Wolverine Weekly

Calling all Polar Express parents! Our Polar Express Lunch is on December 18th. This will be an oppotunity for parents/guardians to come in and have a Polar Express themed lunch with their wolverine. Tickets will be $8 for each adult. The cost will cover your lunch and hot cocoa AES students will eat for free. These forms came home with your wolverine last week must be returned by Tuesday, December 5th. No late tickets will be sold due to food preparation. If you need a form, please stop by the office as they have plenty of extras.

Please be sure to have a spare set of clothes in your child's backpack. Our spare clothes are depleting.

If your wolverine is going to be absent, please make sure to call the office at 810/591-0604. It is important to do this each day they are out.

Please access the district calendar here for all important dates.

If you are needing to change the way your wolverine is getting home, you must contact the office priro to 3pm. Students are moving throughout the building and changes will not be made after 3pm.

Are you interested in purchasing a yearbook for your wolverine? If so utilize the link and info below.

Order your yearbook today at ybpay.com

Yearbook ID Code: 14629224

Thinking about the way our world has been the last few years, especially when our country and our world had to enter periods of isolation, it is so evident how extraordinarily profound the importance of friendship is to all of us. In our classrooms friendship is a central elementary to not only how we learn to be good people in the world, but also how we learn. We are inspired by each other. We take care of each other. No doubt about it....friendship takes work. It is a lifelong work in progress and it is well worthwhile to show our students how we work on this art of friendship all our lives. I hope that you will join in on the importance of friendship at home to model for your wolverine as we work hard here at the elementary as well.

This is something we will be working on extra hard over the month of November to teach students and model for them the importance of being a good friend and the power of friendship.

We would like to congratulate the following students who were recognized for the month of November for modeling our theme of friendship.

Autumn Fordham

Shakeem Chapman

Priscilla Parker

Justin Fowler

Josiah Wheeler

CamBria Adams

A'laiyah Franklin

John Edgette

Taylor Cayton

Piper Montgomery

Cheyenne Henson

Imani Snowden

Kasandra Leon

Parent Group is selling popcorn for $1 a bag with a limit of 4 bags per student. The following days will be popcorn days:

December 15

January 26

February 23

March 22

April 26

May 31 - FREE popcorn day-

The Importance of Schedules and Routines

Familiar activities can provide comfort for both adults and children during challenging and uncertain times. Just like adults, children feel more confident and secure when their daily activities are predictable and familiar. A consistent daily schedule and step-by-step routines give children a predictable day. Schedules and routines in the group care setting and at home help children:

• Feel in control of their environment
• Feel safe, secure, and comfortable
• Know what is happening now and what comes next
• Know how to do an activity or task
• Engage in learning

Why are routines and schedules important?

When infants and toddlers are part of familiar activities and routines, they develop relationships with the people they interact with and gain a sense of belonging and self-confidence.

As older toddlers and young children grow, they can follow routines, demonstrate emerging independence, and adjust to change more easily.

Taken from Department of Health and Human Services website. Click here to access.

Parents, when dropping off and picking up your children “Safety Comes First.” It is very important that you follow all of our parking lot expectations to help us make sure no children, staff or families are put in harm’s way. We understand that you as parents and guardians have jobs and other important responsibilities that you have to attend to for your family and yourself. To help keep everyone safe please manage and plan accordingly to arrive at the school for drop off and pick up 10 to 15 minutes ahead of time. Understand that you will not be quickly in and out of the parking lot. Please be patient and we will work hard to make sure the system runs efficiently so you are able to make it to work or your next destination of importance.

Below are the parking lot expectations for student drop off and pick up. We are respectfully requesting all of you to follow to help keep your child and other Atherton students safe.

• Every vehicle must pull curbside: When dropping off and picking up all cars must pull along the curbside.

• Every vehicle must follow the flow of traffic: When following the flow of traffic you must remain behind the car in front of you and not cut the line.

• Every vehicle must be in line: Parents may not park or bring your child across the parking lot for drop off nor request your child to walk across the parking lot to enter/exit a vehicle at pick up.

• All students must be dropped off on the curb side: Parents please make sure you let your child or children out on the curb side (passenger side) and not on the parking lot side (driver side). This will keep them safe. You may have to move car seats to allow enter/exit to vehicles on the curbside of the car. This is a must. No Exceptions!

• Drop off time for students: Doors open at 8:05am for students to enter. Staff will be in the drive-up along the curb at this time to welcome students. There will be no supervision before 8:05am so do not drop your child off.

• Pick up time for students: Dismissal for students is 3:28pm. Students will be leaving classrooms to prepare for parent pick-up at 3:22pm. At this time we will begin loading cars. Do not expect to drive in quickly to get your child at this time. You must join the queue.

• Students arriving after 8:25am: Students arriving after 8:25am are considered tardy. Parents must park and walk your child up to the door and sign them in at the office. Note that for every (3) tardies that will become an absence.

• Students being picked up after 3:28pm: Parents, if you consistently pick your child up late we will make contact with you to schedule a meeting and determine appropriate next steps in how we can work together. If it continues to be an issue after speaking with you, we may need to involve the authorities.

Clarity of understanding for certain drop off and pick up students: In the past years we have had some families not following our parking lot expectations because they have stated “Other cars are parking and walking their child up.” Parents, please understand that our district has some children that have certain circumstances that we allow their parents to park and be escorted across the parking lot and given to one of our staff members.

Thank you for your continued work to ensure our students and staff are safe. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Morford.

Would you like to volunteer in your child's classroom? Help out with class parties? Chaperone your child's field trip? Help our Parent Group with activities? You will need to complete a volunteer form which will create a background check. Please complete the form located here, then return to the office. All volunteers must have clearance prior to volunteering with our wolverines.

November 14 - School Picture Retakes

November 15 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

November 22-24 - No School; Thanksgiving holiday

December 6 - ELGA Deposit Day

December 6 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

December 18th - Polar Express Lunch

December 19th - Holiday parties from 1:30-3pm

December 20-January 2 - No School; holiday break

January 8th and 9th - Mott Children's Dental visits for sealants

January 10 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

January 15 - No School

January 17 - ELGA Deposit Day

January 24 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

February 7 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

February 7 - ELGA Deposit Day

February 16 and February 19 - No School; Winter Break

February 21 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

March 6 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

March 13 - ELGA Deposit Day

March 25-29 - No School; Spring Break

April 10 - ELGA Deposit Day

April 24 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

May 8 - ELGA Deposit Day

May 8 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

May 22 - Early Release; Dismissal at 1:58PM

May 27 - No School; Memorial Day

June 7 - Last Day of School; Half Day with Dismissal at 12:05PM