PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION
Welcome to 4th grade at Pine River Elementary School! I look forward to joining your family’s team as we work together during this school year. I hope that you find the following info helpful. I encourage you to read it and discuss the information with your child. Please contact me with any questions. Thank you.
Absences
In the event of an absence, please contact Mrs. Krueger (pronounced KREE-ger) in the office:
All absences are coded by the office as follows:
Want to pick up absent work? Please email me or leave a message in the office. A one-hour notice is appreciated.
- Email: [email protected] (Please include me on absence emails: [email protected])
- Telephone/voicemail: (989) 631-5121
All absences are coded by the office as follows:
- Excused = An absence has a doctor's note (Please email the note or send it in when your child returns.)
- Verified = A reported absence has no doctor's note
- Unexcused = An absence is not reported
Want to pick up absent work? Please email me or leave a message in the office. A one-hour notice is appreciated.
A.M. Drop-Offs
Front doors will open at 8:40 a.m. Students are not to enter the school until then.
Birthday Treats
Each child is welcome to bring a treat to share with the class for his/her birthday. Here are some requests:
- Please send in treats with your child or label them and leave them with office personnel or on the table outside the school between 8:40 - 10:00 a.m.
- Store-bought, individual treats are preferred. Ideas include: cupcakes, popsicles, individual packs of snacks, donuts, etc.
- Please note that we have a student who is lactose intolerant and another with a peanut allergy. (I will have alternative treats for those students, if needed.)
- At this time, there are 22 children in our class.
- Please send extra treats as some occasionally get dropped.
Book Orders
Shop our class page:
https://orders.scholastic.com/GTF6V
https://orders.scholastic.com/GTF6V
Bus Passes
Bus passes will only be issued to standing locations, such as to day cares and a parent's home. Requests must be in writing either through a note or an email to Mrs. Krueger: [email protected]
Conferences
Parent-teacher conferences will take place in October and February. More info will come home at a later date.
Contact Ms. Johnson
If you'd like to speak with me, we can do so in person, by phone, or through video chat. I can be reached by sending in a note with your child, through email [email protected], or by telephone (989) 631-5121. Voicemails may not be retrieved until after school.
Curriculum
Here are Michigan's academic standards: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/Services/academic-standards
Discipline
Our school has the rule: Treat all people and things with respect. Students who choose not to follow the rule go through the Responsible Thinking Process (RTP) as outlined in the student handbook. Here's more info:
If you have any questions about RTP/RTC, please contact Mrs. Dice at (989) 631-5121 or email: [email protected]
- The RTP is a positive approach that teaches children to take responsibility for their behaviors.
- Though most discipline is handled in the classroom, occasionally students will be asked to visit the Responsible Thinking Classroom (RTC) in order to complete a written plan with our RTC coordinator, Mrs. Dice.
- RTC plans will be emailed to parents/guardians.
If you have any questions about RTP/RTC, please contact Mrs. Dice at (989) 631-5121 or email: [email protected]
District Calendar
2023 - 2024 Calendar (Below)
2024 - 2025 REVISED Calendar (Below)
Dropping Off Materials
Please label materials with your child's name & teacher's name and leave them with office personnel or on the table outside the front doors to the school.
Field Trips
We will take the following field trips this school year. Please look for more info as each event draws near.
- Fall -- CNC: Aquatic Life
- Winter -- Lansing: Tour Capitol & Visit Michigan History Museum
- Spring -- CNC: Introduction to Geology
- Spring -- CNC Creek Week (Mornings only)
Google Classroom
Our Google Classroom will be able soon.
Grades
Letter grades will be given in reading, math, science, social studies, spelling, and writing/English. Here's more info about grades:
- Not all class work and assignments will be entered into our online grade book known as Skyward.
- Parents are encouraged to view their child’s grades weekly.
- You can access Skyward here: https://skywardsis2a.sisd.cc/scripts/wsisa.dll/WService=BCSDwsEAplus/seplog01.w
- If you have not previously registered with Skyward, you can find the directions under Register with Skyward below.
Holiday Parties
Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend all parties. More info will be announced at a later date.
Here are the dates for our classroom parties:
Here are the dates for our classroom parties:
- Halloween -- Tuesday, October 31, 2023
- Christmas -- Wednesday, December 20, 2023
- Valentine's Day -- Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Homework
Students are expected to spend 30-40 minutes on homework for 4-5 days per week. Here's a sample homework routine:
More info can be found under the Homework tab: https://johnsond.weebly.com/homework.html
- 20 min = Reading
- 5 min = Math
- 5 min = Spelling
- 5-10 min = Other
More info can be found under the Homework tab: https://johnsond.weebly.com/homework.html
Homework Binder & Planner
The school will provide the planner that will be placed into your child's 3-ring binder. Here's more info about the binder & planner:
- The binder will be used to transport homework, notes, corrected papers, lunch money, etc. to and from school.
- The student should bring the binder/planner back and forth from home to school every day.
- It's the child’s responsibility to submit materials from the binder.
- In order to build the habit of utilizing an assignment book each day, the student is expected to write in the planner daily (as guided by the teacher).
- A parent is asked to read and initial the entry each school day, and the teacher (or paraprofessional) will initial it the next school day.
Late Work Policy
Unfinished classwork should be completed at home and then submitted at the beginning of the next school day. If homework is not returned, then it will be completed in the classroom and/or RTC during breaks/recess time. Five percent may be deducted from the late work and noted in the grade book.
Masks
There is no current mask mandate. If the MDHHS or the Midland County Health Department requires a mask mandate, then our district will have to change our protocol.
Medication
If a student requires medication (prescription or over-the-counter) on a regular basis, a permission form must be completed. If this applies to your child, then please:
- Request a medication form from Mrs. Krueger at (989) 631-5121 or [email protected]
- Bring the form with the medication to the office. Students are not allowed to transport medication.
Menus, Prices & Payments
Bullock Creek Schools will offer free breakfast and lunch for all students. A milk will come with each meal for free. However, if your child selects just an individual milk (without the meal), then there will be a 75-cent charge for that milk. You can add funds to your child's account online through the Meal Magic Family Portal which is listed under the parents tab on the Bullock Creek Website, or send a check or cash with your student. Please send monetary funds in an envelope with the students name, teacher and amount.
In order for your child to receive the free meals, forms must be submitted. More info about the free meals can be found here: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/news-and-information/press-releases/2023/08/04/michigan-children-win-with-healthy-school-meals-for-all
Menus and more info can be found here: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=0608121741052528 If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Gagne at (989) 631-2340 ext. 1511 or email: [email protected].
In order for your child to receive the free meals, forms must be submitted. More info about the free meals can be found here: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/news-and-information/press-releases/2023/08/04/michigan-children-win-with-healthy-school-meals-for-all
Menus and more info can be found here: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=0608121741052528 If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Gagne at (989) 631-2340 ext. 1511 or email: [email protected].
Online Safety Tips for Parents
This site provides reviews of movies, television shows, books, games and more: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/homepage
Person of the Week
Each week, one student will be chosen to be our Person of the Week. This will usually take place around the student’s birthday, working in the summer birthdays throughout the year. Here's more info:
- Prior to the student’s designated week, he/she will receive an All About Me poster. The poster may be completed using materials of his/her choosing, such as pencils, crayons, markers, photographs, magazine clippings, etc. On Monday the student’s poster will be placed onto a special board.
- Throughout the week the student will be responsible for being the line leader, running errands, passing papers, and other special jobs.
- During that week classmates will contribute handwritten compliments into a mini-book for the student.
- At the end of the week the student will read the poster to the class.
- The poster will be returned to the child at the end of the week.
P.M. Pick-Ups -- PikMyKid
We utilize the PikMyKid app for our pick-ups at the end of the day. You can read about it here: https://www.pikmykid.com/ Here are some tips:
- If the child is normally a bus rider and has days when he/she will need to be picked up, then parents will need to go into the app and designate that for those specific days on the calendar. Please email me when you make changes.
- If the child is normally a pick-up and has days when he/she will ride the bus, parents will need to go into the app and designate that for those specific days on the calendar. Please email me when you make changes.
- Please look for communication from the school regarding the time that you may announce your arrival on the app and when dismissal will begin.
- If you have any questions about PikMyKid, please reach out to Mrs. Krueger in the office.
- The Parent App Guide has been posted below:
PTO
Our amazing Bullock Creek/Pine River PTO sponsors a lot of events throughout the year. You can find more info here: https://bcprpto.org/
Recess Policy
Students will have outside recess daily unless it's raining, the air temp is below 15 degrees, or wind chill is below 0. Here's more info:
- There will be occasional outside breaks and educational outdoor time during the school day as the schedule allows.
- Students should wear appropriate clothing & footwear daily.
- Once the weather turns cold, the children should dress warmly with winter coats, snow pants, hats, boots and gloves.
- Extra outdoor shoes, boots, and clothing may be kept in locker.
- If you need assistance with clothing and/or footwear for your child, help is available. Please contact me or our school's counselor, Miss Jolene, at 631-5121 or [email protected]
Register with Skyward
Steps to register:
Additional information:
- Click on Skyward.
- Login: Type your (the parent's) first name.last name (Example: judy.smith)
- Password: gocreek1
- Click "Sign in."
- The system will prompt you to change your password.
Additional information:
- The system is only for students in 3rd-12th grades.
- Only one account is needed per family, even if you have more than one student in the 3rd-12th grades.
- If your name is hyphenated, then type both names without the hyphen. (Example: Judy Brown-Smith would be judy.brownsmith)
- Questions about registering? Please see the guide posted below or contact Mrs. Krueger at (989) 631-5121 or email: [email protected]
Snacks & Water Bottles
Each student should bring at least two of his/her own healthy snacks and a water bottle every day. Here are some guidelines:
- Ideas for healthy snacks: dried, fresh, or canned fruit, vegetables and dip, crackers and cheese, pretzels, trail mix, nuts, yogurt, flavored crackers, bagels, half of a peanut butter sandwich, string cheese, beef jerky, etc.
- Unhealthy snacks are discouraged. Those include: chips, cookies, Poptarts, sugary cereal, and snack cakes.
- Sharing snacks is not allowed.
- A water bottle is encouraged. Please label it with your child's name.
- No pop, juice or flavored water, please.
- Extra snacks may be kept in the locker.
State Testing: M-STEP Assessment
Fourth graders will be tested in the areas of English language arts (reading, writing, listening & speaking), and math. More information can be found here: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/student-assessment/m-step/parentstudent-information/guide-to-parent-reports
Wish List
Donations of any of these items would be appreciated at any time throughout the year:
Thank you for your generosity!
- Band-Aids (fabric & all one size)
- Paper towels (select-a-size type) -- We go through a lot of these!
- Prepackaged snacks for students who forget to bring a morning snack (Low-sugar ideas: crackers, popcorn, pretzels, veggie straws, etc.)
- Extra tissues, sanitizer, & disinfectant wipes for our office, library, specials teachers, Math Lab, and RTC
Thank you for your generosity!