
RP-TLE Weekly Family Communication
Week of November 13, 2022 (#13)
TEACHING AND LEARNING
TEAMWORK
This month, we have been focusing on being great teammates. We're noticing that being a part of a team is helpful and efficient. Our learners are working together in the classroom, in the lunchroom and on the playground. We even noticed that our PTO moms work together to get our popcorn popped and served in an efficient way. "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
RED BANDANNA KIDS
RBK’s are chosen by their teacher for consistently showing the Rocket Way. They are kind, responsible, caring, helpful and hardworking. They will be invited to have lunch with Mrs. Schmitt and have special privileges that come up during their rotation.
Charli Whilhite, Grayson Lynn, Ally Ganos, Bella Cherry
Congratulations to our newest Red Bandanna Kids!
Rocket STAR Teacher of the Week~Ms.Emmiie
Our teaching team recognized Ms. Emmie with some positive affirmations.
Our K friend is so lucky to have a patient, kind and accepting presence like Ms. Emmie. She has developed such an amazing relationship with a little boy who communicates in limited ways. I am in awe of her and lucky to have her in my classroom this year.
Ms. Emmie does IT ALL! She is always smiling even during challenging times, patience of a saint and so very caring to all! TLE is lucky to have her !
Ms. Emmie has a huge heart. She is a hard worker and wants what’s best for her learners. She’s willing to try new things AND she’s willing to share her input.
Not only does Ms. Emmie help at RP-TLE, but she also works at an area animal shelter to care for dogs without homes.
We are thankful for all that Miss Emmie does and is willing to do at RPTLE!
Our Veterans
On Friday, we recognized the veterans who have fought for our freedom. During Rocket Launch, two of our fourth grade leaders, Grayson and Tommy, read a Veterans' Day poem to our own Navy veterans, Mrs. Overkamp and Ms. Salazar. (Ama Trulsen is also a veteran and wasn't in our building on Friday.)
This is the season to show thanks and we are certainly thankful to those who have fought for our country!
"I'm Another Year Older"
Happy birthday to the following learners who celebrated this week: Hunter Johnson. We hope that you have a FANTASTIC DAY!
R-PHS THEATRE!🎭
"Mad Tea Party with Alice and Friends" fundraiser on Saturday, November 12th. We have two sessions to choose from - one at 11:00 AM and another at 1:30 PM. There will be kid-friendly activities, and participants will be able to take pictures with characters in Wonderland!
Theatre III students will be performing Alice in Wonderland Nov. 17-19 at 6:30 PM and we have a matinee on Saturday at 1:00PM. Tickets for students are $5 and $10 for (graduated) adults.
To pre-order tickets to either of the events, please visit reeths-puffer.ludus.com
CLICK HERE FOR MAD TEA PARTY FLYER
CLICK HERE FOR ALICE IN WONDERLAND FLIER
Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run inspires girls of all abilities to recognize their individual strengths while building a sense of connection in a team setting. Volunteer coaches facilitate lessons that blend physical activity with life skill development to enable girls to adapt to whatever comes their way. At the end of the season, the team completes a 5K together, which provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and sets a confident mindset into motion.
We are currently in need of one more coach to make this program happen for our 3rd and 4th grade girls at RP-TLE. The days and times would be Monday and Wednesday from 3:45 - 5:00. If you're interested in helping to coach and be a part of this amazing program, please email Yolanda Blaser at yrb809@gmail.com or Nicole Boroff at nboroff81@gmail. If we don't have a third coach, we'll have to forgo this opportunity for our girls. The season starts after the holidays.
CKH November Focus: Better Together~
FAMILY CONNECTION: Teamwork
This month we’re challenging students to work together toward a common goal and shared purpose. We are partnering with you to grow and develop teamwork in your child. We can do this by modeling gratefulness, acknowledging positive moments, and affirming each other. Use this month’s activities to practice working together and celebrate your family as a team.
ENGAGE: Grateful for you I am grateful for you! Create a culture of appreciation and gratitude at home by celebrating the best in each family member all month. What you give attention to grows! On a sticky note or small piece of paper, write one thing you appreciate each day about your child and post it on their bedroom door. Doing this will plant seeds in their heads and hearts to help them see good things about themselves.
EMPOWER: Walk in My Shoes: Create a culture of appreciation and gratitude at home by celebrating the best in each family member. Have every family member trace one of their shoes, then trade drawings and write three words you admire about that family member on their “shoe.” Discuss how each family member brings something great to your family team.
EXCEL: Pay if Forward: When someone does something nice for you, do something nice for someone else. Doing this is a wonderful way to continue the cycle of gratitude. “Paying it forward” is a way of showing love and kindness to others. It could be something as simple as holding the door open for someone or buying coffee for a stranger. Once a week, share as a family one time you “paid it forward” during the week.
CONVERSATION STARTERS:
What are some things we are lucky to have but sometimes find ourselves complaining about? What is your favorite family memory? What is the best affirmation or compliment someone has ever given you?
Give these ideas a try and see if your family is Better Together!
Up and Coming Dates
11/17: Food Service's Thanksgiving Feast (see lunch menu for details)
11/18: Hearing and Vision rescreening
11/23-11/25: Thanksgiving Break
11/28: Picture Retakes
12/3: Run the Spruce with Dr. Seuss (see information below)
12/19-12/23: PTO Sponsored Holiday Shop
12/26-1/6: Holiday Break
CARTOONVERSATION 2022
THANKSGIVING LUNCH
RP-TLE students will enjoy a Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday, November 17th. Check out the full menu HERE.
HAND2HAND IS HERE! FREE FOOD!
Thanks to a partnership with group of local volunteers, our school will be participating in the Hand2Hand program. The program helps to provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who may be experiencing a financial burden. This program will be available to all of our kids and parents will give permission for their child to participate. We are grateful to the generosity of the volunteers in our community.
Food is discretely to children in the program each Friday.
NOVEMBER 19 NATIVE AMERICAN DAY CELEBRATION
This Free Event Celebrating Native American Month Saturday, November 19, 2022, Noon to 4 pm at Reeths_Puffer Middle School Gym, 1911 W Giles, Muskegon 49445.
Mini- Pow-wow with Drumming, Singing and Dancing, StoryTelling, Vendors,
Native Crafts for kids, and Native American Food for Sale to Support the Event
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NMYQz_JVLQv6c7meWgGDDxDYw272eWOU3D2TIUYbVbQ/edit?usp=sharing
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Are you raising your grandchild or children who are relatives? You are not alone. "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" is a kinship care program that offers support. All services are free. For more information contact Callie Sierra at 231-733-6654, or email her at sierrac@hccc-health.org.
RUN THE SPRUCE WITH DR. SEUSS
Transportation Information
Click one the bus to the right for information related to bus stop times. If you have questions, please contact the bus garage:
Reeths-Puffer Transportation
231-719-0110
-- or--
231-719-0204
Free Pre-School
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATIONAL FLIER
Molly Sieplinga
Early Childhood Specialist/ Director McMillan
Early Childhood Center
McMillan Elementary
766-3443 ext 2605
RP WELLNESS
Reeths-Puffer's District Wellness team would like to invite Rocket City to join us for monthly events, meetings and speakers. Our goal is to support the physical, nutritional and mental health of our community as well as increase environmental awareness and keeping rocket city beautiful.
September and October offerings:
October 3rd , - our next wellness meeting at 4 pm at RPEL in room 109 door 24 - potential guest speaker: Dan Bonner from Muskegon Luge Park
Family Game night in Oct - Date and Place TBD
We hope to see many from Rocket City! Denise Sheffer (shefferd@reeths-puffer.org and Alyssa Nauta (Nautaa@reeths-puffer.org- Co-Chairs of the RP Wellness Committee
Calling in Absences:
When parents call in an absence for a sick child and leave a message, it would be helpful if they could let us know the symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, etc.) that the student is having or if they have been seen by a doctor and have a diagnosis (strep, flu, pink eye, etc). We ask these questions when we get a live person, but it is important for accurate health reporting each week.
Emergency Contact Information:
Office Team Contact Information:
Please know that our office is willing to help answer any questions that you may have at any time during the school year. Ms. Carly Akins (akinsc@reeths-puffer.org) and Mrs. Heather Nicholson (nicholsonh@reeths-puffer.org) are amazing and happy to help! Our number is 719-3190.
School Hours:
School begins at 8:45 and dismisses at 3:45. If you would like more information about before and after school care, please contact, Dawn Lynn at Lighthouse Learning. The number is 638-2172, or you may call 719-3190 x 2206.
Rocket Way Behavior Expectations
Our teaching team teaches and reviews our RP behavior expectations during the first couple of weeks of school. This week each class will rotate through common and shared locations in our school to teach our learners our expectations for behaviors. This includes our shared bathrooms, hallways, lunchroom, lockers, playground and bus. Below is a PDF of our slide presentation. Please review with your child at home, as well.
A Note About School Meals:
There are a couple different ways that you can add money to your child’s school account to pay for their breakfast and/or lunch:
Go to https://www.familyportal.cloud and set up an online account, where you can add money for your child by putting in your debit/credit card information. Please see the attached letter for answers to frequently asked questions.
OR
Bring in/Send in an envelope with cash or a check enclosed. Please include the child’s first and last name, and write “Lunch Money”. If you are sending money for two students, please write how much each student will receive. The office will collect these envelopes and the kitchen staff will enter the funds into the correct account.
If you would like to apply for benefits, go to https://www.familyportal.cloud and fill out the online application, or you can stop in at the Twin Lake Elementary office for a paper copy.
If you have already applied for the Free and Reduced-Price program, you will receive a letter stating that your child has been approved and what benefit they will receive. Benefits will be effective immediately thereafter. If you have questions about the Free and Reduced-Price program, feel free to reach out to Jodi Connell at connellj@reeths-puffer.org.
In the event that your child does not have money in their account, but they do not have a cold lunch, they will still be able to eat a hot lunch. We will not let your child go hungry! However, please note that this will bring the account to a negative balance until more money has been added to the account.
Parent Portal Instructions~IMPORTANT
*Go to https://ps-rp.muskegonisd.org/public
(There will be a default username and password in both boxes. Delete and create your own.)
*If you are a first time user, you will need to click on the “Create Account” tab, and fill out the
information. You will create a new Username and Password. You can add your students at the
bottom of the page using their Access ID and Access Password.
NOTE: The Access ID and Password is NOT the same as the Student Number and their
birthdate.
*If you have an existing account, use the “Sign In” tab to log in using your Username and
Password that you already have. If you do not remember these, call the office and we can help
you.
*Once you are signed in, you can add new students to your account by following these
instructions:
1. On the start page, click on “Account Preferences” from the navigation menu on the left. The
“Account Preferences – Profile” page appears.
2. Click the “Students” tab
3. Click the “Add” Icon to add a student to your parent portal account. The “Add Student”
dialog appears. Fill out the information and you should see a new tab for the student appear at
the top of the page.
*Once all of your students are added to your account, update the demographics for all of
your students by clicking on the “Demographic Update” button on the left side of the page.
Please electronically sign the required forms. Print the Emergency Procedure Card, sign it, and
give it to your child’s teacher.
IIMPORTANT: You'll receive a specific ID and Password for access to the Parent Portal. If you are a returning family, you may follow the directions above. Please don't hesitate to contact Carly, or Heather in our office if you need help.
FREE & REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION
This year, we are asking that all of our families complete the free and reduced lunch applications. Some of our families are surprised that they qualify based on their income. With food prices rising, it will be helpful for many of our families and we no longer have the grant that afforded free breakfast and lunch for all of our learners as was the case last year.
The link below is to the online Free and Reduced Application. Please consider completing an application.
KICKSTART TO CAREER
Youth Wrestling Information
Reeths-Puffer Youth Wrestling registration is open now through November 21st. The youth program is offering two options for families to consider based on wrestling experience and goals for participation. Please click the links below to access the registration link as well as specific information regarding the upcoming wrestling season.
THIS WEEK IN RPHS SPORTS
Contact Information
Principal, Twin Lake Elementary School
Email: schmittd@reeths-puffer.org
Website: www.reeths-puffer.org
Location: Twin Lake Elementary School, 3175 5th Street, Twin Lake, MI, USA
Mr. Paul Siembida
Assistant Principal, Twin Lake Elementary School
Email: siembidap@reeths-puffer.org
Phone: 231-719-3190