Orchard Primary
9/25/2026
Principal's Corner:
Hello Orchard Primary Families!
October is a big month at Orchard Primary and around campus! We have teacher professional development, data days, Homecoming, field trips, Count day, fire safety week with our fire department, Officer Retzler visiting every classroom discussing school safety, and Spooktakular Family Fun Night!
Our Smore aims to provide you with as much information regarding our school and school campus as possible. We have also added a new section in our smore towards the bottom of the page with additional community information and opportunities for students and families to keep you connected.
Michigan Public Schools Count Day – October 7
Wednesday, October 7 is Michigan Public Schools “Count Day”!
Count Day is an important day for public schools across Michigan because student attendance and enrollment information collected on this day is used in determining school funding.
We are asking our Orchard Primary families to make every effort to have their children at school and in attendance on Wednesday, October 7. Every student counts, and having our students here helps ensure that our school’s enrollment is accurately represented.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support in helping make Count Day a successful day for Orchard Primary! We appreciate you helping your child be here, ready to learn and be part of our school community!
Grateful to serve Almont Community Schools,
Mrs. Tanya Phillips, Principal
Orchard Primary
Student and Family Safety
For the safety of our students, staff, and entire school community—especially during our busy arrival and dismissal times—we kindly ask all families to follow these important safety reminders:
🏫 Entering the Building
- All adults entering the building must use the front entrance and sign in at the office.
- This helps us maintain a safe and secure environment and allows us to know who is in our building at all times.
🚌 Bus Loop
- Please do not park or drive in the bus loop during arrival or dismissal. This area needs to remain clear for our buses and students.
🚗 Drop-Off/Kiss & Go Lane
- Please do not park along the sidewalk or in the designated drop-off lanes.
- These areas are intended for a quick “kiss and go” drop-off. Please wish them a great day and say your good-byes, assist your child out of the vehicle if needed, and then continue moving forward so we can keep traffic flowing safely and efficiently.
- If your child needs additional time or assistance getting ready to enter the building, please park in a designated parking space.
🅿️ Parking
- When possible, please avoid parking on the grass. We are working on some parking adjustments in an effort to provide additional parking space and improve traffic flow.
🐾 Pets
- For the safety and comfort of all students and families, pets are not permitted on school property during arrival or dismissal, unless specifically approved by the principal for a school activity or special circumstance.
👨👩👧👦 Student Supervision
During these busy, high-traffic times, we ask that parents/guardians provide close and active supervision of their children and keep children close by at all times.
For everyone's safety, please help us ensure that children:
- Do not climb the trees.
- Do not play football, soccer, or other games near traffic and high-traffic pedestrian areas.
- Stay out of the peastone along the perimeter of the building.
- Do not throw, kick, or move pea stone onto the grass, sidewalks, or other areas where it could create a safety concern.
We appreciate everyone's help in keeping arrival and dismissal safe, calm, and efficient for our students, families, and staff. Thank you for your patience, cooperation, and partnership as we work together to make Orchard Primary a safe and welcoming place for everyone! ❤️
Upcoming OP Dates:
- Sept. 28: Picture make-up day
- Oct. 1: LEAF Day Deposit
- Oct. 5: No school - PD for staff
- Oct. 6: 3rd grade field trip - Agriculture Awareness
- Oct. 6-9: Almont Firefighters/firetruck visits the OP to talk about fire safety
- Oct. 7: Statewide Student Count Day
- Oct. 21: OP Family Fun Night Spooktakular
OP Spooktakular: Stay tuned for more information to come!
Mrs. April Madden
OP Director of Student Success
Dear Orchard Primary Families,
My name is April Madden, and I am so excited to introduce myself to you! I am honored to be a part of the Almont community and look forward to getting to know you, the students and all families throughout the school year.
I am coming to Almont Community Schools with 20 years of education experience. I have a Master’s in Curriculum & Instruction as well as a Master’s in Educational Leadership. I believe that elementary school is such an important time in a child’s life. It is a time filled with learning, growing, building friendships, and discovering new interests.
My goal is to help create a welcoming, supportive, and positive environment where every child feels valued, encouraged, and excited to learn. I look forward to partnering with you throughout the year. I truly believe that when families and educators work together, we can make a meaningful difference in a child’s academic and personal growth. Please know that I value open communication and look forward to celebrating your child’s successes along the way.
A little about myself: I live in Bruce Township with my husband and daughter. I love to spend time travelling and camping with my family and friends. On the weekends, you might be able to find me cheering on my daughter at her sporting events. When I am not travelling or watching my daughter at swim meets or soccer games, I enjoy some down time watching sports on TV. My favorite teams are the Detroit Lions, MSU Spartans, and Arsenal F.C.
I am so grateful to be part of this wonderful school community and look forward to a fantastic year together. Thank you for welcoming me, and please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m excited to get to know you and your children!
Warmly,
April Madden
Director of Student Success
Orchard Primary School
LEAF Deposits for OP Students - Oct. 1st - See more information below! :)
OP PTA News and Updates
Happy Fall Raider families!!
Our Fall Fundraiser wrapped up this week. Thank you to all of the families that participated in the fundraiser. We can't wait to see all the fun prizes and how much money we earned for our school!! As always, funds from this fundraiser will go towards classroom enrichment, teacher and staff appreciation and other fun events throughout the school year.
Weather permitting, we are hoping to hold our October 12th PTA Meeting at the park again!! We will keep everyone posted through Facebook & Dojo.
Don't forget to sign up for your PTA membership and Kroger Rewards: Kroger Community Rewards
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please email us at almontop.pta@gmail.com and we post all updates on Class Dojo and our Facebook page!
Kids Club Before and After School Childcare at OP
Orchard Primary Office
Office Secretaries:
Mrs. Jacklyn Niedermaier, jniedermaier@almontschools.org
Mrs. Christina Couture, ccouture@almontschools.org
R.A.D. Raider Code
READY TO LEARN
ALWAYS BE SAFE
DO THE RIGHT THING