Pleasant Lake Pleasantries
November 2019
Together We Learn, Together We Lead!
EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY!
Every Child, Every Day is our intentional commitment to creating a safe and inclusive culture and community where we:
- Prioritize instruction
- Foster meaningful relationships
- Value and empower each learner
- Create growth opportunities for all
Principal and PTA Welcome Video
Lifetouch Picture Retake Day on Friday, November 8th
Picture Retake Day is on Friday, November 8th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Children will need to bring their original picture packet to school for retakes.
i-Ready
Your child completed their first round of iReady and you will receive the assessment results. Please contact your child's teacher if you have any questions regarding the results and/or if you haven' received them yet.
You can help by encouraging students to work on the iReady math and reading instructional modules at home for 45-60 minutes per week or more. These online instructional lessons will help students become more proficient in math and reading and better prepare them for the second diagnostic that will take place mid-year.
If you have questions about iReady, your parent report, or the instructional lessons, please reach out to your child's teacher for information. We are ready to assist you in helping your child at home to become a better reader, writer, and mathematician.
Diversity Week November 11th-15th
Your child will be working on a project/assignment in class but will also be invited to complete an optional take home assignment that we hope to use to create a quilt to be put on display at our Annual District Wide MLK Jr. Day Celebration!
Thank you for your support!
Nayal Maktari
Pleasant Lake Elementary Principal
Walled Lake Diversity Committee Co-Chairperson
Alec Bender Friend of Diversity Award
The Walled Lake Schools is currently seeking nominations for the “Alec Bender Friend of Diversity Award.” This award will honor individuals who are true friends of diversity in our school district and community. The honor will be bestowed upon the recipient(s) at the district-wide Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration on January 20, 2020 at Walled Lake Northern High School.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Any staff member, student, parent, or community member.
WHO MAY NOMINATE?
Any person in the community may submit a nomination.
Nomination forms for the “Alec Bender Friend of Diversity Award” can be found below and are available in each school office. Please submit your nomination to the Pleasant Lake Elementary Main Office by the deadline of Wednesday, November 20, 2019.
SCHOOL RAFFLE
Dear Pleasant Lake Elementary Families,
While we did not reach our fundraising goal, we do appreciate the support of everyone that participated in our Raffle Fundraiser!
Thank you,
Nayal Maktari, Principal
Dan Monkman, Pleasant Lake Elementary PTA President
School of Choice and In District Transfer Windows
Please visit our District Website www.wlcsd.org to access the School of Choice and In District Transfer Applications during the windows below.
In-District Resident Transfer Window - Jan. 6 - 24.
Non-Resident Schools of Choice Window – Jan. 20 – Feb. 7
PARENTING EDUCATION FAIR
The Western Oakland County Parenting Education Fair is back. This excellent parenting opportunity will be taking place on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Walled Lake Northern High School. Registration is open now and costs $15 per person or $25 at the door on the day of the event.
We value our partnership with our families and believe that a home-school connection is key to a child’s success. We are continuing our partnership between Farmington Public Schools, Novi Community Schools, Oakland Schools, Oakland County Youth Assistance, Walled Lake Consolidated School District, and West Bloomfield Schools. Together we are hosting the Western Oakland County Parenting Education Fair on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Walled Lake Northern High School. We are very excited to have Brooks Gibbs joining us this year as our keynote speaker! Learn more about Brooks Gibbs by watching: The Resilent Parenting Style.
The Parenting Fair’s purpose is to educate, inform, and provide resources for parents and caregivers. Topics include managing social media with your child, reducing stress and anxiety, strategies to help you with a child with ADHD, nutrition, character building, planning for college, and more. Child care is available for a reasonable cost ($3 for one child, $5 per family) and includes entertainment and lunch. Lunch for conference participants will be available for purchase from local food trucks during the event.
Below are helpful links regarding the Parenting Education Fair.
· Website
I hope to see you at the Western Oakland County Parenting Education Fair Walled Lake Northern High School on Saturday November 2, 2019. Spread the word and bring a friend!
2019-2020 calendar
Please click on the 2019-20 calendar to view this year’s school calendar. Please Note:
Late starts (middle school) and early release (high schools) have been eliminated.
There are several half-days throughout the school year. As we have in the past, we will offer a reduced rate Prime Time Care service on each of these half days.
You might be wondering...Why are there so many half days?
Throughout the school year, there are eight half days that will be used for staff professional development. We recognize that half days can be inconvenient for families. That said, research has shown that when teachers receive ongoing, job-embedded professional development, they can increase student achievement by as much as 21 percentile points (Source).
As a school and district, we are committed to continuous improvement and these eight half days are an essential part of that commitment. Although they may seem inconvenient, staff development opportunities are crucial to ensure we provide an exemplary education for our children.
Pleasant Lake Elementary Building Calendar
Third Grade Reading Retention Law
Please review the video on Michigan's Third Grade Retention Law and how we are addressing this in Walled Lake. Third Grade teachers shared this at Curriculum Night.
Being a good reader is critical for children to be successful in school. In 2017, the Michigan Legislature implemented the Third Grade Reading Law to ensure that students exit third-grade reading at or above grade level, which will impact the current 2017-2018 first-grade students by the time they are in third-grade.
In accordance with this law, and as a means of better informing classroom instruction, districts will be providing K-3 reading assessments to students across the state. These assessments will identify students who need intensive reading instruction and intervention, and will also provide useful information to help teachers tailor instruction to meet individual student needs.
- Letter from Walled Lake Schools on Reading Retention Law.
- The law also requires districts to provide early and regular written communication with parents of K-3 students with reading difficulties. Communication will include information about current services being provided, additional reading supports planned for your child, and a read-at-home plan for you to help your child at home.
- Reading Retention Michigan House Bill No. 4822
- I-Ready Reading Assessment that Walled Lake has been utilizing the past three years.
- K-3 literacy instruction in Walled Lake, includes this the Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy booklet.
Welcome to PLE
STARTING SMARTER WEBSITE
PARENT-FRIENDLY STARTING SMARTER WEBSITE - NOW AVAILABLE
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is excited to announce the availability of a new online resource designed to give families a better understanding of their child’s strengths and areas of improvement in mathematics and English language arts (ELA). The Starting Smarter website (mi.startingsmarter.org) provides Michigan’s families with information in parent-friendly language that will help them:
• understand their child’s M-STEP score report
• locate resources to support learning at home and school
• prepare for an effective Parent Teacher Conference
• see and practice with online M-STEP practice questions and tools
• learn about the Read by Grade 3 law
• understand what academic standards students are expected to master
• learn about the accessibility tools and supports available to students during testing
Parents are critical partners in their child's success. Please visit The Starting Smarter website
(mi.startingsmarter.org).
OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER 5TH GRADE CAMP
School Bell Schedule
Drop Off: 8:45 AM
School Begins: 8:55 AM (Tardy Bell)
Dismissal: 4:00 PM
Departure: 4:00-4:07 PM
Half-Day Dismissal: 12:25 PM
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: 4:00 PM
Departure: 4:00-4:07 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
PLE PTA Membership Forms
We need your support! Please click HERE and join our PTA. It's our goal to have each parent a member of our PTA. Your support is needed to continue the great things we provide our children.
You can also sign up now on our PTA Event Volunteer Sign Up Form.
Thank you again for supporting our children, families and staff!
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
staples rewards program
Enroll now in the Staples Rewards Program and earn money for our children and school.
Box Tops Just Got Easier
Busch's Cash for Education
Don’t forget to re-enroll by January 1st to participate in the 2020 Cash for Education program. All participants must re-enroll annually. Once registered, simply shop, provide your Busch’s MyWay phone number or key tag at the register and receive credit for your schools. It’s that easy! Just be sure to follow the below steps to participate for the New Year.
Steps to Take:
- Sign into your MyWay account and select “Cash for Education” from the dropdown menu underneath your name to reselect your schools and/or organizations.
- If you haven’t done so already, you must include a valid email and opt-in to receive emails to participate in this program. You can check this under My Account > Account Holder when logged into MyWay. Busch’s will use this email to communicate any updates or changes to the Cash for Education Program. Email is also a great way to receive information regarding weekly specials, offers and Busch’s coupons, which are sent exclusively to MyWay members.
- Select up to four organizations that you would like to support for each quarter using the drop down menu. Purchases will be allocated equally between your chosen organizations.
- You may now also include the student you’re supporting.
- You may change your organizations and student at any time, but only those selected at the end of each quarter will receive credit.
Participants will be required to re-enroll on an annual basis.
If you have any questions please email us at welisten@buschs.com or refer to the FAQ, which can be found at buschs.com/community.
Absences and Notes to School
If you intend to keep your child home on a school day for any reason, please use our attendance hotline at 248-956-2890. You may leave a voicemail message 24 hours a day. If we do not receive a call from you, we will call you to make sure that your child is indeed absent.
The Transportation Department will not issue bus passes for after school study, play dates etc. Bus passes will be issued for shared custody, day care, babysitting, or other emergencies. The Transportation Department will also issue year-long passes for in-district transfer and school of choice students when there is room on the bus.
If your child's transportation/dismissal for the end of the day changes in any way, please send in a note at the beginning of the day to your child's teacher or the office. If this changes during the school day, please call our secretaries before 3:00 p.m. We will always make sure your child gets to the correct place at the end of the day, but we ask for your help with this by notifying us early in the day or with a note. Thank you!
Safety First at Pleasant Lake Elementary
- If your child needs to be picked up during the school day, he/she will only be released to a parent, custodial parent, person listed on the school emergency form or a person identified in a permission note from the parent. We will require a photo ID.
- Any legal documents containing custodial restrictions or court orders must be on file in our office.
- If you are visiting our school or dropping off a student, please park in our main parking and come through our main entrance doors to our office area to sign your child in. All doors are locked and will not be opened by staff members or students. This includes students who are tardy to school. Do not drop off students in the parking lot if they are tardy for school. Parents must come into the office to sign tardy students in. When using the main entrance, please buzz in and the main office staff will open the door for you.
- To maintain a safe and secure learning environment, parents and visitors may not go to any classroom unless they have made prior arrangements with the classroom teacher. Parent volunteers are welcome at Pleasant Lake, but must sign in each time they volunteer in a classroom or in the building. Please remember to sign out when you are finished. Parents may not visit classrooms unexpectedly when volunteering or visiting the school. Students walk to their classrooms on their own each day and will be called down to the office if leaving early. Students will be called down to the office for any forgotten items brought in to the office.
Lunch and Food Service Information
Walled Lake Consolidated School District offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.25 at the elementary level and $1.50 at the middle school and high school levels; lunch costs $2.75 at the elementary level and $3.00 at the middle and high school levels. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. Reduced-price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch.
Please click HERE for the November Elementary Lunch Menu.
You can always visit Walled Lake's Food Service Website for information by clicking HERE.
Invisible Dad Lunch Program
In Walled Lake Schools, the 12 WL elementary schools have adopted the Invisible Dad program which entitles all children to a school lunch, even if a student’s lunch account does not have money in it.
Invisible Dad accounts have been set up at our schools to cover lunch for children whose parents have forgotten, are unable, or for whatever reason have not kept their account up-to-date. Parents receive a confidential notification that their child has accessed the Invisible Dad account and they are given an opportunity to update the account, complete a Free and Reduced Lunch form or to talk to a school administrator.
For more information on the Invisible Dad Program, visit the program's webpage.
TO DONATE: Please make a check out to your Walled Lake School with Invisible Dad in the “memo” line. This money will keep the account for your school able to continue this important program.
Typing Quest Lessons for 3rd-5th Graders
3rd-5th graders have been practicing keyboarding on their Typing Quest accounts. The goal right now is to slow down, not worry about scores, and try to get all of their fingers moving and practicing. Students can access their account from home by logging onto the link below.
8 habits homework menu
This summer enjoy some time with your child(ren) by paricipating in the activities listed in the Leader in Me 8 Habits Homework Menu.
Teach The Leader in Me Habits At Home!
Enjoy!
Cyberbullying Resources for Families
Below is some helpful information regarding Cyberbullying. Please take a moment to read the information and have a conversation with your child(ren).
Walled Lake Schools Cyberbullying Handout
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 once a month. 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'.