Belmont Newsletter
Belmont Elementary School
6097 Belmont Ave NE
Belmont, MI 49306
616.863.6362
Your voices matter!
Thank you to the 28 families that completed the School Culture Survey! Your feedback, combined with that of our students and staff, will help us set meaningful goals. Belmont Elementary is always looking for ways to improve and your input matters. The deadline for survey completion by Belmont families has been extended to Wednesday, February 26. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey and we look forward to sharing and responding to the results in a timely and positive way!
Belmont School Culture Survey for Families
Thank you for all that you do for our kids and have a great weekend!
Rachel DeKuiper, Principal
rmdekuiper@rockfordschools.org
616.863.6362
Upcoming Events:
February 14 & 17 - NO SCHOOL - Midwinter Break
February 21 - Popcorn Day
February 24-28 - Scholastic Book Fair in the Library
February 25 - Parent Teacher Conferences (in person) - BC Pizza Fundraiser
February 26 - Early Release Day
February 27 - Parent Teacher Conferences (in person) - BC Pizza Fundraiser
March 3 - Reading Month Begins!
March 5 - Book Bingo and Art Show
March 6 - Kids Have Rights Classroom Presentations (K-4th)
March 12 - Early Release Day
March 12 - PTO Meeting
March 21 - Popcorn Day
March 26 - Early Release Day
New student Enrollment is open!
New student enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is now open! We welcome our new class of Rockford Rams! The district encourages families to enroll their future Developmental Kindergarten or Kindergarten student PRIOR to June 1, 2025 in order to take advantage of an early, required placement screening. Children who turn five years old on or before December 1, 2025 are eligible to enroll for the 2025-2026 school year. Current Developmental Kindergarten students do not require an additional enrollment. Please see the attached flyer or visit https://www.rockfordschools.org/enrollment/ for more details and enrollment procedures
Conferences - Feb 25 and Feb 27
In-person conferences will be offered both nights in February. As parents of elementary school children, you play a crucial role in your child's education. Your involvement and collaboration with your child's teachers can make a significant difference in their academic and personal growth.
Please click the link below to schedule a conference with your child's teacher(s). Thank you and we look forward to sharing your child's progress and goals with you.
Link to In-Person Conferences on February 25 and 27: https://www.schoolbookings.net/code/wvvyk
*If you need to schedule a phone or video conference, please email your child's teacher separately to set this up.
BC Pizza Fundraiser for the PTO
Belmont School Post Office is Back!
We are excited to once again have the Belmont School Post Office open during the month of February! Students, staff, and families can send each other letters and/or drawings through the Belmont School Mail. We will have a basket in the vestibule for families to drop off their mail for students and staff. Mail will be sorted and distributed twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please click on the link below to access a directory for sending letters and guidance on how to address an envelope. We are excited about this fun writing opportunity and look forward to the smiles it will bring to the faces of our school community! Thank you!
Belmont Elementary "Post Office" Directory
How to Address an Envelope for our School Post Office
PTO Book Bingo and Art Show Event
The Belmont Art Show and Book Bingo event will be held on March 5th from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. This year we will be offering a dinner option, available by PRE-ORDER ONLY. Your order and payment must be received NO LATER THAN February 25th.
We can't wait for you to join us for another fun year of Bingo and Art. Any questions contact- Nikki Snell @nsnell080208@gmail.com
It's Yearbook Time!
Please use the link and code below to place your yearbook order. These are great keepsakes and students absolutely love looking at them.
To order yearbooks you can go to YBPay.com or click this link: Order Yearbooks | Lifetouch Yearbooks The Belmont Yearbook ID Code is 14576125.
Thank you!
Belmont's Annual Education Report:
Belmont's Annual Education Report for the 23/24 school year is now linked to the Belmont page on the district's new website. You can find the report linked at the top of the black textbox in the bottom right-hand corner. Paper copies are available upon request from our office. Please let Holly or Katie know if you'd like a paper copy of this report. Thank you!
Belmont Outdoor Learning - After the Lesson Resources
It was truly a wonderful time with outdoor learning at Belmont. Some classes learned more about how animals survive in the winter with food, water, and shelter. Other classes learned how to identify common animal tracks in the snow. No matter which program your students participated in I noticed kids connecting with nature, which is my number one goal! I’ve attached some resources should you want to take some adventures without me.
~Mrs. Dzirbowicz, RPS Outdoor Educator
Student-Led Clubs
We have a new round of student-led clubs running at Belmont. These clubs meet after school for six weeks and are a great opportunity for students to lead and explore other interests. Currently, students are participating in the following student clubs: Art Club, Sports Club, Dance Club, History Club, Coding Club, and Cheer Club.
Most clubs are geared towards upper elementary, although a few have been opened up to second graders as well. Students must have a permission slip on file to participate and parents/guardians must agree to pick them up promptly at the end of club meetings. Thank you to our teacher advisors for supporting our student-led clubs!
Digital Well-Being Concern Revisited
This week, fourth and fifth graders shared with me that Belmont students are chatting via text message on personal devices until very late at night. They shared that they wake up to "a lot" of text messages that were sent during the overnight hours. Some of these messages are being sent in group chats that were created by Belmont students. Please be reminded that these groups are not monitored or supported by Belmont Elementary. If your child is a member of these groups, it is the responsibility of parents/guardians to monitor their use.
As you know, personal devices are not needed during the school day. If your child has a personal device that they use at home, please consider having some guidelines for when and how it is used.
Cellphones and Devices - Guide for Parents/Caregivers
SOCIAL AWARENESS: Empathy
Empathy is a focus in our current TRAILS unit and encourages students to think about different perspectives, and what it might be like to walk in another person's shoes. Miss Joseph was able to share the book, "A Little Spot of Empathy," with some of our grade levels as well. Diane Alber is the author of a book series titled "The Little Spot" and offers another way to connect with the whole child.
lunchroom Rams
In addition to our Recess Ram program, we are also looking for volunteers to help in the lunchroom. With the weather getting colder, we are hoping to have extra hands in the lunchroom AND in the hallways after lunch with students getting their winter gear on. Thank you in advance for considering! We appreciate our Belmont families more than you know!
Recess Rams
Our students love it when Recess Rams are on the playground! So if you want to build a snowman or just play with some awesome kids, sign up to be Recess Ram!
Volunteers should always check in at the main office and grab a Recess Ram vest before heading to the playground. To sign up for Recess Rams, please click on the link below. THANK YOU for sharing part of your day with us...our students love seeing you at recess!
STEAM News for February
We are full STEAM ahead in 2025! Students have continued their learning of robotics and coding. DK-2 students have been using the Sphero Indi Robots to code with colors. 3-5 students began block coding using the Sphero Bolt.
We also began our journey into kinesthetic LEGO builds with our BricQ and LEGO STEAM Park kits. Students will have a second opportunity to build with these items soon.
Additionally, students will have another opportunity to practice their Engineering Design Skills with our next round of Makerspace. Each grade level will be presented with a "build challenge" that will extend their recent learning CKLA. Please consider sending in a few donations to replenish our Makerspace carts throughout the week.
Tickets to The Taste are Available!
Enjoy a night of food, drinks, and fun to support Rockford kids and our community at The Taste on March 6th from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Sample delicious offerings from local restaurants, enjoy drinks from the cash bar, and take part in an exciting live auction and paddle raise to support programs that benefit Rockford students and empower educators. Ticket sales close February 21st.
Student Absences and attendance letters
Absences MUST be called into the office 616.863.6362. If you need to email an absence, please email both Holly and Katie at hcombs@rockfordschools.org and ktrolla@rockfordschools.org.
Please leave a message on our general voicemail box if you are calling after hours. Whether you are reporting an absence on our voicemail or speaking with Karen or Jamie we need to know the following things:
- Student's name and teacher
- Reason for absence - if it is an illness we need to know the symptoms of the illness - vomiting, coughing, fever, cold, diarrhea, lice - whatever the reason may be
- When absences exceed five and ten days respectively, you may receive a letter.
- If truancy becomes a concern, you will also receive a phone call from Mrs. DeKuiper and will need to meet with her to create a plan to improve attendance.
Weather Alert
For up-to-date information regarding Rockford Public Schools delays and/or closings, events, and safety alerts, send a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our district’s short code number: 67587.
Opt out any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop”.
Be sure to tune in on icy or snowy mornings!
Belmont...It's still cold outside!
Please make sure your child is ready for outdoor recess every day. Here's a quick checklist of recommended gear:
- Snow Pants (highly recommended...NO BARE LEGS WHEN IT'S BELOW FREEZING!)
- Boots (must have to play on the wet, cold, and snowy field)
- Shoes (for after recess/indoor wear)
- Winter Coat (must have...NO BARE ARMS WHEN IT'S BELOW FREEZING!)
- Hat (recommended, but hoods are good too!)
- Mittens/Gloves (must have...thank goodness for pockets when we lose one!)
Students will go outside for recess as long as the temperature (including wind chill) is above zero. When they do go outside, they need to be dressed appropriately. If you need winter weather gear for your child, please let us know. We have resources that we are happy to utilize to keep our students safe and warm. Please reach out to Holly and Katie in the front office at 616.863.6362 if you need anything. They will be discrete and also make sure your child has what they need this winter.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Reminders
When dropping students off in the morning, please remember the following:
- Doors (main entrance only) open to Belmont students at 8:25. Students dropped off by families in the morning will now enter through the main entrance.
- Vehicles should form a single line along the sidewalk and pull ahead as far as they can (until the sidewalk ends).
- Drivers in this line must stay in their vehicle and continue to pull forward when space allows.
- Students may not exit the vehicle until the vehicle is completely off the main road and at a complete stop.
- Students must walk on the sidewalk to the main entrance.
- Please keep your goodbye routine short and sweet.
- If you have to pull off and wait on the main road, please consider putting your hazard lights on.
- If the driver is exiting the vehicle, they must park in a parking space and walk their child to the sidewalk.
- Another option for morning arrival is to use the lot next to Book Comp across the street and let our crossing guard safely guide students to school at 8:25.
When picking your students up at the end of the day:
- Please form two lanes and pull ahead as far as you can (until the sidewalk ends).
- Please have your child's last name displayed in the window.
- If you need a new yellow sign for your vehicle, please let us know ASAP. These signs help us stay efficient and safe when getting students to the correct vehicle.
- Please avoid large gaps between vehicles. Pull ahead whenever space allows.
- If you choose to exit your vehicle, please park in a parking spot. You should not be exiting your vehicle if you are waiting in one of the two lanes.
- Some families have chosen to pick up their upper elementary students from the Book Comp lot across the road. This is another option and we have a wonderful crossing guard that will help students safely cross the street to you.
GRASP IS BACK!
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, via the email provided. 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 to the email provided on the order. There is also an online version of GRASP for students in 4th through 8th grade and these students will also receive results via the email provided.
Students who complete and submit at least seven lessons with 70% accuracy are awarded a certificate. Those who 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.
