Avondale Little Jackets
Early Learning Centers at Auburn & Woodland Elementary
Welcome to our Little Jacket Newsletter! This is the space where I will communicate things that are for the whole program. Any District information that is pertinent to us will also appear here. Whenever this newsletter is updated, I will email the link out.
February 24, 2023
Dear Early Learning Center Families,
Our enrollment for both Summer Camp and School Year 2023 are now open! Since you are a current family, you DO NOT need to complete another pre-enrollment for your currently enrolled student. Please email me to inform me that you wish to move forward with enrollment for Summer 2023 and/or Fall 2023 School Year. If you have younger children who are not yet enrolled, but you want to enroll, you will need to do a pre-enrollment for them. Our Summer Camp and classrooms for the Fall 2023 school year are filling up, so be sure to get your Summer Camp and Fall enrollment information to me as soon as possible.
Avondale School of Choice window is now open! The window will be February 22 through March 23, 2023. If you do not reside within the Avondale School District, you MUST apply for School of Choice. Even if you have a student already enrolled at Avondale but do not reside within the Avondale School District, you MUST apply for the student who is NOT already attending TK-12.
NEXT THURSDAY - Kindergarten Roundup - March 2nd at 6:00pm
The district is hosting a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten Roundup information night at all Avondale Elementary Schools on Thursday, March 2nd at 6:00 pm. Avondale School District residents should attend the Elementary school that you are assigned to based on where you live. If you are a School of Choice family, you may choose to attend any of the Round Ups, however, it does not mean that you will be placed there if your student is accepted into the District.
For future reference, as this process has not yet begun: If you reside within the Avondale School District lines and are going to enroll your ELC student in TK or Kindergarten for Fall 2023, you DO NOT need to re-do the pre-enrollment process for Kindergarten. Instead, you will need to contact Leta Brennan at leta.brennan@avondaleschools.org to see what else she needs to complete your student's enrollment for TK or Kindergarten. Once this process begins, I will let you know to contact her at that time.
Enjoy your weekend!
Tiffany Mellado
Director of Early Learning and Child Care Services
February/March
February 22 - March 23 - Avondale School of Choice Window is Open
2 - Kindergarten Round Up 6:00pm
16 - Early Dismissal Preschool-12th
24 - Half Day
27-31 - No School: Spring Break
February/March
February
13 - Austin G., Tabitha F.
15 - Brianna P.
16 - Jaiden T.
20 - Dash D.
21 - Cameron G., Camilla P.
March
2 - Matthew P., William P.
4 - Jerry B., Aahan S.
7 - Daniel J.
16 - Judah S.
28 - Presley C.
Early Learning Center 2022-2023 Calendar
Breakfast and Lunch
We have been notified that the funding provided by the federal government during the pandemic for all students to receive free school meals is not available for the 2022-23 school year. There will still be funding for meals for those students who qualify for free or reduced meals using the Free or Reduced Meals Application. If you wish your student to receive free or reduced meals at school, you must apply at this link https://avondale.familyportal.cloud/. Once you have opened the page, click the “Apply For Benefits" button and follow the steps.
We are also transitioning from MiStar Parent Portal to Meal Magic Family Portal for all food service-related management including viewing your student’s meal purchases and making deposits into their meal account. Set up your student’s Meal Magic account and learn more at https://avondale.familyportal.cloud/. Note that if your student had an unspent balance in their MiStar meal account, that amount will be carried over into the new Meal Magic system.
Learn more about these changes to our food services here.
An additional note regarding Avondale Food Services is a reminder of the importance of sharing any allergies that your student may have with our Food Service Department. If your student has any food allergies, please fill out the form here and email it to megan.haase@avondaleschools.org.
There are 3 lunch choices this year. Students must pay for lunch($1.50 breakfast, $2.85 lunch, $5.10 for adults), unless they are on free/reduced lunch. Money can be added onto Meal Magic (we've been sending info home) with a credit card ($2.85 charge per $100 if credit card is used, free if connected to bank).
Any Questions Regarding Food Service:
Megan Haase
Director of Food & Nutrition
Avondale School District
O.248.537.6290 C. 248.841.3744
megan.haase@avondaleschools.org
Family Fun Ideas!
Blessings In A Backpack
Dear Parents and Legal Guardians:
Considering the tough economic times and the rising food costs facing our area, we are attempting to help Avondale families by making sure all our children have enough food. “Blessings in a Backpack” is a program designed to provide students on the free and reduced lunch program with enough food for three meals a day during the weekends. This program is a community-based program sponsored by Blessings in a Backpack-Michigan, Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, the Meijer Corporation, the Avondale Community and will continue for children attending schools in the Avondale School District.
If you agree to take part in this program, during the school year, your child will receive a bag filled with purchased food for the weekend. Bags will be dispensed in a discreet and caring manner. The simple meals may include food like macaroni and cheese, beef ravioli, canned chicken, canned tuna, granola bars, peanut butter, soups, fruit, and other items. For you there is no cost associated with this program.
To ensure, as to the best of our ability, to provide for a safe packing environment all volunteers will follow the guidelines established by the Avondale School District. All food will be sent home in disposable plastic bags.
If you would like to have your child participate in this program, fill out the form below and submit it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. If you have more than one child attending the school, list the names of all children in this school.
Please be sure to indicate on the form if your child has any food allergies. If your child has a food allergy, you as the parent are responsible for checking all food labels when the food arrives home. Avondale School District as well as Blessings in a Backpack-Michigan, Community Foundation of Greater Rochester and Meijer will not be held responsible for any accidental food allergen exposure.
Sign your child(ren) up to receive Blessings in a Backpack online at:
A Few Important Reminders
- Our tuition-based program opens at 7:00a and closes at 6:00p. All students should be at school by 8:30a, as that is when the day begins. Half day students must be picked up by 12:00pm.
- Your child MUST be signed in and out via Procare by the person dropping off and picking up. If you are listed as a parent/legal guardian, you have a unique pin to use once you scan the QR code in the vestibule. If the person dropping off and/or picking up is not a parent/legal guardian, but is on the emergency card, they can sign the student in/out on the paper sheet and the staff will reference that sheet to complete the Procare sign in/out.
- Pick up and Drop off is not an appropriate time to discuss your student's day due to the lack of privacy and our licensing ratios within the classrooms. Please utilize Procare and/or the teachers email addresses to inquire about your student's day.
- Below there is information about the Breakfast and Lunch program. You will be responsible for informing your child's teacher at drop off whether or not they will be getting school provided meals each day. Your child's teacher will assume that you have provided your child with breakfast, lunch, (and an afternoon snack, if full day) if you had not said otherwise.
- If there is an emergency and you need to speak to the classroom teacher, please call the classroom directly. The staff are instructed to not be on their phones during the day, therefore, they will not be checking Procare constantly. They will be able to check Procare prior to student's arriving, sometimes at rest time, and at the end of their shift. Auburn 3s - 248.537.6547, Auburn 4s - 248.537.6549, Woodland 3s - 248.537.6953, Woodland 4s - 248.537.6954
- The teaching teams will be sending photos of students 1x/week, at minimum. There will be a classroom newsletter 1x/month, at minimum. I send this Little Jackets newsletter weekly, so please be sure to read through it, as it contains important and up to date information.
Procare
We will use Procare for billing, messaging, and sign in/out via a QR code. You will need to bring your phone to the door with you when you bring your child into school. You should have already received a notification from Procare via email and/or text message. Please download the app on your phone. If you are currently enrolled in Summer Camp, I cannot add your child to their Fall 2022 classroom until after August 5th.
The Hive
Tuition Based Classrooms: Supply List
Family Resources and Support Package
Avondale Family Resource and Support Package
The Avondale Family Resource and Support Package has been created to support families, students, and staff during times of need. This is a document that continues to be updated based on resources available. Please review supports and use as needed. Families in need of any of our Avondale Support Team members may also connect with us by email or phone.
LOTE Online for Kids
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
Contact Us
Jessica Hamer
248.537.6503
jessica.hamer@avondaleschools.org
Email: tiffany.mellado@avondaleschools.org
Website: http://www.avondaleschools.org/early-childhood
Location: 2940 Waukegan Street, Auburn Hills, MI, USA
Phone: 248-537-6049
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvondaleEarlyLearningCenters/?view_public_for=101511061490788