Allyson Smith, Principal at Wacousta Elementary
November 6, 2026
Important Upcoming Dates
November 10: Parent-Teacher Conferences - in person, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
November 11: Veterans Day
November 12: Parent-Teacher Conferences - in person, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
November 13: ½ day of school, dismissal at 12:10 pm
November 13: Parent-Teacher Conferences - virtual, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
November 20: Snack Shop
November 25-27: Thanksgiving Break - No School
November 30: Staff Professional Development - No School
Highlights and Happenings from Ms. Smith
Giving Thanks: During this month of being thankful, we want to recognize all of our Wacousta families and friends who contribute their time to help our students be successful in academics and community interaction. To those who donate their time in our cafeteria to help lunch times run smoothly, to those who come in and work with our students on reading and math, to those who volunteer their time in classrooms to support special celebrations and field trips, and to those who work to create engaging events and activities for our students and families by being involved in or supporting our PTIA…THANK YOU!... for blessing us with your time, talents, and donations. You make a huge difference for our students, as well as our success as a school community.
Parent-Teacher Conferences - Registration
Parent-teacher conferences are a great opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher. It’s a time to celebrate their growth and to talk about how we can continue supporting their learning, both academically and socially-emotionally. We value the partnership we share with our families and encourage everyone to sign up for a conference! Please click HERE to sign up for a conference with your student(s) teacher(s). You’ll need to check your email after completing the first step to select a time slot and finalize registration.
Book Fair - FALL in Love with Reading
Our FALL Book Fair is right around the corner, and you’re invited to come and Celebrate Reading!
The Book Fair brings a wonderful selection of engaging and affordable books for every reading level that kids want to read. It gives students an opportunity to choose their own books and to add books to their library at home.
Students will have an opportunity to preview books and make purchases at school starting on Monday, November 9, until Friday, November 13, and during Parent/Teacher Conferences.
We will also have on display in the Media Center our teachers' Classroom Book Wishes section. The books will have been chosen by the teacher and are at an appropriate reading level and of interest to their classes. We hope you will consider donating a book to your child’s classroom.
Thank you for choosing the school Book Fair. Together, we’ll inspire a love of reading that will last a lifetime! Profits from the Book Fair are used to add books and supplies to our school Media Center.
If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Patrick at 517-925-5940. Thank you for your support!
The Book Fair will be open to “EVERYONE “ during the following hours:
Monday, November 9 - Friday, November 13, 2026 during regular School Hours
Tuesday, November 10 and Thursday, November 12, 5-8 pm. During Parent - Teacher Conference
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
Thursday started our fundraiser! We are officially kicking off our fundraiser with Charleston Wrap® – and we need YOUR help!
This fundraiser is crucial in helping us raise money to fulfill teacher requests and support upcoming field trips. Packets went home with your student today. Students are able to register right away. The fundraiser runs through December 4th.
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.
GLEAP - Christmas Food Baskets
The Grand Ledge Emergency Assistance Program (GLEAP) is currently taking applications for its annual Christmas Food Basket program for families who live in the Grand Ledge School District. Please click on the link below for the application. Once completed, please return it to your child’s classroom teacher or submit it to the office. GLEAP Christmas Food Basket
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
Attendance and Truancy: Reminders
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 below, on the district website, and in the student handbook.
In order to help provide support for students and families, GLPS closely monitors explained and unexplained absences. We also work with families to ensure that as many absences as possible are documented, because undocumented absences can trigger truancy considerations.
Documented Absence (AD) - Absence that includes a note from a professional (ie. doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.) to explain the absence. Absences are only considered documented for the days identified in the note. For example, if a doctor excuses a student for Monday and Tuesday, but the student is absent on Wednesday and Thursday as well, only Monday and Tuesday’s absences are considered documented. Any absence that does not include a note from a professional is considered undocumented.
Explained Absence (AE) - Undocumented absence in which a parent/guardian calls the office or sends a note to alert the school their child will not be in attendance but does not include a note from a professional (ie. doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.). This is important because explained absences are necessary for schools to meet pupil accounting requirements.
Unexplained Absence (AU) - Undocumented absence in which a parent/guardian does not call the office to alert the school their child will not be in attendance.
A student's school will send a letter after 6 full-day undocumented absences and after 10 full-day undocumented absences in a school year, providing you with notice of the absences and outlining steps to help your child attend school regularly.
A student's school will communicate with families if the student has undocumented absences on more than 10% of the first 30 days.
Ten (10) or more days of undocumented absences in a school year can be sent to court. However, GLPS will make every effort to work with you and your student before it gets to that point.
Please note that school-related absences, such as field trips or athletic events, are not factored into any truancy-related processes.
This is the district attendance policy as a standalone document. The district attendance policy is embedded in the board-approved student handbooks, which can be found here on our Family & Student Resources webpage. The standalone document was first shared by Superintendent Bill Barnes on September 13, 2024.
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, smartwatches, 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
