Larson Elementary School

Dear Larson Elementary Families,

Winter weather is here, and we need your help to keep the children warm and safe! Please make sure your child comes to school each day with winter-appropriate clothing, including a warm coat, gloves, a hat, and boots if there’s snow. Students will go outside for recess as long as the windchill is 10 degrees or higher, so having the right gear is important for staying comfortable.

With winter weather also comes the possibility of snow days. If school is canceled due to inclement weather, the district will notify families through an SMS text message and an auto-call. We also post closures on the district Facebook page and share the information with local television stations. Please make sure your contact information is up to date so you don’t miss these important updates.

Lastly, a quick reminder: report cards are coming home today! Take some time to review your child’s progress and celebrate their hard work this quarter. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Thank you for all you do to support our school community. Stay warm!

Andrea J. Andera, Ed.S

Principal

Here are some things on the horizon at Larson Elementary:

• January 29th - Half Day for Students (dismissal is 11:40)
• February 7th - NO SCHOOL (teacher professional learning day)
• February 10 - NO SCHOOL for students or staff
• February 15 - Beyond the Books Sweetheart Dance
• February 26th - Author Visit / Reading Month Kick-Off Event
• February 24-28: Scholastic Book Fair at Larson

Harrison Community Schools is excited to introduce Deputy Jimmy Chinavare as our new School Resource Officer! Deputy Chinavare joins us through a longstanding collaboration with the Clare County Sheriff’s Department and will be a valuable addition to our school community.

As our SRO, Deputy Chinavare will focus on building positive relationships with students and staff, providing a safe and secure learning environment, and supporting our schools in any way he can. Whether greeting students in the morning, presenting safety programs, or being a friendly, approachable presence throughout the school day, Deputy Chinavare is here to help make our schools even better.

Please join us in giving a warm Harrison welcome to Deputy Chinavare!

Over the last few weeks, all of our students took the NWEA MAP Growth test in both reading and math. The NWEA is a nationally recognized assessment that helps us understand how students are progressing academically. It’s an adaptive test, meaning the questions adjust based on your child’s responses to provide a detailed picture of their strengths and areas for growth.

Now that the testing window has closed, you’ll receive a report with your child’s RIT scores. These scores show their current performance and can be compared to national norms to see how they’re progressing compared to students across the country. You can also use the scores to track growth over time.

To learn more about how to interpret NWEA scores, you can view the NWEA Norms Chart, pictured below. If you have questions about your child’s results, don’t hesitate to reach out to their teacher.

Thank you for supporting your child’s growth!

Click the picture for more information from NWEA on MAP Normative Data

Our Larson library runs on volunteer support! We need folks to help kids check out books, and reshelve our books. We use an online scanning system so it's pretty easy! We would need a background check on file! The library is open daily, so we will take all of the help we can get! Call or stop in if you are interested. We are so thankful for our amazing volunteers!

SCHOOL STARTS AT 8:00am

Arrival - doors open at 7:30. There is no supervision for students before 7:30; please stay with your children. DO NOT let children out in the middle of the driveway to cut in front of traffic. Pull over to the curb when children are exiting. Safety is a priority for all.

When arriving in the traffic loop in front of the building, please pull up as far as you can (up to the flag pole) so we can accommodate as many cars as possible in the loop.

Dismissal begins at 3:05. Please line up in the traffic line. Avoid Spruce Street and line up down Hornet Drive. Having trouble with SDM? Give us a call, we are happy to help. Our dismissal procedure safely dismisses approximately 600 students in a 15 minute window of time! Thank you for your cooperation and kindness as we continue to strengthen procedures.

Building opens at 7:30 for latchkey.

Phone Number: 989-539-3259

Principal: Andrea Andera

Assistant Principal: Sandy Hargraves

School Secretaries: Tina Holley & Carol Mason