The Buzz

To build spirit and pride in our elementary school, the K-5 staff took on the challenge to teach and perform our fight song. We will share a new fight song video weekly. These are too cute not to watch. This week's video is from our Jr. Jacket class. GO JACKETS!! FEAR THE STING!! #ONEHIVE!!!

Our School community is so excited about the support we receive from our community!!! Please check out the shout outs below written by Mr. Clark!! We are blessed and VERY, VERY grateful to our CONCORD COMMUNITY!!! THANK YOU!! #ONEHIVE

Reason #4397 that Concord is awesome!! All of the new weight equipment showed up on a FedEx semi yesterday and it was way too big to get off the truck. The forklift was required. We did not have one or a bay for that matter. So one phone call to Concord Manufacturing and Chris Kettwich and they graciously allowed us to use their bay and even unloaded our new stuff with their forklift. But the next dilemma was getting the equipment from the Concord Manufacturing parking lot to the school. One quick call to Jason Blossom and he talked to Concord Excavating and within minutes a loader with forks showed up and moved all of our equipment to the school! Wow, I cannot say thanks enough to these wonderful people. Not to mention the wonderful people in this community that passed our bond that made our new weight room a possibility! I also have to thank Roger Vick, Jesse Buck, and Michael Langhann for donating their time, energy, and tools to help get this put together. In 2 days we went from no weight equipment in our room to quite possibly the best weight room in the state for a school our size. Thanks to everyone who helped make this happen!! The photos speak for themselves!

The United Way and Grow Jackson have teamed up to provide fresh food boxes to families in need across the county. The boxes are being distributed from a Dearing Rd location on Wednesday when the food is available.

Unfortunately, not all of the Concord families can make it to pick up the food boxes despite the need they may have. Therefore, Concord teamed up with The Michigan Army National Guard Jackson-based 246 Transportation Battalion to get food boxes to Concord, Hanover Horton, Michigan Center, and Springport. Our food service director, Alan Breneman, worked with Sergeant First Class Hutchinson to pick up the boxes and deliver them to the four different school districts today. From the district locations, the food boxes will be distributed to local families in need. We are incredibly grateful to the Jackson-based 246 Transportation Battalion and its commitment to the community!!

Our K-8 buildings received a wonderful surprise on Monday. True Community Credit Union which sponsors our Student-led credit union, notified Mr. Arbuckle that the K-8 building had received a grant. Please read the award notification below from True Community Credit Union and Shelia Troxel.

Good afternoon,

To celebrate our partnerships with area schools, TRUE Community Credit Union will be giving back to our schools to show support and solidarity. We are grateful for our school partners and we see all of the work you are doing to ensure the children in our communities are receiving an education; whether it's remotely or in person, your team is making it work!

As part of our TRUE Community commitment, we will provide a cash donation to all of our school partners through our TRUE Community Giving. Schools that participate in our student-run credit union program or offer the Jackson $aves program or maybe you are doing both - we appreciate you!

To celebrate, we will be sending a TRUE Community team member to your school on February 8th between 9 am-noon (masked up and sanitized) to deliver the donation. We will also include two-yard signs (that we will place in the school's front area) and three 11X17 posters to encourage you to hang in your lobby area. We will also send you a digital image and content that you can share on the school's social media pages. When our team member arrives, we will ring the buzzer to meet someone at the front door to hand off the packet.

Please let me know if you will not be opened that day, due to vaccines or virtual learning, and we can make arrangements to deliver the information to you on another day. Thank you.

With much appreciation and gratitude,

Sheila Troxel

This week our Hive continued to hone their social awareness skills! Middle School students had access to the final Good Human Skills Challenges for our current Focus Area, "I respect and value everyone," while Elementary School students were hard at work on our schoolwide Fight Song Challenge (we can't wait to review the entries and share them/a winner with our community soon!).

Next week our Middle School students will have access to a Social Awareness Review Week slide deck (to accrue those final Character Points before we choose a winning cohort!), while our Elementary students will move onto learning about tolerance. Middle School students will also learn more about Random Acts of Kindness Week next Tuesday; if you have a Middle School student be sure to ask them for more details next week (we're keeping them a secret for now!).

Check out our Announcements video from 2/8 for our latest group of YellowJackets of the Week!

Concord Community Schools was given the opportunity to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this week. Over fifty percent of our staff participated in the opportunity, and we were all very grateful for the hard work and efficiency of the HFAH team and their volunteers!!!

February 11, 2021, our staff is scheduled to receive the second dose of the vaccine. As such, that week we will again switch our virtual learning days, so we do not lose a face to face learning day. The schedule for that week is listed below. Please reach out to your building if you have questions.

Monday, February 8 - Face to Face students K-8 and 9-12 Hybrid Cohort A

Tuesday, February 9 -Face to Face students K-8 and 9-12 Hybrid Cohort A

Wednesday, February 10 (Count Day)- Face to Face K-8 and Hybrid Learning for HS B Group

Thursday, February 11 - Virtual Learning for ALL STUDENTS - The career center bus will transport students

Friday, February 12- NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF OR STUDENTS - PRESIDENT'S DAY HOLIDAY

Monday, February 15- NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF OR STUDENTS - PRESIDENT'S DAY HOLIDAY

We recognize during these unprecedented times parents and caregivers are working as hard as they can to support their child’s literacy learning. Lucy Calkins who has developed many state of the art teaching methods founded the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University and created a bank of excellent tools for parents and caregivers to use. These short videos draw on a combination of research, classroom experience, and educator knowledge to help parents and caregivers support their students. Some of the videos show you games to play, others help you support phonics, the importance of reading, creative writing, study skills, vocabulary, and abstract thinking.

K-2 Family Videos

3-5 Family Videos

6-8 Family Videos

With flu season and colder weather right upon us, the number of people that experience illness will increase. This year we also have to deal with COVID-19. We are vigilantly cleaning our buildings and making sure we keep our classrooms and hallways as germ-free as possible. We continue to encourage handwashing and hand sanitizing. Plus, we have amazing students and staff that make sure they keep their masks on to protect others.

Recently, we have seen a rising number of COVID-19 cases across the state We can all do our part by avoiding large gatherings, washing our hands, wearing masks, and maintaining social distancing whenever possible. Additionally, if your child is sick, please keep them home. They can access all of their learning virtually.

We know these are frustrating times, but if we pull together, we will be successful. We appreciate your support!! #ONEHIVE

The district is working to support our families that are struggling with the internet at home. Whether it is spotty service or limited data, sometimes in Concord, we just do not have good access to the internet.

The installation of WiFi antennas on the outside of both the ES/MS and HS buildings has been completed. We now have WIFI PARKING LOTS!!!! Families can access free WiFi 24 - 7 in almost every spot in both parking lots and the ES/MS drive and drop loop. We are beyond excited about the completion of the project. We will continue to look for ways to support our families and this is a big step to making digital more accessible for everyone.

Additionally, the Jackson District Library offers access to WiFi and computers. The WiFi is available outside the library 24-7. Computers and the internet can be accessed anytime during open hours

Hours:
Monday and Wednesday 10-6

Tuesday and Friday 1-6
Saturday 10-2

Have you liked the Elementary/Middle School Facebook Page?

If you have not yet, this week is a great time to start. The Elementary and Middle School use the Facebook page to post many updates and announcements. This Friday was the first-ever Facebook live-streamed morning announcements. Don't miss the news - like the page today.

https://www.facebook.com/Concord-ElementaryMiddle-School-593772624020990/

2/9 and 2/10 Health Department VIsion and Hearing Screenings K-8

Wednesday, February 10 (Count Day)- Face to Face K-8 and Hybrid Learning for HS B Group

Thursday, February 11 - Virtual Learning for ALL STUDENTS - The career center bus will transport students

2/12 - 2/15 President's Weekend - No School for Students and Staff

Due 2/15 Sophomores complete the JACC Google Form Application (sent to all sophomores through their school email)

Due 2/15 Juniors who have were not in a JACC course this year, but are interested in their senior year, must contact Mrs. Otto by this date.

Class of 2021 - Jackson Community Foundation Scholarships are due February 16th by 5 pm. Remember that 1 application will apply you for 5 scholarships. Check your email and the Class of 2021 Google classroom for links to more details.

3/3 Parent-Teacher Conferences

3/8 Professional Development - No School for Students

3/12 End of the 3rd Quarter

3/24 Local Scholarships Due to Mrs. Otto

3/26- 4/2 Spring Break - No School for Students and Staff

4/14 Kindergarten RoundUp Parent Meeting at 6:00 pm via zoom

5/12 Kindergarten RoundUp from 9 am -6 pm appointment scheduled in advance after parent meeting

Email: rebecca.hutchinson@concordschools.net
Website: www.concordschools.net
Location: 405 South Main Street, Concord, MI, USA
Phone: (517)524-8850