Wattles Gazette

Dear Wattles Families,

We are so excited to welcome your children back to the building—the energy, smiles, and curiosity they bring are what make our school come alive.

During these first days, our focus at school will be on establishing strong routines and procedures. While academics are important, we know that consistency, structure, and clear expectations create the foundation for learning and growth. When children know what to expect, they feel safe, confident, and ready to learn.

We encourage you to partner with us by building predictable routines at home as well. Things like:

• Establishing a regular bedtime and wake-up time

• Packing backpacks and lunches the night before

• Setting aside a consistent time for reading or homework

• Talking about the school day together at dinner or bedtime

These simple structures not only reduce stress for students but also help them transition more smoothly between home and school. Most importantly, routines send a message: “You are cared for, and your success matters.” Consider using the "Make Your Own Schedule" below to establish routines at home.

Thank you for all you do to support your child’s growth. Together, we’re setting the stage for a school year filled with joy, learning, and success.

With warmth and gratitude,
Amy Wallace
Principal, Wattles Elementary

Check out this amazing quick video about our Meet & Greet! Thank you, Mrs. van Dinkel, for capturing these special moments.

• Tuesday, August 26 - First Day of School; 1/2 Day for ALL students
• 12:29 PM Dismissal (no breakfast or lunch)
• AM CARE for all; no PM CARE
• Tuesday, August 26 - Coffee & Kleenex with Kinders 8:45 AM for our new kinder parents (see flyer below)
• Wednesday, August 27 - Full Day of School Grades 1-5; 1/2 Day for Kinders
• Full day for 1-5th grade (no breakfast; lunch provided)
• Half-day for kindergarten (12:29 PM dismissal, no lunch, transportation is provided)
• AM CARE for all, PM CARE for Grades 1-5 only
• Thursday, August 28 - Full Day of School Grades 1-5; 1/2 Day for Kinders
• Full day for 1-5th grade (no breakfast; lunch provided)
• Half-day for kindergarten (12:29 PM dismissal, no lunch, transportation is provided)
• AM CARE for all, PM CARE for Grades 1-5 only
• Friday, August 29 - No School: Building Closed
• Monday, September 1 - No School; Building Closed

• Wednesday, September 3 - Curriculum Night (see flyer below)
• Wednesday, September 17 - Dining for Dollars at Buffalo Wild Wings (more info coming)
• Thursday, October 9 & Friday, October 10 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• Wednesday, October 15 - Friday, October 17 - Fifth Grade Camp
• Tuesday, October 21 - Fun Run (times TBD)
• Thursday, October 23 - Math & Literacy Family Night 5:45 - 7:00 PM (see flyer below)
• Friday, October 31 - Halloween Parties in the AM
• Thursday, December 18 - Winter Parties (times TBD)

After you drop off your kindergartener, we invite you to join fellow kinder parents in the Media Center for a few minutes of connection and conversation. You'll have the opportunity to hear from our building principal, meet members of the PTO, learn about Scouts, and be introduced to some of our wonderful ancillary staff. It’s a great opportunity to connect with other new families and start building your Wattles community!

Please join us for a parent-only event to learn about TSD curriculum.

Save the date for our second annual Math & Literacy Night!

Please see the following CARE schedule for the first week of school ONLY.

8/26 - AM CARE for all, no PM CARE

8/27 - AM CARE for all, PM CARE for Grades 1-5 only (kindergarten dismissed at 12:29 PM)

8/28 - AM CARE for all, PM CARE for Grades 1-5 only (kindergarten dismissed at 12:29 PM)

The typical schedule for CARE is:

AM CARE = 7:00 AM until the start of school

PM CARE = school dismissal until 6:00 PM

Students may be released to parents or anyone listed as an approved "school pickup" contact in your PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you have any special custody arrangements or if there’s someone your child should not be released to, please reach out to me directly via email so we can ensure their safety.

We are currently operating under the Michigan School Meals Program, which provides free breakfast and lunch to all students. This program has been approved until September 2025. The future of this program, free breakfast and lunch, is uncertain as state lawmakers negotiate the education budget for the upcoming school year. The Michigan legislature is currently finalizing the 2026 budget, and we are patiently waiting for further information. We will proceed with free meals until we hear more. Please stay tuned for additional information.

If you have any questions, please contact the TSD Food Service Department at 248-823-5089.

Moving forward, please click on the link at the bottom of the Gazette to access breakfast and lunch menus.

Students are welcome to enjoy breakfast at school each day if they choose. Please note that when a child selects school breakfast, we are required to provide the complete meal, which means they will receive all of the food components included. A full student breakfast consists of 3 components: protein or grain, fruit, and milk.

Dear Parent or Guardian:

Due to the budget recommendations proposed by Governor Whitmer, the District will again be providing both breakfast and lunch meals to all students without cost to families. However, we are still required to provide and maintain Free and Reduced Lunch Applications, as submitted. A la carte items will be available to purchase if there are funds in the student’s account. The Food Service Department is using MySchoolBucks for all food service purchases.

Families are encouraged to continue to fill out the Free and Reduced Meal/Summer EBT/Educational Benefit Application online. (A new application is required at the beginning of each school year.) Your application ensures that the Troy School District will continue to receive state and federal funding for education. Without this information, Troy Schools could lose important state funding for our programs that our students are entitled to. All information submitted is strictly confidential.

To be considered for other discounts and benefits within Troy School District, fill out the Sharing Info with Other Programs form, which allows the district to confidentially share your information to benefit from the following programs:

• Pandemic-EBT
• Pay to Participate (athletics and clubs)
• Annual iPad Insurance
• Food Support Programs (weekend backpacks, holiday meals, etc.)
• Field Trip Support Programs (reduced rates/scholarships for field trips)
• Programs that provide School Supplies and/or assist with School Fees (filled backpacks and supplies from requested supply list, testing fees, financial support for tutoring/summer programs)
• Programs that provide Holiday Support (meals, holiday gifts, opportunity for children to shop for gifts at no cost)

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact our Food Service Office at 248-823-5089. Thank you for your support!

Use the resource below to guide your conversations about respect, kindness, responsibility, and perseverance at home!

A governor typically orders flags at half-staff to show respect, mourning, or distress, usually in response to the death of a government official, a member of the military or first responder, or a national tragedy. Additionally, flags may be flown at half-staff on specific days of remembrance like Memorial Day and Patriot Day.

TSD iPad Responsibility & Optional Insurance Program for Students in Grades 3-12. Each student in grades 3-12 who wishes to participate in the Troy School District 1:1 Device Insurance Program will be required to pay an annual insurance premium of $25 per student, not to exceed $100 per family. Grades K-2 will leave their iPads on carts at school and, therefore, do not need insurance. The window to purchase insurance is October 31st.

Dear Families,

We’d like to share an update regarding the setup of iPads for students in grades 3–5. As part of our commitment to creating a consistent and supportive digital learning environment, we have made a few adjustments to how iPads are configured and used in the classroom.

What’s Changing:

• Standardized Layouts & Apps: All student iPads will now feature the same home screen layout and set of approved apps. Certain apps will no longer be included, as we move toward a more unified setup. Please know that all essential learning tools will remain available.

• Locked Layouts: To help minimize distractions and support focus, students will no longer be able to add, rearrange, or delete apps.

• School Branding: Each iPad will display the school logo on both the lock screen and wallpaper, along with the student’s username for easy identification.

• Assigned Devices: iPads will continue to be individually assigned to students and may still be taken home.

• Work Backup & Security: Most student work is automatically backed up through school-managed systems, ensuring learning progress is preserved even if a device is lost or replaced.

These updates are designed to simplify the digital experience, reduce confusion, and support student independence while keeping learning at the center. We appreciate your partnership as we continue to make technology a seamless and effective part of the classroom. These updates will begin to show up on your child’s iPad next week. If you have any questions, please reach out to support at help@troy.k12.mi.us.

New students will receive their iPads at some point during the first two weeks of school.

Need accident insurance for your child?

Personal and Wearable Devices:

We recognize that many of our students will be traveling to school with personal technology devices. Therefore, cell phones, AirPods, and other electronic devices are permitted in the building, but students must follow the guidelines listed below:

Elementary Guidelines
The elementary guidelines apply during the school day, on school buses, and at all co-curricular, school-sponsored activities.

• Cell phones and personal devices must remain on silent with all notifications disabled and stored in backpacks or lockers during school hours. No one-way or two-way communication is allowed during the school day; all communication must go through the main office unless approved by a TSD staff member.
• Wearable technology (e.g., Apple Watches, Fitbits) is permitted, but all notifications must be turned off and communication features must be disabled.
• Earbuds/headphones may only be used with permission from a TSD staff member.
• Recording devices are strictly prohibited, in accordance with TSD Board Policy 2006.

Middle School Guidelines

• Cell phones and personal technology may not be used during the school day and must remain out of sight until the end of the school day; this includes passing time and lunch. Students should store their technology in their lockers.
• Personal cell phones may be used in the main office.

High School Guidelines

• Cell phones and personal technology must be stored in a student’s locker or in their backpack during class time.

The school district is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal technology. Consequences for not following these expectations are outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Students will utilize district-provided iPads during instruction at the direction of their teacher. If families need to reach their student(s) during the day, please contact the main office. Students are always welcome to use the telephones in the main office.

We believe that excellence is best achieved in an environment free from the distractions of personal technology. Thank you for your partnership and continued support as we work to create the most effective learning environment possible for our students.

If you have a fifth-grade student, please read the attached document about instrumental music.

2025-2026 PTO Board

President: Brandi Lavely

1st Vice President: Mandy Kostrewski

2nd Vice President: Tisha Richard

Treasurer: Anne Rasmussen

Secretary: Rachel Van Dinkel

Brandi is a high school teacher (Health, PE/Swim, and Life Skills), and she moderates Senior class activities. She has a second grader at Wattles and a sixth grader at Baker. Her family loves to travel, camp, hike to waterfalls, and explore new areas. She enjoys listening to audiobooks, POUND workout classes, crafting by using my Cricut, and hanging out with my dog, Cami.

Mandy has enjoyed the last few years of being involved in the Wattles PTO. As her son will be in 5th grade this year, her remaining time with the PTO is short, but she’ll carry with her the memories of all the fun runs, field trips, fairs, and other events. Outside of the PTO, Mandy works full-time and plays chauffeur to her kids’ busy lives. She loves traveling, old bad TV shows, and watching her kids’ activities, such as gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling.

Latisha is looking forward to another great year at Wattles! Her Wildcats this year will be in 3rd grade and kindergarten. Three things she loves is her family, football and french fries. She also loves new friends, so if you see her out and about, feel free to say hi!

Anne is deeply passionate about supporting her son's interests, particularly when it comes to ATVs, skate parks, motor bikes, hockey, and swimming. A true nature enthusiast, she enjoys spending time outdoors, whether it’s landscaping, teaching her son the joys of growing plants, or hands-on DIY builds. When not in the garden, you’ll find her playing with Luca and her dogs, listening to made-up songs sung by Luca and his aunt Dane, and always embracing the simple pleasures of family and the outdoors.

Rachel is passionate about building and growing community and supporting causes that help others. While new to the PTO board, she has been a strongly engaged PTO member, most recently heading up our Facebook group communications. She loves the outdoors (all year long!) and finding creative outlets such as crafting, photography, Lego, home DIY projects, and more! She is multinational, multilingual, and leverages her lived experience as an expat kid to foster inclusivity.

Please consider joining the Wattles PTO! We need all parents to participate in some capacity. Use the QR code to sign up for specific events.

Did you know that you can link your Kroger shopping card to the Wattles Elementary PTO and help raise money for the PTO at absolutely no cost to you? Please follow the link below to sign into your digital account, and then link your shopping card to our organization. Any transactions moving forward using the Shopper’s Card number associated with your digital account will be applied to the program, at no added cost to you. Kroger donates annually to participating organizations based on your percentage of spending as it relates to the total spending associated with all participating Kroger Community Rewards organizations.

Want to connect with other Wattles' families? See the information below for step-by-step directions.

Please click on the links below for registration information.

Begins September 18th

Want to join Scouts?

September 8th 6-7 PM

Supporting Youth and Families in Troy

Setting a standard of excellence within our community.

Providing over $50,000 in grants for TSD students!

Phone Numbers

• Attendance Line: 248-823-3401
• Main Office: 248-823-3400

School Hours

• Full Days: 8:39 AM - 3:37 AM
• Half Days: 8:39 AM - 12:29 PM (no lunch service)

School Address

3555 Ellenboro Avenue

Troy, MI 48083