday, January 25th, when we will turn in a final count to the venue, so tickets will not be sold at the door!
Want Some MES Gear to Show Your School Pride?
Join our MES Spirit Wear Store! The store has tons of product and design options for you to choose from, allowing you to customize the perfect spirit wear made just for you! Your purchase can also help us raise money for our school, so it's a win-win for everyone! Click the button below to join, so you can pick out what you'd like to purchase right away, and/or be kept up to date on new products, sales and special promotions to buy from the site at another time. Don't miss a chance to show everyone you meet what MES Eagle Pride looks like!
Remember...
We're all on the same team with the same goals! Let's continue to work together for your student's success! Thanks for sharing them with us!
Madison Elementary School
Felecia Hemingway, Principal
Tung Tran, Assistant Principal
Email: felecia.hemingway@madisondistrict.org
Website: https://es.madisondistrict.org/
Location: 27107 Hales Street, Madison Heights, MI, USA
Phone: 248-542-3414