Principal: Mindy McGinn mmcginn@rockfordschools.org
Address: 156 Lewis Street Rockford, MI 49341
Phone: (616) 863-6360 Fax: 616-866-2327
Administrative Assistants:
Julie Palmieri jpalmieri@rockfordschools.org
Amber Neumann aneumann@rockfordschools.org
NOTEWORTHY ITEMS
New Year...New Newsletter: As you can see our newsletter has changed to a web based newsletter. We will send a newsletter link every other Friday. In addition to the newsletter we will be posting "stories" on our Parkside landing page. Please check these regularly for updates.
Lost and Found: Lost and found items are housed by the gym. Please encourage your student to check it regularly. It is donated on the last day of each month. Grownups are welcome to come in and sign in and check out the lost and found also.
Concert DVD's: Please send in $10 (cash or check written out to RHS-TV studio) for your concert DVD! We have plenty available!
Calling All Amazing Grownup Helpers! Family/caregiver involvement in school positively impacts student success and well-being and we would love for your help! Special talent? Interest? Skill? Would love for you to share it at Parkside!
Whether you're interested in helping out in the library, laminating, or assisting in the classroom, we would love to have you volunteer here!
If you're willing to lend a hand, please reach out to the office or your student's teacher. Your support makes a big difference! Thank you for being an important part of our Parkside "Pach"!
PARKSIDE OUTDOOR DAYS
January 22nd-24th are Parkside Outdoor Days. We have a beautiful outdoor learning space in Parkside’s backyard and students are going to to learn in it! Your student will participate in one of the programs listed below:
- Program 1: Thriving in Winter: Ever wonder how animals survive the winter? We will meander through the woods looking for winter evidence of animal food, water, and shelter. We will also get creative create and animal shelters outdoors.
- Program 2: Tracking down the Code: What can animal tracks tell us about the way animals live? Students will use clues to determine native animals and connect the clues with their tracks. We will then wonder into the outdoor space searching for the tracks of local animals.
There are going to be additional activities planned outside during these days- if you are interested in leading an activity please reach out to the office or your students teacher!
Temperatures will be low, so let’s talk about one of the golden rules for enjoying our outdoor lesson adventures: wearing the right clothing for the cold! Why is it so important? When we’re warm and dry, we can focus on exploring, playing, and learning in nature.
Here’s a quick checklist to keep everyone safe and warm:
- Base Layers: Thin, thermal tops and leggings are a game-changer! They trap heat without being bulky.
- Mid Layers: long sleeve t-shirts, joggers, Fleece or woolly sweaters for extra coziness.
- Outer Layers: Waterproof coats and pants to keep the wind and snow out.
- Accessories: Hats, waterproof gloves, and thick socks are a must.
- Footwear: Sturdy waterproof boots with good grip keep little explorers steady and dry.
Top Tip: Dress in layers—it’s easier to peel one off if we get too warm!
Nature is even more magical when we’re ready to embrace it!
Hoops for Haiti
Join other Parksiders tonight to cheer on the boys' and girls' varsity basketball teams as they play East Kentwood in our annual Hoops for Haiti basketball game at RHS. Funds raised will support the Haiti Foundation Against Poverty (HFAP), a non-profit organization that we have served alongside since 2010.
Our most recent fundraising efforts have focused on Harvest Preschool in Southern Haiti. In January 2023, the funds raised at Hoops for Haiti were used to finish building Harvest Preschool. That fall, Harvest Preschool welcomed its first preschoolers, all of whom were dressed head to toe in Rockford orange! Go Rams! Hoops for Haiti Video
Green Tip of the Week
Green Tip of the Week: After the holidays, give your decorations and gift wrap a second life! Reuse gift bags, ribbons, and tissue paper for future celebrations, and consider composting natural decorations like wreaths or trees. Small steps like these help reduce waste and start the new year on an eco-friendly note!
Raise Money and Save the Earth....Parkside is participating in the Papergator Earth Day Contest. Our goal is to increase the pounds of paper we are recycling from last year- we can earn prizes and money from Papergator. Please consider bringing in your paper to feed the Gator located in the parking lot across from the main entrance. https://papergatorrecycling.com/earth-day-contest/
What can go in bins?
- School/Office Paper
- News Paper
- Junk Mail
- Hard & Soft Cover Books
- Magazines
- Shredded Paper
- Paperboard
(Cereal Type Boxes) - * Cardboard
(12″ x 12″ or smaller) - Wrapping Paper
(no foil or sparkles)
* We can accept 12″ x 12″ (or smaller) cardboard only! Our machines have issues with larger pieces.
What can’t go in bins: Plastic Metal Glass Garbage
Character Trait of the month
January: GRATITUDE
The state of showing thankfulness and appreciation! Convo Starter:
- Let’s talk about gratitude! What is one thing that made you smile today, and who can you thank for it?
This simple question helps kids reflect on the positive moments in their day and practice showing appreciation.
Student Book Suggestions:
- "The Thankful Book" by Todd Parr
- “Thankful” by Eileen Spinelli
- “The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving” by Jan & Mike Berenstain
- “Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message” by Chief Jake Swamp
- “The Giving Book: Open The Door To A Lifetime Of Giving Spiral-bound” by Ellen Sabin
- “Should I Share My Ice Cream?” by Mo Willems
- “Thanks a Million” by Nikki Grime
- “Don't Say a Word, Mama / No Digas Nada, Mama” by Joe Hayes
- “Under the Lemon Moon” by Edith Hope Fine
- “I'm Thankful Each Day” by P. K. Hallinan
parkside shoutouts
Thanks to Jamie, Katie, and Sara for stocking the lounge with some healthy snacks and drinks (and some yummy treats) to welcome us back to school!
Huge thank you to the Augustines for donation of sleds. Now if someone can please donate some snow that would amazing!
grasp
GRASP is a correspondence program for students in Kindergarten through 8th grades which helps students maintain reading and math skills while they are on summer break. Enrolled students will receive a packet of materials with a booklet containing nine lessons. It should take your student approximately one hour to complete each weekly lesson. They can complete one lesson a week or work at their own pace, as long as all lessons are submitted before August 8th. The students can mail the lessons to GRASP for scoring and the results will be returned to them. Or, new this year, lessons can be scored with a parent/guardian cell phone instead of mailing them in! Details regarding this process will be sent in May. There is also an on-line version of GRASP for students in 4th through 8th grade.
Students who successfully complete and submit at least seven lessons with 70% accuracy are awarded a certificate. Those who successfully complete and submit all nine lessons with 70% accuracy will receive a medal! Certificates and medals will be distributed by your student’s school at the beginning of the next school year.
Please order your student’s CURRENT grade level. If there are extenuating circumstances, order the level that is appropriate for your student. The fees for the summer of 2025 are $26 for one subject or $48 for both subjects for each student. You can enroll your student for the book version (grades K-8) or the optional online version (grades 4-8) by completing the registration and payment online.
Parkside Goals
FAST Goals are Frequently discussed, Ambitious, Specific, and Transparent.
Parkside has 4 goals for the 2024-2025 school year.
FAST Goal #1: Academic Excellence – Tiered Instruction: Assess individual student learning needs and respond with targeted instruction emphasizing English Language Arts and mathematics.
Goal Statement: Utilize a tiered approach to instruction that successfully responds to the questions:
1. What do we want students to know and be able to do?
2. How will we know they can do it or have learned it?
3. What will we do if students haven’t learned it?
4. What will we do if students have learned it?
FAST Goal #2: Academic Excellence – Student Engagement: Support daily classroom instructional design that engages students in relevant and active learning activities.
Goal Statement: Utilize engagement strategies to improve student engagement and increase mastery of content. Improve teacher clarity resulting in enhanced engagement through CHAMPS.
FAST Goal #3: Academic Excellence – Limit Opportunity Gaps: Identify district and building population achievement trends and focus specialized instructional programming toward target students who are disadvantaged and underachieving compared to their peers.
Goal Statement: Study the effectiveness of the Title I program and resources.
FAST Goal #4: Wellness and Preparedness - Strong Emotional Skills: Participate in productive struggle activities to work through difficult situations. Use problem-based learning opportunities to focus on resilience and solution-based outcomes.
Goal Statement: Implement TRAILS with fidelity. Study the MTSS-Behavior process.
PTO Corner
Help plan the 2025 School Carnival!
Join us on January 23 at 6:15 in Parkside to help brainstorm the spring carnival. We need your input and support! Questions? Melody Butters is the committee chair, miparksidepto@gmail.com
Coming soon... a new Parkside Elementary Facebook page! We will continue to update the parent group because then we can do fun staff surprises, but we want to make sure you have the up to date school information on your social media feeds too. Look for that in the next newsletter.
Important Dates
- January 20- No School
- February 5- Early Release (1:30)
- February 14-17- No School Mid-Winter Break
- April 3-11- No School Spring Break See full list of PKS Events on the calendar link:
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. Please enroll your DK or K child before 6/1/25 in order to schedule early placement screening.
