Pleasant Lake Pleasantries
The Week of February 20, 2017
Together We Learn, Together We Lead!
Welcome to PLE!
Family Fun Night at Zap Zone
PLE students, staff & parents delivering donated goods to the Walled Lake Hospitality House
PLE students personally inviting guests to Leadership Day at last month's Board of Education Meeting
Calendar of Events
Shark’s Den School Store Tuesday-Thursday 8:40 -8:55 a.m.
Girl Scouts every Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m.
Division II Math Pentathlon every Tuesday from 7:45-8:45 a.m.
S.A.I.L Team every Friday at 8:00 a.m.
- Feb. 23-West Bloomfield Fire Safety Presentation to 2nd & 3rd graders
- Feb. 24-Box Tops Deadline (more information below)
- Feb. 24-PLE Crews
- Feb. 27-Super Car Wash Booklet Fundraiser Ends (more information below)
- Feb. 27-5th Grade Introduction to Instruments Visit
- Feb. 27-5th Graders invited to the Walnut Creek Middle School Basketball Game (more information below)
- Feb. 28-Middle School Late Start Date
- March 2-School Board of Education Meeting at 7:30 p.m.
- March 3-Leadership Day
- March 3-Star Students
- March 6- PTA Meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the PLE Media Center
- March 10-End of the 2nd Trimester and Family Access Closes
- March 12-Daylight Saving Time
- March 14-Kindergarten Orientation (more information below)
- March 15-1/2 day for students, dismissal at 12:09 p.m.
- March 16-Community Guest Reader Day
- March 16-5th Grade Field Trip to Walled Lake Central HS to watch The Little Mermaid Musical
Pleasant Lake Elementary
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Prime Time Care Hours
Monday - Friday
6:30 AM-6:00 PM
Main Office:
248-956-2800
Fax Number:
248-956-2805
Attendance Hotline:
248-956-2890
School Times:
Drop off: 8:50 AM
Late Bell: 8:55 AM
Dismissal: 3:58 PM
Departure: 4:05 PM
Email: NayalMaktari@wlcsd.org
Website: www.wlcsd.org/pleasantlake
Location: 4900 Halsted Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI, United States
Phone: (248) 956-2800
Twitter: @PleasantLakeEl
Shark Spirit Wear Sale!
Hard copies of our Spirit Wear Order Form went home with your child last week and additional copies can also be found in our main office. You also have the option to place your order online.
https://www.agpestores.com/bigfrogofnovi/groups.php
*Samples are available to try on at school.
*Decorated Garments cannot be returned due to sizing errors.
*March 1st will be the last day to order.
*Orders will be distributed on March 13th.
Walnut Creek Middle School Basketball Game Invitation
5th graders are invited to attend the Walnut Creek Middle School Girl's Basketball Game February 27th.
5th graders will report to the Creek Cafeteria at 5:00 p.m. They'll enjoy complimentary pizza in addition to some give away items. Around 5:30 they will be walked down to the Main Gym to watch the 8th grade girl's basketball game. Our 5th graders will have a private seating area and will be admitted to the game free of charge. Parents are welcomed but not required to attend. At halftime our students will be invited on the basketball court to take a shot for a prize.
The 8th grade game will end at approximately 6:20. Please contact Mrs. Laurel Rachiele at (248) 956-2410 if you have any questions.
Help Wanted
Walnut Creek Middle School 6th Grade Orientation
Walnut Creek Middle School
Home of the Hawks
Sixth Grade Parent Orientation
Thursday, March 23, 2017
A Day in the Life of a Sixth Grader 6:00 –7:30 p.m.
Returning Creek Parents 6:00–6:30 p.m.
New Creek Parents 6:30 –7:30 p.m.
Due to limited seating, this program is for PARENTS ONLY.
It’s a GREAT day to be a Hawk!
Box Tops Contest!
Turn in your Box Tops!
ALL FAMILIES PLEASE SEND IN YOUR BOX TOPS BY FEBRUARY 24, 2017
1. BUY YOUR FAVORITE BOX TOP PRODUCTS.
2. TRIM EACH BOX TOP ON DOTTED LINE.
3. CHECK EXPIRATION DATES.
4. SEND WITH YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL.
5. EARN MONEY FOR YOUR SCHOOL.
THE CLASS THAT COLLECTS THE MOST BOX TOPS IN EACH GRADE LEVEL GETS AN ICE CREAM TREAT.
Super Car Wash Booklets Are Back!
Purchase a book of 7 Super Car Wash passes for $20 and PLEASANT LAKE WILL RECEIVE $10.00 FOR EVERY BOOK SOLD! The passes are redeemable at any of Super Car Wash’s nine locations. There are 4 locations close to Pleasant Lake: Maple and Haggerty, Maple and Decker, Richardson and Union Lake, and Orchard Lake and 12 Mile (a complete list of locations and addresses can be found at www.supercarwash.net. Each wash is normally $3.99, so buying a book will not only save you approximately $8, but you will also be supporting our school. This is a great opportunity to raise money for Pleasant Lake and to keep your car clean this winter! Remember, salt eats cars!
Employment Opportunities in Walled Lake Schools!
Research Finds The Effects Of Homework On Elementary School Students, And The Results Are Surprising by Maria Onzain
After over 25 years of studying and analyzing homework, Harris Coopers’ research demonstrates a clear conclusion: homework wrecks elementary school students. In his book, The Battle over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents, the homework guru gives details about the relationship between homework and success at different grade levels. While homework has a significant benefit at the high school level, the benefit drops off for middle school students and “there’s no benefit at the elementary school level,” agrees Etta Kralovec, an education professor at the University of Arizona.
Why teachers shouldn’t assign homework to elementary school students
According to research, there are a number of reasons why teachers shouldn’t assign homework to elementary school students:
- Homework can generate a negative impact on children’s attitudes toward school. Children who are just beginning at school have so many years ahead of them. The last thing teachers should do is to turn them against school. Instead, young kids should have fun while learning.
- Premature homework can damage personal relationships in the long term. While homework is meant to reinforce the relationship between parents and children and get parents involved in their children’s education, with elementary school kids this can have the opposite effect. At that age, children need to be reminded by their parents about their homework. After a long day at school, something that includes the word “work” is not exactly what kids want to do before going to bed. This ends up too often in a sorrowful battle that can be extended to the later years when homework does have benefits.
- Homework gives a false sense of responsibility. Those who support homework will say that daily homework helps kids become more responsible, but this is only true at a later age. When parents have to remind their kids to do their homework every night, this purpose completely fades away.
- Homework leaves less time for kids to be kids. According to the information gathered by Open Colleges and presented in their article The Tyranny of Homework: 20 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Assign Homework Over The Holidays, many kids don’t get enough exercise. All students, and especially the youngest ones, should use their evenings and holiday time to do more physical activities, playing outdoors and participating in sports with friends. Both teachers and parents can encourage children to do these kinds of activities more often.
- Kids need to rest to be productive in school. Another problem with elementary school homework is that it often takes time away from their sleeping hours. Children need, on average, ten hours of sleep a day. For kids to be 100% the next day at school, they need to have a proper rest.
Alternatives to homework for young students
As an alternative to overloading young students with homework, there are so many things that teachers and parents can do to make sure that students are motivated and open to learning more:
- To encourage fun reading. According to research, at the elementary level what works way better than homework is reading. Parents and teachers may find subjects that kids are interested in and either stimulate them to read themselves or read out loud and let them listen. Although personalizing this activity for each kid will require more effort than homogeneous homework, the benefits of fun reading will be noticeable.
- Teach responsibility with daily chores. Instead of relying on homework to develop a kid’s sense of responsibility, there are so many everyday habits that can teach them to be responsible, such as getting up and ready in the morning, making the bed, helping out with chores, or even looking after a pet.
- Teach them that they are always learners. Elementary school students are continuously learning, so when parents and teachers make sure that children understand this concept, doing homework to learn more becomes secondary.
- Take them to visit a museum. So much can be learnt in a science or art exhibition. More importantly, the knowledge and experience acquired in this kind of field cannot be learnt in any other way. Parents might look for upcoming exhibitions or activities that will awaken their children’s interest.
Overall, administrators, parents, and teachers may leverage after-school experiences where creativity, sociability, and learning converge to enhance elementary schools students’ educations.
Please take a moment if you haven't already, to read our Homework Policy Pamphlet and watch our Homework Policy Video.
Reading Freedom Summer to Mrs. Tracie Goebel's 1st graders!
February is Black History Month!
3rd grade teacher Mrs. Lori Carter celebrating our diversity with her students!
Celebrating Black History Month at Pleasant Lake Elementary!
Please click HERE for more information on Black History Month that you can share with your child(ren) at home.
Cafeteria CHAMPS
Kindergarten-Mrs. Finn
1st Grade-Mrs. Reeves
2nd Grade-Mrs. Zang
3rd Grade-Mrs. Gordon
4th Grade-Mr. Stein
5th Grade-Mrs. Grace
13 Ways to Raise a Caring and Compassionate Child
Like many things, kindness is a quality that children learn over time and through practice. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to encourage your child to be a kinder, gentler person. Research has found that the desire to help and comfort comes just as naturally to humans as being self-centered or hurtful. "It's almost as though we're born predisposed to be upset by other people's pain," says Alfie Kohn, author of The Brighter Side of Human Nature: Altruism and Empathy in Everyday Life.
How Empathy Grows
Empathy — the ability to understand another person's feelings — develops over time. A 2 year old may try to comfort a crying playmate by offering her own pacifier or blankie. While she is not able to understand why her friend is crying, she remembers times when she felt sad and knows what comforts her. At 3, children are more aware of others, but they still have trouble relating to how others actually feel. They may delight, for example, in knocking down someone else's block tower and not understand why the child who built it is so upset.
By age 4, children can better understand when they've hurt someone and can sometimes offer an apology without being told. They are also quite empathic about another child's injuries.
By the time children are 5 or 6, they often can share more easily and take turns. And they are able to discuss what it means to be kind and can brainstorm ideas for how they might help people.
13 Strategies for Encouraging Kindness
The following suggestions will help you to teach your child about being goodhearted and compassionate. But in the words of author/psychologist Dr. Julius Segal, nothing "will work in the absence of an indestructible link of caring between parent and child." When you kiss your daughter's boo-boos or read cozy bedtime stories to your son, you are giving your children the base that enables them to reach out to others.
1. Believe that your children are capable of being kind. "If you treat your kid as if he's always up to no good, soon he will be up to no good," Kohn cautions. "But if you assume that he does want to help and is concerned about other people's needs, he will tend to live up to those expectations."
2. Model positive action. What you do and say is critical; let your child catch you in the act of kindness, such as driving an elderly neighbor to the store or offering a comforting word to a friend. Most parents start this role-modeling from day one. "They talk while feeding their baby, saying, 'a little bit of food for baby, a little bit of food for me,'" says Stacey York, a child development instructor. "This lays the foundation for a lifetime of give-and-take and openness with people."
3. Treat children with respect. This can be as simple as alerting your child that playtime is almost over. "I always wince when I see parents suddenly decide it's time to leave the playground and snatch their children away abruptly because it's time to go home," Kohn says. "That's a disrespectful way to treat a human being of any size." You might also point out successful conflict resolution through real-world experiences. At home, for example, you could say to your child, "Mommy and Daddy don't always agree, but we listen to each other and treat each other with respect instead of putting each other down."
4. Coach your child to pay attention to people's facial expressions. This is the first step in learning how to understand another's perspective. "We are more likely to reach out to other people in need when we are able to imagine how the world looks from someone else's point of view," Kohn says.
5. Let your children know often that how they treat others matters to you greatly. For example, a child might think it's funny to see someone get splashed if a car drives by and hits a puddle. You can point out, "That lady is not laughing at what happened. Look at her face. She looks sad. Her clothes are dirty and wet now."
6. Don't let rudeness pass. You might say, "Wow, that cashier must have had a really bad day to talk in such a mean voice to us at the supermarket. What do you think?" This teaches your child that when someone is nasty to you, you don't have to be mean in response.
7. Acknowledge kindness. Be sure to show your child that you notice when someone does something nice. For example, if someone slows down to let you exit a parking lot at a busy intersection, say, "It was really nice of that driver to let me out." Likewise if your own child treats someone nicely, be sure to acknowledge and praise her effort.
8. Understand that your child's perception of differences in others comes into play. Young children notice differences in people, just as they notice them in animals and colors of crayons, so assume the best. If your child says something socially inappropriate, it's important to explore the comment calmly. First ask, "Why do you say that?" Then you can correct the misunderstanding by more fully explaining the situation.
9. Be sensitive to messages that your child picks up from the media. Children are just as likely to imitate kind actions they see in movies and read about in books as they are to act out other types of scenarios. Be aware of the programs and movies your child watches and be available to talk about what they see. Also, encourage reading books that focus on caring and compassion.
10. Explain that calling someone names or excluding him from play can be as hurtful as hitting. If you hear your child calling someone a "poo-poo head" in the sandbox, go right into problem-solving mode with both children. Point out how the child who was called a name is upset: "Can you see the tears on his face?" Recognize that the real problem may be that the name-caller wants the giant sand bucket. Ask, "If you want something, what's another way you can get it without hurting somebody else?" It's also important to make sure the child who has been called the name isn't feeling victimized, and encourage your child to apologize.
11. Avoid setting up competition within your family. If you say, "Let's see who can clean up the fastest," you risk setting your kids up as rivals. "When children are pitted against one another in an effort to win at anything," Kohn says, "they learn that other people are potential obstacles to their success." Instead you could encourage them to work together to get the job done and praise them for their group effort.
12. Show children how to help people in need. You can encourage your child to donate a toy he has outgrown to the annual toy drive, while you buy a set of blocks to give away. He can also help you make cookies for a shelter and come with you when you visit someone in the hospital or nursing home.
13. Be patient with your little ones, because kindness and compassion are learned and life presents challenging situations even to adults. Being a loving parent and a great role model will go a long way toward raising a wonderful, tolerant human being.
Teach The Leader in Me Habits At Home!
Enjoy!
Kindergarten Orientation on March 14th
Incoming kindergarten parents for the 2017-2018 school year are cordially invited to attend the Kindergarten Orientation on Tuesday, March, 14, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at each of our elementary schools.
If you have a child who will be starting Kindergarten in the fall, please call our office at 248.956.2800 to provide information for our Kindergarten Orientation mailing list.
The PLE Kindergarten Orientation is an informative meeting for incoming Kindergarten parents only. There are scheduled events this Spring for incoming Kindergartners to visit our school, ride on a school bus and meet our terrific Kindergarten teachers.
If you have neighbors and/or friends who have Kindergarten age children but do not have other children attending PLE, please ask them to call the school office to pre-register.
Kindergarten Information
Incoming kindergartners must be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2017.
Exception: According to Michigan Law, a child may be enrolled in kindergarten
if he/she is not five years of age on September 1, 2017 but will be five years of
age not later than December 1, 2017 and parent or legal guardian notifies the school
district in writing (Kindergarten Waiver Form) that he or she intends to enroll the
child in kindergarten.
Research indicates that developmentally appropriate full-day schedules benefit kindergarten children academically, socially and emotionally. Our principals and teachers understand this and are well equipped to meet the needs of our kindergarten students.
Our kindergarten students begin to learn a whole host of reading, writing and mathematics concepts and learning strategies that give them the foundation for a successful elementary school career in Walled Lake Schools.
Kindergarten Vision Screen Available. Please call the Oakland County Health Department at 248-424-7070 to schedule an appointment.
Enrollment Information Hotline: 248-956-5250
Kindergarten Resources
- Kindergarten Orientation 2016-17 School Year Presentation
- Criteria for Enrollment
- Enrollment Instructions
- Enrollment Instructions in Spanish
- Enrollment Instructions in Japanese
- Enrollment Instructions in Arabic
- Elementary School Contact Information
- Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) Immunization Action Plan(Video)
- Full Day Kindergarten (PowerPoint Presentation)
- Full-Day Kindergarten Research Article 1
- Full-Day Kindergarten Research Article 2
- Full-Day Kindergarten Research Article 3
Two Hour Delay Procedures
Click HERE for our District Two Hour Delay Procedures in the case of inclement weather.
Our January Student Data Team Meeting!
Tuition Expedition Scholarship Raffle
CHANCE TO WIN BIG!
SUPPORT FOR WALLED LAKE SCHOOLS!
· Tickets $50 each or 3 for $100
· 1,000 tickets for sale. Purchase now.
· Chance to win scholarship funds: 50% of gross proceeds
· Lump sum payment option: 40% gross proceeds
· Visit www.wlcsd.org/foundation to purchase tickets online & for info. regarding secondary prize, chance to win FREE ticket & raffle details!
Grand Prize Drawing March 27, 2017 at WL District Reflections Celebration
Need not be present to win
Checks accepted payable to Foundation for Excellence:
850 Ladd Rd, Bldg. D, Walled Lake, MI 48390
Questions? Contact Foundation for Excellence @ 248-956-2116 or email MichelleBianco@wlcsd.org
MI License # 38701
Kroger Community Rewards Program
The PTA needs your help in providing our students and staff with as many resources as possible. One way the PTA helps is by contributing the funds earned through the Kroger Community Rewards program. If you shop at Kroger, we ask you to enroll your card to earn money for the PTA. This program does not take away your rewards earned toward gas or any other benefits. It is an additional way that Kroger gives back to the community. If you were enrolled in the past, please make sure to re-enroll and select Pleasant Lake Elementary PTA to earn the community rewards. You can follow the link provided here https://www.kroger.com/account/enrollCommunityRewardsNow
Also, if you have other family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) that shop at Kroger or Kroger affiliated stores encourage them to enroll their rewards card and select your student’s PTA for community rewards. Every little bit helps our students and staff.
Thank you,
Katarina Gasevski
PTA Co-V.P. and Scrips Coordinator
Access ConnectED, i-Ready and Reading A-Z at Home
In addition to ConnectED many of our classrooms have additional math and literacy online resources, like Reading A-Z and i-Ready, that your child and you and can access at home. If you're not sure what resources are available ask your child and/or their teacher.
Know What's Going On At Pleasant Lake Elementary!
SKYWARD FAMILY ACCESS
It is critical that parents keep an updated email address and let us know if it changes as soon as possible. Parents may update this information for us on Skyward Family Access. All teachers at Pleasant Lake utilize Skyward Family Access to communicate with parents. Report cards, lunch account information, progress reports, attendance and other important information will always be posted on Skyward Family Access. If you are a new family to Walled Lake Schools or have misplaced or lost your Family Access ID and password, please click HERE to get connected.
PLEASANT LAKE PLEASANTRIES AND SCHOOL WEBSITE
Our school newsletter will be sent electronically to parents every two weeks. An archive of newsletters is also posted to our school website under the For Parents tab. Our school website can be found HERE. Please visit this page often for information about our school. You will find links to important documents, websites from your child's classroom, PTA forms and information, and important updates and forms that you will need to access.
Please follow us on Twitter @PleasantLakeEl to be updated regularly on important events at our school and fun pictures of student events and learning!
REMIND 101
We also offer Remind 101 to all PLE parents. How does it work? If you would like to receive a quick text message on your cell phone or device, just sign up with us and you receive a quick text to remind you of important school events, deadlines, time frames, etc. at PLE. You can unsubscribe at any time.
To join, send a text to (586) 649-3482 and enter the message @mrmakt
You can opt-out of messages at anytime by replying, 'unsubscribe @mrmakt'.
Walled Lake School’s Recess Wear Guidelines
Please make sure your child’s name appears on any of their outdoor apparel, so we can reunite any lost items with their owners. Also please remember to dress them appropriately for outdoor recess. Our students will have outdoor recess unless the actual temperature or the wind chill (“feels like”) temperature dips below 0 degrees or if it is raining. Below are the Walled Lake School’s Recess Wear Guidelines.
Coats/Jackets
50 degrees + - Child/parent discretion
40-49 degrees - Recommended
39 degrees and below - Required
Hats/Gloves/Mittens
45 degrees + - Child/parent discretion
35-44 degrees - Recommended
32 degrees and below - Required
Boots and Snow Pants
Required when off of the blacktop
if there is slush or snow
**Please note: Temperature degrees are based on wind-chill/ “feels like” temperatures. **