We Are... Wildcats!
8/24/2021
A Message from the Principal
Some of you may be new to our Wildcat family and many of you have been a part of our family for years. Once a Wildcat, you will quickly realize that each team member, no matter their role, will be working to make this the most memorable school experience for your child that we can.
This year will have a common message/theme at Weiss: "Grateful to be a Wildcat!" There is a ton of research that shows when we are grateful it leads to more positive outcomes. This includes improving happiness, self-esteem, optimism, confidence, and more. We can practice gratitude at home with our children by keeping a gratitude journal, sharing what makes us grateful with others, using visual reminders as cues to be grateful, or any other time when we are acknowledging what makes us feel grateful. Here is an article that talks more about the importance of gratitude and how to practice being grateful with your child
I look forward to seeing you soon and am very grateful for our continued partnership this school year!
Sincerely,
Mr. Bezeau
Principal
Downriver STEM at Weiss
Class Placement Announcements (Aug. 31) and Open House (Sept. 8th)
In the email, teachers will provide a link to sign-up for a time slot at Open House. Our Open House will be on Wednesday, September 8th, from 5:30-7:00pm. There will be three 25 minute time slots to choose from. Essentially, this will keep our crowds in the classroom smaller.
It is possible that when you go to sign-up for a time slot, there are not openings for the time you are available OR the time's available conflict with the slots you signed up for your other children. Do not panic, this can be resolved with a simple email communication to the teachers. Initially, we will limit the number of spaces per slot, but are flexible to ensure all families get a time that works for them. Parents are invited to join their students for Open House.
Grade Level Supply Lists
Arrival and Dismissal Times
As always, we need our families to follow the processes in order for them to work for our students. While we understand it will take a few days for students and families to become confident with their child's entry and dismissal location, we need parents to stay in their cars. At dismissal, we will walk students to the front of the building to enter their vehicles. At arrival, students will walk to their entrance independently.
Arrival:
Students can arrive and enter Weiss Elementary at 8:43 AM. Students may not arrive prior to 8:43 AM. Please do not drop your child off prior to 8:43 AM and have them wait at the doors. We will not have any staff to supervise and keep them safe. Students are expected to be in the school by 9:00 am. The majority of our students will enter the building through their classroom's exterior door. Mrs. Laidler and Mrs. Robert's class will enter through the main office area. Any student that arrives after 9:00am will enter our building through the office. Upon arrival, students must enter the building independently.
Dismissal:
At the end of the school day, students will exit from the same door they used at arrival. All students will enter their vehicle along the front of the building. This is to ensure we do not have students walking in or across the parking lot. It is imperative that families do not arrive prior to their dismissal time. If families are arriving early, this process will not work. If you arrive before your scheduled block, you will be asked to exit the pick-up loop, park in the lot, and get back into the pick-up line during your designated time. If you need to pick up your child early, just contact the office prior to dismissal to ensure we have your child ready during this time.
**If you have multiple children in the building, they will be dismissed at the oldest child's dismissal time.
Dismissal Times (by grade level) for FULL DAYS:
Kindergarten/1st Grade/Mrs. Roberts Class: 3:35pm
Second/Third Grade: 3:40 pm
Fourth: 3:45 pm
Fifth: 3:48 pm
Dismissal Times (by grade level) for HALF-DAYS:
Kindergarten/1st Grade/Mrs. Roberts Class: 11:50am
Second/Third Grade: 11:55am
Fourth: 12:00 pm
Fifth: 12:05 pm
Wildcat Spirit Wear
Student Medication and Medical Plans
If your child needs medication to be administered at school or requires a medical plan, please call Mrs. Hunter, our school secretary at (734) 379-7060, and set up an appointment with her no later than Thursday, Sept. 2. We want to make sure we are ready, to take care of your child, on the very first day of school, September 7th. In your call with her, she will reference paperwork that needs to be completed by your child’s physician. Weiss' nursing services documents can be found AT THIS LINK.
Family Health Screener
Building Visitors
ALL visitors/parents must call and make an appointment to come into the building. In an effort to limit visitors in our building, parents/guardians may request an in person meeting, phone meeting with staff, or a Zoom call.
If a parent or guardian needs to drop off a lunch or a forgotten device or something else to their child, you will be buzzed into the foyer area to place the item in the grade designated container. A building staff member will deliver that item to your child’s classroom.
Breakfast and Lunch
This school year students may be eating in their classroom or the lunchroom. This is based on our Special Area Schedule, lunchtimes, staffing, and making sure students have adequate space to eat.
ALL students can receive a free, healthy, breakfast and lunch each day. Please read THIS LETTER from our Director of Food Service for more information.
We still need your household to fill out and sign the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application. This report is critical in determining the amount of money that our school receives from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs like Title I A, At-risk (31a), Title II A, E-Rate, etc. The application can be be found HERE.
We will always attach the monthly lunch menu to this newsletter. But it can also be viewed on the Nutri Slice Website.
Fall Picture Day
Mark your calendars our fall picture day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 21st.
School-Parent Compact
Specials
Mrs. Cain for Art
Mrs. Monticello for Music
Mr. Budziak for STEM
Mr. Falwell for PE.
Mrs. Hughes for Library
Specific special schedules will be shared by your child's teacher.
Back to School Information from Mrs. Conway
Message from the PTO
Welcome families! Do you know your PTO? Thanks to every movie that has ever mentioned a school PTO, you probably have some....ermm... not so stellar ideas of what the PTO is, what they do, and how they behave. I can assure you, that whatever your mental image holds, it's well... not that. The Weiss PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization) is a group of parent/guardian volunteers who work collectively to identify and respond to the needs of our students and staff while providing opportunities for our children to learn about their role in a community. Consisting of five elected members, the PTO Board is filled with working guardians and staff with busy lives and full schedules just like you. We give back to the Weiss community because there is always a need, and who better to help than your neighbor?
In 2018, the PTO requested your support in updating the playgrounds. Shortly after we faced a pandemic. However, we kept working to fulfill our promise and use your fundraising dollars to improve the play space. The district completed repairs to the playground structures last spring, allowing us to purchase recess bags for each student last year and stencils for our blacktop areas that will give our kids activity paths, stations, and updated play areas. Please join us during the Open House on September 8th to complete this project by helping to paint the playground. We will provide paint cups. We need you to provide your artistry.
This year, the PTO will continue to raise funds to improve our outdoor spaces and utilize the outside as a learning environment, play space, and area for creativity. We are looking forward to a new school year and are excited to come together as a community again! This year will still require flexibility, but we will see more opportunities to interact with one another while following guidelines.
Please take a look at the Calendar of Events and contact us at WeissElementaryPTO@gmail.com to volunteer to chair (party plan) an event or volunteer before/during/after an event. We’d like to have the full calendar of events this year, but we can’t do it without you.There will be many times throughout the school year where your time, donations and attention will be requested. We hope that you feel welcome to join us, offer a helping hand, and consider any donations when you can to support the PTO, your students, and your school.
We can't wait to see your smiling faces!
KEEPING CONTACT INFORMATION UP TO DATE
As we work in partnership to keep our school family healthy and safe, it will be imperative that when the school calls, you answer and be prepared to pick your child up in a timely manner should they have symptoms of being ill. If you can not pick up your child, please create a contingency plan that can be utilized immediately. PLEASE make sure all contact numbers are active and all emergency contacts are up to date, too.
ParentConnect is the web application connected to our Student Information System. It will allow you to review current, up-to-the-minute information about your student including their emergency contact information.
Emergency contact information has always been vitally important and it continues to be. More communication than ever will be coming home via email opposed to paper copies.
When you need to update your contact information the web address for the ParentConnection site is:
https://zangleweb.resa.net/Gibraltar/ParentConnect
If you encounter technical difficulties using your account, please send email to:
Parent Portal Mobile App
If you would like to access your Parent Portal on your smart phone or tablet, we offer a free mobile application. It is quick and easy to get started. Click on the PDF below to view Mobile App Installation Instructions
Interested in being a Lunch Monitor?
Upcoming Dates
August 24th-25th-Kindergarten Screening
August 30th-Popsicles with the Principal(Kindergarten)-6:30-7:15pm
September 7th-First Day of School for Students
September 8th-Open House-5:30-7:00pm
September 21st- Fall Picture Day
September 22nd- Half Day for Student. Professional Development for Staff
October 14th-15th- Half Day for Student and Parent-Teacher Conferences in the PM
Feel free to add this "Weiss Families Calendar" to your Google Calendar to help easily keep track of upcoming Weiss events: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=gibdist.net_ra1jclsqrn76kim9gv4kj4jsb4%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America%2FNew_York