Panther Cubs Press

This is how we Take Chances, Make Mistakes and Get Messy! Our little Panther Cubs are learning to ROAR with pride and how “we do school”!

What a wonderful week it has been at Luce Road! Our classrooms are filled with curiosity, laughter, and growing independence as our Cubs continue to learn, explore, and care for one another. The pictures below demonstrate just how well we take chances, make mistakes and get messy at Luce Road! It has been inspiring to see the progress in routines, friendships, and the kindness that shines through every day. Week 12 reminds us just how much growth has taken place already, and how much more is yet to come!

This month we are learning about Gratitude. Gratitude means choosing to appreciate the people and things in our lives. It means being thankful. Gratitude is an action word because it is something we do. We show gratitude when we say thank you to our teachers for helping us, tell our friends thank you for playing and sharing, help clean up and take care of our toys to keep our classroom nice, and give our families a big hug to show we love and appreciate them. When we do these things, our hearts feel happy, kind, and full of joy! 💛

At Luce Road, we use Kind Words. Using kind words means saying nice things that make people feel happy, cared for, and loved. We use our words for learning, helping, and sharing. We do not use our words to hurt others, to be mean, or to make each other feel sad. When we say things like please, thank you, good job, I like your picture, you can play with me, and have a great day, we make our classroom and school a happy place for everyone! 💛 I challenge all of our Cubs to use only Kind Words all month.

This month is also Homeless Awareness Month. To help our students connect kindness to action, we are kicking off our Coins for a Cause drive. Every penny collected will go toward supporting local shelters and families in need. It is a simple and powerful way for our Panther Cubs to make a difference! 💛

Thank you for your continued support in helping our students learn, grow, and ROAR with respect, responsibility, and kindness every day.

💙 Where Little Panther Cubs Begin Big Journeys

At Luce Road, we are so proud of the way our Cubs are growing into caring, curious, and confident learners. Week 12 shows we are well on our way to a year full of learning, laughter, and growth.

Warmly,
Mr. Ernest Conerly
Principal and Program Director

Our kindergarteners had some special visitors this week! The CENA students from Alma High School stopped by to host a Stuffed Animal Clinic, giving our young learners a chance to play doctor and care for their favorite stuffed friends. Through this hands-on experience, students learned about kindness, health, and helping others—all while having a bear-y good time!

Our preschoolers fully embraced our motto this week! Using colorful foam soap, they explored letters in the most hands-on way possible—writing, tracing, and giggling as bubbles covered their fingers. Activities like this help children strengthen fine-motor skills, recognize letters, and learn that making a mess can be part of the fun of learning!

As part of our science unit, students explored how wind affects movement in nature. Using the story The Windy Day as inspiration, students imagined they were the autumn breeze itself! Through observation and play, they investigated how the fall wind can move leaves in different directions — up, down, left, and right (vocabulary words from our Number Corner this month). This activity helped students connect literacy and science as they discovered how air can cause motion and change in our environment.

Our Library has been transformed into a Dramatic Play Doctor’s Office, where students can imagine caring for patients, taking temperatures, writing prescriptions, and checking charts. This theme encourages creativity, empathy, and communication as children role-play doctors, nurses, and patients. They are learning about community helpers, kindness, and cooperation while building early literacy skills through pretend play, conversations, and storytelling about helping others feel better.

November is Homeless Awareness Month. We are partnering with United Way to participate in Coins for a Cause—a fun, school-wide coin wars challenge that raises both funds and awareness for our local homeless shelters:

• Gratiot County Hope House

• Isabella County Restoration House (ICRH)

• Have Mercy (serving Montcalm & Ionia Counties)

Here is how it works:

• Classrooms collect coins to support local homeless shelters.

• United Way matches funds raised (up to $5,000 per shelter).

• Winning classrooms earn a pizza party!

Last year, classrooms raised more than $11,300 in coins, and over $22,600 total went to local shelters with United Way’s match.

🧥 Dress for the Weather

Please help your child come to school dressed for the changing fall weather. Our Panther Cubs go outside 3 to 4 times a day, and mornings can be chilly.

• Check the weather each morning to help your child dress appropriately.

• Send a jacket or hoodie and closed-toe shoes every day.

• Students are expected to go outside each time, so being prepared helps them stay comfortable and focused.

• Label all items with your child’s name so we can return lost items quickly.

Thank you for helping keep our Cubs comfy, safe, and ready to play all day long! 🐾

We love having our Luce Road families be part of the fun! If you’re interested in volunteering at the school—whether it’s helping in classrooms, assisting with events, or supporting special projects—your time and enthusiasm make a huge difference.

Please reach out to the office or your child’s teacher to learn how you can get involved. Thank you for helping make Luce Road such a warm and supportive community for our students!

Parents and guardians, please label your Panther Cub’s belongings, including backpack, coat, lunch box, and water bottle. Our Lost and Found is filling up, and labeled items can be returned quickly. Thank you for your help!

Please make sure you send a change of clothes in for your student. Sometimes accidents happen and it’s helpful for them to have a change of clothes.

Please make sure ALL of your student’s belongings are labeled with their name! If it gets lost, staff will know who to return it to!

As we head into flu season, families who are interested will have the opportunity to get flu shots through our school’s scheduled clinic. Participation is completely optional.

See flyer below for more information.