From the Principal - October 30, 2009

· Today, Friday, October 30th, is the end of the first marking period. Report cards will be mailed home on Thursday, November 5, 2009

· Post cards were mailed home this week with the information regarding Parent/Teacher Conferences (see copy below.)

· Please help with the traffic congestion by not parking in the drop off lane or “travel lane” during the time from 7:30 AM—8:05 AM.

· Please do not block the identified cross walks as this is the safest place for our students to cross the driveway.

· Our student council has started an electronic “Suggestion Box.” Parents and students are welcomed to make suggestions via this email address, (MSstudentcouncil@egrps.org) on how we can make our school better

· Thank you to our student council officers, Sally Marsh, Jillian Langford, Jack Ruppert, and Erik Molenaar for their leadership.

Have a safe, and wonderful weekend!

Peter Stuursma

E.G.R. Middle School Parent Teacher Conferences

Once again, this year’s format will be “arena” style with all teachers assigned to tables in the cafeteria and gym. Parents may report on any of the scheduled dates and meet with teachers as they become available. Conferences must be limited to 5 minutes.

We anticipate that the evening conferences will be the most congested, and request that parents able to attend the morning and/or afternoon session choose to do so, if convenient.

Monday, November 9, 2009 Full day of school (1 day)

Conferences 4:00—6:30 PM

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Full day of school (2 day)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Full day of school (1 day

Conferences 6:00 —8:30 PM

Thursday, November 12, 2009 No school for students

Conferences 8:15—11:00 AM

Conferences 12:30 —3:00 PM

Friday, November 13, 2009 No school for students and staff

Report cards will be mailed on Thursday, November 5, 2009.

From the Principal - October 23, 2009

Middle School Parents:

In an attempt to address the number of students who are out of school due to illness, and to reduce student anxiety and stress, we would like to address the following points with regard to homework, make-up assignments, projects, etc.:

· Our staff will be meeting to look at ways to adjust homework assignments, and address the most pertinent

information necessary for each class.

· We will provide make-up sessions throughout the day on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. Students will have the

opportunity to do tests/quizzes, make-up work, etc. with a certified teacher in the media center each hour. This will

be arranged by each individual classroom teacher.

· We request that parents refer to the website as opposed to requesting homework being sent to the main office, as we are unable to keep up with requests and students will be given ample time to do make up work.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

Peter Stuursma

Principal

Update: As of today, Friday, October 23, we believe that we are headed in a positive direction with regard to the number of illnesses at the Middle School. We will continue to monitor.

Have a wonderful weekend!

From the Principal - October 16, 2009

Our students at the Middle School have accomplished their first week of MEAP testing, and have done a nice job in handling all of these responsibilities.

Please review the following helpful information with regard to on-line access of grades:

Skyward Tips for the Week

*We encourage the use of email to communicate with school personnel. Email is best used for abbreviated communication. Due to the large volume of email we receive, our staff may need up to 48 hours to respond.

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*With immediate and live access to our student grades, it is important to remember that the grades, viewed on-line, are simply snapshots of the progress up to this point. Homework may have been turned in; however, work must be graded and entered which does take time.

*It is very helpful to allow any missing assignments to factor in to the overall grade when they are turned in. (Example: If a student misses an assignment, the computer will calculate the assignment as a “zero”, therefore, the calculation will impact the final grade significantly.)

*Please communicate with your son/daughter with regard to their individual teacher’s late policy. Also, we want to encourage your child to communicate with his/her teachers directly during academic help or at a time determined by the student and the teacher. This will help to resolve minor grade issues prior to them becoming bigger issues.

If you have been experiencing technology issues with regard to accessing your child’s grades, please feel free to contact us in the main office at 235-7551.

From the Principal - October 9, 2009

Students Race and WIN!
 
Last Saturday morning Peter Mack, Will Laffrey, Max Gale, Drew Koski and Emma Ammond (2nd year participant), and Jane Koski ran in the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute (GRAAHI) Rhythm Run.  Individual congratulations are extended to Peter Mack and Emma Ammond who won the race in their gender and age category. This group also came home with a trophy (displayed in the trophy case) and a $1,000 check written to the middle school. This group of students will be meeting with Mrs. Rupke, who organized the group, to decide how the money will be used. Congratulations to Mrs. Rupke and all the participants.  You are all winners!  Thanks for running for a great cause and representing our school so well.  Mark your calendars so you can participate in the walk/run next year!

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all EGR students, staff, and community members for supporting the Hearts of Gold campaign. In partnership with the Grand Rapids Christian School community, we raised over $91,000 to support the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

You have all made a difference!

Friendly Reminder

We are presently 4-1/2 weeks into the 1st marking period. Progress Reports can be viewed on line.

From the Principal - October 2, 2009

Dear Parent/Guardian:

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the Michigan Educational Assessment Program commonly referred to as the MEAP tests, will be administered to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in the morning, during the weeks of October 13—22, 2009. If you would like to view a calendar of specific testing information, please access this “link.”

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/MEAP_Schedule_Fall_2009_through_Fall_2013_Revised_4-8-09_282525_7.pdf

The MEAP tests, which are mandated by the Michigan Department of Education, assess essential skill development in Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies. These tests are significant indicators of students’ progress in these areas.

During the two week testing schedule, we are asking students to be present with limited appointments and/or interruptions. It is imperative that students report to school promptly by 8:00 A.M., or alternate testing arrangements must be made. We will maintain a consistent, yet lighter, homework load to ensure our students are continuing their current learning process. In order to help students perform at their very best, please encourage them to have plenty of rest and a nutritional breakfast.

New changes to the MEAP for 2009:

* Only reading and math will be reported to the federal government in this and future years.

* The State of Michigan has also decided which days a student will complete their make-up testing should they be absent. Students may only test on designated “make-up” days.

* Assessments have been shortened to coincide with the new time line of testing.

Michigan school districts are required to adhere to a strict timeline for testing. Please assist us by avoiding appointments during the morning MEAP testing blocks (8:00 – 10:00). If you need further information regarding the MEAP testing, please feel free to call Lisa Healey, M.S. Counselor, or myself at 235-7551.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement of our students.

Sincerely,

J. Peter Stuursma

Principal

Parking Lot Safety!

FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS PLEASE READ AND ABIDE BY THE FOLLOWING DROP-OFFAND PICK-UP PROCEDURES:

1. Have your child “Drop-off ready” for a speedy exit from the vehicle to keep traffic moving smoothly.

2. Drop off beyond the curve or main entrance crosswalk, where there is a longer curb area which will help alleviate back ups onto Lake Drive.

3. Never drop off from the left lane. Students then must cut across the driveway and risk being hit by other cars pulling in.

4. Do not allow student to exit the vehicle into the center lane of traffic. Again, a very dangerous situation as other cars pull in or try to find a path to exit.

5. Do not park in the driveway during drop off or pick up times. It creates a very dangerous situation and slows the flow of traffic.

6. Remind your children to use the crosswalks and sidewalks. Cutting through the middle of the parking lot is not safe.

7. Please be conscientious of the designated handicap parking areas in our parking lot and driveway. These parking areas are needed for a number of our students.

Safety First!