FES: Monthly Newsletter

November 2023 🦃

Principal Message

Freeland Elementary Families,

I feel as though November came out of nowhere and so did the crisp and chilly days. Fall is one of the many reasons why I moved back to Michigan 5 years ago. There is something about the changing leaves, the colder weather, and the togetherness that is felt in a fall in the Midwest. Which leads me into the month of November, one of my favorites.

Getting to fill our hallways in the month of November is one of my favorites, because we focus and dedicate this month to showing kindness, gratitude, and thankfulness. I had the opportunity to ask some students what makes them thankful for Freeland Elementary School, and here are some of their responses.

I am thankful for FES because…

All the teachers work here and they are super helpful and nice. ~Vada, 4th Grade

The staff is so nice to kids! ~Dakota, 2nd Grade

You can make a lot of new friends and have a lot of fun! ~Carson, 4th Grade

For all of my friends. ~Zephaniah, 2nd Grade

Because of the education I receive! ~Lila, 4th Grade

How nice the teachers are and how they help us through stuff. ~Ashlyn, 3rd Grade

The teachers and students are so nice! ~Carter, 3rd Grade

We do a lot of things that other schools don't normally do. ~Harper, 3rd Grade

The staff and teachers do an awesome job of teaching! ~Samantha, 3rd Grade

Everyone is so helpful and kind, and they help us learn. ~Bevyn, 2nd Grade

For the staff and students because they keep us safe all the time, and teachers help us learn, and the students help each other. ~Meghan, 2nd Grade

Events we are looking forward to in November

November 6-17- Conference Weeks: Our teachers are looking forward to meeting with families in the coming weeks!

November 11- Veterans Day: I want to take this opportunity to recognize and honor our Veterans. Today and each day you are so important to our community and our nation, and we thank you for your service.

November 13-17-Kindness Week: Stay tuned for more information from some of our 6th grade leaders for how we will celebrate kindness week!

November 23- Happy Thanksgiving! This is a day that is filled with a grateful heart, and one that may look a little different this year than it has in years past. I hope that you are able to celebrate by showing great appreciation to your family, community and those around you.

I hope you all have a wonderful November, and as always, please reach out if you need anything.

I am thankful for each one of our families and the support we receive each day as educators. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with friends and family 🦃

Your Proud Principal,

Mrs. Kali McKenna

Brrrrr..... Winter is Coming! ❄️

Please make sure on the cold days that children are coming to school with coats, and other winter gear when appropriate!

Have You Recently Moved? 🏚️

Have you recently moved? If so, please reach out to the school office. Our secretaries would be happy to assist you in getting your address changed in Skyward. Please note that completing a transportation form or other school document with the new address is not sufficient to get your address officially changed in Skyward.

What is Standards Based Grading?

In Freeland Community School District for grades K-5th, we use standards based grading, which is different than your traditional scoring of letter grading and percentages. By using standards based grading, it allows teachers to score children on a scale for the state standards in which they teach, and allows children to receive academic related feedback on an ongoing basis that shows guided improvement. The scale is 1-4, and specific indicator descriptions will be listed on report cards.

Standards Based Scale Indicator:

4: Accelerated

3: Consistent and Independent Application (Desired Level)

2: Occasionally Needs Support

1: Does not meet grade level expectations

At the halfway point in the school year (and at conferences) when our first report cards come out, it is important to remember that every standard has not been taught or for that matter retaught. Children have the whole year to learn the required material. If at any time you have questions about the progress of your child, or standards based grading, I encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher, and my door is always open.

Lost and Found

Just a reminder that our lost and found is cleared out at the end of each month to make room for more. Please encourage your child to check it if they are missing something!

Pick Up and Drop Off Times

A friendly reminder that our backdoors for parent drop off for 5th/6th grade end at 7:35, and our 2nd-4th grade end promptly at 9:00. If you drop off your child after those times, please use the front office entrance.

If you have transportation changes for your child, please make sure to call the front office 30 minutes prior to the end of the school day. If you call after that, we may or may not be able to honor your request. Thank you in advance for your help so that we can continue to implement safe practices at dismissal.

zoom_out_map

Bus Changes on FCSD Transportation

If your child needs to ride a different bus for any reason at the end of the day, a call to transportation needs to take place at least 24 hours in advance of that desired change.

zoom_out_map

Vision Screening

Our 3rd and 5th graders will have their annual vision screening on November 6 and November 7.

Gently Used Clothing (Youth Sizes)

We are looking for youth sizes of pants and shirts for our office. This helps us as students clothing gets wet from recess during the winter time.

For example: sweatpants, jeans, socks, sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts, shoes, etc. Thank you in advance for donations!

Electronic Devices at School

Cell phones and personal electronic devices are not permitted during class time, unless otherwise directed by a district staff member. Students are to put cell phones and personal electronic devices (this includes watches if they are a distraction to the learning environment) away upon arrival. They are to be kept on silent or off while in backpacks and lockers throughout the student’s time at school. Please see the Family Handbook for additional information.

A Note from the School Counselor❤️

Hello and Happy November!

For those of you who don’t know who I am, my name is Danielle Castillo, and I am the Y5-4th Grade School Counselor. I am going to start tagging along on the Learning Center/Elementary School’s Monthly Newsletters just to share some information about what the Counseling Program has been up to this month.

From September to November, I completed my first round of Y5-4th grade classroom lessons and am working on the second round. Here is a list of the topics covered in each grade level, so far:

Y5 - Big Deal or Little Deal (problem size) & Personal Space

Kindergarten - Big Deal or Little Deal (problem size) & Growth Mindset

1st Grade - Growth Mindset & Flipping your Lid (calming your brain and body)

*my favorite lesson, make sure to ask about their owl, elephant, and dog

2nd Grade - Size of the Problem (identify the size of a problem & appropriate reactions) & Responsibility & Problem Solving

3rd Grade - Choices and Consequences & THINK Before you Speak

4th Grade - Introduction to Executive Functioning Skills & Executive Functioning: Planning

Also, this year our Y5-3rd grade classrooms have started using InnerExplorer daily. InnerExplorer is a mindfulness curriculum that, through a 5-10 minute daily guided practice, is helping to teach students skills such as self awareness, self regulation, empathy, and resilience. Mrs. Griffin, four of her first graders, and I presented an update to the Board of Education at the October 18th meeting. The students did a great job showing everyone what they have learned so far.

zoom_out_map

Reminders from PTO

Greenery Orders are due on Thursday, November 2!
Next PTO Meeting is Tuesday, November 14 @ 6:30 p.m.

FCSD Vision and Mission

Vision: Preparing Students for the Demands and Opportunities of the 21st Century

Mission Statement: The purpose of the Freeland Community School District is to prepare students to be successful adults by providing a challenging curriculum that connects students' lives to their future in a safe and supportive environment.