Sunset Express
March 2017
Sunset Lake Elementary, PreK-5th Grade Building
Principal Amie McCaw
Together we are Building Leaders!
Email: amccaw@vicksburgschools.org
Website: Vicksburgcommunityschools.org
Location: 201 N Boulevard St, Vicksburg, MI, United States
Phone: (269)321-1500
Twitter: @TLIMPrincipal
Principal's Message
Happy March Sunset Lake Families!
Spring is in the air and our school is all abuzz.
Thank you for a great turn out at our Student Led Conferences in early February. Our students were proud leaders of their own learning and were happy to share their academic and personal progress with their families.
March is Reading Month and we will celebrate with our great theme this year Book a Trip Around the World. Our reading calendar will have ideas and ways to celebrate the joys of reading throughout the whole month. We encourage all families to find ways to celebrate reading in multiple ways. Reading in real live experiences is a great way to show our students the importance of being strong readers in life. Take time to notice reading experiences during family trips, restaurant visits, cooking in the kitchen, etc...
Family Leadership Night: Please plan on attending our first Family Leadership Night on March 22nd from 6:00pm-7:30pm. This event is an event that allows our students' leadership skills to shine through. Our students will be the teachers of the evening and will be able to teach what they have learned through our Leader in Me Process. Students have learned important 21st Century Skills through 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and put their new skills into practice each day.
March 30th-- No Students for teachers to have professional development and records day work.
We hope your family enjoys our upcoming Spring Break week from April 3rd through April 7th.
Please note, all pedestrians should use the Pedestrian Painted Walk-Way to keep from people walking between cars and to keep the flow of our traffic moving.
Drop-off-- please have your child get out of the car as soon as your car has come to a stop by the curb. It is important that we keep cars moving in a constant flow.
Yours in Learning,
Amie McCaw
Sunset Lake Elementary Principal
NEW OFFICE REFERRAL FORMS
New Front Doors System!!!
NEW ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM
Dear Sunset Lake Families,
Vicksburg Community Schools continues to look for ways to ensure the security and welfare of our students and staff. As part of this practice, we will be implementing a new access control system at all of our school buildings.
Starting in the new year all exterior doors will be locked throughout the school day.
Exterior doors will be unlocked in the morning from 6:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. for the morning arrival of students. After 9:00 a.m. all doors will automatically lock and visitors will be required to “buzz in” to gain access to the building through a closed circuit monitoring system. The doors will reopen at 3:30 p.m until 9:00 p.m..
Procedures to enter the buildings at either of the above locations:
1. To the right of the door is an intercom/camera.
2. Press the button on the intercom.
3. Place yourself in front of the camera on the panel.
4. Someone will see you and will respond verbally.
5. They can then release the door for you to enter the building.
6. You will then report to the office.
We need your help and cooperation for our system to work effectively. Our office staff is handling multiple tasks and although they will work diligently to help you gain access into the building as quickly as possible, there may be a short delay until someone can view you on the monitor and allow access. Please help by identifying yourself and providing your child’s name. Again, all visitors must come to the office immediately after gaining access to the building to receive a visitor’s badge.
We ask for your patience as we all get acquainted with this new system and remember that we have your child’s best interest at heart.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Amie McCaw Sunset Lake Elementary Principal @TLIMPrincipal
Kindergarten Enrollment for 2017-2018
Music Notes
Here are some “Music Notes” from Mrs. Heintzelman
March 6th 4th & 5th Graders Perform RATS at the PAC- 7p.m.
March 11 3pm Miller auditorium in Kalamazoo. Ratatouille in concert. $10/ticket. Watch the Disney-Pixar movie Ratatouille with a live orchestra!
Click this link for more information. Ratatouille in Concert
April 20 Vicksburg Community Schools Celebration of the Arts VHS 5:30-7pm Art Show. Concert begins at 7pm. FREE!
Grades 2-5
Does your child really love to sing? Are you looking for an outside of school choir for your child? Then the Kalamazoo Childrens Chorus might be a good fit for your child. Auditions are coming up soon. Auditions are April 21 & 29. Here is the link to their website for more information. Kalamazoo Children's Chorus
Grades 4-5
We will begin our recorder unit after our program. Look for letters sent home with your child to order a recorder.
Dental Health
Did You Know?
Dental health is important for a child's development, yet early childhood caries (cavities) is the number 1 chronic disease affecting young children. Visit the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to access free videos and resources about the importance of oral health in early childhood.
Year Book Sales
Test Preparation
In the era of high-stakes assessments, testing in an especially stressful experience for students. Fortunately, there are ways parents can help their kids prepare.
Earth Day!!
WE ARE YOUR STOP FOR TREES!
(And, Plat Books!)
Bring the kids to pick out their very own Earth Day tree and to meet, goatie, the invasive species eating goat.
Sunset Lake Elementary PTSO
The Father/Daughter Dance was a hit. Over 140 girls came dress up and dance the night away. A big thank you to all the mom's/ grandma's that help out.
Our Boys Night Out is March 10th at KWings Hockey game. The puck drops at 7pm. There are flyers in the office.
Our next meeting is March 7th at 6pm in the library. Please come and bring lots of ideas as we will be discussing our walkathon.
Please be sure to check out our Sunset Lake Elementary PTSO Facebook Page. This is a great place for updates and the most recent news that affect our school. Here is the new web site for our PTSO.The Leader in Me
Student Led Conferences
Father(Special Person)/Daughter Dance
Habit #5 Seek First to Understand Then to Be Understood
Air Soft Guns
Air Soft guns and other similar toys can be a great source of enjoyment when used in the right places and circumstances. However, when used in inappropriate places and used to simulate working firearms they can become deadly. These types of guns are so realistic looking that law enforcement officers and others cannot tell them apart at a distance from the real thing. Due to the number of acts of violence in our state and nation in which students have become “active shooters”, law enforcement officials cannot afford to take many chances, and assume that these guns are “real”, sometimes with tragic results.
We cannot stress enough how important it is that young people are not allowed to have or use toy guns on school property. Further, they should not be used anywhere to shoot at bystanders or shot in public places as they could easily be mistaken.
We live in a world in which the best way to deal with tragedy is to prevent it from happening in the first place. We thank you for your help in keeping our kids and community safe.
Common Illnesses
Impetigo- This is a highly contagious skin infection that causes red sores on the face, neck and hands of young children and infants. It is rarer for adults to catch this condition, but it can happen if they have had another skin condition or infection recently. It is most commonly spread by skin-to-skin contact.
Mononucleosis -Often called mono or kissing disease, this is a viral infection that causes flu like symptoms such as fatigue, fever, rash, body aches and swollen glands. It is most commonly spread by saliva.
Pink eye- This is an inflammation or infection of the outer portion of your eyeball and inner eyelid. Some common symptoms include redness, itching and tearing of the eyes. It can also lead to discharge or crusting around the eyes. It is very easily be spread by hand-to-eye contact.
Ringworm -This is a highly contagious, fungal infection of the skin or scalp. Ringworm is typically scaly and may be red and itchy. You may notice that there is a darkening of your child’s skin, fissures, peeling, red rashes or scaly patches. It spreads very easily by skin-to-skin contact.
“The easiest way to prevent the spread of any germ is by practicing good hand hygiene,” says Gose. He recommends that children and adults wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Gose points out that “if there isn’t the opportunity for soap and water, an alcohol-based gel or foam hand sanitizer is the next best option.” If your child ends up showing signs of an infection, it’s best to get him or her checked out by a health care provider at a Bronson FastCare location or with their pediatrician. The sooner it’s diagnosed and treated, the quicker your child can get back to school or play. This article is brought to you by Bronson Children’s Hospital, southwest Michigan’s only
Running Program in Portage
Healthy Kids Running Seris-Portage, MI. A program that includes both boys and girls ages 2-14 years.
Message from our Food Service
Good Morning
It’s time for…
BREAKFAST!
$1.25
If you are currently receiving free or reduced price lunches, you qualify for a free breakfast.
Breakfast is NOT offered on days where there is a delayed start to the school day!
Food Allergy
ALLERGY ALERT!
Free and Reduced
You can save up to
$445 per child a year
if you qualify for
free or reduced
priced meals (lunch).
All grade levels are
included.
Applications may be turned in
any time during the year and
are available from your child’s
school or from the Food
Service office.
Call Maureen Ouvry at 321-1031
with questions.
IMPORTANT March DATES
- March 6th- 4th & 5th Musical "Rats"- 7pm @ PAC
- March 7th- PTSO Meeting-6pm in library
- March 10th-Boy's Night Out-KWings Game-7pm
- March 22nd- Family Leadership Night
- March 20th- 24th- Book Fair Week
- March 30th & 31st- No School-
- Spring Break April 3rd- 7th
- School Resumes April 10th