LL News: 4.6.25 Early Release, PTO Meeting & Art Show

Only students with pre-paid online orders or payment in hand will have their pictures taken.  Online orders MUST be placed by 10:00 a.m. on picture day (the online site will close after that time). If you would like your student's picture taken, please place an online order on or before April 18th at 10:00 a.m.  The website for placing orders is mylifetouch.com and the Picture Day ID is EVT3NNMGW.

SCHOOL YEARBOOKS:  Yearbooks are available to purchase online and the deadline to order is April 21, 2025. To order, visit the following website: www.ybpay.com ID Code: 15170525.  The cost is $12 per yearbook. We do have funds available to help families in need. If your family would benefit from a scholarship for a yearbook, please complete this form or contact the school office.

CLASS FORMATION INPUT SURVEY- The purpose of this survey is to provide parents the opportunity to relay information about their child for 25/26 class placement. Your participation is optional. Class roster development for the 2025/26 school year will involve collaboration between current grade teacher(s) and principal.  The development of class rosters is complex, and many variables are considered including: class size, varying learning styles, student behavior, balance of special needs, and balance of academic needs.  Our primary goal is to build balanced classes. Our classroom teachers know their students well, and will have a high level of input for development of rosters that merge qualities into a class community where success is the goal for ALL students. Please fill out the information below if you would like to share feedback for this process. This information will be taken into consideration when classes are being formed. PARENT INPUT WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED THROUGH May 4, 2025:  SURVEY LINK

ALL SCHOOL FIELD TRIP: Our field trip to Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore is on May 14th.  Permission slips went home last week.  Please see the permission slip and chaperone information here.  If interested in joining the trip, please read the Volunteer Standards of Conduct, complete the online volunteer form here and return the interest form to your child’s teacher.  

COMMUNITY RESOURCE: Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is part of the skills we build at Long Lake Elementary and involves developing life skills such as building relationships, emotional management, and decision making. Many children’s books support SEL topics that allow kids to connect with the characters in stories while exploring new experiences, gaining new vocabulary, and developing empathy. Mrs. Dzierwa, one of our third grade teachers gathered a list of resources that can help families connect with these topics at home.  

1.    “The SELspacewebsite is created by educators and is a free resource about SEL topics at all grade levels. Within the website, the “Read Alouds” Tab connects children’s literature to specific SEL topics and provides a summary of each book. https://selspace.ca/

2.    “Children’s Book List” is a resource that displays an explicit list of life skill topics with book suggestions for various age levels. https://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/documents/booklist.pdf

3.    “Byron V. Garrett Social Emotional Learning Collection Book List” is a detailed pdf that is divided into SEL categories, and grade levels.

https://teacher.scholastic.com/products/face/pdf/garrett/ByronGarrett-Title-List.pdf  

PARKING LOT REMINDERS: We are needing support again in our parking lot with following our Safety Expectations. Please take a moment to refamiliarize yourself with our drop off and pick up procedures here.  Please make sure that if you are picking up your students, that you are parking in a designated spot, using the designated crosswalks, and loading/unloading on the sidewalk side of the vehicle when using our car line. For the safety of everyone, pets are not allowed on campus.   Also, students can be dropped off no earlier than 8:50 a.m. each morning.  If you arrive later than 9:05 a.m., parents MUST walk students into our office. Thanks for your cooperation to ensure the safety of all our students/families/staff!  

PTO INFORMATION:

NEEDED POPCORN POPPER VOLUNTEERS THIS COMING WEEK: Popcorn poppers are still needed for April and May. Please consider helping us keep these events for our students by signing up:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F44ACAC29A0FBCF8-popcorn

SPRING FLING SILENT AUCTION ITEMS: We are looking for donations for our thrilling Silent Auction held at the end-of-year Spring Fling event in May. If you, your business, or someone you know may want to donate a gift certificate or auction item, please fill out the form and we will reach out to you to gather the item. Thank you for your consideration!. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrxNMLh4xJ1zIRH8seQ-gSTFU4fPjankQbGt1NTUSrOCS8qA/viewform?usp=header

     DISTRICT INFORMATION:     

Envision, Empower, Create You are Invited to TCAPS District Art Show - April 10, 2025 Join us for an inspiring evening showcasing the incredible artistic talents of TCAPS' K-12 students! See the world through their eyes in a vibrant display of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and more. This event celebrates the power of art education and supports our district's vital K-12 art program. Click here for details.  Thank you Mr. VanHouten for your work to showcase several Long Lake students! 

TCAPS BOARD OF EDUCATION OFFICE HOURS: The Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) Board of Education will host its next monthly “office hours” at the Traverse Area District Library (TADL) in the McGuire Room, 610 Woodmere Avenue, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. TCAPS Board office hours provide community members with the opportunity to talk to a school board trustee. This month, Trustee Moon Mohr is scheduled to attend.

First Lego League Robotics Open House: Thursday, May 1^st, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
 Traverse City West High School; Innovation & Manufacturing Center; 5376 N. Long Lake Road, Traverse City Every TCAPS elementary school can host a Lego League robotics team – it just needs kids who want to explore STEM and supportive and encouraging parent coaches - no robotics experience needed! This open house will provide a road map for interested parents and educators to get a robotics program started at their elementary school, plus learn more about the TC West Middle and High School robotics programs.  Coaches from TCAPS Montessori and Willow Hill, along with TC West Titans Middle and High School robotics mentors, will be on hand to answer all your questions, plus cover:

• What is First Lego League?
• What is expected of coaches?
• TCAPS processes to know and points of contact.
• ROBOTS!!! Learn about the full continuum of this STEM-focused program and the doors it will open for kids.
• Grants and sponsorships available to make it all a no-cost program for your school.

For more information, contact Maia Turek (TCAPS Montessori FLL Bricks4Brains Coach #65430) at maiaturek@yahoo.com or 231-313-5328. 

UPCOMING DATES

April 8 Student Run Credit Union

April 9 Early Release Day Students Long Lake dismisses at 2:02 PM

April 10 PTO Meeting in the Library at 6:30 PM Join virtually: https://meet.google.com/fic-ofrz-jmu 

April 18 Half Day of School for Students; Long Lake dismisses at 12:12 p.m.

April 28 Kindergarten Music Informances during regularly scheduled music times; Parents welcome to join!

April 30 Junior Kindergarten Music Informance at 10:25 in the music room

May 5 Early Release Day Students Long Lake dismisses at 2:02 PM

May 14 ALL SCHOOL FIELD TRIP to SLEEPING BEAR

May 16 PTO Sponsored Spring Fling

May 21 Student Run Credit Union

May 26 Memorial Day No School

Stay Connected:

WEBSITE:   http://www.tcaps.net/schools/elementary-schools/longlake/ 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LongLakeElementarySchoolTCAPS      

PTO FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Long-Lake-Elementary-PTO-305155839569856/