CUBS COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION

Our mission at Collins, with the help of the community, is to foster a caring and enriching environment that enables all students to grow academically and socially, to reach their individual potential as they become lifelong learners.

SCHOOL HOURS: 8:25-3:15 DAILY

HALF-DAY HOURS: 8:25-11:29

BREAKFAST OPENS @ 8:10-8:25

email: mailto:officecollins@uticak12.org

website: https://collins.uticak12.org

Location: 12900 Grand Haven, Sterling Heights, MI 48312

Phone: 586-797-4200

Attendance Line: 586-797-4299 (24 hours)

COLLINS Facebook: www.facebook.com/CollinsCubs

PTO Facebook: www.facebook.com/BruceCollinsPTO

AUGUST RETURN DATES:

30: NO SCHOOL LABOR DAY RECESS

SEPTEMBER DATES

2: NO SCHOOL LABOR DAY RECESS

3-17: PTO MUM SALE

6: Technology Insurance DUE BY DATE

9: PICTURE DAY!!! (PLEASE THE ORDER FORM BELOW)

10: Bagel Day

11: OPEN HOUSE!! 6:30-8pm. 6:30-7pm TITLE I PARENT MEETING WELCOME, 7-8 OPEN HOUSE

16: PTO MEETING 3:45 Media Center

17: CONSTITUTION DAY-Wear Red, white, and blue.

18: NO SCHOOL STAFF PD

20: ICE CREAM SOCIAL 5-7pm PTO

9/30-10/14 Little Caesars Pizza Kits PTO

OCTOBER DATES

1: Bagel Day PTO

2: Mumster and Mumkins Delivery PTO

2: COUNT DAY!!

2: Custodian Appreciation Day-Make a card to say thank you!

8: 5th Grade Field Trip to DIA

11: Last day for Little Caesar's Kits PTO Fundraiser

16: NO SCHOOL PD

18: Trunk or Treat PTO TBD

28: Texas Roadhouse Night PTO

28-11/1: PTO Donut Day Pre-Sales ONLY

31: HALF- DAY DISMISSAL @ 11:29 Parade and Parties-TBD.

NOVEMBER DATES

1: HALF-DAY DISMISSAL @ 11:29 END OF QUARTER 1

4: Donut Day PTO

5: NO SCHOOL ELECTION DAY

4-15: PTO Texas Roadhouse Gift Cards Fundraiser

7: HALF DAY OF SCHOOL DISMISSAL @ 11:29 Afternoon Conferences 12:15-3:15pm

7: Fall Conferences Evening 4:00-7:00pm

12: Bagel Day PTO

14: Fall Conferences Online or In-Person Evening Only 4-7pm

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL CUBS-

We had a great first week together at Collins! Welcome to all our new and returning families and students. Thank you for making our first week together a success. Happy Labor Day! Please see below for some very important reminders as we begin the next week together:

SCHOOL ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL

• BUSSES: Our Bus Loop is a NO-PARKING zone (we are working on signs). Our busses use that lane to make wide turns for the BUS DROP OFF ZONE. Thank you for being sure to keep it clear.
• PARENT DROP OFF AND PICK-UP: Please park in the visitor parking lot and cross at the proper crossing lines to ensure safety. Thank you for watching speeds as we have numerous bikers, walkers, and students crossing our parking lots.
• CROSS-WALK: Thank you for crossing at the cross-walk zones only. THIS IS FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.
• ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL DOORS (See below)
• Kindergarten: Lined up outside of the Kindergarten doors.
• 1st/2nd: ENTER/EXIT Door 9
• 3rd/4th/4-5: ENTER/EXIT Door 7
• 5th: ENTER/EXIT Classroom Doors
• 6th: ENTER/EXIT Door 1 by GYM not MAIN OFFICE DOORS
• BREAKFAST ENTRY: Begins at 8:10, Door 1

SCHOOL SAFETY:

Thank you to those families for adhering to our district policy of showing their IDs to the cameras and buzzing to enter the school. We also appreciate your attention to not holding a door open for a parent behind you as well. These are safety protocols that we will continue to follow, and we sincerely appreciate your attention to this matter.

TECHNOLOGY INSURANCE:

This is highly recommended and is due by 9/6/24. The price this year is $20.00. Please see below for further information.

INFORMATIONAL PACKETS COMING HOME:

REMINDERS: If your child has any food allergies, medicine in the school, or any other medical issues, it is imperative that all forms are completed and sent back to school by 9/6/24

LUNCH/RECESS SUPERVISORS
Thank you for adhering to our policies and procedures for food safety and being mindful of our peanut allergies. We appreciate your attention to this matter. Our Lunch Supervisors have done an outstanding job! Lunch was a smooth success. We are continuing to enforce behaviors in the lunch room and families may be contacted. Thank you for reviewing the UCS student code of conduct and parent guide.

• Kindergarten: 11:15-11:55
• 1st: 11:35-12:05
• 2nd: 11:45-12:15
• 3rd: 11:55-12:35
• 4th/ 4/5: 12:15-12:55
• 5th: 12:05-12:45
• 6th: 11:05-11:45
• ASD/ECSE: 12:15-12:55

SPECIAL LUNCH DROP OFF: If you are dropping off a special lunch, please be sure to have your child's name on the bag and their grade level as well as to communicate with them before the school day begins. When you are buzzed into the main vestibule, there is a table for you to drop their lunches off. When your student comes down to the front office, they can come into the office to get their lunch. If it is an unexpected surprise, please let the front office know when you are buzzing in. Otherwise, we ask that you communicate with your child and remind them of their special lunch! :) Thank you!

PTO SUPPORT NEEDED:

CUBS, we would LOVE to extend a formal invitation to help support our FABULOUS and HARDWORKING PTO!! Our PTO Board does a wonderful job of planning and supporting our building in countless ways, but they NEED YOUR HELP!! If you are willing to help our community grow, please contact them at BRUCECOLLINS.PTO20@gmail.com.

Please see below with some very important information for our community. More details will be posted on our FACEBOOK page as well as our UCS homepage: Collins Elementary / Homepage (uticak12.org).

Welcome back to school! Here's to a successful school year!!

Once a CUB, ALWAYS a CUB! WELCOME to the 2024-2025 school year!

Warm regards,

Principal Ciacchella

Dear families-

"All meals are free this year thanks to the Michigan School Meals law. Students that would like to be eligible for benefits, such as pay-to-participate sports, college entrance fees, AP testing fees and more still need to fill out the Education Benefits Form or the School Meals Form. These forms are available at https://utica.familyportal.cloud."

Parents/Families, although our meals are free thanks to the Michigan School Meals, you are highly encouraged to still complete form to ensure our school receives proper TITLE I funds to be utilized on INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT for ALL our Cubs! Please complete the form below and applications will be sent home as well. Only ONE form from each home at each school is required (if you have multiple students at Collins, only one form is required to be completed and submitted).

FOOD ALLERGIES

"Students with food allergies that wish to use school meals must have a Special Dietary Needs form filled out and signed by a physician. Forms need to be submitted to the office of Food and Nutrition Service. Without this form we cannot make accommodations. This form must be updated every year to ensure accuracy. Since all schools have vegetarian options available, parents do not need to fill out a form for this option.

MEAL MAGIC:
"Families that wish to put money in their students’ Meal Magic account(s) via credit card will need to create a Family Portal account. Please go to https://utica.familyportal.cloud to create the account. This is also where parents can fill out the Educational Benefit Forms (EBF). Menus are online at https://uticak12.nutrislice.com .

We love having volunteers into Collins Elementary! Each year, every volunteer must complete a NEW volunteer form. Please be sure to view and complete the form below. THANK YOU!

SECURITY:

We appreciate all family members complying with our security measures. Please be sure to have your ID ready to be displayed to our front cameras, prior to entry. ALL VISITORS MUST BE BUZZED IN THROUGH THE MAIN FRONT OFFICE DOORS (Not DOOR 1 or any other door entry). We appreciate your support and cooperation in keeping all our CUBS safe and secure.

• *ALL GENERAL FORMS*
• Emergency Contacts
• MEDICAL INFORMATION including important allergy Information
• Other important information.

For additional forms to be completed, please click on the Registration Forms in UCS:

• Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan
• Transportation Health Information Card
• UCS ASTHMA Health Care Plan
• UCS Authorization for Medication
• UCS Diabetes Health Care Plan
• UCS General Health Care Plan
• UCS HEART CONDITION Health Care Plan
• UCS SEIZURE Health Care Plan
• UCS Special Diet Statement

TECHNOLOGY

• We highly recommend paying the optional $20.00 technology device insurance to cover possible damages that may occur.
• $20.00 *optional* fee is due by SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 through PaySchools.

ALL INFORMATION MUST BE COMPLETED ONLINE AT: PowerSchool / Home (uticak12.org)

Are you interested in volunteering at our school? If so, please be sure to complete the background check and volunteer form below. A REMINDER THAT A NEW FORM MUST BE COMPLETED EACH YEAR and completed within 2 weeks of the event. :)

FREE MEALS

Great news, free meals will be provided again this year due to Michigan School Meals. However, in order to continue to provide service, we will still need the Educational Benefit Forms completed in order to maintain our Title I funding.

• Please complete this form to apply online below.
• Families with food allergies should complete the MDE Special Dietary Needs form filled out and signed by a physician each year and submitted to the Food Service Office. SEE BELOW

SAY CHEESE CUBS!! PICTURE DAY IS SEPTEMBER 9th!

Picture day at Collins will be held on September 9th with SchoolPictures.com. Please use the QR code below to scan and pre-order your pictures now. In addition, the paper copies will be sent home with your student at the beginning of the school year. However, if you would like to view the order form to prepare in advance, we have included that as well. Orders are accepted both DIGITALLY and via PAPER. 📷

• SCHOOL KEYWORD: AA0107Fall24

Collins Community, we would like to hire you! Our CUBS community is one that is inclusive, inviting, warm, and friendly. Our school thrives because of the parent volunteers, such as yourself. Besides our wonderful and hardworking PTO, we would like you to work for us. If you have thought about getting involved with the school and continuing to help our village grow with support, please consider applying for the following positions:

AVAILABLE PAID POSITIONS:

• Cashier
• LUNCH/RECESS SUPERVISOR (4 positions available)
• ISM TEACHER

AVAILABLE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS:

• MAIN DOORS CROSS WALK CROSSING GUARD

We have several positions that will be open and available for Utica Community Schools for the 2024-2025 school year. If you have every considered getting involved in this amazing community, this is the time to do so! Please be sure to check out the website FREQUENTLY!!

https://uticak12.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

If you'd like to SUBSTITUTE TEACH in our building, please visit the website below!!

https://www.edustaff.org

There is always support available to you and your family. Should you need to contact our Care Match site is always running. At anytime, students, staff, or families can submit an anonymous request to care through your district's custom link caresolace.com/utica.

Bond Issue Updates / Bond Issue Updates (uticak12.org)

SUPER CUBS SHOW THEIR P.A.W.S!

P: Positive Choices

A: Act Responsibly

W: Will be Respectful

S: Shows Integrity

All Collins Cubs are expected to follow protocols and procedures while showing their PAWS! That includes inside the classrooms, during the hallways, on the playgrounds, and for arrivial/dismissal as well. Teachers will be on the lookout for ways to celebrate students showing their PAWS and have a chance to earn incentives.

Please review all Utica Community Schools behavior policies in the Parent Handbook attached to the link below. It is expected that all UCS policies and procedures will be adhered to at any/all school functions and on school properties. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Safety remains a priority for our school. Collins Elementary is once again providing training to our students on our safety protocols. The protocols identify actions that students may be asked to take in the event of a potential incident: hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate and shelter.

The training is provided through a short, animated video. In the video, the teacher – Mrs. Appleton – and her students walk through the different responses in a very relaxed and engaging way for younger children. The script was written by our staff.

The protocols will continue to be part of the training while practicing our regular school safety drills, such as fire drills, security drills, tornado drills, evacuation procedures, etc.)

The video is available for you to review at this link: UCS School Safety: Standard Response Protocol - Elementary - YouTube If you have any questions, please contact our office.

Principal of Collins Elementary

Email: collinsquestions@uticak12.org
Website: https://www.uticak12.org/Collins
Location: 12900 Grand Haven Drive, Sterling Heights, MI, USA
Phone: (586)797-4200
Facebook: facebook.com/collins