Raccoon Tracks

Dear Rogers Families,

Next week, we will be holding a Lockdown emergency drill. Before I go into the logistics of that drill, I’d like to cover some examples of some of the what Berkley Schools has done over the past few to update our school safety practices:

• NightLock door security systems. These provide an extra layer of security during a lockdown and assist with barricading doors.

• Equipping classrooms with a Go-Bucket. These buckets contain various useful materials, including a first aid kit, in the event of a longer term lockdown in a classroom.

• Emergency Call Buttons. These are a direct line from every classroom to the front office.

• School reunification partners and procedures for pickup in the event of an emergency evacuation.

• Vaping Sensors in all bathrooms at Anderson, Norup and Berkley High School. These sensors alert administrators and allow them to respond quickly.

• School Safety Committees at each school and District Safety Committee. The purpose of the committees is to bring together a broad range of perspectives, thoughts and ideas as they pertain to keeping our schools a safe place.

• Signage inside and outside our buildings to allow easy access and direction for public safety and other first responders.

• Established a critical incident mapping tool to create detailed floor plans for public safety to see and use during training and emergencies.

• Full coverage security cameras. The District has purchased and installed new cameras in all our schools to allow full access to all common areas, inside and out. Our office staff and public safety have a full view of their buildings.

• Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERT). All schools have designated emergency response teams who are being trained to respond to medical emergencies.

• School Resource Officer. Adding a School Resource Office adds to our increased collaboration with the three public safety departments that serve the Berkley School District.

• Established Behavior Threat Assessment Management: A standard protocol to manage and assess potential threats.

• Raptor Visitor & Emergency Management: The District implemented Raptor Visitor Management to screen and check in visitors every time they come they enter our buildings. In addition, Raptor Emergency Management was established to assist staff during a crisis. It is the tool we use to reunify families and for our staff to receive emergency alerts.

We’ve spent a good deal of time thinking about and planning what our next school Lockdown drill should look like. Through those conversations, there’s been a resounding conclusion that this drill should toe the line between being educational and informative, but also sensitive to the worries that students have about this topic.

With these things in mind, the drill will go as follows:

• I will make a PA Announcement to talk about the drill and explain how it will operate.

• Students will listen to the short Lockdown instructional read aloud, I’m Not Scared, I’m Prepared in their classrooms. This book will teach them the basics of an Lockdown response.

• Along with the book, teachers will be holding classroom discussions about the layout of their classrooms and how they pertain to a Lockdown and a quick overview of the reunification process.

• I will get back on the PA to give a specific scenario and start the drill.

• Teachers will hold classroom discussions, walking through potential responses based upon ALICE training.

• I will get on the PA to conclude the drill and offer several follow up reassurances for students.

• Throughout the day, teachers will continue to reassure students and make sure they are doing okay.

While I realize that this is a lot to take in and process, I want you to know that the staff of Rogers will be here for your kids every step of the way. Although this drill represents some of the procedural aspects of school safety, I think it’s equally important to recognize the social-emotional component. Our positive school culture, the relationships we’ve built with our students and the kindness we display to one another also contributes greatly to a safe school environment. The staff of Rogers cares deeply about your children and will be supporting them both during and after this drill. Our hope is that, although difficult, this will be an empowering experience for students to learn about Lockdowns and that we can collaboratively work through it together.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Warmly,

Warmly,

Katie

Coming Up:

October 22: Trunk or Treat Rain Date

October 30: Halloween Parade

November 2 & 3: No Student - Staff Professional Development

November 5: Grades 2, 3, and 4 Music Concert

November 6: Picture Retake Day

November 9-13: Book Fair

November 10: PTA Meeting, 7 p.m.

November 12: Seminar: Helping Children Manage Anxiety, 6-7 on Google Meet - Details Below

November 13: PTA STEM Night, 6-7 p.m.

November 23: Fall evening conferences, 5-8 p.m.

November 24: Fall conferences, 8am-4pm

November 25-29: District Closed - Thanksgiving Recess

Virtual parent presentation opportunities in partnership with Lyon Counseling:

November 12: Helping Children Manage Anxiety (6-7 p.m. on Google Meet)

January 21: Anger & Emotional Regulation Skills

March 18: Guiding Children Toward Independence

April 29: Behavioral Management

Submit questions here in advance!

Join the Google Meet with this link!

Announcements:

We are still looking for a few parents to chair some of our upcoming school events. We currently need chairs for:

• Holiday Craft Night - December
• Family Skate Night - January
• Monthly Dine to Donates
• Trunk or Treat — we could use a few more volunteers!

If you’re interested in helping with any of these events, please email us at rogerselementarypta@gmail.com.

To stay up to date on the Rogers Dads Club, please follow our Facebook page!

November 12: Helping Children Manage Anxiety (6-7 p.m. on Google Meet) - Details to come

January 21: Anger & Emotional Regulation Skills

March 18: Guiding Children Toward Independence

April 29: Behavioral Management

Submit questions here in advance!

Join the Google Meet with this link!

Please remember to fill out your volunteer/chaperone application as soon as possible! 2025-2026 applications expire at the end of September and new checks take into effect October 1st. Please see the information below from the website:

Any volunteer who works with or has access to students shall be screened through the Internet sites for the Sex Offenders Registry (SOR) list and the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) criminal history records prior to being allowed to participate in any activity or program. The Berkley School District reserves the right to approve or deny any volunteer service upon review of the background check. Providing false information, or information contradicting the background check information, is grounds for immediate volunteer denial. Applicants with a felony conviction are not eligible to serve as a volunteer. Applicants with a misdemeanor conviction may not be eligible to serve as a volunteer.

Application Process

All parents/family members volunteering in the classroom or during school-sponsored functions or field trips must complete the Volunteer Release form prior to any activities.

Please keep in mind that the Volunteer Release Form is sent to the Berkley School District Administrative Offices and may take up to three weeks to process so we recommend you submit the required forms well in advance of your planned activity.

You will need to upload an image of your valid driver's license or state-issued ID when completing the Volunteer Release Form.

Breakfast Procedures

Free breakfast will be served each morning from 7:40 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. The main door will be opened from 7:40 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. The door will not open sooner as no supervision is available before that time.

When coming in for breakfast, please enter through the new multipurpose room doors where breakfast will be served!

Filling out a free/reduced meal form is very important to families who are eligible and for the district to receive funding. When families qualify for free/reduced price meals, they are also eligible for the following benefits:

• Reduced Summer School fees
• Reduced Athletics Resource Fees for students grades 6-12
• Reduced field trip fees
• Reduced AP testing fees
• Potential additional benefits for Bridge Cards/P-EBT
• Potential support for household cable/internet
• Potential programs that provide holiday support

Visit the Berkley School District’s Food Service webpage for more information, and apply for free/reduced meals through the MISTAR Parent Portal.

The lunch menu can be found here.

In February 2026, Senate Bill 495 and House Bill 4141 were signed into law stating that Michigan school districts must create action plans that keep devices away during class, with exceptions for emergencies and academic use. Our administrative team has reviewed the law and will be implementing the following parameters:

Elementary: All personal electronic communication devices must be away for the entire day, including smart watches and glasses. All devices must be stored in backpacks or a phone caddy in the classroom.

Please visit the Rogers website for important information about traffic patterns and guidelines. Watch this video for more information about School Safety Zones.

• We respectfully ask that you save spots in our parking lot for staff use only.
• Curbside drop-off & pickup will take place opposite school grounds on the resident/house side of the street.
• Drop-off, pickup, parking, stopping, and standing around the perimeter of Rogers is not permitted to allow public safety quick access to buildings in case of emergency.
• Students will cross at the designated crosswalks at the corner of Oxford & Hamilton and Hamilton & Harvard.
• Students should exit cars on the resident/house side of Hamilton & Oxford, walk to the corner, and cross with a crossing guard. Students should exit onto the curb, not into the street.
• Caregivers are encouraged to park and walk with their child to school.
• Parking is allowed opposite school grounds any time of day.
• Rogers staff parking lot has a designated drop-off/pick up zone only.
• Berkley Public Safety will be enforcing traffic rules.