Updates for Elementary Families

March 23, 2025 Update for Families

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📚 Happy Reading Month! 📚

We are excited to kick off Reading Month at WMAES! This year's theme is Caldecott Chronicles: Celebrating the Best! Throughout March, we have fun activities, competitions, and special events planned to celebrate the joy of reading.

📅 Reading Month Calendar & Reading Logs

A Reading month calendar was sent home with your student. This calendar includes all the important information for families, as well as a reading log to track minutes read at home.

Prizes will be awarded to the top reading class in each group (Y5-2nd & 3rd-5th), as well as individual top readers!

Reading logs must be turned in every Friday (except for the first week, when they are due on Thursday, March 6 due to no school on March 7). Students love seeing their class standings each week! The final deadline for all reading logs is March 21.

School-Wide Goal: 90,000 minutes! Let’s work together to reach this milestone!

🎉 Special Reading Month Events

📖 Read for “FUNds” (March 3-14) – Help us raise funds for our Literacy Nest! Each student’s goal is to raise $2 to help maintain our wonderful book checkout system. Any additional funds will go toward purchasing new books.

🎨 Bulletin Board Contest – Each class will decorate a bulletin board based on their favorite Caldecott Medal or Honor Book. Families can vote for their favorite board on Facebook in mid-March!

📚 Read-In Event (Friday, March 14, 8:20-9:00 AM) – Our Elementary Read-In will take place in the gymnasium. Parents are welcome to join us and read with their student(s)! Check-in will begin at 8:10 AM. If you plan to attend the Read-In on Friday, March 14, you MUST have a volunteer form on file. We are not able to process new volunteer applications for the Read-In at this point.

👕Dress-Up Days – Join in the fun!

Wednesday, March 26: Caldecott Award Dress-Up Day – Dress as a character from a Caldecott Medal or Honor Book

🎉 Reading Month Assembly (Wednesday, March 26) – We will celebrate our reading achievements and see how many minutes we read as a school!

Thank you for supporting Reading Month at WMAES! Let’s make it a month full of great books, fun competitions, and lots of reading! 📖💙

Friday 3/28 - Noon Dismissal for Students for End of Quarter 3 & Dollar No Uniform Day

Snack Donations for M-STEP Testing

After Spring Break, our 3rd–5th grade students will begin taking the M-STEP Assessments. A quick snack break during testing can help students stay focused and energized.

We are asking for donations of individually packaged snacks listed at the sign up link below to help support our students during these sessions. Donations can be dropped off at the front office anytime before April 18.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!

To sign up to donate, please use the following link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A054CACAB2DA75-55787538-3rd5th#/

Rinzema Greenhouse Plant Sale – Order Now for Spring!

Let’s say hello to spring—the flowers are coming! We’re excited to offer a variety of beautiful hanging baskets and potted plants through our Rinzema Greenhouse Plant Sale.

All plants will come in 10” baskets or pots. Hanging baskets are $18 each, and potted plants are $20. Proceeds from this fundraiser will help support student resources and activities at WMAES.

Key Dates:

Order Forms and Payment Due: March 28
Plant Pickup at School: April 24

Order forms and payments (checks made out to WMAES) can be turned in to the office or your child’s teacher. Please be sure to submit both the form and payment by March 28.

If you have any questions, feel free to email the Parent Team at parentteam@wma-es.com.

Thank you!

Fruit Ridge Construction Begins Soon

Beginning March 31, the Fruit Ridge Avenue bridge over I-96 will close for reconstruction as part of a major infrastructure project led by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), in cooperation with the City of Walker. This project will significantly impact traffic patterns in the area and may affect travel routes to and from WMAES.

The construction includes:

Rebuilding and widening Fruit Ridge Avenue from 3 Mile to Northridge
Replacing and redesigning the I-96 bridge
Realigning on/off ramps for I-96 eastbound and westbound
Adding non-motorized trails along Fruit Ridge and 3 Mile
Installing new traffic signals at key intersections

Due to the complexity of the project, maintaining traffic flow will be difficult. The official detour will route traffic east to Walker Avenue, and delays are expected, especially during peak travel times. Please allow extra time and plan alternate routes when commuting to school.

You can read more details on the City of Walker website:
https://www.walkermi.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=190

Be a Part of the WMAES Family!

At WMAES, we take pride in our welcoming, supportive school community where students grow, explore, and thrive. From our hands-on environmental learning experiences to the strong connections between staff, students, and families, there’s something truly special about being a part of WMAES!

Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is now open! If you have a younger sibling ready to start school or know a family looking for an engaging, nature-focused education, now is the time to apply.

Apply today! wma-es.com/enroll

Help us welcome more families into our amazing community—please share with anyone who may be interested!

🌳 GSRP Nature Walk & Talk with WMAES! 🌳

We invite you and your little ones to join us for our monthly Nature Walk and Talk! These events are a wonderful opportunity for children ages 1–4 and their caregivers to explore nature on our beautiful 62-acre campus. Each session includes a short, guided hike and exploration in our outdoor classroom featuring a sand area, magnet wall, mud kitchen, and more!

Dates & Times:

February 7, March 14, April 18, May 9, July 11
Time: 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Where: Meet us at the outdoor classroom space to the left of the Elementary building.

This program is designed to run rain, snow, or shine, so please dress accordingly. No sign-up is required; simply meet us at the designated spot, and we'll begin our adventure together! 🌞🌧️❄️

To stay in the loop and receive reminders, please fill out this short form: Nature Walk & Talk Interest Form

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to Jamieson Schultz at jamiesonshultz@choiceschools.com.

We hope to see you there and can't wait to explore and learn together!

Save the Date! Family Literacy Night & Open House

Join us for a FREE evening of fun, learning, and exploration!

📅 April 22
🕔 5:30 - 7:00 PM
📍 West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science

Indoor & outdoor literacy-focused activities for all ages
Explore our beautiful campus as we celebrate Earth Day
Tours available for new and interested families
Special Feature: WMAES Elementary Enchanted Pond-Themed Art Show – enjoy student artwork inspired by the beauty of nature

This event is free and open to all. More details to come—stay tuned!

Elementary Art Updates

Students have been looking forward to the clay unit all year and we are in need of some donations to make it possible. Thank you for considering donating a sculpey clay pack for your child's class! We could not do it without your amazing support!

Sculpy clay can be purchased at Michaels, Joanns or amazon

Here is a link for the clay: https://www.michaels.com/product/sculpey-iii-30-color-oven-bake-clay-sampler-10179054?michaelsStore=5804&inv=1

You can send your child in with your donation or send it in the mail, but please be sure to note who it is from so that your child's class can receive it.

Here is a link to sign up! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D44AAA72AA3F85-55697477-sculpey

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Please save the date for our WMAES Elementary Enchanted Pond Art Show during the next family night/open house on Tuesday, April 22. More information to come! Please email Mrs. Thompson if you are interested in helping set up or take down the art show! Volunteer forms will need to be approved with Ms. Renee in the office. melissathompson@choiceschools.com

Sincerely,

Mrs. Thompson

Save the Date - Roller Skating Party at GR Skate Kentwood 3/27 6-8 PM

WMAES Breakfast March 2025 - Google Docs.pdf

WMAES Lunch March 2025 - Google Docs.pdf

Order Your Elementary Yearbook Today!

Parents, don’t miss out on this special offer! Order your elementary yearbook before April 3, 2025, and receive two free custom pages to personalize with your family’s favorite memories.

Important: All custom pages must be submitted to TreeRing by April 3, 2025 to take advantage of this free offer.

Make your child’s yearbook even more personal and meaningful! 💙📖

📍 Order here: TreeRing Yearbook Purchase

♻️ 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.

WMAES Text Updates Opt-In

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.

SMS Text Opt-In Flyer 67587 Eng and Esp.pdf

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.

A convenient printable format of Important dates for the 2024-25 school year can be found below

WMAES Families Calendar List 24-25.docx

Click here For Our PRevious Update

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