Pleasant Lake Pleasantries
December 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
Parent Teacher Conferences Sign Up Reminder
A friendly reminder that you can currently schedule a conference time with your child’s teacher through Skyward Family Access. Student Led Portfolio Conferences are on Thursday, December 12th. December 12th is also a ½ day of school with an 11:25 a.m. dismissal.
Below are some helpful resources to assist with signing up for a conference:
- Click HERE for a quick video tutorial on how to sign up online for a conference.
- Click HERE if you need more information about Skyward Family Access.
You will be able to sign up for a conference and change your conference time if you need to on your own. Conference sign up closes on Friday, December 6th at 2:00 p.m.
Students in 2nd-5th grade are asked to attend Student Led Portfolio Conferences with you so they can show you their Leadership Notebook. The process will be similar to previous years with Kindergartners and 1st graders not participating in Student Led Portfolio Conferences.
On December 12th, our Kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms will be holding a Parent Teacher Conference. Your child’s Kindergarten and 1st grade teacher will provide you with a separate date for your Student Led Portfolio Conference.
Our wonderful Music, Media Center, Physical Education and Art Teachers are also available to meet with you but are not listed on your Skyward Family Access Account. Please contact them directly to schedule a time. Below you will find their contact information and the grade levels they teach.
Mr. Dan Bowyer DanielBowyer@wlcsd.org
1st Grade through 5th Grade Music Teacher
Mrs. Cassandra Boyd CassandraBoyd@wlcsd.org
Kindergarten Music Teacher
Mr. Jason Apostolopoulos JasonApostolopoulos@wlcsd.org
Kindergarten through 5th Grade Physical Education Teacher
Mrs. Lisa Eiland LisaEiland@wlcs.org
Kindergarten and 1st Grade Physical Education Teacher
Mrs. Hinterman AnnHinterman@wlcsd.org
Kindergarten through 5th Grade Media Center Specialist
Ms. Anna Bitzinger AnnaBitzinger@wlcsd.org
Kindergarten through 5th Grade Art Teacher
Please note that your child will have a Leadership Notebook to show you during your conference with their classroom teacher only.
A friendly reminder that there will be NO SCHOOL on Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th. School will resume on Monday, December 2nd.
Congratulations to our First LEGO Robotics Teams!
The Pleasant Lake Elementary First LEGO League (FLL) Lake Hammerheads and Lake RoboSharks teams swam their way to three trophies at the Hartland Electro Eagle LEGO Extravaganza regional tournament which included 24 teams. The Lake RoboSharks won awards for Best Robot Code Design and Best Robot Performance while the Lake Hammerheads scored the overall Tournament Championship and will be going to the state tournament in Mason, MI on Dec. 7th. This was the first year that Pleasant Lake Elementary has competed in the FLL. The Lake Hammerheads include Akari Tanaka, Evan Tringaj, Ian Nakanishi, Jacob Garmo, Maya Paulus, Nathan Lorzeille, and Shealyn Gilbert while the Lake RoboSharks include Angelina Abdulnour, Case Lang, Erik Sousley, Johnathon Matthews, Josh Cooper, and Zayd Mohamed. These fourth and fifth grade students also proposed projects to enhance the school grounds as part of the FLL City Shaper theme.
Thank you to the following parent volunteers and student mentors for the time and effort they dedicated to the Lake Hammerheads and Lake RoboSharks!
Jeff Sousley
Sari Vlahakis
Scott Gilbert
Heather O'Brien
Grace Gilbert
Peter Sousley
The Fall Scholastic Book Fair is Coming Soon! December 6th-13th!
Visit the Book Fair Homepage to learn more about Book Fair hours, shopping online from home, and using the eWallet option!
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/gosharks
We need Book Fair Volunteers! Volunteers will receive 20% off purchases for their family. Sign up here to volunteer:
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
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
Congratulations Ms. Amanda Gordon, Pleasant Lake Elementary Teacher of the Year!
Congratulations 3rd Grade Teacher Ms. Amanda Gordon for being nominated and named our Pleasant Lake Elementary Teacher of the Year for the 2019-2020 school year!
Ms. Gordon will be honored at our Thursday, January 9th. Board of Education Meeting along with all other teachers from around the District. All families and staff are invited to attend at 7:00 p.m.
Thank you Ms. Gordon to your hard work and dedication to the Pleasant Lake Elementary School Community!
Express Yourself Student Projects!
We are encouraging all students to consider completing an EXPRESS YOURSELF STUDENT PROJECT this year.
Hard copies of the entry forms went home with your child and can be turned into your child's teacher or the main office. Additional copies of the form can be found in the main office or at the link below.
Who?
The students of Walled Lake Schools.
What?
Speech, essay, picture, poem, drawing, video, or any other way you choose to express yourself.
How?
Express the theme, Look Within: “Be the Change You Wish To See in the World” in your own unique way. There are lots of possibilities for creating a project. It can be a piece of writing, music, art, or other visual that shows how you want to make a positive change and/or impact in the world.
Fill out an entry form.
Why?
We are looking for entries for our annual Walled Lake Schools MLK Day Celebration on Monday, January 20, 2020.
Selected entries will be presented on stage that evening.
When?
Turn in your entry to your school’s office by Friday, December 6, 2019.
Details
Our keynote speaker at the MLK Celebration is Dr. Jay Marks. Jay B. Marks, Ph.D. is a widely-respected educator who has been in education since 1991. He is highly sought after for his work in the areas of Social Justice, Cultural Competence, Courageous Conversations about Race, Culturally Responsive Teaching, Educating African American Males, Student Engagement, and Differentiated Instruction. In addition to his professional work in the field of education, he has been mentoring youth since 1989, and has started several mentoring programs in the Metropolitan Detroit Area as a result of his experiences.
Anchors Away Help Needed
Please be sure to contact our main office if you need an additional car sign number and be patient as it may take our main office a few days to create the car sign numbers.
Be sure to review the Emergency Contact section in your child's Skyward Family Access Account and add the appropriate family members and/or close friends that we have permission to contact and that can pick up your child from school.
Thank you in advance for your support with ensuring we have a safe and efficient dismissal process for ALL children.
Nayal Maktari
Welcome to Pleasant Lake Elementary!
Warmest greetings. My name is Cheryl Goodwin LMSW and I am a recently (January 2019) retired WL Schools Social Worker. My last 12 years in the district were spent at the elementary level (Hickory Woods Elementary, Walled Lake Elementary, and Wixom Elementary). I have worked in all 4 middle schools, the 3rd-5th and 6th-8th grade Emotionally Impaired classrooms and I have worked at both Walled Lake Central and Walled Lake Western High Schools. I believe my experience in the district and the elementary level in particular will help me transition to Pleasant Lake Elementary.
If your child is currently receiving social work services, Ms. Sarah Fogler, the current social worker has provided me information and introductions and we are working together to help your child with the change.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about your child. My email is cherylgoodwin@wlcsd.org or you can contact me at school by phone. I will be in the building on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Winter/Recess Wear Guidelines
Please take a moment review the Winter/Recess Wear Guidelines below. Please make sure your child(ren) is dressed appropriately to go outdoors for recess and provide them with waterproof gloves instead of cloth gloves.
It is the practice of the Walled Lake Elementary Schools to have children go outdoors for recess when the "feel like" temperature is above zero degrees.
Feel free contact us at 248.956.2800 if you have any questions. Thank you.
Lost and Found
Be sure to check into the main office prior to going to our Lost and Found.
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.
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
Staff Book Study
Consider purchasing the book. As a parent myself, I've found the book to be very helpful and insightful.
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 December 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!
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'.