Alward Action
March 5, 2021
Thank you from the PTC
Music Notes
Hello parents!
In music class this February, each grade level has been spending some time singing (from six feet apart and with masks on, of course). Considering we didn’t have a chance to sing a live concert for you this past holiday season, I wanted to make sure that students continue to grow these skills. I’m impressed with the musicianship in your children!
Along with basic singing skills, each grade has also been working on...
5th Grade: ...a unit on rhythm and composition. They are getting together in pod groups and composing a short song for ukulele, bucket drums and other percussion. They are going to practice their song and ultimately perform it for the class. (See pictures below)
4th Grade: ...writing their own class rap. They are just finishing the process of generating a class idea/topic for the rap and are beginning to write it as a group. Then, we will use GarageBand to create a background track. Recording students performing the rap is next. We will post the finished products to my 4th grade google classroom page so they can be played for you at home.
3rd Grade: ...designing instruments! After learning about each instrument family, they are now designing their own instrument. Many of them are getting very creative! They have been given the option of actually building their instrument at home out of found materials (that isn’t required, though!)
2nd Grade: ...performing music with an ostinato. They have been playing simple percussion instruments as well as glockenspiels and performing their own little rhythms. We are about to start playing a boomwhacker song called “Whacky Fajita.”
1st Grade: ...finishing their own class rap (like 4th grade). They are also about to spend some time with the Grand Rapids Symphony’s virtual Lollipop Concert. They will be learning about instruments and their families!
Kindergarten, PreK and EI/ASD: ...lots of basic music skills, such as steady beat, tempo, dynamics and pitch. We start each class by reading a book. The book we are reading right now is called “What a Wonderful World,” which shows the classic Louis Armstrong song in words and pictures. We also always move to music during music class, sometimes with props like scarves! These kids are always being given opportunities to sing! Almost all of them sang a solo for their class during January and February!
As always, please email with any questions!
Mr. Scott Barry
News from the Art Room
Spring is in the air outside and inside the art room! Second graders just wrapped up their Lynn Whipple vs Van gogh Abstract Expressionist flower bouquets! Second grade used acrylic paint, watercolor, oil pastels, and markers to collage a mixed media flower bouquet. I love this project because it allows students to express their personality in their work. It is also so special to see how each bouquet turns out so unique and one-of-a-kind.
For the past couple of weeks 5th grade has been working on their weaving project. In addition to learning how to weave, we have been learning about different countries that have a culture of weaving. So far, we have learned about Peru, Guatemala and Scotland. It is so fun to see 5th grade student’s invested in their weaving project!
Virtual Follett Book Fair
Alward Elementary is helping to support student reading by offering an online Follett Book Fair from March 5 to March 19. Every purchase made will benefit our school and help us achieve our reading goals.
Everyone is welcome to participate! Simply visit our Online Book Fair Page to purchase books for your child, yourself, school or help build classroom libraries. Once our online fair has ended, all books will be shipped to the school and sent home with students.
Would you like to support a child who may not be able to participate? We encourage you to purchase a gift card which can be emailed to kfellow@hpseagles.net. We will then use your donated gift card to help a child in our school community.
Alward Elementary is excited to offer an online fair option to help further support a love of reading for our students!
Friday, Mar 5, 2021, 08:00 AM
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Local Food Distribution
Food bags will be distributed at Jamestown Baptist Church (2742 Quincy St) on Saturday, March 6 from 9am to 1pm. If you or someone you know could be blessed by a bag of groceries, stop on by the front parking lot to receive a bag. Feel free to call the church office at 616-896-8294 if you have any questions.
Saturday, Mar 6, 2021, 09:00 AM
Jamestown Baptist Church, Quincy Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Parent Teacher Conferences
Monday, Mar 8, 2021, 04:00 PM
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Parent Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, Mar 10, 2021, 04:00 PM
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PTC Public Mtg
The next Public PTC meeting will be Tuesday March 16th at 7pm. Please note the date change due to parent teacher conferences. We will send an email out before the meeting to sign up for the zoom mtg.
Tuesday, Mar 16, 2021, 07:00 PM
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Spring Break - No School
Friday, Apr 2, 2021, 08:00 AM
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PTC Corner
January 19, 2021 PTC Meeting - The minutes from the January 19 meeting are posted on the website! Check it out here.
Family Fare Receipts - Turn in your Family Fare receipts and our school will earn $1,000 for every $150,000 in receipts that we collect. We just earned a $1,000 check for our school and are on our way to the next $1,000! Keep sending those receipts in!
BoxTops - Collecting Box Tops is another way we earn money for our school! We collect Box Tops all year!
2021/22 PK/K Enrollment
Online registration for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year is now available. To be eligible, children must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2021.
Please check out the HPS website for complete instructions on enrollment.
Hudsonville Public Schools Annual Education Report
The Annual Education Report (AER) is designed to meet state and federal requirements for reporting to parents and communities. The report provides detailed data on state administered student assessment results, accountability results, teacher qualification information, and the state results for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Parents and the community can access AER information for the district and individual schools by clicking on the Annual Education Report tab on our website. If you have any questions regarding the AER information, please contact your child’s building principal.
Vacation Forms
Yearbooks!
FREE Breakfast and Lunch
On Friday, October 9, the USDA announced that they would be extending the Summer Food Service Program’s free meals for all students at all schools through June 30, 2021. The SFSP is a continuation of the operating rules in place during the spring/summer school closure from March-August 2020.
All complete meals (breakfast and lunch) will be served at NO COST to children 18 and under (or up through age 26 for individuals with special needs).
What comes with lunch? Lunches include protein (meat/meat alternatives), whole grains, fruit, vegetable, and milk. Students can select 3, 4, or all 5 items. The meal must contain a fruit or vegetable to qualify as a complete meal. Students will still be charged for any other purchases like: milk only, bottled water/juices, additional entrees, etc.
Families do NOT have to fill out additional paperwork to receive meals for free. Free/Reduced Meal Applications will still be collected for the purposes of Math/Reading Title I programs, as well as for discounts on athletic fees, testing fees, college application fees, etc. You can apply for meals at www.lunchapp.com.
For our remote learners, the Remote Meal pickup dates, times, and procedures will remain the same but all meals will be free. Remote Learner families will continue to receive a weekly email for ordering.
Visit our website at www.jenhudfood.org for menus and more! If you have additional questions, you can email Food Service at foodservice@hpseagles.net or call (616) 457-2400.
Thank you,
Mary Darnton, Food Service Director
UPDATED COVID-19 Policies and Procedures
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