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The AppleseedThe Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

WWW.HUDSONVILLEPUBLICSCHOOLS.ORG 616-669-1740

Dear Hudsonville Community,

With great enthusiasm, I pen this letter to you from Washington, D.C.  On November 10, Forest Grove Elementary School was one of only 335 schools in the nation, 13 in Michigan, to be named a National Blue Ribbon School.  Of the 335 schools honored, 303, including Forest Grove, earned the prestigious award of Exemplary High Performing School.  Jamestown Elementary received this recognition in 2014, giving Hudsonville Public Schools the distinction of having two of Michigan’s most recent 26 Blue Ribbon Schools.

While we celebrate the recognition Forest Grove deserves, this award is reflective of a system approach to excellence.  We are fortunate to have seven elementary schools providing a high quality education to all our children, pre-kindergarten through grade 5.  This has been acknowledged by the Michigan Department of Education’s most recent Reward School dissemination where ALL Hudsonville elementary schools were labeled REWARD schools (top 5% of schools on the Top-to-Bottom School Rankings or top 5% of schools making the greatest gains in achievement or outperforming the school’s predicted ranking).  Very few, if any, school districts our size can celebrate this distinction!  

With that said, we want to share an update on our Attendance Area Adjustment Committee work.  The growth of our district led to the passage of the 2015 bond issue and the purchase of the former Heritage Christian Elementary School building.  We are grateful for our Board of Education’s vision and the community’s support of our long-range facilities plan.  Over the next few months, the Board will award bids and work will begin transforming our newly purchased school into our eighth elementary.   

A committee comprised of parents and staff have been diligently meeting and investigating needed adjustments to our elementary attendance area to address growth and allow for relief in all of our elementary school buildings.  At a Special Board Meeting on October 26th, the Board unanimously approved the four main guiding criteria recommended by the committee:

•Equity •Future Growth •Location within the Attendance Area •Programing

As the committee moves to provide the Board of Education a recommendation on new elementary attendance areas, other items, such as minimizing student travel time on buses, keeping neighborhoods together, and the possibility of honoring in-district building transfer requests, will be a part of the discussion.  

We would like to thank the committee members for their time and our families and staff for their willingness to be open to the process.  We are grateful to the community for their support of our soon-to-be eighth high-quality elementary school.  

Respectfully,

Dr. Nick Ceglarek, Superintendent

Le! to right: John Gi"ette, Pat Strelecki, Patricia Bartley, Ji" McManus, Aba Kumi, Mindy Mi"s, and, Dr. Nick Ceglarek

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The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

Alward “Buddies” Learn from Each Other

Fifth graders from Mr. Karel’s class recently got together with their 2nd grade buddies from Mrs. Harmsen’s class. During their meeting, the 5th graders had the opportunity to become the teachers.

They explained and taught the scientific process to their buddy.

They presented the question - Which hand is faster at catching a pencil? Together, they proceeded to make a prediction, do the experiment, gather data, and draw a conclusion. It was a fun way for the 5th graders to practice what they learned and for the 2nd graders to learn something new!

Project CalvinWhen walking the halls of Park Elementary, you will see signs of our school-wide theme “Be The One.” You will see it in the actions of our students and our staff, you will hear it in the conversations that buzz around the building, and you will observe it being taught in our classrooms, both by teachers and by students. It’s found in the little things and it is found in the big things we do.

One way our first graders are being the one is by participating in Project Calvin. Calvin is a six year old boy who lives in an orphanage in West Africa, called HOMe and is considered un-adoptable because his mom did not relinquish her rights when she left him there after he was born. Calvin has the opportunity to attend a private school called DeYoungsters School. This private school has a waiting list, but they are making an exception for Calvin to attend. The cost of the school is $750.

This is where our students come in. With excitement, our three first grade classes have set out to raise the money needed for Calvin to attend DeYoungsters school. The kids are armed with decorated containers, a list of ways to earn money, and most importantly a purpose for making a difference in someone’s life. They are coming back to class each week, wide-grinned, with containers shaking to rattle the money they have earned inside. It doesn’t matter how much money they are bringing in each week, it’s that they are making a difference together and bringing hope to another child. It’s about “Being the One.”

We are so excited to share with you that in just five short weeks our classes have raised a combined total of $653! These kids never cease to amaze us with what they can accomplish with determination. We are so proud of our wonderful first graders as they have worked hard to earn this amount of money towards something so important. They are out there teaching us and others what “Being The One” means - loving others and making a positive difference.

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The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

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Fun Math Practice at GeorgetownFourth Graders at Georgetown Elementary have been practicing math in a fun new way on computers using two programs called Study Island and Math Facts Pro. These online programs ask questions that are similar to what students see on our paper-pencil class work and quizzes.  Completing work online is a skill that helps our students show what they know in a new way.  These programs provide this online learning practice.

Students practice five days a week at Georgetown. When the “COW” (computers on wheels) rolls in, students know to grab a computer and go! They not only enjoy the practice they get in math, but also the timed games they are allowed to play when they get answers right. Teachers love it because they can assign the specific areas that a student needs more work in, and receive automatic feedback on how the student is doing. It’s a great way for teachers and students to work side by side in math,

using something fun, new, and innovative!

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HPSappgoogle

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The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

Healthy Kids at Park Give Back!

We’ve been busy in the PE department at Park Elementary over the past few weeks. Near the end of October, we had over 1,000 students participate in the Turkey Trot. For those who don’t know, the Turkey Trot is a “fun run” style race that has been growing steadily over the years. In the past five years this program has doubled in size! We hope to continue this healthy tradition for years to come.

For the month of November, we will be collecting non-perishable food items through our PE Cares program to share with families in need throughout the holiday season. The sheer poundage of food that we collect every year is awe-inspiring! The kids always do a great job bringing things in and they always tell me about how it makes them “feel good on the inside” to help other people.

Great Company - An Awesome Book - A Hot Beverage...Sign Me Up!

Mr. Henderson's ELA students were given the opportunity to come to class early three days in October to relax, sip and read. Students were allowed to bring any type of hot beverage. Many stopped at Biggby, and Mr. Henderson had a Keurig and water pot available for K-Cups and Hot Chocolate mix. Students listened to soft, classical music, sipped, and read from 7:00 am - 7:35 am. Those who attended were credited for two days of reading homework! In all, 72 students participated over the three days!

English Language Learner Family Night

Did you know that there are at least 19 languages other than English spoken in Hudsonville Public Schools? The diversity of languages spoken and cultures represented in Hudsonville was celebrated the evening of October 1.  English Language Learner (ELL) students from kindergarten to 12th grade and their families came to the Hudsonville Freshman Campus to meet each other and learn about Hudsonville’s ELL program and staff. The families enjoyed learning about each other through a “Find someone who…” game. The ELL staff encouraged the students and their families to maintain their first language while learning English. For more information about the ELL program, visit our blog https://ellathudsonville.edublogs.org/

S t a y C o n n e c t e d ! Become a fan of Hudsonville Public Schools on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest news and updates.fffff fffff

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The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

Math is a Blast at

Jamestown!

On October 26, Jamestown Elementary partnered with Grand Valley State University and hosted a math night.  Over 100 students, parents, and families enjoyed hands-on minds-on math experiences!  Students participated in activities centered around measurement, geometry, fractions, decimals, and data graphing.  Special thanks to our community partner, GVSU, for a fabulous night!

Pool InformationA.M. swim times will be 5:30 a.m. - 7 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. 

Cost:  $2.50 for drop in, $40 for 20 visit pass, and patrons 60 years of age will be admitted free with a Golden Age Swim Pass (available at Hudsonville Community Ed. or with the head guard).

HEAT Swim team registration is now open.HEAT swimming lesson information. Lessons start after Thanksgiving break.

Join us for water aerobics - Water is 80 degrees, easy entry ladder, and first class is free!  Monday and Wednesday

11:00 a.m. -  Water aerobics (55 minutes) in shallow & deep water with members wearing life belts.12:00 p.m. -  Water exercises (55 minutes) in shallow water only.

Cost for drop-in classes: Age 60 plus: $2, 59 & under: $4Please pay at the pool office on day of class.

Questions? - Please call Ian Kobes, Aquatics Director, at 669-1510, ext. #20243

High School-Wide Community Service Project - Thursday, Dec. 10

During Advisory class on Thursday, Dec. 10, our entire high school will be working on a service project helping out Kids’ Food Basket.

Kids’ Food Basket is a non-profit organization that provides sack suppers to students in need. These sack suppers help students have food to eat who might otherwise go hungry. In Ottawa County alone, they service 450 students each week day.

Our students will be working on two projects helping with the Sack Supper program.

• Sack Supper decorating • Popcorn Project

We need YOUR help! In order to complete this project, we are looking for donations of the following items:

• zip lock sandwich bags • large bags of popped popcorn - Celebration Cinema sells bags for $10

Popcorn must be ordered one week in advance. The popcorn is available for pick-up anytime Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. For information or to order popcorn, contact Kristina Cousins - kcousins@celebrationcinema.com. The Popcorn Company also sells popcorn in bulk. **One large bag of popcorn fills 120 sandwich bags!

• 8 lb. (or extra large) paper sacks - White or brown sacks can be purchased at Sam’s Club or Gordon Foods.

All donations can be dropped off at the Main Campus or Freshman Campus offices.

Thank you for being a part of our community service project. We couldn’t do it without your support.

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30 SECOND TIMEOUT“WHEN TIME

STANDS STILL”

~By Kevin Wolma, Athletic Director

After hiking 5.5 miles with a 2,000 foot elevation gain, we finally reached Amphitheater Lake in the

Grand Tetons.  The day could not have been more perfect - 70 degrees, brilliant blue skies, but yet there was snow on the sides of the mountains.  As we sat on one of the massive boulders overlooking this lake, the only thought I had was if I could only freeze this moment in time.  Nobody wanted to leave. Last spring break, I had the same thought as the sun set over the 7 Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys while my wife and I sat poolside watching our kids swim.  Just this past summer, I had another one of those moments while family and friends were gathered around a beach bonfire in Glen Arbor with not even a ripple in the waves on Lake Michigan.  The grander, beauty, and stillness of these moments will never be forgotten.  But the real reason why I wanted those moments to stand still forever is because I was able to share this with my family.  

The sad reality is we have all shared times in our lives like this only to have them quickly dissipate when we return to the “rat race” back at home.  Many of your calendars probably look very similar to our calendar - Monday practice, Tuesday game, Wednesday dance, Thursday another game, Friday practice, and three more games over the weekend.  Before we know it, Monday is here to do it all over again.

Busyness is a disease, a vicious cycle, that creates two things within people: stress and entitlement.  Since 2007, the American Psychological Association has published a survey concerning stress in America.  Year after year, the survey results show the underlying reason for stress is caused by busyness.  The busier we are, the greater the chance of irritability, anxiety, insomnia, and fatigue.  This all spills over into our relationships and partnerships we have with coaches, friends, and even our own family.  

Busyness also encourages entitlement.  Entitlement is the silent killer of athletic teams because so often we do not even notice our actions because we are so consumed in finding more ways to raise the status of our kids.  Instead of looking at how privileged our kids are for the

opportunities they have, we expect the more our kids are involved in, the more they should get back in return.  Why am I writing this?  I cannot tell you how many times over the past 20 years I have heard from parents after graduation about how fast the time goes.  They feel those precious years were wasted by over scheduling activities and worrying about things they cannot control, like making the team, playing time, and college scholarships.  The answer is not simple because we all realize that travel sports and off season training is not going away.  We still want every student athlete to maximize their potential and sports still provide some of life’s greatest lessons.  Can there be a balance?  Can we slow down just enough to recognize those timeless moments in our life?  Can we create more opportunities for time to stand still?  Can we worry a little less while gaining a broader perspective which will lessen those feelings of entitlement?  I don’t know my son’s batting average last summer or the record my daughter had in tennis, but I will never forget all of us sitting on a boulder 10,000 feet above sea level looking down on crystal blue water rehashing the journey that got us to that point.  My guess is that my wife, son, and two daughters will never forget that moment either.  Remember this quote by Bill Keane, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, which is why they call it the present.”  Slow down and enjoy the journey while embracing every moment.  Let time stand still.

The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

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The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

On Oct. 27 and 28, the Environmental Strategies class ventured out to test the water quality of Buttermilk Creek, Rogue River, Rush Creek, and three spots on the Grand River.  Students tested the physical, chemical, and biological factors in hopes of answering the question: How does land usage affect water quality?  Data is now being summarized and each of the tested sites will be given a score on 1 - 100.  We had a rain event in between days that made things more interesting!  Stay tuned next month for an update on our rivers!

Alward Kids Have Character!

Alward Elementary’s character education teams met in October. Each team consists of a coach (teacher) and students from every grade level. This year, Alward’s character education focus is on service learning and helping others. The teams met in October and decorated lunch bags that were donated to the Kids’ Food Basket organization. In November, the teams are working together to collect food for the PE Cares Food Drive. Each team has a collection bin in the hallway and are competing to see who can bring in the most items. Alward set a school-wide goal of collecting 3,500 items to donate to local food pantries. The real winners are the kids and families who will receive the food!

Joyful LearnersGeorgetown Elementary School’s focus for this year is JOYFUL LEARNING:  Growing learners who love to learn and understand the connection between learning and real world problem solving.

Staff members are taking photos of students throughout the year and posting these to our JOYFUL LEARNERS Board - located outside of our Media Center.  These are snapshots of our students engaged in learning activities throughout the school day.  By the end of the school year, the board (and wall) will be covered with 644 black and white photos -- one of each student and staff member that makes up the Georgetown Elementary Learning Community.

This project has been one of the most popular climate, community building activity that we have taken on in our ten years of growing together as a school.

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The Hudsonville Public Schools Board of Education Newsletter December 2015/January 2016

HUDSONVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION &

INFORMATION NIGHT

Hudsonville Public Schools offers a play-based kindergarten readiness preschool curriculum that teaches positive self-concepts, social, physical, intellectual, and emotional development, language skills, and self-expression through large and small group learning. Programs offered through Early Childhood are: • 3 & 4 Year Old Half Day Preschool • Young Fives• 3 & 4 Year Old Full Day Preschool (w/childcare) • Before & After School Childcare• Great Start 4 Year Old Half Day Preschool • Summer Childcare• Great Start 4 Year Old Full Day Preschool • Early Childhood Special Education• Little Learners • Speech & Language Early Intervention

Preschool registrations for the 2016-2017 school year will be accepted at the information night. Registration for Young Fives, Before & After School, and Summer Care will also be accepted. Registrations will be available online on January 19, 2016 (accepted at registration night) at hpsearlychildhood.org

For more information, please call Shellie or Becky at 616-797-0842.

Information Night

Tuesday, January 19, 2016Hudsonville Early Childhood Center5535 School Ave. (main entrance off of Madison Ave.)6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

TITLE I PARENT INFORMATION

Each year, the federal government provides funding for support services and materials for students identified as falling behind in grade level content standards and expectations. District assessment and standardized test scores are indicators of those students who would most benefit from these services. If your child has been identified for receiving the services provided in the building, you will receive a letter in the mail from your child's building principal or staff member. A plan will be put in place to assure your child will receive the appropriate support in order to achieve the academic goals of that grade level or course in the areas of reading, writing, or math. The support received may be short term or long term depending on the individual needs of each student. We believe each and every student can be successful in their academic journey if provided the right opportunities and with the help and support of parents.

As a parent of a student identified to receive support services, you are strongly encouraged to be involved in any of the planning for your child's success. On the Hudsonville Public Schools district website, you will find a tab for Title I. Under this tab, you will find our Board Policy language on Title I parent involvement and your rights as a parent to ask questions and be involved. Please contact your building principal if you would like to discuss how to be involved. Title I information meetings will be announced for you to attend in your child's building.

The Hudsonville Public Schools staff devote their time and effort to helping all students be successful. We are grateful for federal and state funding that allows us to add support services for any student falling behind. We know the power of working together as staff, students, and parents as we blend our contributions for the same common goal.