56G News

Hello 56G Families,

As we head into the holiday season, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude and share a few important updates. Thank you to everyone who attended our recent parent-teacher conferences. Your active participation and commitment to discussing your student's progress are invaluable to their success. We appreciate your partnership so we can help our students to thrive on their educational journey at 56G!

A Heartfelt Thanks for Your Generosity

We are overwhelmed by the incredible generosity shown during our recent canned food drive. Thanks to your enthusiastic donations, we have collected a significant amount of food that will directly support local families through our partnership with Hand2Hand. We are so fortunate to live in such a supportive, giving community. 56G will be collecting food items until Tuesday, November 25th. When we return from break, we will announce the top donating class that wins the pizza party donated by our fabulous PTC.

Tutoring for Sixth Grade Students

We are excited to announce that we will be offering after school tutoring for our sixth grade students again this year. Tutoring will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:50 - 3:20 in room 602. This is drop-in tutoring meaning that students can come when they need additional support with any class that they are currently taking; they are not required to attend every session. Transportation will not be provided for students participating in after school tutoring this year. Students will need to bring their homework with them to the session. Parents/guardians will need to sign their student up every Monday for the tutoring sessions being offered that week. To secure a spot, please fill out this google form by noon on Mondays. The first session is on Monday, December 1st.

Currently, we are planning and preparing for tutoring for fifth grade students. More information about fifth grade tutoring will come out in January.

Wishing You a Wonderful Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching. We wish all of our families a safe, restful, and relaxing holiday filled with joy and time spent with loved ones. School will be closed from Wednesday, November 26 - November 28.

Thank you once again for your partnership and dedication to our school community.

We are looking forward to offering tutoring to our sixth grade students again this year. Tutoring will look a little different from fifth grade as it is open to all students that would like organization and homework help. Tutoring will take place Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 2:50 - 3:20. This is drop-in tutoring meaning that students can come when they need additional support; they are not required to attend every session. Parents/guardians will need to sign their student up every Monday for the tutoring sessions being offered that week. Transportation will not be provided for students participating in tutoring this year. Tutoring will take place in Room 602! Tutoring will run for 14 weeks. To secure a spot, please fill out this google form by noon on Mondays. Tutoring will begin on Monday, December 1, 2025.

NOTE: Fifth grade tutoring will not begin until the beginning of February. More information will be coming soon.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Supporting Your 6th Grader: A Lesson on Developing Coping Skills

Hi 56G families! This month, I am visiting 6th-grade classrooms to teach a lesson on coping skills; the essential tools kids need to handle stress, worry, and all of life's big emotions.

What Your Student is Learning:

The lesson focuses on identifying, understanding, and practicing coping skills, which are essential for students to feel better, learn more effectively, and achieve better outcomes. They are learning that coping skills fall into four main categories:

1. Relaxation: Tools to calm the body and mind (like taking deep breaths or moving their body).

2. Self-Talk: Using positive statements to manage thoughts ("I can do hard things," "This feeling will pass").

3. Distraction: Giving the brain a healthy break from what is upsetting them (like listening to music or noticing five things of a certain color in a room).

4. Problem-Solving: Skills to change a difficult situation itself (like asking for help or thinking through options).

Students participated in an activity called "Ask and Switch" to discuss and practice using these tools in real-life situations. This exercise illustrates the positive effects of implementing a coping tool compared to not using one.

How You Can Help at Home:

Ask your 6th grader about their favorite coping tool! Encouraging them to practice these skills at home reinforces the lesson and helps them build lifelong habits for Self-Awareness and Self-Management. Let's work together to make sure every student has a full "toolkit!”

Holiday Gifts from Artsonia are available! The holidays are approaching! Artsonia keepsakes with your child’s artwork imprinted make wonderful gifts for loved ones.

Popular gift options include:

Cards, Ornaments, Mugs, T-Shirts, Magnets, Jewelry

Holiday shipping deadlines are December 15th for standard delivery service and December 20th for Express delivery service.

Contact info@artsonia.com or (800) 869-9974 with any questions. Here is a link to the 56G Artsonia page!

Thank you!

Mrs. Seitz, Art Teacher, jseitz@hpseagles.net

We are excited to offer a yearbook design contest to our 6th grade students!

• Your design should be on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of plain white paper (not notebook paper).

• The cover must say “The 5/6 Building at Georgetown” with the year 2025-2026 on it.

• The entry must be an original artwork of a current 5/6G 6th grade student.

• Make sure your name is on the back of your entry.

• Please keep drawings, colors and or images ¼ inch from all edges.

• Drawings are due no later than December 5.

• The 5/6G Staff will vote on the winning designs for the front and back of the yearbook.

We will have a front and back cover winner and each will receive a free yearbook.

Designs are due to the office by Friday, December 5.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we will once again be collecting non-perishable food items for Hand 2 Hand. This valuable opportunity helps our students express their own gratitude for what they have by giving to others. It is also an opportunity for homeroom classes to earn a pizza party by collecting the most food.

We will be collecting non-perishable items from Monday, November 17 through Tuesday, November 25. Students will turn in items to their homeroom teacher (3rd period for 6th graders). The winning classroom will win a pizza party funded by PTC.

• 25-26 HPS Student Calendar. Here you will find vacation days, early release dates and parent-teacher conference dates. Please note: 56G will follow the middle school schedule for Parent-Teacher Conferences.

• You can find all 56G events linked here.

The 2025-26 Wesco Buckets have arrived! Please fill out the form to place your order and submit your payment via Venmo. All paid orders will be delivered within 2 weeks to the school for your student to bring home - be sure to include your student's name in your Venmo payment. These buckets are refillable at any of 55 Wesco locations in Michigan from now until 12/31/2026. Thank you for your support!

Order Form: https://forms.gle/bFRdvcwD3uh1yo4D6

Payment Link: https://www.venmo.com/u/Hudsonville_56GPTC

We’re heading to Cannonsburg!!

Have a child in the Hudsonville Public School system in grades K-8th? We are excited to share the details for the 2025-2026 Hudsonville Ski & Board Club season. We will be using the Cannonsburg Punch Card Program, which offers fantastic discounted lift tickets, rentals, and lessons for our students and parents! We strongly encourage all club participants to take advantage of this offer. Students in grades 6th to 8th will be able to ride a bus to the slopes on Monday, January 12 and February 2 for $5 each date from 4 to 10 pm..

HOW IT WORKS:

When your child visits Cannonsburg, they will simply bring their punch card to the ticket office to get their card punched and receive a lift ticket for the day. These punch cards can be used ANY DAY of the week, and there are ZERO blackout days!

Parents may purchase an 11+ punch card option for themselves when purchasing one for their child.

Crucial Step During Purchase:

When purchasing, please enter Roger Zuidema as the sponsor and Hudsonville Public Schools K-8 as the school name.

For complete information, visit:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lJGn2bDWer7dxEr4IMk7Fceo0sLSl370d98oYwHkICI/edit?usp=sharing

Change in Transportation Home At the End of the School Day

If your child is going to have a change in transportation home at the end of the school day, please contact the main office to let them know of the change prior to 2:00 p.m. We want to ensure that the classroom teachers are notified in a timely fashion prior to end of day dismissal procedures.

The HPS criminal background check is required for all school volunteers. In order to complete this request, we ask that you fill out this volunteer form at least 48 hours prior to volunteering. Once your request is submitted, all Volunteer status updates (Approval, Denial or Limited Access Approval) will be sent directly to the building you have selected to volunteer in.

The Hudsonville Public School District has the right to approve or deny your request if your background check does not meet the standards of HPS Board Policy.

If you have any questions regarding the Volunteer Background Check process, please contact Dwight Sneden dhoffman@hpseagles.net.

We greatly appreciate your support and willingness to volunteer for Hudsonville Public Schools. Go Eagles!

• If your student will not be attending school due to illness or other reasons, please call the office before 8:15 am. Students who are not called in by a parent/guardian will be marked with an unexcused absence.

• If your student will be late, arriving after 7:50 am, please call the office in the morning. Any students arriving after 7:50 am must be signed in by a parent/guardian.

• Planned absences of more than 3 days require a vacation request form to be filled out. Forms can be picked up in the office or emailed to you. Please turn in vacation request forms at least 5 days prior to the planned absence.

• Visit Our Website: Our school website will be updated on a regular basis as it will be the main source of information for our parents and community members.

• School Messenger: Regular communication from school messenger will be sent out via email, phone calls, or text messages to keep you in the loop on what is taking place at 56G!
  

• Social Media: Follow our story by liking us on...

• Facebook: Like us on Facebook-facebook.com/56Georgetown

• Instagram: Like us on Instagram @56georgetown.

Website: https://www.hudsonvillepublicschools.org/5-6-building-georgetown/index
Location: 8175 36th Avenue, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Phone: 616-272-7100
Facebook: facebook.com/56Georgetown