Eagle News
October 29, 2021
Ebeling Elementary School
Email: officeebeling@uticak12.org
Website: ebeling.uticak12.org
Location: 15970 Haverhill Drive, Macomb, MI, USA
Phone: 586-797-4700
Twitter: @ebelingelem
WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL WEEKEND AND A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
UPCOMING DATES:
NOV 2 - Election Day - No School for Students
NOV 5 - PTA Holiday plant sale orders due
NOV 9 - PTA Meeting Online @ 7:00 PM
NOV 9 - Parent-Teacher Conferences online by appt (4:30-7:30 PM). PTA Mtg @ 7:00. pm
NOV 10 - MISD Maturation Program for girls/families online with registration.
NOV 11 - Parent-Teacher Conferences - Half Day for Students (11:34 Walker dismissal; 11:44 Busser and VA Dismissal). Online conferences by appointment afternoon and evening.
DEC 10 - PTA Holiday plant sale pick up (3:30-7:30 PM).
DEC 20 - Half Day of School. Dismissal at 11:34/11:44 AM
DEC 21 - Half Day of School. Dismissal at 11:34/11:44 AM
DEC 22 - DEC 31 - No school. Holiday Break.
JAN 3 - School Resumes
QUESTIONS TO REPLACE "HOW WAS SCHOOL TODAY?"
How many times have you asked your child, “How was school today?” and been frustrated by the lack of response? Below is a list of questions that draw out important information, followed by tips to increase communication with you child. With slight wording modifications, these questions can work with children of all ages:
- Tell me about a moment today when you felt excited about what you were learning.
- Tell me about a moment in class when you felt confused.
- Think about what you learned and did in school today. What’s something you’d like to know more about? What’s a question you have that came from your learning today?
- Were there any moments today when you felt worried? When you felt scared?
- Were there any moments today when you felt proud of yourself?
- Tell me about a conversation you had with a classmate or friend that you enjoyed.
- What was challenging about your day?
- What do you appreciate about your day?
- What did you learn about yourself today?
- Is there anything that you’d like to talk about that I might be able to help you figure out?
- Is there anything you’re worried about?
- What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
TIPS FOR ASKING QUESTIONS
How and when we ask these questions makes a big difference in the information we receive from our kids. First, you don’t want to ask all of these questions on the same day. You might ask one or two. After a while, you’ll figure out which ones elicit the most meaningful responses. You’ll want to ask during a time when you have the ability to focus so that your child feels they have your full attention. Each household is different, but sometimes dinner and driving in the car could be optimal times for these conversations.
MORE SUGGESTIONS
The following can help your conversations be positive and powerful:
- Don’t interrupt. This is a good rule for any conversation, but especially if you want to get a lot of information out of a kid.
- Ask for more. Simply say, “I’d love to hear more about that...” Or, “Can you expand on that a little?”
- Ask about feelings. After a child describes an experience, ask, “How did you feel in that moment? What did you notice about your feelings?”
- Validate feelings. Whatever your kid feels is normal and okay. Let them know that. Feelings are okay. Tell them this.
- Thank them for sharing with you. Always appreciate their honesty and willingness to share the highlights and bright spots, as well as the difficult moments. This will fuel their confidence in telling you more.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parent Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 @ 4:30-7:30 PM
November 11, 2021 @ 12:30 – 3:30 PM & 4:30-7:30 PM
It may be hard to believe, but we are near the end of our first card marking period. Since the start of school, we have worked together to navigate some of the challenges of our environment but also celebrate real successes of the connections being made between teachers and our students. It is now our opportunity to schedule Parent-Teacher Conferences. Conferences are an important part of our partnership to make sure students are meeting our shared expectations.
This year, we will again be using a web-based process to schedule and virtually meet with your child’s teachers about their progress. The system we are using is called School Soft Conference Manager and it will allow you to check our teachers’ conference schedules and book an appointment on-line. You will use the same system for you and your student’s teacher to have a virtual conversation about academic progress.
The first time you use the Conference Manager you will be required to register and create a parent account. This only takes a minute or two. You will continue to use this same account for the duration of the time you have children in the school, so please record your password where you can reference it later.
The appointment window opens at 8:00 PM on November 2, 2021. The appointment window will close on November 10th at noon. To create an account, or to schedule for conferences please click on the newsletter below.
IMPORTANT NEWS FOR K-3 PARENTS
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Strong reading skills are a critical component of future success. The foundation we build in our elementary core reading instruction prepares students for success in college and career. Our district strives to assist all students with their development of essential reading skills through a process that builds independent readers and effective communicators.
For the past seven years, Utica Community Schools has used the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) to assess each elementary student’s reading progress. We will continue to use this diagnostic tool to identify your student’s strengths in reading and target areas for improvement, including additional support if needed.
For any student in kindergarten through third grade in need of reading support, your child’s teacher will work in partnership with you to create an Individualized Reading Plan (IRP). This plan will address strengths and needs, identify additional reading support(s) at school, and provide activities for you to use with your child at home. Your child’s teacher will work collaboratively with you during Parent-Teacher conferences scheduled within the next two weeks.
Third-grade state reading legislation was passed requiring districts to develop a plan to ensure that all students are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade. After taking the third-grade state reading assessment in the 2020-2021 school year, any third grader who is more than one year behind may be retained.
Parent partnerships play a critical role in our student’s success as a reader. As a partner in your child’s education, we encourage you to communicate with your child’s teacher regarding their reading progress. We are committed to ensuring that your child receives the foundational literacy skills needed to be successful throughout their entire future.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like more information.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Bailey
Principal
FREE FAMILY EVENT AT THE MISD:
REPEATED NEWS FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE EAGLE NEWS:
REPORT CARDS COMING IN NOVEMBER THROUGH POWERSCHOOL ACCOUNTS
During November, Ebeling will distribute reports cards electronically. The first marking period grades will be sent electronically to families around mid November.
To receive the report cards, parents will need to have a secure PowerSchool account. Parents who do not have access to a PowerSchool account will need to register for one prior to Friday, October 29th. The report cards will then be automatically e-mailed to the address that is used to register the PowerSchool account. If you already have a PowerSchool account, you do not need to take any further action. The report card automatically will be sent to you electronically.
See the article below for directions and help setting up your PowerSchool account.
POWERSCHOOL/UNIFIED CLASSROOM:
PowerSchool is the District's student information system used for attendance, grades, and delivery of report cards. Helpful instructional guides are listed below.
FORGOT YOUR POWERSCHOOL PASSWORD? TO RESET:
-navigate to https://classroom.powerschool.com
-click FORGOT PASSWORD under the password field.
-On the next screen, enter the email address associated with the Unified Classroom account and click SEND REQUEST.
-Please wait patiently for an email from- devmail.powerschool.com When the email is received, click the link inside ONCE to be taken to a page
to set your password.
-Enter a new password and re-type it to confirm, click submit.
-Powerschool password policy: minimum of 8 characters, cannot be one of your last six passwords, cannot contain sets of repeated characters
(ie: abcabcabc, 11112222)
PARENT - SET UP NEW ACCOUNT:
Unified Classroom account for a New Parent
Click here for detailed instructions
Use: Parent Access - NEW PARENT
Unified Classroom account for a parent who has an original Parent Portal Account
Click here for detailed instructions
Use: Parent Access - EXISTING PARENT
STUDENT - SET UP NEW ACCOUNT:
Unified Classroom account for a student
Click here for detailed instructions
Use: Student Access
Unified Classroom login URL: https://classroom.powerschool.com
If you are experiencing issues with the PowerSchool Mobile App, please see the appropriate Frequently Asked Questions document below:
For all users:
Click here for detailed instructions and FAQ
To login to PowerSchool:
Click here or paste link into browser: ps.ucs.misd.net/public/PTA NEWS:
Our Ebeling Elementary PTA provides educational & monetary support to our staff & students through fundraising events, community events and school activities. Please join us for our next meeting, scheduled for November 9th at 7:00 PM online.