Little Bucks Bulletin

May 2023 Edition

Ottawa Elementary School

How can we possibly be nearing the end of the school year! I can't believe it went by so quickly. We are wrapping up the year with our end of year assessments in the next two weeks. As it stays light longer in the evenings, please make sure your little ones continue to get to bed early so they are rested and ready for each day!

The month of May is jammed pack as we are wrapping up the year! Be sure to look at my weekly updates that come via email and text. Also keep watching our Little Bucks Bulletin for updates and things to come. If for some reason you are not receiving these emails or texts, please call our office and Mrs. Johnson can assist you.

If you are dropping your little one off, please park in a parking space and walk them to the door. There is a no parking zone in the fire lane, which is right by the sidewalk in the visitors parking lot by the office. If it is after 8:40, please walk your child in and sign them in for the day.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Stacey Denison, Principal

sdenison@buchananschools.com

Our school office is open 8:00am-4:30pm

Phone: 269.695.8409

Mrs. Stacey Denison, Principal

sdenison@buchananschools.com

Mrs. Johnson, Administrative Assistant

ejohnson@buchananschools.com

REGULAR DAY OF SCHOOL

8:35am-3:43pm

ECSE/Preschool AM 8:35am-11:50pm

ECSE/Preschool PM 12:25pm-3:43pm

WACKY WEDNESDAYS

8:35am-3:10pm

HALF DAYS OF SCHOOL

8:35am-12:05pm

No Preschool or ECSE Classes on these days!

Thank you to all our volunteers that helped to make our Field Day a huge success!! Beautiful day, lots of fun! Kids were saying, "This is the best day ever!"

Activities included face painting, snack shack, duck races, parachute fun, water misting tent, candy walk, and a picnic lunch with friends in the gym where it was cooler. By the time noon rolled everyone, everyone was grateful to cool down inside.

3 ACES (All Children Exercising Simultaneously)

8-12 Spirit Week! (See days below)

9 PTO Meeting 6:30

9-11 NWEA Reading for K&1 and 1st grade Delta Assessments

10 Superintendent & Buck Parent Conversation @ Ottawa 4:45-5:30

11 No GSRP Classes for Monsma and Chase

15 Board of Education Meeting 7:00 pm

16 Senior Parade

16-18 NWEA Math for K&1 and K DELTA Assessments

19 NO SCHOOL- Professional Development for Teachers

23 Kindergarten At The Commons 7:00 pm

23 Mrs. Chase/Mrs. Monsma Final Day of Preschool

25 1st Grade Fun Day/Picnic

26 ECSE Extra Friday

29 Memorial Day- No School

June

2 Field Day (Kindergarten/1st Grade)

3 PTO Bake Sale- Farmer's Market 8:00-1:00

6 Ms. Hendrick's Class Last Day of School

7 Half Day of School for Students- Dismissal at 12:05

8 Final Day of School- Half Day- Dismissal at 12:05

19 Summer School Begins

19 Board of Education Meeting 6:00 pm

Thank you Sarah Scrimshire for organizing another great bake sale and earning

Ottawa almost $500!!

To welcome our kindergarten students for the 2023-24 school year, we conducted our first "Signing Day". Families that registered were invited to meet the kindergarten teachers and sign a certificate to commit to being a Little Buck next school year! It was a great new event for families. The kids loved the oversized pencil for the photo opportunity!

Each year many parents ask if they can request a teacher for their child for the following school year. There are many factors that we consider as a team for student placement into the next grade. We try to keep the classes as balanced as possible based on these various factors and student's needs.

If you have a concern or conflict that you would like to share regarding placement, I will take this into consideration. Otherwise, it is the discretion of the school team where a child will be placed for the following year.

We still have openings in the kindergarten and first grade summer school classes. If you would like to send your child, please request a registration form from your child's teacher, they will make sure you receive one. Mrs. Seddon will be teaching Kindergarten and Mrs. Traeger will be first grade.

Sheena Zeerin: Vice President

Staci Bonzani: Secretary

Ashlyn Forler: Treasurer

If you see something in the pictures below that belongs to your child, please call the office at 695-8409 or email Mrs. Johnson at ejohnson@buchananschools.com. Let us know and we will send the item home with your child! Otherwise, these items get washed and donated. You are always welcome to come in and take a look. The items listed below are located in the office.

We want to make sure every single student gets out the door and home safely. Please remember the following:

• You MUST contact our school office by 2:00 pm if you need to make changes to your child's transportation routine.

• If you need to make changes involving a bus, these changes must be communicated to our office by 1:30 pm, before the buses leave for their middle/high school routes.

• Please do not message or email teachers as they are often in session and do not receive the messages until it is too late.

• If you need a numbered car tag for the pick up line, please come into our office.

• If you are picking your child up as a walker, they will be dismissed at the doors by our front office.

• Only car riders with parents in the pick up line will be dismissed at the north parking lot doors.

Nate Will, Transportation Director

nwill@buchananschools.com

We work hard every day to make our school the best it can be. Please tell us how we’re doing!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedhHzyguA0_cCpd2Ue17lUTG5bV9LXzCoe6sP2f_BJrovA1Q/viewform

269.695.8400

Superintendent

Mrs. Patricia Robinson probinson@buchananschools.com

Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent

Mrs. Michelle Munyon mmunyon@buchananschools.com

Assistant Superintendent

Mr. Mark Kurland mkurland@buchananschools.com

Business Office Specialist

Mrs. Carrie Brunsting cbrunsting@buchananschools.com

Director of Special Education

Mrs. Karin Falkenstein kfalkenstein@buchananschools.com

Director of Technology

Mr. Philip Place psplace@buchananschools.com