Crestwood Newsletter
Kyle Avink - Principal
kavink@rockfordschools.org
Address: 6350 Courtland Dr., Rockford, MI 49341
Phone: (616) 863-6346
CRESTWOOD CALENDAR
EARLY RELEASE DAYS
EARLY RELEASE:
Wednesday, April 23rd
NO SCHOOL (Spring Break):
Thursday, April 3rd through Friday, April 11th
DISTRICT CALENDAR
The 2025-2026 district calendar has been approved. Click below to view!
FROM THE DESK OF MR. AVINK
We’ve made it to spring break!
No matter what your plans are, we hope the week ahead is filled with fun, laughter, and a little sunshine. We appreciate each of you and the many ways you contribute to our Crestwood community!
When we return, we’ll be diving into a full and exciting stretch: state and district testing, field trips, special events, and lots of learning still ahead.
Enjoy the break, and we’ll see you soon, ready to spring into the final stretch of the school year!
YEARBOOK UPDATE
LifeTouch has unfortunately closed down our yearbook ordering site earlier than expected. If you missed out on ordering, we will have extras in the office to purchase in May. More info to come.
ENVIRONMENT AND LEARNING STYLES CONSIDERATION FORM
This is your opportunity to share with me your thoughts on the best learning environment for your kiddo in 2025-2026. We do the very best we can to place all students in the best learning environments possible. Please know that this is one of the most complicated processes that we go through each year. There are many factors that come into play.
Your feedback will be due by Friday, April 25th.
DISCLAIMER: The information that you submit will be considered in the process. It will not be used as the sole determining factor for placement.
Click below to fill out the google doc.
STEAM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We’re looking for volunteers to help support our STEAM activities after spring break! If you’re interested in lending a hand, please sign up using the link below. Any amount of time is greatly appreciated!
Additionally, we are in need of empty 2-liter bottles for an upcoming STEAM project. If you have any to donate, please send them in with your child or drop them off at the STEAM classroom. Thank you for your support!
PTO UPDATES
Totally Tiki Spring Family Night - Save the Date!
Aloha, Families! Get ready to ride the wave of fun at our Totally Tiki Spring Family Night on Wednesday, April 23rd from 5PM - 6:30 PM! PTO is planning a tropical evening of food, fun, and family time! Feel free to dress in bright colors or Hawaiian style. Join us for food trucks, flag football, hula dancing, games, giveaways and family fun.
We'd love your help to ensure a TIKI-rific time for all.
Sign up below to volunteer for a short shift:
Spring Mileage Club
Mileage Club resumes after Spring Break! Save the dates and please make sure your child has footwear for the track on these dates. The Mileage Club committee has lots of fun planned this Spring.
STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK
PTO will be treating all Crestwood Staff to a week of themed days in the staff lounge. The entire school is invited to participate in a week-long celebration to show gratitude for our school staff and the hard work they do. You and your child may participate in each day or pick and choose as it suits your family. Download a Thank You coloring sheet for your student to bring in or drop off in the vestibule. PTO will be taping these to line the office windows. We ask that all Thank You's be turned in by Friday, May 2. For the list of staff favorites or to download the coloring template, click below.
REMINDERS
Warm Clothing
We highly encourage all students to dress for the weather and wear the outer clothing that they brought to school. This includes hats, mittens, boots, snow pants, and coats. We ask that all students bring boots to school each day from Thanksgiving through Spring Break. Conditions change quickly and our playground often goes from muddy to snowy to just plain wet in a matter of hours. Due to this, students will be removing their outdoor foot attire when they go into the classrooms. Therefore, all students must have a pair of shoes at school along with their boots.
Feel free to pack an extra pair of socks and sweatpants in your child's backpack during the winter months. Don’t forget to put your child’s name on coats, snow pants, boots, etc. Thank you!
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!
OFFICE REMINDERS
Absences MUST be called into the office 616.863.6346 or emailed to the front office - lgreene@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, the State of Michigan requires us to know the following:
- 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
LABEL EVERYTHING
The winter weather is here, and students are dressing in layers, which means our lost and found will be growing. To avoid your student’s clothing from going into the lost and found PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING!!! Label all coats, boots, mittens, hats, etc. Labeling items will ensure they will back it back home!
NO CELLPHONES OR SMART WATCHES
- Students with a cellphone will be asked to turn the phone off and not use them during the school day. Please do not text or call your student on their device during the school day. This creates a distraction to the classroom. We will always help with communication through the office or an email to the teacher if needed.
- Students with Apple watches or other wrist devices are asked not use the device to communicate during the school day.
- Students who need to contact home because they are ill or wondering about the end of the day pick up should talk to their classroom teacher who will help them navigate next steps of support.
- Devices at school are distracting to students during the learning day and we ask that unless your student needs the device to communicate after school that they stay home.
- Thank you for your support.
ACCESS SUPPORT AT NO COST
The Rockford Education Foundation (REF) has proudly partnered with Rockford Public Schools to provide expert counseling, therapy, and resources through Pine Rest’s School Assistance Program (SAP).
Say “I have an SAP with Rockford Public Schools” when you call 800.442.0809 and press “1.” Every RPS student, staff and family member in your household is eligible for up to three free sessions. Additional SAP benefits include: free elder care consultation, legal and financial consultation, infant-feeding advice and real estate consultation. Anyone in the household can utilize these resources and it is 100% confidential. Access an online library with over 20,000 resources covering health, finances, legal topics and more. The code to login the library is RockfordPS.
Login Code: RockfordPS
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 on-line version of GRASP for students in 4th through 8th grade and these students will also receive results via the email provided.
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.
Click below and search GRASP in the top search bar.
ENROLLMENT is now open!
Children who turn five years old on or before December 1, 2025 are eligible to enroll for the 2025/2026 school year.
