Lincoln Lions Family Newsletter

February 10, 2025

From the Principals Office

Dear Lincoln Families,

This week is busy and exciting! We are thrilled to celebrate kindness during our Spirit Week. We invite you to help celebrate kindness by writing a special note to your child and secretly placing it in their backpack or lunch bag and/or send an email, message, or letter to a Lincoln Staff member to show appreciation for all they do. Below, you will find the details for each kindness spirit day listed in the flyer. Additionally, Wednesday marks our Spring Count Day. We kindly ask that you ensure your child attends school if they are healthy enough and if your child will be absent, please remember to call in sick.

Dressing for Outdoor Recess

Students go outdoors for recess on most days weather permitting. They begin their daily recess time with a running or walking lap around the track. Please help make sure your child comes dressed appropriately for outdoor activity, which includes proper footwear. Thank you for your help.

CIS 21st Century Afterschool Program is Accepting Applications!

Homework Help and other academic programming provided
Meal and Transportation Provided
From the end of the school day until 5:30 pm
If you are interested, contact your child's classroom teacher or CIS After-school Coordinator, Kenisha Darden at dardenk@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Upcoming Events

Middle School Counselors Visit 5th Graders

Counselors from all middle schools will be visiting to talk with our 5th graders. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to ask questions about transitioning to 6th grade.

Spelling Bee

Students from each 4th and 5th grade class participated in the first round of the 2025 spelling bee qualifying process. Twenty-two students will go on to compete in a building Spelling Bee held on February 13th from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. Parents of those competing in the building Spelling Bee will be invited to attend. From there, the winner and runner-up will be invited to our Kalamazoo Regional Spelling Bee!

Valentine's Day Celebrations

Please look to your child's teachers for how they will be celebrating Valentine's Day, February 14th. Each teacher runs it a little differently, so classroom teachers will be communicating directly with parents on expectations for that day.

Super Hero Family Dance

Join us for our annual family dance on February 19th, 5:30-7:30 pm. We will have a live DJ and concessions for sale at the event! Come out and join us.

Respectfully,

Principal Dionna Roberts

robertsdn@kalamazoopublicschools.net

(269) 337-0640

School of Choice Forms for 2025-26

Important Reminder- School of Choice Forms

Last week, the district sent out letters regarding School of Choice forms. Please remember that if you plan on staying at the same school, you do not need to do anything else.

However, if your family has recently moved and needs to attend your new home building next year due to transportation needs, this is the form you will need to fill out. If you need to try to move buildings before the end of this school year, the in district transfer window opens Monday, February 10th. If you know someone interested in joining the Lincoln School Family for next year, they can also use the School of Choice form for consideration.

Remember all school transfers are subject to approval and could be restricted based on space availability.

These forms can be completed through the Powerschool Portal. If you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to call the office, and we will be happy to assist you.

Concert Time!

From Mr. Tofiq Orchestra Teacher

Hello 5th Grade Orchestra Families!

The 5th Grade combined Winter Concert will be held at Chenery Auditorium on February 12th, 2025 at 6:30 pm. Please make sure the following details are in your calendars now so that you are able to ensure that you student is at this amazing event!

Date: Wednesday, February 12th

Time: 6:30 pm - 5:45 arrival time

Location: Chenery Auditorium - Enter through Dutton Street doors

Dress Code: "Dress to Impress"

Admission: FREE, so please invite your whole family

We hope to see you all there!

-Ahmed Tofiq

Lincoln Orchestra Teacher

tofiqak@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Kindness Spirit Week February 10-14th

Monday: Wear your favorite hat today. Tuesday: Wear neon or bright colors along with sunglasses OR Dress like a 100 year old person Wednesday: Wear tie-dye and/or a necktie Thursday: Wear pajamas to school. Friday: Wear pink or red.

Count Day Is Tomorrow!

We Need Your Support: Helping Monitor Device Usage at Home

Lately, there has been an increase in instances where students are finding themselves involved in inappropriate online conversations. Families can encourage safe internet usage by openly discussing online safety with children, setting clear rules and boundaries, utilizing parental controls on devices, monitoring online activity, choosing age-appropriate apps and games, teaching about digital footprints.

Key strategies:

Open communication: Regularly talk to children about their online activities, who they communicate with, and what they see online.
Parental controls: Set up parental controls on devices and platforms to filter inappropriate content and limit access to certain websites.
Monitor online activity: Keep track of your child's online presence, including social media profiles and interactions.
Age-appropriate content: Select apps and games suitable for your child's age and development level.
Privacy education: Explain the importance of privacy settings and how to protect personal information online.
Password security: Teach children to create strong passwords and not share them with others.
Cyberbullying awareness: Discuss cyberbullying and how to handle online harassment.
Digital footprint understanding: Explain that once something is posted online, it can be difficult to remove and can be seen by a wide audience.
Digital literacy: Educate children about online safety practices like identifying phishing scams and being cautious about clicking on suspicious links.
Screen time limits: Set reasonable limits on screen time to promote healthy digital habits.

Thank you for your support with this.

Communities In Schools is Here to Help Keep You Healthy

Communities in Schools Mobile Health Units and Vaccinations

The mobile health unit will cover:

Medical Services: Annual well-child visits, immunizations, and care for chronic conditions like asthma.
Dental Preventive Care: Twice-yearly dental cleanings, exams, and sealants.

To register your child electronically, please click the following link:

[ENGLISH & SPANISH Registration Form](https://form.jotform.com/231327122384146)