Dolphin Digest
June 2016 Newsletter
Dear Dolphin Family,
Dolphin up! And Celebrate!
There is so much to celebrate at this time of the year. Each child has grown as a learner and as a citizen this school year. Each has scripted yet another chapter in the stories of their young lives.
As each of our dolphins transition into summer break, I want each to reflect and think about how the 7 habits can be lived out at home and around Clarkston this summer. Habits 1-3 are Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, and Put First Things First. These habits are the foundation and focus on the individual. Habits 4-6 are Think Win-Win, Seek First to Understand then to be Understood, and Synergize. These habits focus on working and playing with others around us. Habit 7, Sharpen the Saw is the habit of energy and renewal so that we can carry out habits 1-6 effectively.
Reading is a very effective way to fulfill Habit 7, and so I encourage everyone to avoid the summer slide and read!
Here is a Leader in Me (7 Habits) Parent’s Guide that will help our kids reflect and think about the habits. I hope you find it helpful as well. I wish everyone a healthy and exciting summer!
Got a book? Read--it’s good for you!
Matthew Gifford, Principal
Important Contact Information
SPE Main Office 248.623.3800, Secretary Karen Postal
Attendance Line 248.623.3890Fax 248.623.3805
Email: kepostal@clarkston.k12.mi.us
Website: www.clarkston.k12.mi.us/schools/SPE
Location: 8650 Holcomb Road, Clarkston, MI 48348, United States
Phone: 248.623.3800
SUMMER BIRTHDAY BOOK CLUB
June Birthdays:
Nathan Raddatz, Jack Banka. Jack Puzio, Kayla Doyle. Brecken O'Neill. Nicholas Landry, Lauren Raddatz, Ceci Marsden. Stephanie Johnson, Chloe Giehtbrock, David Butler
July Birthdays:
Bedford Muzzy, Blake Berry, Caroline Narrito, Mackenna Mancini, Branigan O'Neill, Noah Puzio, TJ Taylor, Zach Taylor, Lily Banka, Hailie Arnold, Sophia Marsala, Jacqueline Suida, Xavier Dove, Derek Townsend, Brandon Hoffmann, Zach Marshall, Nate Marshall, Sophia Love, Juliet Gabor, Zack Nielubowicz
August Birthdays:
Quinn Farrell, Mackenzie Loutzenhiser, John Jernigan, Alex Moscone, Jason Martindale
Avery Phillips, Tessa Bordogna
Summer Office Hours
Summer Office Hours:
June: 7:30 - 3:00
July: CLOSED
August: 7:30 - 3:00
Please urge anyone who needs to enroll a new student to call the
Central Enrollment office at 248-623-5400
KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION THANK YOU!
We had a great day at Kindergarten Orientation! Thank you to Kelsey Jones for organizing all our parent volunteers who came and made our new kindergartners feel so welcome.
It matters that YOU were here
STAFF APPRECIATION THANK YOU!!
The Staff would like to extend a big THANK YOU to Jessica & Matt Farrell, Bridget McCormick. Melissa Taylor, Tamara Zelinski and all the SPE parents and PTA for providing the delicious breakfast, luncheon, notes from parents, all the clever ideas, and their time and effort for Staff Appreciation Week. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for the beautiful planters
ParentVue - Student Information System & Learning Feedback Document Viewing
Please make sure you access and set up your account in ParentVue. Parents can change phone numbers and add emergency contacts. To access ParentVue:
Go to the Clarkston Schools’ webpage www.clarkston.k12.mi.us
Choose the Resources tab and then select ParentVue
Summer Reading Program
Fabulous Reasons To Read Over Summer Break
Gain new understandings of others
Meet new friends
Improve yourself and gain new skills
Travel to another place
Have a good laugh
Solve a mystery
Learn new information and knowledge
Appreciate works of art
Meet a narrative master
Read a good story
DATES TO REMEMBER
- June 3 - 5th Grade Picnic - Clintonwood Park
- June 10 - Field Day
- June 14 - 5th Grade Celebration - 9:30am Parents and Families Welcome
- June 14 - Half Day for students, - NO AFTERNOON KIDS CONNECTIONS
- June 15 - Last Day, Half Day for Students - NO AFTERNOON KIDS CONNECTIONS - NO BACKPACKS NEEDED
Clarkston Community Schools Nutrition Services Department
A friendly reminder from the Nutrition Department regarding your student's meal account. As we get closer to the end of the school year, we would like to remind parents that students’ accounts should be current and have enough money to cover meal purchases. If your child ends up with a positive balance at the end of the school year, the money will carry over into the next school year. However, if you are planning to transfer out of Clarkston Schools, please notify the Nutrition Department and request a refund. Our office number is 248-623 8001. Thank you for supporting our school meals program.
Thank you, Marla Ernst
Lost and Found
The lost and found items will be on display in the front hallway from May 31 - June 10, 2016. Any unclaimed items will be donated.
MEDICATIONS
All inhalers, medication, and Epi-pens must be picked up by parents before
June 15, 2016. After that date they will be discarded. Thank you
YEARBOOKS
Yearbooks will be passed out to students on June 13, 2016. There will be extras in the office if your child forgot to order one. Call 248-623-3800 to order.
Looking Ahead to the 2016-2017 School Year...
In mid August, you will be mailed a newsletter providing important information.
This will highlight what to expect during the first week of school, classroom placement, school hours, bus routes, and the Open House to meet the teacher.
You will also be provided procedures for medications that need to be housed at school for your student and the SPE lunch program.
Clarkston Community Schools Student Calendar 2016-17
September 6 - First 1⁄2 Day of School for Students
October 7 1⁄2 Day – Early Dismissal for Teacher Development
November 8 - Developmental Day – No School for Students
November 23-25 - Thanksgiving Recess-No School
December 9 - 1⁄2 Day – Early Dismissal for Teacher Development
December 26-Jan 6 Winter Recess-No School
January 9 - School Resumes
January 16 - No School for Students/Teacher Records
January 27 - 1⁄2 Day (Exams/Teacher Records)
February 17 - 1⁄2 Day – Early Dismissal for Teacher Development
February 20-21 Mid-Winter Recess-No School
March 10 - 1⁄2 Day – Early Dismissal for Teacher Development
April 3-7 - Spring Recess-No School
April 14 - No School (Holiday)
April 21 - 1⁄2 Day – Early Dismissal for Teacher Development
May 26 - 1⁄2 Day – Early Dismissal for Teacher Development
May 29 - No School (Holiday)
June 9 - 1⁄2 Day – Early Dismissal for Teacher Development
June 15-16 - 1⁄2 Days (Exams/Teacher Records)
June 16 - Last 1⁄2 Day of School
Note from our PTA President...
My role as PTA President has come to an end, and I am so glad to hand over the SPE PTA to a new board and President, Mary Warner. As our 2015-2016 school year comes to an end, the SPE PTA board would like to thank all the volunteers that help make every program and event we host a success. Without our parents' and teachers' help and support, we would never be able to support this school the way that we have! This year we are especially thankful to have our SPE families not only pitching in to help with their time, but also their generous monetary contributions, both passive and active! The simplest things like keeping your Kroger Rewards account re-active and saving those Box Tops bring in "free" money we use to support our teachers and students of SPE.
Our Playground fundraising efforts were equally strong this year, and although we did not meet our $100,000 goal, we should be proud of earning over $69,381.00 in just two years! As the upcoming bond initiative makes its way to voters, the SPE PTA will ensure that the money raised for our playground stays at SPE to further enhance anything we are provided. The new PTA board will work on plans for improvements based upon the outcome of the bond. So many teachers, staff and students put their personal time and businesses into the playground effort and for this we are so grateful. We even recently had a donation from students who ran a lemonade stand on the weekend- donating their earnings to their future playground improvements.
Note our last PTA General Membership meeting is Tuesday, May 24 at 7pm. We will vote in the new PTA board as well as hear more details about how SPE would benefit from the bond proposal.
Thank you for all your hard work this school year and we look forward to ending strong and having a great summer!
Nichole
Summer Coding Camp 2016
Scratch (Coding) Camp for Beginners
Cost - $175.00
Date - July 25-29, 2016
Time - 8:30 - 11:30 pm
Max. Participants - 20
Location: Administration Building
Instructors - Lori Banaszak , CCS Technology Integration Specialist and Sharon Crain, CCS Media Specialist
Registration: http://bit.ly/SummerCoding16
Coding Camp for Beginners - A camp for kids ages 9 - 11 years old to learn about coding (computer science) using Scratch. This camp will introduce and help kids build a basic understanding of coding. This will include the terminology and processes to start thinking like a computer programmer. Students will complete group activities as well as individual projects to produce a final game or animation. There will be a student showcase the last day of camp to highlight student projects. Come code with us!
Scratchers (Coding) Camp for Intermediate/Advanced
Cost - $175.00
Date - July 25 - 29, 2016
Time - 12:30 - 3:30 pm
Max. Participants - 20
Location: Administration Building
Prerequisite - Coding Camp for Beginners or member of one of the CCS elementary coding clubs.
Instructors - Lori Banaszak , CCS Technology Integration Specialist and Sharon Crain, CCS Media Specialist
Registration: http://bit.ly/SummerCoding16
Scratchers Coding Camp - This camp is designed for kids ages 9 - 12 years old to take their Scratch skills to the next level. This camp will build upon the concepts of Coding Camp for Beginners and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of coding (computer science) using Scratch. Participants will work in collaborative groups as well as independently to create interactive games or animations. There will be a student showcase the last day of camp to highlight student projects. Come code with us!
REFLECTIONS RESULTS
Congratulations to all our Springfield Plains Elementary students that participated in the PTA Reflections Program. Springfield Plains Elementary had 23 entries based on this year’s theme, “Let Your Imagination Fly". Our students submitted entries in the categories of Photography, Visual Arts 2D and 3D, Film Production, Music Composition, and Literature. This year our school had 15 Regional Winners! Great job to all the participants!!! Next year's theme will be "What is Your Story?", for all students that would like to get started on an entry for next year!
Clarkston Community Schools Discrimination Acts
The Clarkston Community Schools, in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans with Disability Act of 1990, states that it is the policy of the Clarkston Community School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or ancestry, age gender, marital status, disability, height, weight, and/or any other legally protected characteristic, be discriminated against, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to, discrimination in any program or activity for which the Board is responsible or for which it receives financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.
If any person believes that the Clarkston Community School District or any part of the school organization is guilty of discrimination as noted above, he/she may bring forward a complaint which should be referred to as a grievance to the following public officials:
Deputy Superintendent (Section 504 Coordinator)
Clarkston Community Schools, 6389 Clarkston Road,
PO Box 1050, Clarkston, MI 48347-1050
(All other inquiries related to discrimination)
Executive Director of Personnel & Auxiliary Services
Clarkston Community Schools, 6389 Clarkston Road
2016-2017 PTA Officers
President, Mary Warner
1st Vice President, Kristy Brandon
2nd Vice President, Tracy Bessert
Secretary, Kelsey Jones
Treasurer, Deborah Ego
Asst. Treasurer, April Love
Membership Coordinator, Maggie Benson
Volunteer Coordinator, Janel Sadowski
Homeroom Coordinator, Nichole Kraatz
Ways & Means - Paul Carpentier
CCS Board of Education
Vice President, Elizabeth Egan
Treasurer, Kelli Horst
Secretary, Susan Boatman
Trustees, Cheryl McGinnis, Craig Hamilton, Gregory Need