56G News

Hello 56G Families,

Thank you so much for your incredible support throughout our Amazing Race Fundraiser! Today is the last day to turn in money for the fundraiser. We are thrilled by the school's enthusiasm and excited to see all of the different initiatives that we will be able to do this year with these funds. A special shoutout goes to Ms. Fischer’s class, who is currently leading the pack with an impressive $2,730 raised! We will be announcing our top class and team early next week.

Thank you to our fabulous PTC for organizing the Amazing Race Fundraiser and Competition. We appreciate the amount of time and planning that went into making this event special for our students. Our students had an absolute blast during last week's assembly competing in various "Minute to Win It" events. Congratulations to the Orange Team (the homeroom classes of Mr. Richardson, Mrs. Weberg, Mr. McHugh, and Mrs. Cardinal) for taking first place in the racing events!

With Veteran’s Day around the corner, our school is taking time to honor those who serve. In an effort to spread good cheer to some friends in the Air Force, 56G students are invited to write letters to service members stationed far from home. They initially expected a three-month deployment, but their stay has extended to nine months with no end date in sight. While morale is low, a quick note, drawing, or story from our students can bring a tremendous amount of joy to their days.

• Where to drop off: A collection bin is set up in the staff mailroom (students may hand their letters/drawings to their teachers or bring them to the main office).

• Timeline: Items placed in the bin will be mailed in incremental care packages over the next few weeks.

A few of our 5th and 6th-grade classes have begun preparing for our first-ever Amazing Shake competition! The Amazing Shake is an initiative that teaches students essential life skills, focusing on strong communication, professional etiquette, composure, public speaking, and quick problem-solving under pressure. Through real-world challenge scenarios, students learn how to introduce themselves confidently, hold engaging conversations, and navigate unexpected situations with poise.

Our long-term goal is for all classes across the school to participate by the 2027–2028 school year! We are already so excited to watch our students grow in their confidence, communication, and critical thinking skills.

Upcoming Calendar Reminders

• Tuesday, November 10: PTC Meeting - 7:00 p.m. @ 56G. All families invited to attend.

• Wednesday, November 11: Teacher Team Time — Students will be dismissed early at 2:20 PM.

• Friday, November 20: Early Release Friday

• Wednesday, November 25- Friday, November 27: No school for Thanksgiving Break!

Thank you again for your continued partnership and support! We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Warmly,

Melanie McClure

With the end of Quarter 1, 6th-grade students (56G) will be able to qualify for the district-wide Eagle Renaissance recognition program!

How to Qualify (Blue Level) Similar to other secondary schools in the district, students can achieve Renaissance Blue Level status based on their performance during the First Semester. The criteria are:

• Academics: 3.5 or higher GPA (approximately a B+ average).

• Behavior: 0 disciplinary referrals.

• Attendance: Fewer than 6 absences and fewer than 3 unexcused tardies.

Note: The "Gold Level" status becomes available once students attend BMS.

Incentives & Rewards Students who qualify will receive a sticker for their student ID. Stickers will be distributed during lunch in the near future. Blue Level benefits include:

• $1 Admission to all middle school and high school sporting events.

• 5% Discount at Eagles Landing.

• Additional incentives to be announced soon.

Eagle Renaissance is a wonderful opportunity to recognize students for doing the right thing, both inside and outside the classroom.

The 5/6G PTC will be ordering t-shirts for students who raised $150 at the Amazing Race (an email has been sent to those eligible for a free shirt). All students are welcome to order a t-shirt for $10 by completing the form by Friday, November 13. Payments can be made via cash, check (payable to 5/6G PTC), or Venmo (https://www.venmo.com/u/Hudsonville_56GPTC).

Order Form

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we will once again be collecting non-perishable food items to provide for a local food pantry. 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 16 through Tuesday, November 24. Students will turn in items to their homeroom teacher (3rd period for 6th graders). The winning classroom will win a pizza party!

Hudsonville P.E. Apparel Sale is Now Live!

https://onitink.com/collections/hudsonville-pe

Get ready to show off your Eagles spirit! The Hudsonville P.E. Apparel sale is open, featuring 3 awesome designs across 4 great color options. Whether you're looking for t-shirts, crewneck sweatshirts, or hoodies, there’s something for everyone.

Great for the Holidays! All orders will be delivered directly to the 5/6 building before winter break, making these gear items fantastic holiday gifts for your student.

Deadline: Ordering ends Monday, November 9th. Don’t miss out—scan the QR code on the flyer or click the order link today to grab your Hudsonville Eagles gear!

Every week, students who show our SOAR behaviors - Be Safe, Own It, Act Responsibly, and Be Respectful - have a chance to be recognized in our SOAR Drawing and win a fun prize!

Want to help us celebrate our SOAR students? Families can donate prizes or contribute money toward prizes. Check out our SignUpGenius to see how you can help. Cash donations can be dropped off in the main office. Thanks for helping our students SOAR!

• 26-27 HPS Student Calendar. Here you will find vacation days, early release Fridays early dismissal Wednesdays (TTT), and parent-teacher conference dates. Please note: 56G will follow the Intermediate Schedule for Parent-Teacher Conferences.

For the 26 - 27 school year, 56G will join HHS, BMS and RMS by having Teacher Team Time on two Wednesdays a month. This will provide teachers with time to collaborate with their colleagues at the intermediate level to support learning and instruction of our students. This means that our students will be dismissed from school early on these designated Wednesdays. The HPS Student calendar designates these Wednesdays with TTT. Students will be dismissed at 2:20 p.m.

TTT: Early Dismissal Wednesdays - NEW TO 56G for the 26 - 27 School Year!

• Doors open at 7:15 a.m.

• School begins at 7:50 a.m.

• School ends at 2:20 p.m.

• Office hours: 7:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

Renaissance is an after-school club that meets every other Tuesday most months of the school year. The motto “Creating a place to belong, not just to go” sets the stage for students to work together, building culture and community here at 56G. Fifth- and sixth-grade students may join, and meetings run from 2:55 - 3:30 pm. Transportation home is the responsibility of each family. Please join Mrs. Solomonson, Miss Nixon, and Mrs. Weberg for Renaissance.

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 Dan Hoffman dhoffman@hpseagles.net.

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

For up-to-date information, be sure to follow the 5/6G PTC on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1ByvFxheP6/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/56g_ptc/)!

SOMEONE KILLED THE INTERNET... AND WE WANNA KNOW WHO!

What happens when a town loses connection for a full week? Pandemonium. Paper-bag masks. Real-life trolling. And... actual human connection?

When the local servers mysteriously shut down, the townspeople descend into total chaos in this hilarious satire on our modern digital addictions.

Deb Andre and I are making our directorial debuts, co-directing this year’s fall play. We would love to see you in the audience supporting the incredible hard work our students have put into this show. Many of us have watched these talented kids grow up through our school district, and nothing beats seeing them step into the spotlight and shine as young adults on stage! These students have dedicated countless hours to refining their craft, and seeing them perform on our stage before they head off to the next level is an opportunity you won't want to miss.

SHOW & TICKET DETAILS

• DATES & TIME: Thursday & Friday, Nov 5 & 6 | 7:00 PM

• LOCATION: South Campus Auditorium

• RUN TIME: 75 Minutes (The perfect screen-free break!)

• TICKETS: $10

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

• The 2026-27 Wesco Popcorn Buckets have arrived! Please fill out the form to place your order and submit your payment via Zeffy. 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 school, name, and homeroom teacher in your Zeffy payment. These buckets are refillable at any of the 55 Wesco locations in Michigan from now until 12/31/2027. Buckets are $20 each. There are limited quantities, so order yours before the buckets sell out or the pricing increases! Thank you for your support!

  
  

  
  

  Order Form: https://forms.gle/aTPFrn6JrkQxGXJLA
  Payment Link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/wesco-popcorn-buckets

  
  

As the holiday season approaches, we want to ensure our families are connected with resources in our community. We’ve listed a few local holiday support opportunities below. We encourage you to review the options and choose the program that best fits your family’s needs this season. To help ensure that these resources can reach as many children and families as possible, we kindly ask that each family sign up for only one holiday assistance program.

This event helps Grandville, Hudsonville, or Jenison families shop for gifts affordably and experience joy and connection during the holiday season. This year, the event will be held at a local church on December 11th. To apply to shop, please contact Love Your Neighbor at 616-662-3300. The deadline to register is December 4th.

This holiday season, we invite you to wrap our community in support. Your generosity brings hope, dignity, and meaningful connection to families in our community facing challenges. If you are looking for ways to give back and uplift families in our area, please consider supporting one of the organizations listed below.

Many families benefit from Threads, a clothing ministry that provides apparel and personal care items. Threads is always in need of new socks and underwear for children and adults. Monetary donations are also welcome. Contact Jill Austin via email (threads@zionreformed.org) for more information.

Many students go without snacks during the school day. Donations of individually wrapped, healthy, nut-free snacks help keep students focused and ready to learn. Consider donating snacks to your child’s building.

Our sixth grade students have received their Chromebooks. Chromebooks are stored in a fabric case. Students need to make sure that their Chromebooks stay in these cases as they bring them back and forth to school. Here are some important reminders:

• Students need to ensure that their Chromebooks are charged every night. We have a few chargers in each classroom at school in case students forget; however, we don't have enough chargers and outlets for all students to charge their Chromebooks.
• NEW this Year: Students' Chromebooks will be shut down nightly from 10 PM - 7 AM daily.

As we navigate the busy 5th and 6th grade years, we recognize that many students benefit from "brain tools" to help them stay focused during lessons. When used correctly, fidgets can help channel extra energy. To ensure these items remain tools for focus, rather than toys for distraction, we have aligned our fidget expectations with our SOAR acronym. We will be discussing these items with students next week at school.

• be Safe: Fidgets must fit in a student's palm, stay in the student's hands, out of sight, and under the desk. They are never to be thrown, tossed, or used to invade someone else's personal space. They are not to be shared or borrowed.

• Own It: Students are responsible for their own items. If a teacher or staff member determines a fidget has become a distraction and asks for it to be put away, we expect students to "own it" and put the item away immediately.

• Act responsibly: Fidgets are for focusing on learning. If a student is focused on the fidget instead of their work, it is no longer being used responsibly.

• be Respectful: Fidgets must be silent to avoid distracting the learning environment.

A Note on "NeeDohs" and Gel-Filled Fidgets

While we appreciate the sensory benefits of many items, we are officially asking that "NeeDohs," "Globbles," "Dumplins," and any other gel-filled or flour-filled stress balls stay at home. While they are fun to squeeze, they pose significant challenges in the school environment:

1. The "Pop" Factor: These items are prone to rupturing. A "popped" gel fidget creates a major mess on carpets, desks, and clothing that is difficult (and sometimes impossible) to clean.

2. The Distraction: Because they are tactilely "high-interest," they often become the primary focus of the student, and their peers, rather than a background tool.

Rule of Thumb: If it can pop, leak, or leave a sticky residue, please leave it at home. Thank you for your help with this matter.

Change in Transportation Home At the End of the School Day

• 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.

Please complete the Medication Administration Authorization form for any medication to be administered for your student in the school setting.

A new Medication Authorization form must be completed for each medication and each time there is a change in dosage/instructions.

Non-prescription medication must be in the original container with the factory label and must not expire during the school year. For Non-prescription medications, please complete the top two sections of the Medication Administration Authorization form. Non-prescription medications will be stored and administered by school staff in the office.

Prescription medication must be in the original container with a pharmacy label. Prescription medications require BOTH the physician and parent authorization sections of the Medication Administration Authorization form to be completed.

ALL medication must be delivered to the office by a parent/guardian. Medication cannot be sent to school with a student.

No medication is to be carried by a student UNLESS both the physician and parent provide authorization for self-carry/administration of certain emergency medications including asthma inhalers and Epinephrine. Please complete the first and last sections of the Medication Administration Authorization form to authorize Self-Administration.

If your child has any of the following health conditions listed below (severe allergy, asthma, diabetes, seizures) that require treatment and/or a medication at school, please provide the required form(s) listed on the HPS health website from your child’s specialist.

• 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