Hikers' Headlines
Alamo Elementary - October 23, 2023
Important Dates
October 23rd
- Fall Break, NO school
- Red Ribbon Week
October 24th
- Picture Retake Day
- NO DELAYED START - NORMAL SCHOOL DAY
- Popcorn Friday
October 30th
- Pumpkin Decorating Contest
- Halloween Snack, Trick or Treat Trail & Parade
How Will You Show Your P.R.I.D.E. Today?
P - Positive Attitude
- Silas Longcore
- Kaydence Shoemaker
- Elle Leigh Hill
- Aubrey Nobel
- Elliott Jager
- Emory Veldt
D - Determination to Succeed
- Hinter Bickel
- Shelby Bilyk
- Greyson Gruell
- Jacob Slotnick
Schedule Change
OPS families, we have an important schedule change for the week of October 23rd. Wednesday, October 25th will be a regular school day and begin at the normal time - there will NOT be a delayed start. This change is necessary in order to accommodate our transportation schedule/needs for the day. Thank you for your understanding.
Veteran’s Day Breakfast
Please join us for our Veterans Day Celebration Breakfast
Alamo Elementary School is hosting a Veterans Day Breakfast on Friday, November 10, 2023 from 7:30-8:15. If your child has family members who are Veterans, we would love to honor them with a breakfast. To RSVP, click on the link below.
RSVP by Friday, November 3, 2023
If you need more information about our event, please contact
Jamie Siegler at jsiegler@otsegops.org.
Halloween at Alamo!
It's hard to believe we are at the end of September and Halloween is right around the corner! We are so excited to celebrate Halloween at Alamo! We are looking for donations to help with our Trick or Treat trail and snack this year.
You will notice this year we have an Amazon wishlist for some of the items! Some items can be purchased in store but for the items that can't we created an Amazon wishlist to make it as easy as possible for you! They will ship directly to Alamo.. no need to send in donations with your student! Please still sign up on the sign up genius for the items you would like to donate! There is a link to the wish list under each item on the sign up genius!
Please make sure to return all donations to the Alamo office no later than Tuesday, October 24th!!
If you have any questions please contact Annie at alamo.pto.volunteersignup@gmail.com
Halloween is around the corner and we are excited for our Halloween Parade on Tuesday, October 31st. The costume parade will take place at 3:00 p.m. inside and outside the building. Spectators can view the parade in the gym and outside along the sidewalks.
Students should bring their costumes to school and will change for their classroom parties prior to the parade. It is important that your child can put on their costumes independently as parents will be outside prepping for the parade.
Just a reminder - your child's costume must be non-violent. Weapon accessories/scary masks will not be allowed.
Battle of the Books
2024 Battle of the Books
Teams Now Forming for Grades 3-5!
The Battle of the Books is a fun, team oriented motivational reading program designed to encourage and recognize students’ reading abilities, broaden their reading interests, and increase their reading comprehension. Teams work together to read a variety of books of different reading levels and topics, then prepare for the big day...a quiz-show “battle” to test their comprehension and team spirit. More information and the book list are available in your school office.
Questions? nknight-lucas@otsegops.org
Sign up in your school’s office and prepare for fun!
(Permission slips will be available in the office.)
Book Titles for Saturday, February 24, 2024
Plainwell- Performing Arts Center
Odder By Katherine Applegate
Save Me a Seat By Sara Weeks & Gita Varadajaran
The Bridge Home By Padma Venkatraman
Stuntboy: In the Meantime By Jason Reynolds
Sea Otters- National Geographic Reader
By Laura Marsh
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
By Julie Andrews Edwards
Alamo WatchD.O.G.S.
Our WatchD.O.G.S. program will officially begin for the 2023-34 school year in October. “Dads” (or dad-like figures) who are interested in signing up to volunteer for a full or half day should contact Natalie Trumley (ntrumley@otsegops.org) or Nicole Knight-Lucas (nknight-lucas@otsegops.org) via email to schedule a date.
When you volunteer, you will receive a schedule for the day that allows you to help out in different classrooms doing a wide range of activities (reading a story, working with a child 1:1 on work, playing a game with a small group). You will also have scheduled time on the playground and lunchroom to interact with students and be a positive role model for them. We need a current background check on file before you are able to volunteer.
CKH Leadworthy Character Trait
Social Work Scoop - Returning to School with Anxiety
Did you know anxiety is normal for the first week or so returning to school? Staff, students and parents alike may experience uncomfortable emotions, butterflies in their stomach and sleep disruptions leading up to the first day of a new school year. This is normal. This is how individuals grow, through healthy stress.
However, we are far enough into the school year now that you may need to assess your child’s stress level.
Signs a child is struggling with more than healthy stress.
Your child’s healthy stress turns to distress lasting more than 2 weeks.
Your child has an increase in sleep disturbances. This could be the inability to fall asleep, stay asleep or sleep too much.
Your child has a change in appetite.
Your child withdraws from their peers and/or family.
How can you help your child?
Listen to their worries, acknowledging them.
Repeat back what your child is saying both for clarity and so they know you’ve heard.
Validate their feelings.
Alamo PTO - Make A Difference
Alamo PTO needs you! The PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) is a wonderful way to become involved in your child's education and to get to know other parents and teachers. The PTO has many activities throughout the school year that you can help with by volunteering. The PTO meets once a month at 4:00 p.m. in the Alamo Media Center. Listed below are the dates for this year's meetings. We would love for you to attend!
Meeting Dates
November 13th
December 11th
January 8th
February 12th
March 11th
April 8th
May 13th
June 10th
Mileage Club
Here are the recess times for each grade level.
- K @ 11:35 a.m.
- 1st @ 11:45 a.m.
- 2nd @ 12:05 p.m.
- 4th @12:15 p.m.
- 3rd @ 12:35 p.m.
- 5th @ 12:45 p.m.
Attendance Matters
Emergency Contact
It is extremely important to have up-to-date contact information available for each student. When emergencies arise, we need to be able to contact parents/guardians. This is also the contact information that is used for school closures and district updates.
Please log in to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal to check that your contact information is current and to make any necessary changes. All families received a letter with parent login information and instructions from the technology department soon. If you need assistance or login information for the Parent Portal, please contact the Alamo Elementary Office. Thank You!
Alamo Elementary
Email: nknight-lucas@otsegops.org
Website: https://alamo.otsegops.org/
Location: 8184 North 6th Street, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
Phone: (269) 694-7600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/415538888654020
Twitter: @otsegoschools