Dear Pine Avenue parents,

Many factors, such as the quality of instruction, the availability of resources, the motivation of learners, and the support of families, influence student achievement. Among these factors, parental involvement is the most important and consistent indicator of student success. Parental involvement can take many forms, such as helping with homework, attending parent-teacher conferences, volunteering at school events, and providing feedback and encouragement. One of the most effective ways of parental involvement is celebrating student achievement at an awards assembly.

Pine Elementary hosted an awards assembly on Friday, November 15, 2024. Each class held an award assembly. This was a special event for our students to be recognized and rewarded for their academic, artistic, athletic, or social accomplishments. Each trimester, Pine will hold classroom award assemblies. Why are assemblies like the one held on Friday important? An awards assembly can have many benefits for students, such as:

• Increasing self-esteem and confidence: When students receive recognition and praise for their achievements, they feel proud of themselves and their abilities. They also feel more confident in their skills and talents and more motivated to pursue their goals and interests.
• Enhancing motivation and engagement: When students see their efforts and achievements are valued and appreciated, they are likelier to work harder and strive for excellence. They also become more engaged, interested in learning, and willing to take on challenges and risks.
• Improving academic performance: When students are celebrated for their achievements, they are more likely to improve their grades and test scores, as well as their attendance and behavior. They also develop a positive attitude towards learning and school and a growth mindset that helps them overcome difficulties and learn from mistakes.
• Strengthening social and emotional skills: When students are celebrated for their achievements, they learn to appreciate and respect themselves and others. They also develop a sense of belonging and community and an understanding of responsibility and citizenship. They also learn to cope with joy, pride, and gratitude.

However, the benefits of an awards assembly are not limited to the students who receive the awards. They also extend to the students who witness the awards and especially to the parents who attend and celebrate them. When parents celebrate their child's achievement at an awards assembly, they can:

• Show their love and support: When parents attend and celebrate their child's achievement at an awards assembly, they show their child that they care about them and their education. They also show their child that they are proud of their accomplishments and appreciate their efforts and hard work.
• Strengthen their relationship: When parents attend and celebrate their child's achievement at an awards assembly, they strengthen their bond and communication with their child. They also create positive memories and experiences that can last a lifetime. They also demonstrate their interest and involvement in their child's learning and development and respect and trust in their child's choices and preferences.
• Model positive behaviors and values: When parents attend and celebrate their child's achievement at an awards assembly, they model positive behaviors and values that their child can emulate and internalize. They also reinforce the importance and value of education, achievement, recognition, and celebration. They also encourage their child to be humble, gracious, and generous and to celebrate not only their achievements but also the achievements of others.

Therefore, parental celebration of student achievement at an awards assembly can have significant and lasting benefits for students and parents. It can boost student achievement, self-esteem, motivation, engagement, performance, and social and emotional skills. It can also show parental love and support, strengthen relationships, and model positive behaviors and values. As such, a parental celebration of student achievement at an awards assembly is a powerful and effective way of parental involvement that can make a profound difference in early learning outcomes.

Thank you to all the parents who attended our first-trimester awards classroom assemblies. We look forward to many future events to celebrate your child, our students.

Your partner in education,

Dr. Konowalow

From the desk of Pine Avenue’s K-5 Counselor

A

Greetings parents and caregivers of Pine Avenue Students. I hope you are settling in after an emotionally charged election, and now looking toward a season of Thanksgiving. Regardless of your politics, religion, or ethnicity, we are one humanity. This awareness informed my bulletin board entitled, You Belong Here!!! A space I created for students to write something about their sense of inclusion at our school. It's fun to see their perspective and read their comments. I hope you have a chance to check it out if you stop by. We at Pine Avenue have just completed our first trimester of school, with student awards and report cards going home this weekend. We have struggled productively, made progress, and still have a long road ahead. We now have benchmark measurements of progress made, and assessed needs to support continued learning. Your students, and we the staff, are growing more confident daily in our abilities to face the difficult challenges that produce effective educational outcomes. All of this has become my Thanksgiving! Please know that you are appreciated and recognized as an essential part of this success, and we could not achieve our goals without you. May your season be filled with continued health, happiness and success.

I can be reached at Pine Avenue Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. My phone extension is #6526, and my email isaswan@almaschools.net

Our students at Pine Avenue are provided each school year the opportunity to participate in swim lessons. The first two weeks fifth grade students went to the pool each day. Fourth grade swim lessons will begin the November 18.

Please see the Google link for our new Drop off/Pick-up Procedures below.

November 27-29 Thanksgiving Break

December 4-6 Pine PTO Book Fair

December 11 Late Start

December 23-January 3 Winter Break

Late Start or Early Release

Alma Public Schools will implement Late Start or Early Release Days September through May. The dismissal time for Pine Avenue’s early release is 11:43 am. The school day at Pine Avenue will begin at 11:43 on the late start days. Please note, Late Start days are on Wednesdays and our Early Release days will be on Fridays.

September 11-Wednesday-Late Start-Begin at 11:43 am

October 11-Friday-Early Release-End at 11:43 am

November 8-Friday-Early Release-End at 11:43 am

November 13-Wednesday-Late Start-Begin at 11:43 am

December 11-Wednesday-Late Start-Begin at 11:43 am

January 10-Friday-Early Release-End at 11:43 am

February 28-Friday-Early Release-End at 11:43 am

March 12-Wednesday-Late Start-Begin at 11:43 am

April11-Friday-Early Release-End at 11:43 am

May 14-Wednesday-Late Start-Begin at 11:43 am

Thank you in advance for planning transportation for your students.

1. Always show your ROARS.

2. Look ahead, not back. Each moment and day are a new beginning.

3. Meet high expectations and goals for yourself, and always display GRIT.

4. Build positive relationships with everyone. Care about each person, and make sure they know you care.

5. Follow directions, procedures, and always do your best.

6. Respect yourself and others.

7. Always play fair, include others, and use words to resolve problems and conflicts.

8. Take responsibility for your actions, accept consequences, and the word no.

9. Do not spend time engaging in rumors or making fun of someone, and always remember words can hurt.

Pine Panther Paws are used as an incentive to promote positive school behaviors throughout the school setting. Students earn Panther Paws when they are caught displaying their ROARS behaviors. As students acquire Panther Paws, they turn them to enter Panther Paw drawing every Friday. Ms. Jaeck or Mrs. Stahl draws Panther Paws and announces the winner over the loudspeaker. Panther Paw winners pick a prize from the Panther Paw Prize Cart.

Each week, one student per class will receive the teacher-selected Student-of-the-Week. Teacher-selection is based on students consistently displaying their ROARS, PAES Behavior Norms, and learning grit. Student-of-Week winner will receive a mini certificate and will have the class Student-of-the-Week trophy sit on their desk for the week.

We look forward to celebrating all of our students and their accomplishments. Please know that each week we attempt to get all the pictures of our winners, student pictures are updated regularly.

Volume levels are being taught and reinforced in classrooms and buildings with K-5 students. This structure allows students to be mindful of their voice level across the various school settings when interacting with others throughout the school day. Volume levels are being taught and reinforced in classrooms and buildings with K-5 students, and this structure teaches students to be mindful of their voice level when interacting with their peers across various school settings. Throughout the school day, students utilize the appropriate level based on the learning activity they are engaged in based on the direction of the teacher.

ROARS stands for Respect Others, Act Responsibly, and be Safe. These are district-wide behavior expectations that all staff members reference as they provide instruction in the classroom and move throughout the school setting. ROARS is the anchor to all school procedures and routines.

Please make sure you are using and checking the APS app, Rooms. Using APS APP-Rooms is how your child's teacher will communicate with you throughout the year. Studies show that parent involvement in a child's education increases the student's education. Your partnership with this program is essential. Each week, you will learn about what is happening in class and the many excellent learning opportunities the teacher provides for your child. Remember to turn on the notifications.

Ensuring student safety before and after school is a high priority. We are asking all parents and guardians to support Pine Avenue during school drop off and pick up by adhering to the following procedures:

Campus supervision for students begins at 7:35 a.m.

MORNING Drop Off:

• Pull all the way forward to the light post to drop off students.

• Keep students in the vehicle until you are past the overhang at the entrance.
  
  

AFTERNOON Pick Up:

• Pull all the way forward until you are asked to stop by an adult. This is usually 2 car lengths past the light post.

• For student safety, students will enter vehicles when told to do so by an adult.

• This occurs when the vehicle is past the light post.
• ID checks will be requested as needed. (Please make sure all adults who will pickup your child are on your pickup list.)

Parents are asked to refrain from making left hand turns into the parking lot. This vehicle maneuver will cause the traffic to backup on Pine preventing a smooth flow of traffic.

Parents/guardians who are choosing to park in the parking lot and pick up their student afterschool:

• To ensure students' safety , please use the school's crosswalk which is located outside our main doors, by the overhang. This is the only location people should be crossing the parking lot for safety. We have a paraprofessional assigned to assist students in crossing upon seeing their parent/adult.

We appreciate your support in assisting us to ensure a safe student drop off and pick up.

We understand that events come up for parents, and changes must be made to students' dismissal plans. Parents are asked to please make sure to call in any transportation changes before 2 pm. The end of the day is hectic at an elementary school, and we must be aware of any changes before then. In addition, we also encourage you to send a note to your child's teacher or the office on the day of a transportation change. Students will not be dismissed to anyone not on a student's pickup list. Parents who have given us permisson to release to an adult through a change of dismissal plan, the person picking up the student must present a valid picture ID.

Parents: A medication authorization form must be completed each school when a student requires medications to be distributed at school. Should you need a form, don't hesitate to contact Mrs. Bailey or Mrs. Quiroz in the office at 989-466-7651.

The listed titles below are also direct links to the desired information.

Pine Avenue Elementary

1025 Pine Ave.

Alma, MI 48801

Phone:

989-466-7651

Principal:

Dr. Kathy Konowalow

Administrative Assistant:

Mrs. Carrie Bailey

Start Time: 8:03 am

End Time: 3:10 pm

Late Start/Early Release: 11:43 am