During this season of giving, I wanted to share the impact our Giving Tree Program has on the students and families in our district each year.
Through partnerships with the Fenton Kiwanis and Fenton Area Resource and Recovery (FARR), we were able to support more than 60 families last year. This year we have already identified 37 families needing support.
How does it work?
- Families in need are identified by each building.
- Families are contacted and asked if they would like to participate.
- Canned goods, non-perishable food items, and toiletry items are collected in the buildings and during special events.
- FARR donates canned goods back to the district through their Stuff the Bus program.
- Kiwanis donates perishable food items for each family such as, turkey, bread, potatoes, butter, and milk.
- Private donations are made to our giving tree funds.
- We utilize Change for Kids funding from State Bank to support the Giving Tree.
- Donations from staff are used to provide a gift for each child in the family. Each child typically receives a gift of something they need (socks, underwear, t-shirts, jacket) and an item they would like to have (limit of $30 on this item).
- Each family receives at least one box of canned goods and other non-perishable food items, a large bottle of detergent, toilet paper, a turkey, bread, potatoes, butter, milk, and gifts for the children.
We need your help. Please consider making a donation. This effort is truly about supporting our Lake Fenton Students and Families.
Contacts for this program:
West Shore: Alexis Harmon
Torrey Hill: Reshanda Terry
Middle School: Kari Schweigert
High School: Amanda Jarrett
District: Terry Zalewski
As we enjoy another winter in Michigan, I thought it would be helpful to share some snow and cold day protocols with our families.
For the majority of cancellations made due to poor road conditions, we begin checking roads at 4:30 a.m. I know this may seem early, but we need to make a final decision by 5:30 a.m. We have buses which depart the school as early as 6:00 a.m., we have parents dropping students off to Kids Club by 6:00 a.m. and we have staff and students leaving home to get to school. In addition, I want to give families as much time as possible to make alternate plans for child care. I know there have been times when the road conditions have changed drastically between the 5:30 a.m. threshold and the start of school, better in some instances and worse in others, but when we are making the decision it is based on the conditions at the time.
As far as closures due to extreme temperatures, we consider cancellations when wind chills are at -20 and below. We do not typically cancel on a weather prediction, as we all know this is Michigan and things can change overnight.
As we are checking roads or monitoring temperatures, I am in constant communication with the other superintendents in our county. We are each evaluating the road conditions/temperatures in our area and sharing our thoughts on the best course of action. Each district has unique circumstances to consider and their needs may be very different from ours.
As you can see, it is not a perfect science but the process has evolved and improved over the years. We continue to make safety a top priority when making these decisions. If at any time you do not feel it is safe for your child to travel to school due to the road conditions, the final decision to send them ultimately remains with you.
Thank you in advance for your patience as we work through another winter in Michigan.
The Future of Education
We are committed to preparing our students for a world that is constantly evolving. At the heart of this mission is our belief in the power of partnership with parents like you. Your insights and feedback are invaluable as we shape the programs, resources, and opportunities that will guide our students toward success. Together, we can create an environment that fosters innovation, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning. We invite you to share your thoughts and ideas as we continue to build a future-ready education system for all our children. Please join us for a round-table discussion focusing on the Future of Education in Lake Fenton.
