GPPSS Update
May 3, 2022
This picture was taken at Kerby Elementary School last week for Autism Awareness. Each classroom wore their classroom colors to form a rainbow and a parent took the photo with a drone camera.
This is Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you to all our dedicated teachers and staff, and to the PTOs, parents, guardians, colleagues, students and friends who have demonstrated their gratitude in so many ways, this week and throughout the year.
Follow us on Facebook (@GPPSS), Twitter (@GPSchools) and Instagram (@gppschools) to catch a glimpse of the many ways our PTOs, students and community are showering our teachers with appreciation!
Wednesday, May 4 is National Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day
GPPSS is always looking for ways to have a positive impact on our students and our community outside the classroom. On Wednesday, May 4, we will celebrate Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day with thousands of other schools throughout the nation.
Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day was established after the overwhelming success of Walk to School Day, which has been an annual international event since 1997. It is a great way to bring together school and community leaders to encourage healthy choices getting to and from school.
While walking to school was commonplace just a generation ago, traffic jams around schools are now the norm. Students are losing an opportunity for regular physical activity that is good for their health by riding to school in cars. On May 4th, students have a special opportunity to celebrate the fun of walking and biking.
Please join students, parents and community members for our school’s Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day that is part of our larger Safe Routes to School Program.
Saving Lives Together - Annual Suicide Prevention Walk is May 15
The Family Center of Grosse Pointe/Harper Woods and The Healthy Grosse Pointe/Harper Woods Coalition is excited to announce the 6th Annual Suicide Prevention Walk and Mental Health Fair on May 15th. We took a break the last two years due to the pandemic but are thrilled to be back and saving lives together in honor of Kevin’s Song.
The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Grosse Pointe North High School. This community event will help educate and raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention while also raising funds for Kevin’s Song, a local organization dedicated to generating public awareness about the causes of suicide, its prevalence in our society and possible preventive measures.
Participants may choose to donate or raise money for Kevin’s Song, but it’s not a requirement to attend the mental health fair or participate in the one-mile walk. Our main goal of this event is to erase the stigma of talking about suicide and raise awareness around mental health resources and support in our area. We want to show community wide support for those who have lost a loved one to suicide and those who are struggling with their mental health each and every day.
We encourage you to follow us on social media for updates regarding this wonderful community event. You can find The Family Center on Facebook at The Family Center of Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods and Healthy GPHW under Healthy Grosse Pointe & Harper Woods. Healthy GPHW is on Instagram @healthygphw and The Family Center @feamilycenterweb. To learn more about all the wonderful things Kevin’s Song is doing in Michigan, check them out on Facebook at Kevin’s Song and Instagram @kevins_song. We will have a Facebook event page up soon as well.
- Sasha Murphy, Community Organizer
Join us for an engaging Zoom with Dr. Gretchen Moran Marsh on May 10
In the past several years, there has been an exponential spike in anxiety and depression related disorders resulting in negative effects for children, teens and adults. This, coupled with the fact there are not enough great mental health providers, has caused a national crisis.
Come learn empirically validated strategies to not only immediately improve your mental health, but to also prevent mental health problems in the future. These strategies are exactly what Dr. Marsh teaches her private clients, but taught in a quick and easy way to understand and implement. This transformative and positive presentation provides actionable tools to cause change.
The Grosse Pointe Foundation for Public Education is funding this opportunity to bring Dr. Gretchen Moran Marsh to our GPPSS families at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10.
Mark your calendars to join us!
Click here to watch the Zoom event that will be live at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, and recorded for those who cannot join us live (similar to our Town Halls). All can submit questions in advance or during the session using this Google form.
In the spirit of continuous improvement and community voice
Among those means, according to Board Policy 9251.01, the Superintendent shall conduct an Annual Community Survey in order to receive a comprehensive view of how the District is perceived and the level of satisfaction among its constituents and taxpayers. If the link above does not work, please copy and paste this into your browser:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GPPSSCommunitySurvey2022
All individual responses will remain confidential, but summary results will be shared publicly and used for school improvement planning. We appreciate your input and your help sharing this throughout our community. Students, parents, guardians and community members are encouraged to participate. A separate staff survey is also being conducted per board policy. The survey will close May 17th.
Partnership opportunity to help homeless girls
GPPSS teacher and Grosse Pointe Education Association (GPEA) member Erin Tabor, has organized a drive for an organization called Alternatives for Girls. Alternatives for Girls provides services for girls and young women who are homeless and having a difficult time.
The GPEA is teaming up with Alternatives for Girls to provide wish list items based on their needs. Use the QR code on the flyer to go directly to the wish list.
Listening Session with the Superintendent at South May 11
Join us for a listening session at 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 11, at South High School on the front lawn or in the Student Commons in case of inclement weather.
All are welcome! Please come and bring your friends.
Register now for GPPSS Summer Programs
Check out registration dates for GPPSS Summer Programs!
- Camp Invention – registration open
- Summer Connection – registration open
- Camp O’Fun – registration open
- Summer Music Festival (instrumental) – registration open
- Grosse Pointe Summer Choir -- registration open
High School Classes and Credit Recovery – Registration for both in-person and virtual classes begins Monday, May 23, and ends Thursday, June 30. Classes run June 28-August 4, 2022. For more information on registration, class schedule, and SCSACE summer school calendar, please use the GPPSS Summer Learning link.
GPPSS partners with Cyber Safety Consulting
Cyber Safety Consulting is an expert in the field of Internet safety, having developed and delivered programming focused on Internet safety nationwide. CSC will conduct the following age specific sessions virtually from 6:30 p.m.-7:45 p.m. (75 minutes including Q&A):
May 12, 2022 When is my child ready for a smartphone? - Elementary Parent Presentation (parents only)
- Most popular apps and devices
- Creating a Digital Roadmap
- Monitoring tools, BARK, Safesearch
- Parent/child technology agreement
- Predator and grooming examples
May 24, 2022 How do I protect my teenager online? - Middle & High School Parent Presentation (parents only)
- Technology trends, social media statistics
- Sexually explicit material
- Technology addiction
- Parenting strategies for protection
- Using social media in the application process
Register for One or All
Parents, GPPSS staff and students (when appropriate - see notes behind each title) can choose to attend some or all of the programs but you must register in advance through this form, and participation is limited so sign up today! Those who register will be emailed a link and password the day of the event they registered to attend virtually.
If you missed the first two sessions email info@gpschools.org and we will forward you the recording and passcode for:
Healthy Technology in Your Home -- which is targeted for elementary parents and students. It covered:
- Tech free time and space in the home
- Creating an Exit Strategy
- Gaming do’s and don’ts
- Protecting personal information
Balancing Our Digital Life - Middle & High School Parent Presentation
Sexting and sextortion
Cyberbullying
Social media sharing best practices
Your digital footprint and its future consequences
GPPSS Green Teams and GP Garden Center invitation
Our GPPSS Green Teams and the Grosse Pointe Garden Center invite you to a Basic Gardening Session dedicated to SOIL on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Learn about Healthy Soil and Wise Fertilizing.
This session delves into the mystery of soil, the different types, and their compositions. Learn the crucial role soil plays in growing healthy plants that will be better able to withstand ever-present diseases. How to improve and maintain nutrient-rich soil in your garden. What soil amendments actually work and what to avoid. When and how to get your soil tested and what to do with the results. Healthy soil is key to a garden’s success.
Sue Grubba is a respected and knowledgeable lecturer, Advanced Master Gardener, and
owner of Creative Scapes, specializing in landscape night lighting, gardening, and
designing. She is a certified landscape designer and landscape technologist, senior
instructor at the Michigan School of Gardening, and President of the Association of
Professional Gardeners.
Registration: visit www.gpgardencenter.org Advanced registration is required for all.
Admission: Free for Garden Center members, $10 for non-members.
Interact Service Club and Rotarians feed the homeless
Interact Service Club sponsored a sack lunch assembly line after school. Each sack (over 100 made) contained a drink, multiple food items, and a kindness note. North alumna Eboni Williams uses these "lunches of love" to reach out to students and the homeless in Detroit through Community and Home Supports.
Student leaders Olivia Guzman, Lilli Walton, Moira Hix, Emma Palazzolo, and Fiona Lacroix helped make the event a success. Volunteers also included Grosse Pointe Rotarians from our sponsoring club. Thanks to everyone who promoted, donated, and volunteered!
Our Vision: One Inclusive Community Learning Together
Our Mission: Cultivate Educational Excellence By:
- Empowering Students
- Valuing Diversity
- Inspiring Curiosity
- Pushing Possibilities