The Chat

Starting tomorrow and in the coming weeks students will participate in assessments designed to provide important information on student knowledge and progress towards educational standards. Students are encouraged to do their best on the assessments as the assessment data does impact instructional decisions for each child. The data gathered from the assessments helps us to improve our instrucional offerings and to support students as they move forward with their education. Chatfield uses assessment results to guide school improvement initiatives that improve instruction.

Students in Grades 3-8 will participate in the following assessments:

• M-STEP English language arts (ELA) and mathematics (grades 3-7: approximately 3 total hours of testing over the course of several days)

• PSAT 8/9 for English language arts (ELA) and mathematics (grade 8: approximately 3 total hours of testing on one day)

• M-STEP science and social studies (grades 5 and 8: approximately 2 total hours of testing over the course of two days)

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Please see your child’s homeroom newsletter for specific dates regarding testing and how you can support your child. When it is time for assessments, preparations may include:

• Encourage your child to be positive and try their best on the assessments.

• Make sure your child charges their chromebook (middle school) the night before an assessment day.

• Try to have your child get a quality night of sleep prior to assessment day.

• Have a healthy breakfast and try to have a positive morning before school.

Let’s work together to encourage each child to do their best and let their knowledge and skills shine. Chatfield students are well prepared for these assessments and we know that they will do great!

Eat at Culvers on Monday, April 15 from 5pm to 8pm and a portion of your bill will be donated to the Chatfield Archery Team! If you would like to make a donation to the team to support their travels to Nationals, one way to do so is to send cash or check to the school office in an envelope marked Archery Donation. Checks can be written to Chatfield School.

The Mother-Son Night is coming up on April 11! Please make sure to turn in your registration form by April 10. A paper copy has been sent home.

Are you available to help out with this event? We still need volunteers...especially dads! Use this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B44AFA82BA6F58-48394849-motherson#/

Proceeds from this event benefit Grades 3-5.

The Daughters and Dad/Special Guest Event will be held on Thursday, April 18! LINK to Form A paper copy will be sent home.

Orders for flowers must be turned in to the office by April 8, 2024.

Proceeds from this event benefit 8th grade.

We hope you will join us Wednesday, April 10 from 4pm to 5pm in the Commons for April P.I.E. meeting. We hope to see you there as we discuss upcoming school and P.I.E. events. Your support and involvement with P.I.E. is important! Did you know that this year alone P.I.E. has allocated over $12,000 to school/student funding projects?

4/10/2024 4PM PIE Meeting

4/11/2024 Son and Mom/Special Guest "Rock Night" sponsored by Upper El.

4/18/2024 Daughter and Dad/Special Guest Event sponsored by 8th Grade/P.I.E.

4/18/2024 LEAF Deposit Day K-4 PM

4/21-26/2024 8th Grade Washington DC

4/29/2024 No School

5/2/2024 6:30 PM Band Concert

5/3/2024 Cinco de Mayo Pinatas K-5

5/6/2024 Scholastic BOGO Book Fair through 5-10

5/6/2024 7th grade Mackinaw Parent Meeting 5:30pm Commons

5/7/2024 5PM 6th Grade Pictured Rocks Meeting Chaperone meeting immediately following

5/8/2024 6:30 PM NJHS Induction

5/8/2024 4:00 PM P.I.E. Meeting

5/10/2024 Muffins with Mom 7:30AM

5/20-23/2024 4th Grade Camp

5/23/2024 Donuts with Dad 7:30AM

5/23/2024LEAF Deposit Day K-4 PM

5/24/2024 No School

5/27/2024 No School

5/28-30/2024 6th Grade Pictured Rocks 7th Grade Pure Michigan Trip

6/7/2024 Olympics/Tribal Wars XXVII

6/10/2024 Honors Assembly K-5 9:00AM

6/10/2024 Honors Assembly Middle School 6:30PM

6/11/2024 Eighth Grade Farewell Breakfast and Assembly

6/11/2024 Last Day of School

6/11/2024 End of 4th Marking Period

6/11/2024 Half Day of School 11:30am Dismissal

6/12/2024 Teacher Professional Development

6/13/2024 Report Cards Sent Home

6/18/2024 Kindergarten RevUP

The 2024-2025 school year calendar is attached to this newsletter. Please note that the calenar reflects the requirements of the Michigan Department of Edcuation and the Lapeer County Intermediate School District.

Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of Finding Nemo! It was a fintastically wonderful production. We are so proud of your great work and beautiful music and acting!

This Friday we will be selling Rock Candy, Gummy Fish, Octopus Tootsie Pops, and Shark Candy bracelets after school in the Gym Lobby. The funds will go towards a new stage for Theatre. Each item will cost $1.

It is our pleasure to share a special project with you. We are upgrading our portable stage equipment. For those of you who have attended a Chatfield honors program, play or musical in the school gymnasium, you are familiar with the difficult lines of vision that occur due to our rather short stage platform. We would like to replace and upgrade the stage to a taller platform and to increase the square footage of the stage to allow for greater performance space.

Specifically our new stage would provide a stage height of 32 inches (currently 18 in.) and a performance space of 700 square feet (currently 432 sq. ft.). The new stage will have updated safety features and handicap accessibility. The project also includes plans to upgrade the staging structure for lighting and curtains.

This project is expensive. The Chatfield School Board of Directors and the Chatfield Partners in Education (P.I.E.) have each set aside significant funding for the project, but there is still work to be done to achieve the total amount needed. In addition to seeking grant funds, support from local service organizations, and running small fundraisers, we would like to ask if you would consider getting involved in some way. Perhaps you might like to support the project by attending a fundraiser or providing a specific financial gift to the project.

To give to the project please send a check to Chatfield School (see address above). Donations can also be made at www.onthestage.tickets/chatfield-school/donate with a minimal convenience fee. Your donation can be given anonymously if you wish or with a designation to honor or memorialize a staff member or student. With your donation you will receive a letter of thanks for tax purposes and recognition when the stage is in use.

The stage upgrade project is one that we can achieve together. Your involvement would be greatly appreciated.

Teacher Requests

Because the Chatfield staff puts a great deal of thought, effort, and time into creating well-balanced homerooms that will be conducive to each child's growth, we DO NOT accept requests for teachers or special placements for students within certain classes. Many factors including student personalities, behaviors, personal attributes, work habits, and test scores are considered when creating class lists. Additionally, teacher assignments change from time to time. However, Chatfield staff DOES appreciate parent input on what they feel may be most beneficial for their child and why. It is important for parents to understand that their suggestions, while appreciated, may not be accommodated and are not guaranteed. Despite any conversations a parent may have previously had with teachers regarding next year's placements, any suggestions for your child's homeroom placement may only be made via email to the current homeroom teacher and must include (via CC) Bill Kraly at bkraly@chatfieldschool.org prior to June 1, 2024.

Not Returning Next School Year?

We certainly hope that all of our current kindergarten through seventh grade students plan to spend next year with us here at Chatfield. We do know that from time to time students do move. If you anticipate that your current kindergarten through seventh grade child will not be returning to Chatfield please let us know as soon as possible to allow us to plan for and accommodate changes that may be required and to support your child's positive transition to a new school.

This is a friendly reminder to make sure your child care payments are paid in full. Please contact Ms. Jodi Smith at jsmith@chatfieldschool.org if you have any questions.

We would like to congratulate the following students who have been recognized by Chatfield staff for an outstanding contribution or accomplishment! Congratulations! Please stop by the lobby to read the great reports.

Evan Corbett

Cooper Cardinal

Ava Bernardi

Steven Lanier

Stella LaForge

Anthony Pung

Bailey Williamson

Ryleigh Meier

National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 6-10, 2024. The Michigan Department of Education’s (MDE) Office of Educator Excellence (OEE) wishes to celebrate teachers across Michigan for the entire month of May.

MDE invites parents to submit 15-30 second videos of their students recognizing and thanking a specific teacher for their impact. Nothing fancy is required—cell phones can capture the videos. Please follow the directions on the flyer. Videos and parental consent may be submitted via the Teacher Appreciation Video Project Google Form. Videos are currently being accepted until Friday, April 19, 2024.

Submitted videos may be posted on the Teacher Appreciation Month webpage and the MDE’s YouTube channel. The Office of Educator Excellence Facebook (@MIeducator) and X (formerly Twitter) social media pages will be promoting the videos throughout the month of May.

If you have a child with great things to say about a teacher, don’t hesitate—use the instructions found on our website to submit a video today!

Does your child have something to celebrate - perhaps an athletic accomplishment, a dance competition result, a special camp or program completion? We want to celebrate extra-curricular student success too! Let us know about it and we will celebrate it in the newsletter and on Facebook/Instagram. Send an email to Mr. Kraly (bkraly@chatfieldschool.org) with your child's first and last name, information about the success, and a quality picture (jpeg) or video.

Examples: Athletic award achieved, dance award, special recital, technology achievement, scouts or other organized program recognitions.

Any and all spirit wear can now be purchased locally at VillageTee! Please visit the link and the Village Tee website to see all of the possibilities available. We are just getting started! www.villagetees.net/product-category/chatfield

A.L.L.Y, Accepting Learners Leading Youth, is our middle school peer-to-peer program. A.L.L.Y. is excited to be selling pickles again this year! Pickles are $1.00 and will be sold after school in the lobby on Thursdays. The funds will go towards the programs’ after-school classroom supplies, project materials, and after-school activity needs. Thank you for your support!

The student & parent handbook for 2023-2024 is available now. Please take time to read it over. If you have any questions or concerns please let Mr. Young or Mr. Kraly know.

Handbook LINK

Link to confirm you have read the Handbook:

https://forms.gle/AfA6UCkprHQgcPAD8

The Chatfield School, a tuition-free, public school academy nestled in the heart of Lapeer, offers the best educational opportunities for students in grades K-8.

Email: chatfieldschool@chatfieldschool.org
Website: www.chatfieldschool.org
Location: 231 Lake Drive, Lapeer, MI, USA
Phone: (810)-667-8970