FES Monthly Newsletter

May and June

🤍 Principal Message 💚

My message this month is simple, and FULL of appreciation for our teachers and staff that fill our building, that love our children each day, and that pour their ALL into what they do on a daily basis. When I walk our halls each day, I hear laughter, I hear passion, I hear children learning, and I see teachers that love what they do.

This upcoming week (May 6-10) is Teacher Appreciation Week. It is a week that we get to shower our teachers and staff with the same love they show each day. It is a great opportunity to send in a note of appreciation or a message of support for all that they do each day.

A day doesn't go by that I am not grateful that I get to work in a building that is overflowing with support and love for our Falcons. Thank you to our community for partnering with our teachers and staff throughout the year so that our students can continue to shine bright!

Your Proud Principal,

Mrs. Kali McKenna

🌟FES Announcements!🌟

🎉 Congratulations to our 2024 Retirees 🎉

Mrs. Kristen Taylor

Mrs. Brenda Crook

Mr. Pete Duley

We say "See you Later" to 👋

Mr. Jason Wildey who will be moving up to the middle school to teach math and science.

Mrs. Cathy Childs and Miss Anna Helmreich who we thank for their passion and support this year as they filled long term positions.

Some other FES Changes for the 2024-2025 School Year 🤩

Mrs. Suzy Kuhn will be teaching 5th Grade.

Mrs. Stitt and Mrs. St. Charles will be teaching 4th Grade.

We say hello to 😀

Miss Alexis Brilinski, Special Education Teacher

Mrs. Emily Eickhoff, Special Education Teacher

We are looking forward to adding more FES family members this spring/summer to join our teaching staff in 3rd and 4th grade. We can't wait!

PTO Information 🤗

Next Meeting: May 7, 6:30 p.m. at Freeland Elementary School
For more information and meeting notes visit our FES/LC PTO Website
Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up, May 6-10!

💡Getting a Jump Start!💡

Parents of Incoming 5th Graders,

Each year, we learn and we grow from various implementations and changes. We use our time to reflect and make necessary changes to meet the needs of all of our students. Since the 2022-2023 school year, our 5th grade team has been departmentalized. The students have switched through 7 classes per day for about 50-55 minutes. We have had minimal breaks for the students throughout the day, and the curriculum that we use requires teachers to make many changes to meet the time constraints of the periods throughout the day. This model has presented challenges and can be a lot for our students, and we have spent time talking about what we want for our students and how we can better meet their needs. With all of these reflections, there will be some positive changes to 5th grade next year to better meet the needs of our students. The start and end time for 5th grade will remain the same (7:35-2:25).

Schedule: Our 5th graders will follow a traditional block schedule. They will have 3 classes per day, along with an electives class period, lunch/recess, and another recess in the afternoon. The students will have an A day and a B Day. They will follow 3 classes on each day. For example, a student may have A Day on Monday/Wednesday, and B Day on Tuesday/Thursday. Friday will be a shortned version of all of the classes to make sure the students are understanding the content and the teachers can assess how they did throughou the week. The schedule will be a blend of what they have experiences in lower elementary, and prepare them for what is to come in the middle grades with switching throughout the day. Changing to this schedule allows for the students to have more time with their teachers during the day, less transitions between classes, and more time to build meaningful relationships with their peers in each of their classes.
Classes: The students will have 6 classes total. Those classes will be:

Language Arts (Reading and Writing) taught by Miss Cereske.
Math taught by Mrs. Irish.
Social Studies taught by Mrs. Dake.
Science taught by Mrs. Somers.
EDGE 5 taught by Mrs. Henning

EDGE-(Exploration, Discovery, and Growth Experience)
EDGE provides an opportunity for students to engage in project-based learning units that focus on enhancing 5th grade adopted curriculum topics. Units will integrate all subject areas with real life topics, and students will explore how their learning can impact their community. Assessment data will be used to design instruction that will support gaps in learning or stretch learning opportunities for students. This course will support the 21st century learner by implementing and enhancing the following areas: problem solving, collaboration and teamwork, supporting students to take an active role in their learning, build digital and technology skills, and increasing confidence for all content areas in the 5th grade curriculum.

WIN Class taught by Mrs. Kuhn.

WIN Time, or "What I Need Time," a designated period during the 5th grade school day where students have the opportunity to engage in activities tailored to their individual needs and interests. This time is often used for academic interventions, enrichment activities, personalized learning, or social-emotional support. WIN Time allows educators to target specific areas where students may need extra assistance or challenge, promoting personalized learning experiences and addressing diverse learning needs within the classroom. It also fosters a sense of autonomy and ownership over their learning journey among students. Overall, 5th grade WIN Time aims to enhance academic achievement, foster student engagement, and support holistic student development within the school environment.

We wanted to share this information with you now, so that you can have a better idea of what this will look like for the 2024-2025 school year. We look forward to continuing our conversations, and communicating additional information with you as we get closer to next school year. We are happy with these changes, and we are excited for our students to continue to have positive experiences at Freeland Elementary School.

🏀 Summer Opportunities 🎭

Freeland Performing Arts Camp (FPAC) is June 17-21st for incoming 1st-6th graders. Please complete this Pre-Registration Form if interested. Campers will take classes in Music, Movement, Acting and Technical Theatre and will perform a show at the end of the week at 6:00 on Friday, June 21. Camp will run from 9:00am - 3:00pm on Monday - Friday with a 30 minute break for lunch. CAMP COST = $100.00. T-shirt included. After June 1st, you will receive an email confirming your pre-registration with a link to pay online to complete your Registration. Limited Space. APPLY TODAY!!

BOYS BASKETBALL TRYOUTS

Please see the attachment above regarding Boy Basketball Tryouts for the 2024-25 season. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kyle Kolbe at kkolbe@midv.net or text 989-429-7531.

3rd Grade Flyer

5th Grade Flyer

SUMMER SKILL CAMP W/ FREELAND BASKETBALL TEAMS

Summer Skill Camp Information

SVSU Boy’s Basketball Youth Camp

July 15-18, 9am-2pm, for boys grades K-8
The SVSU Men's Basketball Youth Camp provides players with a FUN environment to learn and improve their game while receiving skill instruction directly from SVSU coaches and players! Lunch is included each day in our Marketplace cafeteria
Link for more details & to sign up: https://svsumensbasketballcamps.totalcamps.com/shop/product/320127

SVSU Boy’s Basketball Position Camp

July 29-August 1, 9am-2pm, for boys grades 4-12
The position camp offers participants the chance to develop a solid foundation in both skill development and motivation by position (guards and forwards) - by SVSU coaches and players! Lunch is included each day in our Marketplace cafeteria
Link for more details & to sign up: https://svsumensbasketballcamps.totalcamps.com/shop/product/320131

Class Placement Information📝

Student placement is a thoughtful process that involves time and input from parents/guardians, classroom teachers and other school staff and administrators. The placement team (which includes the current teacher and potential future teachers, principal, special education department, school counselor and social worker) reviews academic progress, interpersonal relationships, gender, medical needs, and specialized instruction. We work hard to keep classrooms balanced and place students appropriately, knowing their academic and social strengths and other unique characteristics. Please know that specific parent requests are considered, however not guaranteed, as we always make placement decisions to ensure all classrooms are balanced.

Our goal at Freeland Community School District is to provide a safe and successful learning experience for all students. The following list includes, but is not limited to some of the criteria we consider when placing students into classrooms:

Program needs of students (e.g., special education services, 504 services)
Classroom configuration
Social needs of students
Compatibility of individual students and groups of students
Behavioral factors
Motivation level of students
Balance of achievement levels in groups of students
Information/Input provided by parents/guardians and teachers
Balance of class sizes throughout the grade level

We believe that every teacher at Freeland Learning Center and Freeland Elementary School works hard to know and understand the children in their classrooms. We work closely with families to support any need or issues that may arise, always placing the best interests of all of our students first. Requests for a specific teacher are considered, however, are not guaranteed. Final decisions for student and class placement rest with the school staff.

Class Placement Timeline:

May/June: Placement team works at school to place students into classrooms.

July/August: Placement is finalized with school based teams.

Middle of August: Placement is shared with students/families via Skyward.