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Dear Alamo Families,

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season as well as a time to reflect on what we are most thankful for this year. Like most year’s, I am thankful for my family and all of the great memories we have made this year. I am thankful for the good health that we have and for every new day that we are blessed with. Although we may not have everything we want, we have everything we need and then some. I am also thankful for good friends and the support you feel from them during times of need. Each year, I am especially thankful for the Alamo family. Thank you to all of the parents, students and staff for your hard work and dedication towards making Alamo Elementary a positive learning environment where all kids achieve excellence. Your support and encouragement has helped make the beginning of the 2024-25 school year successful. I look forward to continuing our collaborative effort to provide such a rich learning experience for our students. The family here at Alamo has had such a positive impact on my life and I am thankful to serve such a wonderful group of children, parents and staff.

Best wishes for a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving!

Mrs. Knight-Lucas

Nov. 25-29

• Thanksgiving Break

Dec. 3

• Mileage Club
• Cookie Capers

Dec. 4

• Delayed Start, School Starts @ 10:00 a.m.
• Holiday Dress Up - Dress like a gingerbread boy/girl or wear brown/white

Dec. 6

• Alamo Movie Day @ M-89 Cinema
• Holiday Dress Up - Wear Hawaiian or Tropical Attire
• Mileage Club

Dec. 9-13

• Holiday Gift Shoppe

Week of December 2nd - Gingerbread Week

• December 2nd - Snack (gingersnaps)
• December 4th - Gingerbread Dress Up
• December 6th - Movie/Tropical Day Dress Up

Week of December 9th - Santa's Gift Shoppe Week (Holiday Gift Shoppe Week)

• December 9th - Snack (Hot Cocoa)
• December 11th - Dress Up Day (Santa, Elf, Reindeer)
• December 13 - Band Visit

Week of December 16th - Grinch Week

• December 16 - Snack (grinch candy canes)
• December 18th - Grinch Dress Up
• December 19th - PTO Snack
• December 20 - PJ Day (Popcorn Friday)

Alamo Elementary is looking for families to donate 2-3 dozen cookies on Tuesday, December 3rd for Wings of Hope Hospice. Bring your cookies to the office by noon and students will assembly platters and delivered to families by Wings of Hope Hospice.

Alamo will once again be adding a little Christmas cheer to local family’s holiday season. Please join us in sponsoring a family for the 2024 Christmas season.

The Alamo Giving Tree is back! This year we will be doing a virtual Giving Tree via SignUpGenius or stop in to take a tag off the Alamo Giving Tree. The sign up link includes gift items for families. You may sign up for whatever item you'd like from the tree. We're asking that all items be returned to the school no later than Friday December 13th. Please do NOT wrap the items. Please be sure to include the gift tag with your present so we know to which family member it belongs.

Please contact Annie Pruis or Terry Webber at apruis@otsegops.org or twebber@otsegops.org with any questions. Gift cards and monetary donations to go toward gifts are also welcomed. Thanks!

Thank you for your generous gift of giving!

The holiday gift shop is back! December 9th-13th from 8:30-12:30 p.m. (Wednesday will be 10:00-1:00).

The Holiday Shop allows students to shop for their family during school hours. Students can easily purchase five or six inexpensive gift items for their loved ones. It’s one of the few times $10 is more than enough. More information to come following Thanksgiving break.

Our Holiday Shop is just around the corner, and we’re in need of volunteers to help students shop, check out, and wrap their gifts. If you’re interested in volunteering, please sign up using the link below.

Positive Attitude

• Jack Trumley
• Isabelle Kalkman

• Elodie Pruis
• Oakley Allen

• Kingston Newby
• Adrik Moore

• Mason Tillison
• Jacob Slotnik

• Alexa Goodman
• Logan Patterson

Congratulations to the following students for showing "Teamwork" and being selected to receive this month's Student of the Month award.

Girls on the Run registration is open! Coaches are needed! Click on the link below to learn more and to apply. Please contact the Alamo office if you would be willing to volunteer to coach a team this year but have some additional questions.

Phone - 269-694-7600

Email - rcarter@otsegops.org or nknight-lucas@otsegops.org

It’s time to start thinking spring! Girls on the Run online registration runs through Nov. 25th at 11:59 p.m.

If you have a daughter in 3rd-5th grade, you definitely want to look into this wonderful opportunity! The girls will be meeting on M/W from 4-5:30 p.m. Girls on the Run is a curriculum-based, after-school character development program designed for 3rd-5th grade girls of ALL fitness levels. The 10-week curriculum attempts to help each girl find and stay true to her REAL self. Groups of 8 to 15 girls meet twice a week with their trained, volunteer coaches to discuss important life lessons while playing fun running games. Girls on the Run emphasizes independent thinking, making healthy choices, healthy group dynamics, and problem-solving. The curriculum stresses peer support and doing your best. The program finishes with the girls running or walking in a non-competitive 5K. The program runs from March 17th -May 20th after school. The registration fee is $170. Scholarships are available on a sliding scale.

The Importance of a Secure Relationship with Your Child

Did you know that attachment styles are created in your child’s early years? How your child grows and attaches to you, as their parent/guardian, will influence relationships for the rest of their life. This is important because the key foundations for successful relationships must be modeled early on. These include character traits like honesty, responsibility and integrity. If we want our children to be trustworthy in the future, we must model honesty. If we want our children to be able to trust other people in their future, we must lead them to know they can trust us first.

A secure relationship will lead to open and honest communication between parents and their children. This will foster a sense of security and trust that allows children to have difficult conversations. Not only that, but it also allows children to express their emotions in a healthy way instead of keeping them inside. Another benefit to a secure relationship is the children are able to learn how to handle and resolve conflict. These are all valuable skills to learn as a child for a healthy and successful adulthood.

We all have behaviors that we wish our children would stop. How do we get that to happen? Here is a quick video with an easy and useful technique. Check it out.

Please please make sure your child dresses for the weather. Coats, gloves, and hats are pretty much a given from now on and before you know it your child will also need snow pants and boots.

Whatever you send to school with your child, please LABEL!! There could potentially be 23 pairs of black snow pants in your child's classroom and finding their items will be easier if they are labeled.

Our WatchD.O.G.S. program will officially begin for the 2024-25 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.

Teaching teamwork at home is a great way to foster collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills in children. Here are some practical ways you can instill teamwork in your kids:

• Encourage Family Projects
• Play Team-Oriented Games
• Model Teamwork Behavior
• Assign Group Roles
• Practice Conflict Resolution
• Volunteer as a Family
• Celebrate Team Successes
• Discuss and Reflect on Teamwork

You are also invited to join us any Tuesday or Friday (weather permitting) during your child's lunch recess time. Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes these days.

Here are the recess times for each grade level.

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 4:10 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

Dec 9

Jan 13

Feb 10

March 10

April 14

May 12

June 9

If your child is absent and the absence is unexcused, you will receive an automated phone call reminding you to report the absence. Please remember to report your child’s absence, before 9am, by calling our attendance line at (269) 694-7680.

Join Alamo Parents REMIND

Would you like to receive text updates on important dates and activities taking place here at Alamo Elementary? REMIND is a safe and efficient communication app designed for teachers/schools to communicate important classroom/school information. If you are interested in receiving updates from Alamo Elementary via text, text this message @alamopare to the number 81010 or click on the link below.

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