Mason Moose Minutes
April 26, 2021
Dear Mason Families,
Happy Friday! Although the weather outside was unpredictable, inside the building, students and staff rocked it out! We celebrated Earth Week this week along with focusing on the why behind our conversations on the importance of Autism Acceptance Month. Please ask your child this weekend to share the highlight of their week with you.
Have a great weekend,
Dr. Bishop
Summer Connections Program
Registration for Summer Connection will be live this week. Click here for the course catalog and program information. Connection programs are FREE to residents and $50 for non-residents. All programming is subject to enrollment and staffing. Families in need of transportation to Monteith (the elementary program site) or Parcells (the secondary program site), should contact program co-directors Katie Parent at parentk@gpschools.org or Kevin Shubnell at shubnek@gpschools.org.
A complete list of 2021 Summer Programs is available online. In addition, families of students with Special Education Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will be receiving information from your case manager on additional summer special education supports and services.
Bike to School Day: Wednesday, May 5th
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an approach that promotes walking and bicycling to school through infrastructure improvements, enforcement, tools, safety education, and incentives to encourage walking and bicycling to school. Nationally, 10–14% of car trips during morning rush hour are for school travel, and only 10% of students walk or bike to school. SRTS initiatives improve safety and levels of physical activity for students.
GPPSS has a multi-year plan to bring the Safe Routes to School program to every K-8 school in the district utilizing local resources and the federal grant program for elementary and middle schools.
Join children and adults across the country to celebrate the benefits of bicycling and exercise by participating in Michigan’s Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 5th. Volunteers (paid) are needed to serve as corner captains, walking school bus leaders, and bike train leaders.
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Corner Captains, Walking School Bus Leaders and Bike Train Leaders Needed
Can you help on May 5 -- or longer? We are looking for (paid) volunteers to come and serve as Corner Captains, Walking School Bus Leaders, and Bike Train Leaders for our four Safe Routes to School Mini-Grant recipients this spring - Defer and Mason Elementary Schools, and Parcells and Pierce Middle Schools. We are also seeking Corner Captains for those four buildings and Maire Elementary on May 5 only, to finish a SRTS Major Grant project on National Bike To School Day.
Shifts would last around 30 minutes in the morning before school, and about 30 minutes after school. Regular volunteers will receive a $10 stipend per shift they work. Those serving only on May 5 for Maire, Defer, Mason, Parcells and Pierce are not eligible for grant stipends, but they get bonus points as community leaders who are setting a great example for students.
Corner Captains would be responsible for safely guiding children across the streets at designated corners, both to and from school.
Walking School Bus Leaders and Bike Train Leaders would wait for children at a designated drop off point then, and when the group was large enough, personally walk/bike with students to Corner Captain near school who then help them to school from there. Walking School Bus and Bike Train groups will be taking routes and crossing at corners designated by our SRTS Team and local public safety.
Volunteers do not need to work every shift (both morning and afternoon) or every day, but we do need to fill each position for all shifts and days of the week.
If you know of any parents, college students, part-time workers, or retirees in the area who may be interested in this position, please have them fill out this form. Volunteers must submit information for background checks and assist with social distancing (proper mask wearing, spacing, etc.). You will be emailed regarding your assignment.
Questions: email Genevieve Jones GJones@michiganfitness.org or Rebecca Fannon fannonr@gpschools.org
What is Safe Routes to School?
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an approach that promotes walking and bicycling to school through infrastructure improvements, enforcement, tools, safety education, and incentives to encourage walking and bicycling to school. Nationally, 10–14% of car trips during morning rush hour are for school travel, and only 10% of students walk or bike to school. SRTS initiatives improve safety and levels of physical activity for students.
GPPSS has a multi-year plan to bring the Safe Routes to School program to every K-8 school in the district utilizing local resources and the federal grant program for elementary and middle schools. Maire received a major grant for sidewalk renovations, ADA compliant ramps and educational programming in partnership with Grosse Pointe City, Grosse Pointe Park, and GPPSS. Defer, Mason, Parcells and Pierce worked with the district, and the cities of Grosse Pointe City, Park and Woods on a $40,000 mini-grant award. This spring’s activities will complete those two projects, but efforts will continue with district resources. A major grant for the Park has been submitted and is in the review process. A similar grant for the Woods will follow, and then the Farms
Dr. Bishop's Morning Announcements
Diversity Den
Our Next Diversity Meeting will be on Thursday, April 29th at 7pm. We will send all families the link via email the night before.
Please check out the wonderful story below with your child this week.
We are always interested in partnering with our families when questions arise and you need support answering them at home. What questions came up in your household about Autism? What are your next steps to help bring more awareness Around Autis
Mason Tile Project Spring 2021
Welcome to the Mason Elementary School Tile Project!! It has been a very strange 12 months for all of us. We wanted to do something special for the community and especially the children in the Mason district. We are placing artisan tiles, crafted in the Mason art room, around the community this weekend. They are free for anyone to keep. If you don't have a use for it, consider giving it to a child on your block. To register your tile, please complete this form. Registering your tile with us will allow us to share some information with our students/community and ensure all tiles have been found. If you have found TWO tiles, please "rehide" the second one within the Mason School Districting Boundaries.
Please consider taking a selfie with your tile and posting it on one of our social media outlets (facebook, instagram, twitter)! You can also email your selfie to Mr. Heenan at heenanm@gpschools.org.
Thank you so much for your support!
The Mason Staff and PTO
Autism Acceptance
Celebrating National Autism Acceptance Month
understanding autism starts at a young age, and there is no greater place than the
classroom to start. Understanding autism and how to interact with people with autism
comes from being exposed to them, and being taught how to treat and talk to someone
with autism. Children naturally want to be helpful. Give them that opportunity by
encouraging them to be a buddy to someone with autism. It is up to teachers and parents
teach children about differences, acceptance, and understanding. Here are some ideas
on how to get started.
• People are born with autism and while they look just like you and me, autism
changes the way their brain works.
• Some people with autism talk and others do not. Just because they cannot talk
doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say.
• Nobody knows what causes autism, but we do know that a person with autism
will always have autism.
• Kids with autism are the same as other kids in a lot of ways. They like birthdays,
swimming, and having friends.
• Being kind and compassionate is one of the best things you can do to help
someone with autism.
• Here are a few ways to be a friend:
o Playing games they like to play.
o Talking to them like you would any other kid.
o Giving them a high five when you’re having fun!
o Sitting next to them in the lunchroom.
o Visiting them at their house.
o Inviting them to your house.
o Show them what to do so they can imitate you.
o Being a buddy to them on the playground.
o Walking with them to the next class.
o Supporting them with kindness and understanding.
OFFICE NOTES
Young Fives/Kindergarten through 5th grade placement form due May 7
GPPSS will soon be making preliminary plans for classroom assignments for the 2021-22 school year. Building administrators (elementary and middle school) will work with each grade level team to assign students to a particular classroom group. Our teachers have worked with your children throughout the school year and have gained valuable insight regarding the social, academic and emotional needs of your children. We will consider the following factors as we prepare classroom and/or advisory assignments for the next school year:
Academic needs and abilities individual learning styles
Social and emotional needs, groupings, and learning partners
Student combinations/social mixture/class size/gender balance
Student personality
Special needs groupings
Parent requests for a specific teacher will not be accepted or used as criteria for student placements.
If you wish to provide input to the school in regard to the learning needs of their children may do so by completing a Student Placement Form by May 7th. If you have multiple children, please complete one form per child by clicking the “Submit Another Response” button at the end. Student Placement Forms will be used as an additional factor for preparing classroom assignments, not as a teacher request. Since this information will be used to inform class placement, late forms will not be accepted.
We ask that you rely on our professional judgment and trust that class placements are made to provide the best possible learning environment, while focusing on balancing classes for the entire grade level of students. As in the past, class lists will be finalized in August when our enrollment is updated. Middle school building principals will communicate specific details about class placement and/or registration in August for 5th and 6th graders. Elementary building principals will communicate specific details about their child’s homeroom teacher by late August/early September through the parent portal. More details will be sent in August, in advance of the first day of school Tuesday, September 7th.
Sincerely,
Gary C. Niehaus, Superintendent
Keith Howell, Director of Pre-K - Elementary Instruction
Maureen G. Bur, Director of Secondary Instruction
2021-22 EduKits are available for ordering!
Covid Information
- Please also remember to use the updated Daily Screening Form every day before school.
- Keep your child home if they present symptoms.
- Call the school attendance line if your student tests positive for COVID. Contact tracing is time intensive so the more notice we have, the better!
- Mask up - when gathering, when out and about, when carpooling.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water and don't touch your face.
- Here is a Click on Detroit article on local vaccination sites
Morning Drop Off and Pick Up
Parking Lot Procedures - Safety Comes First!
-Please don't get out of your car while waiting idle on Vernier for your chance to turn into the Mason parking lot.
-Please watch out for families walking to and from their cars in the Mason parking lot.
-Pull all the way around when picking up your child. Don't stop when you see your teacher or child. We are trying to get as many people in and out of the parking lot as possible.
-Please slow down and don't let your patience get the best of you. Everyone is there to pick up their most prized possession. Modeling good character for our learners in the parking lot is essential!
-Please make sure your parking tag with your child's name on it is visible when you enter the Mason parking lot.
-Stay all the way to the right when you pull in the parking lot so cars who want to park can drive by on the left side.
-Don't get out of your car when picking up your child in the pick up lane. This slows down the process tremendously.
-Cars should never enter in the "exit only" driveway to pick up their child.
Late Arrival / Early Dismissal
Late Arrival
If your student is arriving to school late, we are asking that you use the QR codes posted on the front doors. Scan the code with your phone camera or QR app and answer a few brief questions. We are notified of your response and will bring your student out to you.
Early Dismissal
If your student needs an early dismissal, you must call the attendance line at 313-432-4401 before 2pm. Include the students name, teacher and reason for dismissal. Please use the QR codes posted on the front doors upon arrival. Scan the code with your phone camera or QR app and answer a few brief questions. While we understand sometimes last minute appointments happen, we ask that you understand students are wrapping up their day and it may not be possible to get them early if you haven't called the attendance line. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Attendance
Specials Update
For the latest information on what your student is doing in their specials class read the update below.
Quote of the Week
“No one is perfect - that’s why pencils have erasers.”
Wolfgang Riebe
Dinner Conversation Topic
What does "Many Hands, One Mason" mean to you?
Calendar Dates
April 26
- Board of Education Meeting @ 7PM
- Mason Diversity Mtg @ 6:30PM Virtual
- Bookfair - more information to come
- Hearing and Vision - Grades Y5's, K and 1st
- PTO Mtg @ 7PM - Virtual
Nominate Your Favorite Teacher
This year has been a constant adventure for the teachers in the world. The Michigan Lottery has a program where they award one teacher a cash award and in addition also provide a grant for their classroom. If you are interested in nominating ANY of the incredible teachers in your (or your children's) life, please follow the link and fill out the short Google form. We have amazing teachers in our GP school system. Take five minutes and fill this out.
One winner will be selected EACH week!
Mason Elementary School
If not us, who? If not now, when? -John F. Kennedy
Email: bishopr@gpschools.org
Website: https://www.gpschools.org/Domain/1501
Location: 1640 Vernier Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, USA
Phone: 313-432-4400
Facebook: facebook.com/masonelementary
Twitter: @MasonelemGP