Mustang Messenger
2020-2021 School Year: Volume 21: Week of February 15th
Be the Best YOU at Grandview!!!
Dear Families,
On Thursday, the Board passed a motion to return to school 5-days a week starting March 15th. They also provided us a few guidelines with this transition:
- Reduce class size as much as possible; trying to hit 16 if possible up to 18 if we can’t make 16 work
- Keep 6 feet of social distancing
- Hire up to 8 new teachers if possible or as many as possible & use existing staff to lower class size to 16-18
- They approved a 5 day model to be started by March 15
- They directed us to survey parents one final time allowing them to choose between the options. They want the data from the survey by the next board meeting.
- They gave us the freedom to work on the schedule to make it best for kids
With that being said, a very time sensitive survey will be sent to you asking for a very short turn-around response. You will be given the choice to keep your child in their current learning model or move into a different learning model. Whatever is selected is the decision for the remainder of the school year, we will be here to support you. We also will be firm with not allowing students movement after the deadline as we need to have proper staffing in place to allow for safety and the 6 foot social distance. Look for this survey coming to you this week.
With all of the transitions from this school year, we will continue to support the students and the families. Change is always challenging, but I hope you see the support that we will offer you every step of the way.
Please join us for Tuesday's Parent Virtual Meeting. Mrs. Frost is presenting on technology and it will be at 6 pm and Tuesday Night Night will be at 8 pm.
Your Proud Principal,
Mrs. Melissa Carruth, Ed.S
Happy 100th Day Grandview!!
Another Week of Learning!!
Kinder Scientists
Reader Leader
Using site words to make a sentence
Important Info to support your children at home
This Week's Specials Content Introduction Video
What a Difference Attendance Makes. Every Minute Counts!
We hit the 100th day of school, which means we have less than 80 days of school left and every day counts. Attendance and tardies need to improve. The Grandview Office is committed to sending more communication more frequently in connection to attendance. Why are we spending another week talking about attendance, because it matters!!!
According to multiple studies, missing several days of school over the course of a year significantly reduces the likelihood that students will graduate from high school. With attendance a crucial factor to keeping kids on the right path to graduation, Attendance Works has substantial information on attendance and the impact on student achievement. Below is some of the research below on why attendance matters.
- Start Strong: Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict frequent absences later in the school year. Nearly half of all students that missed more than two days of school in September went on to miss almost a month of school.
- Chronic Absences: An estimated 5 to 7.5 million students in the United States miss almost a month of school every year. This adds up to over a year missed by the time of graduation.
- Absenteeism starts early: One in 10 kindergarteners and first graders are considered to be “chronically absent.” Chronic Absence = Missing two or more days per month Research shows students who miss 10 percent of school, or two days per month, show negative academic progress. In some schools, that adds up to 18 days a school year and is considered to be chronic absence.
- Third Grade Reading Level: Poor attendance can keep children from reading proficiently by the end of third grade, which is shown to negatively affect their chances of graduating on time.
- Dropout Indicator: By sixth grade, a chronically absent student is shown to have a significantly higher chance of dropping out of high school.
- Excused Absences Hurt Too: Excused absences are just as negative as unexcused ones.
- Every Minute Matters: If a student is 10 minutes late to school each day, this adds up to missing more than 33 hours of class time. A student with a 90 percent attendance average for Kindergarten through 12th grade will miss over a year of accumulated time in the classroom.
If you need help with getting your child to school, please reach out to me. We also know that with COVID and quarantining guidelines, we need to preserve every day so that when we do use a day it makes sense. I have parents not bringing their child to school because it is too cold or because their child is too tired. Others have set appointments on the two days that your child is at school or picking them up. We need to set a standard for our child, much like we do for our job and teach our children that they need to be at school as being a student is their job.
We can work as a team to help get your child to school! Thank you for your continued support at home!
Spirit Wear is OPEN!!
Below is the link. The spirit wear fundraiser will go until Friday, February 26th. All items will be picked up at Grandview.
The promo code for free shipping, as the inventory will be delivered to school, is GRANDVIEW. Be sure to put it in so that you are not charged for shipping.
If you only want to purchase a mask. The office is selling the masks too. They are $10 a mask. You can call the office so that Ms. Tammy can hold one for you until you can get up to Grandview to pick up a mask.
There is super cute apparel!!!! Purchase some GV apparel for a Valentine's gift so that the students can say how much they LOVE their school!!!!
When should I keep my student home??
Thank you to everyone for getting the signed COVID-19 School Health Screening Acknowledgment Form in on time. We appreciate that. By signing that form, that means that you will screen your child each day upon having them return to school and enter the bus or the school building. I have included the form for your review.
The form was sent home with your second semester mailing, as well as, attached below.
WIDA
All students who have a language other than English spoken at home and are identified as English Learners must take a state test called WIDA ACCESS for ELLs (Accessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners). The Enrollment Office form that was completed when your son/daughter enrolled in Clarenceville Schools tells us this information. Students will take the test even if they are not attending ESL/EL classes. The test is for Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking and Comprehension in English. Even though we are in a pandemic, we still have to test your child. Even if your child is a virtual learner, we still have to test your child. We will bring our health risk compromised students in on Wednesday, when there are no other students in the building. We did not receive an exemption from the State of Michigan, therefore, we are testing. We will mail your child's test results to you when we receive them from the Michigan Department of Education. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Morrison at 248-919-0404.
School Store Fundraiser
A school fundraiser is underway and we are so excited with how much has been sold in the 1st week. It is 100% online so there is no selling or handling of money or products. This is a Win-Win fundraiser as the school earns money, as well as, the classroom teacher and the students can earn some really cute prizes. This fundraiser helped to purchase the clay that is used for art, paint for the playground, as well as, the supplies for March is Reading Month.
School Store is an online shopping mall.
All you need to do is going to www.schoolstore.net and enter Grandview Elementary School's code (9438) and then shop away.
Here are three ways your family, friends, and co-workers can help our school.
1. Make a 100% tax-deductible donation to your child's classroom with the purchase of a CaringFor Classrooms.org gift card for your child's teacher to use for classroom supplies and equipment.
2. Renew or purchase magazine subscriptions, DVD's, cookbooks and more. We earn up to 50% of their purchase.
3. Shop online with over 400 major merchants including Walmart, Kohl's, Best Buy, Disney, 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.
March is Reading Month
The committee has planned a fun filled month for Grandview. The kick off is on Friday, February 28th. Stay tuned for more information coming your way about this exciting month that focuses on the power and importance of reading.
Grandview Virtual Parent Cafe -- FOG Monthly Meeting
This Tuesday, the 16th, at 6:00 pm, is our next VIRTUAL PARENT CAFE!!! This session is our monthly technology meeting. Mrs. Frost, Grandview Info Tech teacher, will be joining us to lead us in more knowledge, discussion and information on how to better support your child with technology and to ensure that they are being great digital citizens.
Below is the link and calendar of dates around the big 4 topics. The subtopics will be featured each week in the Mustang Messenger.
Kindergarten Round-Up
Looking for new Kindergarteners or Junior Kindergarteners for this fall!
Grandview's Round-Up is Tuesday, March 23rd at 6:00 P.M. This meeting will be virtual.
If you have a child who will be five years old by December 1, 2021, 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.
For Questions, contact the Grandview Office: 248-919-0404
Hybrid Schedule both in person and at home
Arrival and Dismissal
Please remember to stay in your car when you drop off and have your child sitting on the right side of the car so that it is easy for them to get out of the car and for the staff to assist the students.
If your child is a car rider, you should have a tag by now to hang in your car. If you have not received one, please reach out to the office or the classroom teacher. Displaying these in your car makes the process go by faster.
If your child is a walker, please put it in writing and send it in an email to myself and/or the teacher or a written note. Your child will be dismissed from the back with the car riders.
Remember that in the back, please form three lines to help us to get more cars through quicker and more efficient. Do not get out of the car, there will be staff on site to help get your child out of the car.
Bus Schedule
If your child is not riding the bus, they have to be dropped off and picked up in the back of the school. We will NOT allow for parent drop off before or after school. We need to monitor social distancing and that not occur if parent walk up is happening amongst our bussers.
Free Breakfast and Lunch
On Tuesday, the red cohort will have a choice to bring five breakfast and lunch meals home with them from school and on Friday, the grey cohort will have a choice to bring five breakfast and lunch meals. Your child can bring the meals home on the bus. Milk will be sent home too. This is a choice, but strongly encouraged as meals will be made for all parents. If you do not wish to have the food be brought home, please contact your student's teacher or contact the office so that we can put your child's name on the do not send list.
On Thursday, 7-day meal distributions will still happen at the High School. This is a great way for our CVA students to receive meals. Please remember if you cannot get up to school to pick-up your meals, please reach out to Grandview and we will deliver the meals to your home.
Meals for this week:
Monday: No School
Tuesday: Frosted Cinnamon Toaster Pastry, Pear, and Milk
Lunch: Cheeseburger, Sweet Potato Fries, Cherry Tomatoes, Pear and Milk
Thursday: Breakfast: Strawberry Toaster Pastry, Strawberry Cup and Milk
Lunch: Ham and Cheese Croissant Sandwich, Carrots, Pear and Milk
Friday: Frosted Cinnamon Toaster Pastry, Pear, and Milk
Lunch: Cheeseburger, Sweet Potato Fries, Cherry Tomatoes, Pear and Milk
Remember to also visit Food Service Website for up-to-date menu changes and to help with planning ahead.
School Attendance
For the students that are returning to school, attendance is taking two times a day. Students are marked tardy starting at 9:35. Please be timely so that absences do not add up. You are only at school two days a week, so attendance should be upheld.
On virtual days, two-way interactions are monitored. Attendance at your two times a day virtual Google Meets, turning in assignments and responding to feedback are all ways to achieve your two-way interactions.
Truancy laws will be upheld. Under State of Michigan legislation, truancy is defined as a child who has 10 or more unexcused absences per school year. If you are option 1 - hybrid remote, teachers will take a morning and afternoon attendance, just like in brick and mortar. If you are in option 2 - virtual academy. You have a little more flexibility, but daily contact with the teacher is still expected. You can still call into the attendance line to excuse your child, but please do not get yourself into trouble with attendance. Attendance is mandatory.
Winter Weather is here.....Dress Appropriately
At Grandview, we go outside as long as it is above 10 degrees Fahrenheit. We combine the temperature and wind chill in making this decision. Therefore, we need the children to come prepared with hats, gloves, mittens, snow pants, winter coat and boots. If you have trouble providing your child with this necessary and essential winter gear, please reach out to us and we will help to support your child. If your child is not dressed appropriately, we will not be sending them outside.
Please help remind your child to leave their coats on, no matter how warm they are. The temperature is cold and you all sent them with jackets and we do not want our students to get sick because they are not wearing their coat outside for recess.
Additionally, if your child medical conditions restricts them to be outside, please do not just send a note in from you. We need to have a medical note. Our office is becoming packed with kids that say, "my parents told me to stay in." We welcome them to stay in, but we need the medical note as we have kids that have medical restrictions and they do not have anywhere to sit due to the kids that do not have the medical note.
2020-2021 Annual School Survey
Please help Grandview to continue to improve! We ask for ALL parents to complete our annual survey to help to drive our instruction, conversation, and improvement. This was the same survey that was in the lobby of Grandview during conferences. Thank you to the families that already completed it and I so appreciate all the families that will complete it. I would love to hear all of your voices as we strive to make Grandview the very best school!!!!
Looking for employment and want to join the Clarenceville and Grandview Family.......
1). Officer Rebandt with LPD's traffic division is in charge of Botsford's two crossing guards. Currently there is one available position for the crossing guard on Angling at the stop sign. He asked for our help to find a replacement by notifying our parents to see if there is anyone out there who would be interested or knows of someone who might be interested in the crossing guard position. (He also has other openings for crossing guard positions in Livonia and is finding it impossible to find candidates to fill any of the positions.)
The position is for the Botsford/Angling Road crossing guard. Hours are: Monday - Friday the 1/2 hour prior to Botsford's starting bell and the 1/2 hour following their dismissal bell. The pay is for 2 hours a day, on school days. He is asking that interested candidates contact him (Officer Rebandt) directly at 734 466-2683 for further information about the position and/or to apply. Please leave a message if he is not available.
Grandview Parent Website
- Have you attended a Virtual Session and wanted resources from the session?
- Were you unable to attend a parent session, but wanted to gain some new learning?
If you answered yes to either, I would encourage you to check our Grandview Virtual Website. It is a website created just for Grandview families filled with a ton of resources for Grandview students. It is updated with each session that is held on Tuesday nights. So be sure to visit often.
Parent Support Learning Sessions
There are a ton of amazing sessions on super relevant and impactful session!!! I encourage you to take time out of your schedule to support yourself to support your children.
Take a look and let me know if you attend and what you learn!!!
Special Event - Parents, learn how to unleash passion and performance in your student!
Dear Oakland County parents, Oakland Schools is excited to announce bestselling author and generational expert, Mark C. Perna, will be hosting a special virtual presentation “Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations” from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24. This one-night only program is open to all Oakland County parents of K-12 students. Learn how to motivate your child and encourage their passion for learning. Perna, who has appeared on over 2,000 television, radio and podcast shows, is an expert in helping educators, employers and parents understand and connect with the millennial and Z generations. Read more about the event.
Event Info: Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Virtual presentation via Zoom
Zoom ID: 848 7826 2795
Passcode: 277383
Please join us for this unique opportunity to listen to a nationally-renowned speaker discuss important topics related to our youth. If you have any questions about this event, please contact us at PernaEvent@oakland.k12.mi.us.
Clarenceville District and Elementary Calendar
Yearbook Pictures
First Day of School, Grandview FOG Facebook Page, Constitution Day, Virtual Spirit Week has all brought in some great pictures for our yearbook committee, but we need more. Thank you to those families that have sent me pictures, but we still need more. If you have some great pictures of your child learning virtually, please email them to the following address.....gviewyearbook@gmail.com. It will take a village for us to ensure that we have enough pictures to mark this historical year.
Still Not In the Special's Google Classroom, here are some tips to help you.....
Junior Kindergarten through Second Grade students who have not yet enrolled in their Specials Google Classroom have been added to the classrooms. You will not need to follow instructions for joining with a code. Instead, go to classroom.google.com and you'll see the Specials class automatically listed. Click the "Join" button and then the classroom will open. Look at the image below to help guide you.
Third through fifth grade students who have not yet enrolled in their Specials Google Classroom should follow the instructions to join with the code provided. Each of your classroom teachers have the codes listed.
FOG Positions and FOG News -- JOIN OUR TEAM!!!
The following positions are still available:
FOG President:
FOG Co-VP with Nick Dorst:
If you are interested, please reach out to myself or Nick Dorst at fogvp2020@gmail.com
Tech Support this School Year
Click here for Google Meet Support Link
Click her to access Google Meet for Tech support
Tuesday Night Night
I will read this Tuesday and next Tuesday and then will take a break until January 5th where we will continue reading great stories in 2021!!
Grandview and Kroger
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.
Interested in Cub Scouts
Grandview Sports
In the meantime, check out this great communication piece for our families!!
Important Dates and Upcoming Dates
February
15: President's Day -- No School for ALL students (CVA and Hybrid Remote)
19: Hearing Screening - GSRP, K, 2nd and 4th grade
23: Hearing Screening - GSRP, K, 2nd and 4th grade
25: Board of Education Meeting - Virtual @ 6:30 pm
26: March is Reading Month Kick-off
March
1: Kick of to March is Reading Month
Red Cohort or CVA Students Picture Day
Virtual Spring Book Fair Start
2: Dr. Seuss' Bday
4: Grey Cohort or CVA Students Picture Day
Oakland County Health Department Vision Screening
5: Oakland County Health Department Vision Screening
Virtual Spring Book Fair Ends
CVA Supply Distribution
8: Oakland County Health Department Vision Screening
11: Board of Education Meeting - Virtual @ 6:30 pm
19: Bookmark Contest Deadline
23: Kinder Round-up
24: Virtual Milk and Bookies Event 6-8:00
25: Board of Education Meeting - Virtual @ 6:30 pm
26: End of the 3rd Marking Period
29-April 2nd: Spring Break