Herbison Woods News

February 7, 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 14: Early Release CLT

February 17: No School - President's Day

February 24 and 25: Vision and Hearing Testing

February 28: Early Release - Records Day

A Message from Mrs. Ormsbee

Greetings Herbison Woods Families!

Student NWEA winter benchmark reports came home with students. Please remember that this benchmark score is one snapshot in time of your child's academic growth. It is not the only measure that we use. Teachers use daily formative and summative assessments in the classroom to give frequent measures of learning. All of this data is used to help guide both whole group and small group instruction for students. If you have any questions regarding these reports, please feel free to reach out to your child's classroom teacher.

Alicia Ormsbee

Principal

A Note from Mrs. Nowak

HWE Families,

We were so excited to celebrate the respectful, responsible and safe behavior of all 4th and 5th graders with some fun games and a drawing for book tokens at an assembly this week. It was refreshing to see the students cheer each other on, and get recognized for meeting our behavior expectations. We have launched our next Panther Paw incentive; hopefully your HWE student can tell you what they are working for now!

We also hope your HWE student(s) is able to share about ways they are playing new games at recess. Almost every class has participated in an opportunity to learn two games that can be played at recess, without adult help. This was an initiative we had after several adult observations of students not knowing how to engage in group play, and all play by the same rules. It has been so rewarding to see the students play games with one another, and play fairly. Ask your HWE which game is their favorite!

In Partnership,

Rachel Nowak

PBIS Reward Assembly

Students spent the month of January earning panther paws for their class to build a snowman in the cafeteria. Once the grade levels had all of the parts built for their snowman, we celebrated with an assembly full of fun and games.

Students playing a game with balls and a laundry basket

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.

January Students of the Month

Students of the Month for January were recognized for being accepting of others - our Panther Power for the month.

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.

Staff Membership Drive Update
100% of our teachers are now members of the DeWitt Elementary PTA! We are so grateful for the donations throughout the month of January that allowed us to show our amazing staff how much we appreciate them and their commitment to making our schools the best they can be.

Pizza for the PTA
Planning your Super Bowl Sunday snacks? On Sunday, February 9th, from 11 AM to 9 PM, Peppino’s of DeWitt is donating $1 per pizza sold to the PTA! Your pizza purchase helps fund family-friendly events, Teacher and Building Grants, and more. Enjoy a great meal while supporting our schools!

STEAM Family Event – Saturday, March 8th, 4-6 PM
Join us for an evening of hands-on fun at our FREE STEAM Family Event! Explore exciting activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Don’t forget to register here: https://tinyurl.com/dewittsteam2025

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.

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.

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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