March 2025 Edition

Ottawa Elementary School

Dear Little Bucks Families,

March is my absolute favorite time of the school year! Just as we move into spring with the grass growing and flowers beginning to bloom, our students are also growing and blooming as well! When I was a first grade teacher, this was the time of year when I would see incredible growth, not only academically, but emotionally and socially.

Another reason I love March is that during this month reading and literacy are celebrated! Any day of the year is a great day to read, but this month especially, we focus on the importance of reading and that it matters at any age. Foundational reading skills build the framework for young children to become strong, fluent readers. That is one of the important jobs we have at Ottawa, to lay the foundation and build the framework for your children.

Conferences are around the corner! If your classroom teacher is not recommending a conference, please feel free to continue to reach out via email, Class Connect, or by phone if you have any questions regarding your child's progress. We are here to support you and your child's learning.

Please join us to be a guest reader this month! We would love for you to come share the love of reading with our Little Bucks!

Here's hoping for warmer recess days!

Stacey Denison, Principal

sdenison@buchananschools.com

Go to www.strawbridge.net and enter Online Code YB32109

Last day to order is March 31, 2025

Our school office is open 8:00am-4:30pm

Phone: 269.695.8409

Mrs. Stacey Denison, Principal

sdenison@buchananschools.com

Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson, Administrative Assistant

ejohnson@buchananschools.com

REGULAR DAY OF SCHOOL

8:35am-3:43pm

ECSE AM 8:35am-11:50pm

ECSE PM 12:25pm-3:43pm

WACKY WEDNESDAYS

8:35am-3:10pm

HALF DAYS OF SCHOOL

8:35am-12:05pm

No ECSE Classes on these days!

MARCH

1 March Is Reading Month Kick Off!

4 Lions KidSight Screening Pre-1st

5 Wacky Wednesday- Dismissal at 3:10pm

9 Daylight Savings Time (Turn clocks ahead one hour)

12 Wacky Wednesday- Dismissal at 3:10pm

14 Extra ECSE Friday

17 St. Patrick's Day

17 Board of Education Meeting 6:00pm BHS

19 Wacky Wednesday- Dismissal 3:10pm

20 Kickstart to Career Deposit Day

20 No GSRP- Professional Development Day

26 Wacky Wednesday- Dismissal at 3:10pm

26 Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30pm

27 No ECSE/Preschool Classes (Monsma, Chase, Shaner, and Apolin)

27 Parent/Teacher Conferences 12:40-4:40pm

28 Spring Break Begins

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Ottawa! Keep your students engaged in reading by providing them with exciting books!

The book fair will be open Monday, March 24th – Thursday, March 27th during school hours! We will be open on Wednesday, March 26th from 3:40PM – 7:30PM and Thursday, March 27th from 12:30-4:30 to allow parents to shop with their children.

Your purchases raise funds to buy new library books and support readers at Ottawa Elementary for years to come!

If you are uneasy about sending money to school with your students, take advantage of e-wallet by prepaying up to an amount you designate. You can also make purchases online when you visit the book fair homepage.

Please visit our book fair homepage https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/ottawaelementaryschool2 to find out more about e-wallet and preview some of the books coming on the fair.

If you have questions contact Amanda Lemler at alemler@buchananschools.com

Click "Ottawa Handbook Link" to be taken to our handbook on the district website.

Please read through this handbook for information regarding our school.

Kindergarten, first grade and ECSE spring parent/teacher conferences will be held Wednesday, March 26th 4:40-7:40pm and Thursday, March 27th 12:40pm-4:40pm. Conferences are different in spring than fall. These are conducted on an as needed basis. Students with reading plans, IEPs, and teacher concerns are necessary and given priority, however, all parents may request a conference time.

A conference form will be sent home notifying you if your child requires a conference time.

GSRP Preschool has different requirements for conferences, teachers will be in touch regarding scheduling.

Michigan Gateway Community Foundation and Honor Credit Union will be collecting deposits on Thursday, March 20TH! Students may bring in their deposits on Thursday in a sealed envelope with the following information: Student Name, Grade, Graduation Year and Account Number found in their personal savings account register booklet. If you have questions regarding deposits, please contact the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation at 695-3521.

We model and teach what we expect to see from students with the Buck 3. Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe. Next week will be our first week to choose students that have been working hard at following the Buck 3. Pictures will be displayed on our wall for the entire school to see on their way to lunch and names announced during our announcements.

A signed certificate will come home at the end of the week and their names will be shared in Ottawa's Update over the weekend for families!

We are so proud of you and appreciate the example you lead for others at Ottawa! Keep up the phenomenal work!

Preschool: Jackson C. and Ella N.

Kindergarten: Isla S., Colten B., Nazera K., Isabella M. and Angus B.

First Grade: Peytin M., Willa B., Hadley H., Gracelynn H. and Josie S.

We appreciate the help and support of volunteers, but we also want to maintain focus on our instructional day and the engagement of students, therefore volunteer opportunities are set during specific times during the school day. Please see the guidelines below if you are interested in volunteering.

We want to make sure every single student gets out the door and home safely. Please remember the following:

• You MUST contact our school office by 2:00 pm if you need to make changes to your child's transportation routine.

• If you need to make changes involving a bus, these changes must be communicated to our office by 1:30 pm, before the buses leave for their middle/high school routes.

• Please do not message or email teachers as they are often in session and do not receive the messages until it is too late.

• If you need a numbered car tag for the pick up line, please come into our office.

• If you are picking your child up as a walker, they will be dismissed at the doors by our front office.

• Only car riders with parents in the pick up line will be dismissed at the north parking lot doors.

269.695.8402

• March 17th
• April 21st
• May 19th

Meetings will be called to order at 6:00pm unless advertised differently.

269.695.8400

Superintendent

Mrs. Patricia Robinson probinson@buchananschools.com

Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent

Mrs. Michelle Munyon mmunyon@buchananschools.com

Director of Operations/Instructional Systems Coordinator

Mr. Mark Kurland mkurland@buchananschools.com

Business Office Specialist

Mrs. Carrie Brunsting cbrunsting@buchananschools.com

Director of Special Education

Mrs. Karin Falkenstein kfalkenstein@buchananschools.com

Director of Technology

Mr. Philip Place psplace@buchananschools.com

We work hard every day to make our school the best it can be. Please tell us how we’re doing!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedhHzyguA0_cCpd2Ue17lUTG5bV9LXzCoe6sP2f_BJrovA1Q/viewform