The Spencer Scoop

Does your family need help for the holidays? If so, please let us know. We have programs in place to help provide some ease this coming holiday season for you and your family.

Please email Mrs. Andrews (andrrewss@brightonk12.com) or Mrs. McBride (mcbridem@brightonk12.com) if you would like to participate. There are only 2 slots available. Once you reply, you will be notified of your status: included, or on the waitlist.

Warmly,

Mrs. Andrews & Mrs. McBride

Christmas Elf Program ~ Spencer Coordinators

Hello Roadrunner Families!

We had a great week at Spencer and I can't think of a better way to round up the week than the Roadrunner Run! We had amazing weather and such a great time. Thank you to all our families for your donations to our PTO, our PTO's organization of the event, and to all of you for joining us! It was an amazing day.

I hope you all have a great weekend and we will see all our Roadrunners on Tuesday! Reminder, we do not have school Monday as the staff has professional learning.

Warmly,

Mrs. Boyd

• We are going to have the Halloween Parade at 9:15 in the morning on October 31st (weather permitting).
• Students are to show up to school in their costumes.
• Parent spectators should stay outside in the front & side of the building to watch the parade. See the map below for the highlighted area to view the parade.
• Costumes: No weapons or scary masks, blood or violent looking costumes, please don’t bring anything small that can be lost. You wouldn’t want to lose it for trick or treating.

Spencer is looking to hire a full-time lunch aide. The hours are Monday through Friday from 10:55 AM - 2:10 PM, and the position pays $14/hour. A brief description of the duties required is opening food items for children, cleaning tables and floors in between lunches, emptying trash cans, and playground monitoring. The candidate would need to apply through Edustaff and a link to their website can be found by clicking here. Please contact the office if you are interested.

In addition to a lunch aide, we are in need of substitute teachers! You have to apply through Edustaff and can use the link above to access their website. Not only does a substitute teacher make $120/day, but they also make a difference in shaping young minds. If you are interested, apply through Edustaff and contact the office when your application is complete.

• New students or students who were absent on picture day should come to the camera on Retake Day.
• Students who would like a retake must bring their original portrait packet to the camera and return it to the photographer.
• The photographer starts promptly at 9AM and finishes around 11AM, be mindful of this whe scheduling appointments.

Your student's artwork is getting mailed out tomorrow for our fundraiser with Art to Remember.

The creative ideas and progress have been incredible to watch develop and I hope your student(s) have shared what they are making with you:

JK: Colors and Shapes

K: Sunflowers

1st: Shapes/Line/Color

2nd: Castle Adventures

3rd: Under the Water, Self-Portraits

4th: Exploring Lighthouses

Stay tuned to see their original artwork come home with a QR code to order personalized items that will make it in time for the holidays. All proceeds help support our artists at the amazing Spencer Elementary!

You are invited to join us for 2nd Grade Family Music Night! Family Music Nights are fun events when family members get to join their Spencer students in music class style singing, dancing, playing and learning. Family Music Nights are not formal concerts where students sing on risers and families watch/record from seats in the audience.There will be limited seating for those who need it. Otherwise, families should come prepared to move and sing and join in the fun! Dates and times for 2nd Grade Family Music Nights are listed below. If your family has a time conflict, you are invited to attend another time slot offered for their grade level.

2nd Grade Music Nights

11/6 - 5:30PM - Mrs. Cowgill’s class and Mrs. Garza’s class

11/6 - 6:10PM - Mrs. Gunn’s class and Ms. Haden’s class

Calling all 3rd and 4th Grade Singers -

Look for Spencer Singers invitations going home on Friday, October 17th!

It’s time to order recorders! Recorder ordering forms went home to all 3rd grade students and some 4th grade students this week. Please fill out and return the form (even if your child does not need a new one because they are using their older sibling’s instrument). Parents can use the QR code on the ordering form OR this link here to send payment for their student’s recorder. Mrs. Muszynski will order all of the recorders directly from the recorder company. Thank you for returning the completed forms as soon as possible. Here is the link to the payment page again:

Recorder Ordering Payment Link

If you would like to schedule a conference with one of the Specials teachers, please e-mail them to plan a time to sit down and discuss how your child is doing in art, music, physical education or STEAM.

Lisa Martyn - Art Teacher: martynl@brightonk12.com

Gillian McColgan - STEAM Teacher: MccolgG@brightonk12.com

Bonnie Muszynski - Music Teacher: muszynb@brightonk12.com

Jennifer Peters - PE Teacher: petersja@brightonk12.com

PTO News

2025/2026 PTO Board

Colleen Gaiefsky - Co- President
Amber Gaines - Co- President
Mandy Oswalt - Vice-President
Amanda Dennis - Co-Secretary
Lindsey Kovacs - Co-Secretary
Michele Lewis- Co-Treasurer
Brandy Solanick- Co-Treasurer

Katelyn Bill - Member-at-Large

Kendra Cupp - Member-at-Large

Amber Czajka - Member at Large

Stephanie Day -Member-at-Large
Ashley Kasmierczak- Member-at-Large
Angela Kissel - Member-at-Large
Melissa Rife- Member-at-Large

Our 13th Annual Roadrunner Run Fundraiser is TOMORROW!!

Tomorrow is our 13th Annual Roadrunner Run, which will be held in the afternoon on Friday, October 10th!. A background check is required for Spectators and Volunteers. It's one of our biggest school fundraisers of the year, and it is a lot of fun for the kids!

We still need a few volunteers and wagons for Tomorrow: Roadrunner Run Volunteer Sign Up

Please note that fog machines, bubbles, and confetti cannons will be used during the Roadrunner Run. We will also be having a DJ! The link to create a fundraising page can also be found below!

• Currently we have raised - $15,820

• Goal to turn Mrs. Boyd into an Ice Cream Sunday - $20,000!

• Please register your students below:

FundHub

We have a brand new Lost & Found in a brand new location this year. It is now located at the front of the building near Door #3 next to the Food Pantry.

Only 28 days into our school year and the Lost & Found is filled. Look at the pictures below to see if any of the items look familiar and come visit the Lost & Found cabinet near Door #3 to retrieve your items.

Did you know that roughly 6% of people have a form of seasonal depression? People report that fall and winter months are typically when this is more prevalent. Dedicating time to our Environmental Wellness can help with this, and can also help us to shake some of those seasonal blues.

Positive Effects of Nature on Your Mental Well-being (Secondary Video)

Forest Bathing (Middle School Video)

Children's Nature Hike | 5 Senses for Kids (Elementary Video)

Take 5 & Tune in to Your Senses

One of the best ways to ground yourself and refocus is to tune into your 5 senses. Try these tips to increase your Environmental Wellness and to increase your ability to ground yourself.

Take 5 by spending one uninterrupted minute and focus on what you hear, see, feel, smell, or taste.

Or

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1

Spend one uninterrupted minute and:

Observe 5 things you see around you.

Interact by touching 4 things you can touch around you..

Focus on 3 things you hear.

Acknowledge 2 things you can smell.

Enjoy 1 thing you can taste.

Keep a Nature Journal

Be creative using a journal or electronic device to record your interactions and thoughts while you are in nature. Consider using some of the strategies above to help you get started.

If there are seasons or months when things are harder, try shifting your focus and energy to relieve some of the stress by spending time outside or using some of these tips.

Additional resources and information can be found on our district Mental Health & Wellness site.

You will find the Drop Off Cabinet near the main entrance to the school. Here you will put those forgotten items that your student may need. Simply fill out the small slip of paper with the student's name and teacher, and a staff member will deliver the item to your student.

Spencer has a Food Pantry that was gifted to us by our Spencer Class of 2024 students and PTO. It is located outside in the front of the school behind the Teacher's Retreat near Door #3. Feel free to visit if you need some assistance with food. We are also accepting donations to stock up the Food Pantry. If you are so inclined to help with that, it would be greatly appreciated.

Parents - Please make sure you pack a change of clothes (that are weather appropriate) in your child's backpack EVERY DAY. This is for ALL students, grades JK-4th, you never know when your student may have a nosebleed, or loose a tooth, or spill food/milk on their shirt, or find a mud puddle outside, or have a bathroom accident. If your student keeps a change of clothing in their backpack, then we can take care of it here, otherwise we need you to bring up a change of clothes. Thank you for your cooperation.

Please remember to send your child to school each day with a refillable water bottle with their name on it. Spencer has water refilling stations throughout the building and we encourage students to drink water throughout the day.

Please remember to bring your ID with you EVERY day you come to pick up your student! We frequently have substitute teachers that will not recognize you and will send you back to your vehicle to get your ID before releasing your child to you. This is for the safety and security of your student.

October

10 - Annual Roadrunner Run is TOMORROW

13 - NO SCHOOL for Students - Professional Development for Staff

15 - Red Robin Dine Out Night Fundraiser

17 - Popcorn Friday

23 - Trunk or Treat (more information to come)

29 - Picture Retake Day

November

4 - NO SCHOOL - Election Day

6 - 2nd Grade Music Night

13 - PTO Meeting at 4:10PM in the Media Center

21 - Popcorn Friday

26-28 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

December

1 - NO SCHOOL - Records Day

2 - School Resumes

19 - Popcorn Friday

22 - Holiday Break (School Resumes on January 5, 2026)

Dr. Outlaw sent out a family communication in July with the TENTATIVE Student Calendar attached. We have had some inquiries, so I will attach it again here. Note this calendar is tentative as negotiations for new contracts are still ongoing.

This Spencer Parent Resource Guide is filled with important information and answers to most (if not all) the questions you may have.

If you are planning to volunteer in classrooms or on field trips this year, you must fill out a background check. This needs to be done each year and if you have students in other buildings around the district, you only have to fill out the form one time and indicate which buildings you would like to volunteer in. Here are the steps to get to the form...

Go to www.brightonk12.com

Click on District

Click on Donate & Volunteer

Click on Volunteers & Student Teachers

Click on ONLINE Volunteer/Student Teacher Form

We are continuing our efforts to maximize security and minimize traffic in our lobby where students frequently pass through at any given time during the course of a school day, and will again use the QR code system for parents/guardians when either 1) signing in your student tardy or 2) picking up your student early. The QR codes will be affixed outside Door #1 (the main entrance door) and you will simply use the camera on your phone to scan the QR codes (NOTE: one code is for signing IN a student and one code is for signing OUT a student). After you scan the code, it will direct you to either the Student Sign In or Sign Out Google Form. The office and/or safety officer will then locate your student and send them out to you where you will show your ID. **NOTE** This year you will have to wait outside for your student to come down for an early pick up so be mindful of the weather conditions (ie: bring an umbrella if it's raining). To expedite this process, it will be helpful to you to send in a note with your student in the morning to give to the teacher if you will be picking up your student early.

Here are the QR Links. You can always save these to your phone for quick reference.

GOOGLE FORM FOR STUDENT SIGN IN

GOOGLE FORM FOR STUDENT SIGN OUT

Student Drop Off: 8:55 AM

First Bell: 9:01 AM

Second Bell: 9:05 AM

Starting Time In Class: 9:05 AM

Dismissal Time: 3:58 PM

Students eating Breakfast may enter the cafeteria at 8:45 AM

Attendance Line: 810-299-4354

*Please remember to call your child's absence in as early as possible.

Email: boydc@brightonk12.com
Website: https://www.brightonk12.com/Domain/238
Location: 10639 Spencer Road, Brighton, MI, United States
Phone: 810-299-4350
Twitter: @SpencerElem