Wattles Gazette

Dear Families,

As conferences approach, I want to reaffirm what these meetings are all about: your child. Our goal is to celebrate strengths, share clear evidence of learning, and agree on a few actionable next steps we’ll each take—school and home—so your child continues to grow.

What you can expect:

• A warm, student-centered conversation grounded in recent work and plain-language data.

• 1–2 goals with simple strategies you can try at home and plans we’ll carry out at school.

• Respect for your time; if a topic needs more attention, we’ll schedule a follow-up.

How you can help:

• Bring questions and share what you’re seeing at home—interests, routines, and what motivates your child.

• If you have not scheduled a conference time, please follow the directions below.

Thank you for your partnership. When families and teachers work together with a clear plan, students feel supported and thrive. We look forward to meeting with you soon.

CONFERENCES:

Parent-teacher conferences for the fall are on October 9th (IN PERSON) and October 10th (IN PERSON). Conference times are available in the afternoon and evening on October 9th and in the afternoon on October 10th.

Both of these conference days are half-days for students. School will be dismissed at 12:29 p.m.

Parent Teacher Conferences are a time for you and your child’s teacher to discuss academic progress, celebrate successes, and share ideas for areas of growth. We hope to speak to 100% of our parents over these two days.

New this year:

We are using Conference Manager, a new conference scheduling software which provides you with online access to our teachers’ conference schedules and allows you to book the most convenient time from the time slots available.

The first time you use the Conference Manager you will be required to register and create a parent account, which only takes a minute or two. You can access Conference Manager at: Wattles Elementary Conference Manager

On the login page click the REGISTER NOW button to create an account. Once registered, an email will be sent to the address you specified confirming your account details. Once you have an account, you can immediately log into the Conference Manager and book your appointment.

If you have any questions, please contact us at the school at 248-823-3400. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming conferences.

With warmth and gratitude,
Amy Wallace
Principal, Wattles Elementary

• Monday, October 6 - Michigan vs Michigan State Penny Wars Begins (see flyer below)
• Monday, October 6 - Thursday, October 9 - Book Fair (see info below)
• Thursday, October 9 - Dining for Dollars at Hungry Howie's (see flyer below)
• Thursday, October 9 & Friday, October 10 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, October 15 - Friday, October 17 - Fifth Grade Camp
• Monday, October 20 - No School - Teacher Professional Development
• Tuesday, October 21 - Fun Run (see times below)
• Tuesday, October 21 - Dining for Dollars at City BBQ (see flyer below)
• Thursday, October 23 - Math & Literacy Family Night 5:45 - 7:00 PM (see flyer below)
• Friday, October 31 - Halloween Parties in the AM
• Friday, October 31 - Last Day to Get iPad Insurance!
• Saturday, November 8 - Troy Fitness Run 9:00 AM Boulan Park (see flyer below)
• Thursday, November 13 - Dining for Dollars at Gilly's Ice Cream
• Wednesday, November 19 - Dining for Dollars at Honest Vegetarian
• Thursday, December 18 - Winter Parties (times TBD)
• Saturday, March 14 - Regional Scripps Spelling Bee

Our school recently rallied around a Wattles family experiencing a crisis. Your donations and support made a meaningful difference. We are grateful for your compassion and partnership—it’s an honor to be part of this community.

Bring in your coins and dollars in support of your favorite team and support the Wattles PTO! We are collecting pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollars! Collection buckets are located at the entrance of the school!

The Book Fair is always a favorite event for our students! Please refer to the information sent home from Mrs. Menghini, as well as the schedule listed below, to see your child’s shopping days. In addition, the Book Fair will be open during conferences for families to visit together.

The Wattles Fun Run is our only fundraiser of the year, and it makes a huge difference for our school community. Our hope is for each child to raise $50, which will help us reach our school-wide goal of $20,000.

Funds from the Fun Run directly support:

• Offsetting the cost of field trips

• Providing each teacher with a classroom allowance

• And so much more that benefits every Wattles student

Thank you for your support in making this event a success—we couldn’t do it without you!

Kindergarten Warmup 12:00, run 12:10-12:20

2nd Grade Warmup 12:25, run 12:35-12:45

1st Grade Warmup 12:50, run 1:00-1:10

3rd Grade Warmup 1:15, run 1:25-1:40

4th Grade Warmup 1:45, run 1:55-2:10

5th Grade Warmup 2:15, run 2:25-2:40

Family Night is just a few weeks away! This event was such a hit last year, and we are thrilled to welcome you back again.

Paper copies of the registration form will be coming home with your child today. Please be sure to return the form to school no later than Friday, October 3rd.

Please note: this event is for current Wattles students only.

We look forward to another wonderful evening together!

With the exception of service animals, dogs are not permitted on school property at any time during arrival, the school day, or dismissal. This policy is in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, staff, and visitors. Some children may have allergies, fear of animals, or other sensitivities, and this measure helps us maintain a secure and comfortable school environment for everyone.

Thank you for your cooperation in adhering to this policy.

On Friday, November 21st, the Superintendent's Student Advisory Board will be hosting our 2nd annual TSD Staff vs Students Basketball Game at Troy High School!

After a widely successful game last year with district-wide viewership that served as a popular fundraiser for the MLK Day of Service, we are hoping for an even more successful event this year to enhance community engagement and continue fundraising for this year's MLK Day. The game not only includes a friendly staff vs students competition (where teachers currently reign as the 2024 champions), but it also incorporates performances from TSD Dance Teams, raffles, and more.

Troy Youth Assistance is hosting a special event for Troy middle and high school students and parents, and we'd like to share this information with the TSD Administration, so they know about it and to invite them to attend the event if they are available. Could you help us share the following with them?

Troy Youth Assistance is hosting a special event, The Magic of Hope, featuring Anthony Grupido, an inspiring keynote speaker and magician, on Wednesday, October 8 at 7pm in the Troy High School Auditorium. Anthony combines a unique blend of magic, humor, and storytelling to address topics around mental health, resiliency, and suicide prevention. Practical tools and insights are offered to empower youth to face life's challenges.

The program is designed for middle and high school students, parents, educators, and community members. Event registration is free! Attached is the event flyer. Registration is found on the flyer and at the link below.

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.

Join fifth grade students from across the Troy School District for their Annual Fitness Run. Registration is open now!

2025-2026 PTO Board

President: Brandi Lavely

1st Vice President: Mandy Kostrewski

2nd Vice President: Tisha Richard

Treasurer: Anne Rasmussen

Secretary: Rachel Van Dinkel

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.

Don't want to cook on Parent/Teacher Conferences? Grab a pizza from Hungry Howie's!

Head to City BBQ after the Fun Run to grab a bite to eat!

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.

Meeting Dates Listed on Flyer

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