Dear WMAES Families,
We are looking forward to seeing everyone this Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. for our annual Pig Roast and Open House! This event is always a highlight as it provides us with the opportunity to welcome everyone back, reconnect with familiar faces, and meet new ones.
It's hard to believe that we are just over a week away from the first day of school, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome our students back to campus. Our staff has an exciting week of collaboration and preparation ahead as we gear up for another great year of learning and growth.
Please take a moment to review all of the information below, as it includes many helpful reminders to ensure a smooth start to the school year. We are grateful that you have chosen to partner with WMAES in your child's education and look forward to an incredible year ahead.
See you on Tuesday!
Warmest regards,
Nathan VanDuinen
Elementary Principal
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Save the date for our annual Pig Roast and Open House on August 20 from 5:00-7:00! This beloved event is a fantastic opportunity for our school community to come together, enjoy delicious food, visit classrooms and teachers, and celebrate the upcoming school year.
This year we will have an Information Table at the Pig Roast. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity! The following forms will be available:
Elementary Parent Volunteer Form (We can copy your ID that night.)
Medication Administration Form (Must be signed by a Dr. for ALL medications)
Elementary Information Update Forms (Please make sure we have a current phone number)
Elementary Sibling Pick-up Forms (For when a 6th Grade or older sibling will be picking up a younger sibling after school)
Permission to Walk Home Form
And GREAT NEWS! These forms are available online at www.wma-es.com under the Parents & Students area. So if you want to print out the form, fill it out, and drop it off at the Pig Roast, you're welcome to do that too. This is especially helpful for the Medication Administration Form. If you take care of the Medication Administration Form now you can drop off your student's medication at the Pig Roast. The Medication Administration Form has to be signed by a doctor for ALL prescribed AND over the counter medications prior to us taking possession of the meds. The online form is fillable online and able to be forwarded to your doctor. Please contact the Elementary School Office with any questions
Please refer to the information below for everything you need to know to sign up for text updates from WMAES. We look forward to being able to utilize texting as a convenient means of providing links to our newsletters, reminders about upcoming dates, weather-related closing notifications, and more. As shown in the flyer below, simply text Y or Yes to 67587 from a number you have on file with the office to get signed up. Coming soon, we will also be sending a one time opt-in message to all numbers on file who have not opted in to provide the option of doing so at that time.
Uniform requirements include a WMAES uniform top, solid color pants/shorts or solid jeans/jean shorts, and closed-toe shoes.
Students may arrive beginning at 7:45 AM and enter through the elementary main entrance. Students will go directly to their classrooms upon entering. All students should be in their classrooms by 8:00 AM.
Parents may not enter the building with students at drop-off but may accompany them on the sidewalk as they wait to enter.
If you are accompanying your student on the sidewalk at arrival, you must park your vehicle in a parking space.
As the school year begins, many staff members will be available to walk students to their classrooms as needed.
All elementary classes will be dismissed at 3:15 PM. At dismissal, they will be standing with their teacher on the designated area of the sidewalk for their class.
At dismissal, you must park and walk to your child's teacher to pick up your student. Please be prepared to identify yourself to your child's teacher as necessary.
WMAES strives to provide a parking lot environment that is as safe and courteous as possible and ensure an orderly drop-off and pick-up of students. Your adherence to the following guidelines is greatly appreciated and serves as an important example of adult cooperation, patience, and respect for our students.
Enter only through the east drive.
Exit only through the west drive.
Drive slowly! Be alert and watch for children emerging between cars.
If you are planning to leave your vehicle for any reason, park in a designated parking space.
During drop-off, the inside lane (closest to the school) is available for vehicles dropping off students.
Vehicles in this lane must remain occupied by the driver and merge left slowly into the outer lane after dropping off.
Drop off children on the inside lane only as close to the sidewalk as possible.
Make sure children exit the vehicle on the school side (passenger side) of the vehicle.
The outside lane is for continuous traffic flow.
Do not leave your vehicle unless it is in a designated parking space.
Carpool whenever possible to help reduce traffic volume.
BE PATIENT! Our parking lot must accommodate a high volume of vehicles. As is the case in any parking lot, this can create slow moving traffic at times. Patience and cooperation are necessary to make departure go smoothly.
All elementary classes will be dismissed at 3:15 PM. They will be standing with their teacher on the sidewalk in front of the elementary building for dismissal. Signs will designate the specific dismissal location for each class in the grade level dismissal areas shown in the image below. At dismissal, you must park and walk to your child's teacher to pick up your student. Please be prepared to identify yourself to your child's teacher as necessary.
We are excited to announce that we have partnered with a new local online provider for our school uniforms! You can now conveniently order all of your WMAES-approved apparel online and have it shipped directly to your home with free shipping.
Online Uniform Store Link: WMAES Apparel
You can also enter the URL https://wmaesapparel.secure-decoration.com/ in any browser to access the store.
Uniform Options: All apparel on the site, including some options that are newly added for the coming school year, can be worn as part of our uniform requirements. Simply browse the options, select your preferred items, and place your order directly on the site.
Here are some helpful reminders about our uniform policy:
Appropriate School Uniform:
Tops: WMAES Polo, T-Shirt, Sweatshirt, or Zip-Up
Bottoms: Tan/Khaki or Solid/Plain Jeans/Pants
Shorts: Tan/Khaki or Solid/Plain Jean shorts of mid-length/fingertip length
Footwear: Closed-Toe Shoes
Please note that all clothing must be free of writing, adornments, rips, tears, or holes. Students may be asked to wear special clothing for unique outdoor activities and special curricular events.
We hope this new online store makes it easier for you to manage your uniform needs. If you have any questions or need assistance with your order, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for partnering with WMAES!
We are excited to invite all WMAES families to join our new Facebook Group - WMAES Corkboard!
What is WMAES Corkboard? Groups are dedicated spaces on Facebook that make it easy to pursue your interests and connect with others. WMAES Corkboard was established by our fantastic Power Parent Team and is designed to be a productive place for WMAES families to share helpful information and updates.
Why Join?
Stay Informed: Get the latest news and updates about school events, activities, and important announcements.
Connect with Other Parents: Engage with fellow WMAES families and build a supportive community.
Share Resources: Exchange resources and information to help each other navigate the school year smoothly.
Clicking the link will take you directly to the Facebook Group, where you can request to join. Looking forward to seeing you there and working together to support our amazing school community!
To assist with your back-to-school preparations, we have compiled recommended supply lists for each elementary grade. The lists can be found in the files linked below.
These supply lists have been carefully curated by our dedicated teachers to include items that will support your child's learning and organization throughout the school year. We understand that shopping for school supplies can be overwhelming, so we hope these lists make the process a little smoother and more efficient for you!
We want to remind our community that enrollment for the 2024-25 academic year remains open. This is a continuous opportunity to join a community committed to educational excellence and environmental stewardship.
🌱 How to Enroll:
Enrolling your child is simple and straightforward. Visit our enrollment page at West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science - Enrollment. Should you have any questions or need assistance, our dedicated admissions team is always available to help at wmaesoffice@choiceschools.com.
👨👩👧👦 Refer a Family:
Know a family interested in a unique educational experience that emphasizes environmental awareness? Encourage them to consider our academy. Your referrals are crucial as they help cultivate a diverse and vibrant student body that enhances our community. Share our open enrollment information and help us expand our circle of environmentally-conscious learners!
💚 A Collaborative Community Effort:
At West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science, we are more than just a school; we are a family. We cherish each family’s unique contributions to our community and eagerly anticipate welcoming new members who are as committed to sustainability and education as we are.