Salk Seahawk Scoop

Our Salk Seahawks had a blast at our Color Run this past Friday, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Sunshine, smiles, and plenty of COLOR made for a fantastic event!

A huge THANK YOU to all of our Salk families and community members who donated to support the Color Run. Your generosity and continued support of our school help make special experiences like this possible for our students.

We also want to give a very special thank you to our Salk PTO for all of the time, planning, and hard work that went into making the Color Run such a success. Events like this don’t happen without a lot of work behind the scenes, and we are incredibly grateful for everything our PTO does for our students and school.

Thank you as well to all of our parent volunteers who helped throughout the event and to the many parents, family members, and friends who came out to cheer on our Seahawks! Having so many spectators encouraging our students made the afternoon even more exciting.

Most importantly, our students had FUN! It was wonderful seeing our Seahawks running, laughing, cheering each other on, and finishing the day covered in color.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's Salk Color Run such a memorable day! 💙💛

What a great day to be a Seahawk!

At Salk Elementary, we want every student to feel safe, supported, successful, and proud to be a Seahawk. One of the ways we work toward that goal is through PBIS—Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

PBIS is a school-wide approach that focuses on teaching, recognizing, and reinforcing positive behavior. Just as we explicitly teach students how to read, write, and solve math problems, we also teach them what appropriate behavior looks and sounds like throughout the school day.

At Salk, our PBIS expectations are simple:

Be Safe. Be Responsible. Be Respectful.

At the beginning of the year, students participate in our PBIS Circuit Training, where they visit different areas of the school and learn what these expectations look like in classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria, playground, bathrooms, buses, and other common areas. However, PBIS doesn't end with Circuit Training. These expectations are reinforced and practiced throughout the entire school year.

Recognizing Our Seahawks

An important part of PBIS is recognizing students when they demonstrate the behaviors we want to see. Staff members can give students Hawk Cash when they notice them being safe, responsible, respectful, or demonstrating other positive behaviors. Hawk Cash gives students an opportunity to receive recognition and participate in rewards throughout the year.

Students can also earn special Principal Experiences, which provide fun and memorable opportunities to celebrate positive choices and accomplishments.

Throughout the year, students work together toward school-wide PBIS rewards as well. These celebrations have included activities such as movie days, dances with a DJ, bounce houses, and other special experiences. They are a fun way for our entire Nest to celebrate our collective success.

Building Character

PBIS at Salk is about more than following rules. We also want to help students develop the character traits that will help them become successful classmates, friends, and community members.

Each month, we focus on a specific character trait, such as teamwork. Teachers discuss the trait with their students and look for examples of it throughout the month. Each classroom selects a student who has done an exceptional job demonstrating that month's trait. Those students are recognized at our next Town Hall and enjoy a special pizza lunch with the principal.

Our Town Halls are also student-led. Each Town Hall is hosted by a grade level, giving students an opportunity to share what our character traits mean to them and help lead our school community.

Respect the Nest!

Ultimately, PBIS is about creating a school culture where students understand what is expected, receive positive recognition when they make good choices, and learn that they each play an important role in our school community.

It all connects back to a phrase our Seahawks know well:

Respect the Nest — Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful.

Thank you to our Salk families for partnering with us as we help our students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Together, we can continue making THE NEST a place where every Seahawk can soar!

Please do not plan to drop off "hot lunches" for your child at lunch time. This includes parents/family members dropping off fast food and/or Door Dashing food for their children. It is logistically challenging to ensure that your child receives the food delivery on time and often results in students spending much of their lunch period awaiting a delivery.

There is a district inappropriate attire policy, which is included in our Student Code of Conduct. The purpose of our dress code is to make sure that our students are dressed for learning success. Parents will be called to bring a change of clothing when students do not follow the district policy. The following types of clothing are inappropriate for school and will not be allowed:

• Outdoor wear (coats, jackets, vests, raincoats, etc.) in classrooms, halls, and the cafeteria.
• Hats, caps, hoods, bandannas, or other head coverings unless required in class for safety reasons.
• Bare midriff tops, halters, revealing tops, tank tops, muscle shirts, mesh clothing, see-through clothing, blouses or shirts with string-type straps.
• Shorts, skirts and dresses shorter than the tip of the student’s index finger when arms are hanging down.
• Clothes or accessories displaying offensive words and symbols including those related to alcohol, illegal/controlled substances, tobacco products, weapons, sexual references and/or language disruptive to the educational process.
• Tight fitting clothing or clothing of spandex-type material that is not covered with other clothing to mid-thigh.
• Beach-type footwear. Sandals with heel straps are allowed.
• Underwear and sleepwear as outer clothing unless pre-approved by the building principal and associated with a school activity.
• Sunglasses unless a written prescription from a doctor is provided.
• Pants not worn at the waistline (sagging), exposing undergarments or underwear are inappropriate.
  Beltline of pants must be at waistline.
• Shop apparel, including safety glasses, except in shop class. (Glasses are required in class when working near machinery, power equipment, or participating in a laboratory environment.)
• Chains in excess of 12” that hang outside clothing

For the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members, dogs and other pets are not permitted on elementary school property.

This policy is in place for several important reasons:

• Student Safety: Even the most well-trained dogs can behave unpredictably around children, especially in busy or noisy environments.

• Allergies and Health Concerns: Many students have allergies or sensitivities to animals that can cause discomfort or serious health reactions.

• Fear and Anxiety: Some children may be fearful of animals, which can interfere with their sense of safety at school.

• Cleanliness: Preventing animals on school grounds helps us maintain a clean and healthy environment for everyone.

We kindly ask for your cooperation in leaving pets at home when visiting school or dropping off and picking up students. Service animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are of course welcome.

We kindly ask that are youngest students keep an extra set of clothes in their backpack each day. Throughout the school day, students may experience a variety of situations — such as spills, playground mishaps, or other accidents — that require a change of clothes.

Having an extra set of clothes readily available helps your child stay comfortable and minimizes the need for a call home during the day.

Thank you for helping us keep our students comfortable and ready to learn!

A FEW REMINDERS:

* Please remember that the drop-off lane is not for parked cars.

* The bus loop is for buses only!

* If you want to walk your child to their door, please park in a parking spot and walk up together.

* The church graciously allows us to use their parking lot. Please do not park in reserved spaces.

Thank you for helping to create a safe parking lot for all our students!

When the orange flag is hanging outside, this means indoor line-up. This usually occurs during inclement weather or when temperatures drop below 10 degrees. During these times students may enter the building thru the main entrance (Door #1), as well as their normal entrances starting at 8:20 AM.

Birthdays are special celebrations at any age, and we love recognizing our students on their big day! However, due to food allergies, dietary restrictions, and the need to maximize learning time, no food items will be allowed for birthday celebrations.

If students would like to bring something to share, they may bring a small, non-food item (such as stickers, pencils, or erasers). These items will be sent home with students at the end of the day.

Additionally, flowers, balloons, and other similar deliveries for students are not permitted at school. We will continue to celebrate students’ birthdays in meaningful ways within the classroom to make their day special.

Thank you for helping us keep our learning environment safe, inclusive, and focused!

As we prepare for the 2026-2027 school year, we want to share the student cell phone and personal device expectations in Fraser Public Schools.

In accordance with state law and Fraser Public Schools policy, students may not use personal wireless communication devices during the school day while on school grounds. This is consistent with our past practices at the elementary buildings.

What does this mean for elementary students?

Students may bring a device to school, but it must remain turned off, stored away, and out of sight during the school day. This includes cell phones, smartwatches and smart glasses, earbuds and headphones, personal tablets and any device that can text, call, access the internet, take photos or videos, send email, or provide entertainment.

Are there exceptions?

Yes. Exceptions may be made for medically necessary devices, school-issued devices, approved instructional use and IEP or 504 accommodations.

What happens if a student has a device out?

If a student has a device out during instructional time, they will be asked to put it away. If needed, staff may secure the device in a designated, secure location until the end of the school day.

Discipline will not be issued simply because a student has a device out. Consequences may be assigned if a student refuses to follow the expectation or repeatedly fails to comply with the policy. Our goal is to respond in a safe, reasonable, and consistent manner while helping students develop responsible technology habits.

How can families help?

We ask for your partnership as we make this transition. Before the school year begins, please talk with your student about keeping personal devices put away during the school day and the importance of following staff directions.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to provide a focused, safe, and positive learning environment for every Fraser student.

In Michigan, schools are required to collect certain student information, such as enrollment, demographics, and program participation, and share it with the Michigan Department of Education. This process is required by state and federal law and helps monitor publicly funded education programs.

A new rule in the State School Aid Act now requires schools to also collect information about students’ tribal affiliations. This change was developed with input from Tribal Nations in Michigan.

Starting this school year, families have the option to share tribal affiliation information. Sharing this information is completely voluntary.

The data will help strengthen communication with Tribal Nations and may allow schools to qualify for additional funding to better support Indigenous students.

If a family chooses to share this information, it will be protected under privacy laws such as FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), which also prohibits discrimination.

If you would like to report your tribal affiliation, please complete this form by October 7.

The next PTO meeting is October 14, 2026 at 6PM in the Salk Media Center.

The 2026-27 Executive PTO Board:

President: Nicole Demura
Treasurer: Christina Burrows
Secretary: Akisha McCray

The Vice President position is currently open.

To contact the PTO - ptosalk@gmail.com

• Below are the directions for pairing as a Parent Observer with your students’ Canvas account.
  

  
  

  • Parents can use Canvas to

  • Contact their child’s teacher

  • View grades, due dates, and events

  • See, and in many cases access, what the child is doing at school

  • Support an absent student

  • View classroom and building announcements

  • And more!

  
  

  For the first step you will need to have two devices (tablet, laptop, computer or phone) available to be paired. One device will be used to log into your student’s canvas account. The other will be used to create your parent canvas account.

  
  

  For parents/guardians of students whom are in young fives through 2nd Grade:

  A QR code of your students’ username and password will have been sent home. Use your camera function to scan the QR code to access your student’s Canvas Account. If you are having issues with the QR code, contact your teacher or elementary media tech.

  
  

  For parents/guardians of students whom are in 3rd-6th Grade:

  To log in as your student, go to this website (preferably in Chrome, but Safari is okay):

  
  

  https://www.fraser.k12.mi.us/myfps

  
  

  Click on the icon that says Canvas Student Login.

  
  

  Your student should know their username and password. If not, contact his or her teacher or your elementary media tech.

  
  

  Next Step-

  To create and/or log into your Canvas Parent Account:

  
  

  On a different device (tablet, laptop, computer or phone) Visit this website –

  https://www.fraser.k12.mi.us/myfps

  
  

  Click on the icon that says Canvas Parent Login.

Salk has been approved to have a therapy dog visit. Charlie, the English Creme Golden Retriever, started visiting Salk in 2023. Not only is Charlie a certified therapy dog, but he is one of my family dogs and I was excited he joined the Salk family. Studies have shown that therapy dogs have the ability to increase positive emotions, promote engagement in learning activities and positive attitudes toward learning, reduce negative behaviors, as well as encourage prosocial behaviors including acting as a social catalyst to facilitate social interactions with others.

Charlie is a certified therapy dog after completing his training and testing by The Alliance of Therapy Dogs. He has also earned the title of AKC Canine Good Citizen. I am also a certified therapy dog handler after completing my testing and observations by The Alliance of Therapy Dogs.

Charlie's purpose is to ease student's anxieties and increase positive emotions. We do not want his presence to cause fear or anxiety. Charlie will be introduced in a positive manner and students will be instructed on how to interact with him. Parents have the ability to opt out of having their student interact with Charlie. If you DO NOT want your student to be around Charlie, then please fill out the opt out form linked here.

For the safety of students with allergies and Charlie, he will not be in the lunch room. Charlie will also remain out of classrooms in which parents have a student who opt out. Charlie will be under my supervision and kept on a leash at all times.

Charlie is looking forward to visiting. He would like to thank the Salk PTO for donating some supplies for him be a part of Salk. More information about Charlie and our therapy dog program will be presented in future scoops. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.

Fraser Public Schools is excited to share that the State of Michigan has approved the continuation of Michigan School Meals and will be offering each student a free breakfast and free lunch on a daily basis! A required component of a complete breakfast and lunch is ½ cup of fruit or vegetable, which must be taken with the meal for it to be free of charge.

We are also encouraging families to complete the Education Benefits Form located HERE. By doing so you help ensure the school receives additional funding.

We want to partner with our families to make our school a safe, healthy and welcoming environment for your students.

Make sure to send your child to school if they are generally healthy and able to participate in their usual day-to-day activities. Avoid keeping children at home unless they are too sick to participate.

We have put together this helpful chart of when to keep your child home and when they can return to school for common illnesses

• 9/23 - PTO Restaurant Night (Jet's Pizza)
• 9/30 - Picture Day
• 10/1 - PTO Skate Night (Great Skate) *NEW DATE
• 10/6 - 6th Grade Camp
• 10/7 - Count Day
• 10/7 - Young 5 Field Trip
• 10/21 - PTO Trunk-or-Treat

Access the full District Calendar HERE at any time!

Main Office: (586) 439-6800

Absentee Phone Line: (586) 439-6890

• 24 hour recorded line, please leave your child's reason for absence and length of time out. Absences reported to this line ensure most timely and accurate record.

Principal: Mr. Anthony Birkmeier, anthony.birkmeier@fraserk12.org

School Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Amanda Lyons, amanda.lyons@fraserk12.org

Building Hours - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

School Hours: 8:35 am – 3:30 pm

SSLI Hours: 8:10 am - 3:10 pm

CCRR Hours: 8:15 am - 3:15 pm

First Bell: 8:30 am

Instructional Bell: 8:35 am

Students must be in class by 8:35 am or they are marked tardy