The Spencer Scoop

Roadrunner families,

We have had another wonderful week at Spencer Elementary! We have truly been enjoying the nice weather and doing some learning outside. I hope you are all looking forward to the weekend. Our Brighton Bulldogs plays Hartland tonight in football and I’m wondering how many of you are Gilmore Girls fans and will be joining everyone downtown this weekend?!?
It seems like drop-off is getting smoother so I appreciate all of you following the expectations of the parking lot. I know it can be frustrating to walk all the way down to the only crosswalk, but it is so that we can keep everyone safe. I appreciate your patience and understanding.
We are looking forward to another great week next week and don’t forget to wear your pink!!

Mrs. Boyd

Picture Day is Tuesday, September 23rd! There will be a Picture Retake Day on October 29th in the event your student is absent on Picture Day. Ordering instructions are below. I have also attached the order form for you to see the picture package information.

**Please Note** Lifetouch starts right away in the morning to take pictures on both the original picture day and the picture retake day, so be mindful of that when scheduling appointments.

Picture Day ID: 29XM9BTVE

Welcome back to the Spencer Art Studio! We have had a fantastic time connecting with returning artists and welcoming all of our new friends. Your student(s) have enjoyed making connections together, reviewing procedures and starting our annual Art to Remember Fundraiser.

Do you love to explore, discover, and get your hands a little dirty? Our new Research-Based Gardening Club is the perfect mix of science, creativity, and outdoor fun! Students will become “garden scientists,” researching which plants will thrive right here at Spencer based on our unique site conditions. Along the way, they’ll practice reading, writing, and problem-solving skills—then put their research into action by planting and caring for seeds that will grow into our future Spring Garden Club.

This is a hands-on opportunity for curious minds to dig deeper into nature, teamwork, and discovery—all while helping design and prepare the garden space that our whole school will enjoy in the spring.

Tuesdays, Sept 23 – Nov 18 (No class Nov 4)
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Cost: $25

Spots are limited—don’t miss out on this chance to grow your gardening skills and leave a lasting mark at Spencer!

Registration opens soon and a link will be provided in next week's Scoop as well as on the Spencer PTO Facebook page.

Spencer's Fall Book Fair will be on Thursday, Sept. 25th from 5:00-7:30pm in the Media Center. The PTO Family Picnic is that night from 6:00-7:30pm. NEW THIS YEAR: this will be a card only event!!! Teacher Wish Lists will be on display, so please peruse them and support our amazing teachers by buying a book for the class. If you purchase a book from the list, simply cross the book off so that others know what was purchased. Volunteers will be needed, so please look for a sign-up from the PTO: we cannot do it without you. If you are unable to attend in person, you can visit the Book Fair virtually from 9-26-25 to 10-3-25 via this link: Scholastic Book Fair Online 9-26 to 10-3

Happy Reading,

Mrs. McBride

Dear Parents,

We’d like to share some important information about Free & Reduced-Price Meal eligibility.

While all students currently receive meals at no cost through the Michigan School Meals Program, qualifying for Free or Reduced-Price Meals can provide additional benefits for your child and family—including reduced fees for school activities, athletics, and testing.

In past years, most students’ eligibility was determined through a process called Direct Certification. This automatically qualifies students without the need for families to apply. However, this year Direct Certification has not identified as many eligible students as in the past.

If your child has qualified for Free or Reduced-Price Meals in previous years but you have not received a notification this year, you may need to complete a short application. Also, if you feel that you may now qualify, you should fill out this application as well (Link to Qualification Standards). The good news—it’s quick and simple to do!

• Paper applications are available in all schools.

• Applications can also be printed from the district website.

• An online Application is available on Parent Connect

If you are unsure of your eligibility status or have any questions, please call the Food Service Office at 810-299-4175 and we’ll be happy to help.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to ensure your child receives all the benefits they are entitled to.

Sincerely,

The Brighton Area Schools Student Nutrition Department

PTO News

2025/2026 PTO Board

Colleen Gaiefsky - Co- President
Amber Gaines - Co- President
Mandy Oswalt - Vice-President
Amanda Dennis - Co-Secretary
Lindsey Kovacs - Co-Secretary
Michele Lewis- Co-Treasurer
Brandy Solanick- Co-Treasurer

Katelyn Bill - Member-at-Large

Kendra Cupp - Member-at-Large

Amber Czajka - Member at Large

Stephanie Day -Member-at-Large
Ashley Kasmierczak- Member-at-Large
Angela Kissel - Member-at-Large
Melissa Rife- Member-at-Large

STUDENT T-SHIRT ORDERS

The 2025/2026 Spencer Roadrunner Run T-Shirt order has been finalized. If you did not place an order, a shirt was ordered for your student based on the grade size average. The shirts will come home with your student on October 8th.

Coin Wars and Pink Week

Thank you for being a part of the Class Coins for Cure Fundraiser, put together by Brighton High School’s Leadership Class for PINK WEEK. All proceeds go toward the BAS contribution to the Brighton Cancer Center at Trinity Health. The classroom that raises the most money will win a prize. This is a school wide competition! Coin War bags will go home with students on 9/19, and money can come in daily the following week until 9/25. Students are also encouraged to wear pink on Friday, September 26th leading up to the big Varsity Pink Out game on Friday night.

SAVE THE DATE

The Family Picnic will be held from 6pm-7:30pm on Thursday, September 25th. This is the perfect time to connect with other Spencer families while you enjoy hotdogs and more!

Sign up here to volunteer - Picnic Sign Up Genius

We are also looking for volunteers for the book fair the same day as the Family Picnic!

Sign up here to volunteer - Book Fair Sign Up Genius

Our 13th Annual Roadrunner Run Fundraiser has launched!

Save the date for our 13th Annual Roadrunner Run, which will be held in the afternoon on Friday, October 10th!. It's one of our biggest school fundraisers of the year, and it is a lot of fun for the kids! Volunteer opportunities for set up and for cheer stations can be found here:

Roadrunner Run Volunteer Sign Up

Fundraising paperwork was sent home with students on September 5th. The link/QR Code to create a fundraising page can also be found below!

FundHub

McKinney-Vento Act Support

Brighton Area Schools supports students experiencing temporary housing through the McKinney-Vento Act. Assistance is available for school needs, housing referrals, clothing, and more. If you know a student in need, please contact your building principal or district liaison Starr Acromite at 810-299-4040.

You will find the Drop Off Cabinet near the main entrance to the school. Here you will put those forgotten items that your student may need. Simply fill out the small slip of paper with the student's name and teacher, and a staff member will deliver the item to your student.

Spencer has a Food Pantry that was gifted to us by our Spencer Class of 2024 students and PTO. It is located outside in the front of the school behind the Teacher's Retreat near Door #3. Feel free to visit if you need some assistance with food. We are also accepting donations to stock up the Food Pantry. If you are so inclined to help with that, it would be greatly appreciated.

We have a brand new Lost & Found in a brand new location this year. It is now located at the front of the building near Door #3 next to the Food Pantry.

Parents - Please make sure you pack a change of clothes (that are weather appropriate) in your child's backpack EVERY DAY. This is for ALL students, grades JK-4th, you never know when your student may have a nosebleed, or loose a tooth, or spill food/milk on their shirt, or find a mud puddle outside, or have a bathroom accident. If your student keeps a change of clothing in their backpack, then we can take care of it here, otherwise we need you to bring up a change of clothes. Thank you for your cooperation.

Please remember to send your child to school each day with a refillable water bottle with their name on it. Spencer has water refilling stations throughout the building and we encourage students to drink water throughout the day.

Please remember to bring your ID with you EVERY day you come to pick up your student! We frequently have substitute teachers that will not recognize you and will send you back to your vehicle to get your ID before releasing your child to you. This is for the safety and security of your student.

September

22-26 - Pink Week

23 - Picture Day

25 - Fall Book Fair from 5-7:30 PM

25 - Family Picnic from 6-7:30 PM

October

10 - Annual Roadrunner Run

This Spencer Parent Resource Guide is filled with important information and answers to most (if not all) the questions you may have.

If you are planning to volunteer in classrooms or on field trips this year, you must fill out a background check. This needs to be done each year and if you have students in other buildings around the district, you only have to fill out the form one time and indicate which buildings you would like to volunteer in. Here are the steps to get to the form...

Go to www.brightonk12.com

Click on District

Click on Donate & Volunteer

Click on Volunteers & Student Teachers

Click on ONLINE Volunteer/Student Teacher Form

Student Drop Off: 8:55 AM

First Bell: 9:01 AM

Second Bell: 9:05 AM

Starting Time In Class: 9:05 AM

Dismissal Time: 3:58 PM

Students eating Breakfast may enter the cafeteria at 8:45 AM

Attendance Line: 810-299-4354

*Please remember to call your child's absence in as early as possible.

Email: boydc@brightonk12.com
Website: https://www.brightonk12.com/Domain/238
Location: 10639 Spencer Road, Brighton, MI, United States
Phone: 810-299-4350
Twitter: @SpencerElem