Mustang Messenger
2019-2020 School Year: Volume 34: Week of May 10, 2020
Be the Best YOU at Grandview!!!
We LOVE our Moms
Dear Families, especially the moms, grandmas, aunts, and guardians,
This Mother's Day is different. Your children did not come home from school with their handmade Mother's Day present. The restaurants are closed, so we may have to cook instead of taking a meal off. The days have dragged on, and the nights are a little bit more different than usual. Noise and chatters echo in the house – your kids, your husband, your family. There have been better days, but to be honest, these moments are unparalleled. Being with family has made this situation bearable.
You find yourself juggling work and home life in this “new normal.” How do you avoid smiling at them when your kids’ heads pop up as they open the door during your Zoom/Google meet meeting? How do you avoid picking them up when they start crying for your attention right in the middle of working on your spreadsheets and presentations or taking a work call? How do you keep yourself from walking away from your reports when you hear their giggles calling you out like a siren song?
Not everyone understands how much willpower it takes for you to keep away from all these responsibilities when all you want to do is have just a few minutes to yourself. To think, to compose yourself, to just take a breather. Not everyone understands how draining it is to make sure that food is on the table, the kids are taking their online lessons and happy and not bored, the house is tidy and sanitized, on top of your mounting work deadlines you still have to meet, despite the slow internet connection and the countless distractions in your every day. How do you do it, mom?
I’ll tell you what. It’s because you are made of power and grace, strength, resilience and love. You make the house run like clockwork, making sure nothing misses a beat. Every ticking and tocking, purposeful; every hand movement, deliberate. And as you fulfill multiple roles that this new normal has offered you – parent, wife, daughter, sister, employee, employer, boss, freelancer, teacher, stay-at-home-mom — do not forget to take time for yourself. You need to recharge so you can continue being the awesome person that you are. You need to recharge so you can be your 100% and more. No matter what you do, no matter who you are, you keep it together like no other. You deserve the praise and celebration even on your off days.
This mother’s day, take a break. Go ahead and draw a long bath. Meditate and do yoga or Pilates or any of your home exercises. Pick up that book you’ve been wanting to read. Get your well-deserved quiet time and have a cup of coffee or tea. Expel the negative and guilt feelings for wanting some time for yourself. You’re doing more than enough to keep things together. Breathe a little. Relax a little. You may be at home, but it doesn’t mean you’re just at home. You are home.
And please know Moms, Grandmas, Aunts and Guardians, we appreciate all the effort you are committing to your children to ensure that they are still learning!!! We appreciate you and wanted to take time to say.....
Happy Mother’s Day!
Continue to stay healthy and happy!! We miss you!!!
Your Proud Principal,
Melissa Carruth, Ed.S
The Teachers felt appreciated
Summer Activities are Starting to Cancel
With each issue, I will continue to update you with any developments with summer programs.
Due to COVID-19, some district and county activities are starting to cancel.
- Mrs. Buckley, Botsford Latchkey and Summer Camp Director, has had to cancel the Clarenceville School District Summer Camp program.
- Many people have asked about a Grandview summer school program. We are starting to look at what that can look like to support our students, as well as, being in compliance with the Governor's Executive Order.
- Oakland Schools has cancelled the following summer programs:
- STEM Summer Camp
- Cybersecurity Camp
- Future So Bright
- MI Career Quest
Missing Grandview Students
Ms. Venessa and myself are hosting a Google Meet on Tuesday, May 12th. The link for that Meet is
https://meet.google.com/lookup/cfctojir23
This is for students only, not parents, but parents you are encouraged to always supervise when your child is on-line. Parents if you have a question for us, please email Ms. Venessa or myself.
This meet is just a check-in to say hi!! We both have visited the students when they are having a Google Meet, but we have not been able to do our own check-in. It should last no longer than an hour. Students can check-in and check-out when they need to. We will also have a mindful moment with the kids, as well as, have some fun. So mark your calendar so that we can see them. Be sure the students come into the meet on mute.
Classroom Code is.....3s2rma3
Can we Count on you in the Fall of 2020
We have heard from 200 families, but we need to hear from more families. If you have not filled out the Count on You survey yet, please do. Mrs. Smith, Grandview secretary, as well as, a few other Grandview support staff will be calling families that did not complete the survey starting Monday.
If you have posed a questions or concern on the survey, I will reach out to you in the coming weeks.
The purpose of this survey, is to better prepare for next year. We would like to know if your child(ren) will be attending Grandview or Clarenceville Middle School in the Fall of 2020. Please take a few minutes to secure your child's enrollment for the 2020-2021 School Year! This form must be filled out for EACH Grandview child to reserve their enrollment. If your child is returning, but going to the middle school, please let us know that. Please one form per family. If you already filled out the survey, do not fill out the survey again. We want to hear from ALL of the Grandview Families!!!
VIRTUAL Kindergarten Round-Up is right around the corner......Please Join!!
Clarenceville is coming together to hold a Virtual Kindergarten Round-Up. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 19th @ 6 pm or Wednesday, May 20th @ 11:30 am.
The link for the Round-up will be released closer to the event day. Both schools will be coming together for this event. It will not be a Grandview or a Botsford Kinder Round-Up, but a Clarenceville Kinder Round-up!!! The kindergarden teachers and building principals can't wait to "see" families at this event!!!
Remember, we are looking for new Kindergarteners or Junior Kindergarteners for this fall! You can STILL enroll online.
If you have a child who will be five years old by December 1, 2020, he/she may be eligible for Kindergarten or Junior Kindergarten next fall. Please complete the Round Up Registration form online by visiting this link https://forms.gle/cTJPR8cuwUFmsxPR7. Please pass this link along to friends and neighbors who have a future Kindergarten student but do not have siblings at Grandview or Botsford.
For Questions, contact the Grandview Office: 248-919-0404
Virtual Book Fair is still happening for 1 more week!!!
Book fairs are always a fun and exciting event at Grandview. They are a good way to get your hands on some great new books to read. Unfortunately we can't be in school right now - but we can still have a book fair! That's right - we're having a virtual book fair. Scholastic is helping us host our own online book fair. This will run from Mon. May 4th through Sun. May 17th. You can access it by going to bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/grandviewelementaryschool6 There you'll see a virtual flyer and access to thousands of books and products. All items are shipped directly to your house. This is a great opportunity to add some fresh new titles to your home book collection. Thank-you for supporting our school and keep reading!
Schools of Choice
- You do not have to fill out a Schools of Choice application each year. Once you are accepted, you are part of the Clarenceville Community.
- If your child is going up to the Middle School, you do not need to fill out a Schools of Choice application. Again, once you are accepted, you are part of our district, not just the school.
- I have been at Grandview and want to stay and I am afraid to fill out the application and not get accepted. Reach out to me and let me know that you are filling out an application. I will do everything to work with Mr. Shepich to have your application accepted.
- In the winter, they only accepted for some grade levels, but this window is open for ALL grade levels.
- If your child attended preschool or GSRP at Grandview and you live out of the district, you STILL need to fill out a Schools of Choice application. Attending those programs did not require you to fill out a Schools of Choice application.
- When do you "accept" Schools of Choice? It is unlimited, so you should not have a problem getting into the district and there should be space for your child. Just be timely in completing your registration.
- If I fill out my application, will I have to go to Botsford. We do not want to have to move students that are already established in a school community. So please specify on the form which school you want your child to attend.
In the end, DO NOT miss the deadline. If you do and you live outside of the district, you will not be able to attend Grandview.
Mental Health Crisis Text Line
Texting "RESTORE" to 741741 will launch a confidential text conversation with a crisis counselor as part of the Michigan Department of Health and Human services "Stay Home, Stay Well" initiative.
Counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help Michigan residents coping with any mental health crisis, including anxiety, financial stress, suicidal thoughts and domestic violence.
RULER - Create a Family Charter
Third Grade Reading Law
The best thing families can do to ensure that their children do not become a victim to this law is to READ each and every night. Not only carving out time each day or evening for your child to read (at least 20 minutes), but to ask them questions too. I have included some questions you can ask your child after they finish their reading.
Move More in the Month of May!
Michigan Fitness Foundation provides fun resources for families to engage in healthy physical activities under the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order.
Walk and Wheel Wednesdays
Walk and Wheel Wednesdays give Michigan families opportunities for healthy and fun outdoor activities.
Beginning May 6, families are invited to be active by spending at least 20 minutes outside every Wednesday. This includes walking, bicycling, hiking or other outdoor activities with individuals from the same household.
While being active, families are reminded to practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from other members of the public, avoid all shared outdoor equipment, cover coughs and sneezes, and wash hands immediately upon returning home.
Families are encouraged to post photos of their Walk and Wheel Wednesdays activities to social media by tagging @MichiganFitness and @MichiganDOT with the hashtag #WalkandWheelMI.
Visit saferoutestoschool.org for additional information.
Grandview Garden
Parents have been working hard on the school landscape and started the clean up, but there is a lot more to be done and we need help. If you have an hour or so over the next few weeks and want to take your family to school to do some clean up, we would greatly appreciate it.
The Grandview Veggie Garden in the back of school and all the Boxes has been weeded and the soil is in the process of being loosened. The parents have laid mulch and the boxes have been filled with new dirt into the boxes to eliminate the grass growth. Also if you have a high schooler that needs hours for their Civics class or National Honor Society, this graden and Grandview beautification can be used for hours.
WHAT CAN YOU HELP WITH?
Reach out to me and ask to join the Facebook Group entitled Grandview Garden Guardians. That site as description in each picture to see what needs to be done in each area.
Disclaimer:
The parents are amazing helpers, but none of them are professionals nor getting paid. It is total volunteer project and we need lots of help. Therefore, the parents are up for suggestions and willing to do some hard work to make the school look awesome for when kids return.
Come help!!! It takes a Village!!! Grandview is just that, a Grand View. Come help to continue to make Grandview maintain their Grand View.
Be a Grandview Green Student
2020-2021 Latchkey and Preschool Registration
To locate this registration, please visit the Clarenceville web site. Select Grandview. Then select either Preschool or Latchkey and right under Ms. Jackie's picture, on the right-hand column, is the pre-registration form. It is a google form so Ms. Jackie will receive the pre-registration forms during this closure. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT!! Both programs fill up quickly and will have a waiting list. These programs are licensed and needs to follow the guidelines of teacher-student ratio. So do not wait!!!
Grandview Sports
All sports have been cancelled for the remainder of the school year.
Stacey Wittscheck, Grandview Sports Director, has a Grandview Sports website that has the documents linked. All of the information from schedules, rules, code of conduct, sign-up, forms, etc. will all be housed in one location. Check out this great communication piece for our families!!
Questions, reach out to Stacey at her email at GVSportsDirector@gmail.com.
Also be sure to follow the Grandview Sports Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/GrandviewSports/
Clarenceville Continuity of Learning 2.0 Plan
The Clarenceville School District has put together a Continuity of Learning plan to ensure that learning continues for our students. The plan aligns with the 17 page executive order that the Governor stated ensuring that all orders will be carried out for our students. I have included images below to hi-light key components that relate to elementary with this plan.
1). The first image below discusses how the teachers will be delivering information to your children, as well as, how your child can be supported. There is a table that also hi-lights how much time should be devoted to learning each day. Please note that enrichment time can be provided to children, but should not exceed 30 minutes beyond the maximum time for each grade level.
2). The second image is the elementary schedule of teacher availability. That table hi-lights when videos will be posted and live instruction will take place for each grade level. If you missed the live sessions, do not worry as all live sessions will be recorded. These sessions are very important for your child to view as they will provide you with necessary information, practice, tips and tricks for your child to learn to be successful with their new learning.
3). The third image hi-lights the elementary student schedule. Having your child read for at least 20 minutes each evening is the most important skill to do with your child and ask your child questions about their reading too!!
In the end, the plan asks for 100% of our students to be connected with a device and Internet. Again, we have resources to make this happen for every student, but we can't make it happen, unless you let us know that you need help.
This plan will be carried out with fidelity for our Grandview students, but the plan will only be as successful as the support is at home. We know that you all are parents and guardians, not teachers. Just know that we recognize that and the best thing you can do is support the plan. We will do the teaching with the teachers. We need parents and guardians to be the supporters and cheerleaders for our students.
Continue to check into Google Classroom and Seesaw daily to see the activities that are being posted for your children to enjoy and to keep the brain thinking, the body moving and the students learning.
Distance Learning Weekly Plan
2020-2021 Friends of Grandview (FOG) Board Elections
The positions that are available are:
- President
- Co-Vice President
- Treasurer
If you are interested in any of these positions, please email Mrs. Carruth expressing your interest and which position you are interested in serving.
We hope you will join this rewarding and super important organization!
How Do I Engage My Children?
Here are a list of creative ways to engage with children. Here is a list of Clever activities that parents can give to families wanting to stay connected at home and in the community.
Food distribution Schedule
Please remember that the food is for ALL of the Grandview students. We fed your children two meals during the school year and want to continue. If you need help getting to the school or the bus route to pick up the food, please let me know. I have wonderful parents who are delivering food, just please let me know!!
Looking for other areas for food?!?!
IEP and 504 Meetings
New IEP's or 504 meetings will not meet during this shutdown. These will be occur and conversations will resume in the fall.
Again, if you have a concern, please reach out. We are here to help you!!
Report Cards
Additionally, teachers will report on the fourth marking period based on participation and engagement and mastery of new learning. There will not be formal marks, but instead, teachers will make a comment on each student's report card about the level of participation and engagement during this time. Again, we want all students on-line learning and want to report on this accordingly.
Distribution of the report cards have yet to be finalized.
Getting supplies from the classrooms
Yearbooks
Tuesday Night Night
If you cannot view Live, no worries, it is published to the Grandview Facebook Page so that families can view it at their earliest convenience for your children and their evening schedule. The point of this activity is to foster the importance of 10-20 minutes of reading each night. Remember it is super easy to view.....just visit the Grandview Facebook Homepage. I will be taking suggestions for books, so post away in our site so that I know what my Grandview readers want to hear at night. Can't wait to do what I love most....reading to students!!!
Parent Walk-Up
If you child walks home, they may, but they will not be dismissed by adults.
Please do not express your displeasure by just picking your child up at 3:15. That misses excessive learning time. We are doing this for safety. Please support us.
School Store Fundraiser
This fundraiser is still open as you shop through this crisis. The teachers received some gift cards this past week at the mid-way point in this fundraiser and were so excited with what they received. Remember, this is a Win-Win fundraiser as the school earns money, as well as, the classroom teacher. This fundraiser helped to purchase the clay that is used for art, this spring's assembly, as well as, the supplies for March is Reading Month.
School Store is an online shopping mall with over 400 nationally-known merchants including Sears, Target, Oriental Trading Co., Office Depot, Toys"R"Us, Family Book Store and many more. When your family and friends make everyday purchases from their favorite merchants through SchoolStore.com, your school, and classroom teacher earns money.
All you need to do is going to www.schoolstore.net and enter Grandview Elementary School's code (0000009438) and then shop away.
Box Tops for Education
Please remember that Box Tops are moving away from clipping paper box tops and moving to scanning qualifying receipts to earn school money.
Last year, Grandview earned $757.50 with Box Tops and we do not want to lose that revenue.
There is a Grandview parent that is already earning box tops via apps. Please download the app and log in, it is easy. Questions, stop in the office!!!
The Importance of Sleep
Kroger and Grandview
Kroger and Grandview
We get money from Kroger if you add Grandview to your profile. Thank you to all of you who have already added Grandview to your account. Though know that it is never too late to sign-up and join!!! So shop away, Grandview is benefitting from your grocery shopping!
Simply encourage your participants to visit http://www.kroger.com. Once logged into their Kroger account they can search for Friends of Grandview either by name or TH003 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a rewards card.
*Customers must have a registered Kroger rewards card account to link to your organization.
*If a member does not yet have a Kroger rewards card, please let them know they are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger
REMEMBER, purchases will not count for your organization until after your participants register their rewards card.
Participants must swipe their registered Kroger rewards card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Kroger rewards card when shopping for each purchase to count.
Volunteering at School
iChats are also needed to be filled out if you wish to be a WatchDOG dad or chaperone a field trip.
Job Opportunity
Important Dates and Upcoming Dates
All events have been cancelled. A refunding process will occur once we know when the Shelter in Place band has been lifted.