Herbison Woods News
September 20, 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 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:
September 23 - 27: NWEA Makeup Testing
September 25: Go Gold Day
September 27: No School for Students - CLT Day
A Message from Mrs. Ormsbee
Greetings Herbison Woods Families!
We are winding down on our fall benchmark testing. We will be wrapping up with our NWEA make up tests this coming week. Reports with Acadience and NWEA data will be coming home soon, along with information on the interventions that will be provided this fall. These are not graded assessments. Information from these benchmarks help us to guide our instruction and interventions that we provide for students.
With some changes to bus routes, we have some new students being dropped off at the car loop. As a reminder, supervision begins at the car loop at 8:25. Please do not drop off students prior to this time. If you have questions on the car loop procedures, please see below. Thank you for your attention to this.
We have had a great start to the year! Students have settled into their routine and are digging into curriculum. I'm proud of our students and their continuous efforts to demonstrate our school wide expectations on a daily basis. They are doing an amazing job! Thank you for sharing them with us, and allowing us to help them grow!
Sincerely,
Alicia Ormsbee
Principal
A Note from Mrs. Nowak
HWE Families,
Learning is in full swing at HWE! That includes lessons on how our classrooms and other areas of the building work. Ask your HWE student(s) if they can name one or two ways to be respectful and responsible at lunch or recess.
You can also ask your HWE student how many Panther Paws their class has earned. Mr. Rogers and I are starting to reward classes because they have 40 or more! That is amazing! If your student's class isn't there yet, please encourage them to continue to be respectful, responsible and safe in all areas of the building. Adults are noticing all the good things happening here at HWE, and we hope your student is as well!
In Partnership,
Rachel Nowak
Updates from Mr. Rogers
HWE Families,
It has been a great start to the school year at Herbison Woods! I've been in each classroom to let students know who I am, how to access me, and that I will always help them. Aside from getting to know or re-introducing myself to our awesome kiddos, it has also been a busy time of providing directions and opening lots and lots of lockers. I feel so blessed to be part of such an incredible staff and community!
Thank you,
Mr. Rogers
Volunteering - IChat
If you plan on volunteering this year in the DeWitt Public Schools, please fill out the following background check form: IChat link.
Go Gold Day
Wednesday, September 25th is Go Gold Day! Join us in wearing gold to raise awareness and support for children facing cancer.
Fourth Grader Wins a Prize from the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association awarded HWE student with tickets to Super Bowl LIX, for completing the Kids Heart Challenge. This program was in collaboration with the NFL and Detroit Lions. He was one of five students across the nation to win this award. We were excited to help present him with this opportunity!
PTA Updates
The DeWitt Elementary PTA is still in need of Basket Coordinators for our Denim and Diamonds Charity Event and Auction, happening on Saturday, November 9th! As a coordinator, you’ll help create themed baskets from generous classroom donations, bringing our auction items to life. It’s a fun and impactful way to get involved. If you're interested, contact our Lead Classroom Coordinator, Ashley, at baskets@ptadewitt.org.
Music Notes
It is almost time for recorders in music class!
Please see the following information on how to get a recorder to use in class.
Recorders.pdfDHS Football Games
Please follow these guidelines to help make high school football games safe and enjoyable for all who attend.
DeWitt students must remain on our side of the stadium.
Students must leave all footballs, balls, flying objects (ie. frisbees, etc.) at home. Playing catch, games, etc. is not acceptable with so many spectators in the stadium and causes safety risks and distractions to those who paid to watch the event.
It is an expectation that elementary students are chaperoned. The concourse (common area between the stands and concessions) is not a play space. Elementary aged students must be accompanied by their adult and not be left unsupervised to play or congregate inside or outside of the stadium.
Halloween, 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.
Halloween/Fall Celebration Specific:
All students will have an opportunity to wear a costume at school.
Simple costumes may be worn, but please be mindful of your child's ability to participate in regular school activities throughout the day including PE and recess.
Costumes should be tasteful, modest and appropriate for a school environment.
Costumes shall have no representation of violence, horror characters or be scary; no blood or weapons.
Wearing costumes is an opportunity but not an obligation. Families may choose whether or not their child participates.
If your child or you are questioning if a costume is school appropriate, it is recommended to err on the side of caution and choose something else.
Stop the Spread of Respiratory Illnesses
Respiratory Illness Protocol.docx.pdfPlease 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
Infinite Campus Tasks Requested
Dear Parents/Guardians:
It is of utmost importance that you complete an annual update of your student’s emergency contact information through your parent portal. In the event of a school emergency, the District wants to be sure to have the most up-to-date contact information to communicate with parents/guardians.
With this update, you will also complete the annual Release Agreements and acknowledge that you have read the following District documents (found on the District website at dewittschools.net):
1. District K-12 Student Handbook
2. District Code of Conduct
3. Concussion Info
4. Athletic Handbook, if applicable
Use your parent portal to complete these required tasks to ensure your student's access to the district network, apps, curriculum, etc.
DIRECTIONS:
NOTE: Your parent portal works best using Chrome or Firefox browsers.
1.Log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
2. Click on the three lines (hamburger) in the upper left-hand corner to open the menu.
3. Select MORE.
4. Select ONLINE REGISTRATION.
5. Select 2024-2025 EXISTING STUDENT REGISTRATION.
6. Click BEGIN REGISTRATION.
7. Type your name and sign with your mouse.
8. BEGIN
At each prompt, review, confirm/update your student’s data. Use the NEXT and SAVE/CONTINUE buttons to proceed through the Update.
If any of your information is highlighted in yellow, you have missed a required field and must go back to edit/ update.
9. SUBMIT once complete.
All changes will be reviewed by staff and they will reach out to you to confirm update and/or request additional documentation, depending on the change made.
Questions or assistance? contact the District Registrar at 517-668-3017.
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.
September 27 - No School for students - Full Day Professional Development
October 16 - Early Release for CLT
November 5 - No school for students - Full Day Professional Development
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.