October 31, 2025 Update for Elementary Families 

WMAES Recognized as a U.S. News Best School

We are excited to share that West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as both a Best Elementary School and a Best Middle School for 2026. High school rankings are released later this year, and we’ll look forward to sharing more once those are published.

This recognition reflects the hard work and care of our students, the partnership and support of our families, and the commitment and dedication of our staff. Thank you for being part of a school community where students learn, grow, and feel supported every day. We appreciate your continued support of WMAES! 

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.

Elementary Enrichment Update

We are excited to share our new Elementary Enrichment Google Site—a central place to learn about each enrichment teacher and stay connected to all of the great things happening in Art, Technology, Physical Education, and Spanish.

On the site, you’ll be able to:

• Get to know each enrichment teacher

• Learn about what students explore, learn, and create in enrichment classes

• Access helpful class information and resources

Visit the site here:
https://sites.google.com/choiceschools.com/wmaeselementaryenrichment/home

Scholastic Book Fair – Family Shopping Hours

The Fall Scholastic Book Fair is here. Families are invited to shop during the times listed below. The Book Fair will be held in the Literacy Nest.

Family Shopping Hours:

• 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.

Toys for Tots Drive

We are collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots from November 4 through December 5.
If your family would like to participate, toys can be dropped off in the following locations:

• Elementary: At the entrance each morning

• Middle School: Any Math Classroom

• High School: Any Math Classroom

Thank you for helping us support children and families in our community this season. Your generosity makes a difference.

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.

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!

Roller Skating Party this Thursday! 🛼

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!

Popcorn Day November 21

The WMAES Parent Team has once again made it possible for us to host a popcorn sale for students. Bags of popcorn are 50 cents. Families will still be able to sponsor an entire class for a donation of $12. Students are able to purchase multiple bags of popcorn if desired. 

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.

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. 

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.