Herbison Woods News
February 21, 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:
February 24 and 25: Vision and Hearing Testing
February 28: Early Release - Records Day - end of Trimester 2
March: March is Reading Month!
A Message from Mrs. Ormsbee
Greetings Herbison Woods Families!
We are gearing up for an out-of-this world March is Reading Month...Take Me to Your Readers. Calendars will be coming home Friday with all of the month's festivities. We are looking forward to getting the students excited about reading! Be looking for information coming home soon so your child can participate in all of the fun.
We are wrapping up the end of our second trimester already on Friday, February 28th. This year is just flying by! Our spring Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for March 18 and 20. We will be hosting both an in person and virtual night to accommodate various schedules. A SignUp Genius will be sent out to families in the coming weeks to register for a time. Please be looking for this in your email. We look forward to discussing your child's progress with you!
Thank you,
Alicia Ormsbee
Principal
A Note from Mrs. Nowak
HWE Families,
Herbison Woods takes pride in identifying key characteristics that will help all students be successful. We call them our "Panther Powers." This month's Panther Power is integrity. Students are learning the definition of integrity, hearing about figures in history that embraced this value, and are being asked to show integrity in all areas of our school.
We encourage you to talk to your HWE student about how they can show integrity. Do they make the right choices even when no one is watching? When a peer asks them to do something that does not meet our expectations or their personal values, what decision do they make? Are they making choices of integrity when there is a guest teacher? All of those are opportunities to show integrity. Doing the right thing all the time is not easy to do, and we work hard to help students recognize mistakes are okay as long as they are not repeated and they learn from them. I am thankful to work in a district with families like yours that support not only the academic growth of your HWE student, but how to show integrity as well.
In Partnership,
Rachel Nowak
Herbison Woods Spring 25 flyer.pdfSpring Pictures
Spring Picture Day is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26 at Herbison Woods.
Winter Benchmark Data
4th Grade Math and Reading
5th Grade Math and Reading
1,000th Day of School
Fifth grade students celebrate their 1,000th day of school!
Yearbook Orders
Order your Herbison Woods Yearbook by April 20. See the Herbison Woods Homepage for more information!
Field Trip to the Van Andel Institute
Our fifth grade students had a great hands-on experience as they learned from Van Andel Scientists and interacted with various types of animals. The funds raised in our Color Run allow for students to participate in these great experiences. Thank you for helping to make this happen for our students!
PTA Updates
From the PTA:
Help Wanted!
The PTA is looking for parents to serve as Building Representatives for Herbison Woods! This role helps coordinate Conference Cuisine meals, Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week in May, and Field Day. It’s a great way to support our school and stay involved!
If you're interested or have any questions, please reach out to info@ptadewitt.org.
STEAM Family Event – Saturday, March 8th, 4-6 PM at DeWitt High School
Our FREE STEAM Family Event is coming up soon! Join us for hands-on activities and meet local STEAM professionals who will inspire young minds. The first 200 kids to register will receive a SWAG bag at the event—sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/dewittsteam2025
Family Fun Night: Author & Illustrator Visit – Wednesday, March 12th, 6 PM at Herbison Woods
Celebrate National Reading Month with an exciting night featuring Karen Bell Brege & Darrin Brege! Enjoy live drawing demos, fun storytelling, and hilarious character voices from popular cartoons. Karen, an award-winning author, shares tips on writing and creativity, while Darrin, a professional illustrator, brings stories to life with engaging sketches and voice impressions. The night wraps up with comedy improv—don’t miss this fun and interactive event for all ages! Doors open at 5:45 PM.
March PTA Meeting – Wednesday, March 5th, 7 PM at Herbison Woods Media Center
Join us to see what we're all about and help plan the rest of the school year!
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.
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.pdfPlease see the following CDC Guidelines for reducing the spread of Respiratory Illnesses.
HWE - March is Reading Month Wish List
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2YDXA4VZFJV4J/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex
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.
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.