Stadium Happenings

Welcome to a new school year at Stadium Drive Elementary! I am looking forward to having our hallways buzzing with energy again. This year promises new opportunities for growth, learning, and fun. Let’s embrace the challenges, celebrate our achievements, and support each other every step of the way. Together, we will make this school year successful and memorable!

An important change this year is that school starts at 8:50am and releases at 3:50pm; on half days dismissal is at 12:05pm. Doors open for student arrival at 8:40am and learning activities start at 8:50am. Please strive for timely arrival to maximize the learning day and minimize classroom disruptions.

Stadium Happenings will typically be sent on the last day of each week. The first section will be new info and reminders, and the second section will be Reminders & Protocol. The Stadium Happenings is packed with a lot of good and important information, please take the time to read through all of the important communications weekly as the answer to many of your questions can be found here.

Please pay close attention to the drop off and pick up procedures as explained further down in the Stadium Happenings - these policies and procedures are in place for the safety of all. Thank you.

Again this year we will utilize Social Media (Instagram & Twitter/X) to share photos and activities. The SDE PTO also has a Facebook page that photos are sometimes shared to.

SDE Instagram

Stadium Drive Elementary (@stadiumdrivelo) • Instagram photos and videos

SDE Twitter/X

(17) Stadium Drive Elementary (@StadiumDriveLO) / X

PTO Page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/393347587380354

8/28 - 8:15am - 10am Meet & Greet

9/3 - Half day of School Dismissal at 12:05pm

9/12 - Virtual Curriculum Night

9/19 - Picture Day

9/26 - 3rd Grade Lansing Field Trip

10/9 - Walk/Bike to School Day

Meet & Greet takes place Wednesday August 28th from 8:15am - 10am at SDE. This is an opportunity to meet your child's teacher(s) and drop off school supplies to lessen their load the first day of school.

All families are asked to stop by the Fun Run T-shirt Sizing Table to see this year's design and get sized. (no cost - PTO funded) Shirts will be given to students the morning of the Fun Run.

Stop by the PTO table to meet our PTO Board and learn about some exciting events happening this year.

If you completed a P2 Summer Passport be sure to drop it off at the prize table.

WeeBean Coffee and Pastry Food Truck will be onsite at Meet & Greet!

The 2024-25 Lake Orion Community Schools calendars are available by visiting the LakeOrionSchools.org calendar page. A single sheet of the important dates is also listed on that page.

Families will receive their student’s bus stop information by email on or after August 24 through a School Messenger email. If there are questions, please contact Transportation Director Pam King via email (pamela.king@lok12.org). The Transportation staff will take the request, address it and confirm the change with the family. Please provide as much detail as possible about the issue and the family’s contact information (phone and email) to receive an appropriate response.

Special Requests, such as day care locations, have forms available on the LOCS Transportation site. Those need to be completed and emailed back to Pam King. If there is an alternate stop request form, please return it as soon as possible before school starts to ensure it is addressed appropriately and in a timely manner.

For safety purposes you MUST utilize the bus stop locations you are assigned.

All parents/guardians should have received an email from PowerSchool Enrollment to complete your child’s returning student information. Please verify your student’s building, contact information and medical alerts through our online Returning Student Information form. If you have not received the email or are having a hard time locating it, please email Jaime Kinser at jaime.kinser@lok12.org for assistance. It is imperative that we have this prior to the start of the school year!

*Please note the parent or guardian who “starts” the process first will need to complete it.

Tuesday, September 3 - First Day of School Kindergarten Orientation 9:30-10:30am - One parent and student attend

Wednesday, September 4 – First Full Day of School *Last names that begin A-K (no school for students with last names L-Z) ** Last names A-F for Slusher's Class attend (G-Z no school)

Thursday, September 5 – First Full Day of School *Last names that begin L-Z
(no school for students with last names A-K) **Last names G-Z for Slusher's Class attend (A-F no school)

Friday, September 6 – Second Full Day for ALL Kindergarten Students

Ms. Kate Lawrence - Kindergarten

Mrs. Katie Sloan - Music

Mrs. Erin Kawamoto - Second Grade

Mrs. Emily Johnson - GenEd Social Worker

Mrs. MaryJo Allen - Para

Mrs. Montea Bressman - Para

Mrs. Violeta Shaughnessy - Staff Associate

And we are in the process of finalizing hiring of a SpEd SW and a PE teacher

We are still in need of a Staff Associate

This Year's Specials Teachers:

Music - Mrs. Sloan

Art - Mrs. Meehan

Media - Mr. Dabrowski

PE - Mrs. Dittrich (Day 1/Monday), TBD (Day 2/Tuesday), Mr. Karagosian (Day 4/Thursday)

Elementary classroom birthday celebrations are encouraged and preferred to be non-edible. If you would like to do something special to celebrate your child's birthday, we ask that you donate a favorite book to the classroom library, donate a game for the kids to enjoy, or donate special pencils to students, among other options. Please ask your child's teacher for suggestions.

In the event you choose to send in an edible item, there are strict requirements to adhere to. If an item does not meet these requirements, it will not be distributed. In order to make this a safe environment for all students, we ask for your support with this policy.

Whether you choose to send in an edible item or a non-edible item/trinket - it is to be limited to one item shared from the birthday child. Not a treat and a trinket, or multiple items; one item only.

Edible treats MUST adhere to the following requirements:

· Only one treat or trinket is allowed—no treat bags containing multiple treats.

· Treats must follow the allergy protocol by being peanut-free.

· Treats must be factory individually pre-packaged and purchased from a store.

· An ingredient list must be printed on each individual package.

· To preserve instructional time, all birthday treats will be sent home instead of being consumed in the classroom.

Birthdays are very exciting occasions for elementary aged students. However, we need to be sensitive to students’ feelings and don’t want any kids to feel left out or excluded.

Birthday party invitations are NOT to be distributed at school unless the child's entire class or entire grade level is being invited. If not inviting the entire class or entire grade, you may drop invites off to the office pre-stamped and with return address and we will address them and drop them in the mail or you can access family emails/addresses from the PTO directory (opt-in). The office and teachers will not provide email/phone/addresses to you.

We are excited to bring back Birthday Book Club to Stadium Drive Elementary!

Celebrate your child's birthday by adding a book to our Stadium Drive Library collection! For a $10 donation to the library, your child may select a special birthday book from a shelf of brand-new library books. A special dedication will be placed on the inside cover honoring their special day and donation to the library.

They will be the very first person to check out their birthday book. After they finish reading the book, your child will return it to the library for the rest of the school to enjoy!

Please make sure if you are registering multiple students to complete the form accordingly. If your child has a summer birthday, I will convert it to their half-birthday.

Local Level Events - SDE - Birthday Book Club

Lake Orion Community Schools will be testing its communications systems prior to the school year. On Sunday, August 25 at 4 p.m., the LOCS communications system will send a test message via email, text and call to all family, student and staff contact information outlets in the School Messenger system.

If a family, student or staff member does not receive the information at that time, please reach out to the building secretary to update/check the individual’s profile.

SDE PTO meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Meetings are held live at SDE and also available via ZOOM. Please check the Stadium Drive PTO group page on Facebook or the website at stadiumdrivepto.com for more information.

• President: Dimitra Boulos

• Vice President: Jody Lee

• Treasurer: Alicia Skene

• Secretary: Kelli Hampton

• Communications Director: Beth Kempkens

Save the Date(s)

Sept 27 - SDE Tailgate before LOHS Football Game

Oct 4th - Fun Run

Oct 24th - Trunk or Treat

It is the policy of the School Board that building administration shall make the final decision on the appropriateness of dress and what actions shall be taken in each individual case depending on specific circumstances. Decisions will be made by the school administrator on the basis of health, safety and whether the attire is disruptive to school routine. If a student’s attire does not meet these requirements he/she shall be referred to the administration. The student may be required to change his/her clothes before returning to class, asked to modify his/her attire in some way in school, or be asked to be picked up by parents if a change of attire is not possible. Personal expression is permitted within these guidelines.

As a frame of reference, the following are standards which shall be in operation.

1. Shoes must be worn at all times. Due to safety concerns, flip flop sandals are strongly discouraged.

2. Inappropriate language/sign/symbols worn on clothing shall be prohibited. This shall include, but not limited to, any message which expresses profane or obscene language, or which makes a derogatory comment on any race, creed, religion, or national origin and any material which encourages illegal substance use/abuse.

3. Bare midriffs, halter tops and tank tops are not acceptable. All shirts and blouses must cover to the waist.

4. Spandex or underwear style pants are not permitted.

5. In elementary schools (Pre-K through 5), any dress is subject to review by the building administrator or his/her designee. Hats and hoods are not permitted to be worn in school unless previously approved by the school administrator.

6. Dress which distracts attention from school routines or is a cause of behavior which is distracting either to others or to the wearer is subject to review by the building administrator or his/her designee.

7. Dress which is deemed to be detrimental to the student (i.e., nonprescription sunglasses worn indoors) will be prohibited.

8. At the elementary level, children should be dressed adequately for the weather conditions and outdoor recess play, and they should be able to handle their buckles, zippers and buttons. Clothing should be labeled with their name.

**Belt Bags/Crossbody purses are not to be worn during the school day unless medically necessary and approved.

Students may not bring expensive personal belongings to school (ex: electronic game devices, etc) without permission of the principal.

In the event permission is given, the school assumes no responsibility if the item is lost or damaged.

Bringing cell phones and/or Smartwatches to school at the elementary level is highly discouraged. If a child brings a cell phone or Smartwatch to school, it must be off (not asleep) and put away in lockers/backpacks at all times. Students should not be using them to access the internet or communicate during school hours (calls, texting, email, etc). If parents/guardians need to get a message to children, all calls must go through the main office. Please be aware that cell phones and smartwatches that are used inappropriately are a distraction to learning and the development of interpersonal skills while at school

Please support your children by reminding them that toys (including Pokemon cards, etc) and sports equipment from home are not allowed at school. This will help eliminate distractions, loss, and theft at school. Thank you for your support with this.

If/when your child is absent or will be late, please contact the Main Office by 8:30am via phone 248-693-5475 or email abby.buchanan@lok12.org and/or jaime.kinser@lok12.org If a message is not received by you in the office, the office will be calling home to verify the absence. If you email the teacher, please always copy the office regarding absences as those emails are not always forwarded to the office.

If you are arriving to school in the morning after 8:50am and/or there are not any staff members present outside, you must park in a parking spot and walk your student to the office to sign in.

ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL

• Turn LEFT into the loop, turn RIGHT out of the loop. THIS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.
• It is critical that parents do not line up on Stadium Drive. Please park in a marked/legal parking space in our new parking lot or along Stadium Drive and wait for staff to signal that the arrival/dismissal process is beginning.
• Students should not be dropped off until 8:40am once staff is present, doors will NOT open until 8:40am.
• You CAN NOT turn right into the parent loop when there is active traffic - only a left turn in is allowed. All parent loop traffic must enter from Scripps Road passing the high school and football field. DO NOT cut through near Scripps/CERC.
• Once you have dropped off/picked up your student,(s), cars will be directed to exit again towards the high school. You MUST TURN RIGHT during active traffic.
• Students must exit/enter the passenger side of the vehicle as soon as the vehicle is safely stopped in the loop. You DO NOT have to wait for a staff member to open your car doors for students to exit/enter the vehicle. Once your vehicle is stopped along the curb, students should exit/enter.
  
• Parents may park in the upper parking lot and walk their child to the stairs. The upper parking lot is NOT a drop off loop.

• If you are arriving to school in the morning after 8:50am and there are not any staff members outside, you must park in a parking spot and walk your student to the office to be signed in.
  
• Once you enter the parent loop, please stay in your vehicle and DO NOT use your cell phone.

• Contact the main office at (248) 693-5475 or send in a handwritten/signed note if there is a change for how your child is supposed to go home. If your child does not have a note or the office has not been contacted, they will be sent home according to their daily routine. Please DO NOT rely on emails sent to teachers for dismissal changes.

The state of Michigan’s 2024 budget included a continuation of free meals for all students.

The standards for students to receive the meals for free:

• Every student is entitled to one free breakfast, and one free lunch per school day.
• Students must take a fruit or juice with their breakfast entrée for the meal to qualify as a complete meal and to qualify as FREE.
• Students must take a fruit or vegetable (they may take both) with their lunch entrée for the meal to qualify as a complete meal and to qualify as FREE.

More information is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/FoodService.

Note: It is important that all families who qualify for free and reduced lunch complete the form within this registration process to receive additional services at reduced cost (pay to participate for athletics, holiday assistance, field trip assistance etc.) The forms are available at https://lakeorion.familyportal.cloud/.

For assistance or questions, please contact the LOCS Food Service Department at 248-814-0201.

Breakfast will be served each morning in the cafeteria in a grab-n-go style. Students will NOT be entering the building early for breakfast, any student wanting a breakfast will head to the cafeteria upon entering the building at/after 8:40am.

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Lake Orion Community Schools has a Board of Education policy that prohibits anyone from operating a drone on district property/over a district facility at any time unless the flight plan is approved by the Superintendent. Those operating the drone must also be FAA-certified. That includes athletic events, which are governed by the MHSAA, which also prohibits their usage.

If any individual – staff, student or community member – would like to operate a drone on LOCS property, please email the request to LOCS Director of Communications Mark Snyder at mark.snyder@lok12.org.

When you or your child needs help, it’s hard to know where to turn. In an affort to ease the burden of finding the mental health and substance use services you needs, Lake Orion Community Schools has partnered with Care Solace.

Care Solace will help you find the right help at the right time 24/7/365. Car eSolace’s services are available at no cost to you – and all of your information is kept completely confidential. They will connect you with providers accepting all medical insurances, including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance.

You can access Care Solace services in three ways:

• Call 888-515-0595 at any time. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365. A dedicated Care Companion will help you every step of the way to reseach options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.
• Seach anonymously to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at caresolace.com/lakeorion
• Contact your elementary school social worker, middle school behaviorist, high school counseloro or building principal, and they will submit a referral on your behalf.

For more information, visit the LOCS Care Solace page.

For the 2024-2025 school year, Stadium Drive Elementary will once again work closely with our local law enforcement and fire department officials and conduct our variety of multiple state-mandated safety drills. We will have 5 fire drills, 2 severe weather/tornado drills, and 3 safety drills throughout the year.

Drill reports: Emergency Drill Reports - Lake Orion Community Schools (lakeorionschools.org)

For the 2024-2025 school year, we will be maintaining our district allergy protocol. Please review our district allergy protocol by clicking here. Below are some items to note with our allergy protocol.

• All classrooms will remain peanut aware, meaning food items that contain peanuts ARE PROHIBITED. This includes all student snacks.
• Other allergy restrictions may be in place for individual classrooms depending on allergies present in particular classrooms.
• There are no allergy restrictions in the cafeteria during lunch time.
• There will be a table reserved in the cafeteria at lunch time for students who have allergies that may require them to not eat at the same table as a child who may have these allergens in their lunch.
• While birthday treats are allowed - it is highly preferred and encouraged to be a non-edible . Any edible item must be pre-packaged and store purchased with an ingredient list on each individual wrapper. All edible treats will be sent home with students and not consumed in the classroom.
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The main office and teaching staff will be in touch with families with other food allergies to determine if additional accommodations are required for lunch and snack time.

The District has a standing policy that requires ALL volunteers to be subject to a background check to work with or supervise students at school. Please complete the below linked form and return it to the main office no less than 48 hours prior to your first volunteer time. The background check must be completed each school year.

If coming into the building to volunteer, once all volunteer requirements have been met, you will be required to sign-in and sign-out in the Main Office. You will also be required to wear a visitor badge where it can easily be seen. When volunteering in the building, we require that you limit your activity to the classroom/teacher you are scheduled to volunteer for. Volunteers should not be visiting and/or interrupting any other classrooms other than the one they are volunteering for.

We appreciate your willingness to support Stadium Drive and would not be nearly as successful without volunteers like you! Please contact the main office at (248) 693-5475 with any questions.

The updated Elementary Handbook can be found at 2024-25_Elementary_Handbook.pdf (lakeorionschools.org)

Lake Orion Community Schools is continuing a program to recognize LOCS staff members for their excellence.

The intent of the Distinguished Dragon program is to ensure that staff members who go above and beyond their regular duties are appreciated. The additional effort or support can range from helping an individual to helping a group or any effort that seems worthy of praise.

The staff member can be nominated by a student, parent, community member or a colleague by completing the form at LakeOrionSchools.org/DistinguishedDragon. We ask for the submitter's name and contact information to follow up with specific questions if necessary. Please make sure to select the appropriate school/department form so the message is routed in the proper direction.

Please complete the form entirely so the individual can be appropriately honored for their contributions.

Attached below is our specials rotation for the year. Your child's teacher will communicate which specials they will have on each day. As you will note in the schedule, the specials classes will rotate daily. Mondays through Thursdays will be consistent which special your child will have throughout the year, with a rotation occurring on Fridays.

Specials Teachers:

Media - Dan Dabrowski

Music - Katie Sloan

Art - Karen Meehan

PE - Molly Dittrich (Day 1/Monday),TBD (Day 2/Tuesday) and Robert Karagosian (Day 4/Thursday) and

OK2SAY is available state-wide for public and private schools in Michigan; anybody can submit a confidential tip. Specially trained technicians receive the tips and filter the information to the appropriate agency to provide a timely and effective response.

Link: https://www.michigan.gov/ok2say

Listed below are some of SDE's social media sites. Be sure to follow for announcements, reminders, and shares.

PTO Page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/393347587380354

SDE Instagram

Stadium Drive Elementary (@stadiumdrivelo) • Instagram photos and videos

SDE Twitter/X

(17) Stadium Drive Elementary (@StadiumDriveLO) / X