New Breakfast Procedure at Turrill
We are excited to announce that beginning on Monday, January 27th, E5-2nd grade students will be allowed to enter the building at 8:40 to eat breakfast in the cafeteria until the bell rings at 8:50. At that time, students will take their breakfast back to classrooms to finish. 3rd-5th grade students will follow the same breakfast procedure as before. This change will allow our youngest learners to utilize the cafeteria more.
Winter Intersession is Coming
Mark your calendars for winter intersession! We will be hosting intersession Tuesday, February 18th-21st (No programming on the 17th due to mid-winter break for traditional buildings). As we get closer, we will send out a special Google Form to sign up on. Stay tuned for more details.
We Have Job Openings
Are you looking for a job that fits your child's year round schedule? Do you love working with children? Are you patient and kind? If you said, "Yes!" to these questions, then we have a job for you at Turrill as a Paraprofessional. We have several openings to fill. Please contact our Dean, Shayna Raymond, to learn more about our special job openings.
Year Round Information
As many of you are aware, LCS continues the year-round option at Rolland Warner for 5th and 6th grades. If you would like to continue year-round programming at the middle school level and your child is currently at Turrill, they are automatically enrolled in the YR program and there is no need to fill out forms.
If you have a neighbor or friend who is currently not enrolled at Turrill, but would like to for the 25-26 school year, please share the application form below with them. Conversely, if your child is currently in the year-round program, but you would like to move to the traditional calendar, a withdrawal form needs to be completed. Please see the below for both forms.
Kindergarten Round Up is Coming in March 18th & 20th from 3:00-7:00 pm
If you have a child or if you have friends or neighbors with school aged children, please mark your calendars for Kindergarten Round Up on March 18th & 20th from 3:00-7:00 at the Administration and Service Center (250 Second Street) to register for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. Children who will be 5 years old by September 1st (or by December 1st with a signed waiver) are eligible to attend either our early fives or kindergarten program.
Enrolling during Kindergarten Round Up in March (instead of waiting until school starts) is vital for school programming, such as staffing, planning bus routes, and so much more! I encourage you to get the word out about KIndergarten Round Up. If you know someone who would like to know more about Turrill's year round program or would like a tour prior to Kindergarten Round Up, I would be more than happy to accommodate.
LCS Student Handbook Cell Phone Policy
A student may possess a cellular telephone or other electronic communication device (ECD) during the school day for data usage only at the discretion of teacher and/or school facilitator. It is further understood that the student is responsible for following the District’s Acceptable Use Policy. Texting and voice usage are still prohibited during school hours. However, each school within the District may establish designated times and places for such use in conformance with this policy. At Turrill, students may use their cell phone on the bus ride only. Phones should be kept safely in student backpacks during the school day.
Also, during school activities when directed by the administrator or sponsor, cell phones and other ECDs shall be turned off and stored away out of sight. The use of cell phones and other ECDs in locker rooms and restrooms is prohibited.
Possession of a cellular telephone or other ECD by a student is a privilege, which may be forfeited by any student who fails to abide by the terms of this policy, or otherwise engages in misuse of this privilege.
Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action against the student which may result in confiscation of the cellular telephone or ECD.
Exceptions may be made for students needing accommodations recognized through an IEPC or 504 Plan. The student who possesses a cellular phone or ECD shall assume responsibility for its care. At no time shall the District be responsible for preventing theft, loss or damage to cell phones or ECDs brought onto its property.
Kona Ice is Coming to Turrill!
March 19, 2025
April 30, 2025
May 21, 2025
June 11, 2025
Positivity Project
I am beyond excited to announce that we are partnering with The Positivity Project at Turrill this year for character trait building. The Positivity Project is currently used at both Rolland Warner and Zemmer campuses, as well as Schickler for 2024-2025. To learn more about The Positivity Project, click here to watch Of This, I'm Positive, as well as The Positivity Project's Founding Story
Positivity in Action
Our students love P2 at Turrill! Students learn about positive character traits daily during the Turrill Today newscast where our newscasters educate our students on a weekly topic, such as kindness, love, leadership, and many more. In addition, 5th grade students created Positivity Project posters to showcase positive character traits.
BOLT Bucks
Students can earn BOLT Bucks from adults throughout the school day for exhibiting positive behavior. Students can use BOLT Bucks in each month to buy prizes. Students can also buy extra recess, lunch with a staff member, or be "Principal for the Day." If you would like to donate PBIS prizes to Turrill, we would really appreciate it. Prize examples include: pencils, erasers, fidgets, small games, small toys, etc.
Compliment Chains
Classrooms have compliment chains made out of paper links in their classrooms to measure compliments they receive from adults. When a class meets their personal goal, they enjoy a compliment party of their choice.
Winter Assessments
Students are busily taking assessments at all grade levels E5-12th grades across Michigan. At Turrill, your child will take part in literacy assessments to gauge their progress in reading, spelling, letter ID and sound identification, and sight word identification. Students are also taking the NWEA Reading and Math MAP tests. MAP tests are just one of the winter assessments that your student will take during this month. You will learn the results of your child's testing in the upcoming months. For more information about MAP tests, check out the article below.
January Reading Fun
Be on the lookout for January Reading Logs! Students have a goal of reading at home for at least 20 minutes every day and completing a reading log throughout the month. Reading at home with your child is part of Read-by-Grade Three Law.
Click here for a list of books about patience and perseverance to read with your child.
Parent’s Read-At-Home Plan for Student Success
Be on the lookout for December Reading Logs! Students have a goal of reading at home for at least 20 minutes every day and completing a reading log throughout the month.
Reading with your child is a proven way to promote early literacy. One of the most important things you can do to prepare your child for his/her future is helping to make sure that your child is reading at grade level by third grade. You can influence your child’s success in school by making reading a daily routine in your home. Research shows that students who read at least 20 minutes per day score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests. Do you want to help your child to be successful in school? They simply need to read. Click here to access the K-3 Read-at-Home Booklet.
Math Facts
Click here for online math fact practice
Click here for some more math at home activities
For more information on math skills by age level, click here
Turrill Made the News!!
Lapeer Community Schools
December 11, 2024
Last month, U.S. News and World Report released its “Best 2025 K-8 Schools Rankings,” naming three Lapeer Community Schools elementary buildings as best of the best across Michigan.
Murphy (No. 182), Turrill (No. 531), and Schickler (No. 570) all earned recognition in the annual rankings.
In total, U.S. News and World Report ranks 47,573 elementary schools, 23,861 middle schools, and 17,656 annually across the United States.
The high school rankings will come out later this year.
According to Lapeer Community Schools Superintendent Matt Wandrie, seeing several LCS buildings in the rankings is not a surprise.
“We have the hardest working staff and students who are clearly dedicated to improved academic performance,” said Wandrie. “This recognition from U.S. News and World Report is a feather in our collective caps, no doubt, but we all know our work is never done and we’ll continue to do what we do best for the continued growth of our students.”
Michelle Bradford, LCS assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, echoed Wandrie’s sentiments.
“This is great news and supports the work teachers do to focus on the importance of collaboration and planning for differentiation,” said Bradford. “Our staff values professional learning together such as ‘data days’ and simply collaborating around shared practices within their building and across the district. It's a pleasure supporting the real work that goes into daily classroom instruction.”
U.S. News and World Report uses a detailed methodology in ranking schools which includes the proficiency of students in mathematics and reading/language arts. Along with simple proficiency, U.S. News and World Report also reviews performance in the context of student demographics, stating that “the top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students.”
For more information, visit the official LCS website and the U.S. News and World Report website.
LCS Community –
As the bond work continues throughout the 2024-25 school year at many Lapeer Community Schools buildings, we want to provide another update with you on how the work will coincide with the district’s planning for the reconfiguration that will take place for the 2025-26 school year.
As a reminder, the 2025-26 school year will look like this:
All elementary buildings (Lynch, Murphy, Schickler, Turrill) will be Kindergarten through 4th grade
Rolland-Warner will transition to 5th and 6th grade campus (Traditional/Year-Round)
Year-round options will be offered for Kindergarten through 6th grade (Turrill, Rolland-Warner)
Zemmer will transition to 7th and 8th grade campus
Lapeer High School will be a traditional 9th grade through 12th grade campus
CFI will remain Lapeer Community High School
Lapeer Virtual Partnership will remain at the Cramton campus
Moving forward, here are important items that will start to come to the forefront of positive changes across our district:
Due to the construction work happening at Lapeer High School next summer, which will see the building closed all summer, the weight room will be available but with added safety precautions put in place by the fire marshal. More information on these plans will be communicated once they are finalized.
The driveway to Schickler Elementary School is planned to be redone and paved next summer. This has been a long time coming and a project that was earmarked to be done with bond dollars.
Construction on the new LHS auditorium will start toward the end of the 2024-25 school year. Renderings will soon be available.
With the grade levels changing at several buildings, there will be possible staffing movement. Once all these updates have been finalized, a communication will be sent to staff and families.
Bussing for the 2025-26 school year is being examined and once any changes are made, those will be communicated to staff and families.
For more information, click here to read the entire article.
Introducing Raptor
Lapeer Community Schools is excited to announce the upcoming implementation of Raptor (www.raptortech.com), a program that will be used to enhance the district’s safety and security measures.
Essentially, Raptor is an electronic program that will screen EVERY visitor that comes through the doors of school buildings during instructional hours.
Visitors can only enter with a valid U.S. government-issued ID (driver's license (U.S. state issued including U.S. Territories), non-driver photo ID (U.S. state issued including U.S. Territories), U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, foreign passport, U.S. Military ID card, U.S. Military dependent's ID card, Tribal card).
Once the ID is scanned, the system will prompt the user to take a photo. If the photo matches the ID photo, a temporary visitor badge will print with the visitor’s name and photo, as well as date and time the badge was processed.
The visitor is then permitted to enter the school building.
Please know this visitor management system is being used across the country in businesses, public school systems, universities and by neighboring school districts right here in Michigan.
In the ever-changing world of school safety, we believe Raptor is the next step in adding another layer to our already robust overall security protocols. We recognize this will be a change for our frequent visitors and ask for your patience and support as we make our buildings more secure.
The plan is for all buildings in the district to have Raptor installed and running by mid-January. More information will be communicated as the date gets closer.
For any questions, please contact the LCS Operations Department at operations@lapeerschools.org or (810) 538-1622.
PTC News
Calling all volunteers! Turrill has an amazing PTC that needs your help. Check out the newsletter below to find out more.
Please make sure to fill out the LCS Volunteer Application below if you plan to volunteer in your child's classroom, attend parties, chaperone field trips, or volunteer in other capacities.
Turrill 2024-2025 Family Engagement Plan
Each year we need to seek input on our Family Engagement Plan. Below is a link to our plan. Please take some time to review it. If you see anything that needs revision or have any recommendations please email me at kelly.vangel@lapeerschools.org .
LEAF Deposit Days
LEAF, the Lapeer County Education Attainment Fund, promotes fiscal responsibility in children and encourages them to save money for college. LEAF deposit days are listed below:
- November 12
- February 11
- March 18
- April 22
For more information on the LEAF program, please CLICK HERE.
Make a New Year's Reading Resolution
People are always busy making New Year's resolutions. Here's one that is not painful, won't restrict your caloric intake, or leave you feeling defeated. Try a reading resolution!
13 New Year’s Reading Resolutions for Book Lovers
Scholastic Printable New Year's Reading Resolutions for Kids
Bell Schedule:
8:00 Office Opens
8:45 Student Drop off Begins
8:50 Students Allowed to Rooms
8:54 Classes Begin
2024-2025 Recess Schedule:
11:15-11:45 4th - 5th Grades
11:45-12:15 2nd - 3rd Grade and CI Classrooms
12:15-12:45 E5/KDG - 1st Grade
2024-2025 Lunch Schedule:
11:45-12:054th - 5th Grades
12:15-12:35 2nd, 2/3 Split, 3rd Grade, and CI Classrooms
12:45-1:05E5/KDG - 1st Grade
3:50 Dismissal
4:30 Office Closes
School Intersessions
As in years past, we plan on offering programs during our intersession weeks. Stay tuned for more information regarding the programming and intersession themes. The dates for intersession are as follows:
1st Intersession: October 21-24 (Monday-Thursday)
2nd Intersession: February 18-21 (Tuesday-Friday)
3rd Intersession: March 24-28 (Monday-Friday)
Turrill is a Grief-Sensitive School
The New York Life Foundation has approved $500 to support Turrill Elementary School in efforts as a Grief-Sensitive School. With this $500 grant, Turrill will be able to purchase classroom materials, such as storybooks, to support students experiencing grief, as well as have access to grievingstudents.org. We're so thankful to be able to support our students and families in this manner.
Mental Health Specialists
We have two lovely Mental Health Specialists at Turrill - Miss Chittle and Ms. Schneider. Their role at Turrill is to provide a listening ear to students. They work on social skills, emotions, and so much more with students. Students are able to meet with Miss Chittle and Ms. Schneider with your permission by filling out an Informed Consent Form (pictured below). Informed Consent Forms will be available during Open House night as you meet your child's new teacher.
Michigan Department of Health & Human Services
Click here to access the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.
Email: kelly.vangel@lapeerschools.org
Website: http://turrill.lapeerschools.org/
Location: 785 S Elm St, Lapeer, MI 48446
Phone: (810) 667-2438
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Turrill-Elementary-1415374235385217/
