Welcome to Kindergarten

Dear CVE Families,

Welcome to Kindergarten at Clinton Valley Elementary! This is such an exciting time filled with discovery, learning, and growth. Throughout the year, you’ll see your child blossom intellectually, socially, and emotionally—and we feel honored to be part of their journey.

🎉 Kindergarten Kick-Off Event – May 12th at 5:30 PM

Each year, we host a special event just for our incoming Kindergarten families: Kindergarten Kick-Off!

This is a wonderful opportunity to:

Meet some of our amazing staff and classroom teachers
Tour a Kindergarten classroom
Ask questions and learn more about the year ahead
Watch your child take a short ride on a school bus (a favorite moment!)

Please be sure to bring your child—they won’t want to miss it! 😊

💖 Our Commitment to Your Child
At Clinton Valley Elementary, your child will be surrounded by caring, passionate educators who are dedicated to helping them feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. Our teachers truly love what they do and are committed to forming meaningful connections with every student.

We believe in building a strong educational foundation—one that prepares your child for a bright and successful future. With the right support, encouragement, and love, your child will thrive, and we’re so excited to be a part of that journey.

📞 Stay Connected
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns throughout the year. We’re here to support your family and ensure this year is a memorable and joyful experience.

Here’s to a wonderful year together at CVE!

Warmly,
Kristin Doyle
Principal
Clinton Valley Elementary
586-723-5200

Welcome Letter

🦷 NEW Dental Screening Requirement for 2026–2027

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, all incoming Kindergarten students must complete a dental screening.

You may fulfill this requirement in one of the following ways:

Visit your family dentist and have them fill out the Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment Form
Or schedule an appointment through the Macomb County Health Department’s KOHA Program

To schedule through MCHD, please call 586-469-2004.

What We Believe at Clinton Valley Elementary

What We Believe at Clinton Valley Elementary:

Our mission: "Clinton Valley Elementary is a welcoming community where students, families, and staff take an active role in helping all succeed with high expectations in a positive and safe environment."

Vision: Our vision for Clinton Valley Elementary is “Motivating students to have success today so that they will be prepared for tomorrow.”

Kindergarten Kickoff

This year we will be having our Kindergarten Kickoff for incoming 2024-2025 kindergartners on Tuesday, May 12th, 2026

5:30-6:30 PM

Please bring your kindergartener with you 🙂 They will visit their classroom and learn about all of the fun they will have! After the meeting, they will get the chance to ride on the bus with their family!

Mrs. Susalla

Mrs. Tech

SUPPORTING READING AND LITERACY (INFANTS AND TODDLERS INCLUDED)

You may not realize this, but as parents, we can begin preparing our children to read as early as infancy. How so? Every time we talk to our children, we use different words and vocabulary, model conversations, and demonstrate the overall use of language. Even though talking with your child may not seem like reading, it does prepare your "little one" to be a successful reader in the future.

Did you know that the more you talk with your child, the better prepared they will be for reading? It is important to know that there is a different type of "talk." It would not be considered conversational talk when we give commands to our children. Additionally, when our children overhear us talking to someone else, it does not have the same positive impact on their developing literacy skills as it does when we personally talk to them. To help best prepare your infant or toddler for literacy, be sure that they engage in frequent talk with you and not just overhear you speaking with someone else or engaging in basic "command" talk. (Command talk would be giving the child directions or asking basic task-related questions)

Multiple studies have been conducted comparing the literacy skills of infants, toddlers, and non and school-age children who engage in frequent conversations and talk with adults in their homes. These children have been shown to have bigger vocabularies and stronger comprehension skills needed for being successful readers. The results all point to the same thing. Talking to our kids and engaging in rich conversations gives them a head start for skills they will need in school and life.

Want to help prepare your infant or toddler for future reading skills, vocabulary use, reading comprehension, and overall literacy? Talk to them as much as you can each day. Use new vocabulary with them. Engage in rich conversations even at a very young age. Although you may not realize it, you prepare them for reading and literacy.

Being in school and on time is vital for success in Kindergarten and beyond. Kindergarten students learn so much during their first year of school, and it truly is a pivotal time in their development.

It is extremely important that students are here as much as possible and arrive on time each day.

Chronic absences or tardiness can lead to missed instruction and learning gaps that become harder to fill as time goes on.

Just as importantly, arriving on time helps set a positive tone for the entire school day. Often, the most important and impactful learning happens first thing in the morning when routines are established and foundational skills are taught.