Long Lake Newsletter

Dear Families,

Thanks to our community for rallying around our school last week! The Olympics on Friday was such a fun way to celebrate Long Lake! Students enjoyed participating in the 6 events with their HOUSES! I am grateful for Long Lake and all that we do as a school to support our children's education!

Warmly,

Kate Burwinkel

Principal

FALL FESTIVAL: Join us for our Fall Festival on Thursday, October 9th from 4:10 -6:00 p.m. This is made possible by the Farragh family! Celebrate FALL with the Long Lake Community and support Long Lake at the same time! Proceeds from this event provide school yearbook scholarships for students!

DONUT WITH CIDER - $1

MINI PUMPKINS /MINI GOURDS/SUNFLOWERS- 2/$1

SMALL PUMPKINS/GOURDS - $1

MUSIC ~ FALL PHOTO OPThe event will be located in the ourdoor picnic area near the library.

LL HALLOWEEN PARADE October 31st: Long Lake will be hosting a Halloween Parade on Friday, October 31st at 9:20 a.m. at our outdoor track. Students should come to school wearing their costumes and bring a change of clothes. Parents can join the parade by walking around the side of the building and stand on the inside of the track. Our parade will move inside if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Please see the flyer below for information about how to participate and costumes that day. Flyer Here

SCHOOL YEARBOOKS: Yearbooks are available to purchase online and the deadline to order is April 17, 2026. To order, visit the following website: www.ybpay.lifetouch.com. You will need the Long Lake yearbook ID Code which is 15170526. The cost is $12 per yearbook. We do have funds available to help families in need. If your family would benefit from a scholarship for a yearbook, please complete this form or contact the school office to let us know.

TOYS AT SCHOOL: We’re noticing more and more students bringing toys and Pokemon cards to school. This can become a problem because items end up getting broken or a precious card unintentionally traded. Please help us out by keeping personal items at home. Thanks for your support!

OCTOBER HOUSE ASSEMBLY: Our first House Assembly is scheduled for Friday October 24th at 9:30 a.m. Families are welcome to join us and be a part of this celebration if interested! Just sign in at the office upon arrival. We will highlight one student per class and recognize classes for attendance and for following our lifelong guidelines!

VETERAN ASSEMBLY AND TRICK OR TREAT FOR TROOPS: We invite all Veterans and Active Duty Military to join us for our annual Veterans Assembly (in honor of Veterans Day) on November 10th @ 9:30 AM. Know a Veteran who would be interested in joining us for this honorary celebration? Please invite anyone who may be interested! We'll also be collecting Halloween Candy and Personal Care Items to send to troops overseas. See the flyers below for more information!

LONG LAKE OLYMPIC FUNDRAISER: TOGETHER WE REACHED OUR 2025 OLYMPIC FUNDRAISER FUNDRAISING GOAL!

The Long Lake Olympics fundraiser was a great success and we even exceeded our goal!! We continue to be humbled by the community support. We have met our goal but how much more can we raise for the school? Any extras allow us to put funds towards special projects! Additional donations will be accepted until this Friday, October 10th. Thank you to all the families and friends that helped make this fundraiser a success this year.

Event webpage:2025 Olympic Fundraiser | FundHub

Fun Incentive Prizes: FundHub

CRAFT SHOW COMMITTEE: The PTO is looking for anyone who may be interested in joining a new committee to help coordinate our annual Craft Show in future years. This committee would be responsible for managing vendors, marketing/announcements, event setup and more. Please email longlakepto1@gmail.com for more information. All candidates will be considered at a future PTO meeting.

PANTHER PUMPKIN PROJECT SAVE THE DATE: We’d love for you to join us in creating a pumpkin for our Panther Pumpkin Project! It runs from October 20th thru October 23rd. Students can decorate (not carve) a pumpkin based upon the chosen theme (TBD). Families should write the child's name on the bottom of the pumpkin, and then bring the pumpkin to school the week of October 20th to be judged by all the other students. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes.

MONSTER MASH DANCE SAVE THE DATE: PTO is happy to invite you to our annual Monster Mash dance on Friday, October 24th. Dig out your favorite Halloween costume and join us for a family friendly Monster Mash dance party! This event is free but we take donations to cover the cost of the DJ and decorations. This event is for current Long Lake students and their families only. Students must be accompanied by an adult.

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA FOR VETERANS: Traverse City Area Public Schools is honored to offer veterans the opportunity to receive their high school diploma and be part of the 2026 graduation ceremonies! Under Michigan's Public Act 181 of 2001 and Public Act 55 of 2014, the TCAPS Board of Education is authorized to award diplomas to veterans of WWII, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam Era in recognition of their service and sacrifice.

Eligibility Details:

WWII Veterans: Must have left high school between December 16, 1940, and December 31, 1946.
Korean War Veterans: Must have left high school between June 27, 1950, and January 31, 1955.
Vietnam Era Veterans: Must have been drafted or enlisted between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, and must have attended a TCAPS high school.

This opportunity is for veterans who did not subsequently receive a high school degree. Family members are welcome to apply on behalf of a living or deceased veteran.

For more information, please call 231.933.1722.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION: Michigan law requires TCAPS to share information with parents and caregivers about the safe storage of firearms. Here are the resources provided by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE): What is the Secure Storage Law in Michigan, and the Safe Storage Notice. Additional resources and information can be found on MDE’s Safe Storage Law webpage. Questions may be directed to MDE’s Office of Health and Safety at MDE-OHS@Michigan.gov.

Temporary Relocation for TAG Program The Board of Education is looking at a temporary and long-term school location(s) for the Talented and Gifted (TAG) program. This is happening, in part, because of the renovation planned for Central Grade School, which will be a multi-year project starting after the 2025-2026 school year. At this week's Board Curriculum Committee meeting, Superintendent VanWagoner discussed the idea of moving the program to two locations: Silver Lake Elementary on the west side and Eastern Elementary on the east side. The Board of Education will be discussing this further at its regular board meeting on Monday, October 13, to determine the best locations for the program.

BOARD OFFICE HOURS: The Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) Board of Education will host its next monthly “office hours” at the Traverse Area District Library (TADL) in the McGuire Room, 610 Woodmere Avenue, on Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. TCAPS Board office hours provide community members with the opportunity to talk to a school board trustee. This month, Trustee Hardy is scheduled to attend.