Mustang Express
September 1st, 2023
An Important Message from Mrs. VanWagnen
I have heard so many great things about this first week, and I have very much enjoyed spending time in classrooms. Our teachers are amazing! We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we worked to establish routines related to transportation.
As a friendly reminder, to allow for the safe arrival and dismissal of all Meadowbrook Elementary students, we will be limiting the number of cars in our carline each day. All students and families designated as bus riders will be asked to utilize our transportation services both in the morning and afternoon. The Saddle-Up registration is currently closed and has been limited to the total number of participants designated as School of Choice students or walkers on a first come, first serve basis. Please ensure your Saddle Up Pick-Up name sign is displayed in the driver's side window. It must be clearly visible to the staff member on duty beginning next week.
We recognize that this is an inconvenience for some of our families but we deemed it necessary to ensure the safe arrival and dismissal of all of our students. I cannot thank you enough for your continued support and partnership. Together, we can do hard things.
#mustangproud
Sincerely,
Jennifer VanWagnen, Principal
Extremely Important Procedures for Saddle-Up Drop Off and Pick Up
Children must exit their car on the driver's side unassisted. They must be able to unbuckle their seat belt/car booster and open and close the passenger door independently. This may mean that you need to disable child safety locks and/or practice learning these skills at home.
Staff will monitor the drop-off line each morning and there will be staff to help your child (both outside the building and in the halls as they find their classroom).
Your Saddle Up Pick-Up name sign must be clearly visible in the driver's side window to the staff member on duty. The staff member will alert the classroom that you have arrived for pick-up at the end of the day.
Your student will then be dismissed and will exit the doors through the gymnasium. Under the direction of a staff member, your child will be permitted to enter your vehicle on the driver's side. Please do not get out of your vehicle to assist. We will have staff members on site who are able to assist if needed.
Please arrive promptly to pick up your child. Students that are not picked up at dismissal (by 4:05 p.m.) will go to Prime Time Care and you will be billed accordingly
In an effort to keep the students safe and keep traffic moving, we ask that if you are driving your child to school, you utilize the drop-off loop rather than walking your child to the front door.
Failure to follow the established guidelines may warrant a special meeting with Principal VanWagnen.
Important Dates
September
9/1: No School
9/4: No School-Labor Day
9/6: PTA Meeting @ 6 PM (Meadowbrook Media Center), Childcare Provided
9/7: Regular Board of Education Meeting @ 7 PM
9/12: Curriculum Night @ 6 PM, Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten | 6:30 PM, 1st grade | 7 PM, 2nd grade
9/13: Curriculum Night @ 6 PM, 3rd grade | 6:30 PM, 4th grade | 7 PM, 5th grade
9/19: LAYA Taste of the Lakes @ 5:00 PM
9/21: Half Day of School, Staff Professional Development
9/22: Walled Western Homecoming, Meadowbrook students invited
9/25: No School- Yom Kippur
October
10/4:PTA Meeting @ 6 PM
10/4: Student Count Day
10/5: Regular Board of Education Meeting @ 7 PM
10/13: PTA Sponsored Mustang Mile
10/13: Walled Western Annual Pink Out Game, Meadowbrook students invited
10/20: PTA Sponsored Halloween Fun Fest
10/31: Half Day of School (Staff Professional Development)
Important Information Regarding School Procedures
Important Reminders
Also, Door Dash is not permitted for students. Students may bring a lunch from home or purchase school lunch from the cafeteria. We simply do not have staffing available to deliver Door Dash items to students during their lunch time. Please refrain from ordering. Thank you.
Birthdays
If you choose to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, arrangements must be made with your child’s teacher in advance. Students will have an opportunity to choose a special class activity during their classroom celebration.
Please adhere to the following guidelines regarding birthdays :
Food items are not permitted.
Flowers, balloons or other personal items may not be delivered to school.
Pencils, stickers, a game or book are each suitable options that may be donated to the class to honor your child.
Children should not distribute party invitations at school out of respect for the feelings of others who are not included.
Attendance
As parents, you play an important role in ensuring strong attendance in school. Research has shown that excessive absences and tardies can negatively impact academic and social progress in school. Extended vacations when school is in-session are discouraged. The district attendance policy is as follows:
5 or more absences: 1st parent contact
7-10 absences: 2nd parent contact including meeting with principal
11-24 absences: Legal “Notice to Parents or Guardians with Non-Attendance of Children in School” sent to parent/guardian and referral to local agency
25 or more absences: School district takes legal action through the Juvenile Court system to return child to school
The goal of this policy is to support families, provide support services as needed, and ensure consistent attendance in school. We sincerely appreciate your support in this matter.
If your child is going to be absent, the following procedure should be followed:
A parent must call the school absence line: 248-956-2790.
Please leave a message with the following information: your name, your child’s name, teacher, date and reason for absence.
The absence hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please call and leave a message as early as possible.
If a child is absent and no message was left on the absence line, our secretaries will contact parents using the phone numbers entered in Skyward Family Access.
The school day ends at 4:00 p.m. It is an expectation that students attend for the entirety of the school day. Children picked up early will be given an early dismissal, which is equivalent to a tardy on their attendance.
We do ask that students are free from fever (without medication) and free from vomiting for 24-hours prior to returning to school to prevent the spread of potentially contagious illness.
Additionally, please be sure to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and keep your child home should they experience any of the following symptoms:
Fever or chills
Cough
Fatigue
Shortness of breath, rapid or difficulty breathing
Muscle or body ache
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion
Runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
COVID Policy Update: August 2023
As you know, the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has ended and all remaining state epidemic orders have been rescinded. This, however, does not change the recommendation to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as isolation and masks. The expectation is that students, families, and staff will follow the recommended guidelines regarding COVID-19. With that said, at this time, for the 2023-24 school year, COVID-19 positive cases will no longer be monitored at the District level and timelines will not be provided. Please see below for recommendations should your student test positive for COVID-19:
- Stay home, separate from others, and follow the recommended guidance from your physician, the Centers for Disease Control, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and/or the Oakland County Health Division.
- Report absence to the school secretary.
- Questions or concerns should be directed to your physician or the Oakland County Nurse On Call Line at 800-848-5533.
Thank you for keeping the health and safety of our students and staff a priority in Walled Lake Schools.
Join Us for a PTA Meeting
Join for Us for Curriculum Night
support lakes area youth assistance- taste of the lakes
What is Youth Assistance?
Youth Assistance is a non-profit organization that offers professional counseling services and conducts programs for youth and their families who live within the Walled Lake School District. Our mission is to strengthen youth and families through volunteer involvement. LAYA is one of 26 programs of the Oakland County Circuit Court-Family Division.
If I need Youth Assistance services, how much will it cost me?
LAYA services are free to residents of Walled Lake School District. Non-residents will be referred to the appropriate Youth Assistance office.
What are Youth Assistance services?
- Referral services
- Youth and Family Counseling
- Family Education programs
- Summer Camp
- Skill Building Scholarships
- Youth/Adult Mentors PLUS program
- Youth Recognition
LAYA has a been a great resource for WLE families and continues to provide a variety of supports for our students. Please consider supporting them by attending the Taste of the Lakes fundraiser at Edgewood Country Club!
LAST CALL-LAST CALL- KINDERGARTEN WELCOME KITS
A warm welcome to our new Kindergarten families!
The Foundation for Excellence is selling Kindergarten Welcome Kits for new Kindergarten students and we wanted you to have the option to get one in case you missed out during our summer sale. The sale will be open until Midnight on September 5th. It will take about 2 weeks for all the items to be printed at which point you will be contacted about pick-up opportunities. Pick-ups will take place at the Educational Services Center at 850 Ladd Road, Building D, Walled Lake and both day and evening pick up times will be available.
The kits cost $30 and include:
1) Grow with Me T-shirt with appropriate graduation year (2036 for Kindergartners and 2037 for Junior Kindergartners). These are adult size large shirts that can be worn each year as your student grows from Kindergarten to Senior year.
2) School specific yard signs welcoming your new student. The signs will have the appropriate graduation year and logo of your new school.
3) School specific information to help you get to know your new school.
The proceeds from the sale of the Kindergarten Welcome Kits support the Foundation for Excellence - Walled Lake Schools. The FFE partners with the district to support classrooms across WLCSD with additional funds for more classroom books, STEM activities, and educational tools. Over $1 million has been provided in classroom grants since the FFE began in 1991.
You can order your Kindergarten Welcome kit here:
https://wlcsd.revtrak.net/foundation-for-excellence/ffe-kindergarten-welcome-kits/
(a picture of the Grow With Me shirt and an example of a yard sign can be found on the ordering website)
Please contact Jackie Gurwin at jackiegurwin@wlcsd.org or 248-956-2116 with any questions
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS- ALLERGIES AND/OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
WALLED LAKE WESTERN ATHLETIC EVENT SAFETY AND SECURITY
Safety and Security in Gymnasiums and Stadium: In an effort to ensure the safety and security for all, there will be NO re-entry for any athletic event upon exiting. All bags and outside food/drink are not permitted. Ticket takers, administration, and law enforcement are instructed to enforce these guidelines. No exceptions.
All middle school and elementary school-aged children must be accompanied by their parent/guardian for the entire athletic event in order to attend any and all Walled Lake Western Athletic Events. Those who are not supervised, will not be permitted to enter the gyms and/or stadium or will be asked to leave if not continually supervised after entering.
Parking: Parking in the round-a-bout outside the stadium is not permitted as it is a fire lane for emergency vehicles only. Vehicles parked in this area will be reported to law enforcement on site.
Thank you for assisting with the safety and security at Western!
HEAD LICE (PEDICULOSIS)
Set Up Your Communication Preferences in Skyward
Not receiving district and/or building communications?
If you are not receiving emails from Mrs. VanWagnen, including the Mustang Express, District Weekly Updates, please use the link below to double-check your preferences are correct.
Signing Up for SMS Messages via Skylert
In addition to receiving phone calls and email notifications from the school district in the event of a school closing or emergency, parents can also sign up to receive SMS Text messages.
Please find the helpful step-by-step instructions linked below as well as the video tutorial on signing up for SMS messages.
Connect With Us
Principal: jennifervanwagnen@wlcsd.org
Kellan Watkins
Principal's Secretary: kellanwatkins@wlcsd.org
Jennifer Schloegl
Building Secretary: jenniferschloegl@wlcsd.org
Important Phone Numbers:
Main Line: 248-956-2700
Attendance: 248-956-2790