Ryan Elementary School Update

It was so wonderful seeing everyone at Open House, you helped to make it a great evening. We are looking forward to partnering with you for an amazing year. We have the best students and families! Below are a few pictures from the night.

SeeSaw is a great way to communicate with your child's teachers and the principal. SeeSaw sends us and email and then we are able to go into the platform and message you. If you need assistance getting connected in SeeSaw please reach out.

• For every ONE missed day of school, it takes a student TWO days to catch up.
• Missing a day of school here and there may not seem like much but absences add up! When a student misses just 2 days a month, they will miss over a year of school by graduation.
• Chronic absenteeism at a young age may prevent children from reaching early learning milestones, like basic math skills and learning to read by 3rd grade. By middle and high school, irregular attendance is a better predictor than test scores that a student will drop out.

Data brought to you by attendanceworks.org

• Your child will be allowed 5 excused absences from you without any form of documentation. After the 5th absence, document must be provided to excuse the absence. If your child is going to be absent, make sure to call the office or message us SeeSaw to excuse the absence. Any documentation to support an absence must be turned in no later than two days from the absence date or upon the student returning to school if it is longer.
• If your child is chronically absent or excessively sick, communicate with us and we will support you every step of the way. Just remember we are bound by law to follow the Branch County Truancy guidelines regarding chronic absenteeism. Furthermore, we love your children and want them at school.
• That being said if your child is running a fever over of 100 degrees, your child must be symptom free for at least 24 hours from any fever, vomiting, or diarrhea without the use of any fever reducing medication before they return to school.
• Students arriving 15 minutes after the beginning of the school day will be marked absent for the first half of the day. Students being picked up early will be marked absent for that half day section if they are picked up from school 15 minutes before the end of the section.

1. Set a routine that includes regular bedtime, laying out clothes and packing backpacks the night before.
2. Don't let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Be aware that frequent complaints of headaches or stomach aches could be signs of anxiety and reach out to your child's teacher, social worker or principal for support.
3. Avoid scheduling appointments during the school day and vacations that fall outside of school breaks.
4. Have a backup plan for getting your child to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, friend, neighbor or another parent to help out.

Ryan Elementary is fortunate enough to have a full time and one part-time social worker on staff to help support our students.

If it is necessary, due to inclement weather, to close school for the day or delay opening, all parents will be called by the School Messenger system. We will also post on our Facebook page. The following radio and television stations will also be advised: WTVB- Coldwater (1590 AM or 98.5 FM); WBET- Sturgis (99.3); WLKI- Angola (100.3 FM); WRKR- Kalamazoo (103.3 FM); WWMT- Kalamazoo (Channel 3)

** If you do not receive a call please notify your building secretary to ensure we have the correct phone number in the system.

If you plan to volunteer for Field Trips or in the classroom please make sure you have an updated form on file. One must be completed every year. We would like all forms to be completed for this year by October 1st.

Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 No School - Labor Day

September 19th- 3rd Grade Visit to BACC for Project Red

September 25 Half Day for Students - Teacher PD

October 2- Fall Count Day

October 4 Ryan Elementary Picture Day

October 7-11 Homecoming Week

October 9th- Fire Safety

October 10- 4th Grade Field Trip

October 11 Teacher County-Wide PD –No School

Week of October 21 P-T Conferences – School in Session

October 25 Half Day for Students - P-T Conferences

November 6 Picture Retakes & Half Day for Students - Teacher PD

November 27 No School - Thanksgiving Break

December 4 Half Day for Students - Teacher PD

December 17th Ryan Holiday Program

December 20 Half Day for Students - Teacher Records Day

December 23 Winter Break Begins

January 6 Students return from break – Full day of school

January 20 Teacher PD – No school for students

January 21-22 Smiles on Wheels

February 5 Half Day for Students - Teacher PD

February 6 3rd Grade Field Trip to the the Capital and History Museum

February 12 Spring Count Day

February 14 Half Day for Students/Staff

February 17 No School – Farmer’s Day

March 5 Half Day for Students - Teacher PD

March 10 P-T Conferences – School in Session

March 24 Spring Break Begins

March 31 Students return from Spring Break – Full day

April 2 Half Day for Students - Teacher PD

April 18 No School – Good Friday

April 25 Half Day for Students – Teacher Record Day

May 7 Half Day for Students - Teacher PD

May 15 Ryan Elementary Extravaganza (Field Day, Awards & Family Picnic)

May 22 Class of 2025 Commencement Ceremony

May 26 No School – Memorial Day

May 28th 5th Grade Field Trip to Sauder Village (Tentative)

May 30 Half day - Last Day of school for Students - Teacher Records Day