Little Bucks Bulletin
Nurturing Hearts, Developing Minds, Inspiring Dreams
December 2021 Edition
Ottawa Elementary School
MESSAGE FROM MRS. DENISON
As 2021 is nearing an end and a new year approaching, we often look back at the year in reflection and retrospect. As the last two years have been anything but normal, what does remain constant and strong is the support and caring ways of our community. My heart is filled with appreciation and gratitude as our families, staff and students continue to support one another and come together as we take on each school day.
We received an overwhelming amount of donations for our Little Bucks "Giving" Food Drive. Over a thousand items, that's approximately three items per student. Items will be delivered to RAM this week and our school family has learned the meaning of 'giving back' and helping our community.
On behalf of the staff at Ottawa, I would like to wish our Little Buck families a happy holiday season. Enjoy the break connecting with family and friends and we will see everyone back in school on Monday, January 3, 2022.
If you ever have a concern, question, or comment please feel free to call or email and I will be happy to speak with you.
Stacey Denison, Principal
LITTLE BUCKS "GIVING" OUTSTANDING SUCCESS!
Our Little Bucks have collected over a thousand items to be delivered to RAM to help families through the holiday season. Shout out to Hardings for donating bags so our students could carry their items to school. Way to go Ottawa Family!
OFFICE HOURS
Our school office is open 8:00am-4:30pm
Phone: 269.695.8409
Mrs. Stacey Denison, Principal
Mrs. Hurd, Administrative Assistant
SCHOOL HOURS
REGULAR DAY OF SCHOOL
8:35am-3:43pm
ECSE/Preschool AM 8:35am-11:50pm
ECSE/Preschool PM 12:25pm-3:43pm
WACKY WEDNESDAYS
8:35am-3:10pm
HALF DAYS OF SCHOOL
8:35am-12:05pm
No Preschool or ECSE Classes on these days!
IMPORTANT DECEMBER/JANUARY DATES
DECEMBER
8 Wacky Wednesday Early Release at 3:10 pm
10 Kindergarten/First Grade Grinch Activities Day
10 No ECSE classes (This change was made when 12/1 was a full day instead of a half)
13 Board of Education Meeting 6:00pm
15 Wacky Wednesday Early Release at 3:10 pm
15 Preschool/ECSE Holiday Celebrations
16 Kickstart to Career Deposit Day!
16 Half Day for Students - Dismissal at 12:05 - No ECSE or Preschool
17 Half Day for Students - Dismissal at 12:05 - No ECSE or Preschool
17 Kindergarten/First Holiday Celebrations
17 Winter Break Begins
25 Christmas
JANUARY
1 New Year's Day
3 School Resumes
4 PTO Meeting
WINTER BREAK DECEMBER 20th - DECEMBER 31st
SCHOOL RESUMES JANUARY 3, 2022
DEPOSIT DAY! 12/16
Dress for the Weather
We will continue to wait outside before school and will go to recesses outdoors unless the Real Feel temperature is below 10 degrees. Snow pants and boots will be needed when snow begins to fall.
12/10 GRINCH DAY FOR KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE
December 10th is Grinch Activities Day for Kindergarten and First Grade! Wear green or any outfit in honor of How The Grinch Stole Christmas! Students will enjoy the day with fun Grinch activities!
Award and Grant Recipients at Ottawa!
Congratulations to Ms. Calvillo and Mrs. Smith for receiving the 2021 Honor Credit Union Teacher Awards. Each teacher receives funds to help support learning in their classrooms.
Melissa Prestine, Elementary Music Teacher, was awarded a grant from the Youth Advisory Council to help purchase hand bells for her kindergarten-fourth grade students.
PTO OFFICER POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Next PTO Meeting
There will be no meeting the month of December.
Next meeting will be January 4, 2022 at 6:30pm
At our January meeting, there will be an election of officers since there are two vacant positions. If you are interested in the president or vice president positions, please notify Mrs. Denison by email at sdenison@buchananschools.com for your name to be added to the ballot.
We will hold the event in person unless COVID protocols change. If you cannot attend in person, we will also have a virtual link you can use to be a part of the meeting.
Meetings will be held inside, at this time, masks required, but that may change come January.
We will use this video link for all meetings: https://meet.google.com/ikj-egvh-jjd
Tue, Jan 4, 2022, 06:30 PM
Ottawa Elementary School, Ottawa Street, Buchanan, MI, USA
Little Bucks of The Week
A signed certificate will come home at the end of the week and their names will be shared in Ottawa's Update over the weekend for families!
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Mrs. Monsma and Ms. Shaner
PRESCHOOL TEAM
The program is half day with AM and PM classes with no more than 16 students in each. There are certain factors and criteria that need to be met to qualify for this program. Curriculum in preschool addresses various developmental skills, such as gross motor, fine motor, literacy , mathematics, vocabulary, and verbal expression. If you have questions regarding our preschool program, you can feel free to contact our office or email Mrs. Chase at kchase@buchananschools.com or Mrs. Monsma at jmonsma@buchananschools.com.
Mrs. Chase and Mrs. Fox
DISMISSAL/TRANSPORTATION CHANGES
You MUST contact our school office by 2:00 pm if you need to make changes to your child's transportation routine.
If you need to make changes involving a bus, these changes must be communicated to our office by 1:30 pm, before the buses leave for their middle/high school routes.
Please do not message or email teachers as they are often in session and do not receive the messages until it is too late.
If you need a numbered car tag for the pick up line, please come into our office.
If you are picking your child up as a walker, they will be dismissed at the doors by our front office.
Only car riders with parents in the pick up line will be dismissed at the north parking lot doors.
Board of Education Meetings
- December 13th
Meetings will be called to order at 6:00pm unless advertised differently.
Transportation
Central Office
269.695.8400
Superintendent
Mrs. Patricia Robinson probinson@buchananschools.comAdministrative Assistant to the Superintendent
Mrs. Michelle Munyon mmunyon@buchananschools.com
Assistant Superintendent
Mr. Mark Kurland mkurland@buchananschools.com
Business Office Specialist
Mrs. Carrie Brunsting cbrunsting@buchananschools.com
Director of Special Education
Mrs. Karin Falkenstein kfalkenstein@buchananschools.com
Director of Technology
Mr. Philip Place psplace@buchananschools.com
YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT!
We work hard every day to make our school the best it can be. Please tell us how we’re doing!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedhHzyguA0_cCpd2Ue17lUTG5bV9LXzCoe6sP2f_BJrovA1Q/viewform