Alward Action
April 22, 2022
What's Happening in PE?
This spring, Prek, Kindergarten and 1st graders are working on large motor skill movements and strength exercises by doing various activities such as Mario Kart. 2nd-5th graders are beginning Spring Fitness Testing. Students are so excited to see that they can reach the goals they set for themselves last fall!
All 4th and 5th graders in the Hudsonville school district will be coming together on June 6, 2022 at Eagle Stadium! In order to help students navigate events on Field Day, wearing the following shirt colors is recommended (but not required):
- 4th Grade Girls - Lime Green
- 4th Grade Boys - Bright Yellow
- 5th Grade Girls - Orange
- 5th Grade Boys - Red
You may order a shirt through this link or wear one you already have.
https://onitink-hps-pe.square.site/
Orders will be accepted online until May 5 at 6 pm.
News from the PTC!
We have our Mother/Son event on April 29th and are in NEED of volunteers to have this event run smoothly! Please consider signing up for a shift. High schoolers are welcome to volunteer as well. If we do not get enough volunteers, we may need to cancel the event!
Last day to sign up for Mother/Son event is Tuesday and spots are filling up fast! You must be signed up by Tuesday April 26 by midnight to participate. All money (checks made out to the Alward PTC) must be turned into the office or venmoed to @Andrea-Butler-91.
Starting Monday, May 2nd is Teacher Appreciation Week. You may sign up below to help us spoil our teachers with breakfast, lunch, special notes, sweet treats, sodas and sparkling waters to help them stay fueled up for the rest of the school year!
Thanks for all your help supporting the PTC this year! We are excited to have a fun mother/son event and spoil our staff for Teacher Appreciation Week.
If you have any questions please reach out to Andi Butler at Andi6543@att.net
Thanks so much!
Andi Butler
MSTEP for grades 3-5
MSTEP Dates and Information for Parents in Grades 3-5
The M-STEP State testing for grades 3-5 will take place this spring. Please avoid all doctors appointments and vacation days on the dates that your child is scheduled to participate in the state wide M-STEP testing. Thank you for your attention to these dates. NOTE: If your child is ill, we will administer the tests on make-up dates. Do not send your child to school ill. We ask only that you avoid late arrivals, doctor appointments and vacation days on the dates listed below. Grade 5: April 14, 19, 20, 21, 27, 28 (9am – 1pm) Make-up dates: May 2-13 (9am – 1pm) Grade 4: May 5, 6, 11, 12 (9am-1pm) Make-up dates: May 9-20 (9am-1pm) Grade 3: April 25, 26, and May 3 and 4 (9am-1 pm) Make-up dates: May 9-13 (9am-1pm) Test Taking Tips Get plenty of sleep. Arrive to school on time. Bring: 2 healthy snacks and a water bottle. Remind your child that all of our learning all year long has prepared us for these tests. This is our opportunity to show what we know!
Nurtured Heart Training
From Chaos to Calm: Parenting with the Nurtured Heart Approach®
3 Hour Virtual Training: April 26th, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Cost: $50
Register: www.livingwellwm.com
Emotionally exhausted parenting an intense child? Tired of nagging and reprimanding? The Nurtured Heart Approach® (NHA) to parenting will transform your home from chaos to calm.
NHA is a trauma-informed approach consisting of three strategies to assist children in further
developing their success at school and home. Most importantly, it is a relationship-rich
approach with easy-to-implement strategies for building the inner wealth of children. While it
was developed for the challenging child, it is best when implemented with all children.
Lisa Dykstra holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Grand Valley State University. She is
a Certified NHA Trainer and uses the approach to support children with intense behaviors in her
role as a School Social Worker where she has served students in her community for 16 years at
Hudsonville Public Schools. In 2017, Lisa expanded her opportunity to combine clinical skills
and NHA as she started her own private practice to support children and families as a Therapist.
A strong believer in the power of relationship when working through behavioral challenges, Lisa
consistently and successfully uses the Nurtured Heart Approach in both professional settings.
The most meaningful application of the approach happens in her own home with her husband
and their four children. In her free time, Lisa enjoys reading, crafting, spending time outside, and
playing games with her kids.
Tuesday, Apr 26, 2022, 06:00 PM
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Mother/Son Laser Tag
MOTHER/SON LASER TAG NIGHT
Come join us for a fun night:
Laser tag by BattleGr
Alward Bingo, Vitale’s Pizza and Desserts
WHEN: Friday, April 29TH
WHERE: Alward Elementary
TIME: 5:00 - 8:30
COST: $20 for mother/son and $10 for each additional child
Payment can be sent via Venmo to @Andrea-Butler-91 with comment mother/son or money can be sent to the office.
Laser tag will be in the gym and dinner and bingo will be in the cafeteria.
Please sign up for your laser tag time at this link.
Sign ups will close on Tuesday 4/26.
We are looking for several volunteers to help at this event! Please sign up here!
Friday, Apr 29, 2022, 05:00 PM
3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Teacher Appreciation Week
https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/1007024019064098013/false#/invitation
Monday, May 2, 2022, 08:00 AM
3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Early Release
Friday, May 6, 2022, 12:15 PM
3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
No School - Memorial Day Weekend
Friday, May 27, 2022, 08:00 AM
3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
No School - Memorial Day Weekend
Monday, May 30, 2022, 08:00 AM
3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Last Day of School - Early Release
Wednesday, Jun 8, 2022, 12:15 PM
3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
PK/K Enrollment for the 2022/23 School Year!
Step 2 - Enroll Online - watch the instructional tutorial here.
Online registration for PreK/Kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year is now open on the website. To be eligible, children must be five years of age on or before September 1, 2022. A PreK/Kindergarten waiver request form may also be submitted for children who turn five between September 2 - December 1, 2022. These waiver forms will be made available during the registration process.
When you are completing the online registration, you will be required to upload the following documents.
- Original birth certificate with raised seal
- Photo ID of parent or guardian registering student
- Proof of residency (i.e. utility bill, tax statement, house buy/sell agreement, lease agreement)
- Health Appraisal Form which includes dates of immunizations and vision/hearing testing (due by August 12, 2022)
Placement Preference - The online registration will include a place for parents to indicate their PreK/Kindergarten placement preference. North and south elementary school PreK locations will be determined prior to the start of the school year.
Step 3 - Screening
Upon completion of your online registration and participation in the Virtual Informational Webinar, you will receive communication from your building principal in early March. At that time, your building principal will provide details regarding the screening process for your child. This screening assists principals with final placement details to build the best learning environment for all of our learners.
- The screening process MUST be completed prior to your child being placed in a PreK or Kindergarten HPS classroom for the 2022-2023 school year.
- All kindergarten placement requests will be honored. A team will review PreK placement requests. Parents will be notified of the placement decision by May 31, 2022. Information about a late summer orientation for students and parents will be included in the notification letter.
MI Backpack Home Test Program - An At-Home COVID-19 Testing Program for K-12 Settings
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is offering a program which supplies a limited number of free, at-home COVID antigen tests to students in Michigan's schools in the 2021-2022 school year. MI Backpack Home Test is a voluntary program offered by MDHHS for Michigan K-12 students, educators, staff, and their families who want an extra layer of protection against COVID-19. Every individual that is interested will receive one at-home COVID-19 test "kit," which includes 2 at-home tests. MDHHS will provide the kits and educational materials, and schools will distribute the kits to students and staff who choose to enroll. There is no obligation to participate. If you are interested please contact your building secretary and make arrangements to pick up your kit in the office.
SEL/RULER Videos
Students will continue learning about new feeling words in their classrooms. If you would like information regarding the upcoming units, we invite you to watch the embedded overview video links for grades K-5. There is a separate document with embedded video links for Pre-K. Thank you for taking the time to engage in this learning with your child!
Units 8, 9 and 14 video.
PK RULER Unit 13 School-Home Partnership Video
PK RULER School-Home Partnership Canva Doc (All Videos)
RULER Vocabulary Words
Here is a preview to all of the vocabulary that will be introduced in the RULER videos this school year:
Volunteer and Visitor Policy
All volunteers and visitors are also required to complete a background check every year. Please complete the background check form here.
Morning Drop Off and Car Line Pick Up Procedures
- Grades 2-5: Students in grades 2-5 will enter Door U unless they are walking a younger sibling to their class.
- Grades PK-1: Students in KDG will enter door A. Students in PK and 1st grade will enter door W.
Car Line Drop-off Procedures:
1. Use the car loop on the west side (office side) of the building.
2. Stay in the right lane and drop off your child in the drop-off zone. Zone will be marked with cones. Please pull all the way to either the stop sign for the unloading zone or to the car in front of you. We are having a problem with cars lined up on Port Sheldon. Please pull all the way to front of the drive by door C. Please do not stop by door U!
3. Students will exit the cars on the passenger side of the car in the unloading zone. (Do not allow students to exit the car on the driver’s side for safety reasons!) Staff will help child/children get out of the car and direct them to the door that they will go in.
3. Parents remain in their vehicles.
4. Do not pass cars in the car line. Stay in a single file line until the cars move in front of you.
To Keep Our Line Moving Tips:
Follow the procedures noted above.
Say your goodbyes and give kisses prior to dropping off in the car line. :)
Have backpacks/supplies ready to exit car with students.
Parents need to remain in their vehicles.
Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding with our system and procedures. Safety is our number one concern for our students and their families.
Car Line Pick-up Procedures
PK-Fifth Grade Students
3:45 p.m.
1. Please put the placard sign, pictured below, in your passenger side window of your car with your child/ren's names and teacher's names listed. If you need more placard signs, please contact the main office, and we will be happy to print some for you!
2. Use the car loop on the west-side (office side) of the building.
3. Stay in the right lane and pull up to the orange cone on the far side of the parking lot or behind the cars in front of you.
4. Students will be walked out in groups to the car line and must enter cars on the passenger side of the vehicle.
5. If you need to help your child buckle his/her car seat, please pull forward with the flow of traffic, park in a parking spot, and help your child buckle his/her car seat.
To Keep Our Line Moving Tips:
Follow the procedures noted above.
Parents need to remain in their vehicles.
Please be patient with this system for the first few weeks of school. Once students, staff, and families get used to the process, the line moves efficiently and is safe for all of our students!
Based on last year’s car line data, the car line takes 4-5 minutes to load 60 cars!
Walkers
- Walkers are dismissed once our car line is out of our parking lot to ensure their safety in the parking lot and crossing Port Sheldon, if needed.
- Walkers will be dismissed out of Door T (at the end of our fourth and fifth grade hallway).
- If you or a sibling will be typically walking your child home, please notify your child's teacher.
- If the person designated to walk your child home changes, please contact the main office to let them know of the change.
Communication
- Visit Our Website: Our school website will be updated on a regular basis as it will be the main source of information for our parents and community members. We will no longer have an Alward Blog as we are looking to consolidate and simply communication to our families.
School Messenger: Regular communication from school messenger will be sent out via email, phone calls, or text messages to keep you in the loop on what is taking place at Alward!
Social Media: Follow our story by liking us on...
Facebook: Like us on Facebook-facebook.com/AESEaglePride
Twitter: Like us on Twitter @AlwardElem
Google Classrooms: We will no longer have individual blogs for teachers. Teachers will be updating their Google Classroom Sites on a weekly basis.
Website: https://www.hudsonvillepublicschools.org/alward/index
Location: 3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Phone: 616-669-6700
Facebook: facebook.com/AESEaglePride
Twitter: @AlwardElem