Park Newsletter

Happy Half Day Friday!

This May, our display case outside of the new library will be completed, just in time for us to leave school for the summer. I'd love the opportunity to start the school year and our open house next Fall with some of our amazing Park Students on display! Here's how you can help:

If you're willing, would you send a picture of your Park student doing something that Sparks Joy for them? Please send the picture in a 4x6 or 5x7 frame that stands on it's own. No need to buy anything new - just grab a frame you have laying around, or construct a cardboard easel out of a cereal box. (The internet will teach you how!). You will receive these pictures and frames back to you, but not until next year, so please don't send a precious, "only copy" photo or frame to school.

Some examples might be a picture of your child at the beach, holding a favorite stuffed animal, or doing a favorite activity. It might even be the same photograph you sent for our beginning of the year "Spark Joy" project currently hanging on the wall! Have your child bring it to my office, or give to their teacher to deliver to me. I'll collect them and get them on display for next Fall!

Thanks for being willing to help out with this fun project!

Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend,

Mrs. Stefanich

Music students have been studying square dancing for the last few weeks. This teaches timing, focus, following directions, gentleness, kindness and teamwork while keeping the beat and staying with the music. Soon we will be playing Music Olympics, games that review music concepts, pitch, rhythm, movement, and instrument families.

Fourth Grade students will be taking a field trip to Muskegon and the Frauenthal Theater for Linkup with the West Michigan Symphony on Tuesday, May 13. This concert is a great opportunity for students to listen, sing and perform recorder with a professional orchestra. A note was recently sent home with all of the details. Click Here to view the note.

For a more detailed Music Update by Grade Level click HERE

It is my pleasure to teach music to your children. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Warmly,

Mr. Aaron Bouwman; abouwma@hpseagles.net

• Fri. May 9 Early Release 12:15PM

• Wed. May 14 Parent Club Meeting 9AM

• Fri. June 6 Early Release 12:15PM LAST DAY of SCHOOL!

M-Step Testing Dates

3rd Grade:

ELA Testing: May 13, 14, and 15 in the mornings

We are looking for a few aides for next year. If you think you may be interested in working one or more of these positions feel free to reach out to the office. It is a great opportunity to spend time with our amazing staff and students. Office: 616-669-1970

PreK/Kindergarten Enrollment Information 2025-2026 School Year

Welcome to Hudsonville Public Schools. We are thrilled you have chosen HPS as the destination for your child’s education. We value parent partnership immensely, and we are excited to begin the journey of education with you and your child.

Step 1 - Enroll online

Online registration for prekindergarten and kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year will be available on our website (www.hudsonvillepublicschools.org) beginning on January 13, 2025. To be eligible, children must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2025.

When you are completing the online registration, you will be required to upload the following documents. Please refer to the Enrollment tab for more details.

❏ Original birth certificate with raised seal

❏ Photo ID of parent or guardian registering student

❏ Proof of residency (i.e. utility bill, tax statement, house buy/sell agreement, lease agreement)

❏ Health Appraisal Form which includes dates of immunizations and vision/hearing testing (due by August 15, 2025)

❏ Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (completed within six months of the first day of school). CLICK HERE to download the form for your dental office to complete or attend one of the Ottawa County Health Department clinics to be held within the district. CLICK HERE for a flyer with dates and location.

Placement Preference

The online registration will include a place for parents to indicate their PreK/K placement preference. Final placement determinations will be made after Step 3, Kindergarten Screening Process, noted below.

North and south elementary school PreK locations will be determined prior to the start of the school year.

Oral Health assessment was new this year for the State of Michigan along with a Health Assessment an Oral is Health assessment is also required for your child to enter school. Please see scheduled clinic times in the letter below for your convenience.

Join us again every Friday morning at the Hudsonville Library before 8:20 am if you want to join us! For safety reasons, please remind your child(ren) not to pass the grown up who is leading the bike bus. It’s super important to stay behind the leader in the yellow vest! Also, please make sure to communicate with the office and teacher if you change your usual routine and ride bikes home after school.

Like our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/ParkParentsClub

Open House:

Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Early Childhood Center, 5535 School Ave. (main entrance off Madison Ave.)

This is a chance to gather information about our programs, meet staff, and visit the Early Childhood Center. There is no formal presentation and children are welcome.

Programs:

• 3 Year Old Preschool

• 4 Year Old Preschool, including 4 Year Old “PreK for All” FREE Preschool

• Before/After School Care

• Summer Care

Online Registration:

Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.

Registration link at hudsonvillepublicschools.org under “Schools/Early Childhood Center”

A $50 fee per child is due if enrolling in a tuition-based program.

For more information, please email eccoffice@hpseagles.net or call the Early Childhood office at 616-797-0842, ext. 1.

The Annual Education Report (AER) is designed to meet state and federal requirements for reporting to parents and communities. The report provides detailed data on state administered student assessment results, accountability results, teacher qualification information, and the state results for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Parents and the community can access AER information for the district and individual schools by clicking

on the Annual Education Report tab on our website. If you have any questions regarding the AER information, please contact your child’s building principal.

See the new opportunities! Summer Brochure

Hi, my name is Glenn Weber and I'm a first grade teacher here at Park. I will be providing tutoring services for students this summer. If you are interested in having your child receive tutoring support, please reach out to me. Here is my email address and phone number...

gweber@hpseagles.net

616-822-6209

Hunger does not take a break in the summer! Summer EBT is now called SUN Bucks, and is again available to children who have an APPROVED Education Benefits form (formerly called the Free-Reduced Meal Benefit Application). A household can receive $40 per month per child in June, July, and August 2025 (for a total of $120 per child). Benefits will come in the form of preloaded cards that families can use to purchase groceries.

Summer EBT benefits will be issued to students who have a completed and approved Application for Meal Benefits. Apply by April 15, 2025, to be eligible for the first issuance of benefits in May. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until August 31, 2025.

If you already have an approved application, automatically receive Free or Reduced Meal Benefits, or already receive EBT Benefits, you do NOT need to re-apply.

Completion of the form does not automatically qualify your student for the summer benefits. These benefits will be based on annual incomes and household size as noted by you on the form.

If your address has changed this year, be sure to update it with your school to ensure your benefit card is sent to the right address.

This WILL NOT impact your student receiving free breakfast and lunch at school.

Click HERE for Income Guidelines to see if you might qualify.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR BENEFITS!

If you have any questions, please contact Food Service at foodservice@hpseagles.net or 616-457-2400.

Parents, please review our district wide Student/Parent Elementary Handbook. This is new this year and is full of great information that may answer many questions. Please take a look and let me know if you have any specific questions regarding this handbook. Some notable items are listed below:

• Student dress code prohibits clothing promoting alcohol, violence, etc. Additionally, dress code prohibits bare midriffs, sides, or backs.
• Cell phones and smart watches are not allowed at school. They need to be powered down and in backpacks during school hours.

• School begins at 8:45 a.m.

• Parent drop off: no earlier than 8:35 a.m.

• School ends at 3:45 p.m.

• Office hours: 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Did you know that we accept doctors notes when your child returns from an appointment? If your child has an extended illness or attends an appointment and the absence is accompanied by a doctors note the absence will not be flagged as truant. Under Hudsonville Pubic School guidelines if a student is above a 10% ratio of absences at any point during the school year a truancy (attendance) letter will be sent home. A doctors note makes it so the absence is not counted as part of that 10%.

In order to receive text messages from Park and HPS, you will need to Opt-in. Please see this link to Opt-in to text messages so you don't miss any important information.

How do recipients opt-in to receive text messages?

1. Text “YES” to 68453 from each phone or device from which they wish to receive texts.
2. Confirm that your phone is on file at your school

How do recipients opt-out of receiving text messages?

Recipients not wishing to receive text messages to a particular number can simply do one of the following:

1. Don’t opt-in, and don’t reply to the opt-in invitation message.
2. Text “STOP” to 68453 at any time.
3. Opt out online at http://schoolmessenger.com/txtmsg
4. Request that the SchoolMessenger system administrator adds the number to the account’s phone number block list.