Parsons Pirate Update

Dear Parsons Families,

What a fun Spirit Week! I'm excited to see all of your tonight at the Homecoming Parade at 5:00 pm and the Homecoming game at 7:00 pm. Just a reminder that students must be accompanied by an adult and must follow the expectations. Let's go Marauders! This coming week we have Count Day and our WatchDOG Kickoff.

Sincerely,

Sarah Aherne

Wednesday is Count Day across Michigan. This is a very important day for all public schools, including ours. On Count Day, the state records how many students are in attendance, and those numbers directly determine how much funding schools receive for the following year.

The fall Count Day accounts for the majority of our state funding, which means our student attendance on this day has a major impact on the resources, staffing, and programs we are able to provide for all children. Quite simply, every student counts! Please make every effort to have your child in school on Count Day.

WATCH D.O.G.S. is an innovative program being used by schools across America which helps them to be positively impacted by the committed involvement of fathers and father-figures in their student’s life. Our goal is to have you spend at least one day this year at the school to be a positive male role model and to provide an extra set of eyes and ears.

During your day as a WatchDOG, you will move from class to class. You may help students with assignments, work in a small group, help out at lunch, etc.

Our WatchDOG kickoff will be October 2nd from 6:00-7:00.

Here is the sign up link. Please do not sign up for more than two days.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084FADA92AABFBC07-57387418-watch

We are very excited to get this year's Parsons Mileage Club underway! There is much research that proves the great connection between exercise/movement and learning.

Mileage Club will start on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 and will run up until Tuesday, November 25, 2025. Eventually, Mileage Club will start back up again in Spring 2026. If it rains on Tuesdays, we will always have a raincheck day the following day on Wednesdays.

We invite students in grades 2nd through 5th to run/walk every Wednesday morning before school. Each Mileage Club morning is weather dependent, of course. If it is raining, or the weather is unsafe for runners to participate, that day's Mileage Club will be cancelled. Proper cold weather attire is recommended on days it is chilly. The course is the track located behind our school. Start time is 8:00 AM sharp. We will be on the route until the school doors open. Students will track their mileage each day they participate.

Here is the link to sign your child up! It is run by Mrs. Scheetz, Mr. Ziemba, and Ms. Fairris.

Calling all Parsons Pirates!

Help our community reduce water pollution and help our school win up to $1500! As a member of the Alliance of Downriver Watersheds, City of Gibraltar invites us to sign up for the Schools for Clean Water Contest running October 8th-October 22nd, 2025.

Schools that collect the most pledges win cash prizes they can use to purchase educational materials or support school projects! In the past we have won $250 for our school's PBIS clubs. However, first prize wins $1500! Let's do this!

Stay tuned! Visit SchoolsForCleanWater.org between Oct. 8th and Oct. 22nd to take the pledge to adopt a storm drain and assign it to Parsons.

We would love to celebrate your child's birthday at school with their friends! We understand that birthdays are a big deal and bring a lot of excitement. Many classrooms do special birthday cards and celebrations. However, there are a few guidelines we ask families to follow when bringing in items for their child's birthday. Please communicate with your child's teacher if you plan to bring goodies for their classroom. This will help to ensure teachers are aware and can also share if there are any allergies or unique circumstances within the classroom. If you plan to bring items, we ask that items be prepackaged so they can easily be handed out or sent home with their friends.

Acceptable items are

individually pre-packaged snacks (popcorn, goldfish, cheez-its, animal crackers, etc)

goodie bags with items such as pencils, little trinkets/toys

Please do NOT send cupcakes as they will be sent home.

Please continue to ensure your child(ren) has an extra set of clothes in their backpack. There are so many instances where the spare set comes in handy for a child to quickly return to class after a toileting accident, bloody nose, exploding go-gurt, milk spill, paint splatter, and beyond!

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports...

1. Creates and maintains a safe and effective learning environment

2. Ensures all students have social skills needed for success at school and beyond.

3. Provides a proactive system-wide framework for implementation

The purpose of PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behaviors are the norm.

Our school hours are from 8:38am-3:33 pm. Our school doors will open at 8:33 am and close at 8:43 am. Our half day hours are 8:38 am-11:55 am. The first day of school is a half day and dismissal will be 11:55. School dismissal is staggered so younger grades will come out first. Please read information from your child’s teacher regarding grade level dismissal.

Marked Tardy: 8:43 am or after

Marked Absent for AM: Arrive at school later than 9:30 am

Marked Absent for PM: Leave school prior to 2:30 pm

Kindergarten: 11:45 am-12:10 pm

1st grade: 11:55 am-12:20 pm

2nd grade: 12:05 pm-12:30 pm

3rd grade: 12:15 pm-12:40 pm

4th grade: 12:25 pm-12:50 pm

5th grade: 12:35 pm-1:00 pm

Just a reminder that it is water only in the classroom. For lunch, students may have juice but please no caffeinated beverages or pop at school.

Although we love to have visitors, we remain committed to your children’s safety. Kindergarten parents are allowed to walk their children to class on the first day of school. After the first day, kindergarten students will walk themselves to class. We will have many staff to help. All other parents, grades 1-5, must hug their child at the door and let them walk in by themselves. We do not allow visitors or parents in the building without prior permission.

All doors are locked during the school day. If you come to school, you will be buzzed into the foyer area. You will be asked to show identification before your child is released. All visitors/volunteers in the building must report and sign in at the office. Visitors must wear a badge in the school building. All volunteers in the classroom and for field trips must have a background check on file each year. If you have a felony, you may not volunteer for WatchDogs, field trips, or volunteer in the classroom.

Download the Parent Square App today! Use your email and phone number you used when you registered to log in.

We use ParentSquare at the District, school and classroom level to communicate with families.

What is ParentSquare?

ParentSquare is a simple-to-use platform that provides a safe way for everyone at a school to connect. With ParentSquare, you'll be able to:

• Receive messages from the district and school via email, text or app notification
• Communicate in your preferred language
• Comment on school postings to engage in your school community
• Direct message teachers, staff and other parents
• Participate in group messages
• Sign up for parent-teacher conferences
• Sign forms & permission slips
• And more all from your phone or web portal!

Last year we changed to a new company that allows families to order Parsons and Marauder spirt wear all year long! We have some new designs this year. Check them out at this link.

If your child needs medication to be administered at school or requires a medical plan, please call the school secretary, Ms. Brittany, at 734-379-7050, and set up an appointment ASAP. In your call with her, she will reference paperwork that needs to be completed by your child’s physician. Parson's nursing services documents can be found AT THIS LINK.

Welcome back to a new school year! As we get ready to begin, we want to share some important updates regarding district-issued technology devices to help ensure a smooth start and responsible use throughout the year.

Beginning in August 2025, any fines from the Technology Department will be posted in MiStar and can be viewed and paid in the Parent Portal. For significant fines, or fines that result from an office referral, you will also receive communication from your child’s school explaining the situation. You can view a list of the most common fines, explanations, and fees here.

We encourage you to review Chromebook care with your child. This care guide can help you start the conversation:

Nightly Downtime (Grades K–8)
To promote healthy technology habits and allow devices to rest, all district-issued Chromebooks for students up through K–8 will automatically power down and be unusable each night from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

Technology Agreement & Acceptable Use
Whenever a district-issued Chromebook is in use, students are expected to follow our Technology Agreement and Acceptable Use Policy. Our filtering system monitors browsing and search activity to help ensure safety. Misuse will result in follow-up from district staff and may lead to discipline and/or restrictions on Chromebook use.

Examples of misuse include (but are not limited to):

• Intentional tampering with the device

• Attempting to bypass filters

• Using proxies or VPNs

• Intentional or attempted damage to the device

• Using the device to violate the Student Code of Conduct outlined in each school’s handbook

We appreciate your partnership in helping students use technology responsibly, safely, and productively.

Our school code of conduct serves as a foundational agreement and set of expectations for the entire school community, outlining acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, promoting a positive learning environment, and ensuring safety by defining the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, and staff. The District Elementary Code of Conduct can be found at this link. I have also attached the document below.

Gibraltar School District is required to provide families with certain notifications, as required by law, which can be accessed at the link below. Please take a moment to review these notifications.

GSD Annual Notifications 2025-2026

October 1st: Count Day

October 2nd: WatchDOGS kickoff 6:00-7:00pm

October 8th: Picture Day

October 10th: Fun Run

October 20th-21st: No School Autumn Break

October 28th: Parsons Trunk or Treat 6:00-7:30 pm

October 31st: Halloween Parade, Half day 11:55 am dismissal