November 1, 2013
Pine Creek Mission Statement
Parents, students, and the educational team will share responsibility to ensure the success of students and build a community
where potential becomes reality.
Dear Parents of Pine Creek Elementary students:
November
4
5
6
7
7
11
13-20
14
14
18
19
21
25
27-29
Dental Van
GSRP (Preschool) Field Trip to Hemlock Crossing
Goodies Fundraiser Pickup
Late Start Day 10:35 am—3:38 pm
Picture Retake Day
Veteran’s Day Assembly—3:00 pm
Book Trailer
Half Day—Dismissal at 11:52 am
Parent/Teacher Conf—1-4 & 5-8 pm
PTA Meeting 4:00 Library
Parent/Teacher Conf—5-8 pm
Popcorn Day
Dental Van
Thanksgiving Recess
December
11
13
16
17 & 18
19
20
23-31
Late Start Day 10:35 am—3:38 pm
Gingerbread Man Performance—2:00 pm
PTA Meeting 4:00 Library
Elf Factory
Popcorn Day
Carol Sing—2:45 pm
Holiday Recess
January
1-3
17
Holiday Recess
Half Day—Dismissal at 11:52 am
February
14-17
18
Mid Winter Recess—No School
No School
School Day Times
8:34 a.m.
8:35 a.m.
3:38 p.m.
First Bell (line up)
School Day Begins
Dismissal Time
Your children have outdoor recess everyday unless it is raining at
recess time. They go outside in the snow and even when it is
snowing. Please – make sure your child brings winter outerwear
every day. Winter clothing includes:
 Winter coat
 Hat
 Gloves or mittens
 Snow pants
 Snow Boots (cowboy boots, dress boots, or “girlie” boots are
not sufficient)
For their health and safety, children who are not wearing snow
pants and snow boots will not be allowed to play in the snow, but
must stay on the playground sidewalk or paved area around the
playground.
If you need assistance in purchasing winter outerwear for your
child, please call the office at 616-786-1601, and we will get in
touch with an organization that can provide those items to you.
Rules on the playground have been explained to your children and
are supported by “time out” on the bench, a written Behavior Plan,
conference with the Principal, or parent contact.
 No fighting
 No play fighting
 No physical aggression (hitting, slapping, pushing, pulling, or
tackling, etc.)
 No bullying or name-calling
 No throwing snowballs, woodchips, pine cones, or sticks
 Not allowed to bring anything on the playground (food, toys,
cards, electronics, umbrellas, etc.)
Your support at home is key to your child’s success in class and on
the playground. Thank you for all you do for Pine Creek.
Julia Maxwell
Principal
TITLE 1
What is Title 1 Support?
Title 1 support is a service provided to our students as a result of a Federal grant.
West Ottawa Public Schools receives this funding to provide both staffing and
supplies to better support students who are not yet meeting grade level academic
expectations.
How are students identified for support?
Students who benefit from Title 1 support services are identified through building,
district, and state assessment criteria in both language arts and math. For
example:
* MEAP
* DIBELS
* Delta Math
* District Interim Assessments
The pencil machine is back in
the office! Pencils are only
25 cents!
Please note change in Picture Retake Day. Due to scheduling conflicts,
school picture retake day has been changed to Thursday, November 7.
Please send a change of
clothing with your child to
keep in his/her locker. We
do not keep extra clothing
in the office, so if there is
any reason your child
needs to put on clean clothes, we will first
check the locker, and then call parents or
emergency contacts to bring in fresh
clothes.
GEMS FROM THE GYM by Ms. Becksford
Here is something fun to do before the snow flies:
Telephone or light poles provide excellent markers for practicing sprints. World-class sprinters have been clocked at
more than 22 miles per hour!!!!
Ask a friend or family member to count the number of seconds it takes you to sprint from one pole to another. Count
"one thousand one, one thousand two," etc.
Options
- race a friend
- reduce the number of steps between poles
- improve on your best time
Enjoy your weekend!
Gloria Becksford
Physical Wellness Teacher
Pine Creak Elementary Schools
Technology with Mr. Johnson
The past few weeks, students have been working on
technology assignments that are integrated with
their grade level curriculum. 4th and 5th grade used
a cool interactive site to learn about the Sun, Moon
and Earth (http://www.earthsunmoon.co.uk/).
They took notes at the same time on Microsoft
Word. 2nd and 3rd grade used various links to copy
and paste Michigan landforms and bodies of water
into a Microsoft PowerPoint. More recently, Upper
el kids have used Moodle to participate in an online
forum with their class about their favorite Halloween or fall memory.
Moodle can be accessed at home using the following URL: moodle.westotawa.net. Then the kids
need to login as usual.
The past few weeks the lower el kids enjoyed the
books The Hallo-Wiener and Pumpkin Jack. For
both books, we discussed the heart of the book, or
the message the author is trying to get across to us.
They have also been using starfall.com to practice
reading and writing.
If you have any questions, please feel free to
email me at [email protected].
Thanks! We are having a great year!
Mr. Johnson
LOWRY’s BOOK FAIR TRAILER
COMING
Nov. 13 - Nov. 20
Open during conferences Thursday afternoon and
Tuesday night!
NEWSLETTERS
Pine Creek’s School Newsletter will
be published every other Friday. If
you have an email address on file at
school, we will email the newsletter to you rather
than send a paper copy. If we don’t have your
email address on file, or you would prefer a paper
copy, please stop by the school office to pick one
up. The newsletter will also be available online at
www.westottawa.net.
IB Diiploma Program Informational Meetings
High School South Building LGI room
Monday December 2, 2013 at 11:00 am and 7:00 pm
The same information will be presented at both meetings.
The purpose of these meetings will be to discuss the
basics of the IB Diploma Program and answer any general questions. Middle School parents and parents of
9th and 10th grade students are usually the group
most interested in attending, however, parents of elementary students are more than welcome to attend.
THE SPANISH SPOT by Señorita McDowell
Kindergartners and 1st graders are practicing Spanish numbers 0-20. This week we
learned a counting song called “Diez Calabazas” (Ten Pumpkins) and read the book
Cinco Monitos Brincando en la Cama (Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed). Please
encourage your child to practice at home by counting objects in Spanish. For example,
ask your child to count the number of plates on the dinner table or count the number
of teddy bears on his/her bed.
616-786-1601 English
616-786-1600 Spanish
Or
[email protected] (subject line “ATTENDANCE”)
GSRP/PRESCHOOL
If you have a child that is 4 or know someone who has a child that will be 4 on or before November 1 of this year, we still have
openings available in our Great Start Readiness Program. There are morning and afternoon openings. Stop by the office and
pick up an enrollment form or call if you
need more information 616 786-1605.
GSRP Calendar for 2013-2014
September 16
November 5
November 11-12
November 27-29
December 20-Jan 3
February 17-18
February 27-28
April 4-15
May 8
May 13
First day of class
Field Trip to Hemlock Crossing
Conferences
Thanksgiving recess
Holiday recess
No school
Conferences
Spring Break
No School
Last Day/Graduation
Note: A 2nd Home Visit will be scheduled in May
*Remember—no class on Fridays
Student Drop Off—Mornings
Breakfast doors open at 8:15. Please do not drop off your children for breakfast before 8:15. They cannot enter the building and
there is no one to supervise them. If it is raining, cold or snowing, they will be exposed to the elements.
Playground Supervisors are on the playground by 8:15. Please do not drop off your children for playground before that time as
they will be unsupervised. If it is raining or too cold, there will be a sign outside that says “Indoor Recess”. If that is the case,
students will be allowed in the building to go to their classrooms.
Students arriving late (after 8:35) should be walked into the office by a parent/guardian and signed in to receive a Pass to enter
their classroom.
Student Pick Up—Afternoons
School dismisses at 3:38 pm. Parent pick up parking is in the lot closest to the gym and cafeteria. Parents must walk into the
building via the gym/cafeteria doors and sign out their children. AT NO TIME ARE PARENTS/GUARDIANS ALLOWED TO
PARK IN THE LOT IN FRONT THE MAIN ENTRANCE. Parking in the lot in front of the Main Entrance is reserved for
busses and staff. We have new signs posted indicating parent pick up and drop off parking as well as bus traffic.
Volunteers Needed for The Elf Factory
November 17 and 18
9:30 am—11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Volunteers are needed at the craft tables to help students make gifts for their loved
ones. You can come one day for one shift or both days for both shifts. It’s your
choice. Please send your preference to [email protected].
If you have not filled out a Volunteer Profile Form, you can pick one up at the
Pine Creek Office.
***Attention Parents of Middle School students***
— Middle school students should not be on the elementary playgrounds at any time.
— Middle school students who are walking over to pick up and walk with siblings at
Pine Creek should not be at our doors until 3:30 pm. Pine Creek students are not
dismissed until the bell rings at 3:38 pm. Please ask your middle school children to
wait at Harbor Lights or Mac Bay and plan their arrival at Pine Creek at 3:30 pm.