Doherty Laker Digest

Greetings Doherty Families-
Next week we have two big activities to mention. First, preschool starts Monday! Please review the information below because it will impact Doherty K-5 operations.

Also we hope to see our Doherty parents and caregivers at the Doherty Curriculum Night/Open House. See time slots below and plan to attend without your Doherty student to ensure the staff can have your full attention for presentations.

Doherty will be home to 6 new classrooms filled with our littlest Lakers and their staff as the new (south end) home of the West Bloomfield Preschool Academy.

This addition will impact our Doherty K-5 daily operations and it is important info for all of our families and staff.

WBPA daily start times- 8:00 am and 8:30 am

Doherty K-5 start times- 9:10 (students exiting cars/bus at 8:55)

WBPA dismissal: 3:00 pm

Doherty K-5 dismissal: 4:02 pm

All WBPA families utilize the carline every day because buses are not provided. Doherty K-5 families are asked to arrive as close to Doherty K-5 arrival and dismissal times as possible. During WBPA arrival and dismissal you will be asked by staff to use the inside lane (not curbside) to queue or asked to loop around re-enter the carline if your arrival impedes the flow of WBPA arrival or dismissal.

Please see image reference below and watch the video Mr. Spitzley has created for reference.

Start time 9:10 a.m.

Dismissal time 4:02 p.m.

Late Start Time: 10:10 a.m.

Half-Day Dismissal time: 12:12

• September 10 Curriculum Night - by grade level
• September 13 Family Movie Night WBHS (see flyer below)
• September 11 Doherty PTO 2024 2025 Kickoff Mtg 7:00 PM
• October 2 Doherty Dash PTO Fundraiser Run/Walk
• October 3 No School
• October 14 Fall Picture Day
• October 16 Late Start- 10:10 arrival, normal dismissal (4:02 PM)

• October 30 Late Start- 10:10 arrival, normal dismissal (4:02 PM)

• Bell Times
• Calendar for 2024-25
• Family Portal - Online Payments
• Food for Kids (formerly Blessings in a Backpack Information
• Kids Connect Student Care Information
• Kindergarten Information
• PowerSchool Login
• PowerSchool Account Information
• Safeline/Attendance Information

The Doherty PTO (parent teacher organization) plays an important role in making each school year at Doherty successful for both students and staff alike. The fundraising and organization efforts of the Doherty PTO and other volunteers make Doherty a special place to be! Be sure to watch for communications from the Doherty PTO and help out where and when you can!

• Students may elect to pack a lunch from home OR order a Free Lunch
• One breakfast and one lunch permitted per student per day

On behalf of Nutrition Services, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome our students to the 2024 – 2025 school year! As Aramark Student Nutrition, are pleased to be your school district’s food service provider.

We want to share important news that will affect many families. School meals will be no cost to all onsite students this school year through a State funded program called Michigan School Meals. Each child is eligible for one free breakfast and lunch daily in the cafeteria on school days. There will be an additional charge for additional meals, milk only, bottled beverages and snack items.

We encourage families to continue to apply for meal benefits online at westbloomfield.familyportal.cloud. These supplemental programs have the potential
to offer additional support for reduced priced sports, ACT, SAT, college application and AP exam waivers. This information is critical in determining the amount of money our school receives from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs.

When will I find out who my child's teacher will be?

Classroom placements and teacher assignments are prepared over the summer and will be shared with families approximately a week before the school year starts or sooner if finalized.

When can I see my child's classroom?

We will hold an open house for families in September, the information is included in this newsletter and will be sent home several times before school starts.

How do I find out where my bus stop is and when the bus picks up and drops off?

The transportation department routes all students eligible for bussing throughout the summer and will mail that information directly to families in mid-August. Other information about transportation is available on the WBSD Transportation website including School Of Choice Shuttle requests.

How does the school keep the building secure throughout the day?

The exterior doors and main entrance are ALWAYS locked at Doherty. All visitors must access the building by being admitted through our main office. Unscheduled visitors are not permitted and guests are accompanied at all times while in the building. We are also equipped with video surveillance and frequent patrols from the West Bloomfield Police Department.

Is the school nut-free?

The school is not nut-free but classrooms are. Any snack consumed in the classrooms must be nut-free. Parents of students with severe allergies should contact the office before school starts.

Can we send in cupcakes, or cookies or birthday cake to celebrate my child's birthday?

No. At this time our district and building policy is to not celebrate birthdays with treats, baked goods, candy or food of any kind. Elementary teachers will recognize students on their special day in special ways.

Will the students go outside for recess all year long?

All Doherty students will participate in outdoor recess when safe and weather permits. Outdoor play is important for a child's social and physical development. Parents are encouraged to acquire various weather-appropriate gear for their student to wear during recess. Students are outside for recess unless there is heavy rain, thunderstorms/lightning or the 'feels like' temperature is below 10* Fahrenheit.

How should my child dress for school daily?

Doherty students will play, use various learning materials and art mediums on a daily basis. They will also foster independence outside on the playground and in the cafeteria. Their clothing should be comfortable, weather appropriate and ok to get a little dirty sometimes. Closed toe, well fitting athletic style shoes are strongly encouraged for both safety and practicality.

Can I walk my student to their class on the first day of school?

Unfortunately, we cannot allow parents to accompany their students into the building and to their classrooms. Unscheduled visitors are not permitted for safety reasons and you can imagine what it might look like if there were nearly 500 students and their parents streaming into the building all at the same time! We will have many smiling staff members and teachers greeting students outside every day making sure they get to where they are supposed to be safely.

As you prepare to send your child to school this fall it's very important that you label everything you send in with them. Especially common items like water bottles, lunch boxes, shoes, boots, jackets, backpacks, etc. Many of the students have nearly identical items and labeling them is the very best way to keep their items out of the lost and found!

You can use a sharpie, or if you'd like it to be more convenient you can order from our Mabel's Labels fundraiser. One pack will easily provide labels for several years of your student's belongings! Best part is it's FREE SHIPPING on all orders. Click on the image to head ot the Mabel's Labels site and search Doherty Elementary to find us. We recommend any of the multi use labels, mini or rectangle- with at least a first name with last initial.

The small commission from this sale will be put into our student activities account that is used for covering the costs of items or activities that our students may not be able to cover themselves.

• Bethany Helka
  Kids Connect Administrative Assistant
  (248) 865-6468
  bethany.helka@wbsd.org