Heritage Happenings

We are already 1 month into school; it's hard to believe!

It is great to see that a lot of our students are participating in extra curricular activities! We have students participating in athletics and robotics. Our junior coaches have been out doing a great job working with our 3rd and 4th graders during recess. We are currently accepting applications for morning office help and safety patrol from our 6th graders. These opportunities are helping our students grow socially and emotionally, as well as academically.

Throughout the first month, we have been working to streamline our morning routine. We have made some adjustments on our end with bus drop off, which has helped. However, we could use your support, too! If your student is parent drop-off and they eat breakfast we encourage you to make sure that they are here by 8:40 AM. This will allow them ample time to eat without being late to class. Please encourage all students eating breakfast at school to go straight to the cafeteria when they get here, this will help to get students breakfast and to class on time. We appreciate your support in helping to streamline our mornings.

I also wanted to remind you that this Wednesday, September 20 is a half day for students! Students are dismissed at 12:00 PM.

September 20 - 1/2 Day for Students & PD for Staff - 12:00 PM Dismissal

September 20 - Middle School XC away

September 27 - 5/6 Robotics Practice - 3:45 - 5:30 PM

September 29 - Popcorn Friday

October 4 - Picture Day

October 4 - 5/6 Robotics Practice - 3:45 - 5:30 PM

October 6 - Bible Release

October 11 - PTO Fall Family Fun Night

The Panther Cubs PTO will collect any forgotten fundraiser forms and money on Monday, September 18. They are planning to distribute the coupon cards on September 25th. If you have any questions regarding the PTO Hungry Howies Fundraiser, please reach out to Reaghan Walz, reaghan@gmail.com.

This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Curiosity. Curiosity means you like exploration and discovery. You ask lots of questions because you want to learn more about anything and everything.

Curiosity is a crucial component of one’s character. Our innate urge for discovery and exploration is a key element of our human desire for wisdom and knowledge. It’s what keeps us intrigued in the plotlines of movies and books. It’s what pushes us to try new activities or travel to different places. All individuals experience curiosity but differ in their willingness to experience it -- behaviorally, intellectually, and emotionally.

Individuals with the character strength of curiosity are more likely to ask questions and try new things. Curiosity, then, is a form of courage. Asking questions exposes the fact that we don’t know and trying a new activity means we might fail. But, it’s only through asking questions and exploring new opportunities that we learn and grow.

To practice and encourage the character strength of curiosity with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.

Dear Stockbridge Community Schools Parents and Caregivers,

I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your student a warm welcome back to school. We have been working diligently to maintain and improve the quality of education our children receive at the Stockbridge Community Schools. Many of our efforts are funded through grants that rely on data that comes from our free and reduced meals applications. This year every student is eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch throughout the district, and we are all grateful for the assistance this provides every family. Unfortunately, we have not seen as many free and reduced meal applications come back as we have in years past.

We are asking for your support in filling out the free and reduced meals application to help us continue to capture the necessary funding to continue our Title and At-Risk programs at the same level that we have become accustomed to so we can support all of the students in our community with these additional programs. The application is attached to this letter and is also available on our website at https://stockbridge.familyportal.cloud/benefits/onlyapplying. Thank you for your continued support of the Stockbridge Community Schools. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact myself or Food Service Director Stephanie White at whites@panthernet.net.

Sincerely,

Stephen J. Keskes

Stephen J. Keskes, Ed.S.

Director of Grants and Academic Innovation

Stockbridge Community Schools

keskess@panthernet.net

(517) 710-4100

Attachment:

https://www.panthernet.net/downloads/food_service/4_-school_meals_and_summer_ebt_application_2023-2024.pdf

Again this year, Heritage School will be partnering with Ele’s Place, a healing center for grieving children and teens, to bring an 8-week grief support group to students in our 4th-6th grades. This group will be offered during the school day, once a week for 8 weeks, here at school. The group is designed to help students who have experienced the death of someone significant to them. In Ele’s Group, there will be the opportunity to do activities, talk about grief experiences, learn ways to cope and to be with others who understand what it’s like to have someone die. This group is not therapy or counseling, it is a way to connect with other students who are grieving and support each other. Group will be facilitated by an Ele’s Place staff member, and Kate Fox, Heritage School Social Worker. Student self-identification surveys will be completed by 4th-6th grade students to determine which students would benefit most from the group at this time. Should any parents not want their student(s) to complete the self-identification survey, please complete the Google form by Wednesday, September 20, 2023, by clicking on the following link: Non Consent Form for Ele's Place Group Survey. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Kate Fox by phone at (517) 851-8600 x4132 or email at foxk@panthernet.net.

Alliance is a primarily student-led club for 6th grade students. Alliance aims to foster a safe place for ALL students to gather. Our conversations center around topics of social justice, human rights, and mental health. Alliance is for anyone who wants to spread kindness, promote equity, advocate for inclusivity, and celebrate diversity. People of all races, ethnicities, national origins, religions, genders, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and physical abilities are welcome to attend Alliance. We appreciate everyone’s differences and uniquenesses!

Alliance is entirely voluntary, and occurs during 6th grade students’ lunch/recess time. We meet once a week, and students’ attendance is fluid (meaning, they don’t have to come every single week. They can attend solely when they desire).

Our student-determined group expectations are as follows:

• Always be kind

• Respect everyone’s values, beliefs, & opinions. (We may not always agree, but we will be kind!)

• Be an active listener

• All people are welcome to attend Alliance

• What’s said in here, stays in here (Note: Students are free to discuss what they themselves have shared or what we learned from the group. We simply ask that students don’t share any confidential information that other students have offered in the group setting.)

• Keep a positive mindset

• Be truthful (as long as it’s kind/helpful)

Below are some examples of things the Alliance Club did last year.

We encourage all families to login to their PowerSchool Parent Portal. This is a great place for you to keep track of your students attendance and grades as they go through their schooling here in Stockbridge.

Returning Families: You have been given this log in information in the past. If you need your log in credentials, please feel free to contact our office and we can get that information to you.

Meghan Kunzelman, Principal

Josh Nichols, Dean of Culture

Deanna Kruger, Administrative Assistant

Email: kunzelmanm@panthernet.net
Website: https://www.panthernet.net/our-schools/heritage-school/
Location: 222 Western Ave, Stockbridge, MI, USA
Phone: 517-851-8600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageSchoolStockbridgeMI

School Day: 8:50-3:38

Drop off- Begins at 8:35am. We will continue with our same procedure as last year. For safety, please do not let your child out of your car until they are in the designated area (Sidewalk in front of the school) for drop off.

Class begins at 8:50am. Please make sure that your student is here on time to start the day.

Pick up: We will continue with our same procedure as last year. As parents pull up the the sidewalk in front of Heritage, members of the staff will support the process to ensure student are safely supported to their cars.

Please expect some delays during the first few weeks of school as we streamline processes and support our students. This will ensure the safety of all our students.