the appleseed - amazon web services · ability) and wind-chill temperatures. jane bykerk,...

The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter! December 2014/January 2015

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The AppleseedDear Hudsonville Community,

As we prepare to enter the winter months, we would like to share with our parents and community our safety protocols for inclement weather. Our Board of Education policy #4080, Emergency Closings on Inclement Weather, reads “The superintendent is authorized to close the schools in case of inclement weather or other emergency, which makes it unsafe for students to attend school. The superintendent may delay the opening of school in cases of fog or ice until such an hour as it is anticipated conditions are safe for transportation.” Our decision with respect to “snow days” is one we take seriously with much thought, deliberation, and consultation. We value the opportunity to have students in the classroom and want to make sure we maximize the time we have with your children. However, conditions may occur where a delay or a closing is necessary.

Two of the considerations that enter into the decision are driving conditions (ice, amount of snow, visibility, pass-ability) and wind-chill temperatures. Jane Bykerk, Transportation Director, and I drive the roads during the earlyhours of the morning. We assess the conditions via road tests: 1) stopping capacity, 2) visibility, 3) cleared and passible lanes, 4) sustained wind chill of -20 or greater (this is not an automatic closing but one consideration), and others. We also consult other local agencies (road, police, and other districts) to get a picture of the weather in the broader area.

When the decision is made to cancel school, I first connect with our technology office to initiate calls to our parents and staff via our School Messenger system. This generally takes approximately 15 minutes to complete the calling cycle. As soon as the call is placed to technology, I also post it to my Twitter feed @nceglarek, the school’s Twitter feed @HPSEagles, and our website. We also call it into the local news agencies within the first 20 minutes.

While we try to make the decision as soon as possible, some days it takes a bit longer due to changing road conditions. That is, some mornings at 4:30 a.m. the roads are clear and by 5:45 a.m. conditions worsen to the point of closing schools. Our school district is unique in that it is approximately 80 square miles with both rural and more urban settings. Many times, conditions may be fairly clear in the north part of our district but roads may be impassible in the south part of the district. When making a decision, we must consider the entire district and not just an isolated area.

While it is not an exact science, we factor in as many considerations as possible. Hudsonville Public Schools’ transportation department busses 5,200 students with 119 different bus runs daily. Our bus drivers log 4,250 miles per day. We take this responsibility very seriously and want to do our best to ensure the safety of those students in our care.

Our bus drivers do a tremendous job every single day, but especially during the winter months. We are thankful for their service to our community. As the snow begins to fly, please take it slow and know we are trying to make the best decision with many factors in mind. Our hope is that it is not a winter like last!

Respectfully,

Nick CeglarekSuperintendent


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HUDSONVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS PRESCHOOL

REGISTRATION & INFORMATION NIGHT

Hudsonville Public Schools offers a play-based kindergarten readiness preschool curriculum that teaches positive self-concepts, social, physical, intellectual, and emotional development, language skills, and self-expression through large and small group learning. Programs offered through Early Childhood are: • 3 & 4 Year Old Half Day Preschool • Young Fives• 3 & 4 Year Old Full Day Preschool (w/childcare) • Before & After School Childcare• Great Start 4 Year Old Half Day Preschool • Summer Childcare• Great Start 4 Year Old Full Day Preschool • Early Childhood Special Education• Little Learners • Speech & Language Early Intervention

Preschool registrations for the 2015-2016 school year will be accepted at the information night. Registration for Young Fives, Before & After School, and Summer Care will also be accepted. Registrations will be available online on January 20 (accepted at registration night) at hpsearlychildhood.org

For more information, please call Shellie or Becky at 616-797-0842.

Information Night

Tuesday, January 20, 2015Hudsonville Early Childhood Center5535 School Ave. (main entrance off of Madison Ave.)6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Park Elementary School has adopted the theme "Be the 1" based on the book One by Kathryn Otoshi. All students wore their new "Be the 1" t-shirts so all staff and students headed outside to create a large number 1. It is a wonderful visual representation of how beautiful it is when we all work together to accomplish one goal.

http://hpsearlychildhood.org/

http://hpsearlychildhood.org/


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Hudsonville Community Members,

In 2011, you overwhelmingly approved a school bond to build a new competition pool and renovate our current pool/fitness facilities. Renovation of our main high school campus will result in the following list of enhancements to the current pool and adjacent fitness areas: new family changing areas, new locker rooms, a new cardio fitness room, and an updated weight room.

Construction and demolition of our current pool/fitness facilities will begin Friday, April 3rd, 2015. The timeline for completion of our new competitive swimming facility and renovations of our old competitive space will be the fall of 2015. Demolition and construction will result in the temporary closure of the locker rooms with limited access to the pool.

Community morning and weekend events will be canceled. Our A.M. lap, Saturday open swim, and morning community basketball will be canceled until the completion of the locker room area. As a result of the spring and summer construction, we will postpone our swimming lesson programming for the summer of 2015. Limited summer competitive programming will still remain while the pool area is being renovated. Hudsonville Community Education will offer two sections of lessons in the winter and early spring to offset a reduction in other program offerings. With the new and renovated spaces, we look forward to offering these fun activities:

If you have any questions, please contact Ian Kobes, Pool Director, at 669-1500, ext. #20243.

• A.M. open/lap swim • Saturday afternoon open swim

• Noontime lap swim on weekdays • Adult water aerobics classes during the day

• Swimming lessons during the week • Age Group Swim Team (HEAT)

• USA swimming and diving • Masters swimming

• Cardio and weight room access

HEF Fun Fest A Huge Success

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the Hudsonville Education Foundation's 5th Annual Family Fun Fest on September 19! It was an awesome evening and a great success! Approximately $3,300 was raised which will be used for teacher mini-grants that provide resources and innovations for the classroom.

Thank you to Parties-N-More for donating the inflatables. A special thank you to West Michigan Fleet Parts, HEF Board members and their spouses, Hudsonville High School National Honor Society members, and many others who volunteered to make this event a success. It couldn't have happened without you! Hudsonville truly is a great place to live and learn.

Congratulations to Sheila Hoeker who won the mini-iPad.


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Show Your Spirit!

Come visit our school store for some great Christmas gifts! We have a wide selection of gear to choose from. We will be open Monday, December 15 - Thursday, December 18, after school until 8:00 p.m. each night.

Come and shop for some great deals and unique items. GEAR UP!

Homeschool students at the 11th Grade Level:

If you are interested in taking the MME in March 2015, please contact Kristi Fellows in the High School Guidance Office at 669-1500 ext. 20403.

How about a “High Five”?

Forest Grove Elementary School’s character education program for the 2014-15 school year is based upon the book entitled, “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” by Sean Covey. Students spend time on a monthly basis in multi-age teams reading and discussing the content of this book as well as putting into practice what they have learned in a variety of ways. One way that we are encouraging students to exhibit these types of habits is by recognizing students that we catch “Being Proactive”, the attribute of the current month. A student found exhibiting this desirable attribute may be awarded a HIGH FIVE Card, which in turn, can be redeemed in the office for a weekly drawing of motivational prizes. Pictured above is the first winner in our “High Five” drawing. Way to go Peyton!

Fire Safety Is a Fun and Important Lesson

On October 10, the Hudsonville Fire Department came to the first grade rooms of Park Elementary to give the students a great learning experience. They came to teach the first graders about fire safety and some of the gear firemen use. During their visit, first graders were able to go through a simulation exercise in a travel trailer. In the trailer, the students learned how to stay safe in a fire. They were able to experience a smoke filled room and had to crawl through a window and climb out safely.

While inside, students learned about the gear firemen need to wear in order to stay safe in a fire. Students were able to see and hear that

firemen are not scary when they are wearing all their gear during a fire. Some students were even able to try on the gear! This was a great way to connect with our local community heros. A big thanks to the Hudsonville Fire Department!


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Reading Celebration is Fun For All!

On October 30th, in celebration of our fall parties, the Pre-K and Kindergarten classes at Georgetown Elementary took part in a fun filled morning of literacy. The teachers each dressed up in full costume as a character from one of the popular Laura Numeroff children's books. The characters and books chosen were, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," "If You Give a Pig a Party," "If you Give a Mouse a Muffin," "If You Give a Dog a Donut," and “If You Give a Cat a Cupcake." Each Pre-K/K class rotated to each of the five classrooms to hear each teacher's featured story and complete a special page in their very own, "If You Give a Student a Book" mini book. The students were so excited to travel to the different classrooms and find what the next teacher would be. It was a fun filled morning for all!

High School Implements Advisory Program

One of our District’s strategic plan (S.O.A.R. II) goals is to “ensure every student feels connected to and supported by at least one HPS staff member to cultivate a caring environment and a greater sense of belonging.” One of the strategies to meet this goal is the implementation of an “Advisory Program.”

Advisory is a program where each student is assigned to the same teacher “advisor”

for the school year. For the first trimester, Advisories have been team building, conferencing on academic issues and addressing issues such as appropriate use of social media and bullying. Second trimester, Junior and Senior Advisories will be working on application and interviewing skills, and will be participating in simulated interviews with local business members. All students will be working on career and college planning activities including the development of their EDP’s (Educational Development Plan’s). In addition, many of our Senior Advisory groups have been meeting with Freshmen Advisory groups to offer mentoring and answering the many questions they have about high school life.

Jamestown Elementary was recently recognized in Washington D.C. as one of eight schools in Michigan to receive the National Blue Ribbon Award. Pictured is second grade teacher, Joyann Paasman, accepting the award.

JES would like to thank the students, teachers/staff, parents, and community for their partnership in helping equip students with the needed tools for success!


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30 SECOND TIMEOUT“INVOLVED OR COMMITTED”

~By Kevin Wolma, Athletic Director

One of my favorite leadership principles from Tim Elmore’s “Habitudes - The Art of Self Leadership” is called the Half Hearted Kamikaze. Dr. Elmore tells a story about how a World War I pilot was a part of 50 kamikaze missions but never completed the task. When asked why he flew so many missions, the pilot answered “I was involved, but never committed.” This is a simple statement that has some profound impact on the way we live our lives as student athletes and as a parent of student athletes.

How do we know if we are involved or committed? Let’s look at the student athlete first. An involved student athlete is one who does not work very hard to better themselves as a student or athlete. These student athletes are more concerned with individual awards than team accomplishments. They will often complain about their playing time, the coach, or other student athletes. These are the same students who say they love the sport, but yet will make bad choices when it comes to alcohol, drugs, and use of social media.

What does a committed student athlete look like? These are the kids who understand that being a student athlete means you have to be a student first. They treat their classmates and teachers with respect. A committed student athlete will never complain about playing time and accept whatever role they have been given, knowing if they do their best it will ultimately help the team become their best. Commitment means making all the right decisions when it comes to alcohol, drugs, and social media because partaking in those activities is not only against the handbook they signed, but shows that you are more important than the team.

In the end, it is easier to be involved because being committed means that everything you do is for the betterment of the team and your school. This will require sacrifice and hard work. A committed athlete, very simply, does it the “right way.” I have seen a lot of teams compete over my years as a coach and athletic director. The great teams all seem to have something in common. They all have very committed student athletes. As an athlete are you committed?

How does this principle apply to parents of student athletes? The involved parents are the first ones to call the coach when their son or daughter is not getting the playing time they think they deserve. An involved parent is the one that will yell at officials at games and will coach their child from the sideline putting immense pressure on them to perform well. An involved parent is more concerned about a college athletic scholarship than an academic scholarship.

So what are the essential qualities of a committed parent? This parent understands that athletics has the unique ability to transform the lives of their kids through the experiences they have. They acknowledge the fact that there will be adverse situations that their child will have to deal with and work through without them (parents) having to “solve” the problem. A committed parent encourages their son or daughter to deal with playing time issues by initiating a conversation with the coach. This parent cheers for every player on the team and is willing to support the program anyway possible. As a parent it is easy to be involved, but very challenging to be committed. This will require a conscious effort to see the “big picture.” However, committed parents will help shape committed kids which will lead to committed programs. As a parent, are you committed?

Another way to understand this principle according to Dr. Elmore is by taking a look at a ham and egg breakfast. The chicken was involved but the pig is committed. November 10 starts a new season for Hudsonville Athletics. As we know, every season presents many challenges along with many celebrations. We have two choices in regard to how the season will go? Are we going to be the chicken (involved) or are we going to be the pig (committed)? How committed are we to make this the best season yet? See you at the games.

“I was involved, but never committed.”


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A Garden at the Grove!

The Forest Grove Elementary community has been working together this fall to collect leaves, grass clippings, and other yard waste all in preparation for a special educational experience coming this next spring and summer. The collection will serve as the base for our school community garden that will be planted this spring by some of our students and adult volunteers. The school garden concept was initiated by some school parents and has a direct connection to classroom learning through our 2nd and 3rd grade science curriculum. This coming spring when students are learning about the life cycle of plants, they will get to do so in a very hands-on way. What a great example of parents, students, and staff working together to educate our youth!

Bauer Elementary Receives A Loving Gift

Bauer Elementary recently received a new addition to their playground thanks to a very caring church located right on Bauer Road. Hager Park Church raised funds and built a second Gaga Ball Pit for our students. Gaga is a variant of dodgeball that is played with one ball. The first pit was built last year and has continued to be a very popular place with the students. When Kids Hope Coordinator, Amy Beyer, approached our school saying that there were members of her church who would be happy to help build anything if we needed it, the idea of a second Gaga Ball Pit was developed. However, Hager Park Church not only built the pit, they also raised the funds for it. Hager Park Church has been a constant supporter of Bauer students. They provide Kids Hope mentors for our students and do a Hand2Hand ministry that sends home food backpacks on Fridays for families in need. We so appreciate their love for our children and their desire to help meet their needs. So in this month of giving thanks we extend a huge thanks to Hager Park Church for all they do!

Big Group Fun At Park

The kindergarten classrooms at Park Elementary meet daily for Big Group. During Big Group all 3 kindergarten classes come together to do daily math routine, calendar and sing songs. The students and teachers look forward to coming together to learn in one another’s classroom. They enjoy engaging in music and movement that

reinforce the curriculum. Each week the teachers take turns hosting and leading big group in their classroom. It has been wonderful to see the kids interact with peers across grade level and has been a great opportunity for the kids to experience different teaching styles. Big Group is the highlight of the day for kindergarteners at Park!


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8th Annual South Elementary ~

Creating the City of Hudsonville

South Elementary second graders from Mrs. Broek, Mrs. Hoekema, Mrs. Jurewicz, and Mrs. Kissane’s classes were assigned to build one special building or location from their community. All 84 second grade students

worked together to build a giant map of the city of Hudsonville by placing the buildings on the appropriate “roads.” This activity allowed the second graders to explore a map of their local community and better understand the spatial organization of their community by applying concepts of relative location, distance, direction, and scale. All teachers were then invited to bring their classes down for a tour of the city. Students were shocked to see how realistic the buildings looked. This was an exciting and educational project that was fun for both students and their families.

Georgetown’s 5th Graders Are

Positive Role Models!The 5th graders at Georgetown Elementary are starting the year off on a very positive note! They have begun multiple year long activities where they are positive role models for the other students in the building.

One activity that the 5th graders really enjoy is being bus buddies to the kindergarten students. Beginning the first day of school, the students are paired up with a kindergarten buddy. At the conclusion of each day they meet their buddy in their classroom and walk them safely to their school bus. The kindergarteners LOVE walking out the door while holding the hand or arm of their 5th grade

BUDDY! It is also very rewarding for the 5th graders to see the smile on their buddies’ faces when they arrive at the end of each day! :)

The second activity that many 5th graders enjoy doing is participating in the school safety program. This year, over 50 students wanted to be safeties for our school. Georgetown has never had this many students participate before. These students fill out safety application forms that ask them how they have been a responsible, trustworthy, and caring person. In addition, they are required to get signatures from parents and teachers indicating that they demonstrate those qualities. Hats off to these students, and here’s to another great year!

In addition, our 5th graders are helping out in the lunchroom. On a rotating basis, one student from each classroom is staying a few minutes after lunch to help wipe down the lunchroom tables. What a great way for our students to contribute while helping keep our school building clean! All four 5th grade teachers at Georgetown have been very impressed by the leadership

qualities that we have seen in our 5th grade students this year.


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2014 Turkey Trot!

Nearly 1,000 Hudsonville Public Schools students and their parents celebrated fall and fitness as they ran in the annual Turkey Trot put on by the Hudsonville Elementary PE Teachers. The "fun run" is intended to promote healthy lifestyles while still having fun in a positive environment. This event is sponsored by many local businesses and all seven elementary PTC groups. Pre-K

through 2nd graders ran less than a 1/4 mile distance on the track while 3rd graders through adult runners completed an approximate 1 mile course around the outskirts of Eagle Stadium. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each grade and gender were awarded. Thanksgiving turkeys were donated by Meijer, apple cider by Walmart, and pumpkins by Post Family Farm. A great time was had by all!

Hudsonville Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, height, weight, marital status, handicap, disability, or limited English proficiency in any of its programs or activities. The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:Human Resource Director, Hudsonville Public Schools, 3886 Van Buren, Hudsonville, MI 49426, (616) 669-1740

TITLE I PARENT INFORMATION

Each year, the federal government provides funding for support services and materials for students identified as falling behind in grade level content standards and expectations. District assessment and standardized test scores are indicators of those students who would most benefit from these services. If your child has been identified for receiving the services provided in the building, you will receive a letter in the mail from your child's building principal or staff member. A plan will be put in place to assure your child will receive the appropriate support in order to achieve the academic goals of that grade level or course in the areas of reading, writing, or math. The support received may be short term or long term depending on the individual needs of each student. We believe each and every student can be successful in their academic journey if provided the right opportunities and with the help and support of parents.

As a parent of a student identified to receive support services, you are strongly encouraged to be involved in any of the planning for your child's success. On the Hudsonville Public Schools district website, you will find a tab for Title I. Under this tab, you will find our Board Policy language on Title I parent involvement and your rights as a parent to ask questions and be involved. Please contact your building principal if you would like to discuss how to be involved. Title I information meetings will be announced for you to attend in your child's building.

The Hudsonville Public Schools staff devote their time and effort to helping all students be successful. We are grateful for federal and state funding that allows us to add support services for any student falling behind. We know the power of working together as staff, students, and parents as we blend our contributions for the same common goal.

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