Spring Valley Family News

Spring Valley Families,

Welcome to the 2025/2026 school year! I hope that you all had a wonderful summer. We are looking forward to an amazing year at Spring Valley.

We hope that you can join us for a Popsicle Pop In on Thursday, August 21st from 4:30-5:30. You will have the chance to find out who your child's teacher will be this school year, meet some of our staff and reconnect with/meet new friends.

The first day of school is Monday, August 25th and will be a half day (Arrival: 8:50 Dismissal: 12:06). We have a great year planned at Spring Valley and are ready to SOAR! Our Schoolwide SOAR Expectations remind us to be: Safe, Organized, Attentive and Respectful. We will be teaching and reviewing these expectations the first few weeks of school to help set students up for a successful year.

Please be sure to check out the rest of the Newsletter for important information on first day procedures, upcoming events and other opportunities for your family.

I look forward to continuing to partner with all of you as we work to provide your child with the supports and services they need to reach their full potential and fulfill their Promise.

Take Good Care,

Heather L. Misner

Principal, Spring Valley Center for Exploration

I am so excited to welcome 2 new members to our Spring Valley Team!

Mrs. Jordyn Boonstra who will be teaching 2nd grade at Spring Valley this school year.

"My name is Jordyn Boonstra, and I am so excited to be teaching second grade here at Spring Valley this year. Last year, I spent time working in fifth grade in the Urban Teacher Residency Program and earned my Master's in Teaching Elementary Education. When I'm not in the classroom, I love to read, hike, and spend time with my husband, Christian, and puppy, Belle. I can't wait for the year ahead! "

Please help welcome them to our Spring Valley Team!

Mrs. Sarah Pruitt is the newest addition to our Special Education team. She will be teaching in a self contained classroom joined by a paraprofessional, Kaitlynn Taylor.

Sarah just moved here from Florida so this will be her first Michigan Winter, she is excited to be here but a little nervous about driving in the snow. She has 11 years of experience teaching in a variety of capacities as a Special Education Teacher. Sarah has taught children as young as preschool all the way up to teaching young adults as they transition out of public education.

We are thrilled to have them on our team and know that you will help us welcome them to the Spring Valley Family!

If you are not able to make it to the Meet and Greet/Popsicle Pop In, we will leave class lists posted on the windows of the school near the Main Office and Gym until the 1st day of school.

Monday August 25th, 2025

• Please make sure you and your child know their morning and afternoon bus number(s). If you have not received a mailing from KPS with your child’s pick up and drop off time by Friday 8/15, please call the Main Office.

• If your child is a walker or drop off, please enter in the side parking lot and stop at the sign. Students will say goodbye to their families at that time and line up outside by grade. All teachers and support staff will be outdoors greeting students and helping them find their class on the first day.

• PLEASE DO NOT PARK FOR ANY REASON IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL at arrival or dismissal. This area is for buses only.

• Dismissal: Children who are pick up may be picked up at the doors by the gym at 12:06 pm. Parents will meet a staff member and sign their child out before leaving the school. Please park in the side lot during dismissal. Be prepared to show an ID if requested. Please make sure any person who can pick up your child(ren) are listed on the registration so we can assure every child is safe.

The earliest time students may be dropped off for school is at 8:30am. There is no supervision outside before 8:30am. Please drop off in the main parking lot near the gym. From 8:30 - 8:44am, students will wait outside in their designated grade level areas. During inclement weather, students will wait in designated areas inside the building.

Many of you have been asking about what supplies students will need for the school year. We provide students with all necessary school supplies. With that being said, we can always use the following items:

• Kleenex
• Disinfecting Wipes
• Hand Sanitizer
• Expo Markers
• Ticonderoga Pencils
• Individually wrapped snacks (No nuts)

Please be sure that your contact information is updated as many of our communications come through phone calls and emails. If your information has changed, please let the main office know so that we can update it in our system.

Below is our Bell Schedule for the 2025/2026 school year:

Full Day of School

Student Instruction begins at 8:50 AM

Student Instruction ends (dismissal) at 3:56 PM

Half-Day Schedule

Student Instruction begins at 8:50 AM

Student Instruction ends (dismissal) at 12:06 PM

Please remember that students should not have cell phones during the school day. Many of the issues that arise are a result of cell phone use. If your child has a cell phone, the safest place for it to be during the school day is at home. If your child needs a cell phone for after school communication, they should give it to their teacher to be locked up during the day and returned at dismissal. If a student has a cell phone out during the school day, it will be sent to the main office for a parent to pick up.

Thank you for your help in keeping our learning environment free from the distraction of phones!

• Thursday 8/21-Popsicle Pop In- 4:30-5:30PM

• Monday 8/25- First Day of School (half day) 8:50AM - 12:06 PM

• Tuesday 8/26- First Full day 8:50AM - 3:56PM

• 8/29 & 9/1- No School (Labor Day Weekend)

• 9/8- First day-PEEP

• 9/11- Open House 4:30-6:00PM

First Day Shoe Fund provides new athletic shoes to students at Kalamazoo County Public

elementary schools at no cost. Any caregiver who needs shoes for their elementary aged

student can order online at www.firstdayshoefund.org/order

Online ordering opens on August 18th and will close on September 10th at 5:00PM.

If you order online, you will get an email confirmation; please keep this email as it acts as a receipt for your order.

Students will also receive a paper order form once school starts and caregivers can order

by returning this to school if ordering online isn’t possible.

Shoes will be fitted and distributed at Spring Valley on Tuesday 9/23.

If you haven't already, please like/join our Spring Valley Facebook Page (linked below). We post frequent updates such as: bus cancellations, snow days, school activities, upcoming events and pictures of the amazing things happening in our classrooms/school!

Ms. Heather Misner, Principal

misnerhl@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Ms. Sharon Vandyke, Achievement and Behavior Specialist

vandykesk@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Marlene Katz, Home Support Specialist

katzml@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Mrs. Stephanie Prevo, Lead Secretary

prevosd@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Email: misnerhl@kalamazoopublicschools.net
Website: https://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/springvalley
Location: 3530 Mount Olivet Road, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
Phone: 2693370750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/springvalleycenterforexploration