Principal's Message


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Monday, March 23, 2020

Dear Voyager Families,

What an unbelievable time we are living in...as we embark on week two of our schools being closed, I wanted to touch base with all of you let you know that even though your child’s teacher or other school staff may be reaching out to you or you may be reaching out to them, you can reach out to me as well if there is something I can assist with as you navigate the coronavirus and the impact it is having on your life.  I can be reached through my district email address at [email protected], or you can text me at 517-404-1682.  If you choose to text me, please make sure you identify yourself at the start of the text so I know who is reaching out to me.  Please feel free to have your children email if they would like to do that - I promise they will get an email back from me!

As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, the need to stay connected is going to become greater.  This weekend as I reflected on the past week, I realized that due to the birth of my grandson on Monday, March 16th, and a lot of behind the scenes work that administrators were involved in, I was feeling very disconnected from all of you by the time Friday rolled around.  I decided on Sunday that this week I need to actively pursue ways to stay connected with my Voyager “family”...I miss all of you!! The way that I have decided to do that is to have more of a visible presence on the Voyager Elementary School Howell, Michigan Facebook page. Prior to the schools being closed, I rarely had time to visit our Facebook page, and kept abreast of what was going on via other avenues.  Starting this week, I will be reacting to and commenting on posts and will even be posting some pictures as I participate in Howell’s Senior Survivor Spirit Week and Voyager’s Spirit Week. Please share my pictures with your children so that they can see me my favorite stuffed animal (try asking them who they think my favorite stuffed animal is), see me wearing my Detroit Tigers jersey, or see me reading in a cozy spot at my house.

If you are on Facebook, I would encourage you, if you haven’t done so already, to like the Voyager Facebook page and regularly find a time to interact with it.  I will be encouraging staff to do this, as well (although many of our staff do already interact with our families on Facebook). If you don’t have a Facebook account, I would encourage you to set up an account just for the purpose of interacting with our page and staying connected with us.

This weekend, three activities that I would like to highlight for you were posted on the Voyager Facebook page (some teachers have also emailed or sent these activities to their families by another avenue and I am including them here in case you aren’t on Facebook):

  1. Senior Survivor at Howell High School is hosting a Virtual Howell Home Spirit Week.  Here is the link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=EjKqhY-7q_8&app=desktop and here is the link to the daily themes:
    image0.png
    At Voyager, we have three 5th grade students who are representing Voyager as a Junior Survivor.  Our Junior Survivors and their teams are as follows: Jack MacGregor is with #TeamBradbot (Sapphire), Brad Young is his Senior Survivor; Kate Johnston and Maddie Papiez are our other Junior Survivors and they are with #TeamNo-Slak (Royal Blue), Sara Lakotich is their Senior Survivor.  If you watch the video, you will have the guidelines, but in a nutshell, you need to post a picture or pictures representing each of the daily spirit week themes. Pictures should be posted on the Howell High School Senior Survivor Facebook Page, Twitter or instagram; hashtag the photo as #TeamBradbot or #TeamNo-Slak and #HPSHomeSpirit2020. Make sure you use the two # - the Team's hashtag and the #HomeSpirit2020 hashtag.  Let me know if you have any questions.

  2. While on the "spirit week" bandwagon - please check out Voyager's “school specific spirit week” - here is the link to each day's themes:
    Voyager's Spirit Week
    Post your picture to the Voyager Facebook page.  Look for my pictures to be posted this week, as well!

  3. Neighborhood Car Parade - Staff will be leading a "car parade" through the Voyager  neighborhoods on Wednesday from 12-1 pm. Specific details are in the attachment below.  Unfortunately I won't be able to join in the parade - with a new grandbaby and having to watch his 2 ½ year old sister from time to time, I am really limiting myself to being at my house or at my daughter's house. I will be thinking of all of you and will hope to see at least a couple of pictures posted on Facebook.  Here is the pdf file of what is happening on Wednesday: Neighborhood Car Parade.pdf

Please remember that all of these events are posted on the Voyager Facebook Page.

Before closing this letter, I wanted to outline how I see us communicating until we return to school.  The majority of the communication will come via emails from the district (several emails have been sent in the past week - all are available on the Howell Schools website at HowellSchools.com/COVID-19).  The purpose of these emails is to communicate important information consistently to all of our families. You will also be receiving emails/other communication directly from your child’s teacher - teachers will use a variety of methods to communicate with you...email, phone, texts via Remind, SeeSaw, phone, etc.  When the need arises, I will send emailed letters like this one to you through School Messenger. Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or myself if you need something in between communications.  

In closing, please tell your children that Ms. Naghtin says, “Hi!” and that I miss them a lot.  I will continue to keep all of you in my thoughts until we are able to be together again in the school building we call “home”!!  Please do reach out if you need anything.

Sincerely,

Kari Naghtin, Principal

 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER

Please remember that our Elementary School Counselor, Ms. Jennifer Starkey, can be a resource even when the school is closed.  She can reached via email at [email protected].

Don't hesitate to contact her if you are in need of anything.

 

District Updates re: COVID-19 and Other Information:

The district website at www.howellschools.com has a lot of information regarding questions you may have while we are closed.

COVID-19 Updates and all district correspondence relative to COVID-19 can be found at HowellSchools.com/COVID-19.
Posted by tefftm  On Mar 23, 2020 at 12:31 PM
  

Friday, February 28, 2020

Dear Voyager Families,

It’s been a short week...two snow days does that, and today was a half-day!  I have a couple of reminders to start off this newsletter:

RESCHEDULED SPRING PICTURE DAY - Spring Pictures were supposed to be taken last week Wednesday.  Due to the snow day on Wednesday, they needed to be rescheduled.  Life Touch will now be here on MONDAY, MARCH 16th.  Please send your child's picture envelope with them that day if you still had it at home.  We still have order forms in the front office if you need one.

REMINDER - Vision Screening for 1st, 3rd, & 5th Grade Students and Referrals is THIS WEEK - Vision screening will occur this week on Monday and Wednesday (rescreening will be on Thursday).  Please notify the school on Monday morning if:  1) You have a concern for your child and your child is not in the above grades, or 2)  You do not want your child screened. Please provide your child’s name and his/her teacher if either of these situations apply to your child.  Please let the office know if you have any questions about vision screening.

REMINDER - Registration for the Feelin’ Good Mileage Club 2020 ENDS ON MONDAY - From April 13-May 29, students are provided opportunities to walk or run during identified lunch periods.  Students earn a toe token for every five miles logged up to 20 miles. When they reach 20 miles they earn a water bottle.  This is a free program, however, any student who chooses to walk/run even on one day has to be registered to participate.  As a result, I encourage you to register your child even if he/she is not sure if he/she wants to participate (some of our younger students decide they want to participate after they see friends participating).  You can register on your phone, tablet, or computer at SparrowMilesClub.com.  Please contact the office if you need a hard copy of the form! Let’s shoot to have 90-100% of our Voyager Vikings registered to participate. 

**** A program like this requires a large number of volunteers - information on how to volunteer is on the Voyager Facebook Page and it was emailed to everyone earlier this week.  Please take a look at this information so you can see how you might support this program once or twice; on a weekly basis; or even more than that if your schedule allows. It’s a fun way to be involved at the school that doesn’t require any prep work or a long term commitment!!!

NEW INFORMATION - 

Reading, Reading, Reading - As everyone knows, reading is a very important part of what we do here at school!!  Even though March is designated as reading month, our belief is that reading should be the focus every month of the year not just during March.  With that said, we as educators do typically place a heightened focus on reading during the month of March - Dr. Seuss’ birthday is Monday and reading is celebrated nationally during the month.  We typically hold a spring book fair in March (this year’s fair will be the week of March 9th - more information will be coming home soon, although I’ve heard it has a “jungle” theme)!!! Another way that we focus on reading in March is through our wonderful parent group’s “Read-a-Thon.  The Voyager Booster Club (VBC) utilizes the “Read-a-Thon” as their major fundraiser of the year to raise funds for the activities and materials that they provide to our staff and students. I’m looking forward to experiencing my first “Read-a-Thon” fundraiser at Voyager - it is kicking off today and runs through March 31st.  Students will be bringing home information about the “Read-a-Thon” and information will be posted on the Voyager FaceBook page. I strongly encourage you to check out the staff video to kick-off the “Read-a-Thon” - it’s posted on the Voyager FaceBook page. In wrapping up this section on reading, even the National Association of Elementary and Secondary Principals focuses on reading in March.  They shared this flyer with their members across the country this past week: Report to Parents:  The Rewards of Reading 

2020 Census - Every 10 years, the United States conducts a census to determine how many people live in the United States (all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 5 U.S. territories are counted).  2020 is a census year. In mid-March, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census form.  The form will be able to be completed on-line, by phone, or by mail. No matter when a person completes their form, they will be reporting their information relative to their status on April 1st - this has been designated “Census Day 2020”.  If you would like more details about the census and why it is important that everyone is counted, here is a link to the US Census Bureau website - What is the 2020 Census?  Since January, the US Census Bureau has been sharing census resources with schools across the country.  Next week (March 2nd-6th) has been designated “Statistics in Schools” Week and they have provided a flyer for schools to share with families relative to the upcoming census.  Here is a link to the flyer and a fact sheet: They Grow Up So Fast and Counting Young Children Fact Sheet.  In mid-March, keep your eyes peeled for the invitation to complete your census form for the people residing in your house on April 1st -  there are 9 short questions for each person who is being counted. Census Trivia - The first census was conducted in 1790 - 230 years ago!!!

There are several “District Updates” this week (I’m rerunning a couple of the ones that were in the previous bi-weekly newsletter just in case you missed them due to President’s Day weekend).  Please read these “District Updates” and the “Counselor Corner”. Every other week, our wonderful Elementary Counselor, Ms. Jennifer Starkey shares information with parents - this week’s Counselor Corner highlights three school/community initiatives that may be of interest to parents - Mobile Dentists, Mentor Livingston, and the Michigan Education Savings Program.

As always, please feel free to contact me at anytime.  My email is [email protected] or you can reach me by calling the main office at 517-552-7500 ext. 46503.

Sincerely,

Kari Naghtin, Principal

 

District Updates:

NEW Updates:

Coffee Chat With Superintendent MacGregor

Superintendent MacGregor’s next Coffee Chat is scheduled for Saturday, March 7, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Black Iron Coffee Roasters located at 119 W. Grand River in Downtown Howell. At the chat, attendees will hear updates on district happenings and there will be time for questions from district stakeholders. Additionally, there will be an in-depth look at the various ways that the district is working to educate the whole student through social and emotional learning and increased counseling support. 

Got Art Art Student Art Exhibit

Several of our students will have their artwork featured in the 22nd Annual Got Art Student Art Exhibit at the Historic Howell Opera House. The elementary exhibit will run from Tuesday, March 17 through Sunday, March 22. The exhibit will be open from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends. For more information on the Got Art Student Art Exhibit, please visit http://bit.ly/2T7SXZ2

In addition to the student artwork that will be on exhibit for Got Art, Voyager students also have artwork on display at the Howell District Library from March 1st-31st.

PAST Updates:

Information for Fifth Grade Families Regarding Middle School

As you and your child prepare for the transition to middle school, the middle school principals wanted to share some upcoming dates. On March 12 and 13, the middle school principals and counselors will be visiting all fifth-grade classes in the district. During these visits, they will be going over the changes to expect in the transition to middle school and some things students can start doing now to prepare. Additionally, they will review how the middle school day is structured and the encore class choices available to students. A fifth-grade parent night will be held at both Highlander Way and Parker on Wednesday, March 18th at 6:30 p.m. Students and parents are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Kindergarten Registration is March 17

Howell Public Schools will hold its annual Begindergarten and Kindergarten registration event on Tuesday, March 17. To learn about the district’s Begindergarten and Kindergarten programs, find your child’s home school and begin the online enrollment process, please visit HowellSchools.com/KDG.      

Senior Survivor Kick-off Carnival

Howell High School's Senior Survivor fundraiser is coming up soon! This year's charity is the Special Olympics of Michigan. To kick off Senior Survivor, the high school is hosting its second Senior Survivor Kick-Off Carnival on Friday, April 24th from 6-9 p.m. in the Howell High School Field House. The Carnival will have bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, inflatables, food trucks, arts and crafts, a DJ, games, raffles, etc. The survivors will be there with their buckets for donations and interacting with everyone. Admission is $10 (ages three-18), and donations are appreciated for adults and children two and under. 

Livingston Educational Service Agency Early Childhood Programs are Enrolling for Fall 

Livingston Educational Service Agency Early Childhood Programs are enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year. Head Start and Great Start Readiness Programs offer no-cost/low-cost preschool to income-eligible or children “at-risk” who qualify under federal and state guidelines. Families meeting eligibility guidelines have access to learning opportunities, health and wellness, social and disability services, and other community resources. Children of all abilities are encouraged to apply. To learn more, please call 517-548-2100 or visit www.startfreepreschool.org to complete an application. 

 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER: 

MOBILE DENTIST COMING ON TUESDAY, APRIL 28

Health and wellness are central to success at school, and this includes taking care of our children’s teeth. The Mobile Dentist will be visiting and servicing our school on April 28!   Your child should have brought home the Mobile Dentist permission slip - if dental services are desired, please fill out the form and have your child return it to school as soon as possible.   Additional information can be found at https://www.mobiledentists.com/   If you need another permission slip, let your teacher know and we will send one home with your student!

PLEASE HELP! MENTOR LIVINGSTON NEEDS MENTORS FOR OUR STUDENTS 

Imagine what the world would look like if every child had a caring adult that listened to them, nurtured their self-esteem, and showed them the possibilities of the world.  Mentor Livingston, formerly Big Brothers Big Sisters, is currently recruiting caring volunteers who are willing to mentor (and share lunch with) an elementary student twice a month. We currently have a long list of “littles” in our district waiting and hoping to be matched with a “big.”   If you know of anyone (parents, friends) who could provide this opportunity for a Howell elementary student, please reach out to Alyson Mapes at [email protected] or 517-546-1140.

MICHIGAN EDUCATION SAVINGS PROGRAM

Also, don’t forget about the Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP).  Visit www.misaves.com to discover everything you need to know about saving for college, what the Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP) can do to help, and how to help maximize your savings even on a modest budget.

It takes a village! Please reach out with questions, concerns, or requests for additional support: [email protected]

Your Partner in Education,

Jennifer Starkey 

Posted by tefftm  On Mar 02, 2020 at 8:15 AM
  

Dear Voyager Families,

Happy Valentine’s Day!!! There is a district reminder below, but please remember that there is NO SCHOOL for staff and students on Monday, February 17th!!!  Enjoy the long weekend!

Vision Screening for 1st, 3rd, & 5th Grade Students and Referrals - Vision screening will occur at Voyager on March 2nd & 4th (re-screening will be on March 5th).  Here is some information from the Health Department regarding vision screening:

The Livingston County Department of Public Health will be conducting Vision Screening at Voyager. All Health Departments in Michigan provide routine vision screening to identify children who have vision problems or might be at risk for vision problems. Children who do not pass the initial screening will be rescreened. If a child does not pass the rescreen, a letter will be mailed home recommending the child see an eye doctor for a complete eye examination. Students in 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th grade will receive vision screening. Vision screening will also be provided to students in other grades who are last-year follow-ups and parent/teacher requests. 

Please notify the school (prior to the first day of screening) and provide child’s name and teacher if:  1) You have a concern for your child and your child is not in the above grades, or 2)  You do not want your child screened.  

Please let the office know if you have any questions about vision screening.

REMINDER - Registration for the Feelin’ Good Mileage Club 2020 is open through March 2nd - From April 13-May 29, students are provided opportunities to walk or run during identified lunch periods.  Students earn a toe token for every five miles logged up to 20 miles. When they reach 20 miles they earn a water bottle.  This is a free program, however, any student who chooses to walk/run even on one day has to be registered to participate.  As a result, I encourage you to register your child even if he/she is not sure if he/she wants to participate (some of our younger students decide they want to participate after they see friends participating).  You can register on your phone, tablet, or computer at SparrowMilesClub.com.  Please contact the office if you need a hard copy of the form! Let’s shoot to have 90-100% of our Voyager Vikings registered to participate. 

**** A program like this requires a large number of volunteers - information on how to volunteer will be available next week from our VBC.  Please be on the lookout for this information so you can see how you might support this program once or twice; on a weekly basis; or even more than that if your schedule allows.  It’s a fun way to be involved at the school that doesn’t require any prep work or a long term commitment!!!

On Tuesday, I will be on the morning announcements, encouraging students to have their parents register them for the program, will be sharing some new “features” of the program this year, and will be letting students know that I will be walking with students when my schedule allows.  I LOVE Sparrow’s Feelin’ Good Mileage Club!

There are several “District Updates” this week.  As a result of this, I am going to keep my letter short this time - enjoy the three day weekend with your families!  Please read the “District Updates” and the “Counselor Corner”. Every other week, our wonderful Elementary Counselor, Ms. Jennifer Starkey shares information with parents - this week’s Counselor Corner features information about an in-school program that is offered to all of our 2nd graders - 2nd Grade Ability Awareness Day!  Please read the information even if you don’t have a 2nd grader - Ms. Starkey needs volunteers to help with this program!

As always, please feel free to contact me at anytime.  My email is [email protected] or you can reach me by calling the main office at 517-552-7500 ext. 46503.

Sincerely,

Kari Naghtin, Principal

 

District Updates:

No School on Monday, February 17 

Please remember that there is no school on Monday, February 17 in honor of Presidents’ Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 18.

Senior Survivor Kick-off Carnival

Howell High School's Senior Survivor fundraiser is coming up soon! This year's charity is Special Olympics of Michigan. To kick off Senior Survivor, the high school is hosting its second Senior Survivor Kick-Off Carnival on Friday, April 24th from 6-9 p.m. in the Howell High School Field House. The Carnival will have bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, inflatables, food trucks, arts and crafts, a DJ, games, raffles, etc. The survivors will be there with their buckets for donations and interacting with everyone. Admission is $10 (ages three-18), and donations are appreciated for adults and children two and under. 

Kindergarten Registration is March 17

Howell Public Schools will hold its annual Begindergarten and Kindergarten registration event on Tuesday, March 17. To learn about the district’s Begindergarten and Kindergarten programs, find your child’s home school and begin the online enrollment process, please visit HowellSchools.com/KDG.      

Information for Fifth Grade Families Regarding Middle School (5th grade parents received this information via a separate email from me on Thursday)

As you and your child prepare for the transition to middle school, the middle school principals wanted to share some upcoming dates. On March 12 and 13, the middle school principals and counselors will be visiting all fifth-grade classes in the district. During these visits, they will be going over the changes to expect in the transition to middle school and some things students can start doing now to prepare. Additionally, they will review how the middle school day is structured and the encore class choices available to students. A fifth-grade parent night will be held at both Highlander Way and Parker on Wednesday, March 18th at 6:30 p.m. Students and parents are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Livingston Educational Service Agency Early Childhood Programs are Enrolling for Fall 

Livingston Educational Service Agency Early Childhood Programs are enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year. Head Start and Great Start Readiness Programs offer no-cost/low-cost preschool to income-eligible or children “at-risk” who qualify under federal and state guidelines. Families meeting eligibility guidelines have access to learning opportunities, health and wellness, social and disability services, and other community resources. Children of all abilities are encouraged to apply. To learn more, please call 517-548-2100 or visit www.startfreepreschool.org to complete an application. 

 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER: 

Celebrating Diversity and Ability

We are pleased to offer an informative and interactive experience for our second-grade students: Ability Awareness Day! This is a program of many activities designed to heighten sensitivity and appreciation for people who are perceived as “different.” On Tuesday, March 10,  our second-grade teachers and our counselor, Mrs. Starkey, will help our students better understand how children with various disabilities (learning, physical, emotional) are just like other children through hands-on learning activities, an interactive puppet show, and much more!

To make this happen, we need volunteers! If you would be willing to volunteer at one of the hands-on learning stations, please reach out to your child’s 2nd-grade teacher (or me, if you don’t have a second-grade student) as soon as possible.  We will need volunteers from approximately 8:45 a.m. (the classrooms will begin rotating through the centers at 9:15 a.m.) until around 11:15 a.m.

Feel free to contact Jennifer Starkey at 517-552-7500, ext. 46124 or at [email protected]  for more information!

Jennifer Starkey, School Counselor

Posted by tefftm  On Feb 17, 2020 at 8:10 AM
  

Dear Voyager Families,

It is hard to believe it is already the last day of January - if it seems like the month flew by, it did!!  The unexpected snow day was nice, but it also contributed to the month seeming like it flew by even more. From experience, I can tell you that the next four months will fly by, as well.  When we get to the last day of May, we will only have four days left in the school year. Hang on as we finish the second half of the school year together!

Since sending my last bi-weekly newsletter on January 17th, Superintendent Erin Macgregor sent to all Voyager families an emailed letter letting them know that I have been named the permanent Principal at Voyager.  I am very happy with this announcement and look forward to continuing the journey that we started this fall on into next year.  

Feelin’ Good Mileage Club 2020 - Either today or early next week, your child will be bringing home information regarding Sparrow Hospital’s “Feelin’ Good Mileage Club” (information is also on the Voyager Facebook Page).  From April 13-May 29, students are provided opportunities to walk or run during identified lunch periods. Students earn a toe token for every five miles logged up to 20 miles. When they reach 20 miles they earn a water bottle.  This is a free program, however, any student who chooses to walk/run even on one day has to be registered to participate. As a result, I encourage you to register your child even if he/she is not sure if he/she wants to participate (some of our younger students decide they want to participate after they see friends participating).  Registration opens tomorrow (2/1) and ends on Monday, March 2nd - you can register on your phone, tablet, or computer.  Please contact the office if you need a hard copy of the form! Let’s shoot to have 90-100% of our Voyager Vikings registered to participate. **** A program like this requires a number of volunteers - please be on the lookout for upcoming information regarding when volunteers are needed for this program.  It’s a fun way to be involved at the school!!!

Topic for this newsletter: ATTENDANCE

There will be times that a child needs to miss school - sick with a contagious illness; an appointment(s) that can’t be scheduled outside of the school day; a family emergency that can’t be avoided, etc., but overall students should miss very little school.  Regular attendance in school is one of the most important factors related to success in school. In elementary school students are being taught foundational skills. As a result, regular attendance is crucial for learning these skills. I recently read a parent tip sheet related to attendance that I thought made some good points (woodburnpress.com).

  • Absences add up - even if your child misses just a few days of school here and there, important concepts can be missed/not learned.  According to research, missing two days a month negatively impacts a student’s academic performance (missing 2 days a month = ~ 18 days/year - that’s 10% of the school year that a student is missing; missing 3-4 days a month = ~27-36 days/year - that’s 15%-20% of the school year that a student is missing)

  • Elementary attendance affects reading - reread the last sentence above.  Frequent absences in elementary school have been shown to significantly impact a student’s reading skills.

  • Elementary attendance problems can negatively impact a student’s future - research shows that by 6th grade, attendance problems become a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.

  • Attendance affects social growth - elementary students are still learning social and emotional skills that will help them throughout their lives.  At school, they learn to interact with others, make friends, and build relationships with adults outside their family.  Consistent attendance helps foster positive social and emotional growth for your child.

School is the equivalent of being a student’s job.  It is important that students receive the message that being in school everyday is the expectation, just like adults are expected to be at their job everyday.  When this is the expectation, attendance does not become an issue. There are things that parents can do to support this expectation:

  • Develop routines - prepare for school the night before (clothes out, coat and backpack ready) - set the tone that going to school is the expectation; have a consistent bedtime that supports getting a good night’s sleep; get up in the morning at a time that provides for a less stressful start to the day - enough time for a good breakfast and to get to school on time.  Finally, if your child does have to miss school, develop a habit of getting work from the teacher that he/she may have missed from the teacher. This reinforces the expectation that it’s important to be in school.  

  • Be informed - Know bus pick up times, parent drop off times, and school start times, so that you can determine what time your child needs to be “out the door” to get to school on time.

  • Schedule & plan strategically - if the expectation is that you go to school everyday, not going to school becomes the exception.  Students learn very quickly that there is little that interferes with them going to school, and when something does interfere it is because all other options were tried and/or the situation was an emergency/out of the adult’s control. Notify the school whenever your child will be absent and share the reason for the absence.

  • Ask for support before the school contacts you - If you are having difficulty getting your child to school, if your child doesn’t seem to want to go to school for any reason, or if there are other extenuating circumstances interfering with your child not being in school (medical condition; family dynamic, etc.), talk to your child’s teacher, school counselor, or an administrator, so that you can work together to resolve whatever issue is having a negative impact on your child’s attendance - collaborate as to how to reset the expectation!!  Regular school attendance is required/is the law. School’s monitor attendance and are required to notify parents when attendance is an issue. Typically, an initial letter is sent to make parents aware of an attendance issue when students have missed 10% of the time that they have been in school (5-10 days missed a quarter; 10-20 days in a semester). If after the initial letter is sent, attendance doesn’t improve, a second letter is sent. If a second letter does not warrant a change, a meeting is required to develop a plan.  The final step when all of the other efforts have been exhausted it to contact the county truant officer.  Schools never want to get to this point, but will go this route if a student is not attending school regularly. 

If regular school attendance is an issue for your child, make it a goal to reset the expectation!!!

This concludes what I have to share this week, however, there are a couple of district updates, as well as our bi-weekly note from our wonderful Elementary Counselor, Ms. Jennifer Starkey - this week’s Counselor Corner features follow up information regarding the district-wide Brooks Gibbs parent presentation that was held on the evening of Tuesday, January 21st.  If you weren’t able to attend this event, this “Counselor Corner” provides a brief overview of some strategies highlighted in the presentation. 

As always, please feel free to contact me at anytime.  My email is [email protected] or you can reach me by calling the main office at 517-552-7500 ext. 46503.

Sincerely,

Kari Naghtin, Principal

 

District Updates:

It’s Time for Kindergarten Registration

Howell Public Schools will hold its annual Begindergarten and Kindergarten registration event on Tuesday, March 17. To learn about the district’s Begindergarten and Kindergarten programs, find your child’s home school and begin the online enrollment process, please visit HowellSchools.com/KDG.      

13th Annual Livingston County Community Connect

Tomorrow, Saturday, February 1, The Livingston County Homeless Continuum of Care Committee will host the 13th Annual Livingston County Community Connect at Parker Middle School from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event is open to all area residents. It includes free health screenings, legal consultation, employment services featuring local job opportunities, food, clothing, books, personal care items, haircuts, and much more. The event includes fun activities for the kids, but no childcare. Lunch is also provided on-site at no cost. To learn more, please visit http://bit.ly/38sb5S2.

COUNSELOR’S CORNER:  

For those that were able to join for the Brooks Gibbs Parent Program on January 21st at Howell High School, we hope you enjoyed it! It is always inspiring and refreshing to get insight from experts (especially entertaining and comedic ones like Brooks!).   Brooks is a popular author/speaker and authority on bullying in the schoolyard and workplace. Here are some key takeaways from his message! If you would like more information or are interested in creating a more personalized plan for your family, please reach out!

  1. Use the language, "Don’t get upset, treat him like a friend" when students are struggling with others. We often give conflicts power, and make them worse, when we respond with anger and frustration. Teach your child strategies for managing their reactions to mean behavior. A calm response is often enough to deter a “meanie.”

  1. Everyone understands the concepts of winning and losing, and most people would agree it feels better to win. Use this analogy with kids when talking about resolving conflicts with others. You “win” when you keep your cool and defeat the “meanie.” You “lose” when you get upset and give them the dramatic and emotional reaction they are looking for. 

  1. Our beliefs about ourselves impact our behavior. The better we feel about ourselves and who we are, the more able we are to repel mean behavior. Pay attention to your child’s sense of self. Give them specific feedback and praise. Catch them being good. Brooks would recommend giving them a (casual, humorous) script to use when they are face-to-face with a mean person, like “This negative energy is making my head hurt” (and then calmly turn around and walk away). 

Social conflict is normal, but can be uncomfortable. We hope these tips help as you navigate these difficult situations with your kids!

Here’s to raising strong, confident kids,

Jennifer Starkey, School Counselor

 

Posted by tefftm  On Feb 03, 2020 at 8:15 AM
  

Dear Voyager Families,

Happy New Year and happy end of 1st semester!!! First semester ends today. Report cards for all students will be available in PowerSchool on Friday, January 24th. If you have not had a chance to have a reflective conversation with your child about his/her experiences during 1st semester and his/her “goals” for 2nd semester (see the Viking View from 12/20), please consider having that conversation over the upcoming long weekend - we do not have school on Monday, January 20th - it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! 2nd semester/3rd quarter begins on Tuesday, January 21st.

As we look at the calendar today, Thursday, June 4th seems a long time from now. Some of you may not even know what Thursday, June 4th is - it’s the last day of school for the 2019-2020 school year! It will be here before we know it - it’s already the middle of January. The end of the school year is an exciting time for staff and students and a lot of special classroom and school-wide events/activities get scheduled. Staff and I have already met to discuss what our school-wide end of the year activity/event schedule will look like this year, and we wanted to get some dates to you at this time, as there are some events that you will want to attend and there are others that will require several parent/non-parent volunteers. We know that having these dates as soon as possible is critical for scheduling. In this newsletter, I am just providing dates. Specific information on each event/activity will come home in the future. Here is the schedule for the last week of school:

Monday, June 1st - Field Day

Tuesday, June 2nd - Rain Date for Field Day

Wednesday, June 3rd - AM - 3rd-5th Grade Talent Show (all students attend)

Thursday, June 4th - AM - 5th grade Completion (9:15 a.m. Clap Out; 9:30 a.m. CompletionProgram); PM - Oakland University Production “The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse"

I realize that this schedule looks different than the end of the year schedule that Voyager has had in the past (field day the Thursday before Memorial Day; a talent show that was two half days in length and included K-5 students participating, and 5th grade Completion in the afternoon of the last day). Staff and I reviewed what has traditionally happened, discussed events that staff would like to see changed or tweaked, and took into consideration that next year the 2020-2021 school year will end on the Friday before Memorial Day. Starting summer vacation the Friday before Memorial Day will have its benefits, but also creates some challenges (for example, the state testing window for our 3rd-5th graders typically ends on the Friday before Memorial Day). Staff and I decided that beginning to make some changes now would assist in preparing for next year’s change. With all of that said, we know that not having K-2 students involved in the Talent Show will be sad news for a lot of students and for parents. Change is hard...but is something that happens. Thank you in advance for understanding and for helping our students to understand the need for change. I am confident that we have a great line-up of events and activities to make the end of the year special for our students. In addition to what I have shared, classroom teachers/grade levels will have their own special/exciting events to add to the end of the year festivities.

Howell HS Varsity Basketball Games -I would like to highlight some HHS Varsity Basketball events that Voyager elementary students and their families have been invited to next week Friday and at the end of February. Here is the information:

Howell Varsity Girls Basketball “Pink Out” Night- 1/24/20 - 7 pm - our own “Voices of Voyager” Choir will be singing the National Anthem

Howell Varsity Boys Basketball “Voyager/Northwest” Night & “Dress Like Simon” Night- 2/21/20 - 7 pm

In addition to these two nights, 2/4/20 is a Howell Varsity Girls Basketball Elementary & Middle School Night - 2/4/20 - 7 pm; it is also “Senior Night”.

Lost and Found -I would like to draw your attention to the fact that our lost and found area is overflowing. Prior to the break, it was being publicized on our Facebook page that lost and found items were going to be donated over the winter break. A decision was made to extend the date for when the lost and found items will be donated until the end of January. If your child is missing something, please find a time to stop by and check for the item(s) that are missing or have your child check After Friday, January 31st, the missing items will not be retrievable. Subsequent donations will occur the Friday before spring break in March and after the last day of school in June.

This concludes what I have to share this week, however, there are district updates(Please note that Kindergarten Registration information for 20-21 is one of the district updates), as well as our bi-weekly note from our wonderful Elementary Counselor, Ms. Jennifer Starkey - this week’s Counselor Corner features a wonderful parent training opportunity...being a parent is hard work!!! Please consider attending. Please check the list of upcoming events that are included in this newsletter.

As always, please feel free to contact me at anytime. My email is[email protected]or you can reach me by calling the main office at 517-552-7500 ext. 46503.

Happy New Year!

Kari Naghtin, Principal

 

District Updates:

It’s Time for Kindergarten Registration

Howell Public Schools will hold its annual Begindergarten and Kindergarten registration event on Tuesday, March 17. To learn about the district’s Begindergarten and Kindergarten programs, find your child’s home school and begin the online enrollment process, please visitHowellSchools.com/KDG.

Coffee Chat with Superintendent MacGregor

Superintendent Erin MacGregor will host his second Coffee Chat of the school year on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. The chat will run from 1:00 to 2 p.m. in the Edinburgh Room in the district’s administrative office. At the Coffee Chat, representatives from the district’s construction management and architectural firms will provide an update on the bond projects that will be completed this summer. Additionally, MacGregor will provide updates on district initiatives and answer any questions that stakeholders have about the district.

Teacher and Support Person of the Year Nominations

Howell Public Schools is currently accepting nominations for its Teacher and Support Person of the Year awards. These awards honor an outstanding teacher and support person for their dedication to the students of Howell Public Schools. The Teacher of the Year nomination form can be found athttp://bit.ly/2t4Nrftand the Support Person of the Year nomination form can be found athttp://bit.ly/2QEuJEp. The nomination window closes on Monday, January 27 at 4 p.m.

 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER:

Where will you be on Tuesday, January 21st at 6:00? I am hoping you will join me at the HHS Auditorium to experience the power and energy of Brooks Gibbs, an award-winning social skills educator.

Brooks travels around the world to teach youth and families how to be emotionally strong and resilient. This evening program is designed specifically for parents and families! It is FREE, and CHILD CARE is provided (please reach out to Kim Martin to reserve a spot for your child/ren: 517.548.6297, ext. 43106 or[email protected]).

For more information, please reach out to me or check out his website:https://www.brooksgibbs.com/.

Jennifer Starkey, School Counselor

[email protected] 517-552-7500. Ext. 46124


Voyager Elementary School, 1450 Byron Rd.,Howell, MI 48843
Phone: 517-552-7500, Fax: 517-552-7519

Posted by tefftm  On Jan 21, 2020 at 3:38 PM
  
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