Hello Wixom families!

I hope families are enjoying the three day weekend and if you are celebrating Passover or Easter, I wish you a very happy holiday.

As we look towards the coming weeks, our students will be involved in a variety of fun activities. One tradition I am excited to see in action is the field trip to the Wixom Public library and then Dairy Queen! What a fun day for the students and a great way to connect with the local library and enjoy a sweet treat. Keep an eye out for information from your classroom teacher regarding your child’s date for this special event!

I am hoping many of you had a chance to take a look at the video I sent last week regarding the Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. As I think about the first section of the book, Haidt speaks to "over protection" in the real world and under protection on line. As a parent, I was very good at protecting my kids from the unknown. I was always very watchful when they would head out into the neighborhood, I was careful to check in and feel comfortable with play dates and or sleepovers. In general, I felt I always knew where my kids were and had a good handle on what they were doing. Looking back, one area I was not as watchful as I should have been was in regards to screen time. Specifically smart phones and/or screen usage in their bedrooms.

I can remember times when I knew they were safe and sound in their bedrooms, but looking back, I really had no idea what they might have been watching or listening on a iPad, tablet or smartphone. I would do my best to monitor, checking their phones after they went to bed but looking back, there was a lot of unsupervised time. The book talks about this very thing and it really hit home for me. My youngest will turn 24 in June, so the cell phone pressures really weren’t as prominent until about sixth grade.

I know these days, children as young as second grade are appealing to their parents for a cell phone. Jonathan Haidt really speaks to this not being appropriate for our little people. He recommends not giving children smartphones before they reach high school, generally around age 14. He suggests that children should have a basic flip phone or a phone with limited apps and no internet browser until at least the 9th grade. He also advises against allowing social media access before age 16. I understand that knowing a child has a cell phone can give parents/caregivers an important feeling of comfort as they can quickly connect with each other. As Haidt suggests, that cell phone could be very basic (not a smart phone) and accomplish the same level of comfort and communication.

As I reflect on the book and think about smartphones and screen time these days, carefully monitoring usage might feel like a full-time job! If your child has access to a smartphone or other screens, I would strongly encourage you to be sure you know exactly how they are using those devices. If you feel it’s too hard to manage, limiting their usage is your next best step. (For example, the smartphone, iPad or tablet does not go in the bedroom.) Many of the social conflicts at school for our 3 - 5th graders have some connection to text messaging, Instagram accounts, etc.

Below is another video featuring Jonathan Haidt. It is shorter than one I shared last week. (Just about 10 minutes!) I think you will find it worth your time.

I am looking forward the week to come!

Sincerely,

Kristin Froning

Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25

• Student Council: Earth Day Spirit Week (see flyer below)

Friday, April 25

• Popcorn Day
• PTA Family Art Night: Open House 6:00 -8:00 pm (See information below)

Tuesday , April 29

• 1/2 Day for Students: Dismissal @ 12:35 pm

Tuesday, May 6

• 25 -26 Kindergarten Visit & Bus ride (10:00 - 11:30 am)
• PTA Meeting 6:00 pm

• Spring Flower Fundraiser Pick-Up *Please note this is a Wednesday

Tuesday, May 20

• 1/2 Day for Students: Dismissal @ 12:35 pm

Friday, May 23

• Wixom Field Day (more information to come!)

We are in need of volunteers to help set up for our Art Show Open House.

CLICK HERE to sign up to help!

Mark the date! More details to come!

Friday, May 23rd

*Rain date: Friday, May 30th

The testing window for grades 3rd - 5th grade is April 7 - May 15. Please see specific grade level testing dates below.

We ask that you make your best effort to ensure your child is present on testing days. Please try to refrain from trips or appointments if possible on those days. Obviously, if your child is ill, he or she should recover at home. Absent students will be required to take make-up tests on alternate dates and miss classroom instruction. We appreciate your support!

The Wixom PTA Google Calendar can be found here: https://shorturl.at/QyTie

You can also add them all to your own Google Calendar with one click!

Upcoming PTA Sponsored Events:
April 25: Art Night Open House 6-8 PM

April 25: Popcorn Day

May 6: PTA Meeting 6 PM

May 14: Spring Flower Fundraiser Pick-Up (Please note this is a Wednesday)

NEXT PTA MEETING

Our next PTA Meeting will be Tuesday, May 6th at 6:00 PM. All members of the PTA are welcome to attend. The meeting will be held in person in the Media Center. Childcare will be available. You can join the meeting virtually at the following link: meet.google.com/ecj-uwre-ppp

THERAPY DOG PUP-DATE!

Wix has been working very hard in his next phase of training, and now he gets to work in classrooms with our teachers. Our dog trainers came to Wixom before school to teach our staff how to work with our therapy dog. This means Wix's classroom visits will start getting longer and more consistent in coming weeks.

We are so proud of Wix as he moves into the last phases of his in-school training. We want to send a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has given so generously to support Wix:

• The Whitley Family with Spurt Industries https://spurtindustries.com/

• The Hulet Family with Milliduke Travel https://www.milliduke.com

• Jenna Bartow with Keller Williams Showcase Realty https://jennabartow.kw.com

• Fluffy's Dog Grooming in Wixom https://fluffysdoggrooming.com

• Roadside Vet Clinic in Highland https://roadsideveterinaryclinic.com

• Kaydence, Corey, and the King Family

• Cathy Russel and her Kindness Initiative

We would also like to thank the following Therapy Dog program supporters:

• Members of our Wixom PTA for their generosity.

• The Walled Lake Consolidated School Board Members for their continued support of our Paws Assisting Learners Program (PALs).

• The Trainers at Ugly Dog Daycare and Training for providing training and guidance as they work with our therapy dog.

• Monica House, our Walled Lake Consolidated Schools PALs program leader, for her continued hard work bringing therapy dogs to the schools in our district.

Hello, Walled Lake Families!

This April, you can recognize your favorite Walled Lake staff member by nominating them for a "Super Star Staff" award with a $10 donation to the Foundation for Excellence (FFE).

Your nomination enters them into a drawing to win one of two $500 prizes, sponsored by the Walled Lake Schools Federal Credit Union.

• Here’s what your $10 donation includes:

  • One raffle entry for your nominated staff member

  • A personalized certificate with your winners message, delivered to th

  • 
    

    All donations go to support the FFE’s mission to bring more resources to Walled Lake classrooms. Just last month, they gave over $51,000 to 70 classrooms!

    You can nominate any staff member in the district—teachers, bus drivers, administrators, custodians, para-professionals, etc.

    Important Dates:

    • Nomination Deadline: April 30

    • Winners drawn: May 2. (No public announcement will be made as the winners will be identified with a surprise visit to their work location.)

    • Surprise Visits to winners: During Staff Appreciation Week (May 5–9).

    Click here to submit your nomination: Super Star Staff Nominations

    If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Jackie Gurwin, Executive Director of the FFE, at JackieGurwin@wlcsd.org.

    Let’s celebrate the amazing people who support our kids every day!

    
    

The Lost & Found is overflowing! Please stop by and take a look if you are missing items!

REMINDER: Possession of look-alike weapons, including toy guns, dart guns, and BB guns, is strictly prohibited on all school grounds and properties. This applies not only during school hours but also after school hours and on weekends. As the weather warms and families may be accessing playgrounds, these items are not permitted. For the safety of our school community, we want everyone to be aware that these devices are not allowed at any time on school property.

The purpose of the Kindness Matters award is to honor and recognize those individuals and organizations who exhibit kindness and care toward others. You may nominate any student, teacher, secretary, administrator, bus driver, playground supervisor, or any Walled Lake Schools employee. You may also nominate a parent, grandparent, community member, company, or an organization.

You may select any or all the above who: demonstrate kindness on a frequent basis, go out of their way to make others feel better, lead initiatives in their school or community to benefit others, or inspire others to show kindness.

The deadline to nominate is Monday, April 14.

Potential changes to the U.S. Department of Education could significantly impact Michigan schools, affecting funding for low-income schools, special education, school meals, and college affordability.

With nearly 10% of Michigan’s education budget coming from federal funding, these cuts could challenge our students’ ability to learn and succeed.

Governor Whitmer wants to hear your thoughts on these proposed changes. Make your voice heard, and fill out the survey today.

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=h3D71Xc3rUKWaoku9HIl0ZdMqrfL6J1Ljtrljky38TBUODM3S1Q2U09UOEc3QURGSlhCUEU0OFM3Mi4u&route=shorturl

A bill called the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) was recently introduced in Congress. The bill would create the first ever nationalized voucher system, redirecting billions of taxpayer dollars away from public schools towards private and religious institutions and homeschooling.

The National PTA encourages families to contact your members of Congress, urging them to oppose ECCA.

CLICK HERE to easily send a message through the organization's VoterVoice system.

Dads, Step-Dads, Grandpas, Uncles, Brothers & all ‘Dudes’:

The Wixom WatchDOGS’ mission is to get men more involved with our Wixom Elementary educational community, doing our part by:

• Providing positive male role models for our students

• Assisting with classroom and playground activities

• Leading or supporting school improvement projects

• Hosting fun events for our students and their families

• Helping reduce bullying and improving school security

Join the Wixom WatchDOGS Mailing List for more info, and

Follow our Wixom WatchDOGS on Facebook

Looking for an easy way to support our school? Shop for groceries at Kroger and they will contribute money to our PTA. It’s easy to sign up in the Kroger App:

1. Click the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner

2. Choose “Rewards”

3. Choose “Community Rewards”

4. Search for “Wixom Elementary PTA” and enroll

In addition to receiving phone calls and email notifications from the school district in the event of a school closing or emergency, parents can also sign up to receive SMS Text messages.

Find the helpful step-by-step instructions linked below as well as the video tutorial on signing up for SMS messages.

Signing Up for SMS Messages via Skylert

If you do not have access to a computer at home for your child to use for iReady lessons,

please contact the school and we may be able to let you borrow a Chromebook. We have a limited number of Chromebooks available for students to borrow for the year.

Front office: 248-956-3400

Principal: Mrs. Kristin Froning (kristinfroning@wlcsd.org)

Principal Secretary: Mrs. Michele Abele (MicheleAbele@wlcsd.org)

Building Secretary: Mrs. Tamara Baker (TamaraBaker@wlcsd.org)

Office: 248-956-3400

FAX: 248-956-3405

Absence Line: 248-956-3490

Late Bus Hotline: 248-956-5199 - All late buses will be listed on the hotline if the driver is running TEN OR MORE minutes late.

Address:

301 North Wixom Road
Wixom, MI 48393