Cardinal Connection

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Dear Max Larsen Families,

November brings us the perfect opportunity to focus on gratitude and thankfulness with our Max Larsen Elementary community. In October classrooms began discussing the meaning of gratitude and many wrote what they are grateful for on their gratitude pumpkins. As we enter this season of reflection, we encourage families to discuss what they're grateful for and how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in our school and beyond.

Important November Dates

Please note our early release Wednesdays schedule for November:

- November 5th

- November 12th

- November 19th

Fundraising Opportunities to help fund our field trips.

- Laundry Soap Fundraiser ends November 4th, 2025

- Cottage Inn Pizza Fundraiser - November 11th (second Tuesday of the month)

World Kindness Day - November 12th

Mark your calendars for World Kindness Day on November 12th! This special day reminds us that kindness is a universal language that connects us all. We'll be celebrating throughout the week with classroom activities focused on spreading kindness and recognizing the thoughtful actions of our students and staff.

Special Events

Monday, November 24th - Gratitude for Grandparents & Scholastic Book Fair

Join us for a special morning celebrating our beloved grandparents and extended family members! Breakfast will be served, and families can browse our Scholastic Book Fair together. Watch for the RSVP flyer coming home soon.

Wednesday, November 26th - Thanksgiving Break Begins

Half day of school - dismissal at regular early release time

Thursday, November 27th - Friday, November 28th

Thanksgiving Break - No School

Your involvement is the secret ingredient in your child's recipe for success!

November 5th ------------------ Early Release-Dismissal at 2:40pm

November 11th ---------------- Cottage Inn Pizza Night

November 12th ---------------- Early Release-Dismissal at 2:40pm

November 19th ---------------- Early Release-Dismissal at 2:40pm

November 26th ---------------- Half Day-Dismissal at 12:15pm

November 27th ---------------- No School-Thanksgiving Break

November 28th ---------------- No School-Thanksgiving Break

Remember to set your clocks back an hour on Sunday, November 2nd!

Our Cottage Inn Pizza night is Tuesday, November 11th. When ordering please mention Max Larsen for a percent to go towards our class field trips and events outside of school. Thank you for your support!

I am thrilled to share with you the remarkable transformation of our school's entryway, featuring our newly renovated staircase.

As you can see from the image, the staircase has undergone a stunning makeover. The vibrant, colorful design on the steps creates a welcoming and energetic atmosphere that perfectly represents the spirit of our school. The artistic pattern, featuring various flowers, butterflies and bright hues, adds a modern and playful touch to our previously plain entryway.

This project would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of three individuals I'd like to recognize:

1.Janette Jones: Your artistic vision and meticulous eye was spot on when finding this design that has truly brought this staircase to life.

2. Buzz Sharpley: Thank you for your invaluable contribution to this project and keeping things on schedule.

3. Dave from Michigan Graphics: Thank you for finding the perfect adhesive and installing it when we were out of the building. It was such a wonderful surprise to walk in and see it.

Their combined efforts have resulted in an amazing facelift for our entryway, creating a space that is not only functional but also inspiring and visually appealing. The new design encourages creativity and sets a positive tone for everyone entering our building.

I invite all of you to take a moment to stop in and see this beautiful addition to our school environment. It serves as a reminder of the power of collaboration and the impact that art can have on our daily surroundings.

Once again, a heartfelt thank you to Janette, Buzz and Dave for their time, effort, and talent. Your work has made a significant difference in enhancing our school's atmosphere.

A Magical Beginning

Thursday, October 30th with pure joy as therapy ponies paraded through every wing of Max Larsen Elementary! Students' faces lit up with excitement as these special visitors traveled up and down hallways and even rode the elevator to reach all floors. This delightful parade introduced our partnership with Hooves for Healing Minds.

Supporting Student Mental Health Through Animal Therapy

Max Larsen Elementary is proud to welcome specially trained therapy ponies to support our students' mental health and behavioral development. This innovative approach offers healing through gentle animal interactions, particularly benefiting students who have experienced trauma or stress.

Understanding the Science Behind Animal Therapy

Research shows that childhood trauma can significantly impact brain development. When children experience prolonged stress, their brains adapt by becoming hypervigilant. The amygdala becomes overactive, constantly triggering fight, flight, or freeze responses that interfere with learning and emotional regulation.

Unique Benefits of Therapy Ponies

Our therapy pony program offers benefits that traditional approaches may not provide:

- Emotional Regulation: Working with ponies requires calm, centered behavior, naturally teaching self-control

- Trust Building: The non-judgmental nature of ponies helps children develop healthy relationships

- Confidence Building: Successfully caring for ponies creates feelings of accomplishment and self-worth

- Mindfulness: Animal interactions draw children into present-moment awareness, reducing anxiety

Pony Points System

The program integrates seamlessly with our school's PBIS framework through our "pony points" system. Students earn points by demonstrating respectful, responsible, and safe behavior throughout the school day.

All staff members—teachers, bus drivers, and supervisors—can award pony points when observing positive choices. Classrooms with the most points earn special interaction time with the therapy ponies, creating healthy competition while building school-wide community.

Building Life Skills

Through pony interactions, students practice essential skills:

- Empathy through gentle animal care

- Self-regulation by managing emotions during interactions

- Responsibility through feeding and grooming tasks

This monthly partnership represents an innovative approach to student mental health support. The program continues throughout the school year, with pony points maintaining engagement between visits. For children whose brains have focused on survival rather than learning, therapy ponies offer a gentle pathway back to emotional regulation, trust, and academic success.

This sustained approach provides hope and healing while strengthening our entire school community's commitment to supporting every child through comprehensive behavioral interventions.

Thank you for being part of our Max Larsen Elementary family. Together, we're creating an environment where every child can thrive through gratitude, kindness, and innovative support systems.

Please keep in mind that with the weather turning colder that your child/children have on the proper attire. Also, be sure that students have a coat to wear. They must have a coat on if it is below 60 degrees to play outside. Thank you.

Important Parent Guidelines

- Please do not send any snacks into the school building without communicating with your child’s teacher first

- Avoid sending foods that may contain nuts or sesame products of any kind

Communication Channels

- Future updates will be shared via Remind and Thrillshare notifications

Our food service program continues to align with the latest USDA School Meal Guidelines, which emphasize:

- Nutritional balance

- Allergen awareness

- Student health and wellness

All food items must be prepackaged and store bought. This includes snacks, class treats, and birthday treats. These items can be dropped off in the office.

Please be sure that you have a current email address and phone number on file with the school. This is important as it is a way to be contacted when needed. Thank you.

We are now accepting clothes donations. Boys and girls sizes 6-12 would be greatly appreciated. Our greatest need are pants and underwear, as we do have children that have accidents at times. If you have anything or can contribute we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

Full Day: 8:45 AM-3:55 PM

Early Release Wednesday: 8:45 AM-2:40 PM

Half-Day: 8:45 AM-12:15 PM

Doors will open each day at 8:25 AM.

Drop off: When dropping off in the morning, please use the car line if you are in a vehicle. Pulling into the staff parking lot to drop off is not permitted. Doing this causes much confusion for people and that lot is reserved for staff and permit parking only. If you do need to come into the office, please use the parking lot parallel to Parkhurst Ave.

Pick up: When picking up your child from school in a car you must use the car line. Any students that need to be picked up early will need to be picked up by 3:25. Anything after that, the child will do their normal end of day transportation. Again, the staff parking lot is reserved for staff and permit parking, and bus use only. Please do not pull into this parking lot. Thank you again for your help with this.

If you need to pick up your child early for an appointment, please call the office at least 30 minutes prior so we will have your child ready. When you arrive, come to the front doors, and ring the bell. The office will communicate with you on the intercom and let you in the vestibule to sign your child out. Staff will bring your child to the door.

If you are late bringing your child to school, please remember to walk them to the front door, ring the bell, and come into the vestibule to sign your child in.

If you need to change end of day transportation please call our office at 279-5960 before 3:00pm if possible. On Wednesdays, please call in to make any changes before 2:00pm. Of course we understand and will accommodate emergency situations. If your end of day change involves bussing please also contact the bus garage at 279-5950.

Please be sure your child has an extra set of clothes in their backpacks daily. Accidents happen and we do not always have extra clothes on hand. This will also prevent a longer disruption to their learning. Thank you for your assistance.

Please call Max Larsen at (517) 279-5960 in the event your child or children will be absent. Thank you.

Did you know?

Max Larsen Elementary has Branch ISD speech-language pathologists (SLP) in the building, who service children with speech and language impairments in the school setting / during the school day. Students are identified through a special education evaluation. Students who receive speech therapy in the school setting have an individualized education plan (IEP) and have met the school based criteria for a speech-language impairment. If you have a concern regarding your student’s speech or language skills, please contact your student’s teacher to ask about having your student observed by the school SLP. Speech therapy provided in the school setting is part of IDEA, meaning children with disabilities who qualify for special education services have the right to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

Email: hardwayj@ccscards.org

Website: coldwaterschools.org
Location: 25 Parkhurst Avenue, Coldwater, MI, USA
Phone: (517) 279-5960