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Rocky's Review
April 14, 2023
A Note From Mrs. V.
Hello Forest Families,
What a gorgeous week! We jumped from winter right into summer🙂 I hope everyone has enjoyed the sunshine, warmer temperatures and longer hours of daylight after school.
Just a couple of quick notes:
- There are many roads around Forest now under construction. Oak Valley Drive, the road right in front of the building, is one of these currently torn up. We have been asked by the road crews to ask parents not to park on this road during arrival or dismissal.
- As a school leader, it is important for me to receive feedback and reflect on my practice. Parental feedback is key in this process. Please take time to complete the Parent Feedback Form. I appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey.
- Earth Day donations can be dropped off at school Monday-Wednesday next week. If you'd like to donate to our school-wide Earth Day Project, you can find the Sign-up Genius HERE
- On May 5th we will be holding our Kindergarten Orientation for our incoming kindergartners. There will be No School for our kindergarten students on May 5th so our teachers can welcome our new students.
- If you have a new kindergartener coming to Forest next year, please see the Kindergarten Orientation flyer attached below.
Wishing everyone who will be celebrating Orthodox Easter this Sunday a wonderful time with your families.
Have a wonderful Forest weekend!
Mrs. V.
WE WANT YOUR PLASTIC TRASH!
⭐Forest Rock Stars⭐
5th Grade Can Drive
The Forest Elementary 5th Graders will be having a returnable can & bottle drive May 10th and 11th.
Please save your bottles & cans to donate! Thank you!
LOC Credit Union
Bounce into saving at the Forest Student-Run Credit Union on Wednesday, April 19th! Student members who make a deposit will receive a bouncy ball! It’s not too late to become a member…visit LOC Credit Union at Forest for more information. Also, student entrepreneurs (3rd – 5th grade): Don’t forget to apply for a chance to win a spot at the Farmington Farmers’ Market this summer selling a product designed by you! Entries are due by Friday, April 21st! https://bit.ly/3LfVThH
PTA Flower Sale
The Forest Flower Sale is NOW ONLINE.
You can now visit the Forest Elementary PTA Store and submit your spring flower order with the click of a few buttons.
- Orders Due: Monday April 17, 2023
- Orders Delivered on: Thursday May 11, 2023
You can pick up your orders in the front of the building by the main office between 1:00-3:00pm and after 3:45pm when the busses and car riders have cleared the parking lot.
If you have any questions please contact Erin Samouelian at 248-982-1376.
SEL Corner
Our SEL trait of the month is friendship. Learning how to make and be a friend, and then how to navigate friendships can be a challenge. Each classroom has been putting an extra focus on friendship this month as we help our students develop these skills. While we sometimes hold the belief that children should know automatically how to maintain friendships, it is actually something that needs to be taught, reinforced and encouraged as children grow and build their self-awareness. Take time to talk to your child about their friends and how they fit in with their groups of friends. As children grow they often begin to use their friendships as social currency. It is important to help support friendships that bring out the best in each other.
Camp Invention
What is Camp Invention?
https://www.invent.org/programs/camp-invention
Who: Curious kids entering grades K-6.
What: A confidence-boosting STEM summer camp where kids build creative inventions and lasting friendships. Led by qualified local educators, our camps offer new and exciting hands-on activities every year.
Where: Gill Elementary
When: Monday, June 19th - Friday, June 23rd from 9:00am-3:30pm
How Much: Pricing for this week-long STEM summer camp, complete with take-home materials and limitless inspiration, is $260.
Why Camp Invention: To help your child grow their confidence, build problem-solving skills, discover innovative role models and more!
PTA Refelctions
Last week, 1st grader Korbin Sasina was left off our list of Reflection participants and winners. Korbin's entery "A Fall Landscape", took 1st place for his age group. Congratulation Korbin!
Autism Acceptance Month
During the month of April we will be promoting “Autism Acceptance” month by providing opportunities for all students to become informed through lessons and activities, as well as a school wide parade that will take place on April 28th. To show our Autism Acceptance pride, we will have several Spirit Days throughout the month.
April 21: Wear Tie-dye or Rainbow, or your Autism Acceptance t-shirt
April 28: Autism Acceptance Parade-9:00-10:00am (Wear your Autism Acceptance t-shirt)
Attention: Farmington Student Entrepreneurs! Want to win a spot for a day at the Farmington Farmers' Market this summer? If you're a student in Farmington or Farmington Hills, in third through twelfth grade, and have a product to sell, click the link below and tell us about it! Three student entrepreneurs will win a chance to put their product skills to the test and be granted a table spot this summer at the Farmington Farmers’ Market courtesy of LOC Credit Union. All entries for consideration are due by Friday, April 21st at 5pm! https://bit.ly/3LfVThH
Multicultural Celebration
Travel to 14 countries: Pakistan, Iraq, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Colombia, Japan, Ukraine, Serbia, Sicily, India, Italy, Iran and Cuba
On April 27th anytime between 6:30-8:00 - Enter through the cafeteria door.
Students with a completed passport can enter to win a 40” Inflatable Globe. The drawing will be at 8:00PM but you need not be present to win.
5th Grade Parent Meeting at Warner Middle School
The middle schools are excited to welcome all parents of current 5th graders to our 6th Grade Parent Orientations. At orientation, parents will hear from the administration and will have a chance to ask questions about middle school. You may hear from some of the current middle school students as well! This is an adults-only event. The dates for each orientation are below and differ depending on which school your child will attend.
East Middle School - April 19, 6:30 pm, East Cafeteria
Warner Middle School - April 19, 6:30 pm, Warner Cafeteria
FPS Kick-off to Kindergarten Registration has Started
Calling all incoming kindergarteners! Kick off to Kindergarten is here and It is time to register your child(ren) for the 2023-2024 school year. Farmington Public Schools provides full-day Kindergarten for its families. Children who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2023 are elibigble to enroll.
Kindergarten registration can occur at any time prior to the new school year, however, it is best for parents to register their child(ren) as early as possible to guarantee placement at their home school. If you are unsure of your home school, please enter your street name into the Street Guide on our website at www.farmington.k12.mi.us/street-guide.
Parents need to register their child(ren) for Kindergarten utilizing the Pre-Enrollment module on the District’s website at bit.ly/FPSEnroll. To register online, parents will need a driver’s license and proof of residency, such as a warranty deed, current property tax statement or lease/rental agreement with occupancy date including a list of all occupants, and any two of the following items: current gas, electric, telephone, or cable bill. Water bills do not meet the accepted criteria. Other required documentation needed is the child’s birth certificate, immunization record, and a health physical form.
If you wish to enroll your child in Kindergarten, your child must be at least five years of age by SEPTEMBER 1. The birth date cut-off for a child to begin Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year is September 1, 2018.
Kindergarten Orientation Day will be held on Friday, May 5, 2023. Details about Orientation Day will be shared with families closer to May 5.
To learn more about Farmington Public Schools, visit www.farmington.k12.mi.us.
FPS to offer limited Young 5s Program for the 2023-2024 school year
Farmington Public Schools will be offering Young 5s programming for our youngest learners for the 2023-2024 school year at two schools in the District. No transportation will be available for this program.
This free, full-day program may be a great option for families with Kindergarten-eligible students (turning 5 by December 1, 2023) who were born between June 1 - December 1, 2018 looking for an option that provides extra time for their child to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Young 5s provides an additional choice for families in addition to our excellent Kindergarten experience at our elementary schools.
Students in Young 5s will have a full day experience with access to all programming available to K-5 students (lunch, recess, specials, school aged care, etc.)
If you feel that this might be a good fit for your child, please complete the Interest Form at https://bit.ly/Young5sInterestform to provide additional information regarding your interest in your child participating in the Young 5s experience. After you fill out the form, you will be contacted with more information about the program. Those interested are asked to continue to enroll their child for Kindergarten in their home school.
Please contact Dr. Kelly Coffin, Assistant Superintendent of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives, at kelly.coffin@fpsk12.net for any questions about the program.
To learn more about Farmington Public Schools, visit www.farmington.k12.mi.us.
FPS Elementary Math Acceleration Process
Farmington Public Schools has a process for identifying students for placement in accelerated math content and instruction for grades third through fifth. District teachers have developed a process that we believe will be in the best interest of our students. Students are identified based on their Winter NWEA math score. These students are asked to take a screener test that covers the content for the next grade level. If students pass this score with an 80% or higher and receive teacher approval, then the child is recommended to skip a grade level content in math for the next school year.
Students who meet the NWEA requirement received an email to take a math acceleration screener assessment to qualify for accelerated math (a grade level higher than the grade they will enter in the fall of 2023). Acceleration math screener will be administered to all eligible 3rd-5th grade students by May 19th. Parents are notified by letter that their child has been approved or not approved for accelerated math by June 9th.
Parents of students who were not initially identified to take the math screener through their NWEA score can appeal to the building principal for further consideration for accelerated math placement. Parents can request a child take the screener if he or she did not meet the NWEA criteria. Parents should notify the building principal if they wish to appeal the NWEA score and have their child take the accelerated screener. Placement is still contingent on students meeting the established criteria for accelerated math. This request needs to be made prior to April 7th.
If you have any further questions about how accelerated math will be handled, please contact Mrs. Vechazone.
👕Forest's Fancy Finds🧦
If you're missing some items from your child's closet, please click on the link below to see the items we currently have in our lost and found.
Spirit Wear
Do you have your purple shirt for our District-wide "Purple Out" the first Friday of each month? If not, check out the purple tie-dye shirt we have for sale in our Spirit Wear Store. Please click the button below to order!
Upcoming Important Events
April
- 18: MSTEP Testing Begins for 5th Grade
- 19: LOC Day
- 21: Autism Acceptance @ Forest-Wear tie-dye or rainbow, or your Autism Acceptance t-shirt
- 28: Autism Acceptance Parade through neighborhood-Wear your Autism Acceptance t-shirt (9:00-10:00am)
- 28: School Store
Forest Elementary School
Email: robin.vechazone@fpsk12.net
Website: https://www.farmington.k12.mi.us/for
Twitter: @ForestElem
Location: 34545 Old Timber Road, Farmington Hills, MI, USA
Phone: 248-785-2068