August 19, 2015 Dear Hemmeter Families, I want to warmly welcome you to the 2015-2016 school year at Hemmeter Elementary School. I hope you had a relaxing, refreshing summer. My family and I had a fantastic summer. We took our annual vacation to AuGres, Michigan to lounge on the beach and swim in Lake Huron. We also took the boys to Michigan’s Adventure for the first time. Both kids enjoyed the rides, food, and waterpark. Evan even convinced me to try the Rip Cord (check out the Hemmeter Parent Teacher Council Facebook page for the video)! Not only did I have many opportunities to relax this summer, I also took advantage of the time for professional development as well. I had the privilege of attending Nerd Camp again this year with some other STCS educators. Nerd Camp is one of the biggest (and best) reading and writing conferences of the year. I was able to meet one of my favorite authors, Newbery Medal winner Lisa Graff, and my favorite illustrator, Debbie Ohi. In addition, I had the honor of presenting on Day 1 with the amazing author, Aaron Zenz. It was an exciting, thought-provoking conference. I was also able to spend a week at the Center for Educational Leadership and attended the Courageous Principal training at Saginaw Valley State University. Both opportunities provided practical learning for self-improvement. Excitement is in the air at Hemmeter! You will see several new faces in the building this year. We have three talented new teachers: Kelly Hendrick (3rd grade), Stephanie Smith (4th grade), and Nicol Howald (5th grade). You can find their biographies in an upcoming section of this newsletter. We are in the process of interviewing for a new kitchen director and lunchtime supervisor. Hemmeter is excited to continue our work with the Great Expectations program.

Great Expectations is an eclectic approach to teaching that encompasses the very best of what is known about teaching today. It emphasizes learners becoming self-directed and productive citizens, effective communicators, critical thinkers, and cooperative contributors in the learning setting as well as in society. Great Expectations is built around “eight expectations for living.” These expectations will be taught throughout the school year, and all stakeholders (students, parents, and staff) will be expected to follow them.

1. We will value one another as unique and special individuals. 2. We will not laugh at or make fun of a person’s mistakes nor use sarcasm

or putdowns. 3. We will use good manners, saying “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me,”

and allow others to go first. 4. We will cheer each other to success. 5. We will help one another whenever possible. 6. We will recognize every effort and applaud it. 7. We will encourage each other to do our best. 8. We will practice virtuous living, using the life principles.

Additionally, the district has formed a partnership with Discovery Education. Discovery Education provides curriculum and resources to support project-based learning and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) instruction. We have several upcoming events that I would like to highlight. They include the following: Open House: The Hemmeter Open House will be on Thursday, September 3rd. We will have two different schedules for the open house: Kindergarten Open House: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 1st - 5th Grade Open House: 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. The Hemmeter Open House will be a traditional open house this year. The teachers will not give presentations during this time. Last year proved to be difficult because of sound and room constraints. Families are invited to meet the teacher, bring school supplies, visit with other families, and stop by the booths in the gymnasium. Make sure you also enjoy a complimentary freeze pop and test out the playground equipment. Hemmeter 101: This idea was suggested in the survey at the end of last year and will provide a time to meet with new Hemmeter families to explain procedures and events at Hemmeter. The first Hemmeter 101 meeting will be on Tuesday, September 8th at 8:00 a.m. If you are a new Hemmeter family, we invite you to join us in the gym after you drop your child off on the first day of school. From 8:00 - 8:45 a.m., you will be introduced to the principal and representatives of our Hemmeter Parent Teacher Council. We will be discussing

pick-up/drop-off procedures, school safety, fundraising, volunteer opportunities, and general procedures. We will conclude with a question and answer session. We plan to schedule several of these events throughout the school year. If you are a new Hemmeter family, please plan to join us for Hemmeter 101. HPTC Meetings: Our Hemmeter Parent Teacher Council meets the first Wednesday of each month (with the exception of September) at 6:00 p.m. in the Hemmeter teachers’ lounge. The first meeting is on Wednesday, September 16th. The group plans for events and offerings for the students, discusses what is going on in our school, and talks about ways to improve Hemmeter. Math Curriculum Night: This night will give parents a hands-on experience that reviews the curriculum for each grade, answers questions about the curriculum, and provides tips for helping your child succeed as a mathematician. The presentations will be at 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 8th. Because the same presentation will be given at both times, parents should pick the time that is most convenient for them. The Hemmeter staff will work in teams to prepare a grade level presentation for each grade. It will be a fun and informative night. A Parent Book Club: We held two parent book clubs last year, and the feedback was tremendous. The book club is informal and provides a fun way to meet other Hemmeter parents. This fall we will be reading Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne. This book club will meet twice for one hour each time. Simplicity Parenting may be purchased from HPTC for $10 (checks should be made out to HPTC). You are welcome to purchase a copy on your own as well. You can sign up at the HPTC table during the Open House or return the flier that will come home the first week of school. The book club will meet on the following days: Thursday, October 1st from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. (discussion of chapters 1-5) Thursday, October 15th from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. (discussion of chapters 6-10) Coffee and water will be provided during both meetings. If you plan to participate, please RSVP to Jim Bailey by email (jcbailey@stcs.org). We made a couple of new purchases over the summer. Thank you Ted Christian for building the shed in which we will store our playground equipment. Along with the shed, HPTC also purchased mats for the gaga pit. I hope that this will help cut down on the numbers of scrapes and cuts on our competitive gaga players. The district purchased a new set of 36 Chrome books for Hemmeter as well.

I am very excited to start another school year at Hemmeter Elementary! Remember, collaboration between parents, staff, and administration is essential for a school to be successful. Please do not hesitate to call or stop by the office to discuss concerns, ask questions, or share ideas to improve Hemmeter School. My door is always open to the stakeholders of Hemmeter. I look forward to meeting all of you and would like to wish you a fantastic 2015-2016 school year. Sincerely, James C. Bailey Meet the New Hemmeter Staff Nicol Howald (5th Grade) I was born and raised in Freeland, Michigan, and got my first teaching job at Freeland Elementary School after graduating from Alma College. While teaching 1st and 3rd grades there, I received my Masters in Early Childhood Education from Saginaw Valley State University. I then went on to become one of four 3rd grade teachers in a rural district outside of Memphis, Tennessee, before becoming one of eleven 3rd grade teachers in a large district north of Atlanta, Georgia. During my time in Georgia, I received my Gifted Endorsement. Upon moving back to Michigan, I was a Core Content Coach at Weiss Elementary School and then moved to a 4th grade classroom. Through all these changes, one constant is my love of innovation and technology in the classroom. Along with being a teacher, I am a wife, mother of two, reader, runner, photographer, and traveler. Stephanie Smith (4th Grade) I am overjoyed to be joining the Hemmeter family and the STCS community as a 4th grade teacher this year! I am very passionate about teaching and am dedicated to ensuring the success of every one of my students. I have worked in many classrooms and grade levels and loved them all, but I have a soft spot for upper elementary in particular. I recently graduated from Oakland University with a degree in Elementary Education, including a major in Language Arts and a minor in Mathematics. During my studies, I student taught full-time for four months, completed several field placements in a variety of classrooms, and was a substitute teacher for a year. I believe in fostering a culture of supportive, enthusiastic learners and guiding them on their learning journey, wherever it may take them. I plan to use all of my experience to help my little fourth-grade family excel and have an outstanding year here at Hemmeter. Go Hornets!

Kelly Hendrick (3rd Grade) I am thrilled to be joining the Hemmeter Hornet Team as a 3rd grade teacher. I earned my Elementary Education Degree from SVSU and I have a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Marygrove College. I bring 8 years of teaching experience in the Bay City Public School District with 6 of those years in 3rd grade. Teaching has always been my passion, and I love engaging learners throughout the day with hands-on experiences as well as student collaboration and teamwork. I am an active member in the Junior League of Saginaw Valley which focuses on volunteerism and leadership in the Great Lakes Bay Region. My husband Trace and I have two children, Liam (3) and Ellie (1), and we live in Saginaw Township. In the summer, I enjoy golfing, taking family bike rides, and heading north to our cabin as often as possible. I am truly looking forward to meeting you, getting to know your children, and working together towards a common goal of lifelong learning. Bus Information Again this year bus riders will be provided with backpack tags. The tags will be provided to the students on the first day of school.

School Times & Doors The first bell at Hemmeter rings at 7:40 a.m. Each teacher will meet her class at the designated location at 7:40 and escort them to the classroom. Students are expected to be in their seats at 7:45 a.m. All school doors will lock promptly at 7:45 a.m. If your child is running late, please escort him or her to the front office to check in prior to going to the classroom. Because the main entrance of the building is locked at 7:45, you must press the button next to the main entrance doors in order to be buzzed in. If your child is absent from school for any reason, please call Mrs. Bartelt in the office by 8:30 a.m. Without notification from the family, the absence will be recorded as unexcused. The main office phone number is (989) 797-1832. Parking and Drop-Off of Students Pick-up and drop-off is a busy time at Hemmeter. It is important to remember that even with the most efficient system, you should plan on at least five minutes to get through the drop-off/pick-up lanes. We have very few bus riders and over 400 students arriving at the same place at the same time. If you want to walk your child to class, please park in the south parking lot. It has the most parking spaces and can accommodate all the Hemmeter traffic. The north parking lot has a limited amount of parking spaces; its primary use is for drive thru pick-up and drop-off. If you are going to use the north or central parking for drive thru pick-up and drop-off, please be as efficient as possible. Mr. Helmer used to call it “kiss and go.” He would tell parents to give your child a good-bye kiss before you get in the car, so he/she may exit the vehicle as soon as you pull up to the door at school. Please do not ever park your car in the drive thru lane during pick-up and drop-off. Mrs. Bugbee will be helping to direct traffic again in the kindergarten/second grade parking lot. Please be patient and courteous during pick-up and drop-off. The gymnasium is open between 7:00-7:35 a.m. This is a great option if you want to avoid the busiest traffic times. All third through fifth grade families, please use the south parking lot. If you would like to park and walk your youngster(s) to where they will line up, please use the walking island or the sidewalks. If your intent is to not park, but to drop off or pick up your child, please do so at the sidewalk efficiently, so as to not cause a traffic backup. While dropping off your children, please watch out for other children. Safety is our number one goal! First Day Arrival & Lining Up for Class During the first few days of school, adult volunteers will be present in the morning to help guide students to designated class locations. Classroom lines will form near the outside doorways as listed below. On rainy days, we will use the red flags to indicate that indoor lineup will take place instead. Inside locations are at each classroom door. Maps will be posted around the school to make sure locations are clear.

North Parking Lot Doorway – Enter/Exit this parking lot off State Street. Ms. Kern – Kindergarten Mrs. Laurenz – Kindergarten Mrs. Kahl – Second Grade Mrs. Rummler – Second Grade Mrs. Moeller – Second Grade

Main Office Doorway – Enter/Exit off of Hemmeter Road into the central “U” shaped parking lot in front of the main office.

Mrs. Pratt – First Grade Mrs. Senkowski- First Grade

Near the Flag Pole (Time Capsule) Doorway – Parents with students in these classes should park in the south parking lot. Mrs. Morford – Third Grade

Mrs. Weber – Third Grade Mrs. Hendrick- Third Grade

Ms. Smith – Fourth Grade Ms. Lewis – Fifth Grade South Parking Lot Doorway – This doorway is directly adjacent to the south parking lot. Mrs. Kelsey – Fourth Grade

Mrs. Howald – Fifth Grade Hemmeter Child Care Before School Program (7:00 - 7:35 a.m.) The Before School Program at Hemmeter has been organized in order to give families enough time to get their children to more than one school in the morning. This program will open at 7:00 a.m. and will run in the gym until the first bell. Students will be given an opportunity to find a space to quietly get ready for school, read, complete homework, or simply relax. Students taking part in the Before School Program do not need to complete any registration. They simply come in and have a seat at the tables. After School Program (2:40 - 6:00 p.m.) The After School Activity Club (ASAC) is available at school until 6 p.m. each school day. In addition, the free "50-minute before or after school program" will

continue this fall. Parents are required to pick up their child by 3:25 p.m. The ASAC requires pre-registration. Call Community Education at (989) 797-1847 for details. The 50-minute before & after school program requires an information card to be filled out. The cards are available in the Hemmeter office.

Hot Lunch Program

Student Lunch $1.85 Adult Lunch $2.80 Milk $ .60 Breakfast Program Student Breakfast $1.40 Check writing policy: Checks are encouraged and should be made payable to STCS Nutrition Services. Please write your student’s name and teacher on the check. The Nutrition Services Department has a minimum check policy. Please do not send checks for less than $5.00. Breakfast will once again be available at Hemmeter this year. Breakfast is served in the gym from 7:00 a.m. until 7:35 a.m. Applications for free or reduced price lunch must be completed by all families who desire to participate and are eligible. Even if you received assistance last year, you must reapply again this year. Forms will be mailed to all parents who participated last year and are available in the office. If you have questions, please call our office and talk to Lisa, or you may call the Food Service office at (989) 793-9713. Optional Student Insurance Information Voluntary student accident insurance is being offered to the parents of students at Saginaw Township Community Schools through First Agency, Inc. Parents/guardians wishing to purchase this optional student insurance are responsible for submitting their application and premium using one of the following options:

1. By Mail to: • First Agency, Inc.

5071 West H Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49009-8501 (Applications available in school office)

2. Through the First Agency, Inc. website www.1stAgency.com

• Go to “Find Your School”; select the state and insert “Saginaw Township” in box 2, then select “Go”

From there, you can download and print the brochure/enrollment form and enroll via mail or online with a credit card. Completed claim forms should be mailed along with itemized medical bills to First Agency, Inc. by the parent/guardians in the event of a covered accident. Morning Snack Time & Birthday Treats When picking out your child’s snacks or putting together birthday treats, please remember that coloring can really create problems with our carpets. Excellent options for snacks are things like granola bars, goldfish crackers, fruit, and clear liquid drinks. Please do not send children with red juice or pop. For birthdays, please stay away from high fat frostings with red dye and icings. Note from the Nurse All medications of any kind to be administered at school need a consent form, signed by both the parent and the physician. All medications must also be in

the original container or box with the prescription on it. Asthma medications that the staff administers at school must also have an Asthma Action Plan along with a consent form. Visit www.stcs.org and click on Nursing Services to review the forms needed for Administration of Medication, i.e. Parent Guidelines for Administration of Medication, Consent, and Action Plans. These forms may also be picked up in the school office. Calendar Information for 2015-2016 Check the Hemmeter website (http://saginaw.cyberschool.com/HES/Events/) for important dates and information. The calendar is updated everyday by Mrs. Bartelt in the office. Professional Development Days for 2015-2016 Your child will not have school on the following days: September 28, 2015 November 3, 2015 January 18, 2016 February 17, 2016 (1/2 day; students attend in the AM) April 12, 2016 May 6, 2016 Holiday Break: Thursday, December 24 through Friday, January 1 Spring Break: Friday, March 25 through Friday, April 1

Dress Code The school laws of the State of Michigan require a student to attend school in appropriate dress. Unacceptable for school are tank tops, cutoffs, short skirts and shorts, bare midriffs (stomachs & belly buttons), hats in school, and clothing bearing objectionable words or pictures. All students must wear footwear to school. Sandals may be worn to school, but for safety reasons students will be asked to change into tennis shoes for outdoor recess and gym class.

Dear Hemmeter Families, The school year is just around the corner. For the veteran Hemmeter families, welcome back! For those new to the school, we are so glad you are here! My name is Jennifer Jaffe, and I am the President of the Hemmeter Parent Teacher Council (HPTC). This is a wonderful organization that works very hard to support the work of the building’s teachers and staff. How do we do this? Our first major function is to fundraise for the various after school programs, field trips, and school-wide activities. The Hemmeter community is very fortunate, as we do not ask our families to pay for any field trips, speakers, assemblies, musicals, etc. To accomplish this, HPTC offers a variety of fundraisers to meet each family’s ability and interest. Some are as simple as purchasing a Papa John’s pizza once a month or cutting the Box Tops for Education off the boxes of cereal. Or, enjoy a night out at a local restaurant, with a percentage of the profits returning to our school. DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO PARTICIPATE IN EVERYTHING!! ☺ We hope that you will find at least one that fits your needs. What do we do with all of the money raised? We put all the proceeds directly into the school. HPTC has purchased the GaGa Pit on the playground, iPads for classrooms to use, a new Prometheum board as well as library books, playground equipment, field trips, and many other things the students and staff enjoy. In addition, HPTC coordinates SPARK (Science Plus Art Reaching Kids) Day in the spring.

Our monthly meetings are a great opportunity meet other parents and connect with the school. Mr. Bailey always provides an interesting report on the latest district information, educational theories, and also answers questions. Mrs. Rummler, the teacher representative, provides updates as to what the various classes are doing throughout the building. We hope that you are able to join us for an exciting year. Our first HPTC meeting is on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:00 pm. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach me at jrifkinjaffe@gmail.com or (989) 245-1335. The HPTC page on Facebook is also a wonderful source of information. Search Hemmeter Parent Teacher Council on Facebook and join the group. I look forward to seeing everyone at the Open House. Enjoy these last few days of summer and we will see you soon. Take care, Jennifer Jaffe

Volunteering at Hemmeter

We are trying to simplify the volunteer process at Hemmeter this year. Instead of the paper volunteer forms, we will be using signupgenius.com. To find the HPTC volunteer sign-up sheet simply follow these steps.

1. Go to signupgenius.com 2. Click the Find a Sign Up tab 3. Insert the following email address: jaimehuffman@gmail.com

The HPTC volunteer form will appear. Feel free to sign up for as many opportunities as you are interested in at this time. Please note that some activities have a limited amount of volunteer spots while others are unlimited. A description of each activity can be found here as well. If you are not sure of your schedules at this time and cannot commit to a certain activity there is a general volunteer category. Clicking this will keep you in the general pool of volunteers. Also, there will be other opportunities to volunteer such as Fun Fair and Book Fair that will have separate sign-ups throughout the year. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Jaime Huffman Vice President HPTC jaimehuffman@gmail.com (989)780-1442

HPTC – SCRIP Fundraising Program What is SCRIP? Scrip is one of Hemmeter Parent Teacher Council’s (HPTC) fundraising efforts. The best part about this program is that it costs you absolutely nothing but time to participate. With everyday purchases, families can help HPTC raise money for our kids! Scrip gift cards are the same gift cards you can purchase from the retailer. Through the Great Lakes Scrip Center, HPTC buys these gift cards from national vendors at a discount and sells them to you at full price. You use them like cash for the face value of the card and HPTC keeps the difference to fund student enrichment activities. Example: HPTC buys a $100 Meijer Scrip gift card for $97 When you purchase the $100 Meijer gift card, you spend $100

HPTC keeps the difference of $3 Buying two $100 Meijer cards each month earns HPTC $60 in one school

year! What Vendors are Available? HPTC is able to purchase Scrip gift cards for around 300 places! There are cards available for gas stations, grocery and department stores, restaurants, online shopping, hotels, and home improvement. Some of the most popular include Speedway, Meijer, Amazon, Subway, Barnes & Noble, Goodrich Theaters, and Walmart. You can also use Kohl’s Scrip gift cards to pay off your Kohl’s charge card! How to buy SCRIP during the 2015-2016 school year: • A Scrip order form/flyer will be sent home with your student every Thursday.

Just fill this form out and send it back to school along with your payment (cash or check made out to HPTC SCRIP) by Tuesday 10 a.m. Your gift cards will be sent home in your child’s take-home folder on Friday.

• Or do all your ordering online at www.ShopwithScrip.com You may pay directly online with PrestoPay or send in a check with your child to school. It is easy to use ShopWithScrip.com! Simply register as a new family by entering the organization enrollment code (D4B43616666 for HPTC), your contact information, a username, and password. Once this is confirmed you are set to begin ordering. And you will have several options: physical gift cards, ScripNow printable e-cards, Reload existing cards, or use MyScripWallet, ShopWithScrip’s new mobile website to order and redeem right from your smartphone!

Note: • We cannot accept orders over the phone. • We will not be selling Scrip after school (no Friday Scrip Table). If there are any questions, please submit an e-mail to hptcscrip@gmail.com.