Herbison Woods News
March 15, 2024
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 of at 8:25 a.m. or later. Supervision is not available before 8:25 a.m.
Dismissal Time: 3:35 p.m.
Upcoming Events:
March 19: In Person Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 20: Virtual Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 21: Half Day (11:42 Dismissal)
March 22 - 29: No School - Spring Break
April 1: School Resumes
A Message from Mrs. Ormsbee
Greetings Herbison Woods Families!
We have begun the third trimester of the year, and are only a few days away from spring break. When we return from spring break, our spring assessments will be upon us. Students in fourth and fifth grade will be taking MSTEP, NWEA and Acadience assessments between the months of April and May. Next week, we will be sending out information on M-STEP assessment dates and schedules. Please be looking for this information in your email. In preparation for the state assessment (M-STEP), students may:
Complete M-STEP practice tests at home (must use Google Chrome) to become familiar with the platform and styles of questions:
Click on the Sample Items Sets
Select Grade 4 or 5
Complete both the English Language Arts and Math (no calculators allowed) mini-assessments
Be sure to try out the testing tools located at the top of each question screen. These are useful tools to assist with taking the test.
I hope you have a great weekend and a wonderful spring break!
Sincerely,
Alicia Ormsbee
Principal
A Note from Mrs. Nowak
HWE Families,
Did you ask your HWE student about our assembly on Friday the 8th? What a great time we had celebrating all of the respectful, responsible and safe behavior. There were lots of smiles, laughs, and some healthy competition too. Now that March is upon us, we are doing a new competition to see what classroom in each hallway can earn the most Panther Paws. Ask your HWE student how their class is doing and what they can do to help raise the "bar!"
You can also ask your child about our technology policy, in regards to cell phones. After visiting all the classrooms and delivering a consistent message, we are seeing students be more responsible and put cell phone devices away in backpacks when they arrive at school. If your student needs to contact you during the day, or you need to contact them, please avoid using a personal device, such as their phone or watch. Our office line is always open and a great way to get messages delivered. Thank you for your help with this!
Enjoy the sunshine and your upcoming Spring Break!
In Partnership,
Rachel Nowak
Updates from Mr. Rogers
HWE Families,
Spring Break is almost here! I hope everyone has safe travels and a refreshing time away from school, as it's a sprint to the finish line once we start back up. Small groups focusing on social skill development began this week and are off to a great start. We also continue to teach SEL lessons in each classroom as we move through the year. Soccer Club will be held on Wednesdays after school from 4/3-5/8; look for a flyer going home with information on how to sign up if you are interested in having your child attend. Thank you for doing your part in making HWE a great place to teach and learn!
Thank you,
Matt Rogers
Spring Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for next week on Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20. A SignUp Genius form was sent to families last week. Please be sure to sign up for a time to meet with your child's teacher to discuss their progress this year! If you need any assistance, please reach out to our front office at 517-668-3300.
PTA News - Spring Conference Cuisine
Dear Herbison Woods Families,
Every year, parents help provide meals to feed our staff during parent/teacher conferences. Spring conference dates for Herbison Woods School are March 19th & 20th. If you would like to help, please use this link to sign up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904094CA8A928AB9-48351868-2024#/
The PTA and Herbison Woods Staff THANK YOU for your support!
If you have any questions, please contact your Herbison Woods Building Representatives:
Julie Nye- 217.721.8018
julienye2@gmail.com
Rheanna Klunzinger- 248.974.7944
rheannaklunzinger@yahoo.com
Krista Howard- 517.575.5003
president@ptadewitt.org
Thanks again!
March is Reading Month
We are in the last week of celebrating March is Reading Month. Please continue to encourage your child to earn their medals this coming week!
Ms. Casselton's 5th Grade Class Celebrates Pi Day (3/14)
Students in Ms. Casselton's Class celebrate March 14 with fun math activities and of course, eating a pie.
Car loop Reminders
If you are utilizing the car loop to pick up and/or drop off your student please remember:
Pull all the way forward, as to allow the maximum number of cars to drop off and pickup their students at one time as possible.
When exiting the car loop, please follow the signs and exit to the right only.
Thank you for helping us to make the line as efficient as possible for our families.
Music Notes from Mrs. Broughton
HWE 5th Grade Choir Club Flyer (2).pdfThe Herbison Woods 5th Grade Choir Club is back! The HWE Choir Club is for 5th grade students who would like to try singing in a choir! This is a fun, no-pressure way to experience and learn fun songs, as well as the camaraderie of singing in a group! The choir will rehearse weekly after school on THURSDAYS from 3:35 p.m.- 4:40 p.m, starting APRIL 4th and running through MAY 23. The choir will culminate in a concert with the 6th grade choir on the evening of Thursday, May 23, as well as optional singing opportunities at a Lansing Lugnuts game and the DeWitt Community Showcase. The choir will be co-taught by Mrs. Broughton (HWE Music teacher) and Mrs. Schippers (DMS Choir teacher). Students who enroll in the class will receive a t-shirt to wear at the concert. If interested, please register online at fecc.dewiƩschools.net, the Community Ed office, or call (517) 668‐3460.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Broughton (broughtonb@dewittschools.net).
Herbie Buck Store Donations
Our Herbie buck store continues to motivate students to be respectful, responsible and safe. We are always accepting donations such as small candies, school supplies, small toys, etc. In addition, we have also put together an Amazon Wish List of items that we feel our students may enjoy. We appreciate your generosity and are grateful for your support!
Order a Yearbook
Yearbook Advertisement.pdfBreakfast and Lunch
Lunch Menus can be found here: https://dewittschools.nutrislice.com/
Breakfast and lunch is free this year for students. All students can have one complete breakfast and one complete lunch per day. The guidelines to receive free breakfast and/or lunch require a students to take items that meet the guidelines for a complete meal.
Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria at Herbison Woods.
Option to Purchase Ala Carte Items: In addition to free complete meals, extra entrees and ala carte items such as milk will be available for purchase if your student brings a meal from home. Students will need money in their accounts to do this. There is a charge of $1.95 fee per $100, and .50 fee for multiple students with no transaction amt. cap to families who choose to use the online payment system. Also, you can pay by E-Check for $1 fee per transaction with a $750 transaction cap. Also, there are deposit boxes located in all school buildings.
Federal & State Funding Help: DeWitt Public School District is excited to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students starting this new school year thanks to the Michigan Healthy School Meals Program! Even though meals will be provided for free, it's important for families to continue sharing household income information in order for our schools to receive full access to federal and state funding for educational programs that our students are entitled to. Paper applications are available upon request. Please contact Sandy Leach at leachsand@dewittschools.net or Marcy Updike at updikemar@dewittschools.net. Online applications can be completed at: https://dewitt.familyportal.cloud.
Volunteering at DPS
If you are interested in volunteering, you must complete the DPS Volunteer I-CHAT Form.
Volunteers need to be cleared every year before being an approved volunteer.
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.
Be sure all medications are brought to 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.
Attendance
If your child will be absent from school, please call the Herbison Woods attendance line at:
517-668-3347.