The Tiger Times
August/September 2023
From the Principal
Hello Mohawk Families!
Welcome to the 2023-24 school year! I hope you had a wonderful summer. I also hope you are relaxed, recharged and ready to start a new school year. I am so delighted that you are part of our amazing learning community. I welcome and value your positive energy and dedication to excellence in education, and I look forward to working with you and your children.
All signs point to an incredible and productive school year. Our devoted staff has been planning and preparing for your child(ren). Our hard working and conscientious custodians have spent the entire summer thoroughly cleaning the building, and PTO is gearing up to provide volunteer opportunities and offer other exciting events and programs. We are indeed a caring community with the common goals of nurturing responsible, caring students and promoting high-level learning.
Each year brings positive change. This includes a few additions and changes to our staff. We are delighted to welcome Ms. Nicole Rubino-1st Grade, Mrs. Kaitlynn Allman-2nd Grade, Ms. Anna Dabrowski, 5th Grade, Mrs. Lauren, Mrs. Lauren Wehrli-El Teacher, & Mrs. Katherine Braun, Reading Interventionist.
A great deal of time, effort and thought has gone into the process of student placement for the 2023-24 school year. Careful consideration was given from staff and families as well as student learning styles. Classrooms have been balanced academically and socially. Our class lists are structured to provide equitable class sizes at each grade level. Moving students causes imbalances and inequities.
Thank you so much for being positive with your child and helping him or her understand that it is impossible to place all students with a preferred best friend or teacher. ALL of our staff works hard to make school a positive experience for ALL students. Mohawk Elementary is eagerly looking forward to enriching your child’s life. Thank you for understanding that it can take a few weeks for a child to acclimate to a new grade, peer group and teacher.
Thank you to all who are helping prepare for the new school year. Your commitment to ensuring that Mohawk remains a celebrated and successful school is awe-inspiring. I eagerly look forward to greeting students and families again. It remains an honor and privilege to serve as your principal. Please stop by and say hello. Together, I know we will make this school year one of growth and achievement for all children.
Educationally Yours,
Ms. Andrea Verellen
September Caledar
First Day of School 11:50am Dismissal
September 7th
Kindergarten & ECSE Curriculum Night 6-7pm
September 19th
1st PTO Meeting 6:30pm
September 20th
PTO Scoop & Twist 4-9pm
September 27th
Picture Day (Retake Day is 11/3)
October 11th
Tiger Trek
NEW Parking Lot Procedures
NEW School Hours
Student Arrival
Morning music will begin at 8:50am and students will begin entering the building. The school day officially begins at 8:55am. Students arriving after 8:55am will be marked tardy and must be signed in at the office by a parent.
Students dropped off before 8:50am are NOT supervised and must wait outside the building.
Service squad and safeties should not be arriving before 8:45am and will enter through the main doors
Kindergarteners will line up at their classroom's outside door
1st-5th Graders will use the front doors for arrival and dismissal
Parents and guardians are NOT permitted to walk their child(ren) through the building or to class. A staff member is always available to help them get to class if needed.
Dismissal-Full Days (Subject to Change)
- 3:38pm SACC Dismissed
- 3:39pm Busses are Dismissed
- 3:40pm K, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Grade Parent Pick-Up
- 3:41pm 4th & 5th Grade Parent Pick-Up
Half Days (Subject to Change)
- 11:48am SACC Dismissed
- 11:49am Busses are Dismissed
- 11:50am K, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Grade Parent Pick-Up
- 11:51am 4th & 5th Grade Parent Pick-Up
Visiting Mohawk
All visitors including parents/guardians dropping off or picking up children are only permitted to enter the building through the main office doors. Before entry, guests will need to show ID and state the reason for their visit while outside the building.
All visitors and volunteers must sign in and wear a Visitor Badge. Any non-staff member in the building must be here for a specific reason such as volunteer work, PTO, or another approved purpose.
School Aged Child Care (SACC)
SACC is available before school at 6:45am-8:55am and after school until 6:00pm. Please contact our SACC office for any questions you might have 586-723-6233 You must be signed up for SACC to use the service. Register online at https://www.chippewavalleyschools.org/for-parents/sacc/
PARENT PORTAL
Report Cards
Parent Portal Access ID & Password will be given out at Curriculum Night.
Picture Day
Students not purchasing pictures will still be photographed for the yearbook.
Volunteers
FOOD SERVICE
Free Breakfast & Lunch
Michigan School Meals will be the policy for the 2023-2024 School Year. The Michigan government has funded the school meals for Michigan Public School students that are not covered by the Federal Reimbursements. This means all students will eat their breakfast and lunch at no cost. Michigan School Meals is a Michigan initiative however, all USDA guidelines and regulations are still in effect. This includes filling out a Free and Reduced School Meals application.
While the Free and Reduced forms help with student eligibility for school meals, they are more important for other school programs. If the number of Free and Reduced applications decline, funding for some programs can be lost since the overall funding for schools is based on the number of Free and Reduced forms turned back into Food Service.
Breakfast Changes
Lunch Doubles
MOHAWK POLICIES
TRANSPORTATION
InfoFinder
StopFinder App
SCHOOL AGED CHILD CARE (SACC)
PTO EVENTS
Executive Board Members 2023-24
President-Katie Ruszala
Vice President-Katie Fohey
Treasurer-Michelle Schmidberger
Co-Treasurer-Marie Laskowski
Secretary-Jill Talent
Co-Room Parent Coordinators-Ashleigh Balsamo & Cortney Hanna
Co-Social Committee Chairs-Ashley Fruciano & Nicole Milam
Publicity-Stephanie Burkhart
Historian-Julie Hasse
Contact
PTO Website
PTO Facebook Page
September 19, 2023
PTO Meetings
Meetings will take place in the media center at 7:00pm
Tues., November 28th
Tues., January 16th
Tues., February 6th
Tues., March 19th
Tues., April 23rd
Tues., May 14th
SAVE THE DATE!
DISTICT ACTIVITIES
Mohawk Jobs Available
- 2 lunch monitor positions 10:45am-1:35pm
- 2 crossing guards, 8:20-9:20am & 3:20-4:20pm
- Aides for our School Aged Child Care Program (SACC) 6:45-8:55am and /or 3:39-6:00pm
September Calendar
First Day of School 11:50am Dismissal
September 15th
Kindergarten Curriculum Night 6-7pm
September 19th
PTO Meeting 6:30pm
September 27th
Picture Day
October 11th
Tiger Trek