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Recess Game Day

We trained our entire school on the Trouble Free Playground Games today!  We had this event planned for September of this year, however, the weather did not cooperate with us.  After rescheduling the event three times, we finally settled for holding this event in the spring.

This past summer, eight staff members took on the task of reading the book, TROUBLE FREE PLAYGROUND. We introduced four games today, and we will be introducing two more this spring.  In the fall of 2009, we will open the school year with a field day designed around these games and MORE new games.  Our hope is to have a playground with ALL types of games for children to play, year round.  We welcome your feedback!

Many thanks to Mrs. Jurewicz for her outstanding leadership and implementation of these games.

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Volunteer Help Is Needed

The Georgetown Elementary’s Reading Counts program helps to encourage students to read and awards students who achieved their reading goals with a celebration party. The Reading Counts Party is Friday, May 15th and volunteers are still needed for many open times. May is a very busy time of year for everyone, but if you could help with the 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade parties, please let me know.  A volunteer list with all open times can be found here:  ReadingCounts

The Reading Counts Parties are great way to show our students that they did an outstanding job in
reaching their reading goals; however, the parties are only successful with the help of many volunteers. Please contact Angie Roon if you or even a friend would be available to help with the last party of the school year!

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Reminder: Flu Symptoms

Dear Parents,

We have been advised by the Ottawa County Health Department and the Center for Disease Control that if your child has one or more of the following symptoms, you must keep them home from school AND:

1.  Contact your physician

2.  Contact the school and report the symptoms.  SYMPTOMS:  fever of over 100 degrees, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue.

3.   Even if your child is ill with non-flu like symptoms, please inform the office of your child’s illness (for example:  stomach virus, cold, strep, allergies).

Schools are required to report the total number of absences with flu like symptoms to the health department, who in turn reports to the CDC.   To answer additional questions, the health department has a number of resources to our website at www.MiOttawa.org. You may also access our information hotline, at 616-494-5575.

Thank you for your support!  Mrs. Reagan

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Swine Flu Information

Our Superintendent, Roxanne DeWeerd asked that we share the latest information about swine flu (H1N1 Flu Virus) from the Ottawa County Health Department.  If your child does shows flu like symptoms, please report these to the office when you report their absence.  school-swine-prevention-letter

Also, Department of Education is recommending that schools close if  “there is a confirmed or suspected case epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case.”  A student who doesn’t feel well isn’t enough.  School districts need to know that they a child has a confirmed case or are linked to a confirmed case. For more information regarding this H1N1 virus, visit the Harvard Medical Health Site.

Thank you for your patience while we all sort through the developing details regarding this flu virus.

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TAKE 25: Child Safety Campaign

WHAT IS TAKE 25?
• Take 25 is a national child safety campaign encouraging parents and guardians to take twenty-five minutes to talk to their children about ways to stay safer.
• A program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) created in commemoration of National Missing Children’s Day
• Take 25 promotes an ongoing dialogue between children, families, and communities
about child safety issues.
• Take 25 is a national grassroots initiative designed to raise awareness of the issues
surrounding missing and exploited children.
WHAT IS NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN’S DAY?
• National Missing Children’s Day was first declared a nationwide day of commemoration by former President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and has continued to be annually marked by each Administration.
• Annually honored as May 25th, this day serves as a reminder to the nation to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families, remember those who are still missing and make child protection a national priority.


WHY IS TAKE 25 IMPORTANT?

• According to a study by the U.S. Department of Justice there were an estimated 800,000 children reported missing in the United States in 1999, amounting to roughly 2,200 per day. Thankfully, the vast majority are located quickly.
• According to that same DOJ study, an estimated 58,200 children were abducted that year by non-family members. About 115 children are the victims of the most serious, long-term abductions that people consider “stereotypical kidnappings.”
• A 2003 study conducted by RoperASW, a leading marketing research firm, surveyed a group of more than 1,000 parents and grandparents. The study’s results indicated the need for increased parental/guardian education as half of the parents and grandparents considered child abduction and sexual exploitation to be a “very big” problem.

For more information, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office has teamed up with the following groups; Michigan Masons, Safe Kids Lakeshore, Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Sam’s Club to promote the TAKE 25 campaign. On Wednesday May 20, 2009 stop in at the Sam’s Club at 2190 North Park Drive in Holland Township located adjacent to US 31 between 4p-8p to learn more on the TAKE 25 campaign. Children will have the opportunity to take part in the Masons MICHIP program. In a matter of minutes, you’ll walk away with a “Child ID kit” that includes everything needed for the Amber Alert system. You can also visit booths sponsored by Safe Kids Lakeshore and learn more about Bike, Boater or Home safety as well as information on child safety seats. Join your community in learning how to keep our children safe on May 20, 2009.

To find out more, view the following:  may-20-flyer and   brochure

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Art Show TONIGHT!

Our 2009 Spring Art Show continues through Thursday, April 30th!

Tonight, April 29th, we celebrate with our artists from Georgetown Elementary and Bauer Elementary.  Stop by Park Elementary this evening, grab a bag of popcorn, and enjoy looking at over 900 pieces of fabulous artwork created by our Hudsonville Students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12!

We have had an incredible attendance so far at our art show – we saw 600 visitors on Monday night, and our clicker-counter stopped at 800 visitors on Tuesday evening!

Ninth Annual Student Art Show

Where:  Park Elementary, 5525 Park Avenue, Hudsonville

When:   5:30 – 7:30 PM

Show continues through Thursday, April 30th.

2009 Student Art Show
News from Mrs. Brouwer

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Pre-Kindergarten is BACK!

From our Superintendent, Roxanne DeWeerd:  Pre-Kindergarten Reinstated

Hudsonville Public Schools will offer the same pre-kindergarten program next school
year as has been offered in the past.  Because of a significant change in the state funding
formula for pre-kindergarten that was to go into effect next school year, the program was
going to be dropped.  However, it now appears that the State will either delay the funding changes for two years or, hopefully, eliminate the changes completely.  Given that potential, pre-kindergarten will be reinstated for next school year.

Your building principal will be contacting all parents who had their children screened for kindergarten this spring.  If your child qualified for pre-kindergarten, you will be given the option to enroll your child in this program.  At Georgetown, Mrs. Giovanna Estefan will be teaching pre-kindergarten on the Monday/Wednesday full day rotation schedule.   Any open spots in this Pre-K class will be then be filled with  children who did not qualify but parents desire to have Pre-K over K.  Please be patient while we contact all parents.  This may take 3-5 school days to sort through.

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