Spring Mills Shark Nation Notes
1/21/2022
Important Upcoming Dates
January - Ski Club Starts
January 24th - 28th Great Kindness Challenge
January 27th - Yearbook Club and Candid Pictures
January 28th - 1/2 Day For Students 12:45pm
February 8th - Early Release for students 2:37pm
Covid Questions
Has Huron Valley Schools changed COVID Protocols?
Superintendent Dr. Salah emailed the updated Covid Protocols to parents/guardians on 1/12/2022. Please take a moment to click the link below to familiarize yourself with these important updates.
It's hard to believe that we are already at the end of January! We have a fun week ahead with our Great Kindness Challenge activities! Please see below for more detailed information. Don't forget that we end the week with a 1/2 day for students, as it's the end of the semester and a records day for staff in the afternoon.
Just a couple of reminders - please remember that school doors open at 9:07, with the goal of kids being in seats ready to learn at 9:15. If you're dropping off, please do so during that time frame. Our drop off line runs smoothly when:
- cars pull ALL the way through the circle - do not stop in the middle or "near the doors"
- adults stay in cars while kids exit the vehicle
Reminder that there will be changes coming to both pick up and drop off procedures. In March, we are losing our bus drop off/pick up area due to construction starting. We will communicate those changes as March nears, but wanted to be sure that awareness was out there! We will all need to practice patience and grace as we work through those bumps.
On Thursday, January 20th, Spring Mills staff participated in a refresher training of our emergency protocols-- specifically, Run, Hide, Fight training which prepares us for threatening situations in or out of our buildings. Milford Police Department conducted the training, also with Oakland County deputies on sight. We had our training after school, so I'm sure many of you noticed that we had some police vehicles in the lot. We are grateful for our partnerships with our law enforcement agencies and the support that they give us. If you have any questions regarding the training, please let me know.
I look forward to all of the activities that we have next week that are focused on kindness! Feel free to share any kind acts that your children are doing at home as well! You are welcome to email me a picture and an description and we will include it either in our newsletter or tweet it out!
As always, thank you for your partnership.
Have a great weekend,
Sarah Bentley, SM Principal
Great Kindness Challenge
We have a fun event coming up at Spring Mills! The week of January 24th, we will be participating in the Great Kindness Challenge. This is an opportunity for our school community to focus on being kind and paying forward acts of kindness towards each other. In order to help our kids do this, we have all sorts of things planned.
First, on Tuesday the 18th, teachers introduced the GKC to students, and students received a checklist of specific things that they can do to be kind. These things can be done at home or at school. As they complete an item, it is checked off the list. Students will have until Friday January 28th to complete their list and turn it in to their teacher to be entered into a drawing for a Press and Scoop gift card!
Throughout the week of the 24th, each day will have a different dress-up theme focused on kindness. Those days are listed below.
We will be looking for a few parent volunteers to help out at lunchtime on Wednesday, January 26th (12 - 2). We have a kindness activity planned for kids who are interested. Students who would like to are making kindness cards for others, and we will need a few parents to help. If you are interested, please sign up here: GKC Wed 1/26 volunteer
We hope that this will be a bit of fun for our students to get us through these winter months!
More information will follow - just wanted to get you this information early!
Thank you for your support!
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Monday, Jan 24th: Team Kindness - wear favorite team apparel
Tuesday, Jan 25th: Dream of Kindness - Wear PJs!
Wednesday, Jan 26th: Hats off to Kindness - Wear your favorite hat!
Thursday, Jan 27th: Peace, Love, and Kindness: Tie Dye apparel
Friday, Jan 28th: Sharks Choose Kindness - SM Shark apparel
Circle Drive Reminders - PLEASE Re-READ! Good reminders
Thank you to everyone following the guidelines making the circle drive a smoother experience for your community! Please see reminder below and share these rules with other family members who may pick up your student at times.
Arrival/Dismissal - updated information
We are very thankful that our transportation department is fully staffed so that all of our routes can run. As a result - our arrival and dismissal is moving much more quickly and smoothly!
- Our building doors open at 9:07am. Please do not drop off early, as there isn't adult supervision outside of the building. Please note - you can use either lot in the morning for drop off - it's not specific to last name. This should help alleviate traffic.
- Upper El Centrum doors close at 9:15am If your child arrives later than this, please use the front doors of the building.
- Safety first! Drivers will need to remain in their lane until all students have been unloaded; you are not allowed to pass other cars if your children unloaded first.
- Also for safety reasons, drivers and other adults must remain in the car during pick up and drop-off. If your child requires help getting in or out of their vehicle please park in the parking lot and walk to the doors to get your child/pick your child up.
- Always have your Anchors Away sign on the passenger side window during afternoon pick up - this keeps things moving quickly for the entire Spring Mills community. Please let your child's teacher or the office know if you need another sign and we will send one home with your child.
- When possible, please move your child seat to the passenger side of the vehicle. Children should not be exiting out into traffic, but rather on the curb side.
- The school day ends at 4:07 pm. Please do not arrive before 4pm. DO NOT EXIT your vehicle from the circle to meet students.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!
Spring Mills Ski Club
Outdoor Recess Parameters
Students stay in for recess if temperatures are below 15 degrees actual or 0 degrees wind chill.
Educational Opportunity For Parents/Guardians
HVS Recreation and Education
Employment Opportunity
Early Dismissal Protocol Reminder
If you must sign your child out early, we request that you do so prior to 3:30pm to avoid the end of day pack up and dismissal procedures.
Protocol for picking your student(s) up early:
You do not need to notify or call the office in advance. Students are called to the office after their parent/guardian arrives. Please enter the front vestibule of the school with a mask on and press the call button into the office. We will then call your child from class and have you sign them out. Please share this protocol with any of your Emergency Contacts that may be picking up your children.
Attendance Procedures
You can call our 24-HOUR ATTENDANCE LINE AT 248-684-8086 for all attendance related calls. Please state your child's first and last name and reason for absence.
Attendance is an important component in a student’s education. If we do not hear from you regarding your student's absence, it is our policy to call to verify your student’s absence.
ILLNESS
Please do not send your child back to school until they have been vomit-free, diarrhea-free, or fever-free for 24 hours.
EXTENDED ABSENCES AND VACATIONS
If your child(ren) will be absent for an extended period of time, please make sure to complete a pre-arranged absence form available from the office or on our website under Parent Resources.
BUS CHANGES AND QUESTIONS
Transportation:
2366 S Milford Rd
Highland, MI 48357
Phone: (248) 684-8200
Fax: (248) 684-8038
Office Hours:
5:30am - 5:30pm school days
Email us at:parentlink@hvs.org
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER!
Spring Mills Elementary
Together We Can, Together We Will!
Email: Sarah.Bentley@HVS.org
Website: https://www.hvs.org/o/springmills
Location: 3150 Harvey Lake Road, Highland Charter Township, MI, USA
Phone: 248-684-8130
Twitter: @_Springmills