The ECC Extra

Supervisor of Early Childhood Programming

Email: danielle.truesdell@royaloakschools.org
Website: aecc.royaloakschools.org
Location: 2222 West Webster Road, Royal Oak, MI, USA
Phone: 248-288-3220

"Gong hei fat choy!" (Happy Lunar New Year) to all! 2024 is the year of the dragon. It is believed that babies born under the sign of the dragon will be strong leaders! Follow this link to learn more about Lunar New Year.

This week is also Valentine's Day. Each classroom will be celebrating friendship in a special way. As with all holidays, we will not have a party or change our daily routine. We will incorporate the "love, friendship and kindness" into our day through our regular activities such as making cards or valentines during small group or work time.

Thursday Theme: Red/Pink/Hearts/Love

Upcoming Dates:

Feb. 16-20 -- No School Mid-Winter Break

Feb. 28 -- Spring Pictures (packets coming home soon)

March 1- 29 -- Schools of Choice Application Window (Non-Royal Oak Residents interested in attending kindergarten in Royal Oak)

Thank you,

Mrs. Truesdell

While there is never a bad time to visit the Charles H Wright Museum of African American History, Black History Month a great time to go! We are so lucky to have such an amazing resource so close to home.

Did you know the second Tuesday of EVERY month is free admission to the museum and all exhibits?

Now through March 31st you can see costumes worn in Black Panther I & II as well as Do The Right Thing and many more!

Royal Oak Schools is pleased to welcome children and their families to kindergarten. Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year begins on Thursday, February 1, 2024. District-wide enrollment for all kindergarten programs, including Developmental Kindergarten, is processed through our Central Enrollment Office.

All enrollments will be virtual including uploading of the required documentation to the pre-enrollment. Please see the "How to Enroll" portion of the Enrollment website for more information. To watch a short video regarding the enrollment process, click here.

Elementary transfer requests for priority consideration will be accepted between February 1 - February 29, 2024. Please make sure to mark your calendar for Kindergarten Information Night on January 31, 2024, which will be in person at each elementary building.

Kindergarten Age Requirements
A resident child must be five (5) years of age on or before September 1st in order to be eligible to attend kindergarten.

If a child is not five (5) years of age by the September 1st enrollment eligibility date, but will be five (5) years of age no later than December 1st, the parent/guardian may still enroll the child in kindergarten. The parent must notify the school district, in writing, prior to the beginning of the school year. Notification, by way of a completed Kindergarten Age Waiver, must be received in order for a child born between September 1 and December 1 to be enrolled in kindergarten.

QR Codes are posted on the doors to help with this process. Below are very simple and quick (2 minutes) videos to help you all become more familiar. As a parent you are able to add any and all contacts to your child's Brightwheel account. Also, your unique 4-digit code is found in the profile section of the app. You can change this code to any 4-digits.

Brightwheel Check-In Tutorial

Brightwheel Parent Sign-Up

Brightwheel App Basics for Parents

Before Care Hours: 7:30-8:45

After Care Hours: 3:45-5:30

Friday Hours: 7:30-5:30

Program Cell Phone: 248-321-8220 (only available during program hours, no texting).

Friday Care Families--Please remember to send 2 snacks and a lunch with your child. All items must be labeled with your child's name. Also, please remember to send a small blanket and pillow. Those in full day programs will move your child's rest bag to their Friday Care locker.

Parents will enter through our ECC main office (door #27). Extended Care begins at 7:30 and ends at 5:30 which is outside of our main office hours. You will call our program cellphone or ring our doorbell to notify staff you have arrived. If you are within the normal office hours, you will be buzzed in by office staff.

When you arrive please place your child's items in their "Extended Care Lockers" which are located right outside the main office. This is also where you will gather your child's belongings if they stay for After Care. The Extended Care Program is housed in room 108, the Gray Elephant Classroom! (also known as the Gross Motor Room or GMR).

• Before and After School Schedule
• Friday Schedule

“Blessings in a Backpack” is a program designed to provide students on the free and reduced lunch program with enough food for three meals a day during the weekends. This program, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, is active in Royal Oak Schools. If you agree to take part in this program during the school year, your child will receive a bag filled with food for the weekend.

If you are interested in receiving food please complete this quick questionnaire.

Please remember to call our main office to report your child's absence, 248-288-3220.

Oakland County Health Department has recently updated the preschool-aged quarantine and isolation guidelines. At this time preschool-aged children will follow a 5 day quarantine and isolation. If symptom free and able to properly wear a mask, students may return to school after 5 days. If student return to school for days 6-10, they must wear a mask. As always, please contact the office with any close contact exposures or positive cases. Please reach out if you have any questions. 248-288-3220.