Family Newsletter

I'll start with a few friendly reminders:

• Now that the weather is cooling off, we ask that you send your kiddo in with a jacket. As it continues to cool, hats and gloves will be necessary as well. If you are in need of some support with getting winter clothing for your student(s), please feel free to reach out to me so I can help you connect with some local resources!
• Please be sure to obey our crossing guard's directions. If Mrs. Hayes' stop sign is being held up, you must wait. This is to ensure student and adult safety. Thank you for your understanding.

I also want to clarify a food services issue as I know it can be confusing for families (and kids!). Students who get the free school lunch can get 1 milk with their lunch. If students want an additional milk OR students bring lunch from home but want milk, they must have funds on their account to pay for it. This is due to licensing guidelines from the state that require the free lunch to be the COMPLETE lunch, not just the milk. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Lindsey Torres at lindsey.torres@wbsd.org with any additional questions.

Next week, we are hosting our fall class parties as well as a fall parade. Costumes are welcome, though students will be asked to wait to put them on until after lunch/recess. Families are welcome to attend our parade and parties. Please be sure to bring a photo ID with you for security purposes. Please see below for additional details!

Gretchko has now joined Instagram, and we need followers! Please find us at gretchkoelementary (no spaces) to check out the learning happening at Gretchko.

Finally, I want to commend your kiddos for their attention during our first lockdown drill of the year today. Students engaged in age-appropriate learning about lockdown procedures and completed the drill well. This is an important opportunity for us to remind students of emergency procedures and ensure them that we practice these drills so that we know what to do if an emergency occurs. If you have any questions about our drills, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly by calling (248) 865-6570.

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful weekend!

Jen Teal, Principal

Starting Monday, we are going to try moving our dismissal car line a bit further back by the gym to see if this allows our families to get through car line even more efficiently, as we will be able to load 6 cars at a time instead of 4. You will NOT need to change your plans at all. It's just an FYI as those at the front of the car line will see cones denoting the new area to stop and wait for dismissal. Please let us know if you have any feedback for us during this trial-run! Arrival car line drop-off location will NOT change.

Here at Gretchko, we love recognizing students who are following our classroom social contracts and demonstrating responsibility, respect, safety, and kindness. This week, we have been on the lookout for students who are setting a great example and we have been handing out many Rockin' Croc tickets. A copy of the ticket goes home so you can celebrate with your student as well, and the other half is entered into our Friday drawing. This week's winners are: Kelsi Sharpe, Connor Kozemchick, Kobe Lee, Solomon Bunnell, Emma Alvarado, Lana Bunnell, Miles Bentley, Sin’cere Lee, Samuel Andrews, AJ Steinbrecher, Jayce Mixson, Nico Rozycki, Layla Noureddine, Jade Anderson, Ian Taylor, and Andrew Young.

Our Gretchko Lakers have been learning so many things in Art class already this school year! We have created summer drawings, learned about shapes and color theory, explored water color painting and had open art studio time! There have also been many students who have shown exemplary efforts and had their photo taken to be featured on our "Art Wall of Fame!" Be sure to stop by and check out all the wonderful things taking place in our creative space!

Gretchko Art Teacher -Mrs. Megan Stutesman

School pictures are ready! To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's school ID number. All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card. More about the Smilesafe program here.

If you missed the September 5th picture day at Gretchko, retakes will be taken October 30th.

Students will participate in a fall parade at 2:30pm. They will walk through the interior of the school and then around the outside of the school, where adults are welcome to line the walkways on the north and east sides of the building where the Xs are marked in the image to the left. In the event of rain, adults will join in the cafeteria and students will pass through. Students are welcome to bring a costume to school on October 31st if they choose. Students will be allowed to put costumes on after lunch/recess time in the afternoon.

Costume Guidelines

Please keep the following guidelines in mind for any costumes:

• All costumes are to be appropriate for school and should not be offensive or mocking in design or intent.

• Costumes cannot feature inappropriate themes or characters or reference drugs/alcohol etc.

• Props including plastic swords, guns, wands, bows, arrows, etc. are not permitted. If brought to school, these items will be held in the office until a parent/guardian can pick them up.

• Masks, face paint, or any item that may impede vision or make it difficult to determine a student’s identity is not allowed.

• Makeup or hair coloring should be applied at home. These items are not permitted in school.

• Please avoid costumes that are overly scary.

• If a student’s costume is found to be inappropriate, they will be asked to remove the costume. If you have any questions regarding the appropriateness of a particular costume idea, please do not hesitate to speak with your Guidance Counselor or School Administration.

You will see a flyer in backpack mail today inviting you to donate any gently used costumes for students aged 4-12 by Tuesday next week. If your child does not have a costume for the parade, please reach out to your child's teacher and we will work to find them one from our donations.

All class parties will begin immediately following the parade and will conclude by 3:45pm. If you choose to take your child home from the party (instead of using car line or having them take the bus), please sign them out with the classroom teacher.

We want to inform you that all Kids Connect locations will close at 5 PM on Thursday, October 31, 2024. Please ensure you allow adequate travel time to pick up your children.

This early closure will help our students, parents, and staff get home safely before local community events begin. We appreciate your support and understanding.

The Early Childhood Department

For those of you not familiar, Lighthouse is an organization in Oakland County that provides housing and food assistance to local families in need. One of the directors of Lighthouse reached and asked if we can help them with their Thanksgiving Drive again this year. Last year we were able to collect 6,000 lbs of food to donate to local families- we were told that Gretchko made a large enough donation to feed 143 people for an entire year!! Incredible!

Starting on Monday, October 28th, a box will be placed outside of each classroom for food donations. The collection will run through Monday, November 4th. Each grade has been assigned a food item- see below. We are also collecting $1 donations from students that will help cover the cost of turkeys. Any and all donations help!

Please let us know if you have any questions and thank you for supporting this wonderful cause!

Items to Donate by Grade-Level:

• Preschool: Boxed Stuffing
• Kindergarten: Canned Vegetables (i.e. corn, peas, beans, mixed vegetables)
• First Grade: Boxed or Packaged Potatoes
• Second Grade: Macaroni and Cheese
• Third Grade: Dessert Mixes and Muffin Mix (i.e. brownies, cookies, cake)
• Fourth Grade: Boxed Cereal and Oatmeal, Breakfast Bars
• Fifth Grade: Gravy (canned or packets, but packets preferred) and boxed rice

We hope everyone enjoyed Spooktacular last week and we thank you for your help and support! Thank you to Mrs. Sizemore for the awesome Pistons Ticket Packages, True Martial Arts, Troy Gymnastics, Zap Zone, Sky Zone, Urban Air, 300 Bowl, Waterford Rolladium, The Lodge, Lily Pad Springs, WB Fire and Police Departments, Dark Tan, Merribowl, Sage Green, BoneVenture, The Grill, Dogtopia, Beauty Lounge, Bavarian Inn, Evo Hair Salon, Skull Island, Kickstand Brewery, WBSD and Dr. Bazzi, and of course Mrs. Teal and all the teachers!

Mileage Club needs you! We started this week and it went great, the more days we have volunteers- the more we can offer it to the kiddos! Mileage Club: Gretchko Mileage Club (signupgenius.com)

We are currently seeking a Vice President. If you are interested please apply by Sunday 10/27 for the board to review for voting. We are hopeful for a November 1st start date for our new addition:

https://forms.gle/1BhMBvZYUmoYCsHp6

November 4th is ZAP Zone Night- NO SCHOOL the next day which makes it a perfect night to come hang out!! Pre-order your unlimited laser tag, glow golf, bumper cars, ninja zone jr and pixel floor fun HERE.

As you may know, we have a few other fundraising opportunities:

1. Kalahari is back at Gretchko!! Sunday, December 22, 2024 https://book.passkey.com/e/50898196
2. We have partnered with West Bloomfield Fit Body Boot Camp who is helping us raise money for Gretchko Elementary. Here’s is the best part about this partnership.

• West Bloomfield Fit Body Boot Camp will be running a special 28- day program for Gretchko parents and grandparents only! You can start anytime between Nov 4-Jan 31st.
• The cost of this program is normally $160 but all Gretchko parents and grandparents can register at a reduced rate of $125! Buy your 28-Day Program before the sale is up on November 30th.
• West Bloomfield Fit Body Boot Camp is donating 80% of all proceeds back to Gretchko Elementary AND helping our community be healthier!
• This IS NOT a military-style boot camp, so don’t let the name fool you. They are an indoor group fitness program, helping hundreds of local community members transform their lives.
• This fundraiser has limited spots available, and registration for their program is going to start this Monday, November 4, 2024 at 8am.
• We’re excited to help provide greater educational opportunities for our students, and look forward to your support! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

We are always here for you via ( https://facebook.com/groups/gretchkopto/ ) and subscribe to our linktree Gretchko Elementary PTO | Facebook | Linktree or email pto.gretchko@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Your Gretchko PTO

If you have time to spare on a Wednesday during the school day OR at home throughout the week, sign up HERE.

We're a team of parent volunteers who are ready to tackle the time consuming jobs that bog down our wonderful teachers! From copies to display boards to anything in between, we're here to fill in the gaps! We'll have 3 groups, 9-12 for our K-2 teachers, 1-4 for our 3-5 teachers & a special 'take home team' who will be managing projects from the comfort of home for anyone who can't make it in during the school day!

Please consider joining our Watch D.O.G.S. Male parent volunteer group. We really appreciated our volunteers! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094DA4AF2EA2FA7-51620729-november#/

If approved by voters, library millage funds would be used for:

• replacement of aging building components
• updates to IT Infrastructure, including 24/7 holds pickup lockers
• improvements to programming areas, including the Meeting Room and outdoor spaces
• expanded digital collections (eBooks, eAudiobooks, etc.)

Learn more at wblib.org/millage.

WBSD has partnered with ParentGuidance.org to give parents free access to resources and helpful information. We have shared this information with our families. We hope that it will be useful for some of you as well!

ParentGuidance.org is an online service by licensed therapists that provides trusted and specialized courses, professional support, and a safe community for parents to learn how to support their children and get answers to mental health questions.

There are many community resources available to families in need. See the Oakland County Community Resource Guide, which includes resources about topics including Abuse & Protective Services; Food Pantries, Clothing & Household Support; Healthcare Services; Housing Assistance; and Parenting & Pregnancy Resources.

211 (United Way) offers resources/connections for family support as well. Parents/adults can call, text, or email. Here is the link to the 211 website, which is searchable by topic. Additionally, see these 211 flyers in English, Spanish, and Arabic.

Finally, here are some resources for Food Pantry/Supplies near WB/Oakland County.

Phone:

• Main Office Phone: (248)865-6570
• SAFELINE to report absences: (248) 865-6572. This is a 24 hour answering machine.