Intent to return begins February 3

We’re thrilled to begin planning for another amazing year at WMAES and are excited for your family to continue being a part of our school community. Ensuring your student’s space for the upcoming school year starts with completing the Intent to Return form, available on the PowerSchool Parent Portal beginning February 3.

Completing this quick and simple online form is essential, as we cannot guarantee a reserved space for your student without it. Your timely submission helps us plan ahead to deliver the best educational experience possible. If you have multiple students enrolled, please remember that a separate form must be completed for each child.

We’re honored to partner with you in your child’s educational journey and are grateful for the trust you place in us. By submitting the Intent to Return form, you ensure your student remains part of the dynamic, supportive WMAES community.

As the Intent to Return window approaches, we’ll share additional reminders to help ensure you don’t miss this important opportunity. Thank you for helping us plan for another fantastic year at WMAES!

Winter Assessment Updates

Winter assessments are an important part of how we support student growth at WMAES. Students have recently been participating in two key assessments: the NWEA MAP Growth and Acadience Reading assessments.

NWEA MAP Growth

• Purpose: Measures academic progress in key areas to tailor instruction to each student's needs and celebrate their growth over time.

• Why It’s Beneficial: MAP Growth helps teachers understand exactly where each student is in their learning journey. By identifying their strengths and readiness for new challenges, we can ensure that every child is supported in reaching their full potential.

• Math Instructional Areas:

  • Operations and Algebraic Thinking: Understanding mathematical operations and their properties.

  • Number and Operations: Grasping number concepts and performing accurate calculations.

  • Measurement and Data: Measuring and interpreting data.

  • Geometry: Recognizing and analyzing shapes and their properties.

• Reading Instructional Areas:

  • Literature: Understanding and analyzing literary texts.

  • Informational Text: Comprehending and evaluating non-fiction texts.

  • Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: Understanding and applying vocabulary in context.

• Note: This assessment is never used for grading purposes. It provides valuable insights to help us tailor instruction and support your child's growth.

Acadience Reading

• Purpose: A universal screening and progress monitoring tool that measures the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade.

• Why It’s Beneficial: Acadience Reading allows teachers to personalize literacy instruction for every student. By focusing on key foundational skills, this assessment helps ensure that each child develops the tools they need to become a confident, successful reader.

• Key Areas Assessed:

  • Phonemic Awareness: Recognizing and manipulating sounds in spoken words.

  • Phonics: Understanding the relationship between letters and sounds.

  • Fluency: Reading with speed, accuracy, and proper expression.

  • Comprehension: Understanding and interpreting what is read.

• Note: This assessment is not used for grading. It helps us target reading instruction to support the growth of every student.

These assessments provide valuable information to guide instruction and ensure that each child is on a path to success. We celebrate your child’s progress and look forward to sharing their results with you soon. 

Second Quarter Report Cards Now Available

Second quarter report cards for elementary students are now available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal and were also sent as email attachments to the email address you have on file with us. To access report cards for your students at any time, log in to the Parent Portal at https://powerschool.wma-es.com/public/home.html and click on "Student Reports."

Please use the digital signature function in the Parent Portal to submit your signature after you've had an opportunity to review the report card. All current and past report cards will remain available on the Parent Portal for your reference.

If you need help getting started with the Parent Portal, please contact the office.

STANDARDS BASED GRADING REMINDER

As we approach the end of the second quarter, we want to remind families about our Standards Based Grading system to ensure everyone has the information needed to interpret digital report cards, which will be sent out soon.

Our Standards Based Grading system provides a clear and thorough way to communicate student growth and achievement in relation to the Michigan K-12 State Standards. This approach helps families better understand their child’s progress by focusing on specific skills and knowledge rather than comparing performance to peers.

Key Details About Standards Based Grading:

• Instead of traditional letter grades, proficiency scores ranging from 1 to 4 are used to reflect what students are expected to know and do.

• Proficiency scores provide detailed feedback on student learning, with multiple opportunities to achieve proficiency (a score of 3).

• Behaviors that promote a positive learning environment are reported separately from academic proficiency.

What Proficiency Scores Mean:

• 1 or 2: Reflects the learning process for new skills or concepts.

• 3: Indicates the student has met the grade-level standard—a reason to celebrate!

• 4: Demonstrates the student has applied knowledge beyond the grade-level standard.

Why Standards Based Grading?
This system focuses on your child’s specific strengths and areas for improvement in relation to grade-level expectations. Unlike traditional letter grades, proficiency scores offer a clearer picture of the skills your child is currently working on and those they’ve mastered.

We are confident this system provides valuable insights into your child’s academic growth. If you have any questions once report cards are shared, don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to continuing to support your child’s success!

Kindergarten Round-Up & Preschool Open House
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 | 4:30–6:00 PM

Join us for our Kindergarten Round-Up and GSRP Preschool Open House for the 2025–2026 school year!

Families will have the opportunity to:

• Learn more about our exceptional kindergarten and free preschool programs

• Meet our teachers and explore classrooms

• Take a tour of our facilities

Feel free to share this event with families who may be interested. We look forward to welcoming you and your child!

Reminder: No School on February 14

This is a quick reminder that there will be no school on Friday, February 14 as our staff will be participating in professional development.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to enhance our practices to better serve our students!

No School February 17-18 Mid-Winter Break

♻️ Paper Gator Recycling Contest ♻️

Help WMAES support our sustainability efforts and win $5,000 for the school to use toward supplies! 

From January 11 to April 11, 2025, Paper Gator will award $5,000 to the school with the largest increase in recycled paper products.

The following recyclable paper items are eligible:

✅ School/office paper
✅ Newspapers
✅ Magazines
✅ Junk mail
✅ Soft and hard cover books
✅ Shredded paper
✅ Paperboard (e.g., tissue boxes, cereal boxes)
✅ Cardboard (12x12 or smaller)
✅ Wrapping paper (no foil or sparkles)

 Drop-off Location: Paper Gator dumpsters are located behind the school, accessible via the Wilson driveway.

Whether you're tidying up after the holidays or diving into spring cleaning, every little bit helps us reach our goal!

Happy Recycling! 

Assistance Program INFORMATION 

We are excited to continue our efforts in supporting our students through our assistance programs. Our resources have expanded this school year, and we want to ensure you are aware of the benefits available to our entire community.

Our new counseling service, the School Assistance Program (SAP), is offered through Pine Rest, a professional mental health service. This program provides five free, confidential counseling sessions per episode of care and is available 24/7 to anyone in the student’s household.

To access this service, simply call 800.442.0809, press 1, and follow the prompts. Be sure to mention, “I have an SAP with West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science.”

To learn more about all the benefits provided by this program, please watch the introduction video. Click the link below or paste the URL into any browser:

SAP Video – Password: SAPOrientation
URL: https://vimeo.com/video/956870695?share=copy

Please note that all services provided through the SAP are 100% confidential. We hope this resource can support you and your family whenever needed.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Uniform Online Ordering 

Purchase uniform apparel any time from the convenience of 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.