Woodbridge News

We have a good collection of student bikes on our bike rack - what a beautiful fall to have ridden a bike to school!
As the weather changes, please make a plan to pick up your student's bike from the bike rack before Thanksgiving Break. Bikes that remain on the rack in December will be donated.

Nov 19

Popcorn Day - sponsored by Zero Gravity Ministries

To help with popcorn, please sign up here

Nov 25-27

No School - Thanksgiving Break

Dec 11

Half Day of School - 11:55am Dismissal

Dec 21-Jan 1

Christmas Break

We have added some cozy items to our online Woodbridge Store! Check it out for hats, blankets, sweats, and more!

All items are custom made and produced in scheduled batches. Orders are delivered directly to the school office twice per month, on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday. Once your order arrives, a school representative will reach out with

pickup details so you know when it’s ready.

To guarantee delivery by Dec 2nd, place your order no later than Nov 13th.

To guarantee delivery by Dec 16th (our last week of school before Christmas Break!), place your order no later than Dec 1st.

Click here for our store.

We all know that Michigan has very unpredictable weather. Please be sure your child is ready for the changes. Students will be outside for two recesses a day and they should be prepared with coats, hats and footwear that are appropriate.

• We do expect that children will go outside during recess periods, unless the temperature is an actual 10 or the wind chill is –10.

• Being dressed appropriately makes the recess periods a pleasant time to get some fresh air and “recharge the batteries” for another round of classroom learning.

• Our policy states that we believe it is very important that students have their outside recess time. There might be an unusual situation where a student needs to stay inside, but being outside does not cause illness.

• When considering a request to allow a student to stay in for health reasons, please consider whether your child should really be in school or not. It might be better to stay home to avoid spreading the illness to other students.

Our winter forecast for this year appears to be a mild and dry one.

ZPS weather updates can be found:

Online: zps.org ALERTS Box

facebook.com/zpsfuture

twitter.com/zeelandschools

TV: WOOD TV 8

WZZM TV 13

WWMT TV 3

Radio: WHTC 1450 AM

WOOD 1300 AM

WWJQ 99.3 FM

WGHN 92.1

Phone: (616)748-3040

School cancellations are broadcast as soon as possible in a district-wide email and through SchoolMessenger, a free text notification service available to staff and families at ZPS. You can subscribe to this service by texting “Y” to text short code “67587”. We will continue to broadcast school closings on TV networks and through the school website.

Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. It was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks. The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute toys as Christmas gifts to the children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

To request a toy(s) please fill out this form by Monday, November 30. Please fill out one form/child.

Unwrapped toys will be available for pick up at Harley Davidson of Grand Rapids, 2977 Corporate Grove Dr, Hudsonville, MI 49426 on Saturday December 19th.

Pick up times and any other communication will come to your email from Harley Davidson of Grand Rapids Toys for Tots representatives.

* this holiday project is sponsored by Grand Rapids Harley Davidson and is not affiliated with Zeeland Public Schools.

Tuesday, November 24: Turkey Bowl

Friday, January 15: PTO Meeting at 8:40am in the Media Center

Tuesday, January 19: PTO Meeting at 7:00pm in the Media Center

Tuesday, January 26: Skating Party at Terry Hall Roller Rink

Thursday, March 4: Family Fun Night

Thursday, April 29-May 1: Food Drive

Monday, May 3-May 7: Staff Appreciation Week

Monday, June 7: School Picnic

Thursday, June 10: Field Day

STAY CONNECTED

Visit our website and Facebook for updates, volunteer opportunities, and the PTO calendar.

Questions? Email the PTO at pto.woodbridge@gmail.com.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We would like to offer your student the opportunity to participate in a program called "Hand2Hand". This program helps provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who currently may be experiencing a financial burden.

Here's how it works: At the end of each week, students who are signed up for Hand2Hand will receive a minimum of 10 food items in a bag. These food items will be a combination of breakfast, snacks, and lunch or dinner items. There is no cost to participate! If you sign your student up to receive Hand2Hand, they will continue to receive the weekend bag of food each week throughout the school year. Bags will be discreetly delivered to your child at school.

If you feel like your child would benefit from this opportunity, please complete this form. (You will need to complete one form for each of your children.) If there comes a point when you no longer need the assistance, alert your school office. It will take at least two weeks to receive your first bag. If you do not receive a bag, please contact your school office.

(Please note: if your student or another family member has food allergies, it will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian to check the contents of the bag each week to ensure the food doesn't contain ingredients which could cause an allergic reaction).

We are looking for volunteers to help our friends from Zero Gravity to pop popcorn for our students. We have popcorn days 6 or so times a year and volunteers are needed from 8-9:30am.

Please use this link to sign up.

Thank you!

Absences

If your child is not going to be in school, please call the attendance line (616-748-3410). Be sure to clearly speak your child’s name, grade, teacher, and the reason for the absence. If your child is sick please leave a description of their symptoms. We must track every student who is not in school. This is very important for the safety of our students. Often we spend a lot of time on the phone trying to reach a parent whose child is absent.

Late Arrivals

If your child will be arriving late, please call the attendance line (616-748-3410) to let us know that they will be arriving late. If your student needs a lunch, please let us know their lunch choice (A or B or bringing from home) on the attendance line. The menu is linked in every Newsletter for your benefit. We are unable to order lunch for your child unless you request one before 9am. If we do not hear from you, we plan that you are providing lunch from home.

This video is an oldie but goodie! We ask that you review this video to help keep our drop-off and pick-up lines moving safely and swiftly.

If you are dropping off or picking up students, please pull all the way forward. This allows for more vehicles.

Do not allow your student to exit or enter your vehicle until you are next to the sidewalk. Students should only enter or exit your vehicle from the sidewalk. If you are in the parent pick up line, please DO NOT leave your vehicle unattended or park in the pick-up line.

Please DO NOT drop off or park in the bus loop!

If your student needs help getting in and out of your vehicle, please park in the parking lot and walk them to the sidewalk.

ZPS is committed to providing a safe environment for our children to learn. This year, we will continue to use a visitor/volunteer sign-in program called Raptor. This system will help us accurately and efficiently screen all visitors and volunteers in our schools, providing us with a safer environment for our students and staff.

Below is the information regarding our new security system, including what is needed from you to complete a background check and what to look forward to when coming to volunteer in a classroom or chaperone a field trip! We are excited about the new system and the updated level of security. Please note that if you do not complete the background check form (linked below) at least 3 business days before an event at Woodbridge, you will be turned away. In addition, if you do not have your state issued ID upon arrival for the event, you will be turned away. We do not have the capacity to run emergency background checks like we have done in previous years, and the only way to sign into the system is with your state issued ID. We do not want any sad kids because mom, dad, grandma, uncle, etc. could not attend the event they were hoping to, so PLEASE fill the form out IMMEDIATELY, do not wait! Please read ALL of the information below before clicking on the background check link!

Complete the form from the link below (this will be a ONE TIME A YEAR form to fill out; no username and no password needed!). The information you enter on the application must match your government-issued identification card including your full legal name.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1pA5N5xzvUL7QweO1C_kceWP2kCrsEZaC4-jrW_PWE3s/viewform?ts=66c75165&edit_requested=true

On the day of your volunteer opportunity, you will need to bring a government-issued ID and scan it into the Raptor Visitor system prior to entry (this is EVERY TIME YOU come to volunteer).

Thank you for your willingness to support the students in our schools and help maintain a safe learning environment.

Get ready to smile as our talented middle school students bring the heartwarming classic Annie Jr. to life! This family-friendly production is packed with your favorite unforgettable songs, high-energy choreography, and a timeless story of optimism and determination. Grab your family, friends, and neighbors, and join us for an evening of pure joy and wonderful entertainment—because after all, the sun will come tomorrow!

One of the key goals in our ZPS Strategic Plan is creating schools where every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn. To help us get there, we’re asking families, staff, and students to take a few minutes to complete our School Climate & Culture Survey.

Your feedback helps us celebrate what’s going well and focus on areas that need attention. Thank you for your partnership and continued support of Zeeland Public Schools.

Your feedback provides us with valuable information. Please note that one survey will need to be completed per building your child(ren) attends.

Hope College wants to welcome your students to this year's Family Math Fun Festival! The festival features a wide variety of interactive low-floor, high-ceiling tasks that will engage families in creative problem solving that won't even feel like mathematics! They'll also be giving away goody bags to all participants containing math games for continued practice at home.This year's festival will be hosted at the Kruizenga Art Museum at Hope College and open to students in Grades 2-8 and their caregivers. It will be on Saturday, November 14, 2:00-4:00 PM.

School breakfast and lunch is free for all students. A student must take a complete meal in order for it to be free. Any student taking just a milk will be charged $0.60.

We are asking every family to complete the Education Benefits Form:

https://zeeland.familyportal.cloud/benefits/onlyapplying. Your child or family might qualify for some extra services, including reduced cost Zeeland Recreation activities or classes. Thanks for your help!

Zeeland Public Schools is committed to ensuring all students have access to nutritious meals through the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs.

To learn more, please visit this link - email questions to Director of Nutritional Services, Sarah Stone at sstone@zps.org

My Ride K-12 is our tracking system for ZPS busing.

Please download the My Ride K-12 app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to stay informed about your children's transportation schedule.

You will need the unique 8-digit student number that begins your child's email account (#201...). Most students have that memorized.

The information is also available in the Parent Portal. You may contact the school or transportation office to obtain that number too.

If you have not yet signed up for busing, please know that it may take up to a month to assign a bus route to your student.

Sign up using this form for busing - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeN8yTMiCvV85JYRmy7ydKb8CpO0SD1U5it2h1CfBlVVR5FtQ/viewform

As you may be aware - ZPS, along with several surrounding school districts is experiencing a shortage of school bus drivers. Please see the graphic on the steps to become one of our drivers. We love our school drivers and appreciate the ways they care for our students as they transport them to and from school each day!

Apply for open positions HERE