Scholastic Book Fair – Family Shopping Hours

The Fall Scholastic Book Fair is coming soon. Families are invited to shop during the times listed below. On Thursday, October 30, during Treats on the Trail, the Book Fair will be located in the cafeteria. For all other shopping days, the Book Fair will be held in the Literacy Nest.

Family Shopping Hours:

• Thursday, 10/30 (Treats on the Trail): 5:00–6:30 PM – Cafeteria

• Monday, 11/3: No school – Book Fair closed

• Tuesday, 11/4: 3:00–4:00 PM – Literacy Nest

• Wednesday, 11/5: 3:00–4:00 PM – Literacy Nest

• Thursday, 11/6: 3:00–4:00 PM – Literacy Nest

Classes will also have an opportunity to shop at the Book Fair during the school day. Thank you for supporting reading and helping place more books in the hands of our students.

Candy Donations for Treats on the Trail 

We’re putting the final touches on one of our favorite annual events—Treats on the Trail—and we could use a little more help. Donations of bags of individually wrapped candy are greatly appreciated. You can drop them off in either the elementary or secondary office.

Thank you for supporting this beloved tradition and helping us make it special for our students!

Treats on the Trail October 30

We’re looking forward to one of our favorite annual community events, Treats on the Trail. Treats on the Trail provides a fun, safe trick-or-treating experience for families on the beautiful trails at WMAES. Donations of bags of individually wrapped candy in support of the event are greatly appreciated. Candy donations can be dropped off in either the elementary or secondary office. 

Families can begin entering the trails at 5:00. Costumes for students are encouraged but not required. Costumes must be appropriate for school (e.g. no weapons, blood, etc.). We encourage families to bring a bag or bucket for each child that will be receiving candy. We hope you’ll join us for this fun family event!

important details and reminders:

• Families can begin entering the trails this evening at 5:00. 

• The last opportunity to begin the trail is at 6:00.

• Costumes for students are encouraged but not required. Costumes must be appropriate for school (e.g. no weapons, blood, etc.). 

• We encourage families to bring a bag or bucket for each child that will be receiving candy. 

Purchase Dinner at Treats on the Trail and support wmaes 

The WMAES Parent Team will be serving grilled burgers and hot dogs during Treats on the Trail!

Please note that only Cash or Venmo payments can be accepted. Proceeds support student supplies at WMAES.

Menu:
• Burger Basket – $6
• Burger – $4
• Hot Dog Basket – $4
• Hot Dog – $2
• Chips – $1
• Gatorade – $1.50

Fall 2025 Survey

As we strive to provide the best possible experience for our students and families, your feedback is incredibly important to us. We kindly ask you to complete our brief Fall 2025 Parent/Guardian Survey. It only takes a moment, and your responses provide us with valuable insight.

👉 Click here to take the survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WJeghhMMQQ4KHzLugAXLdjZQzzmXOmjmDutQgb-BTaE/viewform 

Thank you for partnering with us in your child’s educational journey!

No School for Students – Monday, November 3

There will be no school for students on Monday, November 3, as staff will be participating in a Professional Development Day focused on environmental science and outdoor learning.

This important day allows our teachers and staff to deepen their understanding of environmental education practices that make WMAES unique and help us continue providing hands-on, nature-based learning experiences for all students.

🎉 Save the Dates – Roller Skating Parties Are Back! 🛼

We’re excited to share this year’s Roller Skating Party dates — mark your calendars and get ready to roll! All events will be held at GR Skate in Kentwood from 6:00–8:00 P.M.

📅 2025–2026 Skating Party Dates:
• Thursday, November 6
• Thursday, January 15
• Thursday, March 26

Each event is a great opportunity for fun, movement, and connection outside of the school day. 

 More details and reminders will be shared before each event.

We hope to see you there!

First Quarter Report Cards Now Available

First quarter report cards for elementary students are now available in PowerSchool Parent Portal, and direct access was also sent to the email address you have on file with us. To access report cards for your students at any time, log in to 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

With the arrival of first quarter report cards, 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.

• 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.

Lost & Found Reminder

There’s a lot to look through in our Lost & Found!

Last Day to Look: Friday, October 31st

Donation Date: Items not claimed will be donated on Saturday, November 1st
 

👀 Convenient Times to Check:

• During Parent/Teacher Conferences on October 23rd

• During Treats on the Trail on Thursday, October 30th

• Anytime near the elementary entrance, where the Lost & Found is always available to check

Please take a few minutes to look through it if your student is missing anything!

The WMAES Parent Team is partnering with Frandale for a delicious fall fundraiser! Frandale offers a variety of tasty options, including soups, sandwiches, pies, and cinnamon rolls.

• Forms were sent home this week, so be sure to check your student’s backpack!

• Forms and payment are due by Tuesday, November 4th.

• Please return forms with cash or check (made payable to WMAES) to the office in an envelope.

Funds raised will go toward purchasing new and updated recess equipment for students in grades K–12.

If you need a digital copy of the forms, please reach out to parentteam@wma-es.com.

Dollar Day Punch Cards Are Here! 

No more digging for $1 bills—Dollar Day just got easier! Students can prepay for Dollar Days and you will be able to save a little cash.  It's a simple, convenient way to join in the fun! 

• The Punch Card is not a physical card but a subscription (No worries about misplacing the card)

• The cost is $15 (for 25-26 school year) and will include participation in all Dollar Days

• A student who purchases one will no longer need to remember cash for each Dollar Day

• This process will help make it easier for families and staff

• Participating supports our school events/clubs/programs

• Subscriptions can be purchased in the Secondary Office. (Cash or Card)

New WMAES Uniform Items Now Available Online – Free Shipping!

We’re pleased to share that our uniform provider now has items featuring the new WMAES logo available for online ordering—with free shipping to your home!

Just click the link below and click “Shop Now”—then navigate to the Uniform category to explore all that’s available. We’re especially excited to let you know that several new, lower-cost uniform t-shirt options have been added for your convenience.

Shop Now: https://wmaesapparel.secure-decoration.com/

As a reminder, here are our uniform policy guidelines:

Uniform requirements include:

• A WMAES uniform top

• Solid color pants or shorts, or solid jeans or jean shorts

• Closed-toe shoes

Please note:

• The WMAES top must be the outermost layer

• All clothing must be free of writing, adornments, and rips/tears/holes

• Uniforms with the old logo will be fully grandfathered in. Students may continue wearing their previous uniform items. 

Thank you for partnering with us and for your continued support of our uniform policy!

Stay Connected with WMAES!

Please take a moment to add our school’s phone number to your contact list: 616-791-7454. This helps ensure that you recognize calls coming from West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science.

We also kindly ask that you make sure your phone is set to allow calls from the school. It’s important that we’re able to reach an adult family member during the school day if needed.

To make it even easier, you can use the QR code below to quickly add our contact info to your phone:

Stay Up to Date with the WMAES Calendar

Important dates for the coming school year have been added to our school calendar on AddEvent—including breaks, early release days, family events, and more! We encourage all families to follow the calendar to stay informed and organized throughout the year.

You can follow the calendar by clicking “Follow Calendar” above this post or by visiting:
https://www.addevent.com/calendar/MF615307

Our calendar is hosted through AddEvent and is fully compatible with:

• Apple Calendar (iPhone, iPad, Mac)

• Google Calendar (Android devices and Gmail accounts)

• Outlook

• Office 365

• Yahoo Calendar

• Any calendar app that supports iCal or .ics feeds

Once added, all events will sync directly to your personal calendar—and any updates we make will automatically be reflected on your end. It’s a simple, reliable way to stay connected and never miss an important date! 

A printable version of our calendar is also available below for your convenience. 

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!

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.