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Winchester Weekly
August 25th Back-to-School Edition
Winchester Purpose & Mission
Winchester is a Leader in Me school with a common purpose to inspire students to be critical thinkers and problem-solvers who demonstrate responsibility for themselves and respect for others.
Learning together, Leading forever!
The first day of school is Tuesday, September 5th. First bell rings at 8:41 AM and school starts at 8:46 AM. Drop off begins at 8:35 AM. Students will be allowed to enter the building at 8:41 AM each morning. The school day ends at 3:45 PM.
Upcoming Dates
August 25:
~Teacher Assignments available in MiStar 4:00 PM
August 29 - August 31:
~ Medication Drop Off Dates
(see times below)
August 30:
~ New Family Orientation 5:30-6:00 PM
~ Open House - Kindergarten - 5th Grade 6:00-7:00 PM
September 5:
~ First Day of School - Full Day of school 8:46 PM - 3:45 PM
~ Annual Online Registration Due
September 12:
~ First PTA Meeting/Welcome Back 7:00 PM
🍃🏵 🍃🏵 🍃🏵 🍃🏵
Important Events
Back to School Open House
Open House 6:00-7:00 PM
The purpose of these events is to welcome students and families into the building. Classroom visits are informal. The New Family Orientation will include a brief presentation as well as time for questions. If you are not attending the New Family Orientation you are welcome to come anytime between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM to meet your child's teacher and see the classroom. We can't wait to see you!
Wednesday, Aug 30, 2023, 06:00 PM
Winchester Elementary School, Winchester Drive, Township of Northville, MI, USA
Schedule Change for 2023-2024 School Year
We would like to inform you about an upcoming change to our K-12 District Calendar that is aimed at enhancing the educational experience. In our continuous effort to provide the best possible education for our students, we have scheduled two consecutive Teacher Professional Development days on Monday, November 6 and Tuesday, November 7, which will necessitate a slight adjustment to the school schedule.
On these days, all regular classes will be canceled to allow our dedicated teaching staff to engage in valuable training and development opportunities. This professional development is designed to further enrich teaching methods, explore innovative strategies, and stay updated with the latest advancements in education. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance student learning and ensure that children continue to receive a high-quality education.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, we firmly believe that the benefits gained from these training sessions will significantly outweigh the temporary adjustment.
Thank you for being an integral part of our school community.
View updated District K-12 Calendar.
View updated Cooke School Only Calendar.
Class Placement
Class placements will be accessible through the Parent Portal on August 25, 2023 after 4:00 PM. After logging into our Parent Portal on MiStar, select "Advisor" to view your child's teacher for the 2023-24 school year.
We know how excited everyone is for the start of the school year and looking forward to seeing who their teacher is for this year.
Online Annual Registration Now Available for 2023/24 School Year
All new and returning families: It's time to fill out your required online Annual Registration!
Every year, all families (including those who recently enrolled) are required to fill out the digital Annual Registration for each student. Families may complete these forms through MiStar ParentConnection. After logging in to your Parent Portal account, click the RED Annual Registration at the top right of your screen. Then select Register Now to the far right of your student’s name to begin the process.
Through this process you will be asked to update your student’s emergency contact information, home address and health information, review our technology use policy and student handbooks, learn more about PTSA/PTA, access the web store and much more.
Need Help? Many of the most commonly asked questions can be found on our FAQs page (located in the upper right-hand corner of ParentConnection.) If you have further questions, please email the helpdesk at parentportal@northvilleschools.org
Registration deadlines:
- All NHS students must have the annual registration completed before Transition Days the week of Monday, August 21, 2023.
- All Hillside and Meads Mill Middle School students must have the annual registration completed before Transition Days starting on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
- All elementary students and Cooke School students must have the annual registration completed prior to the start of school on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
Medication Drop Off
We recommend you drop off medication and forms to the school office before school starts. Below are the times you can drop off medication and signed forms to the school office:
Tuesday August 29th - 9.00 AM - 1.00 PM
Wednesday, August 30th - 11.00 AM - 1.00 PM
Wednesday, August 30th during Open House - 5:30 PM - 7.00 PM
Thursday, August 31st - 9.00 AM - 1.00 PM
Please call the office if you would like to drop off medication at a different time, to ensure someone will be in the office at that time.
Reminder, we cannot accept medication without signed forms.
Arrival and Dismissal
Please remember the first few days of school will be busier than usual in the parking lot and carpool lane. Safety is our number one priority and your patience and care is greatly appreciated.
Arrival:
The image below shows the entrance doors for each grade level.
- Kindergarten students will enter the main entrance doors and line up by class in the main entrance foyer.
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd will enter the building through the main entrance doors and line up by class in the gymnasium until the bell rings.
- 4th and 5th-grade students will line up outside the upper elementary doors and enter the building when the bell rings.
Students will be dismissed at 3:45 PM. They will exit the same doors they entered.
Bussers will go to the gymnasium and line up by bus letter to await the arrival of busses.
Carpool Reminders
For the safety of our students, we ask that you use the following etiquette while in the carpool drop off lane. It is for the safety of all that we need everyone to follow these instructions.
- Pull ALL THE WAY forward to the front of the carpool lane before dropping children off or picking children up.
- Try to stay BUMPER TO BUMPER in the carpool lane, don’t leave space between cars
- Students should get in and out on the passenger side of the vehicle.
- Drivers remain in the car.
- Drop off all children at one time and not at each entrance door during arrival.
The Winchester staff will be present to ensure safe arrival procedures are being followed. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!
School Supply Lists
Bus Transportation
Information about your child's bus route is now available in the Parent Portal. When you log in to your account , click the tab entitled, "Transportation". If your child qualifies for a bus route, his/her route will be listed in the portal.
School Breakfast and Lunch Program
The Northville Public Schools provides a breakfast and hot lunch program for interested students.
This school year, Northville Public Schools will be providing free breakfast and lunch meals to all pre-K through grade 12 NPS students, regardless of free or reduced lunch availability.
Families must preorder breakfasts and lunches for preschools and elementary students. Orders must be in by 7am for all students for breakfast and lunch. The system will not allow you to order after the time listed above. For your convenience, meals can be preordered up to 30 days in advance. To avoid any issues, we recommend ordering the night before.
Funding for the Michigan School Meals Program was included in the 2023-24 School Aid Bill approved by the state legislature. Under this program students can receive free breakfast and lunch meals each full school day. In addition to these free meals, students may purchase a second breakfast or lunch meal, snack items or a separate carton of milk, as desired.
In order to operate the program successfully, we are actively seeking additional Food Service staff members to work in our kitchens. If you or someone you know are interested in joining the Food Service team, please contact our Food Service department at 248-344-3690.
Finally, please be aware that the Michigan School Meals Program will supplement the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, meaning that parents of students who would otherwise be eligible for free or reduced meals should continue to submit applications for free or reduced meals for their students. Even though meals will be free this year, it is vitally important that parents who meet, or believe they may meet, the free and reduced income guidelines, submit an application to ensure maximum benefits for their students and the District. Some of these benefits include:
- Athletics and activities discounts for student fees associated with participating in athletics and activities programs
- SAT, ACT and AP test discounts for academic testing
- College application discounts for college application fees
- Discounted internet access services
- Federal, state and local school funding for school budgets
- Summer EBT
Society of Readers
Winchester’s Society of Readers program is ready to go!
For those families who might not know, the Society of Readers program has a long history at Winchester. It was started many years ago as a way to promote reading outside of the school day. As with any developing skill, progress comes with practice.
Important Links and Info
Slide Show - this is the slide show from the video in case you would like to review it.
September Calendar - Students will get a paper copy from their teacher, but here is the link.
Schoology Course - Your child will be automatically enrolled. No code is needed. Check your child’s Schoology dashboard.
New This Year!
Students have the opportunity to earn the pennant pictured above. Watch the video below to learn how.
If you have any questions about the SOR program please contact Mrs. Rush at rushka@northvilleschools.org.
Technology Updates
Student Password Resets
Each year, the district resets student passwords for the new school year to maintain system security. On September 5th, all student user accounts in grades K-12 will be reset.
To assist students and parents, the new password will be added to Mistar ParentConnection as well as StudentConnection in advance so that students can look up the new password prior to activation. This password will be visible to parents and students but will not be activated until the first day of school. Prior to the change on September 5th, the old password will still be active. The exception to this will be newly enrolled students. We will activate newly enrolled student accounts on Tuesday, August 22nd.
Password Reset Timeline
- August 21, 2023 - The student's new password will be visible in Mistar ParentConnection and StudentConnection but will not be the active password.
- August 22, 2023 - Newly enrolled students accounts will be activated and the password will work.
- September 5, 2023 - The student password reset will be activated. Students should begin using the new password on the first day of school.
- If the student has any issues using the new password on September 5th, please talk to the teacher to obtain assistance.
News from the PTA
Join the Winchester PTA!
The Winchester PTA is dedicated to promoting the welfare and well-being of our students, both academically and personally. We believe that a strong partnership between parents, staff, teachers, and community members is essential in providing the best possible elementary experience for our children. We invite you to:
JOIN THE PTA! Membership costs $12 for one adult or $20 for 2 adults and you will receive a printed Winchester Directory. Remember, PTA memberships are annual and need to be renewed each year. No time commitment is required!
DONATE TO Invest in Your Child. This is our main fundraiser and it allows us to host all of the events and programs we run throughout the year. Without the financial support of our members, we would not be able to bring these programs to Winchester. Your donation is tax deductible.
ATTEND THE FIRST PTA MEETING Tuesday, September 12th in the Dragon’s Den (Multipurpose Room) where you will meet the board, other parents and hear Winchester updates. A Parent Meet and Greet will begin at 6:30PM and the PTA meeting will begin at 7PM.
Reach out to Amy Tuckfield at WinchesterPTAPresident@gmail.com if you have any questions!
PTA Staff Appreciation Committee needs your help.
Please help the PTA welcome back our wonderful Winchester staff for the 2023 / 2024 school year by donating a tasty treat or drink for them to enjoy. Please click HERE to sign up via Sign Up Genius and plan to drop off your item(s) when you are at the New Family Orientation / Winchester Open House on Wednesday, August 30th or at drop off the first day of school on Tuesday, September 5th. There will be a couple of clear bins near the front doors of Winchester where you can leave your item(s).
Thank you!
Staff Appreciation Committee
Winchester PTA
Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts is fun for the whole family. It provides hands-on learning opportunities that puts kids in the middle of the action and prepares them for today – and for life. Anyone interested in Cub Scouts
please send an email to: cubmaster@northville903.mypack.us.
District News
Winchester ❤️ Back-to-School
Website: http://winchester.northvilleschools.org/
Location: 16141 Winchester Drive
Contact Us: (248) 465-2400
X (Twitter):@ WinchesterElem
Office Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM