Cardinal Connections

Welcome to October!

We are off to a good start! Our focus for September was to create routine. Our goal was to work the kids back into a system where they know what to expect while becoming part of their new classroom community. This takes practice, praise, and repetition. Staff and students have been working hard at this all month, while creating norms for learning.

We also had our kickoff PBIS Assembly where students learned about how we recognize positive behavior and effort. Students learned that each month we focus on a character trait through a program called Positivity Project. At our September assembly, we recognized students who exemplified the trait of "Curiosity." Those students were announced and received a certificate. Their picture will be posted on our Leader of the Month board in the hallway. Check it out below! Soon, they will receive an invitation to a pizza party with Mrs. Doyle. Secondly, every class has the opportunity to earn VIP tickets for being leaders and working hard. Each month, a ticket is pulled at random where the winning class receives an extra special time as a class. Lastly, each month a teacher chooses a few pieces of "Red Ribbon Work" where students are recognized for effort in class. If your child's work is chosen for the board, you will receive a postcard in the mail to alert you to come check it out!

To help kick off the first month of the year, we had "Science Alive" come visit the classrooms. The kids, and staff, had a great time learning from a scientist who brought in live animals for students to enjoy! They are coming three separate days and will visit every classroom. Thank you, PTO!

This month, we have a lot of important events happening. They are highlighted below in the calendar. Please mark your calendars and look out for communication for fall conferences. This year, during conferences, you will receive progress reports, benchmark testing results, and an overview for the year ahead. It is crucial that you sign up, so that we can ensure an open line of communication for the school year.

We also have really fun events coming up! Boo Bash is always a hit! Information was sent home and is also posted on the PTO page as well as ClassDojo, and Facebook! It is always a blast to connect with families outside of school hours. We also have our annual Halloween Parade on Halloween. More information will come. Our next PTO meeting is on the calendar below. We need YOU! Please join us for a casual meeting where we discuss ways to get families connected to our school community!

Thank you for all that you do! We look forward to partnering with you this school year. If you ever need anything or have any questions, concerns, or simply want to chat, please do not hesitate to reach out!

If you have not filled out your paperwork in Parent Portal, please do so! If you are having trouble figuring it out, please call the office and we would be happy to help! Class Dojo is the tool we use to communicate with parent at the classroom level. All families have the ability to connect. If you have not done so, please contact us so we can get you connected. The app it COMPLETELY free for us and for families. It might prompt you to sign up for a subscription, but that is totally unnecessary and only provides a few extra bonuses. Simply, click "no thank you" and use the free version. If you have questions, please let us know!

Sincerely,

Kristin Doyle

586-723-5200

kdoyle@cvs.k12.mi.us

Students chosen were noticed for being curious about the world around them, while working hard in school to gain knowledge.

Chase Young

Giuseppe Amore

Armani Fisher

Piper Glynn

Caleb Percianoff

Kayden Asare

Anderson Ransome

Cyrus Cathey

Anthony Drouillard

Mason Duke

Amelia Wood

Alexandar Beadle

Isabella Amore

Dewaun Trice

Nicodemus Smith

Skylar Clapp

Kinley Fritz

Parker Groath

Frank Hellebuyck

Alan Rivera-Perez

Julius Lawrence

Jazmin Alonso-Chavez

Congratulations to Mrs. Tech's class for winning the VIP drawing!

This year, CVE will have many different platforms to keep you connected! We will use our Facebook pages more frequently, as well as newsletters, and School Messenger to fan out important dates and reminders.

Additionally, Mrs. Doyle and a team of students will be sending weekly updates in a video format so that information is easily accessible for those with a busy schedule! The videos will be housed in our school's YouTube page. Stay tuned!

We will also be using Class Dojo at the classroom level instead of PBIS Rewards app. Our school is still a PBIS school, but we have chosen a different company to use for messaging and updates from the classroom. Please download the Class Dojo app so that you are ready to connect at Sneak Peek.

Below is general information pertaining to the 2024-2025 school year

Please click on the button above to access the arrival and dismissal documents. Please be patient, drive cautiously, and understand that it will get smoother with time. The first couple of weeks are somewhat challenging until everyone figures it out. The bell rings at 8:50 a.m. All students are allowed in at this time.

For safety and security reasons, no adults are allowed into the building during arrival or dismissal. PLEASE park and walk your child to their designated door if you are dropping off. Do not leave your child unattended prior to the bell ringing, as there are no staff at this time for supervision. If you must speak to someone, please come to the front door and our secretaries will buzz you inside. Thank you for your cooperation, safety is our top priority.

The front of the school is for bus drop off only from 8:50-8:55 a.m. If your child is late, you may use the main entrance to come into the building and sign your child in. The side lots by the gym are there for parent drop off of our oldest 4th, 5th, and 2nd graders. The lot by the church off of Prevost is for those who drop off ECSE, kindergarten, first, and third grades along with their older siblings. PLEASE do not use the bus loop for any reason, at any time. Park in the lot across the street, or behind the baseball fields and walk your child up to the school. You may also park along the street, but you MUST drive slowly, cautiously, and be patient. Accompany your child up to the school and look both ways while you cross. Do not leave your child to wait unattended. There is no adult supervision until the arrival bell at 8:50.

Parent portal houses all important forms and information that needs to be updated to ensure that you stay connected to school. Your child's report card will no longer be sent home but will be visible in Parent Portal. Directions to accessing this portal are below.

We welcome parent volunteers, but times to come to a classroom must be pre-arranged with the classroom teacher. If you wish to volunteer at Clinton Valley, be sure to complete a background check. This form must be completed each year. To obtain this form, call the front office and they will send you a link to an electronic document and you should be good to go!

Chippewa Valley Schools has developed an Attendance Policy that all buildings must follow:

· Students who arrive at school after 9:00 AM will be marked tardy.

· Students who arrive 90 minutes after the start time will be marked absent for 1/2 day.

· Students who leave school 90 minutes prior to dismissal will be marked absent for 1/2 day.

· Students who leave prior to dismissal (3:39) will be marked as leave early.

Any student who is absent for 10 school days will receive a letter. A doctor’s note is required between the 10th and 15th absence. If no doctor’s note is provided after the 15th absence, the county truancy officer will be contacted.

As a general rule of thumb, if your child sees a doctor (dentist, orthodontist, or other medical professional) please request a doctor's note and submit that to the office, even before your child reaches 10 absences.

If you are struggling with something that is making it difficult to get your child to school, please give us a call and we can work to support you.

If your child was sick and you obtained a doctor's note, it must be turned into the office within 48 hours of the student's return. Thank you!

Starting our school day with routine is crucial in setting the tone for a structured learning environment. Teachers are expected to greet students and welcome them as they enter the classroom. Teachers will assist students in getting backpacks and materials where they belong in the classroom. This is not the time for teachers to have conversations with parents. Please help us allow the teachers and students to begin each day the best way possible by not walking your child to the classroom. If you need to speak to your child’s teacher, please call, email, or message them to set up an appointment. Staff is available daily to help students find their way to class. Even on the first day of school, we ask that you do not walk to class with your child. Starting the first day the way we begin every day will set up the appropriate expectations for our students and prevent disappointment later.

Thank you for your help and cooperation.

Please see the website for information on School Aged Child Care. Ms. Erika, our director, is also available to assist you in signing your child up for care. There is a $25 registration fee to sign up.

Clinton Valley's PTO is a parent group, and we need YOU! PTO helps our school fundraise so that we are able to hold many fun-filled events for the students and their families throughout the school year. As a member of our PTO, you can help be part of the decision-making process to plan events, what fundraisers to do, and more. It’s a great way to meet other parents and network with one another.

Meetings will be held at 6:30 pm in Clinton Valley's cafeteria. Please consider coming to the meeting so that we can continue to have fun experiences for your family here at school.

Thank you!

This year, lunch and breakfast will be free for all students! In order to minimize waste, we will still require students to preorder their lunches the day before. Your child's teacher will take lunch count, which will be reported to food service so that they can prepare and deliver the correct number of meals. Please look for further direction from your child's teacher on how students will communicate their orders. Some will communicate by mouth, but smaller children may have a calendar for you to fill out.

Breakfast begins on the FIRST day of school!

Even though meals are free, it is imperative that you fill out the application. The more applications that are filled out, the more money our school receives from the government to educate your children. This application is part of what determines the funding for things like intervention programs for struggling students, computers, books, tutoring programs and much more. PLEASE take a few minutes to fill it out. It truly makes a difference. There is a QR code and a link in case you cannot use the QR code on your phone.

Email: kdoyle@cvs.k12.mi.us
Phone: 586-723-5200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=clinton%20valley%20elementary%20school