To sign up for a virtual conference, click the teacher's link, which will take you to their calendar. Press the arrow to scroll the calendar to May 1 . Click on an available time slot and enter your information. Hit "book" and an email confirmation with the Google Meet link will be emailed to you.

8th Grade Promotion and Fieldtrip Information

Linden Grove’s 8th-grade promotion ceremony will be held at Chenery Auditorium on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 6 pm. Since we have school on Wednesday, there will be no event immediately following the promotion ceremony. Instead, we will have an 8th grade field trip to Airborne Adventure Park on Wednesday, June 4 from 9:30-11:30.

Participation in the field trip is contingent on positive school behavior during the second half of the trimester. To participate in the field trip students must:

Have a parent/guardian complete the Airborne waiver by May 30, 2025
Have no level 2 or 3 behavior referrals from April 28-June 3
Attend school at least 20 days from April 28-June 3 (unless there is a valid excuse-see the KPS excused attendance rules in the LG newsletter).
Pay for or return all overdue or lost books
Pay for all uniforms and instruments
Pay any Chromebook repair fees

***If students are excluded from attending Linden Grove due to suspension, exclusion or expulsion, they are not eligible to attend the ceremony or fieldtrip.

How to Fill Out Your Waiver For Airborne Adventure Park:

Visit: www.airborneadventure.com
Select the correct location
On the main page select “Fill Out My Waiver”
Fill out waiver entirely
Once Completed you will get an email confirmation saying it has been completed

7th and 8th Grade Track

Practice is after school in the gym from 3-5:00. Athletes must have a sports physical on file to participate.

Meet Schedule:

Thursday, April 17 @ Loy Norrix Port. West, Milwood, Lakeview

Monday, April 28 @ Kalamazoo Central Port. North, Mattawan, Battle Creek

Thursday, May 1 @ Gull Lake Portage Central, Linden Grove

Thursday, May 8 @ Portage Central Port. West, Port. North, Linden Grove

Monday, May 12 @ Kalamazoo Central “KPS Classic” Maple St. Millwood, Hillside

Thursday, May 15 @ Kalamazoo Central KAMSL League Meet

Monday, May 19 @ Vicksburg MHSAA Regional Meet

Picking Students Up During the School Day

If you need to pick your child up during the school day, please allow time for them to be called from class when you arrive at the building. I have requested that our secretaries not pull students from class in advance of a parent/guardian arrival.

It can take a few minutes for students to stop at their lockers and gather their materials.

Tardiness to Class

Tardies can seem like an insignificant problem. However, I ask parents to consider the disruption to classroom instruction that occurs every time a student walks in late. I stress to Linden Grove teachers the importance of Time on Task and instructing bell to bell. We continue to see too many tardies and we are reviewing our procedures in order to improve on time arrival to class. Please discuss the importance of being in class on time with your child.

Be on the lookout for positive referrals

Our behavior management system has added an option for positive referrals. Staff members create these and send them to the email address we have on file in Powerschool.

Updated Gum Rules

In general, gum will be allowed. Below are the guidelines for students.

Chewing discreetly and responsibly.

keeping it in your mouth without popping bubbles
not making excessive noise while chewing

Disposing of it properly in the trash when finished.

Teachers have the option to restrict gum chewing in their own classrooms. Students are expected to comply with the teacher's request and will be subject to consequences if they refuse.

Disruptive Gatherings

We strive to create a safe and orderly school environment. Students must help us create a safe and orderly environment by following the school's rules. If a physical altercation occurs during the school day, students are expected to leave the area immediately. Students who linger to watch or move to the conflict will be identified and given consequences the administration feels are appropriate, including possible suspension. In addition, any student who videotapes a fight will receive a 3 day suspension from school.

General School Information

PowerSchool:

The PowerSchool app is a great tool for parents. It gives live access to grades and class attendance in an easy to view format (the picture is what you see on the app dashboard). We are halfway to our first Honor Guard selection of the school year. Make sure your child is on track to earning that designation.

Attendance:

Regular school attendance is essential to school success. Last year we lowered the percentage of students who were Chronically Absent by 11%. We want to keep the momentum going this school year. Please make it a priority to have your child in school everyday unless they are ill.

Here is the district's list for excused absences.

● Student illness and/or appointment verified by the parent/guardian or medical

professional.

● Medically verified extended illness or hospitalization.

● Attending a funeral.

● Religious holiday.

● Absence due to a subpoenaed court appearance.

● Any time missed due to KPS school transportation issues.

Schools will record an “SF” for school activity when the following:

● Participation in a school-sponsored field trip, early dismissal for curricular,

co-curricular or extra-curricular activity, choir, band, debate, forensics, and other

school functions.

● Time spent in an administrative level office, if called to the office by an

administrator.

● A guidance office appointment if the appointment was

Student Acceptable Use Agreement:

Students must have an acceptable use agreement on file before they will be given a KPS Chromebook.

The district's automated monitoring system flags terms that could signal potential self harm, violence or inappropriate materials on student Chromebooks. Students using other students' Chromebooks to search terms that will trigger an investigation is a violation of the Acceptable Use Agreement that students and families sign. School administration will assign consequences commensurate with the level of violation. Please discuss appropriate Chromebook usage with your child.

Early Pick Up:

If you need to pick up your student early, please make time to come to the office and have your child called out of class. The office will not call students out of class prior to an adults arrival in the office.

Food Delivery:

We do not allow food delivery services to bring food to students for lunch. We will deny entry to the driver.

Cell phone Expectations:

Students may use their cell phones during breakfast, until 8:03. After 8:03

there is no student cell phone usage allowed at Linden Grove. After 8:03 cell phones are expected to be silenced and stored out of sight. The safest place for a cell phone is at home. The next safest place is locked in the pod locker. Cell phones may not be carried in hands. If a student violates the cell phone policy the phone is confiscated for the day and returned at the flag pole at dismissal. The following additional consequences apply for cell phone violations:

1st violation- reminder

2nd violation- after-school detention and a parent phone call

3rd violation- 1 week cell phone turn in at the start of the school day. Turn in duration increases 5 days with every third violation.

Students wearing earbuds or headphones during the school day are assumed to be connected to a phone are considered in violation of the cell phone policy.

Dress Code Expectations:

1: Students may not wear hats, hoods, or head coverings after 8:03

2: Shirts must cover the midriff.

3. Bags and jackets must be stored in lockers.

4: The school reserves the right to ask a student to change if the student's outfit is causing a disruption to the learning environment.

Students in violation of the dress code are offered an item from the school or can call home to have an adult bring a change of clothes. Students who refuse either option will be sent home.

Please see the KPS code of conduct for other dress code rules.

Horseplay:

To keep our hallways orderly and safe, we have very strict horseplay rules. Students running in the hallways, chasing other students, or putting hands on one another will be assigned a one hour after school detention.

Any staff member can assign this detention. Parents will receive notification via email. Parents may contact Ms. Parham in our Student Services Center to change the day the detention will be served.

Gum/Food/Drink Expectations:

Students can bring food and drinks to be eaten at lunch. No food or drinks, with the exception of water, can be eaten in the pods.

Mobile Health and Dental Clinics:

Kalamazoo Public Schools and Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo partner with the Family Health Center to bring the Mobile Health and Dental Clinics to the schools each year. This is a great opportunity to access preventive healthcare for your child without removing them from school for an appointment. Each unit provides preventive care in its respective specialty: For Health/Medical, that includes a yearly well-child exam and immunizations. For Dental, that includes twice yearly cleanings, exams, and sealants. A more exhaustive list of potential services that can be provided by the units can be found in the form. This is NOT a free service! Families must have insurance to participate (all forms of insurance accepted). Families with insurance will not be billed for the services they receive.

https://form.jotform.com/231327122384146

If You Need to Contact the School:

If there is an issue with a specific class, please contact the teacher first by email. Teachers will respond within 24 hours. If there is a non-classroom issue, you can email the teacher, Mr. Hughes, Ms. Frison or call the main office.

Community Circles

Starting on Tuesday October 1st, our Linden Grove Middle School Family will begin participating in weekly “Community Circles” at the start of the 2nd hour. Community Circles will be conducted by various Linden Grove Middle School staff members who will serve as “circle facilitators.” Each circle will consist of approximately fifteen students. Students will be presented with a circle prompt that aligns with our TRAILS to Wellness: Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum. Community Circles are an excellent tool to help create a school culture where students have both the opportunity to be heard and to learn from and listen to one another.

Community Circles help to build relationships, strengthen communication skills, and create a sense of belonging. Community Circles can:

Build Relationships
Community circles can help students build trusting relationships and grow empathy for others.
Strengthen Communication Skills
Community circles can help students develop communication skills and learn to respect diverse perspectives.
Create a Sense of Belonging
Community circles can help students feel more connected to their school and increase their engagement.
Establish Foundations
Community circles can help establish foundations for how a community interacts and guides its members.
Prevent Unintentional Harm
Community circles can help communities become more resilient to harm by forming intentional connections.
Support Equity of Voice
Community circles can help lift up marginalized voices.
If you have any questions or if you would like more information, please contact our Culture and Climate Coach Jamie Korinek at korinekjr@kalamazoopublicschools.net