Hello Hayes Families,
Here is some news to get us into the weekend…
NWEA Update
Approximately 85% of students have completed NWEA testing over the past week to help determine their fall baseline in both ELA and Math. We look forward to having the rest of the students test this coming week as we use their scores to help determine how best to serve them during the course of the school year.
Hayes Cross Country: We are excited to announce the 5th and 6th grade Cross Country Club to Hayes Intermediate School; this is an opportunity to get introduced to the great sport of Cross Country! The club will run from September 17 to October 10th, with practice every Tuesday and Thursday after school, and opportunities to race 2 miles at the end of the season. The cost of the season is $40 (due by September 20-if cost is a concern, contact Coach Pyle) which will include a Team T-Shirt and a timed race. Sign up on this registration form, and if you have any questions please contact Coach Tony Pyle at pyle.tony@gmail.com.
Who: All 5th & 6th Graders
When: Tues & Thurs from 2:45 - 4:00
Dates: Sept 17 - Oct 10
Cost $40 (includes a team shirt)
Races:
10/8 Race at Hayes Intermediate
10/14 6th Graders can race in the Junior Greater Lansing Invitational at Dewitt High School
Questions? Contact Coach Tony Pyle at pyle.tony@gmail.com
Register here: https://forms.gle/sMAnMohpEaJBNMUSA
Destination Imagination Lets Brains Have Fun! Learn More Sep. 16 or Sep. 19.
Be creative, study science, be artistic, and understand how things work – all while making friends and having fun by joining Destination Imagination (DI)! DI is a STEAM-based, competitive extracurricular activity that promotes creativity and teamwork for students in grades 3 through high school. Early learning opportunities are also available for K-2 students.
Interested parents and students from any Grand Ledge school can learn more about the program and this year’s challenges on Monday, Sept. 16, 6:15-7:15 p.m. in the Delta Center Elementary media room or Thursday, Sept. 19, 7-8 p.m. virtually via Google Meet. If you are unable to attend but are interested in the program, please contact Jennifer Pakkala, Clever Comets Coordinator, at pakkala@comcast.net. For more information, visit DestinationImagination.org and Facebook.com/CleverComets.
The PTO Next Level Fundraising Program is off and running!
https://app.pop4kids.org/reg/code/VEV8M
If you haven’t already, click on the link above to set up your student’s personal donation page and invite
friends and family to support our efforts. This entire process can be completed in 10 minutes or less!
If you wish, you can also donate once you have registered your student.
When you enter 10 or more contacts, your student will earn Golden Ticket prizes if completed by
midnight tonight! We also have fun prizes to give away during the Week of WOW!
Families that enter at least 10 or more contacts will be entered to win the national Disney World Family
Vacation giveaway!
It is never too late to make a difference!
After the first night of fundraising, over $13,000 has been raised!
Hayes Happenings!
The school news is a completely student-led operation. They work hard creating and putting together content each week! Sometimes there are parts that may be louder than others, etc. They analyze and critique each episode as a class on Mondays and aim to improve as the year continues. Thank you all for your support and encouragement of our Broadcasting enrichment class! Here is a link to the second episode of the year!
Homecoming Spirit Week
Homecoming is just around the corner, and to make things simpler (and more fun) for families and their students, Hayes will be following the same Spirit Week schedule as Grand Ledge High School. Here is the plan:
Growing Friendships and Second Step: One of the most exciting aspects of Hayes Intermediate is that 5th Grade is the first opportunity for all Grand Ledge students around the same age in the same school. To that end, one of the things important to us is that all students feel included and have the opportunity to make friends. To help with that, all of our 5th Grade homerooms and some of the 6th Grade homerooms are going through a book called Growing Friendships. For the next couple of weeks, teachers will be talking with students about how to Reach Out, Find Common Ground, and Take It Slow as students make new friends. Additionally, we are teaching a new program here at Hayes called Second Step. The program's goal is to help children develop skills that will help them succeed in school and become productive adults while also identifying and preventing bullying.
Bus Cards: The bus garage issued all new bus riding students a bus card and they were handed out last week. All other students were supposed to use their bus cards from last year. If your student has misplaced their bus card you will need to reach out to the bus garage to order a new one. You can call transportation at 517-925-5300 or use the following link:
https://www.glcomets.net/family-and-student-resources/pupiltransportationbusgarage/
Attendance Policy: This month, our district adopted a universal, K-12, attendance policy. The universal attendance policy will be added to all handbooks across the district in the near future. The absence limit for the school year is five full days before attendance letters follow. Because we must follow State law and we are held accountable by the State for students being present in school on a regular basis, we will follow our county-wide protocol in notifying families of students that exceed the five absence limit, explained or unexplained, this school year via email with attendance letters that are sent in a progressive fashion. As parents, we understand that students become ill and they may miss multiple school days. If this is the case, please be sure to obtain a doctor’s note regarding your student’s illness/treatment plan and provide this note to our secretaries immediately following your student’s absence. Medically documented absences are coded differently than absences explained or unexplained.
Online Attendance Reporting: There are several ways to report an absence at Hayes. You can use the online portal at ps.glcomets.net. Once you have logged in, select “Attendance Monitor” from the left navigation menu. Then, click “Report New Attendance.” After you have entered the date, reason, and explanation, click Submit. For more detailed instructions, please use the Parent Attendance Portal Directions . Also, you may continue to email HAAttendance@glcomets.net or call the attendance line at 517-925-5333. Please note: online attendance reporting is not available in the app; it is only available on the website.
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO): We have an outstanding joint PTO with the Beagle Middle building! Our PTO has provided several incredible opportunities for our students, staff, and facilities over the past few years. This work is accomplished through the support of our community and family members. We always encourage our family members to attend our PTO meetings whether it's one time, intermittently, or consistently--all participation is helpful and impactful to our school culture and benefits our children. Here are some important updates from our PTO:
- The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 8, at 6:30pm in the Beagle Media Center or you can attend the first meeting virtually at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82744686994.
- Stay connected with PTO news and events: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hayesbeaglepto
Big Brothers/Big Sisters Site Based Mentoring We are proud to announce that we are partnering with Big Brothers/Big Sisters to help mentor students at Hayes Intermediate this school year. Per parent request, students will be matched with an adult mentor from our local community. Students will meet with their “Big” during the school day one time per week during the school year. Students in the Site Based Mentoring Program are only permitted to see their Big at the school. If you would like to get your student started with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, please click here: https://bbbs.tfaforms.net/f/bbbsmcryouthapp
Picking up a student during school hours: Our staff will not call students to the office to leave for the day until the person picking them up has shown their ID and has signed them out. Please plan accordingly for appointments and give yourself a few extra minutes. Additionally please make sure your students' contact information is up to date. If someone comes to pick up your student but they are not on your student emergency contact list we will not allow your student to be signed out by that person.
Upcoming Events, District News, & Community Information
View flyers and more of what the school district shares in newsletters about events, news, and information by visiting GLcomets.net/Upcoming.
Looking Ahead:
September 16 - Destination Imagination In Person Meeting
September 17 - Cross Country Club Start
September 19 - Destination Imagination Virtual Option
October 4 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher Professional Development
October 15 - Picture Retakes
November 1 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher Professional Development
Take care,
Eric and Scott
Eric Leopold, Principal
Scott Millbrook, Assistant Principal
Hayes Intermediate School
