Georgetown Family,
It will be 164 days since we shut down when we welcome students back into the building on August 24, and each day I get more excited about the idea that the kids are almost back! In talking with teachers and staff this week, they are feeling just as excited and can’t wait to have the “life blood” of the building flowing again…school isn’t school without the kids in the building.
I wanted to share a few more items with you to end the week and plan to share more next week as well. I spoke in my previous communication about working to split Eagle Virtual communication from general Georgetown communications…I still hope to have that ability, but I heard from many parents that are participating in EV that absolutely want to maintain the communication. I appreciate that sentiment and want to reemphasize that I consider all of the Georgetown kids to be the Georgetown family regardless of how or where they are receiving instruction this year. There may be ultra-specific information I send at times to one group or the other, but most will go to both. We are one Georgetown!
Class Lists: It was my hope that we would be able to get class lists out by the end of last week, but that did not happen. I assure you that they are ready to go and as soon as we get the green light from the district offices, they will head your way. Thank you for your patience.
Supply Lists: Normally we would have our individual teachers share out their supply lists by now as you would already be in communication with them. This year is obviously different. Each grade level provided me with a supply list for you that they worked on together. I know many of you have been patiently waiting and your kids want to buy their supplies! : )
Specials Supply List: Above you will see not only our grade level supply lists, but also a “specials supply list.” This year, because of restrictions on sharing items, we wanted to provide a “to go” kit for our specials classes. Our grade level lists should have these items built in. DO NOT feel the need to duplicate purchases, but we wanted you to see what the students will be bringing with them to art and STEAM (and other classes at times).
Transportation Survey: In an effort to help plan and prepare for pick-up / drop-off I need you to fill out a survey for each of your students to indicate whether your child will be riding the bus, being transported by you (or another parent), or walking to and from school. This will help us plan as getting students in and out of the building will take a little more planning and help this year on our end. I’ll send more detailed information on that next week in terms of the when and where to drop off / pick up.
Deliveries: As we discussed in a prior update, visitors into the building will be greatly restricted this year. Along those same lines, we will not be able to accept and distribute deliveries to classrooms / students. This was something which was discussed this week at the district level in terms of food deliveries (Grubhub, Jimmy Johns, etc.) This will probably affect students at the HS/MS level more, but also applies to us so I wanted to make sure you were aware as well.
Health Screener: As we continue and expand our efforts to address students’ social and emotional needs, this fall we will begin the use of a mental health/social-emotional screener. This activity is also a strongly recommended component of the Governor’s Return to School Roadmap. At the elementary level, this universal screener will be conducted daily. The collective information will support our building teams to develop targeted social-emotional lessons. Student-level responses will only be shared with staff and administrators who have an educational interest. The mental health screener is compliant with HIPAA and FERPA, and will include instructions for students to speak to confidentiality and mandated reporting guidelines. If you have any questions about this, please let me know.
There will be more communication coming your way next week, including who your child’s teacher will be! If you have not already, please review the district’s Return to School Parent Handbook as it covers many frequently asked questions. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions that you have.
Yours in learning,
Randy
Georgetown Elementary Principal
Author: Amy Hoekstra
New year, new beginnings!
Hello Georgetown Community,
I am extremely excited to introduce myself to you and look forward to getting to know you and your students this upcoming year. My name is Randy Waldie and I could not be happier to join Hudsonville Schools as the new principal at GES. I have been an educator for the past 18 years at Coopersville Area Public Schools, working in a multitude of roles Pre-k through 12th grade, helping challenge and inspire all learners to become contributing, responsible members of a global society.
My wife, Anne, is an educator as well and works at Grandville Middle School. We have three children: Ali is 9 and will be in 4th grade, our angel, Ben, would have been 5, and Mia is 3 ½ and will be starting preschool this fall.
I look forward to meeting you and your children this year and I’m excited that we will be able to see students in the hallways again after a long summer. This year will certainly be full of opportunities, challenges, and growth. With the myriad of uncertainty surrounding so much right now, it’s important to remember that we have so much positive happening for us this year as well. We have the absolute best teachers who are supported by outstanding paraprofessionals and other staff throughout the day. We have a beautiful school building and grounds which rival any elementary in the state. And most importantly, we have wonderful students from fantastic families that partner with us each and every day to help make Georgetown one of the best schools in the state!
I hope that you and your family are able to enjoy the remainder of the summer and we look forward to seeing you on the 24th.
Yours in learning,
Randy
Learning Options Survey from the district earlier this week
If you have not already done this through the email that was sent out this week, please do this. If you have already completed the survey, thank you!
Please review the attached document outlining our two learning options; “2020-2021 HPS Learning Opportunities”. After reviewing the learning opportunities, we are asking you to complete the following survey for EACH of your children. If you feel you need additional information other than what is provided in this email, please attend one of the virtual town hall meetings mentioned below. Your choice of plan for next year is not due until August 6. We need this information for the District to gather numbers for each option that will guide many next step decisions regarding staffing, scheduling for students, etc.
As a reminder, Hudsonville Public Schools will have two options to begin the school year.
1. In-Person Instruction: This would constitute a regular school day with extra protocols put in place to keep our students and staff safe. Details of the extra protocols may be found in the Parent Guidebook linked below.
2. Eagle Virtual – Online Instruction: This would be for families of students who cannot return or don’t feel safe to be in a classroom or public setting. These students will remain in their online classroom for the trimester (high school) or semester (elementary and middle school). These students would receive a curriculum that mirrors HPS curriculum. If you choose Eagle Virtual instruction in the survey, you will be notified of the next steps for enrollment prior to the start of the school year.
A detailed description of our Return to School plan is outlined in the Parent Guidebook (link here).
Next week we will be hosting four town hall meetings regarding our return to school plan. Each meeting is limited to 500 participants and will be recorded if the number of participants exceeds that number. Participants will have the opportunity to enter questions or comments in a chat box. We will do our best to answer as many questions as possible during the allotted time. These meetings will be virtual and take place at the following dates/times:
Elementary focus (Alward, Bauer, Georgetown, Park)
Tuesday, August 4, from 6:00PM to 7:00PM
Middle School focus
Tuesday, August 4, from 7:30PM to 8:30PM
High School focus
Wednesday, August 5, from 6:00PM to 7:00PM
Elementary focus (Forest Grove, Jamestown Lower, Jamestown Upper, South)
Wednesday, August 5, from 7:30PM to 8:30PM
Please see our website for the links to each meeting.
Once again, thank you for your support, and please remember to fill out the return to school survey for each child.
Sincerely,
Dr. VanderJagt
Superintendent
My final post…
as the most fortunate principal in the entire world! As I shared with you in early April, I am retiring this week after 32 years in education, the final fourteen years at Georgetown. And, it goes without saying (but I will say it loudly and proudly), these final 14 have been my favorite…. the sweetest spot of my career.
Thank you for EVERYTHING you have done over the years to raise me to be a better person, educator and leader. I have relied on the children to guide me and show me how to listen and learn—they are the best teachers. They were the teachers who would use more than words to say: “STOP Mrs. Reagan. Please listen to me and take care of me.”
When they children weren’t teaching me, it was the staff. I need to you to believe me: Your children are working with the most gifted and caring administrative assistants, Mr. Rob (SUPER CUSTODIAN), teachers, social worker, speech therapist, school psychologist, para professionals on this planet. They put the children first, always…and then take care of one another. When they weren’t taking care of the children, they were teaching me to listen to their needs — and to slow down, stop sending so many emails, stop creating so many documents, etc.
I have many mixed emotions today as I say farewell…and that is what I have always wanted when it was time to move in a new direction. I love this school, the children, the staff, the families and the community. It’s hard to leave such a wonderful place with exceptional people.
I know that next year will bring some unique challenges for this team — and your families. This staff has a great sense of how to care and educate — and a new imaginative leader will take this school to new heights.
I want to close with endless appreciation to you for your patience and grace over the years…and the trust you have given me to help grow your children. I am forever grateful.
Sending you wishes for GOOD HEALTH and lots of fun summer adventures!
Air Hugs and Chicken Wing Bumps,
Mrs. Reagan
PS… The parade with the messages from you were the closure that Mrs. Burdis (retiring grade 3 teacher who I admire and adore) and I both needed. Thank you ❤️
Week 38: FINAL WEEK of SCHOOL
Wow…how odd it feels to tell you that it’s the final week of school when we have been away from the structure of school for 79 days as of today. Never, ever did I think we would be negotiating distance learning during a global pandemic. That was not part of any of our 2019-20 school year plans.
Our teachers have worked in shifts this past week to pack up student belongings (personal and learning based) into brown paper bags (*thank you, Meijer & Henry Samaniego). We have all of the bags set up in alphabetical order, by classroom in the cafeteria.
This week, we’ll help you get your child’s belongings at your schedule date/time (check your Sunday email for your reminder date).
On Friday, between 12:00 and 12:45pm, the staff will be spread out in the bus loop ready to cheer and wave each to each family during a car parade. We want to celebrate all that we’ve been through together this year — even if it needs to be done at a safe distance. You and your children mean everything to us and we appreciate all that you have done to support us and your child through this surreal time in our lives.
For those of you who can make it to the parade, please review the entrance and exit that was designed by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department. The purpose of this traffic flow is to keep the traffic moving smoothly and safely.
The recommended time for families to arrive (by last name) as well as the traffic map are below.
With air hugs and chicken wing bumps,
Mrs. Reagan
| Elementary PARADE SCHEDULE: |
| A-B @12:00 |
| C-E @ 12:05 |
| F-G @ 12:10 |
| H-J @ 12:15 |
| K-L @ 12:20 |
| M-O @ 12:25 |
| P-R @ 12:30 |
| S-T @ 12:35 |
| U-W @ 12:40 |
| X-Z @ 12:45 |
Week 37 = Week 10 of Remote Learning
It’s Memorial Weekend! The weather is milder and summer is CLOSER! Hang in there, it’s coming.
Thank you to parents who have completed the survey confirming PICK UP TIMES/DATES for student material pick up. Teachers will be packing up rooms this week to help us pass out materials to parents on June 1, 2, 3. If materials are not picked up, we will hold onto them until the fall and send items home at that time.
Finally, we will hold an End of the Year Parade on June 5. We have worked closely with our district security team and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department to develop a schedule and traffic pattern that allows for a fun, safe and efficient parade route.
DETAILS: Enter from 36th Ave. Drive slowly through the bus loop. Staff will be waving to you — we will be masked and standing 6 ft apart. Do not stop your car — keep moving. Exit onto Baldwin. Link to Map.
SCHEDULED TIMES: Arrive based on this schedule. This will help us to pace the flow of traffic hopeful prevent you from sitting in a long line.
| Elementary PARADE SCHEDULE — Last name starts with these letters: |
| A-B @12:00 |
| C-E @ 12:05 |
| F-G @ 12:10 |
| H-J @ 12:15 |
| K-L @ 12:20 |
| M-O @ 12:25 |
| P-R @ 12:30 |
| S-T @ 12:35 |
| U-W @ 12:40 |
| X-Z @ 12:45 |
We are looking forward to getting you your child’s materials and also waving you into summer on June 5. Until then, have a wonderful Memorial Holiday Weekend.
Mrs. Reagan
Week 36 = Week 9 of Remote Learning
Oh boy … I don’t know about you, but I think my brain has changed during this pandemic shelter in place. I’ve done my best to 
create a routine and pushed myself to adapt my work schedule to one of moving throughout the day at school to sitting in front of the screen for hours. Still…most days I feel restless, distracted and slightly irritable.
It’s exhausting. I know if I’m exhausted from this experience and no longer have young children at home, I know you are 100x more exhausted than I am. Thank you for all you are doing to get your family through this experience safely — feeding them, clothing them and teaching them. Only three more weeks of remote learning and then you can step away from your teacher role!
Last week, every staff member received a wonderful surprise! A member of the Parent Club appeared at our doorway, delivering a gift of appreciation (movie gift card, snacks and Amazon Gift Card). Our PTC Board drove through neighborhoods from Spring Lake to Cascade to find staff member’s homes — and make sure that everyone felt appreciated. Thank you for this jolt of love! We can’t tell you how wonderful it was for us to see a face from school. We also want all of you to know how much this is appreciated. Your Walk-A-Thon donations made this possible.
On Monday, all parents will receive a detailed letter from me regarding the pick up of student materials and the final day of school activity. This letter will be sent via email. Each parent must confirm their pick up time – confirmation link included in email. The email will also include information about report cards and class placements for 20-21.
TODAY…enjoy the beautiful summer like weather! We’ve waited a long time for this…so get outside and soak it up.
Mrs. Reagan
Week 35 = Week 8th Week of Remote Learning
This blog post is devoted to a key and critical caregiver in all of our lives: MOTHER’s.
I have a collection of writing (stories, poems) about motherhood and I want to share one of my favorites. I have one that always rises to the top because of the short, beautiful and precise way it captures the mystery and passion of motherhood. This poe, by Rupi Kaur, is titled “I Will Have to Wait Until I’m a Mother”.
With great appreciation all you pour into those in your life, Happy Mother’s Day!
Mrs. Reagan
Appreciation for our Parents who are Teachers and MUCH MORE!
This week, during National Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to express our appreciation to Georgetown parents for the following:
- Patience with the changing directives for at home learning since March 13. OMWORD…have we really
been doing this since March 13??? - Understanding and believing us … when we said that we wanted you to do your best … and then let go.
- Endurance throughout these lessons and this timeline. None of us knew how long we would be asking you to interpret our lessons and try to teach your own children.
- Forgiveness when our lessons asked too much of you or made you feel inadequate as a teacher or parent.
We, as teachers, have never felt more lost than we are right now. Since the school closure (aka COVID19, Pandemic) started, my dream world has been frightening. The last time I remember dreams of feeling lost and alone were in September 2006 — the first month of school at Georgetown and also the month I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
My dreams were vivid, mysterious and unsettling. My COVID19 dreams are strikingly similar. I am lost at sea because I can’t be with the children I love so much. And then, I am reminded that their parents are taking care of them — why was I so worried? Or, my car won’t start and after searching for the parts to fix my car, I can’t find my car — and then I find out, Mrs. Chmura was waiting for me outside the car parts store. Thank you, Mrs. Chmura for giving me a ride to school!
We want you to know we are lost without your children…and at the same time know that they are safe with you. We trust you are putting compassion and care and love first. We are so very grateful for all you are doing. Thank you your support as we virtually teach you so you can teach your children.
Please enjoy this video of appreciation from us to all of you!
xoxo Mrs. Reagan and the Georgetown Teachers
Teacher Appreciation Week!
The PTC wants you to know it’s Teacher Appreciation Week!! Give a shout out to your teacher and show them some virtual love! Post a video or picture of your child’s response and email it to your teacher!
Here are some questions you can ask your kids……..
What do you love most about your teacher?
What do you miss most about seeing your teacher everyday?
What’s the funniest thing your teacher has ever said?
What will you say to your teacher the next time you see them?
Another Idea…Write a Note!
Have your kids write a note of thanks to their teachers. Snap a picture of the note and email it to them.
Our teachers are missing your children so much right now and I’m sure we are missing our children’s teachers too. Go ahead and send an email of appreciation for their dedication to our children’s learning through this time of online learning.
We cannot wait till we can all be together again soon!
With that said, the teachers want to thank you for stepping along side them and homeschooling with them! It would not be possible without your support so THANK YOU!!!
