The Gladiator Gazette
October 23, 2024
Fowlerville Community Schools has been awarded a grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy in the amount of $196,960 to provide water bottle filling stations and faucet mounted water filters district wide. The goal of the Filter-First Healthy Hydration program is to reduce childhood exposure to lead in drinking fountains at schools and licensed childcare centers by requiring installation, maintenance and testing of filters certified to reduce lead at the point of water consumption.
The Michigan legislature appropriated $50 million in federal funding to reimburse districts, non-public schools and licensed child care centers for a 1-time acquisition/installation of filtered bottle-filling stations, tap-mounted water filters, water filler pitchers or universal cartridge water filters.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Justin Braska for his dedicated service to the Board of Education. Appointed on May 2, 2023, he quickly became an invaluable member of the board. His contributions as the Board representative on the Community Recreation Board, Chair of the Asset Management Committee and member of both the Finance and Policy Committees have left a lasting impact on our district. His leadership, insight and commitment to our community have greatly enhanced the effectiveness and forward progress of the board's initiatives.
As his time with the Board of Education comes to a close, we want to express our deepest appreciation for his tireless work and passion for improving our educational environment. At the December 10 meeting, we had the honor of recognizing him with a plaque to acknowledge his many contributions. Thank you, Mr. Braska, for your exceptional service to our students, staff and community.
While we are still a little over a month away from the official opening of the new Fowlerville Elementary School on January 21, 2025, we want to share updated traffic routes as well as new pick-up and drop-off procedures so families can begin to familiarize themselves ahead of the opening.
Families with students at H.T. Smith, Natalie Kreeger or the new Fowlerville Elementary should all review this information. We appreciate your cooperation in following these new procedures to help keep all of our students safe and make the process as smooth as possible.
This is the final reminder for any K-5 families that are interested in your child borrowing a Chromebook device during Winter Break. The checkout form must be completed by December 13 at 4:00pm. After that, we will be unable to process any requests. This deadline ensures we have time to prepare everything and share details with the teachers. Here is what you will need to log in over Winter Break:
- Your child's student number
- Your child's login password
This information can be found by logging into the Parent Portal under the "Network Information" tab. If you do not know your login information please reach out to us by email. As a reminder, the Fowlerville Technology Team and school staff will not be available to provide technical support during break. Please see the links below for assistance with logging into the Chromebook as well as Clever/iReady.
The Livingston Educational Service Agency is offering a Mental Health series of virtual events throughout the month of December. Upcoming topics include: Building Your Child's Confidence, Understanding Eating Disorders, What Parents Need to Know About Suicide Prevention and Social Media, Protecting Your Child to name a few. Registration is required and sessions start at 7:00pm and 9:00pm.
In addition, tonight (December 11) at 8:00pm, they will host an Ask a Therapist LIVE Zoom session. Dr. Skinner from the Cook Center for Human Connection will take questions from parents on important topics such as anxiety, depression, grief, suicide ideation and parenting with purpose.
As part of Natalie Kreeger Elementary School's ongoing effort to encourage and reward academic engagement, the school organized a trip to Spartan Stadium at Michigan State University. This field trip was made possible by the incredible dedication and hard work of our students as well as the generosity of the university.
Students earned raffle tickets for every 50 minutes of iReady time completed. This innovative program creates individualized learning paths, ensuring each student receives the personalized support they need to succeed. The personalized path helps close learning gaps and accelerates learning. Students can access iReady while at school or at home to practice literacy and math skills. The competition has significantly increased engagement time for all students, leading to academic growth.
The students selected through the raffle had the opportunity to explore the iconic Spartan Stadium. This trip not only provided an educational experience but also fostered a sense of excitement, motivation and enthusiasm among students. We are pleased to observe the positive impact initiatives like iReady are having on our students' learning and engagement. By incentivizing their efforts and offering unique experiences, we are cultivating a love for learning and a desire to excel. Natalie Kreeger Elementary will soon announce an iReady engagement competition to keep students engaged over winter break.
On Monday, December 2, Fowlerville High School welcomed the Schools to Tools program, offering students an interactive introduction to careers in skilled trades. The event featured professionals currently working in the field, giving students valuable insights into the industry.
The Schools to Tools mobile field trip is touring schools across Michigan bringing engaging, hands-on challenges and dynamic virtual experiences to classrooms. This unique program allows students to explore skilled trades by stepping into real-world scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of the opportunities available in high demand careers. The visit provided an invaluable experience for students, empowering them to consider skilled trades as a viable and rewarding career path.
There are only a couple days left to purchase Detroit Lions Memorabilia raffle tickets to support recreational sports in Fowlerville. The top three prizes include autographed and framed jerseys from Aidan Hutchinson, Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions. There will be additional prizes donated by local businesses. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased by contacting Zach Douglass, Director of Fowlerville Recreation at 517.223.6477 or by email.
Funds raised will assist with cost increases and equipment replacement needs as they arise for the recreation/youth sports offered, along with costs to improve the programs. The drawing will take place at the John S. Munn Childhood Center located at 450 N. Hibbard Street on Friday, December 13 at 6:00 pm. You do not need to be present to win! Thank you to our sponsors including BC Authentics, Randy's Service and Good Deeds Coffee Roasters.
We would like to wish all of our students, staff and families a Happy Holiday season. We hope you are able to take some time to rest, recharge and spend time with those you love. There will be no December 25 edition of the Gladiator Gazette. We look forward to seeing everyone on January 6, 2025, when classes resume. Happy Holidays!
