News From The Nest🦅

Fall is my favorite season! I love to see the leaves changing colors, feel cool breezes while snuggled under a blanket, sip warm cocoa or chai tea lattes and smell the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air. I am excited to pull out my sweaters and boots to prepare for the drastic temperature changes that are not far away! Because we line up outside everyday, please be mindful of the weather changes! Make sure your students are prepared by dressing in layers just in case the chill in the air goes away by the afternoon recess. Also keep in mind that school does not start until 8:35 so there is no supervision before 8:20, and waiting outside for a lengthy amount of time can be a challenge for the little ones. We want everyone to be safe so please take this into consideration when planning your morning commute.

October 2: Count Day! Custodian Appreciation Day!

October 7-11: Homecoming Spirit Week!; Vision Screening for 1st/3rd/5th/SPED

October 7: MDPS Board Meeting @ MHS at 7pm

October 10: Exotic Animal Petting Zoo

October 11: ALICE Training; Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser Begins!

October 14: Indigenous People's Day

October 25-End of 1st Quarter

October 28-Book Fair Begins

October 29-30-Dentists 'R' Us

October 31-Halloween Trunk or Treat; Half day for Students-Dismissal at 12:00!

Attendance is essential everyday of the school year, but it was especially important on "Count Day"! On Wednesday, October 4th, the State of Michigan counted the number of students present in our school and will use that to determine the amount of funding we'll receive for the school year. Thank you for supporting our district by making sure your student was present on this important day, as this funding is necessary to provide services and resources to ensure that every student has a positive educational experience here at MES. I'm so proud to say, we had 92% of all students in attendnace, with several classes at 100% present that day and I'm hopeful it won't be the last! Please keep reminding your student of the importance of being at school every day!

This week is Homecoming at Madison High School so to celebrate our school spirit along with them, we will have our own Homecoming Spirit Week! The details are in the flyer above! Let's show everyone why EVERY day is a GREAT day to be an EAGLE!

In addition to our freshly popped popcorn sales on Fridays, we will also be having a "Double Good Popcorn" fundraiser beginning on Friday, October 11th! The sale will run throughout the weekend and end on Tuesday, October 15th, so set up your shop soon! A flyer from PTO should have already home with your students reiterating all of the following details!

To get started just:
1. Download the Double Good App
2. Enter our event code UJOFSY
3. Create your Pop-Up Store
4. Once the event starts share your Pop-Up Store with everyone you know!
Please share the link with all of your friends and family, and all of their friends and family too! MES will receive 50% of the proceeds which is used to help fund awesome, fun activities and special events for our school!!!
Double Good Popcorn tastes amazing so you do not want to miss out on your chance to purchase some! It will ship right to you and the rest of your customers' doors!

If you don't want to create a shop of your own, click on the photo to access my shop and make your purchase through mine!

Picture Day was on Wednesday, September 25th! All students who were present were photographed and proofs have been distributed and sent home with your students. If you like them but did not place an order originally there is still time. You can place an order and purchase picture packages or other items on mylifetouch.com using this Picture Day ID number: EVTKF3WVT. If your student was absent, or you're not satisfied with the proof you received, retakes will be taken on Wednesday, November 6th! Be on the look-out for reminders as it gets closer to retake day!

As the year gets underway, many classes are already planning fall field trips. If you are interested in chaperoning, volunteering in the classroom in any capacity, or even entering the hallways or classrooms while school is in session, you must have a valid background check on file here at the school. Use the picture or button below to access and complete the form necessary. Please be prepared to upload a copy of your ID to the email address given in the form. Be sure to plan accordingly to allow for at least 7 business days for your results. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe!

Mobile dentists will be coming out to provide oral care to students who have requested it on October 29-30! Your child will be bringing home a form this week that must be completed and returned to school by October 28th in order to receive services.

Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming our way again (YAY!). Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them to become bolder, prouder, and stronger readers. AND—as always—every book they buy earns rewards for our school!

The Book Fair will take place from October 28- November 4, here in MES cafeteria. For your convenience, you can say goodbye to cash and hello to eWallet—your child’s digital payment account. Before the Fair, set up an eWallet for worry-free, cash-free purchases. Anyone can contribute! Share each child’s eWallet so friends and family can add funds and give your kids more books to enjoy.

If you can’t make it to the Fair, then shop at our school’s Online Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and will still benefit our school. Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping: MES Book Fair Homepage

The countdown to more “bookjoy'' is on! Hope to see you at the Fair! Happy Reading!

PTO has starting planning for our annual Trunk-or-Treat and we need your help! We are looking for volunteers who are willing to decorate their trunks and pass out candy from 8:45-11:45 and/or donate candy. When purchasing candy, please be mindful of our school's nut restriction policy. To make sure all students are safe, all candy donations must be turned in by Wednesday, October 30th, so it can be cleared by the front office and will be ready to distribute. We currently have a total of 415 students. Also, remember you must have a valid background check on file to participate in activities during the school day. Please use the sign-up sheet linked below to volunteer. Thanks in advance!

Autumn Peterson is being nominated for third-grade student of the month. Autumn has grown so much since I met her in first grade. She is an active participant in class discussions and loves helping others. The main reason I chose Autumn is for her perseverance. At the beginning of the year, she was having some difficulty facing academic challenges. We've worked together and now she is feeling more confident in her academic abilities! It's been so fun watching her "figure it out-especially in multiplication/division!" You're on the right path Autumn, keep it up!

Tobias is an extraordinary student. He joined us at Madison last year, but quickly fit in with his peers, showing a balance of hard work and playful energy. It is rare to encounter a student who radiates as much kindness as Tobias. He has a loving, caring spirit and is always the first to comfort a classmate who is sick or hurt with words of encouragement or a hug. His thoughtfulness extends beyond the classroom—whether it’s giving a sympathy card after a loss, or offering donuts and coffee to the crossing guard “just because.” or bringing a footlong cookie to his teacher. Tobias has the potential to make a profound difference in the world, and whatever path he chooses, he will bless and help everyone around him, just as he has done for us at MES.

Wednesday, October 2nd was Custodian Appreciation Day! To formally recognize all of the hard work they do behind the scenes everyday, our entire custodial team is being honored as our October Employees of the Month! They often have to work around so many obstacles to complete their summer deep cleans, in addition to the thorough daily cleansings at the end of each school day! However, they always manage to do it so well, and make it look easy in the process. Because of their hard work, we are always able to return to a shiny, bright school. They're always there for us whenever we need something in our classrooms-from replenishing supplies, assembling furniture, and cleaning up messes (bodily, food and otherwise), to adjusting temperatures to make sure everyone is comfortable. They work tirelessly and endlessly to help rid our school of germs so we can stay healthy. Help us show each of them how thankful we are for all they do! If you'd like to send any kind messages or tokens of appreciation, I will make sure they receive every one of them!

Crenia has been part of the Madison District family for over 25 years. Keeping our kids safe and in a sanitary building is her mission! Every year, she gets excited for the first days of school, anticipating seeing all the smiling faces! Crenia has 3 wonderful daughters who light up her world! As a family, they stay busy exploring new places like zoos, parks, and flower gardens. In addition to attending their sporting events, she also loves crafting and party planning with her daughters. Autumn is her favorite season. When the beautiful colors are changing all around, along with enjoying some yummy cider, that makes for a perfect day!

Charniece has been a custodian with the district for over ten years. She started at what used to be Edison Elementary and moved to Madison Elementary when it opened in 2015, and lucky for us, has been here ever since. She takes her job of making sure our school is clean and safe very seriously, but outside of that, she is also a devoted wife and a mother. In her spare time, she likes to cook and bake, watch television, hangout with her family and work on crafts.

Sheila has worked for MDPS for over 10 years. She started off in the kitchen as a head cook for the first seven years, and has been a custodian at MES for the last three years. In addition to taking great care of our school, she is also a wife, and a mom of two children, a 22 year old boy and a 13 year old girl. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and cooking.

Sean has been with the district for over 4 years, all of which have been here at MES. When he is not at work making sure our building is clean and safe, he loves to ride motorcycles and workout, specifically running and kickboxing. He also loves music and taking care of his pride and joy, our pet turtle, Kabuki!

Ms. Braman recently joined our staff to teach 4th grade! She is a proud graduate of both MSU and CMU. She has worked closely with lower elementary grades in the past, but is looking forward to the transition to fourth grade this school year. Her classroom philosophy emphasizes safety, stability, and equitable opportunities for all students. Ms. Braman loves all things green and lively. This is shown in her classroom through her classroom pets being plants, in an effort to teach responsibility and nurturing skills. Additionally, you can find her at a local coffee shop or doing yoga with friends in her free time. She is so excited to be a part of the Madison family!

Tasha Smith was born and raised in Detroit where she graduated from Cooley High School. She graduated from Alabama State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s in the Art of Teaching Degree from Marygrove College. She has taught and lived in the United Arab of Emirates (Dubai/Abu Dhabi) for several years. Tasha is a supervisor with SAFE Management at Ford Field-Gooo Lions! She enjoys traveling, shopping and spending time with her one and only amazing grandson Dalton Cairo (4 ) and daughter Destiny (25). Tasha's passion is to continue to advocate for those who are unable to do it for themselves through community service. We are so lucky to have her here at Madison!

Donata Essa is so happy to be joining our team this year and we are equally blessed to have her! She is a proud Madison District alum who graduated just last year. She is currently pursuing higher education at Schoolcraft College, but still finds time between studying to work with our elementary schoolers, and share her gift with us, and she makes it look easy! She loves coffee, going to the gym, and listening to music. We are so excited to have Donata on our team!

At the end of each month, we celebrate selected students who have consistently exemplified the CKH character trait focus for that particular month. Our focus characteristic for September was "empathy". Click the link below to see the students who were recognized for their ability to put themselves in other's shoes and help to make everyone feel valued, seen and heard.

Self-Direction is the ability and learned skill to cast a vision of future goals and then take intentional steps toward who, where, and what we want to be. Instead of focusing on things to control or avoid, we emphasize our responsibility to make positive choices related to our emotions, attitudes, and actions.

Why focus on Self-direction?

• Self-direction strengthens relationships. Self-direction helps to grow social skills and develop meaningful, positive relationships with others.
• Self-direction teaches personal responsibility. Learning to self-direct teaches students to take responsibility for their own actions.
• Self-direction helps us to regulate emotions: Self-direction empowers students to regulate their impulses and emotional responses to situations and circumstances in their life.
  

Self-Direction in Action:

• Practice goal setting and action planning. When we establish goals and develop action plans, we learn to take intentional steps to successfully achieve goals.
• Monitor and adjust. Provide students with regular feedback and opportunities to self-assess progress toward goals to make adjustments and improvements in their behaviors.
• Reflect and evaluate. Facilitate discussions and reflection to prompt students to examine what they do, think, and say against their goals and vision for their life and learning.

Last month we held our Open House to give parents a glimpse of our classrooms, and inform you of the policies, procedures and practices that will help your students be successful in school. If you were unable to attend, all of the presentations for each grade level, as well as information from the front office are linked to the buttons below.

MDPS is hosting Madison’s World Fair again this year! The purpose of the evening is to highlight and celebrate the strengths of all the cultures that make up our community. We are reaching out to local international businesses, cultural organizations, performing/visual artists, and all community members to request donations and/or volunteers. We will have food, games, visual arts displays, crafts, live performances, cultural information stations, and encourage attendees to dress in traditional cultural clothing. There are many ways that you can help! If you have a food sample, talent, game or cultural artifact you'd like to showcase, or know someone who might, please let us know by clicking the button below to access the volunteer form. If not, still hope to see you there enjoying the festivities!

Mayor Roslyn Grafstein will be hosting "Rake with the Mayor" this month!

• Meet her at the Active Adult Center parking lot on Saturday, October 26 at 9am.
• Volunteers need to bring rakes, gloves and other items they may need for raking.

• Transportation is not provided.

• She will have a list of houses that the volunteers will need to get to.

• This is a fun activity for all ages, thank you for your support!

Where EVERY day is a GREAT day to be an EAGLE!

Felecia Hemingway, Principal

Tung Tran, Assistant Principal

Email: felecia.hemingway@madisondistrict.org
Website: https://es.madisondistrict.org/
Location: 27107 Hales Street, Madison Heights, MI, USA
Phone: 248-542-3414