Herbison Woods News

January 10, 2025

Principal: Alicia Ormsbee

School Address: Pride Dr, DeWitt, MI 48820

Office Phone Number: 517-668-3300

Attendance Phone Number: 517-668-3347

Website: https://hw.dewittschools.net/

- Start Time: 8:45 a.m. (First bell rings at 8:40 a.m.)
  - Students may be dropped off at 8:25 a.m. or later. Supervision is not available before 8:25 a.m.
- Dismissal Time: 3:35 p.m. (Half Day dismissal 11:57 a.m.)

UPCOMING DATES:

January 7 - 17: NWEA Winter Testing Window

January 20: No School - MLK Day

January 21: DIBELS testing

A Message from Mrs. Ormsbee

Greetings Herbison Woods Families!

Happy New Year! We are excited to be back for the second half of our school year! Students have been getting back into routines, working on reviewing our school and classroom expectations, and beginning to take our winter benchmark assessments.

The winter weather is upon us! Students will be going outside for recess when temperatures are above zero degrees. Please help to remind your child to bring proper outdoor gear for these cold temperatures. For more information on winter weather wear, please see below.

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful winter break, filled with time to make great memories with your family and friends. We are looking forward to some exciting weeks ahead, now that we are back in our learning routines!

Alicia Ormsbee

Principal

A Note from Mrs. Nowak

Welcome to 2025, HWE Families!

It is an exciting time as we get kids back into the routine of school, setting goals as learners, and seeing them grow as the second half of our year begins. I always appreciate being able to see the transformation right before our eyes as we continue on in the months. One way we help students grow is to remind them of the expectations of our school and how they demonstrate them in all areas. Your HWE student(s) should be able to tell you how they are respectful, responsible and safe in every location.

They can also tell you how their grade level is doing in our next Panther Paw incentive! Grade levels are working collaboratively to "build" a snowman and earn a fun assembly at the end of the month. Encourage your HWE student(s) to work as a team to earn those Panther Paws!

In Partnership,

Rachel Nowak

Updates from Mr. Rogers

HWE Families,

It is great to be back at HWE! In addition to Winter Break, I've been on maternity leave for the past six weeks as my Wife and I welcomed the addition of our third child. What a joy and blessing it is to be able to be a father to three little ones! I did miss the HWE staff and students while I was away though, and am excited to be back. This month we are continuing SEL lessons and starting small groups for students to build connections with each other while they learn skills that can help them navigate similar challenges. If you have a concern about your student or would like support, please reach out!

Thank you,

Mr. Rogers

Winter Weather Wear

The winter weather came upon us over break. It’s time to dig out the winter gear for your child so that they are ready for the cold weeks ahead. Students wait outside before and after school, and are outside for recess. Please help them select proper clothing for both outdoor and indoor settings. Although shorts are comfortable and stylish, they are best suited for warm weather months, not for the blistery cold ones. Outdoor apparel such as a winter coat, warm hat, and gloves or mittens are essential items. When the snowy Michigan weather hits, snow pants and boots are also necessary. A scarf is certainly another great accessory to keep warm, but isn't a must. Please be aware that students go outdoors for recess when the temperature is above zero degrees Fahrenheit. Students should wear a coat outside if the temperature is 50 degrees or colder. Thank you for helping your child be ready for the winter temperatures and equipped for fun in the snow.

Meet Our Staff

Mrs. Brothers

Mrs. Brothers grew up in Warren, MI and Wabash, IN. She attended Indiana Wesleyan University, and is in her sixth year teaching fourth grade at Herbison Woods.

Ms. Dolby

Ms. Dolby is grew up in Portland, MI and attended Grand Valley State University. She is part of the fourth grade team at Herbison Woods.

Mrs. Munich

Mrs. Munich attended Grand Valley University. She has been both a special education and general education teacher in the district. She currently teaches fifth grade at Herbison Woods.

Mrs. Leyrer

Mrs. Leyrer is originally from Canton, OH. She has a golden retriever that she adores. Mrs. Leyrer is in her sixth year teaching fifth grade at Herbison Woods.

PTA Updates

From the PTA:

Family Skate Night at Edru Skate - Friday, January 17th from 5-7pm
Get ready to lace up your skates and join us for an evening of fun and community! Admission is just $10 per person (and $2 goes back to the PTA). Skate rental is $2.

Don’t miss this chance to make memories, hang out with friends, and support our schools! We can’t wait to see you there!

Sponsor a Teacher Staff Membership Drive
We’re on a mission to reach 100% teacher membership in the DeWitt Elementary PTA—and we need your help to make it happen! Right now, we’re at 36%, but with your support, we can sponsor every teacher’s membership.

For just $6, you can sponsor a teacher's membership, covering dues for the National and Michigan PTAs. This membership gives teachers a voice in PTA decisions, voting privileges, and access to valuable resources.

Sponsor a teacher today: https://tinyurl.com/staffdrive2025

HWE - March is Reading Month Wish List

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2YDXA4VZFJV4J/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

Celebrations and Class Parties

To promote a safe and secure indoor school environment, create an inclusive atmosphere for all students, and to reduce distractions for the duration of the school day, the following school celebration guidelines will be followed:

Classroom celebrations will be kept to one hour.
We encourage healthy snacks and alternatives to food to support allergies and our wellness policy. Some classrooms may have a “no food” policy due to allergies.
Only volunteers and party classroom coordinators may be allowed in the classroom to help support classroom celebration activities per individual teacher request/classroom needs. There will be 3-5 parent volunteers per classroom.
Volunteers and party classroom coordinators may not bring any additional guests including siblings (of any age), relatives, etc.
Volunteers and classroom coordinators must complete the I-Chat Form and be cleared if they at any time are going to work with students independent of where the classroom teacher is.

Volunteering - IChat

If you plan on volunteering this year in the DeWitt Public Schools, please fill out the following background check form: IChat link.

Stop the Spread of Respiratory Illnesses

Respiratory Illness Protocol.docx.pdf

Please see the following CDC Guidelines for reducing the spread of Respiratory Illnesses.

Recess and Paraprofessional Positions

If you are interested in being a paraprofessional, or supervising lunch or recess, we would love to have you join our team!

Please contact us at 517-668-3300. http://jobs.dewittschools.net

CLT and Professional Development Dates

Below are the dates for Collaborative Learning Time (CLT) and professional development calendar. On early release days, Herbison Woods will dismiss at 11:57 a.m.

February 14 - Early Release for CLT
March 19 - Early Release for CLT
May 14 - Early Release for CLT

Car Loop Procedures

Safety is our #1 Priority.
Car loop begins at 8:25am; please do not drop off students before this time.
Please only drop off students in the car loop area; supervision is only provided in this area.
Please drop off and pick up students along the entire painted blue line along the curb.
Utilize the entire length of our “blue drop off line” by:
- Pulling up behind the car in front of you (please refrain from leaving large spaces between vehicles)
- Dropping off along the whole blue line (Please refrain from dropping off your child only in front of the area where their class waits. The entire blue line should be utilized for efficiency. )
During arrival, your students should be ready and prepared to get out of the car by having all their materials gathered and good-byes complete.
For the beginning of the school year, signs will be posted with teacher names in the front of the school. At parent drop off, students should stand by their teacher's sign.

Dismissal Procedures

Car loop:

Students will be escorted out to the car loop and will stand in their classroom’s designated area.
Students will remain in their area and wait for their car to pull up.
Cars will use the painted blue line as the area to pick up their children.
Please pull all the way forward, as to allow the maximum number of cars to pick up their students at one time.
Please post a sign with your child’s first and last name in a visual area of your vehicle for the first couple of weeks of school.
When students see their car, they will walk toward it and quickly get in.
Students will enter their car on the sidewalk side.
Adults should not get out of the car at any point in the car loop.
To exit the car loop, please follow the signs and exit to the right only.

Bussers:

Students will be escorted outside and will stand in their classroom’s designated area.
Once their bus arrives, they will walk to their bus.

Medication Information

In order for Herbison Woods Staff to administer medication to your child, you must:

Submit a completed district medication form to our office.
All medication must be dropped off by a parent/guardian. Students should not bring any medication to school.
Be sure all medications are brought to school by a parent/guardian and stored in our office.
Be sure prescription medication is in its original container accompanied with a physician’s signature.
Be sure non-prescription medication is in its original container accompanied by a parent’s signature.
Please communicate with your child's teacher if he/she takes medication daily at school.
If your child has a medical condition, please be sure to complete a Medical Management Plan for your child and turn it in at the office.
Medication and other medical forms can be found on our DeWitt Public Schools website.

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