Martell Monitor

Greetings Martell Families,

Thank you to all of our Martell families who have participated in our Family Values Project. We have loved seeing the meaningful conversations and connections taking place between students and their families. If you haven't had an opportunity to complete this special project together, it's not too late! If you need another project sheet, simply reach out to your child's classroom teacher or the main office, and we will be happy to send one home.

Our Mustangs have also begun reciting our schoolwide Martell MINDSET Pledge together, reinforcing the values that make our school community so special. We encourage you to ask your child about the Martell MINDSET and what it means to them!

Recently, we hosted our second Martell MINDSET Meet Up of the school year, where we focused on the M in MINDSET — Make Positive Choices. Students explored how the positive choices we make each day, both big and small, can have a lasting impact on ourselves and others.

Together, we practiced asking three important questions when making decisions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it kind?

• Is it responsible?

These simple questions help our Mustangs pause, think, and make choices that positively impact our school community.

Thank you for partnering with us to bring the Martell MINDSET to life both at school and at home.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Colette

November 9: Family Pictures: Winter Photoshoot

November 17: ELD Family Game Night- See flyer below

November 20: Exotic Zoo Assembly (during school hours-students only)

November 25-27: No School/Thanksgiving Break

At Martell, we celebrate the many languages and cultures that make our school community special! Troy School District has created a helpful guide for families whose children are learning English. The guide explains how our schools help students grow their English language skills while supporting their learning in the classroom. We invite you to explore this resource and learn more about the support available for your child.

Click here to explore the ELD Family Guide!

Thank you to our Martell Sunshine Committee for treating the Martell Staff to cider mill donuts and cider!

The Halloween festivities were in full swing at Martell this week! The costume parade was fantastic and the classroom parties were amazing! THANK YOU to our room parents for coordinating the classroom parties and for all the participation to make sure a fun Halloween season!

Remember to add your photos from the event to our Yearbook picture site (see the attached Yearbook Photos flyer).

Thank you for everyone who dined out at our Chipotle night! Over $200 was raised through your purchases!

We’re in planning mode for a new event: Winter Student Market! More info will be coming but save the date, December 3 (outside of school hours) and plan to have a booth or come shop the event. This will replace the holiday shop from previous years.

Stay Connected!

Email us anytime: martellpto.contact@gmail.com

Our Facebook Page

Dear Troy School District Families,

Career readiness begins much earlier than most families realize. Research shows that children start forming ideas about “what people like me can be” by age seven — and without intentional, positive exposure to a wide range of careers, those ideas can be shaped by stereotypes rather than possibility. That’s why Troy School District begins career readiness in kindergarten, not high school. Our goal in the elementary years is simple: help every child discover the incredible range of careers available to them, build the vocabulary to talk about their interests and strengths, and see the connection between what they are learning in the classroom today and the opportunities available to them tomorrow.

What Career Readiness Looks Like in Grades K–5

At the elementary level, career readiness is not about choosing a job — it’s about awareness. Students learn career-related vocabulary, explore how core subjects like reading, math, and science connect to real careers, and are introduced to people and professions they may not otherwise encounter. This early foundation sets the stage for the more in-depth career exploration and planning students will do in middle and high school.

Introducing Michigan’s Six Career Zones

To make the world of work easier for young learners to understand, Troy elementary students are introduced to Michigan’s Six Career Zones — broad groupings of careers that share similar interests, strengths, and skills. Thinking in terms of “zones” rather than hundreds of individual job titles helps children recognize patterns in what excites them and gives teachers and families a shared language for talking about careers at any age.

Arts & Communication

Careers in the visual and performing arts, literature, journalism, and media — from graphic designers and musicians to authors and broadcasters.

Business, Management, Marketing & Technology

Careers in accounting, business administration, finance, information technology, and marketing — the people who help organizations run and grow.

Engineering/Manufacturing & Industrial Technology

Careers that design, build, install, and maintain the products, machines, and systems we use every day, from bridges to robotics.

Health Sciences

Careers focused on promoting wellness and treating illness and injury — doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians, and many more.

Human Services

Careers that help people and communities thrive, including early childhood education, teaching, social work, public safety, and hospitality.

Natural Resources & Agriscience

Careers connected to agriculture, the environment, and natural resources — from farmers and veterinarians to conservation scientists.

Exploring the Career Zones with Pathful Junior

Troy School District uses Pathful Junior, an online career-awareness platform built specifically for K–5 students, to bring the Six Career Zones to life. Pathful Junior is colorful, interactive, and designed to be developmentally appropriate at every grade band. In it, students can:

• Visit Career Central to independently browse careers that interest them

• Watch short, kid-friendly cluster videos introducing different careers and career zones

• Complete teacher-assigned lessons that combine videos, games, and familiar characters

• Take a first interest survey that begins to connect their personal interests to career zones

• Earn badges and track their exploration on a student dashboard

The platform is fully accessible and available in more than 50 languages, so every student — regardless of learning style or home language — can take part.

How You Can Support Career Readiness at Home

Families are one of the most powerful influences on how children see their future. A few simple ways to keep the conversation going at home:

• Ask your child what career zone(s) they explored in Pathful Junior as the school year progresses

• Talk about your own job or the jobs of family members, and how they connect to a career zone.

• Point out careers you encounter together in everyday life — at the grocery store, the doctor’s office, or on a walk around the neighborhood

• Encourage curiosity rather than a single “right answer” — at this age, the goal is exposure, not decision-making

Thank you for partnering with us to help every Troy student build a strong foundation for their future.

Dear Troy School District Families,

For many years, Troy School District has used SchoolMessenger to send important communications to families by email, phone, and SMS text message. Over time, the process for opting in to receive SMS text messages has changed.

During the month of October, we are asking families who would like to receive text messages from the district and our schools to text the word YES to 67587.

If you currently receive text messages from Troy School District or your child’s school, you are already opted in and do not need to take any action. If you have more than one phone number in your household that you would like to receive text messages, each phone number must opt in separately by texting YES to 67587. After texting YES to 67587, you will receive an automated message from SchoolMessenger confirming that your phone number is registered to receive text notifications.

In late October, we will connect the phone numbers we have on file with the SchoolMessenger SMS text messaging system. At that time, if you have a mobile phone number on file that has not already opted in, you will receive an automated text message inviting you to reply to opt in. We will send a follow-up email before that automated message is sent and will include reminders in the district newsletter throughout October. For additional information about SchoolMessenger text messaging, including instructions for opting in and opting out, please see the attached flyer.

Text Messaging Opt In Flyer

An online student directory will be available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal starting November 2nd. The information in the online directory will include student and parent names, addresses, phone numbers and email. It will ONLY be accessible to parents and students enrolled at that particular school (i.e. Barnard families will be the only ones who can see the Barnard directory).

If you do want your child’s information to be included in the online directory, you do not have to do anything.

However, if you do NOT want your child’s information to be included, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows you the opportunity to opt out.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) authorizes schools to disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, and telephone number. However, schools must give parents:

• general notice of the information designated as "directory information"

• the right to opt out of these disclosures

• and the period of time they have to notify the school of their desire to opt out

Below are directions to opt out of the online student directory for your child.

1. Log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal: https://ps.troy.k12.mi.us

2. Click Student Directory (left side menu)

3. Select any of the available rows with checkboxes to hide from the directory.

4. To opt out completely, put a checkmark next to Remove from student directory. This option will override any choice made on individual line items.

5. Click Submit

Note: After publication of the student directory, parents are able to print or save the directory for themselves. Opting out of the directory after publication will not remove your information from older printed/saved copies kept by other parents.

If you do not have a login for the PowerSchool parent portal or you need assistance with logging in, please send an email to pssupport@troy.k12.mi.us

Thank you,

Troy School District

To help keep dismissal safe, efficient, and moving smoothly, we highly encourage families picking up by vehicle to use the designated pick-up lanes and avoid the side parking lot. Cars entering and exiting the side lot create an additional layer of congestion during an already busy dismissal time.

A few reminders to help keep traffic flowing:

• Pull forward as far as possible behind the vehicle in front of you so we can accommodate as many cars as possible.
• If using the left lane, please continue all the way to the front before merging.
• Please do not attempt to merge two or three cars back from the front of the line, as this can slow the flow of traffic for everyone.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work together to keep our Martell Mustangs safe at dismissal!

If your child's pick up will be different than normal, please ALWAYS send a note to your child’s teacher Red Communication Folder.

Please do NOT rely on email to a teacher. Teachers are teaching during the day, and sometimes cannot get back to their computer if it's a late message! We do not want to miss a dismissal message.

We will not vary your child’s end of the day routine unless we have a note from you.

Should you have same day changes and need to modify your child's dismissal plan, please call the office before 2:30 p.m.

The Troy School District values those who volunteer in our classrooms and schools. If a volunteer will be with students for a significant length of time without a TSD employee being present, or will be with students on a regular basis, that volunteer is required to have a Michigan State Police Internet Criminal History Access Tool (I-CHAT) screening annually. All results will remain confidential and will only be used by the TSD administration to determine if you have been convicted of an offense that would otherwise prohibit you from working in our schools.

If your child requires any kind of medication either over the counter or prescribed, you will need to fill out a medical form and have it signed by your physician.

If your child has a severe medical condition, please turn in this form and the medication prior to the first day of school.

All medication must be brought into school by an adult.

Below is a link to the forms you will need.

Principal: Colette Ivey: civey@troy.k12.mi.us

Secretary to the Principal: Jill Gentner jlgentner@troy.k12.mi.us

Secretary for Records and Attendance:

Staff emails: First initial, full last name @troy.k12.mi.us

Martell Office Main Line

248-823-3800

Martell Attendance Line

248-823-3801

Martell Office Hours

8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.