Harvey-Swanson News

My biggest highlight from last week is the mountain of positive feedback I heard regarding our first ever virtual parent-teacher conferences. Teachers enjoyed connecting with families and learning more about their students. Parents enjoyed hearing about how it's going. My personal favorite was seeing students' smiles on the screen. Thank you to all of our parents/guardians for your commitment to your child's education. Research shows that parent engagement has a very positive effect on children's overall achievement at school. Thank you for your continued support and partnership everyone! Together we are making a big difference in children's lives and it's exciting!

Also, a huge THANK YOU to our PTA for organizing two delicious staff lunches last week during conferences. Thank you to any parents who helped make this possible! We love our Harvey-Swanson parent group!

Sincerely,

Debbie Brauher

Fourth Grader Madalyn Hunt

"Madalyn is extremely conscientious and focused on doing her best! She participates in sharing her thinking and she is kind to others."

This week we will focus on the character strength forgiveness. Click here for a one page character card.

What it is: Forgiveness means being able to move on after someone has hurt you. When we forgive others, we are showing them that they deserve a second chance.

Why it matters: Research shows that forgiving others increases our health and helps us develop positive relationships.

“When someone does something wrong, don’t forget all the things they did right.”

Author unknown

Due to Covid and the restrictions we have this year, our Halloween celebrations will look different, but we will still have fun! The biggest changes this year are:

• No parade

• No volunteers to help us celebrate (we miss you:)

• No costume masks only. Students are welcome to wear a costume mask, but they have to have a regular cloth mask under it which may be very restrictive or uncomfortable. It’s their choice to wear a costume mask, but they have to have the cloth mask on under it.

Masks:

• A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask.

• Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask if wearing both causes difficulty breathing. Instead, consider using a Halloween themed cloth mask.

As usual, no violent costumes or pretend weapons please.

Click here to see all of the ways you can help us earn money for our school!

• Visitors must have an appointment to enter the building. All visitors will be screened outside by our securtiy guard before entering and must be wearing a mask to enter.

• If you are dropping off items for your child, the security guard will meet you outside to collect the item/s.

• Please see the Visitor and Vending Screening Checklist below.

• Please click here to view the telephone screening resource "Safe For School" hotline.

Please click here to see some options through Paramount Signs & Graphics. Last spring some of our staff had some cool hats made as well. Check out the website or stop in the store to see what they have.

Due to allergies and for infection control, if students are going to be bringing food to share, it must be store bought and contain an ingredients list. Individually wrapped food items would be best.

• Week of October 12th: Parent Teacher Conferences are this week and they are virtual.
• Friday, October 16th: NO SCHOOL
• October 30th: Half day of school. Students dismissed at 12:35 PM.
• November 17th: Picture retakes. BLFH will be on the same date, but from 4:15-5:15PM.

Click here to view information about signing up for scouts grades k-5.

• Click here to view the Oakland County Covid-19 Public Health Toolkit.
• Click here to visit our Harvey Hawk Facebook Page.
• To sign up for e-news- Go to the Brandon Schools main webpage under Quick Links and choose subscribe to e-news.

• Preschool before and after care as well as latchkey will need to wear masks as they will not be with their cohorts.

• Parents will drop off and pick up outdoors and not enter the building. Staff will check in and sign out students noting the parent/adult who is dropping off and/or picking up and also ask the COVID screening questions and record the answers.
• All cleaning and handwashing procedures will also be in place.
• All soft toys, dress up clothing, etc that can't be cleaned easily has been removed.
• For quesitons or to sign up, please contact Diane Zedan: dzedan@brandon.k12.mi.us or Penny Green: pgreen@brandon.k12.mi.us

Office Hours: 8:45 AM to 4:45 PM

Connie Zak Administrative Assistant

Jaqueline Herbart Attendance Clerk

Student Day: 9:30-4:00

Arrival/Drop off: 9:20 AM

Dismissal: 4:00 buses will load and pick ups will be waiting outside

Email: dbrauher@brandon.k12.mi.us
Website: https://brandonschooldistrict.org/index.php/schools/harvey-swanson-elementary
Location: 209 Varsity Drive, Ortonville, MI, USA
Phone: (248) 627- 1850
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010341280577