Gates Notes & News

Hello Gates Students & Families,

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! I hope that you are enjoying these last few days of summer vacation. Also, welcome to the first 'Gates Notes & News' of the school year. Again this year, I plan to utilize the 'smore' platform for our school newsletter. You can be assured that we strive to provide you with all the information that you will need for a successful school year. You can expect that the 'Gates Notes & News' to come at the beginning of each month via the parent/guardian email address we currently have listed in our student information system. If there is information you need between newsletters, a special flyer or 'smore' will be sent home or emailed separately.

Additionally, as a school building we will continue to use Remind for reminders and short communication. At the Open House, you should have recieved a flyer in your child's folder with information on joining Remind with a special, classroom specific code. Once you have joined the Remind for your child's classroom, you will automatically be set up to receive messages from the building as well.

I would like to thank all of you who were able to attend our Gates Open House this past Wednesday. I hope you enjoyed meeting your child's teacher and visiting the school. It was wonderful to see so many of our returning families and meet new ones!

Lastly, I want to again welcome you to the 2024-25 school year! I am looking forward to another amazing year and working to make sure each of our students shine bright!

Most Sincerely,

Natalie Miller

Proud Gates Principal

At our Open House, every child had a transportation tag in his/her take-home folder provided by the teacher. This tag is extremely important as it tells our Gates Staff how your child is going to get home!

Parent Pick-Up Tag - Every child was given a Parent Pick-Up tag this year. While this is the only tag students who will always be Parent Pick-Up have/need, students who ride the bus were given one for parents to use on days a child might be picked up as opposed to riding the bus. If you have the 'extra' tag you may leave it behind the bus number tag or take it out and put it on the fridge to be used when needed.

Bus Tags & QR Codes - Every child riding the bus MUST have a Bus Number tag and QR Code tag in the pouch attached to his/her backpack everyday. Bus drivers will be scanning the QR Code as students board the bus which then prompts that child's stop in the route guidance system. Once on the bus, parents are able to track where the bus is using Bus Quest. Your child's tag should show the bus number on one side and the QR code on the other.

Additionally, I want to ask for your patience with busing the first couple weeks of school. Our bus drivers work diligently to ensure accuracy with their bus route and in doing so, arrival times are often delayed the first couple of days/weeks. If your child has their bus assignment, it is important to start that on the first day of school. This helps the bus driver in establishing routes and times right from the start.

*If there are changes needed to your child's transportation, please complete a new transportation form and return it to Gates as soon as possible. Transportation changes can take up to two weeks to process due to the rerouting that needs to be completed. Questions regarding busing should be directed to our Transportation Department 810-591-0816.

Student safety is top priority. For this reason and to ensure that there is not overcrowding in the hallways, parents will not be able to enter the building and walk their child to their classroom. If you choose to walk your student up to the door instead of using the drop-off loop, you will need to 'kiss and go' right at that door. There will be lots of staff in the halls to help our new Gates students find their way if needed.

Parents that need to enter the building for official school business must do so using our secure visitor entrance (door 15) at the front of the building, report directly to the office, and provide their ID.

For those students that will be dropping off and/or picking up your child, please be sure to use the south entrance loop. Drop off begins at 8:10 a.m. and you do not need to get out of your car. Please just pull into the 'Kiss and Go' lane and a Gates staff member will be there to open the car door and greet your child. Please make sure your child is ready to get out of the car once you pull into the lane, this helps keep the lane moving.

For Parent Pick-up, parents will need to park in the south lot and get out of their car. Students will be released at approximately 3:40 p.m. Students will be directed to stand on the sidewalk and wait for their parent to walk up and get them. Students will NOT be allowed to enter the parking lot without a parent.

Again this year, the budget approved by the state Legislature and signed by the Governor included funding for the 2024-25 school year that will allow all Michigan school students to receive breakfast and lunch free of charge. However, in order to help Davison Community Schools continue to qualify for other forms of assistance, including At-Risk funding, Title 1 funding and educational benefits like reading or math intervention, we kindly ask families to fill out the free and reduced lunch form. You can complete the form online by clicking on this link and selecting the "Apply for Benefits" tab. A paper form was also included in your child's folder.

If your child will be eating breakfast at school, they will need to head to the tables outside gym once entering the building to grab a breakfast. Students will then take that breakfast back to their classroom to eat. Please share this information with your child to help on the first day.

For lunch, students will have two school or 'hot' lunch choices to choose from or they may bring a home or 'cold' lunch in a lunchbox. Lunch menus can be found on our Davison Community Schools website, howere, here is a lunch menu for your referece.

The following forms were mailed in your 'welcome back' packet or provided in your child's take home folder at Open House. Please make sure that you have turned in the following forms:

• Field Trip form
• Volunteer form (Any person wishing to volunteer at the school, even if it is just for one party, MUST have an approved Volunteer form on file in our office.)
• School Picture envelope (if you plan on purchasing pictures)
• Free PTO T-shirt form
• PTO Popcorn Preorder (if you'd like to preorder for the year)

You will also want to be sure that you have logged into your child's Parent Vue account to ensure that all information, including emergency contacts and email address, have been updated if needed. Remember, that if there is an address change, we will need three updated proofs of residency before that change can be made.

This is just a reminder that ALL students will have their school picture taken on Wednesday, September 4th. If you wish to purchase pictures, please make sure your child has their picture order envelope returned to school no later than Wednesday morning. You can also place an order online at www.photofactoryusa.com. Use online order code: gates

A retake date will be established at a later time.

• Monday, August 19th- First Day of School!
• Friday, August 23rd - NO School... Office and Building Open
• Friday, August 30th - NO School!
• Monday, September 2nd - NO School, Labor Day!
• Tuesday, September 3rd - PTO Meeting, Join US!
• Wednesday, September 4th - Picture Day!
  
• Wednesday, September 11th - Early Release Day, Students will be dismissed from school at approximately 1:40 p.m.

Gates Elementary

Where Kids Come First and Futures Begin

and

Stars Are Made!

Email: nmiller@davisonschools.org
Website: www.davisonschools.org
Location: 2359 S. Irish, Davison, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-5001