Bear Bulletin
Maire newsletter: Oct 16th Edition
Dear Maire Families,
This week we welcomed back over half of our Maire Bears into the building. Young 5s to second grade returned this week and the energy has been electric! The staff is excited to have students back in the building. The kids are excited to see their classmates and their teachers. Seeing parents and families at pick up and drop off again this week has definitely lifted our spirits and sense of community again.
Next week we welcome back our third and fourth graders. So far things have gone smoothly. Students have been flexible and are getting acclimated to their new normal right now. With each week, we continue to analyze our processes and procedures so that we are creating a fun, safe environment for all.
Thanks for you support with your students and for supporting our staff as we navigate these interesting times in education.
Ryan Francis
Proud Principal
We Learn. We Lead. We Lift.
Return to School Plan + Safety Protocols
Please review this important letter, Return to School Plan- Maire Hybrid , for the safety processes and changes this year. We have taken numerous additional steps to provide a safe school environment including:
Desks spaced as close to 6 feet apart in the classroom as possible
Clear desk/table shields for each student when 6 feet is not possible
The office ordered one breakaway mask lanyard per student to keep
One-way (“Up only” and “down only”) stairwells during the school day
Closed numerous stalls, urinals, and sinks to space students out
QR code added in the office vestibule for during-the-day contactless pick up/drop off
Moved 3rd grade classroom into our music room (larger space to separate students)
We continue to analyze our processes and procedures to make this a great experience for all.
Important Maire dates to remember
Oct 19 3rd & 4th graders return to school
Oct 24 Maire Fun Run (virtual)
Oct 29 Cohort A Halloween
Oct 30 Cohort B Halloween & 1/2 day of school (11:36 dismissal)
Nov 3 NO SCHOOL- Election day
Nov 9 Board of Ed Meeting 7pm Brownell Middle School
New Sign in /Sign Out procedure
When you enter our secure vestibule, you will see a QR code taped to the window (next to the door to the office). Please ring the buzzer, and let the office know who you are dropping off or picking up. You can scan the QR code, which takes you to a short Google form. Filling out this form gives us all of the info we need, & reduces contact in the main office. We have already had a few parents using this new procedure and it is working great!
Lunch Aides Needed- ESSENTIAL Volunteers - PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING!
Lunch Help Needed !
Since our students are currently eating lunch in their rooms, we are in need of some essential volunteers to help out.
The responsibilities would include supervising lunch in the classroom and taking the class out for recess. Each volunteer will do one class the first hour & another class the second hour. If you can only do lunch on the specific Cohort day that your child is at school, we totally understand!
If you would like to be an Essential Volunteer, please email Mrs. Kramer (kramerm@gpschools.org) or call the office (432-4300).
We would love to have you come & help us!
LUNCH THIS YEAR
Our office continues to ask parents to update the health information online so we can support a safe environment for all students. All parents, If you have not updated your child’s health info, please do so ASAP. So far there are no airborne peanut allergies reported. Since each kid will be socially distanced at their own desk for lunch, this creates individual peanut free desks/zones. Kids with peanut allergies (and every kid) will not come in contact with anyone else’s space. Garbages will be removed after lunch ends and desks will be disinfected. Of course if a parent has a concern, we will work to formulate a plan for your child on their cohort days, but we are operating with the information we have. Please email me directly if you have any concerns (francir@gpschools.org). Right now classrooms are not peanut free due to social distancing , not sharing tables/desks, and no airborne allergies in our records.
Drinking Fountain Important Information
We strongly suggest that students bring a water bottle with them each day. Please have students bring bottles home every night so they can be washed and ready for the next school day!
Learning Opportunities on Non Face-to-Face Days
We want to thank our parents for helping navigate online learning for the first month of school. Moving forward, we are going to continue to rely on parents, especially at the lower level, to support their students on non face-to-face days. Our older students (2nd, 3rd, and 4th), which are generally more capable of navigating their learning online, may have opportunities to zoom with their classroom teachers as time goes on. Our younger students (1st, K, and Y5), rely heavily on parent support and will not have zooms with their classroom teacher on non-face to face days due to that level of support needed. Specials will continue to be an opportunity to connect for all students on non face-to-face days.
Specials- Hybrid Opportunities on Non Face to Face Days
Halloween Fun
FUN RUN STUDENT UPDATE!!!!!
So far we have 168 kids registered! That's fantastic! There is still time for the remaining 102 people to sign up. Don't forget, your child will get a cool Maire pennant just for registering!
We have 92 students who have received that awesome holographic sticker for raising $50, and we already have 9 SUPERSTAR fundraisers. Congratulations to - Grant M, Johanna K, Margot K, Dallas B, Dakota B, Amalie Z, Maddie J, Graeme Z, Bennett K, and Hanna B!
Here's the biggest news we have so far...Kindergarten and First Grade are the first two teams to reach their grade level goal!!!!! Every K and 1st grader will be receiving a TCBY gift card from your teacher!
The winners of the TCBY raffle this week are: Michael Z, Maddie J, Max M, Lucette B, BJ B,
Piper T, Hailey A, and Molly A. The Fun Run team will be contacting parents to set up a date and time for ice cream on playground with Mr. Francis. Thank you to Dr. Kotsis for being our raffle week sponsor!
Fun Run Sponsorship Update
Thank you Hampton, Fox & Associates for renewing your Bear Den Sponsorship and thank you to Dan Battjes & Van Hauswirth, Raymond James for renewing your Weekly Raffle Sponsorship!
The Fun Run has raised $8,300 in sponsorship! That is huge and will make a tremendous difference in the support out PTO is able to offer Maire this year!
Connect with us !
Facebook page for Principal Francis
Twitter: @GPMaire
Maire Elementary School
Email: kramerm@gpschools.org
Website: https://mi01000971.schoolwires.net/gpmaire
Location: 740 Cadieux Road, Grosse Pointe, MI, USA
Phone: 313-432-4300
Twitter: @GPmaire