As an IB Candidate School
Volume 12 Issue 11
February 3, 2017
@HarborLightsMS
February 8, 2017 is Student Count Day. Please make
every possible effort to have your student to school by
7:50 am on that Wednesday.
February 8
Student Count Day
February 9
NAEP Testing
(Selected students
and families have
been notified)
Each week 6 students from each grade level
volunteer to help keep the lunch room clean
for 1week. Volunteering students receive a
Panther Pride ticket, a snack, and have the
ability to help monitor the cafeteria. Thank
you to all the students who volunteer to keep
our building looking it’s best! Great job
6th, 7th, and 8th grade Lunch Bunch!
February 13—17
Random Acts of
Kindness Week
(see pages 2 & 3)
February 14
Hispanic Youth
Conference
February 20
No School
Throughout the year the Harbor Headlines will feature survey
questions designed to collect information from our stakeholders
about what we are doing. We are only asking for you to click on
the link and answer 1, 2, or 3 questions that will provide us with a
little more data to drive what we do here at Harbor Lights.
To complete the survey of the year please click here...
Our 5th annual Purple Power is here!
Help West Ottawa raise money for
The VanAndel Institute for cancer research.
Join us at the following Purple Power events:
February 16 - boys swim & dive meet
February 24 - varsity basketball games
T-shirt order forms are available in all
school offices!
Help WO find a cure!!
Contact [email protected]
with all questions.
This year to honor Random Acts of Kindness Week February 12 th- 18th we will
start a month long challenge for Homerooms to celebrate and spread kindness
by working to complete the Homeroom Kindness Challenge (see the chart on
the following page). Each Homeroom will receive a copy of the 30 Random Acts
of Kindness Challenge Worksheet with specific acts
students may choose to complete. Come back to
homeroom each day and report back how your
Random Act of Kindness went. The teacher will
sign off on that square once it is completed.
Finished Kindness Challenge Worksheets can be
turned in to Ms. Harris for inclusion in a drawing for
prizes. Let’s see how many acts of kindness we
can inspire this month!
The National Geographic Bee is an
annual competition organized by the
National Geographic Society, designed to
inspire and reward students' curiosity
about the world. Each year, thousands of
schools across the United States
participate in the National Geographic
Bee, competing for college scholarships
and the glory of being the National
Geographic Bee Champion.
The Geography Bee was held on Monday, January 23, in Mrs. Zoerhoff's
class. The winner was 8th grade student Owen Cross (pictured above right)
and the runner up was 6th grade student Caden Mika (pictured above left).
Congratulations to our top 2 finishers and to all the finalists (pictured below).
During the 2016-2017 academic year
Harbor Lights’ PBIS team will be
celebrating positive student successes
in many ways. We will recognize
nearly 50 students each month,
individually, and will also recognize 3
classes each month. Our students
will have opportunities to
demonstrate “WE are WO” each and
every day and through their actions
and successes Harbor Lights
Middle School will
continue to be a great place for
students to develop their College,
Career and Life skills.
The following is important safety information for
all walkers:
 Cross at a corner, using traffic signals and
crosswalks. Try to make eye contact with
drivers before crossing in front of them. Do not
assume that because you can see the driver, the
driver can see you.
 Whenever possible always try to cross in a
group or with friends. A group is more visible
than a single person crossing the road.
 Always, STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN for
approaching cars. WAIT until there is no sign
of traffic before crossing the road.
 Look left, right and then left again when
crossing the road. Walk, do not run, across the
street.
 Walk on the sidewalks or paths. If there are no
sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as
possible.
 Be a safe pedestrian around cars.
February PBIS Activities

Students of the Month Winners
 36 Weekly Panther Pride
Drawing Winners
 12 Free Froyo Winners
 9 Perfect Attendance
w/No Tardies Winners
 9 No Referral Winners
 3 Students of the Month
If you drop off your child in the morning, please do
not drop them off in the south parking lot (off of
Riley St.). We have several busses traveling in and
out of that lot. When dropping off your child,
please drop them off at the front doors (off of 136th
Ave.), pull up behind the next vehicle, and have
your child exit on the curb side ONLY. We do not
want students darting between vehicles or being
placed in danger in the parking lots. Both sets of
main entry doors are open at 7:00a.m. and students
may use either door. You can help minimize traffic
and back-ups during drop off by having your child
exit the car once it comes to stop. If you are
talking, eating breakfast, signing papers, etc.,
please pull into a parking spot and do not block
traffic. If you are waiting for your student after
school, please park curb side ONLY. The second
lane is for those who have already picked up their
child.
Emily Book
6th Grade
1. What is your motivation for working hard in school and meeting the
school wide expectations? My motivation is probably all of my family
and friends.
2. How do you show quality effort on a daily basis? I work really hard
every day to get good grades.
3. In what ways does being responsible help you be successful in school?
It helps because you have all the supplies you need and just helps you
become a better student.
4. Being respectful is an important lifelong skill. How do you show
respect at Harbor Lights? I am respectful to all of the teachers and my
friends. I also respect all school supplies and equipment.
Tegan Mendoza Jones
7th Grade
1. What is your motivation for working hard in school and meeting the
school wide expectations? Actually the fact that I have a harder time
doing things (due to ADHD) motivates me to the fact that I need to
work harder, better, faster, and stronger.
2. How do you show quality effort on a daily basis? I feel that it is a need
to keep in touch with your school work or just because they are people,
too.
3. In what ways does being responsible help you be successful in school?
You need to keep track of so much stuff that not being responsible for
yourself is a pain.
4. Being respectful is an important lifelong skill. How do you show
respect at Harbor Lights? Similar to question 2, always keep in touch
with your teachers!
Dekota Slawinski
8th Grade
1. What is your motivation for working hard in school and meeting the
school wide expectations? Just to do my work the best I could.
2. How do you show quality effort on a daily basis? Participate in
activities.
3. In what ways does being responsible help you be successful in school?
Getting work done on time.
4. Being respectful is an important lifelong skill. How do you show
respect at Harbor Lights? Be kind to others.
7th & 8th Grade Winter Sports II
Games for the Winter Sports II season begin this
week. Come out and support your Panthers.
Girls Basketball
Boys Swim and Dive
Wrestling
LET’S GO WO!!
West Ottawa Schools is pleased to provide the
Infinite Campus Parent Portal communication tool.
The Portal connects parents/guardians to students’
data online, anytime, from anywhere there is internet
access. Once the Portal is accessed, information
about only their child’s progress can be viewed.
Making this information-rich connection with parents
is a clear way to improve communication between
teachers, parents and students. Access to the
Parent Portal can be gained from home, work, public
library, or anywhere an
internet connection can be
established. The Parent
Portal is a free service to
our district families.
We are always looking for volunteers
at Harbor Lights. If you are interested in finding out information about
volunteering at Harbor Lights please
check out the West Ottawa Public
Schools website, http://
www.westottawa.net/volunteers/, or
contact Pam VanderKamp @
[email protected]
Please remember that students at the middle school level are only allowed one meal in arrears. If you feel that your family qualifies for free
or reduced lunch, please submit your application online at:
http://www.lunchapp.com/
Attention Parents…
If you are contacting the school to get in touch with your students
please reach out to the building before 2pm. Any calls, messages,
or requests made after 2pm cannot be guaranteed to be passed on.
We will make our best effort to get the students these messages
but please call before 2 pm to ensure this take place. Thank you.
Please notify the Attendance Office at
786-1000 if your student is going to be absent
from school . Voicemail is also available, for
your convenience, at 786-1000. Thank you.
Are They Sick?
WHEN TO KEEP A CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL
It is important, for the health of ALL students, staff and families that your child
not be at school when sick. The following guidelines are appropr iate reasons
to keep your child home from school:
A fever 100 degrees or higher. Your child should be fever free for 24 hours
without fever reducing medicine before returning to school.
A consistent, goopy, runny nose.
White or yellow drainage from the eye, crusty eyes, and/or redness of the eyelid or skin surrounding the eye.
A bad cough – one that you wouldn’t want your well child around.
A sore throat, especially with fever or swollen glands in the neck.
Shortness of breath or other problems with normal breathing.
A child that seems ill – unusually tired, pale, difficult to wake, headache, body
ache, confused or irritable and/or lack of normal appetite.
A rash that is associated with fever or severe itching.
Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours or as directed by your physician.
Your child should be free of vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school
Diarrhea and/or bloody diarrhea. Some diarrhea may be related to bacterial or
viral germs
If your health care provider has prescribed antibiotics, your child needs to remain at home for at least 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
Any infectious or contagious disease that can infect other children such as
chicken pox, influenza, whooping cough or gastroenteritis.
As directed by your child’s health care provider.
If you have any concerns about any of the above symptoms please contact your
health care provider.
HOW DO I PREVENT THE SPREAD OF GERMS?
Preventing the spread of germs comes down to the basics. Practice excellent hand
hygiene and respiratory etiquette will prevent the spread of germs. Hand washing
with warm water and soap will reduce your chances of being infected. Teach your
child to wash their hands properly. Covering your mouth and nose when coughing
and sneezing will present the spread of germs. Also teach your child to cover his
or her cough and sneeze. If you are ill, stay home. This will prevent germs from
spreading throughout your work community. Children should also be kept at
home if they are ill to prevent germs from spreading in their school.