Bear Bulletin
Maire newsletter: December 14th edition
Dear Maire Families
As 2018 winds down, I want to take the opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation. I am very lucky to be the principal at a school that values the student-parent-teacher relationship to make a positive school experience. Our dedicated staff is committed to each and every child. If you ever have a concern, please reach out to child(ren)'s teacher, as we value parent input and want to support their learning in any way possible. Our students here at Maire are phenomenal. We have had over 250 "Maire Moment Makers" since the beginning of the year, where students, staff, and volunteers are recognized for going above and beyond to impact someone's day.
Thank you for embracing me as the new principal at Maire. I appreciate the support, the patience, and the feedback that I have received. 2018 was a great year, but I know 2019 will be even better. Enjoy the upcoming break with your family!
Sincerely,
Ryan Francis
Principal
"Maire Moment" Dates Coming Soon:
12/18 Maire Winter Vocal Music Concert 7pm at Parcells Middle School (see detailed information below)
12/20 Box Top Collection
12/20 Holiday Instrumental Concert 1:30 p.m. Maire Gym
12/21 Winter Break begins at dismissal 3:38
1/2/2019 School resumes 8:20 a.m.
1/9 Maire PTO Meeting 7:00 p.m.
1/15 6th Grade Parent Information Night 6:30 p.m. Pierce Auditorium
1/17 Box Top Collection
1/17 Coney Night 6:00 p.m. @ Pierce for incoming 6th graders (2019/2020)
1/17 Y5 & Kindergarten Information Night 6:30 p.m. Maire Gym
1/18 A.M. school only for students 11:36 dismissal
1/21 NO SCHOOL Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
1/24 Multi Age Information Night Grades 1-3 @Trombly 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Vocal Music Concert Important Info
LOCATION: PARCELLS MIDDLE SCHOOL – VERNIER AND MACK, GPW
PARKING: BACK PARKING LOT, OFF OF SUNNINGDALE
(Be prepared to park along Sunningdale when Parking Lot fills.)
DRESS REHEARSAL:
Tuesday, December 18th, during PM classes. The rehearsal is at MAIRE.
EVENING PERFORMANCE:
6:30 ARRIVAL FOR CHOIR, 6:45 ALL OTHERS, CONCERT BEGINS AT 7:00.
PLEASE NOTE – this early arrival for choir is incredibly important due to our lack of stage rehearsal time. Please be walking into Parcells between 6:20-6:25 with your choir student.
DRESS:
CHOIR – Navy Blazer, choir T-shirt, Khaki Pants, Dark Shoes. Boys will tuck in their shirt and wear a belt. Girls will use a hair tie on the back of the shirt.
ALL OTHERS -- “Winter Dressy.” No Jeans, Shorts, Sandals, or Athletic Shoes. Girls please keep heels to a minimum. All hair should be neat and off the face. All shirts tucked in. Please look your best!
CHOIR:
Your choir t-shirts are ordered and you will get them the day of the concert.
Please send $20 cash to school (if you haven’t) to cover t-shirt, props, party for Choir.
Parents of Girls -- If you are having trouble finding a blazer, please consider looking for a BOYS blazer. Girls’ blazers are expensive and hard to find. A blazer is a blazer for this show.
ROOM ASSIGNMENTS:
Hunwick 100
Rennpage 101
Miller 102
Maison 103
Pearson 104 (only if not in choir)
Davis 106 (only if not in choir)
All CHOIR reports to 127 (including 5th grade at 6:30)
Character Word of the Month- Perseverance
This month we are focusing on PERSEVERANCE. The Principal Challenge for December is to try something new (a game, sport, food, etc.) and keep trying it to see if you like it. Please read about perseverance in our parent letter. Perseverance Parent Letter
Have you seen something great? Tell us !
Maire Messages from the Office:
- Please consider sending extra socks and pants with your child during these cold and slushy months. In the event your child gets wet while playing outside, this prevents us from having to call home.
- Please label all of your child's outerwear! It is very helpful with so many students and so much winter gear.
- Last chance to check the lost and found for any missing items! Any items left after the Winter Break will be donated to charity.
Please be sure to call our Attendance Line at 432-4301 with all absences/late arrivals by 8:45 a.m. This is a dedicated line and is available 24 hours/7 days a week. If you know of a future absence (trip, appointment, etc.) please let the office know with a phone call or note as soon as possible.
NEW OFFICE ... WE ARE GETTING READY TO MOVE IN
The current office will then get remodeled starting in January and it will become a new instructional classroom for our Young 5's program, which will include a bathroom and cubby room. We are excited for both new projects to come to fruition. Thank you for your patience!
New Playground Equipment... Thank you PTO!
Student Council News
PBIS Reward Party--Winter Wishes
Students will have the opportunity to write a letter and participate in the Make a Wish holiday letter writing campaign. Students are encouraged to simply write a "Winter Wish."
For each letter written, Macy's will donate $1.00 to the Make a Wish Foundation.
PARKING LOT SAFETY REMINDERS
We want to thank everyone for making our parking lot safe! We appreciate the outpouring of gratitude you have shown our volunteers who are helping keep the students safe.
Please remember to pack your patience as the temperatures drop and the snow starts falling. The lot fills up fast, so please consider an alternative plan for parking near by and walking up to get your child. For those who do wait in the long pickup line, thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we try to get kids picked up quickly, but also safely.
Winter Colds & Flu
Mary had a little cold, but didn’t stay at home. Everywhere that Mary went the cold was sure to roam. It wandered into Molly’s eyes and filled them full of tears. It jumped from there to Bobby’s nose, and then to Jimmy’s ears. It painted Annie’s throat bright red, and swelled poor Jenny’s head. Dora had a fever, and a cough put Jack to bed. The moral of this little tale is very quickly said. Mary could have saved a lot of pain with just one day in bed!
Parents, please remember students must be fever/symptom free for 24 hours (without the aid of medication) before returning to school. We want all 310 of our Maire Bears to be safe, happy and healthy!
Important Weather Info
SCHOOL CLOSING INFORMATION
This time of year there are always questions about how the decision is made to close the school district or cancel events and activities. When deciding whether to close schools here are some of the factors that are taken into consideration:
Amount and type of snow
When the snow falls, and when the snowfall is expected to end
Ability to clear parking lots and sidewalks around school
Freezing rain and the effect on roads, power lines and tree limbs
Parents/guardians always have the right to keep their children at home if they do not believe they should be going to school because of weather conditions.
Do the students stay in for recess if it is cold outside?
Maire students go outdoors for recess two times each day throughout the school year unless it is raining hard or the wind chill is below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Please be sure that your child leaves for school dressed properly for the weather.
Snow rules for recess play: Students must have snow pants and boots to play on the field or wood chips. No boots or snow pants? They stay on the blacktop. Children get too wet if they roll in the snow without boots or snow pants.
New Disposable Water Bottle Initiative
Maire Families,
We are excited to make a “Green” change here at Maire this winter. A parent approached us after Halloween about making Maire a plastic water bottle free school. We love this idea. We are an Evergreen School in the state of Michigan, and this aligns with our environmental work here. Many of us who have been to dozens of these parties over the years have participated in after party clean-ups. We often have many half full plastic water bottles left behind. We would like to eliminate these single use bottles from our school.
Moving forward we would like party planners to know that they do not need to arrange for water to be purchased and brought to the parties. Families need to know that on party day, their child should have their own reusable water bottle at school to fill at the drinking fountain. This would be true on Field Day as well as at the end of the school year picnics.
We don’t expect this will be foolproof. We will do our best to send reminders about this the day before parties. On party days, we will have a few biodegradable small cups and pitchers of water available in each classroom. We are happy and proud to be moving in the correct direction.
Thank you for your time,
Maire’s Green Team
HELP! WE NEED YOU...Lunch and Clinic Volunteers!
Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508044fa9ac2ea20-december
Maire Weekly Flyers
https://mi01000971.schoolwires.net/Page/14526
Flyers may also be accessed by going to the Maire website and clicking on the "Weekly Flyers" button.
Follow us on social media
Twitter: @GPMaire
Facebook : Principal Francis-Maire Elementary and Maire Elementary PTO group page
Maire Mission Statement
The staff at Maire School, in partnership with students, parents, and community, will provide a high quality instructional program. Our purpose is to prepare students to be life-long learners and productive citizens in a dynamic society.
District Mission Statement
The Grosse Pointe Public School System mission - in partnership with students, staff, parent, and community members - is to challenge all students to realize their full potential by providing them with the highest quality educational program and instruction.
District Vision
One GP-where everyone learns every day.
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