Panther Pamphlet

Dear Parkwood Upjohn Families,

I hope this message finds you well and thriving! As we move into October, I want to take a moment to express our gratitude for the support and partnership you provide to our school community. Together, we are making a significant impact on our students' lives!

Celebrations from the Week:

We had a fantastic kickoff for our school-wide Panther Prowl!

• Hat Day: Everyone enjoyed wearing their favorite hats on Friday.
• Spirit Assembly: We celebrated our Panther Prowl launch and the great start of the school year with a fun kick off spirit assembly.
• Popcorn Friday: A huge thank you to our Parent & Grandparent Popcorn Crew for making this day special for our students! This is always a favorite school memory for our students.

Important Announcements

We have several fun and important updates to share:

Panther Prowl Updates

• Current Status: We have reached 34% of our goal and raised $8,628 so far!
• Spirit Days:
  • Tomorrow, September 29th: Pajama Day
  • Wednesday, October 1st: Bring One Stuffed Animal to School Day
• Exciting News: We have surpassed our $7,500 goal, enabling us to host Teachers in Inflatables Day on Friday, October 3rd. Participating staff and teachers will greet students in costume at drop-off!
• Next Spirit Days: Earning an extra recess for each class and Teacher Wig Day are coming up as we hit our next fundraising goals.
• Class Competition: Currently, Mrs. Guillen and Mrs. Demitz are leading the competition for the most students registered online. Sign up to help your class earn a popsicle party!

Count Day

• Date: This Wednesday, October 1st.
• Attendance Matters: Please ensure that all students who are able to attend are present. If your child cannot attend, please email us so if it falls under our excused absence categories we can mark it excuses.

Attendance Reminder

• Chronic Absenteeism: Letters will be sent out in the next few weeks or so, for those showing up as at risk to be considered Chronically Absent. It is vital for students' learning to limit absences when possible. Remember, the state says students who miss a total of 18 absences in a school year or more, are considered chronically absent and at risk to fall under truancy. Chronic Absenteeism, as laid out by the state, counts unexcused and excused absences. If your child is sick, please email our attendance secretary, Mrs. Stecker at steckeras@kalamazoopublicschools.net, and your child's teacher to excuse their absences.

Additional Information

A heartfelt thank you to the First Day Shoe Fund for providing shoes to many of our students at no cost. This initiative ensures all students feel included, and we are excited that a few remaining pairs will be delivered early this week.

Thank you for your ongoing support in making Parkwood Upjohn a wonderful place for our children to learn and grow. We appreciate your partnership and look forward to more successes together!

Warm regards,

Principal Rosecrans

We are also excited to introduce our Star Student Awards this year! Each month, teachers will nominate one student from each class who exemplifies our school values—PURRS (Parkwood Upjohn is Responsible, Respectful, and Safe). These students will receive:

• A Star Student certificate
• Their picture displayed on our Star Student bulletin board
• A positive letter signed by our staff mailed home

Congratulations to our first Star Students for September! Your dedication and leadership are truly commendable.

Sept 29th- Hat Day

Oct 1st- Count Day and Stuffed Animal Day

Oct 3rd- Teacher Inflatable Day

Oct 10th- Panther Prowl

Oct. 22 PreK-12; no students

Oct. 31 PreK-12 half day; records day 12:06 Dismissal

Nov 3rd- Conferences 4:00-8:00

Nov 5th- Conferences 4:00-8:00

Nov. 6 K-8 half day 12:06 Dismissal Conferences 12:06-4:00

Nov. 7 K-5 half day 12:06 Dismissal

Nov. 14 PreK-5; no students

Nov. 26 Nov. 27 & 28 Thanksgiving Break; all buildings closed

Dec. 10 PreK-12; no students

Dec. 22 - Jan. 2 Winter Break