"Stop and Think... Be a Bobcat."
Michigan State Law - Child Safety Seat & Belt UPDATE
Botsford Elementary Families & Friends,
Superintendent Carruth & the Elementary Building Administrators wanted to pass along some updated changes to the Child Safety Seat & Belt Law starting on Wednesday, April 2nd that may effect our learning community in some capacity.
The changes are the following:
- Infant to 2 Years of Age: A child must be in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer or the child is two years old.
- 2 to 5 Years of Age: The child then moves into a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer or the child is five years old.
- 5 to 8 Years of Age: The child can then move to a belt-positioning booster seat using a lap & should belt until they are 4'9" or 8 years old.
- All Children Under 13 Years Old: Children under the age of 13 must ride in the rear seat of a vehicle if the vehicle has on available.
Included below is the Michigan State Law Language detailing the specifics that are outlined above. If you are in need of resources to comply with the law, please reach out to your building administration so that we can direct you to resources to help you all to ensure compliance with these changes.
"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about."
Mr. Bryan DeCaire, Botsford Elementary Principal
Botsford's March is Reading Month Kick-Off Assembly
Botsford Elementary kicked off March is Reading Month with a whole school assembly where our guest, Pablo from the UFL Michigan Panthers joined our learning community. The students were provided a presentation about the importance of reading each day & the knowledge that reading can provide them towards their future. In closing, the students were shown some of the mystery prizes that Botsford Elementary had to offer upon our weekly drawings with a chance to win a bicycle & helmet at each grade-level provided by the Livonia United Lodge 152 Free & Accepted Masons was well as The Order of the Eastern Star.
During the month of March, Botsford Elementary hosted a reading challenge to celebrate the reading that had been completed within our learning community. Our students participated in an at home reading raffle. The directions were provided:
Each week the students of Botsford Elementary were asked to read & its their responsibility to complete & return the weekly ticket from the bottom of the sheet to their teacher or the main office. The raffle ticket was then placed into a weekly drawing for fun & exciting prizes. We are encouraged our students to read at least 20 minutes per day.
Week 1 Prize: Popcorn Baskets with Favorite Movie Candy
Week 2: Large Popcorn Baskets & Movie Theatre Gift Card
Week 3: Bicycle/Helmet, Prize Wheel w/Prizes Courtesy of Mr. Kovalesky
African American History Research & Reading Question Contest Winners -
Gift Card to Bunchy's Chicken & Pizza
March is Reading Month Donors, Supporters & Providers
Botsford Elementary, its staff, students & the entire learning community would sincerely like to thank the organizations & providers that supplied the various bikes, helmets, gift certificates & prizes for our students to enjoy during another March is Reading Month 2025. Everyone enjoyed "Pop Into Reading" & are appreciative of the experiences they were provided.
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING: LIVONIA UNITED LODGE #152, VICTORIA CHAPTER OF THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR, BARNSCO OF DETROIT, BUNCHY'S CHICKEN & PIZZA, & MR. KOVALESKY.
APRIL
1 - Spring Sports Registration OPEN
2 - Early Release Wednesday @ 210 PM
2-4 - Scholastic Book Fair - During School Hours
7 - MIACCESS/MSTEP ASSESSMENT BEGINS (April 7th-May 16th)
9 - Early Release Wednesday @ 210 PM
9 - Botsford B.E.S.T Parent Meeting @ 6 PM
10 - BEST Fundraiser & Family Event, Zap Zone @ 5-8 PM
11 - Fire Drill
11-17 - Autism Acceptance Spirit Week
11 - Friday Fun Day & Sensory Friendly Friday - Pajama & Slippers Day (Cozy Clothes)
15 - BEST & FOG Winter Sports Banquet @ Botsford Elementary, 6-730 AM
16 - Early Release Wednesday @ 210 PM
18 - NO SCHOOL, Good Friday
23 - Early Release Wednesday @ 210 PM
24 - BEST Fundraiser Buddy's Pizza @ 11-9 PM
25 - Friday Fun Day - Dress as Your Future Self Day
25 - BEST Family Event Lego Night #2 @ 6-730 PM
25 - Attendance Letters Mailed
28 - Spring FASTBRIDGE ASSESSMENT OPENS (April 28th-May 16th)
30 - Early Release Wednesday @ 210 PM
Botsford Elementary Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair is back again at Botsford Elementary! Celebrate the end of March is Reading Month and April School Library Month by getting some new books. The Scholastic Book Fair will be in our school library for a limited time this spring. Students may shop during their library class time on Wed. April 2nd, Thurs. April 3rd and Fri. April 4th. We will also be open later on Thurs. afternoon until 5 pm.
Students, Families & Friends can also shop online now and for the next 2 weeks at: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/botsfordelementaryschool1
Students are never required to purchase anything as we know that book prices have gone up, but often the book fair has some bargain books in the $3-$5 range. You may send in money with your student - please label it so the teachers know what it is for. You may wish to go to the website and set up an eWallet for hassle free payment and not risk sending cash to school. Don't forget the state of Michigan does require us to collect tax on all purchases. All sales are final and proceeds benefit our library and school. Thanks for your continued support!
Botsford School Librarian
CEF Reverse Raffle - Friday, May 2nd
Botsford Elementary Learning Community, please consider & read the information for the Clarenceville Education Reverse Raffle that has been a fun & memorable event for some of our staff & families. Please be sure to purchase your tickets as they do sell out quickly.
This is the active link to purchase tickets - LINK BELOW
The Foundation was developed & designed to give back to our learning community, & this event raises a lot of money that is then funneled back to our staff by way of the Education Foundation. I encourage those families or community members who are available to join the fun as it is loaded with valuable experiences.
NEW Junior Kindergarten & Kindergarten Students WELCOME - THANK YOU for our Conversation!
As the current school year continues to inch closer to the spring/summer that means it is approaching the time to begin planning for the 2025-2026 school year, which begins with our NEW BOBCATS! Grandview Elementary hosted its Round-Up on Tuesday, March 18th @ 6 PM & Botsford Elementary carried out its Round-Up on Wednesday, March 19th @ 6 PM as well.
If our learning community has a child that will be five years old by December 1st, 2025, he/she may be eligible for Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten next Fall 2025-2026. The registration button can be used below for our Kindergarten Round-up 2025-2026.
All families who could not attend the presentation can view the presentation using the link below.
For questions to be asked, please contact the Botsford Elementary Main Office @ 248-919-0402 or visit the website link, https://www.clarenceville.k12.mi.us/district/kindergarten/ for more information.
FUTURE Kindergarten Hearing & Vision Screening
As kindergarten round-up & registration approaches, families of our learning community should read the information provided regarding hearing & vision screening requirements for those families who may be considering either Botsford or Grandview Elementary in the near future.
According to the Michigan Public Health Code (Act 368 of 1978), children entering kindergarten must have their hearing and vision tested before the first day of school and parents must submit a certificate of hearing and vision screening or statement of exemption to the school district.
Additionally, the Revised School Code (Act 451 of 1976, section 380.1177 requires that parents of children entering kindergarten present a statement to school officials confirming they have received the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Vision Screening or a statement signed by a Health Department Technician, a licensed eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) or medical/osteopathic physician. School officials are required to enter vision screening data into the MCIR/SIRS system for all kindergarten students new entrants by November 1st of each year. A separate report to MDHHS or the Oakland County Health Division is no longer required.
The goal of the law is early identification and treatment of hearing and vision problems that can affect the child’s ability to learn. Although the Public Health Code rules state hearing and vision screening shall be done at least once during the ages of 3 through 5 years, the best practice is within six to twelve months of entering kindergarten.
Oakland County Health Department/Health Division offers free hearing & vision screening by appointment for all children who will attend kindergarten in Oakland County. Call for an appointment @ 248-424-7070.
Michigan State Assessment Testing Window - April 7th to May 16th
For those families who were curious about the Michigan State Assessment, M-Step. The assessment will be administered to our 3rd, 4th, & 5th-grade students for the 2025-2026 school year. Botsford Elementary is preparing to administer the assessment during the months of April & May throughout the school week. More news will continue to be provided throughout the process, but it is vital that students carry out their structured schedules of learning & well-being while at home by having breakfast before arriving at school along with going to bed at a designated time that is deemed effective sleep.
It is an expectation set by the State of Michigan that all our Botsford Elementary students in Grades 3-5 be assessed.
Botsford Elementary & its staff are seeking donations for M-Step. We are asking for the following items to be donated:
- Breakfast Items in Bulk (Peanut Free Granola Bars, NutriGrain Bars, etc.)
- Water Bottles
- Individual Snacks in Bulk (Goldfish, Cheese-Its, etc.)
- Mints
- Gum
Any of the donated items shall be individually wrapped & can be dropped off in the main office or sent to school with your student.
It is greatly appreciated by our 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade learning community.
Botsford Elementary AER Report 2023-2024
I am pleased to present each of you with the Annual Education Report (AER), which provides key information on the 2023-24 educational progress for our school. The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal & state laws. Botsford Elementary report contains information about student assessment and accountability. If you have any questions about the AER, please contact me for assistance.
Families & Friends may locate & view this report by visiting the Clarenceville School District Home Page by using the link provided https://www.clarenceville.k12.mi.us/ followed by navigating to the bottom of this page & locating a tab titled, "Annual Reports". Upon locating this tab, please click the Botsford Elementary Annual Report or use the link provided below.
Botsford Elementary Spring Market - May 3rd
Botsford Elementary will be hosting its 3rd Annual Spring Marketplace on May 3rd, 2025, and is inviting interested vendors to apply! If you are interested in applying with your handcrafted items or direct sales items, please contact our fifth-grade teacher, Ms. Keating for more information and an application at amy.keating@clarencevilleschools.org. The deadline will be.... There will be a limited number of direct sale vendors allowed so apply early!
Label Student Belongings
As a building, we have collected & a number of different belongs have accumulated in just a few short weeks due to being misplaced or left on the playground during recess periods. It is vital & helpful if these items such as lunch boxes, coats, sweatshirts, water bottles are labeled with the students name and/or room number so that they can be returned to its owner. These belongings are placed into the "lost & found" but over time if these items are not retrieved they will be donated after a period of time being left behind.
Botsford Bobcats Not Feeling Well
Children Not Feeling Well – School Tips
There are many different viruses going around during this time of year. The flu, RSV, the common cold, and COVID are all going around and some children can get more than one virus at the same time. We have seen all of these in our buildings already this year and they will continue to go around until the weather starts to get warmer. It is important to keep your students home if they are not feeling well. This will help your child get rest and be more prepared to learn as well as prevent more germs from spreading to others. Some illnesses can linger so it can be confusing at times to know when to send your child back to school. Here are some tips and recommendations for sick students.
We follow Oakland County guidelines for excluding a child from school. We want to be cautious and not spread illness but we also do not want your child to miss more school than necessary. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
Fever: If your child has a fever, they should be fever free without medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Giving your child fever-reducing medication and then sending them to school will not help them feel better, they need to rest when they are sick and at some point, the medication will wear off during school hours. This would also expose others to the illness so please keep your child at home until their fever is gone for at least 24 hours.
Coughs, sneezes, and running noses spread germs. The viruses above will spread through these respiratory routes. If your child has a new cough, sneeze, or runny nose please keep them home. For most illnesses, the first few days and possibly even a couple of days before an illness starts, a person can be contagious and spread a virus. A cough may linger for weeks so it is important to consult your primary care provider to help determine if your child can return to school.
Allergies: Many of us have seasonal allergies so it can be difficult to know if we are having allergy symptoms or if we have a virus. Allergies will not cause a fever and for most people, they do not cause a sore throat, coughing, or achy feeling. An itchy nose, eyes, and mouth can be a sign of allergies that typically do not occur with a virus.
Prevention: Practice good hand hygiene and cover your coughs and sneezes! Hand washing can make a significant difference in spreading a virus or catching one. We should encourage our students to wash their hands well with soap and water or hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Covering a cough and sneeze with a tissue or with your elbow helps keep the germs to yourself as much as possible.
Sleep Schedules & Bedtimes - Routines are a Path to Success
The month of February is close to coming to an end & our children should have a routine set for a successful school day. Unfortunately, this is a challenge for everyone, but upon my observations throughout the school day, the students of Botsford Elementary seem to be still searching for that wealthy routine. A number of our Bobcats seem to express & show signs of being tired because they are staying up late due to a variety of different distractions such as electronics, like phones, iPads, and video games, or watching some of their favorite videos and/or series on the television or computer. I have provided a resource below that will assist our families in developing a schedule for your child. Your child, your child's teacher, and you will thank yourself when you have a schedule in place.
B.E.S.T Parent Meeting - April 9th
BEST Parent Meeting - April 9th @ 6 PM
Our B.E.S.T Parent Meeting will be hosted in person on Wednesday, April 9th @ 6 PM. Our families are encouraged to ask any questions, become familiar with the events planned for the 2024-2025 school year & connect with other Botsford Elementary families. The B.E.S.T. Organization will continue to gather each 2nd Wednesday of the month until advised differently.
BEST our Parent-Teacher Organization has invited our learning community to join them for exciting time at Zap Zone located in Farmington Hills, Michigan on Thursday, April 10th from 5-8 PM. Our families can participate in various activities, have fun while raising money for Botsford Elementary. The cost is $25 per person which will provide our families unlimited activities that consist of laser tag, pixel floor, obstacle courses, glow golf, bumper cars & much more.
Label Student Belongings w/Mabels Labels
As a building, we have collected & a number of different belongings that have accumulated in just a few short weeks due to being misplaced or left on the playground during recess periods. It is vital & helpful if these items such as lunch boxes, coats, sweatshirts, water bottles are labeled with the students name and/or room number so that they can be returned to its owner. These belongings are placed into the "lost & found" but over time if these items are not retrieved they will be donated after a period of time being left behind.
It may be beneficial for our families to explore the latest & yearlong B.E.S.T fundraiser sponsored by Mabels Labels. This is a wonderful & efficient method to label student belongings simply with a laundry, dishwasher, microwave safe & waterproof label.
Please visit campaigns.mabelslabels.com & search for our organization. The labels will ship directly to the home for FREE & Botsford B.E.S.T will receive 20% in our funds from the order.
Significance of School Attendance
As a partnership, we can agree that education is important for your child’s success in life. Regular attendance ensures that your child gets all the benefits the school can offer. When students are missing school, they are missing out on those benefits. School attendance is so important, that Michigan law makes it compulsory for all children ages 6 to 16 to attend public schools. When children are excessively absent, the law holds parents/guardians accountable. If your child is truant (missing scheduled school time without an accepted excused absence), you and/or your child could end up in court with serious consequences. Attendance may be the single most important factor in school success because:
- Children do best in school when they are in class every day. The U.S. Department of Education reports that for every missed day of school, it takes a student two days to catch up.
- In addition to academics, children learn valuable lessons about personal responsibility and commitment.
- Children keep up with their peers and have stronger bonds with the school and community.
- Annually, students who graduate from high school will earn 30% more than those who don’t complete high school.
- 1 in 10 kindergarten students misses nearly a month of school every year. In some districts, it runs as high as 1 in 3.
- Kindergartners who miss 10 percent of school days have lower academic performance when they reach first grade.
- Chronic absence in kindergarten translated into lower fifth-grade achievement.
Below is some important information about the correlation between attendance and achievement.
Early Dismissal & Late Drop Off
The office of Botsford Elementary understands if our families/students are running late, which is considered after 840 AM, students must enter through the front doors & escorted by a parent, adult, or guardian so that their child can be signed in by the office. Please DO NOT drop your child off to independently walk into the building, & proceed to class without supervision. Please remember to stay in your vehicle while dropping off.
Any student who has arrived after 840 AM will be marked "tardy".
As building principal, I strongly discourage student(s) from being picked up for early dismissal so we can protect the instructional time & ensure a calm & safe end to the day for all students. Please plan accordingly and if your child needs to be picked up early, please contact the office or classroom teacher in the morning so that we are prepared for this early release.
Just a reminder our school day @ Botsford Elementary begins at 830 AM & concludes @ 340 PM. It is important that if your child has been dropped off or is being picked up & the entry/exit doors have been closed upon the 835 AM window that they proceed to the main entrance to be entered into the building by a Botsford Elementary staff member & not to remain outside the doors or knock. This applies as well if your child(ren) has not been picked up at dismissal (about 350 PM), families should proceed to the main office.
Make a Change w/School Attendance
It is important for your child's progress to make a change within that number of absences & make an adjustment.
Some suggestions that may help in achieving this adjustment include:
- Setting a regular bedtime & morning routine.
- Layout clothes & pack backpacks the night before.
- Disallow your child from staying home unless they are truly ill.
- Talk to staff and/or teachers if your child seems anxious about going to school & advice can be given on how to make him/her feel more comfortable & excited about learning.
- Be sure to make alternative plans for getting to school in case a challenge has arisen. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Try & avoid medical appointments & extended trips when school is in session.
Botsford Communication Hub
Email: bryan.decaire@clarencevilleschools.org
Location: 19515 Lathers Street, Livonia, MI, USA
Phone: (248)919-0402
X: @BotsfordElem
