Allyson Smith, Principal at Wacousta Elementary
November 13, 2026
Important Upcoming Dates
November 20: Snack Shop
November 25-27: Thanksgiving Break - No School
November 30: Staff Professional Development - No School
December 1: Hearing & Vision Screening Completion
December 10 & 11: Holiday Shop
December 17: Winter Sing-a-long
December 18: Snack Shop
December 21 - Jan 1: Winter Break
January 4: Staff Professional Development - No School
January 5: School Resumes
January 5: PTIA Meeting - 6:30 pm
Highlights and Happenings from Ms. Smith
Thank you to all of our families who joined us for parent-teacher conferences! We loved seeing so many of you in our building and appreciate the time you took to connect with your child’s teacher, celebrate their progress, and talk about ways we can continue to support their growth. Strong school-family partnerships make a difference for our students!
Throughout the month of November, we are focusing as a school on gratitude, empathy, and kindness. Our classrooms are reading Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and discussing how a simple act of generosity can have a ripple effect, spreading kindness from one person to another. We are seeing that same idea come to life throughout Wacousta! Students who are caught showing kindness can be recognized for being kind by completing a link for our Kindness Chain. The chain is displayed in our front foyer, and students receive a Be Kind bracelet to celebrate their thoughtful actions. Our Kindness Chain is growing every day, and we love seeing all the ways our students are choosing to make Wacousta a kinder place!
Veteran’s Day - Honoring Our Veterans
We took a moment on Veteran’s day to pause and recognize the men and women who have served in the United States.
Many of us have family members, friends, neighbors, or members of our Wacousta community who have served or are currently serving our country. Their service requires courage, sacrifice, and a commitment to something bigger than themselves.
We simply want to say thank you. Thank you to our veterans for serving our country and helping protect the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy every day. We are grateful for you, and we are honored to recognize you today.
Here are a couple simple things you can do with your family to bring awareness and acknowledge veterans in your community:
⏺ Identify and explain the different branches of service.
⏺ Create a front yard display. Have your students help line your sidewalk with small flags.
⏺ Your family can work on creating a “Thank You Veterans” banner to hang in your window or on your front door.
Bond
With the Bond passing, the next steps will be to move into the planning phase. The following diagram shows the slated upgrades for Wacousta Elementary School. We do not currently have a specific timeline for when we will begin the work on our building, but we are excited about the prospects of a new cafeteria and the positive impact it will have for Wacousta students and staff. We’ll provide updates on the timeline when we learn more. Thank you for voting yes and supporting Grand Ledge Public Schools!
Attendance Updates
We are starting to see an increase in student absences and therefore wanted to take a moment to remind everyone of the importance of being at school. While we understand that illnesses, family emergencies, and other unavoidable circumstances arise, regular attendance plays a vital role in a child's academic success, social development, and sense of belonging within our school community. By working together to prioritize consistent attendance whenever possible, we can help every student build the strong habits and foundation they need to thrive. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the district attendance policy found on the district website and in the student handbook.
Wacousta Elementary had 437 students enrolled in the month of October. Our attendance rate for the month was 96%.
The cumulative numbers from the beginning of the school year, August 25, through October 30th, and the percentage rates of attendance by number of students are:
50-79% attendance - 5 students
80-89% attendance - 28 students
90-99% attendance - 348 students
100% attendance - 55 students
Counselor's Connection
Over the past month, all students have been introduced to (or reviewed) the three animals in our brains using the hand model of the brain (prefrontal cortex/Wise Owl, amygdala/Guard Dog, and hippocampus/Memory Saver Elephant). They learned the roles of each part and how our brains respond when we perceive danger. The Guard Dog warns us by barking, the Wise Owl flies away - making our thinking brain go offline - and our bodies go into the fight-flight-freeze response.
To help us in these moments, all students had the opportunity to practice a powerful tool for self-regulation: deep belly breathing! To help bring this skill to life, students lay on their backs with a stuffed animal resting on their bellies. By watching these cozy friends rise and fall with each breath, students got a hands-on feel for how deep breathing can help calm their minds and bodies.
Counselor’s Tips for Parents:
⏺ Create a hand signal for when the Guard Dog barks: Have your child show you how we use our hand to represent the brain. Together, decide on a hand signal you can use at home to nonverbally let others know when the Guard Dog is barking!
⏺ Practice deep breathing with a stuffy: Ask your child to show you how they make their stuffed animal "ride the wave" of their breath. Practice this with them when they’re calm so the next time your child feels stressed or anxious, they already have a familiar, calming tool ready to use.
The Nutcracker - Children’s Ballet Theatre
Looking for something for your family to do over the Thanksgiving weekend? The Children's Ballet Theatre is coming to the Grand Ledge High School Auditorium. Click on the link below to find more information on how to purchase tickets: CBTDance.org
Name! - That! - Plow!
Here’s a fun community activity for your family to participate in! The City of Grand Ledge is preparing for the season of snow plowing, and needs a name for the plow! Please click on this link to be taken to the promotional flier, scan the barcode, and together your family can submit your top choice of name for the plow.
PTIA Fundraiser - Charleston Wrap
We are well into our Charleston Wrap® fundraiser. The funds raised help us to fulfill teacher requests and to support upcoming field trips. Students were able to register as soon as the packets went home. Students are able to earn prizes when people visit their link and also when items are sold. Prizes will be delivered to classrooms on Fridays. The fundraiser runs through December 4th.
Grand Ledge Shopping Tour Toy Drive
Bring holiday cheer to local children. Your donation makes a difference.
The donation barrel for toys and gifts for children has been placed in the vestibule by the front office entrance. The items will be used to provide support for the Grand Ledge Shopping Tour. The shopping tour provides a special holiday event for students in the community who could use a lift during the holidays. You can donate new, unwrapped items to the barrel anytime during the school day until Monday, December 7th. You can also make a monetary donation. The funds will go toward providing a meal and supplementing the gifting endeavor. Please go to this link for gift ideas as well as a link to provide financial support.
Lunch Helpers
We still have plenty of opportunities available for lunchtime help. If you haven’t had a chance to sign up as a lunch volunteer, please click on the link below; We’d love to have you! Lunch Time Help
Volunteering & Chaperoning
Anyone hoping to volunteer for Grand Ledge Public Schools is required to complete the Volunteer Registration Form and be approved prior to serving as a volunteer. All volunteers must check in at the office to receive a BADGE prior to proceeding to any other area on school property. Please visit the district website and complete the District Volunteer Application to complete the process. Please note: the background check takes a week to process, so submit your application in advance based on your volunteer plans.
Cell Phones and Watches
The use of cell phones, smart watches, or any other ECD are prohibited to be used during the school day. It is recognized that some students may need access to these devices for transportation purposes after school and are therefore permitted after dismissal. During school, however, cell phones, smartwatches, and other ECDs shall be turned off and stored away out of sight. If you are concerned that an electronic device might be stolen, broken, or inappropriately used, please do not allow your student to bring it to school.
Wacousta Spirit Wear
Looking for some Wacousta Spirit Wear? Check out our Wacousta Spirit Wear page for some new gear!
November Lunch Menu
Please check out the monthly lunch menu at grandledge.nutrislice.com. The website includes breakfast and lunch menus for all district buildings. You can check for nutritional information, filter allergens, and translate the menu into 50+ languages! We currently provide free breakfast and lunch.
Upcoming Events, District News, & Community Information
To review what the school district shares in newsletters about events, news, and information, please visit http://GLcomets.net/Upcoming.
Allyson Smith, Principal
Wacousta Elementary School
9325 Herbison Rd., Eagle, MI 48822 (517) 925-5940 FAX (517) 925-5970
