ALICE Crisis Response instruction continues at our school. Last week all of our classrooms read the book "I'm Not Scared, I'm Prepared" by Julia Cook. Here is a link with more information about the book.

This week we continue our ALICE Crisis Response work with our students. We will not be having a full school drill yet, but instead each classroom will work with students to practice some of the ideas taught in the "I'm Not Scared, I'm Prepared" book.

• Our Preschool - 3rd grade students will be reminded that at school, our job is to keep our students safe and their job is to listen & follow our directions. We will discuss that we practice all kinds of drills at school including: Fire, Tornado, Lockdown, & Bus Evacuation. We also need to practice what to do if something dangerous happens at school. We will discuss Stranger Danger both outside and inside our school and what to do if there is someone dangerous in our school. Students will discuss barricading and evacuation. Our younger students will only talk about what they could use for a barricade, while our 2nd and 3rd graders may work with their teacher to practice building a barricade in their classrooms. Then the classroom teachers will discuss what an evacuation is and what rally points are. They will practice an evacuation and teachers will walk with their classes to the two rally points outside our school.

• Our 4th and 5th grade students will watch a video presentation created by our ALICE trainers that discusses how to enhance our safety in the event of an "Intruder" into our school. They will start with a focus on Awareness and Communication strategies. Then go onto lessons on situational awareness and telling a trusted adult when they feel uncomfortable, see an intruder, or hear strange sounds. Students will then learn about listening carefully to the information given during a crisis situation and looking at their options for evacuation to one of our two rally points. Students will then practice an evacuation and teachers will walk with their classes to the two rally points outside our school.

Please also remember when we talk about safety, safety can come in a variety of forms. At our School Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Oct. 6, the Walled Lake Board of Education proclaimed Oct. 16-22 as Michigan's Safe Schools Week in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District. In recognition of this proclamation, please review the following safety resources on a variety of subjects below:

• School Bus Safety
• Bicycle Safety
• Teen Driver Safety
• Home Firearm Safety
• Fire Safety
• Medication Safety

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), firearms are now the leading cause of death in children and youth 0 to 24 years of age in the United States and only a very small percentage of those are at school. The Wixom Police Department wants us to remind parents that they have free gun locks available at the police station for all residents. Please take the time to talk with your child about gun safety.

Here are some helpful links:

• Talking to your Children About Guns
• Asking About Secure Gun Storage

OCTOBER

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Buster the Bus Assembly

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 19 - Hearing Screening for students in grades K, 2, & 4

Saturday, Oct. 15 - PTA Fundraiser at Green Goat Gifts

Thursday, Oct. 20 - Marco's Pizza Dining to Donate

Friday, Oct. 21 - Teacher of the Year Nomination Forms Due

Friday, Oct. 28 - Trunk or Treats 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Monday, Oct. 31 - Halloween Parade at 11:40 am. Half Day for students. Dismissal at 12:30 pm.

NOVEMBER

Tuesday, Nov. 1 - PTA Meeting at 6:00 pm

Friday, Nov. 4 - Student Run Credit Union Deposit Day

Tuesday, Nov. 8 - Election Day - No School

Friday, Nov. 11 - Reflections Entries Due

Friday, Nov. 11 - Skate Night at Bonaventure 5-7 pm

Thursday, Nov. 17 - Half Day for Students. Dismissal at 12:30 pm.

Thursday, Nov. 17 - Marco's Pizza Dinning to Donate

Thursday, Nov. 24 - Friday, Nov. 25 - Thanksgiving. No School

Wixom Elementary and the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is again participating in a program to honor exemplary teachers/educators. We hope you will join us in an effort that will result in the selection of the TEACHER/EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR for Wixom Elementary and for Walled Lake Schools. This honor will be bestowed at our January 12, 2023 school board meeting.

We have many fabulous teachers at Wixom Elementary and we are asking parents to nominate teachers to receive the Wixom Teacher of the Year award. The official Walled Lake form must be used to submit a nomination. Additional forms are available in the school office. We are requesting that all forms be returned to our school NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022.

All of our Wixom families are encouraged to join our Wixom PTA. Please visit the Wixom PTA website to sign up to join. Signing up for the PTA helps to support our school and it does not mean you need to actively volunteer, although we would love to have you volunteer at our school events. Follow our Wixom PTA on Facebook @Wixom Elementary PTA.

• Thank you to all of our volunteers that helped with our Mumkin pickup on Saturday. We appreciate your continued support of our school and our PTA!

• Look for information on our PTA Reflections Contest coming home today!

• We are looking for anyone willing to work with our PTA to find other locations to host Dining to Donate events. If you know of anyone interested in partnering with our PTA in future Dining to Donate events, please reach out to any of our PTA board members or call the office.

• Our next PTA meeting will be on Tuesday, November 1st at 6:00 pm.

Green Goat Gifts in Downtown Wixom is hosting a PTA Fundraiser on Saturday, October 15. Green Goat Gifts will be donating 10% of every sale to the Wixom Elementary PTA. There are lots of great items for the fall including Michigan / Michigan State merchandise, Halloween and other fall decor, candles, self-care products, shirts, hoodies, and more. Support our PTA by shopping at Green Goat Gifts in Downtown Wixom on Saturday, October 15.

Our Wixom Elementary Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) program encourages dads and other positive male role models to volunteer at our school. If you are interested in signing up to be part of our Watch D.O.G.S. program, please use this link: Watch D.O.G.S. Interest Form

We will be celebrating Halloween on Monday, October 31 at Wixom Elementary. Students will be allowed to wear costumes to school, however, masks covering the eyes or entire face and large costumes are not permitted on the bus.

All costumes must be wholesome and school appropriate. Please follow these additional guidelines:

· No toy weapons including guns, swords, and knives.

· No costumes with fake blood or death-related.

· No costumes that reflect anything related to violence, drugs, or alcohol.

All families are invited for our Outdoor Halloween Parade on Monday, October 31 at 11:40 am. The parade will be outside along the Walking Path, if weather permits. If it rains, we may need to cancel the parade.

Since October 31st is a half day of school, students will go back into the building after the parade to pack up. Then parents may follow their normal pickup procedures starting at 12:15 pm.

Have old costumes collecting dust in your closest? Consider donating your old costumes in the donation bin at our school from now through October 14.

Families in need of costumes this year are welcome to pick one up free at Walled Lake Central High School on October 24-28. Contact OliviaBloomer@wlcsd.org for more info.

Our Lost and Found is continuing to grow at Wixom Elementary. Please look carefully at these photos (taken on Friday) to see if any of these lost items belong to your child. If you recognize any of these items, call the office and tell us what belongs to your child or direct your child to claim their lost item(s).

Also remember to put your child's name all jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, winter outdoor gear, lunchboxes, and water bottles to make it easier for us to identify the owners of lost items.

Looking to make some extra money on school days? Our Prime Time Care office is looking to hire for before and after school care at Wixom Elementary. This position pays $15 per hour and includes a $250 signing bonus. We are looking for people to work the morning care from 7:00 am - 9:00 am and/or our after school care from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Please contact Judy Scott, Prime Time Care Manager, at 248-956-5111 or judithscott@wlcsd.org for more information.

Remember that we are no longer offering free school meals for all students this school year. Please make sure your child knows if you want them to purchase lunch and/or breakfast each day or eat the food they bring from home. You may want to check your child's account in Skyward Family Access. Many students already have negative balances on their school meal accounts.

If your family is having difficulty paying for school meals, please consider applying for free and reduced priced meals. The free and reduced meal application can be filled out through Skyward Family Access. Login to Family Access, click on Food Service, and then select the application at the top of the screen.

Your student can also purchase lunch for $3.00 and breakfast for $1.50. To purchase lunch or breakfast, you will deposit money into your child’s Skyward Family Access account, and each day they purchase, it is deducted from their account.

If you need any further assistance or have questions about the breakfast and lunch programs, please contact us at Anne Merchant at 248-956-3081 or at annemerchant@wlcsd.org.

Buy books at the Wixom Public Library, 49015 Pontiac Trail, Fall Used Book Sale sponsored by The Friends of the Wixom Library. Advance Sale for Friends Members only on Wednesday October 12th 5:00-7:30 p.m. (memberships available at the door).

Public Sale begins Thursday, October 13th from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will run Friday, October 14th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday, October 15th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday-Fill a bag $5. Thousands of books and multimedia items for all ages, priced between 25 cents and $1, plus specially priced items.

The students are in the process of taking their i-Ready assessments at school. For those new to Wixom Elementary, i-Ready is an online math and reading assessment that our students are required to take three times per year per state law. Once the students complete the assessments, online lessons are assigned at your child's level to continue improve their reading and math skills.

Once the assessments are complete, your child's teacher will send home their results along with information on how to access your child's i-Ready account from home so they continue to work on lessons at home in reading and math. If you do not have access to a computer at home for your child to use, please contact the school office and we can let you borrow a Chromebook from school.

With the start of a new school year and many new families at Wixom Elementary, I would like to take this opportunity to remind our families of current COVID protocols. The Walled Lake Consolidated School District, following the guidance of the Oakland County Health Division, requires individuals that are positive for COVID-19 to stay home and isolate a minimum of 5 full days, with symptom onset date or test date, if asymptomatic, being Day 0. If, after 5 full days have passed, the individual has been fever free for over 24 hours and any other symptoms they have had are improving, the individual can resume normal activities provided a mask is worn through Day 10.

Personal or household contacts are not required to quarantine, however it is recommended and encouraged, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask and monitor for symptoms for 10 days. Test 3-7 days after exposure or if symptoms develop, and avoid unmasked activities or activities with higher risk of exposing vulnerable individuals. All other contacts are not required to quarantine, however it is recommended and encouraged to monitor for symptoms for 10 days, test if symptoms develop, and consider wearing a mask around others for 10 days after exposure. At a minimum, wear a mask in settings with higher risk of exposing vulnerable individuals.

Symptomatic students/staff will continue to be required to meet one of the following prior to returning to school/work:

· Provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test.

· Provide documentation from a physician indicating a clear alternative diagnosis.

· Exclude from school for minimum of 5 days, mask for 10 days – must be fever free for over 24 hours, with other symptoms improving, prior to returning.

Many symptoms of COVID overlap with symptoms of other common illnesses and seasonal allergies. Current guidance requires us to follow COVID protocols for individuals that cannot pass the health screener until COVID is medically ruled out or a certain period of time has passed.

At this time, communication to families regarding COVID-19 cases at school is the same as it was at the end of the 2021-22 school year. When our school learns of a positive case, we will send a letter to the classroom of the positive individual, as well as a letter to the entire grade level, to notify families of a possible exposure. For privacy reasons, names and identifying information will not be disclosed.

If you have any questions or need additional guidance regarding a sick child and school attendance, please contact our Main Office at 248-956-3400. We recognize the added layer of responsibility on parents and school staff when an individual presents with symptoms and appreciate your partnership.

Office: 248-956-3400

FAX: 248-956-3405

Absence Line: 248-956-3490

Address:

301 North Wixom Road
Wixom, MI 48393