Husky Happenings

Things are moving right along here at Graham!! Students are really doing a nice job adjusting to new routines and procedures. The classrooms look great too! Way to go Teachers!!! We were so happy to see all of our families at open house this past week.

Please be sure that you read all communication coming from the school and from your child's teacher. It is important to keep yourself up to date with what is going on at the school and in your child's classroom. We would hate for families to miss an important event at the school. This communication comes out EVERY Friday.

Your child will take their normal way home every day unless we hear from you by you calling the office or dojo messaging your child's teacher. Please do not tell your child that you will pick them up and expect that they will tell their teacher. We need adult confirmation with any changes in their day. We would hate for someome to get on the bus or miss the bus due to a lack of communication.

Please feel free to email me with questionsyou might have and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Sheppard

Principal

Our school entrance has been updated! We now have a vestibule where you will enter after showing your ID to Mrs. Harper on the camera. If you are picking up a child early from school, you will remain in the vestibule and your child will be brought to you. If you are dropping off a lunch or picking up homework, that will also be done in the vestibule. There will be sign out sheets and containers for lunches and homework out in that area.

The only reason that adults will enter into the office will be if you are here for a meeting, medication drop off, volunteering in a classroom, or registration. This system might feel a little bit different but this is all for the safety of our staff and students at Graham.

Thank you to all of our families for your patience every morning and afternoon at drop off and pick up. The begining of the school year comes with many challenges and this is a big one! Please allow yourself extra time in the morning and after school because the parking lots get full and we also have several buses coming to our building. School begins at 9:10 AM. Please make sure that your child is on time every day. If you arrive at school after 9:10. please go to the front entrance. At this point, their classroom doors or line up doors will no longer be available to them for entry. Construction is causing some issues and hopefully once our new gym is complete, we will be able to add an additional spot for students to enter and exit.

If your child is supposed to ride the bus and is not, please consider letting them ride! There are VERY good cameras on the bus and I can see and hear everything that goes on. We have great bus driviers that report any incidents to me if something happens. I can then review it on camera and talk to students that might need reminders about bus behavior. We have a great process here at Graham of getting students off the bus in the morning and on to the bus in the afternoon. Having your students ride the bus elimates parking lot troubles for you as well!

We respect that some appointments or obligations will require you to pick-up your child(ren) early from school. If you have an appointment and you must pick up your child early, please expect delays and please come before 3:40 pm. In the spirit of safety, our dismissal process involves all staff and it is very difficult to have staff get a student early from their classroom and bring them to the office between 3:40 and 4:00pm. Please do not pick-up children between 3:40 and 4:00 pm. This greatly affects our safe and efficient dismissal process. We do not have extra staff to easily get students from class prior to our 4:00 dismissal. Thank you for your continued support.

If your child COMPLETED their summer workbook, they can bring it back and give it to their teacher. Please make sure that their name is on it so that we know who to give the prize to! Thank you all so much for completing those. I heard some great feedback from parents at Open House so hopefully we will be able to do them again next year!

I thought I would add this section in here this year to keep you informed about different things going on in the district, community and about our school. Please look through it each week so that you are aware of new things going on or things that we offer here at Graham and in the District.

Students who arrive to school after 9:15 are considered tardy (late) to school. If students arrive to school after 10:00 they are considered ABSENT for the morning. If students leave school before 3:15 pm, they are considered absent for the afternoon! If your child cannot take a bus home or get picked up at our 4:00 dismissal, you should make arrangements with our Champions program or have another plan for pick up.

Meetings will be held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month from 4:30-6:00 at Graham.

The PTA will have a table set up at Open House for families to stop by and see all of the things that they do to support Graham. Please consider joining this organization so that you can:

• Connect with other parents
• Make your voice heard
• Volunteer at your child's school
• Build better programs for students
• Stay informed
• BE A SUPER PARENT!!!!

Our PTA meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm. Meetings last for one hour. We love to see new faces and get new ideas!! I hope we can get a bunch of new families to join this year so that we can do some great things for our students and staff at Graham.

Please consider selling Mums to family and friends to help support our school! Every sale helps!!

We know that pets are a huge part of many families. However, please do not bring your pets to school. Student arrival time and dismissal time can be a very anxious time. Bringing your dog or cat when you are walking on campus to pick up your student can be very sensitive for some kids and adults. We do not want anyone accidently bitten or scratched. Pets should stay inside vechicles. Safety first.

Thank you for supporting our kids and families by keeping your dogs and pets at home or in your vehicle.

Please scan the QR code for more information on this wonderful FREE program. 2nd-5th grade students only!

Wayne-Westland Community Schools has a Family Resource Center (FRC), offering free services to all students and families within our district. Among the services provided are basic needs assistance, access to over 700 local resources, and a Laundry Assistance Program. Additionally, the FRC offers essential items, such as emergency toiletries, socks, underwear, hats, gloves, and scarves, to those in need. School supplies and backpacks are also available year-round for any district student.

Please contact our Family Resource Center at 734-419-2709 or FRC@wwcsd.net. A Digital Request for Services Form is also available. If you have additional questions about their services, please contact the Family Resource Center directly.

9/12 Cheer Practice 4:00-5:30

There are some days when the menu could possibly change due to food items not being available. We will let the students know if there are changes as soon as we find out.

Our 5th graders will be selling snacks during all three lunches to raise money to go to Camp! All snacks are $1.00. Cash Only PLEASE!!!

9/17 King Pancake Day

9/19 MUM Sale Ends

9/19 PTA meeting at 6:30 pm

10/1 Picture Day

Attendance Line: 734-419-2626

Secretary: Mrs. Harper harperb@wwcsd.net

Principal: Mrs. Sheppard sheppardl@wwcsd.net

Email: sheppardl@wwcsd.net
Website: https://www.wwcsd.net/schools/elementary-schools/graham/
Location: 1255 South John Hix Road, Westland, MI, USA
Phone: 734-419-2620
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PDGrahamHuskies