Hawk Weekly
March 7th-11th
Havel Elementary
Our mission is to educate students, promote life long learning and encourage students to become productive citizens within a positive and safe learning environment.
Email: kristina.tepper@uticak12.org
Website: havel.uticak12.org
Location: 41855 Schoenherr Road, Sterling Heights, MI, USA
Phone: 586 7975200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HavelElementary/
It is hard to believe that the end of the third marking period is drawing near. The marking period ends on Friday, April 1st, and a report card link will be emailed shortly afterwards to all those with a PowerSchool account. I am very proud of the staff and students here at Havel Elementary; everyone has been working very hard to be successful, and it is WONDERFUL to be together!
This year, the MSTEP tests will take place following Spring Break, and may be taken through the end of May via a school schedule. Tests are planned for students in grades 3 through 6 following Spring Break and running through May. If your child is in grades 3-6, look for a letter coming home closer to their specific test dates, or reach out to your child's teacher for more information and testing dates.
Also, don’t forget that we start our Spring Break with a half day of school on Friday, April 1st. There is no school scheduled from Monday, April 4 – Friday, April 8. School resumes on Monday, April 11, 2022.
Keep Warm! Spring is just around the corner!
Mrs. Tepper
Welcome Back Volunteers
To enter Havel during the school day, you must come through our main entrance. (Door #1). Visitors and volunteers should press the intercom button and show photo identification when prompted. Classroom volunteers must be preregistered with their classroom teacher, will sign in, and receive a visitor’s badge to be admitted into the building through the interior security doors.
Please remember that our school is a closed campus and use of the playground and equipment is not permitted when school is in session.
Dates To Know
March-
7th- Snapchat Filter Spirit Day- Wear puppy ears, googly eyes, or other snapchat filter items today!
9th- Jog Into Reading- Wear Athletic Apparel Today
10th- Yearbook Group Photos Day
11th- Flashlight Friday- Bring a flashlight for our "drop everything and read" activity for March is Reading Month
14th- Wild About Reading- Wear Animal Print
16th- Hat Day
17th- Wear Green
18th- Flashlight Friday- Bring a flashlight for our "drop everything and read" activity for March is Reading Month
21st- Wear your favorite spring color
25th- Flashlight Friday- Bring a flashlight for our "drop everything and read" activity for March is Reading Month
28th- Reading "jean"ous- wear jeans
30th- Time travel day- Dress up from a different decade today!
April
1st- 1/2 Day- 12:20 Dismissal
April4th-8th- Spring Break
Today, March 4th, is National Day for Unplugging! Time to turn the screens off and take some time to read, play a game, draw a picture, or anything else your imagination can come up with! Have someone take your picture and you can post it to Facebook or send an email/message to me (Mrs. Reynolds)! But don't do it until tomorrow because you should be unplugged tonight 😉
email me at: nicole.reynolds@uticak12.org
Schoology: find me by typing in Nicole Reynolds
Accelerate UCS Parent Survey
Utica Community Schools is engaged in strategic planning as part of a process of continuous improvement. Through AccelerateUCS!, Utica Community Schools will create a defined number of achievable goals, supported by action steps, to deliver high-quality experiences for students.
Your voice is essential to this process. We are asking all UCS parents/guardians to complete a survey about current district performance in the areas of teaching and learning, district culture, district leadership, resources, and operations. You will also be asked to identify priorities the district should focus on in these same areas. Your feedback will contribute to the development of the strategic plan for the district. The survey was emailed to all families on Thursday, March 3.
You Lost It.. We Found It!!!!
Career Focus Sponsors Needed- Please Read Below :)
STUDENT HANDBOOK GUIDELINES FOR CELL PHONES AND ECD'S:
Please Review Transportation Guidelines With Your Bus Rider
Bus Guidelines:
• Obey the bus driver, show respect to the bus driver and fellow
passengers
• Remain seated at all times and keep all parts of the body inside the seating
area.
• Eating, drinking and gum chewing are not allowed
• Hold all carry-on items, such as backpacks, musical instruments, etc.
in your lap
• Board and exit the bus in an orderly manner at assigned bus stop
• Name calling, vulgarity, profanity, abusive or derogatory comments
or gestures, bullying, harassment, hate speech or threats of violence are
prohibited
• Use of electronic communication devices, (cell phones, cameras and
pagers) is not permitted
• There are no preferential seat assignments, although bus driver or
administrator may assign seats
• Only students eligible for transportation may ride home with another
student. The students must have a permission note from both sets
of parents and signed by the principal. Seating space is reserved for
assigned riders.
Call the UCS Transportation Department at 586.797.7100 with busing
questions or comments
CHECK OUT THIS VIRTUAL READING MONTH OPPORTUNITY!
Drive The Future!
Healthy Heart Challenge
Hello Parents and Guardians and Happy Heart Health Awareness Month!
Attached is a note about the Kids Heart Challenge, a fundraiser for the American Heart Association that we are currently participating in here at Havel. I am thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity to our community again!
All donations go directly towards the American Heart Association, a national organization dedicated to building healthier lives through education and research.
We will be collecting donations until March 11th.
If you would like to participate, there are THREE easy ways!
- Sign up Online (see attachment)
- Sign up through the Kids Heart Challenge App (see attachment)
- Send a donation of a check or money order in to the school made out to the American Heart Association.
Thank you so very much for your consideration in helping support this very important cause!
Mrs. Langlois
Elementary Physical Education Teacher
Homework Club
Free Tutoring
Virtual Academy News
Parking Lot Reminders
Here at Havel we take the safety of all of our students and families very seriously, so I am writing to you today to ask you to please be mindful of the parking lot rules and etiquette. Dismissal time is often rushed as we have places to go and things to do, but none of that should be more important than ensuring that everyone is able to make it home safely.
- Please ONLY PARK IN A PARKING SPOT, do not park in an un-designated parking spot. This includes the back (or any part) of the bus lane and to the right or left of the parking lines. Daily we have parents blocking the flow of traffic and causing more congestion than necessary. This has the potential to cause accidents or for tempers to flare. I have tried to help by putting cones up as a reminder and they are driven over or completely disregarded.
- Once the busses begin to leave the parking lot DO NOT CUT THEM OFF!! Allow the busses to exit on to Schoenherr before you continue on your way.
- For their safety, children ARE NOT ALLOWED to walk unsupervised into the parking lot to find your car.
Drop Off/Pick Up Lane
- If traffic is stopped, please do not block the crosswalk
- As soon as there is a stop in the flow/movement of cars and you are by the sidewalk near the gym, please have your child exit the car and not wait until they get to the loop by the 4th grade classrooms.
- For your child's safety they should exit the vehicle on the passenger side of your vehicle and not the drivers side. (which is into traffic)
- Please have your child ready to go so that when you stop they have all their belongings ready and can hop right out to start their day.
In order to help elevate the congestion, and hopefully make pick up a little smoother for everyone, I am offering a few suggestions:
1. If you pick your child up, consider parking in the subdivision next door or across the street and walk over.
2. If your child is eligible for a bus, have them take the bus regularly.
3. If you are a school of choice family or a non-bussing family with students in 3rd-6th grade, I am offering you the opportunity to pick up your child at 4:15. We will have them wait on the playground (weather permitting) or in the lobby until they see your car. You can pull up to the bus lane (all the busses will be gone) and they can walk directly to your car. You won't have to get out, or get here early to get a parking spot. If this is something that you are interested in, please email me so we can make arrangements. Please note this is for families who are not eligible for bus service.
Check Out The Link Below To Nominate A UCS Champion
2022 Kindergarten Open House
Passcode: q8rJ9i
Attendance Policy
Your child will be excused from class for illness, bereavement, recognized religious holidays and medical or dental treatment that cannot be scheduled after school or on weekends.
Your child is responsible for makeup work.
Homework requests may be made for an absence of two or more days in the case of both excused and pre-excused absences.
Homework requests require 24 hours to process.
VACATION POLICY
Absence for family travel during scheduled school days is discouraged.
However, should family travel be necessary, parents must submit a written request to the teacher for a pre-excused absence at least one week in advance.
Arrangements to complete classroom assignments can be made with the teacher.
You can arrange for home study through the school principal should your child be absent from school for an extended period due to physical disability or illness.
LATE ARRIVAL
If a student arrives late to school, the parent must accompany the student into the office, and the student must be signed in before he or she can go to class.
Truancy officials will be contacted in the event of a student having excessive tardies or absences.
Change In Macomb County Quarantine Guidelines
Dear UCS Community,
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Utica Community Schools has worked closely with the Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) and its expert guidance in the development of health and safety protocols. This week, the MCHD has revised its guidance for how schools should approach the isolation and quarantine of students and staff for in-school exposure. The most important pieces have remained the same:
- Keep those who are sick home
- Staff/families must report positive COVID-19 cases and isolation/quarantine remains at five days
- The district will notify families of positive cases in school buildings
- Cases will continue to be reported on the district’s COVID-19 Dashboard
PROTOCOL CHANGE
The Macomb County Health Department has adjusted its contact tracing and school-based case notification from individual to entire classroom. No longer will individuals be identified as close contacts. Instead, the entire class where a positive case was reported will be notified of the potential exposure.
- All students and staff in the impacted classroom should monitor for symptoms.
- Those who have or develop symptoms should isolate/quarantine and test for COVID-19.
- Others may quarantine individually but are not required to unless symptoms develop.
These changes follow CDC guidance and will support our commitment to ensure healthy students who do not have symptoms remain in school. They will also help with staffing issues and the significant amount of resources being spent in schools on individual contact tracing. The continued daily contact tracing has moved the focus of our staff from other critical work, including supporting students’ social/emotional needs, school safety measures, staff development and educational leadership of our schools. We need our education professionals focused on the education and well-being of our students and staff.
The countywide protocol changes will become effective on Friday, January 21. Staff and students currently quarantined due to in-school exposure or are on day 6 or later of a COVID-19 illness and have significantly improved symptoms, can return to school on Monday, January 24. The MCHD website reflects the new protocols.
Your partnership remains critical. Our communities should continue to self-screen every morning and students that do not feel well should remain at home. In addition, I encourage you to take advantage of a federal program that provides up to four free COVID-19 testing kits to families.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,Robert S. Monroe