The Spencer Scoop
Spencer Elementary September 1, 2022
Dear Spencer Families,
I hope that this edition of The Spencer Scoop finds you relaxed, recharged and ready to start the new school year! We are looking forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 and are delighted that you are part of our amazing learning community. You will find all of the information you need for a smooth start to our year below; we appreciate you taking the time to review this information.
This has certainly been a busy week as we all prepare to embark on the new year, but I sincerely hope that you and your family are able to pause and enjoy the long weekend together. Our staff will be off and the office will be closed on Friday, September 2nd and Monday, September 5th. We look forward to connecting with students and families on Tuesday, September 6th!
Danielle Schmidt
Principal, Spencer Elementary
Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten First Day of School
There is so much wrapped up into the first day of school in kindergarten. A kindergarten first day is important to teachers, students, and parents! JK/KG students will have an alternate schedule on the first day of school. Students will join their teachers outside at 9:30 AM and will be picked up outside at 3:00 PM. There will be no buses for JK/KG on the first day of school.
**NEW** Daily Start Time
Student Drop Off: 8:55 AM
First Bell: 9:00 AM
Second Bell: 9:05 AM
Starting Time In Class: 9:05 AM
Dismissal Time: 3:57 PM
Students eating Breakfast may enter the cafeteria at 8:45 AM
Note from the Attendance Secretary
Please call in your student's absence to the Attendance Line at 810-299-4354 as early as possible in the morning. Leave a brief reason for their absence so I can excuse it. If no call is made in to the Attendance Line, the absence is considered unexcused and you will receive a "robocall" from the district at the end of the day. If your student was absent for an illness and you have note from the doctor, send it in to the office and I can medically excuse the absence. Medically excused absences do not count against your student's attendance when I send Attendance Notifications home to the families of students with excessive absences.
Medication At School
If your child needs to take medication during the school day, the Medication Authorization Form can be accessed by clicking the button below. This form MUST be filled out and signed by the physician and brought in along with the medication. For safety reasons, students are never allowed to carry medications. They must be brought to school by a parent/guardian in its original container. You can start dropping off medications next week (Monday, 8/29 - Thursday 9/1) between the hours of 8AM and 2PM, or on the first day of school.
Lunch Information
Lunch Volunteer Opportunities for September
If you are interested and available to volunteer at Spencer any weekday from 11:35 AM until 2:25 PM please visit our September Sign Up Genius. You will find the link by clicking HERE.
Thank you! We appreciate your help!
Transportation
The Brighton Transportation Department has sent bus and route information for those that are in the district. If your child is to be picked up or dropped off anywhere but home, you will need to fill out an Alternate Destination Request form. You can access this form by clicking the button below. Drop off or mail the form to the Transportation Dept at 5800 Borderline, Brighton MI 48116 (located behind Busch's Shopping Center in Brighton).
**PLEASE NOTE**
Busses tend to run late during the first week of school as we ensure all our little ones are where they need to be and boarding the correct bus. Please do not call the office inquiring about when your child will be home as we will not have that information.
Family Passes
All students will be issued a number ID card (known as the Family Pass) that must be attached to their backpacks. Teachers will take care of attaching the number to your child's backpack the first day of school.
The Family Passes for parents/guardians will be sent home with the oldest sibling on the first day as well. You will keep your Family Pass throughout your time at Spencer and your number will stay the same from year to year.
All students who are being picked up at dismissal will wait inside the classroom. You will go to your child's classroom door. Click here for Classroom Door Numbers. At 3:57 PM, your child will be dismissed to you. You MUST show your Family Pass any time you are picking up your student. If a grandparent or other another adult will be picking up your child, please be sure to give them your Family Pass. If forgotten, they will be directed to go to the office to obtain a temporary family pass.
**For the first day only, your teacher will dismiss your child to you. On September 7th and each day following, you will need to show your Family Pass number.
Student Drop Off & Pick Up Information
As Brighton Area Schools and Spencer Elementary continue to strengthen our safety and security procedures. This process still ensures that students are being picked up by authorized individuals. Reminders:
Students will wait outside their classroom doors until the first bell rings at 9:00 a.m.
When dropping off your child in the drop off lane, please do not exit your vehicle to.
DROP OFF (8:55 AM)
Do not drop off your child before 8:55 a.m. The classrooms will not be opened before this time.
When entering the kiss-n-go area, have your child and their belongings ready to exit the car. Remain in your vehicle and have your child exit from the passenger side. Children and adults should never get out of the driver’s side while in the kiss-n-go lanes.
Please pull all the way forward and then stop to let your child out.
After dropping off your child, wait for the cars in front of you to exit. Do not try to pass, as it puts students in danger.
After 9:05 a.m. the kiss-n-go lane will be closed and you must park and walk your child to the main office to sign-in.
PICK UP (3:57 PM)
To ensure that your child is in the correct location, please make sure your child’s teacher knows your child is a pick-up. In the case of a change of plans, please contact the office to inform us and we will contact the teacher. The teachers are teaching and aren’t able to check their emails at all times of the day.
All students who are being picked up at dismissal will wait inside the classroom. You will go to your child’s designated door and at 3:57 your child will be dismissed.
When picking up your child, make sure you have a family pick-up pass. If a grandparent or other person will be picking up your child, please be sure to give them a family pick-up pass. If forgotten, you will be directed to the office to obtain a daily pass.
Important Reminders and Updates:
Please access the crosswalk at the main entrance only
Do not park in the crosswalk areas.
Do not pull in handicap spaces to drop off/pick up. These spaces are for our students who need wheelchair access or for adults who are handicapped and need to walk in.
Students of any age are not allowed to walk in the parking lot without an adult.
The bus lot is not available for student drop off/pick up.
We will monitor this process and will make adjustments to the procedures to increase efficiency and safety. School traffic is challenging, and we appreciate and thank you for your patience as we work to make our parking lot safe and efficient. We anticipate long lines during the first week of school. Please do not pass cars to bypass these lines to access the parking lot. Again, I know that these changes may cause a slight inconvenience, however, they will allow us to better ensure the safety of our students.
4th Grade Safety Information
Fourth grade safeties will begin their posts Thursday, September 8. We will have a safety meeting on the first day of school in the afternoon, at this time safeties will receive their safety belts. Bus safeties will begin their posts on Tuesday, September 6 in the afternoon.
Thanks, Ms. Urso and Mr. Howe
Water Bottles
Please remember to send your child to school each day with a refillable water bottle. Spencer has water refilling stations throughout the building and we encourage students to drink water throughout the day.
Extra Change of Clothes
Parents - Please make sure you pack a change of clothes in your child's backpack EVERY DAY. This is for ALL grades, you never know when your student may have a nosebleed, or loose a tooth, or spill food on their shirt, or find a mud puddle outside, or have an accident. If they have a change of clothes, then we can take care of it here, otherwise we need to call home for you to bring up a change of clothing. Thank you for your cooperation.
PTO News
Welcome (back) to Spencer! Your 2022/23 PTO Board is:
President: Jen Lumsden
Vice President: Nicole McGhee
Treasurer: Anna Gibson
Co-Secretary: Jacquelyn Turkovich
Co-Secretary: Amber Gaines
We have a lot of exciting events lined up for the upcoming school year! We will be sending home information packets, including a full calendar of PTO events within the first couple weeks of school.
The PTO does two major fundraisers during the school year. The first is our Annual Roadrunner Run which will be held on October 14th. We are currently looking for companies to sponsor our shirts! If your company is interested in having their logo printed on the backs of hundreds of Spencer students and families, please see the attached letter with detailed information on how to make it happen!
The first week of school is always a little chaotic and scary for our littles. We would love to have a few seasoned parents helping out each morning the first week of school. This will include helping kids find the correct places to line up, helping them get out of the car in the kiss-and-go lane, and possibly wiping a few tears. If you are available for about 30 minutes in the mornings, we would love your help! Please see the Sign Up Genius here.
Each week, you will find a little bit of information on upcoming events from the PTO here, in the Spencer Scoop. However, you can also check out our website and our Facebook page for the most up-to-date information!
We are excited for another year of fun and making memories with our Spencer Families!
Blessings in a Backpack
Our Mission:
Blessings in a Backpack mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry.
Our Vision:
Every school-aged child in America has the nourishment needed to learn and grow. As a leader in the movement to end childhood hunger, Blessings in a Backpack strives to ensure children do not go hungry on the weekends by empowering individuals and communities to take action.
Why Do We Do It:
Did you know that 13 MILLION CHILDREN are experiencing food insecurity? That’s one in six American children who may be struggling with access to food.
The consequences of hunger are much more than a growling stomach. Poor nutrition can result in a weaker immune system, increased hospitalization, lower IQ, shorter attention spans, and lower academic achievement. Children are fed during the school week by federal government programs. We want to make sure they’re getting nutritional meals over the weekend, too.
Blessings in a Backpack is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization distributed 2.2 million bags of ready-to-eat food to children during the 2020/21 school year at more than 1,090 schools in 46 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Brighton has a local chapter and we would love to help. If you are in need or interested in your family receiving food for the weekend, please let the office know by calling 810-299-4350. All of the information will be kept confidential.
If you are interested in making a donation to help others in need, please contact the office for more information. $110 feeds a child for one year!
Events Around the District
Important Dates at a Glance
September
6 - 1st Day of School
15 - PTO Meeting at 4:15PM
15 - Curriculum Night from 6-7PM
October
6 - Picture Day (more information to come...)
Spencer Elementary
Email: schmidtd@brightonk12.com
Website: https://www.brightonk12.com/Domain/238
Location: 10639 Spencer Road, Brighton, MI, United States
Phone: 810-299-4350
Twitter: @SpencerElem