Dear Lansing School District Community,

I hope that this newsletter finds you well. As always, it is a pleasure to be writing to you all.

This weekend I visited our Saturday tutoring programs at both Dwight Rich and Gardner. We offer Saturday tutoring at Pattengill as well. I was so happy to see students and teachers working together on the weekend. These small group sessions are perfect for students to get a jump on their education.

This is the first year we have run a Saturday district-wide tutoring program for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. Thanks to the Office of Schools and the three individual locations (Dwight Rich, Gardner, and Pattengill), we can provide three hours of instruction, including about one hour each for Math, English, and Physical Education. From what I saw, both the children and the staff seemed to really enjoy the morning.

Research over the last two decades has been clear. There are three major things a school and district can do to increase student success. The first and most important is to have a high-quality teacher in the classroom. Nothing is more beneficial to a student than rigorous high-level instruction by the teacher. The next two are mentoring and tutoring. The results can be wonderful if a student has a strong mentor who works with them on academics and social skills. And not surprisingly, if a student attends high-quality tutoring focused on specific skills, the outcomes are tremendous.

We hope this semester's pilot tutoring programming will expand over the course of both next semester and next year. Right now, we are only offering Saturday tutoring to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. If your child is in those grades and you would like them to attend, please reach out to your school's principal. They know how to help sign your child up. We still have seats available for the Fall semester. We will have more placements open in the spring. As the Superintendent, it is always on my mind to find more ways to help support our students and I am so grateful to the staff and families who have engaged in this Saturday tutoring pilot. I can't wait to see it expand.

Thank you so much for all of your incredible support of our district. Together, we will do great things for the children of Lansing.

Benjamin Shuldiner, Superintendent

Lansing School District

The Junior Board made mental health a priority at the November meeting. They discussed and adopted Wear Green on Monday to encourage staff and students to make mental health their priority too! The Junior Board wants to give special thanks to Miss Jennifer West and Ashley Pendergast for their work in supporting this very important project. Watch for the posts that go out on Fridays through ParentSquare and Sundays in the Superintendent's Newsletter.

Check out the newsletter from the Lansing School District's Native American Program.

App Features

• Track the real-time location of your child’s bus
  
• Reduce wait times: get notified when the bus is near or the schedule has changed
• Know when your child arrives at school or home

1. Download Here Comes the Bus app or visit herecomesthebus.com
   
2. Click the “Sign Up” button
   
3. Enter school district code 29845 and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
   
4. Complete the “User Profile” box
   
5. Under “My Students,” click “Add.” Enter your child’s last name and student ID number. You must add “LSD_” to the beginning of your student’s ID during initial sign up. For example, if your student’s ID is 12345, you should enter LSD_12345 into the app.
6. Click to confirm you are registering for your school district
   
7. Complete the registration by clicking “Activate My Account” in the verification email
   

What is Here Comes the Bus and why might you need it?

Here Comes the Bus is an easy-to-use website and app that enables you to see the location of your student’s school bus on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. You know when the bus is near your stop or has arrived at the school.

How does it work?

Here Comes the Bus uses global positioning system (GPS) technology to locate and track a student’s school bus. It is powered by software from CalAmp. The location of the school bus can be seen on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.

How do you sign up?

Access to the application requires a district-specific code (29845), the student’s last name, and student ID*. Only students enrolled in transportation are available in the app.

*You must add “LSD_” to the beginning of your student’s ID during initial sign up. For example, if your student’s ID is 12345, you should enter LSD_12345 into the app.

Is the information private and secure?

Here Comes the Bus uses HTTPS, just like a bank or online store, which means that all communications between your web browser and the site are encrypted and secure.

How much does it cost?

Here Comes the Bus is available at no cost to families and participation is optional.

What is the difference between the app and website to track your student’s school bus?

The main difference is how you access the data. The look and feel are different on the mobile device for on-the-go use. You can use mobile and tablet apps anywhere you can use a mobile device.

What is the Buspass icon in the app and how do I use it?

“Buspass” is an additional service provided by CalAmp; for our families, "Buspass" will be an inactive icon in the app.

Will my student’s Access 411 One Card scans appear in Here Comes The Bus?

Unfortunately, your student’s card scans will not appear in the Here Come The Bus application. Here Comes The Bus is intended to provide school bus tracking only.

What should parents do if they have questions or problems using the app?

The Transportation Department and Transportation Technology Support teams will be happy to answer questions and resolve any issues. Please contact the Transportation Technology Support team at (517) 319-8360 and follow the prompts for Here Comes the Bus support.

Check out the Special Populations Department newsletter featuring our Adult Education program.

Congratulations to 2024 Sexton graduate Amalia Villarreal for earning the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Newcomer/Freshman of the Year honors during her first collegiate women's soccer season! Villarreal is one of eight in the school's program history to receive this honor.

School districts nationwide have been looking for creative ways to promote good behavior after returning to in-person learning post-COVID-19. Our schools have each found creative and rewarding ways to promote following school rules and being kind to students and staff alike. Wexford is doling out "Wolf Bucks" (play money that teachers fill out with their name and the student's name) as a reward for generally good behavior, like following rules or helping out a fellow classmate.

After receiving their hard-earned bucks, students place them into a specified classroom container (either in their elementary classroom or, in the case of middle schoolers, their third-hour class). Every other week, the classes draw two "Wolf Bucks" out of their containers, and those students whose names were drawn get to come down to the office area to claim their prize.

Winter sports start soon! Make sure to sign up and show up for the first practice. Check the MSHAA schedule above and contact your school's athletic director with any questions you may have.

Click here for sports availability and athletic director contact information.

For more information about Federal Student Aid, check out their website.

Don't forget to follow them on Facebook for more posts like this.

Deadline is November 22, 2024!

Take advantage of Talkspace online therapy FREE. Click here to get started.

Is your family in a temporary or inadequate living situation due to a loss of housing? If so, the F.O.R.T. Program may be able to assist. The Families Overcoming Rough Times (F.O.R.T.) Program assists Lansing School District students who are living in temporary or inadequate living situations.

If you have been displaced from your home due to:

• A house fire, mold, or red tag
  
• Safety concerns
  
• Loss of utilities (heat or electric)
  
• Foreclosure
  
• Eviction
  
• Being asked to leave

F.O.R.T. can help with:

• Connections to housing programs
  
• School enrollment within 24 hours
  
• Transportation to and from school
  
• Personal hygiene & school supplies
  
• Clothing, shoes, coats, etc.
  
• Fees for school-sponsored field trips
  
• Cap and gown for graduation
  
• Financial aid application assistance, and MORE!

November 14 — Information Study Session | Eastern High School

November 21 — Regular Board Meeting | 6:00 p.m. | Eastern High School

November 25-29 — Thanksgiving Break - No School

December 5 — Regular Board Meeting | 6:00 p.m. | Eastern High School

December 12 — Information Study Session. | Eastern High School

December 19 — Regular Board Meeting | 6:00 p.m. | Eastern High School

December 23-27 & December 30 - January 3 — Winter Break - No School

January 9, 2025 – Annual Organizational Meeting | 519 W. Kalamazoo St.

Did you know that you can subscribe to our calendars?

Visit www.lansingschools.net/district/calendars, select the school(s) whose calendar you would like to subscribe to, and tap the tiny calendar at the top right. For more detailed instructions, click here.