Alward Action
January 30, 2026
As long as it feels like 0 or above we will send the kids outside for recess. Please remember to send your kids with Boots and Snow pants even if there is not fresh snow to play in. It is VERY chilly on our playground.
2026-2027 PreK/Kindergarten Registration
Registration for the 2026-2027 school year will open soon! Parents are invited to attend a PreK/Kindergarten informational meeting on Tuesday, January 27 at 6:00 p.m. held at all of our elementary buildings (Alward, Bauer, Forest Grove, Georgetown, Jamestown Lower, Park, South).
Find more information at this link.
If you are unsure of your attendance area building, please contact Robin at 616-669-1740.
Alward PTC 2025/2026 Board Members
They can always be reached with any questions via email at alwardptc.hps@gmail.com
President - Audra Kotman
President - Stacey VanderBent
Treasurer - Anna Boglitsch
Secretary - MJ Hernandez
Teacher Representative - Rachel VanKoevering
Check out our PTC Website HERE!
Looking for a way to plug in at school? We are looking for Copy Room Volunteers on Tuesday & Thursday Morning 9am - Noon (or whenever you need to leave). A HUGE thank you to Ashley Brooks who will be heading up the Copy Room this school year!!
Please reach out if you have any questions!!
Betsy Emmert eemmert@hpseagles.net
or Ashley Brooks ashley.carder@gmail.com
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BAAA72BA0FAC25-61390877-alward
A super simple way to raise funds for Alward PTC is by buying gift cards from RaiseRight to pay for your everyday shopping and spending year-round!
Create a free fundraising account on the RaiseRight mobile app or at RaiseRight.com.
Enroll Code: WWJZU5516X2B
https://www.raiseright.com/enroll?enrollCode=WWJZU5516X2B
Our hope with Raise Right is to utilize the funds directly to enrich and impact our children’s classrooms. Raise Right will help fund Class Cash, a program that enables teachers to request financial support to purchase various classroom items, like flexible seating, books and manipulatives to improve hands on learning!
GotSneakers has developed a unique sneaker recycling fundraiser that helps keep sneakers out of landfills and helps organizations like ours raise funds. The program is truly a win – win!
Bring in your used adult or kids’ athletic footwear in any condition: excellent, good, fair and poor/recyclable (no funds given for shoes in poor/recyclable condition but they will stay out of the landfill).
Not Accepted: Single athletic shoes or any non-athletic footwear including but not limited to dress shoes, heels, sandals, wedges, water socks, rain boots, crocs, and other non-athletic styles.
STUDENT DROP OFF AND PICK UP PROCEDURES
Student drop-off and pick-up are very busy times during a normal school year in the school driveway and hallways. If you are dropping your child off in the carline, please remain in your vehicle and follow the procedures below.
Students can be dropped off anywhere between 8:30 AM - 8:50 AM. Students may not go on the playground until 8:30 when our staff arrives for supervision. If you are running late you will need to Sign your child into the office after 8:50AM.
Car Line Drop-off Procedures:
1. Please place the placard sign, pictured below, in your passenger side window of your car with your child/ren's names and teacher's name listed. You will receive two car signs at open house. Additional signs can be picked up in the office if needed. If you can, please put a name tag on your child along with his/her classroom teacher's name to help us get students to their correct classroom.
2. Use the car loop on the west side (office side) of the building.
3. Stay in the right lane and drop off your child in the drop-off zone. Zone will be marked with cones. Please pull all the way to either the stop sign for the unloading zone or to the car in front of you.
4. Students will exit the cars on the passenger side of the car in the unloading zone. (Do not allow students to exit the car on the driver’s side for safety reasons!) Staff will help child/children get out of the car and direct them to the door that they will go in.
5. Parents remain in their vehicles.
6. Do not pass cars in the car line. Stay in a single file line until the cars move in front of you.
7. If you want to walk your PK/K child to their line up spot, you must park in the parking lot and cross at the crosswalk. Parents will need to say their goodbyes at the line up spot.
To Keep Our Line Moving Tips:
Follow the procedures noted above.
Say your goodbyes and give kisses prior to dropping off in the car line. :)
Have backpacks/supplies ready to exit car with students.
Parents need to remain in their vehicles.
Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding with our system and procedures. Safety is our number one concern for our students and their families.
Car Line Pick-up Procedures
1. Please put the placard sign, pictured below in your passenger side window of your car with your child/ren's names and teacher's names listed. You will receive two car signs at open house. Additional signs can be picked up in the office if needed.
2. Use the car loop on the west-side (office side) of the building.
3. Stay in the right lane and pull up to the orange cone on the far west side of the parking lot or behind the cars in front of you.
4. Students will be walked out in groups to the car line and must enter cars on the passenger side of the vehicle.
5. If you need to help your child buckle his/her car seat, please pull forward with the flow of traffic, park in a parking spot, and help your child buckle his/her car seat.
To Keep Our Line Moving Tips:
Follow the procedures noted above.
Parents need to remain in their vehicles.
Please be patient with this system for the first few weeks of school. Once students, staff, and families get used to the process, the line moves efficiently and is safe for all of our students!
Based on last year’s car line data, the car line takes 4-5 minutes to load 60 cars!
STUDENT DROP OFF
PICK UP MAP
CAR TAGS
At Open House, you will receive 2 car tags for the arrival and dismissal car line. Please write your child’s/children’s names and classroom teacher's names as well.
If you need additional car tags, you can get them from our office staff.
TRANSPORTATION HOME
Change in Transportation Home At the End of the School Day
bouncy balls, fidgets, putty
crayons, markers, pencils
bubbles, slime, balloons
BREAKFAST
Breakfast will be served starting at 8:35.
Breakfast consists of cereal, milk, juice, fresh fruit, and a cookie/cracker bar.
Students that eat breakfast at school will eat breakfast in the cafeteria. Once students are done eating, they will be sent back to class.
If your child will be eating breakfast at school, please contact your classroom teacher so that we know to send them down to the cafeteria the first week of school.
HOT LUNCH
2025-26 School Year:
**FREE MEALS (Breakfast and Lunch) THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2025.
**We will not know if meals are free for the reminder of the 2025-26 School Year until the State of Michigan completes the State School Aid Budget.
New! Family Portal: https://hudsonville.familyportal.cloud/
- Apply for Free and Reduced Price Meal benefits! Free and Reduced Meal Benefits are based on household size, income amount (gross), and income frequency. GOOD NEWS: any family that qualifies for Reduced Price Meal benefits will receive breakfast and lunch at NO COST.
- You will need to register a new account to monitor accounts or deposit online; Send Money to School accounts no longer exist. You will need your students ID to create an account. You will receive your students ID on their student profile sheet at the open house. Please make a note of it!
- Regardless of benefits status, Milk-only purchases remain at $0.60 per carton. Milk is included as part of the whole MEAL benefit. If your child(ren) qualify for free or reduced price meals and all they want is a carton of milk, their account will be charged 60 cents.
Our website www.jenhudfood.org is loaded with information. Please click on any of these links for more information:
- Digital Menus by Nutrislice (look for updates in August to Nutrislice)
- How Meal Service Works and Depositing Money
- Meal Charge Policy
- Follow us on Social Media!!
Contact us:
Email: foodservice@hpseagles.net
Phone: (616) 457-2400
Please check out our website for important information on Health Services.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND MEDICATION TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR CHILD!
MEDICATION CAN BE DROPPED OFF BY PARENTS FOR AN OFFICE STAFF MEMBER TO ADMINISTER.
Email address aesattendance@hpseagles.net to report your student absent or late.
If your student will not be attending school due to illness or other reasons, please call or email the office before 9:15 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 8:50 am, please call or email the office in the morning. Any students arriving after 8:50 am must be signed in by a parent/guardian.
If your student will be late and needs a hot lunch, please let us know when you call. Hot lunch needs to be ordered by 10 am.
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.
VISITOR POLICY
Communication
- 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. Past newsletters will be linked under NEWS.
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 Alward!
Social Media: Follow our story by liking us Facebook
facebook.com/AESEaglePride
Google Classrooms: Teacher google sites are linked under staff members. Teachers will be updating their Google Classroom Sites on a weekly basis.
Website: https://www.hudsonvillepublicschools.org/alward/index
Location: 3811 Port Sheldon Street, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Phone: 616-669-6700
Facebook: facebook.com/AESEaglePride
The Largest Free Winter Festival In The U.S.
The festival takes place all over Downtown Grand Rapids, with installations and events spread across several key locations.
Plan your route and make the most of your visit by checking out our hotspots:
WoW Hotspots:
Ah-Nab-Awen Park – Downtown’s centerpiece for light art and seasonal installations.
- The Blue Bridge – Stroll along illuminated pathways and discover hidden installations.
Sixth Street Park – A family-friendly spot featuring interactive displays.
Parking
There are several convenient options for parking when visiting the World of Winter!
- Street Parking: Download the Motu app to pay for parking before 7 PM.
- Area 9 Parking: For just $4 a day, park at Area 9 Parking (250 Seward NW) and take advantage of the free DASH shuttle service, which runs every 15 minutes around downtown. It’s a great way to save time and money!
Insider Tip: For the best parking options and to find the nearest stops, check out the City of Grand Rapids Parking Map and the Transit app.
What to Wear
Stay cozy and enjoy the magic! Dressing for winter ensures you can experience all the lights, art, and activities comfortably. Here’s our recommended checklist of winter essentials:
Snow Gear Checklist
- Base layers (leggings or long-sleeve shirts, wool, silk, or polypropylene over cotton)
- Snow pants or warm pants layered over base layers
- Water-resistant coat
- Water-resistant boots
- Hat, gloves and scarves
Insider Tip: Come early to events for a chance to snag a free World of Winter hat at our info booths — limited supply
Want to bundle up in style?
Official World of Winter merch is available at select events and online — grab a hat, hoodie or keepsake to stay warm and take the festival home with you.
