Hopkins Elementary School Good News

Each week, we’ll hold a friendly competition to see which class has the highest attendance rate. The winning class will earn the honor of displaying our Viking Helmet for the week! At the end of each trimester, we’ll celebrate the class with the best overall attendance with a classroom party and crown them as our Attendance Champions.

Check out our winners so far below!

• 10/13 - 3 Way Tie! Mr. Bolen/Ms. Rioux/Mrs. Merren classes - 98.4%!
• 10/6 - Mrs. Evan's Class (3rd) - 99% Attendance!
• 9/29 - Mrs. Stegenga's Class (2nd) - 98.3% Attendance!
• 9/22 - Mrs. Cribley's Class (4th) - 98.2% Attendance!
• 9/15 - Mrs. Hall's Class (K) - 100% Attendance!

Our school BOOK FAIR will be open during school hours next Monday through Thursday and during conferences Tuesday and Thursday evening. Students can bring money to school to shop during their school day and/or can shop with you during conferences! Reach out to your child's teacher if you have any questions about shopping at school.

Self-Direct is our CKH Leadworthy trait for the month of October. In the last couple weeks of October, teachers will pick one student who has shown they are taking steps to become a self-directed leader.

What does it mean to Self-Direct?

Self-Direction is the ability and learned skill to cast a vision of future goals and then take intentional steps toward who, where, and what we want to be. Instead of focusing on things to control or avoid, we emphasize our responsibility to make positive choices related to our emotions, attitudes, and actions.

We're in need of substitute teachers and paraprofessionals! If you are interested, you can apply at EduStaff.org and list Hopkins Public Schools as a preferred school. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Andrew Mains at andrmain@hpsvikings.org

We're looking for adult mentors who would willing to come to HES and meet with students 1-2 times a week (time can vary). Mentors can work on academics with the students or just spend time getting to know students and helping them socially. If you are interested, or know someone who may be, please have them reach out to Rachel Gates at rachgate@hpsvikings.org

Over the past few years, Hopkins Public Schools has partnered with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office to have a School Resource Officer (SRO) on campus. Deputy Keefauver has proudly served in this role throughout this time. With new families joining Hopkins Elementary School, I wanted to take a moment to explain what the SRO position entails and its purpose.

Throughout the school year, your child may come home sharing stories about their experiences with Deputy K. From fun events like Silly Sock Day with 1st grade last week, to giving away bicycle helmets, reading to classes during March is Reading Month, and even seeing her at sporting events — Deputy K is an active and positive presence in our school community.

A School Resource Officer (SRO) is a certified, sworn law enforcement officer who is specially trained to work within a school setting. The role combines elements of law enforcement, education, counseling, and emergency management to help create a safe and supportive school environment. SROs work closely with school staff and use a community policing approach to build relationships with students, teach them about safety, the legal system, and responsible citizenship, while also handling security and emergency preparedness.

In the next few weeks, Hopkins Elementary School teachers will begin completing a universal screening for all students. This assessment is a Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS-IE). This will be completed three times a year to help identify students who may be at risk for additional social, emotional, or behavior needs.

Universal screening is the systematic assessment of all students on academic, behavior, and social-emotional indicators for the purpose of identifying students who are at-risk, and may require support that varies in terms of level, intensity and duration. Screening is a key component of prevention efforts. This is similar to universal screening for vision and hearing. Numerous school districts across the country implement universal screening, most commonly in the area of reading.

If you would like more information, you can review this document. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

For anyone attending a field trip or volunteering in the school building. An iChat background check is required by Hopkins Public Schools. You can complete this (or send it to a family member attending - grandma/grandpa, uncle/aunt) by clicking on this link.

Youth hunt is this weekend

Are your youth hunters signed up for the Big Buck Contest?

We have a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for youth along with 1st, 2nd and 3rd for adults and the biggest buck overall

Questions- email hopkinsbigbucknight@gmail.com

or call 616-292-3069

• If you would like our office to keep over the counter medications in the office. We need this form completed by the family. For these types of medications (ibuprofen, Tylenol, topical ointments), we do not need a physician to sign off. These need to be an unopened/brand new bottle. https://www.hpsvikings.org/wp-content/uploads/fm5330-f1a-Permission-Form-for-Non-Prescription-Medication-revised-5-26-2023.pdf
• If our office is required to dispense prescribed medications or treatments, we will need this form completed, which requires a physician's signature: https://www.hpsvikings.org/wp-content/uploads/fm5330-f1-Permission-Form-for-Prescribed-Medication-revised-5-26-2023.pdf
• Our offices do not keep a supply of medications in the office to hand out (ibuprofen, Tylenol, allergy medicine). If you child needs these, you will need to fill out the first form and bring in a brand new, not opened, not expired bottle for us to use only for your child.
• We did not keep any of the medications from 24-25.

FinalForms should be updated every year! Remember it has your contact information in it and we know things change over the course of the summer.

Please take a few minutes to make those changes so we have everything we need for your child!

You can access FinalForms by selecting this link.

The District shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other legally protected category in its programs and activities, including employment. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and shall likewise not be permitted with respect to students or employees. The District shall not retaliate against a person who reports or opposes improper discrimination or retaliation. The District shall fully comply with all applicable federal and state civil rights statutes, including, without limitation, Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.