November 23rd - 25th - No School - Thanksgiving Break

December 5th - Highland Christmas Tree Lighting 7pm/Holiday Shop begins

December 6th - Early Release

December 12th - Book Fair Begins

Dear Shark Families,

Looks like we've made the leap into winter! Snow is here, and with that comes fun times on the playground! Please be sure that you are sending your child with proper outdoor clothing, as outdoor play is a part of our everyday learning. Even with light snow, boots are important because kids are outside long enough that regular shoes will get wet and be uncomfortable the rest of the day. For assistance, please see more information below.

The week ahead is a short one, followed by the end of November! Our winter holiday break will be here before we know it. We do have some fun things planned in the coming weeks. Next week we wrap up our Fun Run rewards with many staff members getting "pied" in the face! Thank you to our PTA for arranging this and to our staff for being good sports and participating.

The week of December 5th we have our Holiday Shop. More detailed information about specific times to shop will be coming from your child's teacher(s). The week of December 12th is our Scholastic Book Fair! It's always fun to check out new books.

As we head into Thanksgiving, I always focus on things for which I am thankful. I am grateful for and love our school community. The support from all of you, our families, is greatly appreciated. We have a relentlessly dedicated group of educators supporting all of our students. Spring Mills is a terrific place to be. Honestly, it feels like I've been here a lot longer than a year - in a good way!

Take care and have a warm, safe holiday next week!

Sarah Bentley, Principal

Spring Mills Elementary

Community service and citizenship are important pieces of being well-rounded individuals. As a grade level we try to spend time promoting community service and citizenship by giving back to our community at some point during the school. This year, with the help of Team LaFontaine, our fifth graders will make blankets for cancer patients. We will be spending an afternoon this week making 15-18 blankets that will be returned to Team LaFontaine and donated to those in need. Please check out the website, U Cancer Vive to learn more. https://ucancervive.com/about-ucancervive/

Temperatures are now colder here in Highland and that means it is time for Hats, Coats and maybe even Gloves. Please make sure your student(s) are dressed warmly for outside recess. They will go outside each day unless there is inclement weather. When your student is dressed appropriately for the weather, they have a comfortable and happy recess! Should you need help obtaining warm clothing for your student you can reach out to Community Sharing at 248-889-0347.

Some families have inquired about possibly purchasing robots like the ones we just received through a PTA grant. Please see purchasing information below.

For the safety and well-being of our students, Huron Valley Schools have a firm expectation when it comes to identifying the visitors we have inside the buildings. When you are coming in the building during instruction hours, you must ring into the office, show your ID and state the reason for your visit. Even if we have seen you several times and even if we know you very well, we are still required to ask you for your ID. We ask that you please be prepared with your identification each and every time you come in to the building during school hours. Please share this expectation with anyone on your student's emergency contact list. We appreciate your support of these requirements.

You can call our 24-HOUR ATTENDANCE LINE AT 248-684-8086 for all attendance related calls. Please state your child's first and last name and reason for absence.

Attendance is an important component in a student’s education. If we do not hear from you regarding your student's absence, it is our policy to call to verify your student’s absence.

ILLNESS

Please do not send your child back to school until they have been vomit-free, diarrhea-free, or fever-free for 24 hours.

EXTENDED ABSENCES AND VACATIONS

If your child(ren) will be absent for an extended period of time, please make sure to complete a pre-arranged absence form available from the office or on our website under Parent Resources.

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Together We Can, Together We Will!

Email: Sarah.Bentley@HVS.org
Website: https://www.hvs.org/o/springmills
Location: 3150 Harvey Lake Road, Highland Charter Township, MI, USA
Phone: 248-684-8130
Twitter: @_Springmills