June 2018 Bulletin

Ballard Parent- Teacher Bulletin

1601 Chicago Road

Niles, Michigan 49120



June 1, 2018


This is our final Parent-Teacher Bulletin of the school year. We hope all our students and their families have had a successful year and enjoy a very safe and fun summer. In addition, we wish all our fifth grade students the best of luck as they move to Ring Lardner for 6th grade in the fall. Finally, we look forward to seeing all of our returning students, those that are currently in kindergarten through fourth grade, on Tuesday, September 4, 2018, our first day of school for the 2018-19 school year. Students in grades 1-5 will have a half day of school on Tuesday. School will dismiss at 11:58. The first day for kindergarten will be on Wednesday, September 5. This will be a full day of school for all students. See the last page of this bulletin for more information on the 2018-2019 school calendar.

Last Day of the School Year

Tuesday, June 12th is our last day of school for the 2017-18 school year. Both Monday, June 11th and Tuesday, June 12th are half days of school. Students are dismissed at 11:58 on these days.

Report Cards/NWEA Reports

On the last day of school, Tuesday June 12th, students will be bringing their report cards home. In addition to the report card, students will have the results of their NWEA tests in reading and math that were taken this spring. M-Step results will be sent home at the start of next school year. If you have any questions regarding either the report card or the NWEA report, please contact the school office by Wednesday, June 13th.

Communication throughout the Summer

The easiest way to stay informed throughout the summer is on our website at www.nilesschools.org

and by following the Ballard PTO Facebook page. We will be posting suggested supply lists by grade level on our website. Go to Ballard's page and click on the parent tab at the top, or on the "Quick Link" on the side.

Medication

If your child has medication at school, please come in to Ballard's office to pick that up before the end of the school year. Our office will remain open from 8:00-4:00 pm through Tuesday, June 12th. If you need to make other arrangements please call the office at 683-5900.

Kindergarten Registration

If you have a student who will be attending Kindergarten next year, you can register at Ballard through June 12. During the summer you can register at Niles Community Schools Administration Office. Remember that you need to bring a birth certificate, shot record, and a hearing and vision screening with you to enroll your Kindergarten student. Please make sure to get your child's immunizations and his/her hearing and vision screening done before the fall. Every incoming kindergarten student will take part in a readiness screening during the month of August. An appointment time will need to be set up at the time of registration.

Bond Construction Work Continues at Ballard

Construction work will continue at Ballard throughout the summer and into the 2018-19 school year. More information about construction will be provided in the fall. If you have any questions about the construction, please contact Mrs. Hadrick.

Cafeteria News

If your child has a balance owed for school breakfasts/lunches, please be sure to send that in before the last day of school. And new this year, you also have the option of paying online.

Pick Up Numbers

We will use the same numbering system for picking up students next year. Please keep your child's pick up number over the summer (fits in your glove compartment for storing). We would like to keep the same numbers from this year for families next year.

Lost and Found

We have many clothing items that were found in the school or on the playground. If you think you are missing something of your child's, please come to the school to look through our lost and found items that are located by the cafeteria. These things are donated to the local Goodwill Store if they are not claimed by the end of the school year.

Girls on the Run.

Our Ballard girls completed another great year of Girls on the Run. Twenty-five girls in third through fifth grade participated in the 10-week program. You can find pictures of the final 5K event on Ballard's PTO Facebook page. We extend a huge thank you to this year's coordinator, Marissa Newhouse, and the coaches, including Miss Newhouse, Mrs. Angie Cramer, Miss Maggie Feifar, and Ms. Samantha Wylie .Thank you for devoting your time to this amazing, life-changing program!

End of Year PTO Celebration/PTO News

Once again the PTO is busy organizing and planning our End of Year Celebration. The celebration will be held on the last two half days of school, for students only. Each class will participate in outdoor activities, and a brunch. We also want to make sure that teachers have some quality time to spend alone with their own students on this last day.

This celebration takes the place of individual class parties and parent volunteers will not be needed. The brunch will be organized by our food service director and supervised by the teachers. At the end of the half day we would like dismissal to be as normal as possible. Therefore, we are encouraging bus riders to go home as usual and those students who are picked up by parents to leave at our normal am dismissal time, which is 11:58. If everyone follows normal dismissal procedures we can eliminate parking problems and make sure every student leaves school safely.

May was our last month to collect Box Tops for the school year. In first place was Mrs. Tallis-Crowner's class with 137; second place-Ms. White's class with 105; and third place-Mr. Bechtel's with 104. Thank you for sending Box Tops in and supporting Ballard school. Keep collecting box tops this summer!

PTO is very fortunate to have so many supportive families that help Ballard in big and small ways throughout the year and we would like to take this opportunity to properly thank all of you who may have helped out during our Family Fun Nights, attended a PTO or school Sponsored Event, assisted in the classrooms, collected Box Tops, ink cartridges and cell phones. Also a big "thank you" to all who participated in PTO Fundraisers, provided a dish for Staff Appreciation Luncheons, helped during the "Limo & Lunch" Event, cleaned a classroom, volunteered at the Book Fair, or chaperoned during Field Trips.

*Ballard PTO Officers for the 2018-2019 school year will be:

    President - Ashley Neff

    Vice-President - Emily Wyant

    Treasurer - Jamie Turay

    Secretary - Michelle Becraft

Pop-Up Libraries this Summer

Niles Community Schools is dedicated to improving your child's achievement over the summer by giving every elementary child a summer reading take-home pack. The pack will include engaging books at your child's reading level and tips to help you make the most of your child's summer reading opportunities. This is a partnership with the Meet Up and Eat Up summer program to bring pop-up libraries to you throughout the summer. All elementary students will have several chances to come to our pop-up libraries to choose a book that he/she will be able to keep and enjoy.

The packet and letter will be coming home soon with the locations around Niles. Ongoing reading throughout the summer will help your child gain the necessary skills to flourish in school. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity.


Upcoming Dates

June 1

5th Grade Wax Museum 2:00 pm - cafeteria

June 5

5th grade "Special Jobs" Leadership trip to skating - 11:20 am-2:20 pm to Galaxy Skating

1st grade Music performance at 7:00 pm in the gym

**Rescheduled** 2nd grade Music performance in gym at 6:15 pm (see note in folder)

June 6

3rd grade field trip to Binder Park Zoo- 9:00 am-2:30 pm;

K and 1st grade Field Day in the morning

June 7

4th and 5th grade Field Day in the morning

June 8

2nd and 3rd grade Field Day in the morning (This will be the Rain Date for all Field Days)

K field trip to St. Joseph, MI 9:00am-2:30pm

5th Grade "Moving On" Celebration 1:30 pm-begin in the gym, moving to the cafeteria for

cake reception and dismissal

June 11

Half day of school-dismissal at 11:58am

Field Day Awards 9:00 am-10:40 am-cafeteria (times vary by grade level)

Pathways to Potential Attendance Awards 11:00 am-gym

June 12

Last day of school-Half day-dismissal at 11:58am

PTO End of Year Celebration-Breakfast, Bouncy House, Icee Treats


2018-2019 School Calendar

The Niles Community Schools 2018-2019 school calendar is now posted on the School website, Ballard's web page (under the district information tab), and on Facebook. School will start at 8:45 am and end at 3:46 pm. Half days are scheduled to begin at 8:45 am and end at 11:58 am.

To help parents with after school care Niles Schools will partner with the YMCA once again to provide childcare during the afternoons on the 1/2 days, and every day after school until 6:00 pm. More information will be released once the final planning for next school year is complete.

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