Matt Zokoe - Principal
mzokoe@rockfordschools.org
Address: 6849 Young Avenue, Rockford, MI 49341
Website: www.rockfordschools.org
Phone: (616) 863-6340
Quick Information
- Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, and Thursday, February 27. The conference link will close on Sunday Evening at 5pm. Please click on the link below to schedule a conference with your child’s teacher(s). Conference Link
- Report Cards will be published on Monday, February 24th. The office will send an email when they are available.
- March Reading Month is approaching quickly. Our camping-themed month will have some special Spirit Days, we will work on donations for Hand2Hand, and donate to Kids Book Basket while doing a March Madness Book Bracket. More details on our fun adventure will come next week.
- More volunteers are needed for our Book Fair to help support students while they are shopping! Please help us to support all of our young readers to select their favorite books. Volunteers needed
Book Fair Week
Students will have an opportunity to shop during the week with their classrooms. Volunteers are needed to provide shopping support. Please see our Daily Volunteer sign-up to join us. Students can bring in cash or an e-wallet can be set up. To set up an e-wallet or view additional book fair details, please visit our webpage.
We will have Family Shopping Nights on Tuesday and Thursday during conferences. Tuesday, the book fair will be open from 4:30pm - 7:00pm. On Thursday, the hours will be 3:45pm to 5:15pm.
Place your yearbook order today!
Paper orders forms were sent home recently. If you would like a new paper copy, please contact the office to have one sent home with your student.
You can also purchase online. Lakes Yearbook ID is 14560825. Please make sure to enter your student's name and teacher for correct delivery. Extra yearbooks are not ordered so make sure to place your order by April 11th.
Can't recall if you already placed an order? Please email Kathy Low (KLow@rockfordschools.org) to check your status.
Volunteer Opportunities
Book Fair Volunteers :
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EA9AB2FABFBC43-51623020-lakes#/
Mileage Club Volunteers :
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090D4DA5A82CA5F49-55132694-mileage#/
Daily Volunteers :
We now have some daily volunteer opportunities for families to help foster our Lakes Community. Please visit the link for additional details and to select a time slot.
Book Fair Support- varied times! We need help setting up, tearing down, and most importantly - helping students to shop during the day and plan how to spend!
Lunchroom (11:30 am - 12:50 pm) - How to support in the lunchroom:
- Walk around and interact with students.
- Help open lunch materials.
- Review lunchroom procedures to help with the end of the lunchtime.
- Push the trash bin around to gather trash materials.
- Play a game with the 5th-grade students at their table.
- Encourage students to walk to recess.
Lunch Recess (11:10 am - 1:00 pm) - How to support at lunch recess:
- Play or organize a game.
- Encourage positive play.
- Help with chalk art.
- Walk around with a group of students.
- Organize a coloring table.
- Support the quiet area with quiet area activities.
Last Recess (2:15 pm - 3:30 pm) - How to support at last recess:
- Play or organize a game.
- Encourage positive play.
- Help with chalk art.
- Walk around with a group of students.
- Organize a coloring table.
- Support the quiet area with quiet area activities.
Dads of Great Students
Who can participate: Fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, uncles, and other father figures.
Watch D.O.G.S can serve full days (8:15 am - 3:45 pm) or half days (pm option). Watch D.O.G.S can be assigned to classrooms as needed by the teachers, perform recess duty, complete ground checks, or other various tasks. When possible, Watch D.O.G.S will have the opportunity to work with their students or their student's classrooms. However, they may also be called to serve in a separate space as needed.
Sign Up for Lakes Watch D.O.G.S.
Lakes-A-Palooza Volunteers
Looking for any high school sports teams and/or our Lakes families to volunteer during May 15th's Lakes-A-Palooza Carnival and Art Show! Please sign up with the PTO!
Homerun Headquarters - From Mrs. McClure
Crew spent his birthday setting the new school record for the longest hurdle leap during our jump unit this week.
Braydon did not let the record stay long and tied Crew just a few days later with 11 hurdles. This 3rd grader may become a future long jumper on the track team!
Sophia broke the girl's school record with 9 hurdles! Way to go.
Mileage Club (Coming Soon)
What is it?
- A walking, jogging, running club
- A variety of distance levels can be obtained (5K, 10K, 15K, 20K, 1/2M, 25K, 30K, M, GOLD)
- Each participant receives a personalized QR code to scan after each completed lap on an iPad to keep track of total distance. 2nd-5th grade will receive a wrist band. Kindergarten and 1st will receive a necklace.
- You must commit to at least one day every week!
Who can participate?
- All Lakes students and staff!
When is it?
- April 14th - May 22nd (6 weeks)
- Monday - Thursdays ONLY, no Fridays
- During Lunch Recess
Where is it?
- Outside on our Mileage Club route (see maps posted in the gym). The route follows the entire perimeter of the playground and fields.
How do I join?
- Sign up with Mrs. McClure during your PE time - Deadline is February 27th.
- All participants who sign up will receive their personalized QR code the day we get back from Spring Break which is the first day of mileage club!
How can families help?
- Volunteers are needed to help students scan their QR codes after each lap! Sign up!
PTO Corner
Lakes-A-Palooza
Volunteers are needed to help run carnival games, supervise the bounce house, and more! Please help us to make this event a success.
Activity Pass Reminder
As you know, your student's Activity Pass is their ticket to field trips and other enriching activities throughout the school year. Here's how that breaks down:
$34 goes toward school-wide activities for students and staff, such as assemblies, field days, staff appreciation and grants, and more.
The remaining amount (varies by grade level) covers field trip entry fees and transportation costs.
- Pay Now online via Paypal or Venmo
- If you are a family experiencing financial hardship, please reach out to Mr. Zokoe for a confidential discussion.
- If you have a business that'd like to donate to the PTO scholarship fund to cover families experiencing financial hardship, please respond to this email for more information.
For students who have not paid, an itemized bill will be sent home to ensure equal opportunities. Thank you for your support!
Lakes PTO and admin
Recycling Initiatives
NexTrex Recycling
Bins located in front vestibule. All bags should be clean and free of food or other debris.
- Produce bags, grocery bags, ice bags, cereal box liners, bread bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags - Plastics that can stretch.
Papergator Recycling
Green dumpster located in the side parking lot.
- Office/School papers, newspaper, junk mail, magazines, shredded paper, and cereal boxes (paper board that can be torn), etc.
Popcan Tabs
Can be turned in to the front office. Collected and sent to Ronald McDonald House.
Enrollment opens 2/13/25
Enrollment for the 2025/2026 school year opens February 13th. Children who turn five years old on or before December 1, 2025 are eligible to enroll for the 2025/2026 school year. In order to take advantage of an early placement screening, please enroll your Developmental Kindergarten -or- Kindergarten-age child before June 1, 2025. Please visit www.rockfordschools.org/enrollment-procedures/ to review the online enrollment procedures and required documentation.
Upcoming Dates
2/25 : Parent-Teacher Conferences
2/26 : Early Release Day. Dismissal at 1:30pm
2/27 : Parent-Teacher Conferences
4/3 - 4/13 : Spring Break
4/14 : School Resumes
4/16 : Lakes Spring Music Program
5/15 : Lakes-A-Palooza
Important Links
After the Bell - Rockford Community Services Registrations
Annual Education Report : Paper copies available in office by request
Lakes Facebook Page (family only)
School Lunch Offerings : You can also download the NutriSlice App
School Lunch Payments : Make sure to select Family Portal. Lunches are free this year unless your student selects milk only.
Stay in the Know! : Sign up for Rockford Public Schools Alerts on this webpage.
