Broncos Bulletin

Welcome to April! We wish everyone who celebrated a very happy Easter. Also, with the end of Ramadan this week, Eid Mubarak to everyone observing. As a reminder, school will be closed Tuesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 10.

With the end of the school year quickly approaching, there are many events & important days coming up. We will continue to share on our social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Class Dojo. We will also make more of an effort to send newsletters on a more frequent basis.

The solar eclipse on April 8th is not only a spectacular astronomical event but also an invaluable teaching moment for our students. However, safety remains our top priority. While witnessing this phenomenon, it's crucial that students and staff take appropriate precautions to safeguard their eyesight. Certified safe solar eclipse viewing glasses are one way to safely watch the eclipse. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient protection for viewing a solar eclipse. We will share this message with our students and encourage all parents to also discuss the importance of eye safety with their children and to remind them to not look directly at the sun during the solar eclipse unless they have the proper eyewear.

We have arranged for classes in grades 2nd-5th to have special protective glasses needed for observing the eclipse, weather permitting, to take part in learning activities. If your child's class is going to take part in viewing the eclipse, your child's teacher will have shared that information along with a permission slip. If you did not receive any information directly from your child's teacher, then your child will remain indoors during the eclipse.

What is a solar eclipse? It is when the moon moves between the sun and Earth, casting a long shadow on Earth. The eclipse will begin around 2:00 PM and reach its maximum for our area at around 3:14 PM. It will all be over by a little before 4:30 PM, making the whole process about 2.5 hours long. This means the solar eclipse will still be taking place after the end of the school day. That is why it is so important for parents to also remind their children about the dangers of looking at the eclipse without the proper eye protection.

If you have a child who will be turning 5 by September 1, 2024 they are eligible to register for kindergarten! Students who will turn 5 between September 2, 2024-December 1, 2024 will be candidates for our Young 5's program.

We will share more information on how you can register at our Kindergarten Round Up, which will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 9:15am. Please spread the word to your neighbors!

Last week, we went back to our outdoor morning line up. You can check the LINE UP MAP for where your child should line up. Students will only have indoor lineup when there is inclement weather, such as snow, rain, or if the "feels like" temperature is 20 degrees or below.

Reminder that breakfast begins at 8:30am. If students are not eating breakfast at school, they should arrive no earlier than 8:50am, when teachers are present for duty. We are not required to have adult supervision prior to 8:50am, therefore children cannot arrive early to play on the playground. Teachers will begin walking in at 8:55am and students should be in their seats ready to learn at 9:00am.

Furthermore, WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP with minimizing learning interruptions. If your child is bringing lunch from home, please try to send it with your child in the morning. Also, if your child has an appointment and they need to leave early, please notify the teacher/office in the morning so that we can be prepared. We are noticing an uptick in parents/guardians checking out their students daily between 3:30-4:00 which is causing constant interruptions during the closure of the day (this includes reflection time and writing in planners). We want to make sure that we are being fair to each and every student so planning ahead is very helpful (this will also help us support you with checking your child out efficiently for a doctor’s appointment). We understand that emergencies come up, however, we have had parents wanting to pick up during the last 10 minutes for traffic convenience, this is a challenge to students in class, your child’s teacher, and the office staff. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Dearborn Public Schools’ Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) will start distributing applications on Friday, April 19, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year. This is a free program. To be eligible, children need to turn four years old by Dec. 1, 2024. Preference will be given to students who will be four by Sept. 1, 2024 because those students will qualify for kindergarten the following year. However, if space is available, the program also will accept students with birthdays between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1. Applications can be picked up Friday, April 19, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Henry Ford. After April 19, applications can be picked up at Cotter Early Childhood Center, 13020 Osborn St., Dearborn. Appointments can also be made by calling the school office at 313-827-6150. Visit the Cotter School webpage to learn more.

There will NOT be a Gleaners distribution at Henry Ford Elementary for the month of April. The following locations will have April dates:

Salina Intermediate: Third Wednesday 11am: 4/17

Lowrey: Fourth Friday 9am: 4/26,

Oakman Elementary: Fourth Friday 1pm: 4/26

Miller Elementary: Third Tuesday 11am: 4/16

We will post the May Gleaners date soon!

Save the 2023-2024 memories by purchasing your child a Henry Ford Elementary Yearbook! Yearbooks will be sold through April 15, 2024. Yearbooks can be purchased for $12 online at https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectStudent?isAdvertisementOnly=False Yearbook order forms can also be picked up from the school office.

Communication between school and home is an important way to build understanding and trust. It is used so that we can work together to support your child both emotionally and academically. Our staff can be reached during school hours through email, Class Dojo, or by message through the office.

With that being said, our teachers are doing what they do best--TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN! We ask that our teachers not be on their phones during instructional time. It is important that they are engaged in the classroom with your student so that they can meet their individual needs. Our staff has the professional duty to respond to all parent messages within 24 hours of receiving them; staff is not required to reply over the weekend.

If you have an urgent message, feel free to call the office at 313-827-4700. We also ask that if your child is absent, you contact the office instead of the classroom teacher.

We appreciate your support and understanding in this matter.

Spring Testing for 3rd-5th grade students will begin April 15. Classroom teachers will share the testing schedule with parents as it pertains to their grade level. In order to do their best, please remind your child of the following:

Before the Test:

*Develop a positive attitude. Tell yourself, "I will do my best on this test."

*Get a good night's sleep the night before the test.

*Get up early enough to avoid hurrying to get ready for school.

*Eat a healthy breakfast.

During the Test:

*Relax and Stay calm.

*Listen carefully to the directions the teacher gives.

*Ask questions if you don't understand what to do.

*Read each question carefully. Find the key words. Try to figure out what the question is really asking.

*Read the entire question and look at all the answer choices.

*Take your time picking the best answer

This summer, each school will be offering a Summer Discovery Program. The program is still in the initial planning stages, however look for a permission slip coming home in the next two weeks with all the details you will need to have your child participate.

• April 9 and April 10-no school
• April 12-Disaster Drill
• April 12-1st grade field trip
• April 15- Spring Pictures
• April 15-April 19-5th grade iReady testing
• April 16-MSTEP testing to begin for 3rd and 4th graders
• April 16-Early Release Tuesday
• April 18-Kindergarten Round Up 9:15am
• April 19- Fire Drill