615 Jones St., Grand Ledge, MI  48837  |  Phone: 517-925-5480  |  Fax: 517-925-5483
Holbrook Website  | COVID Reporting

School hours are 8:55am-3:55pm.  Please do not drop students off before 8:40am. Students must be picked up by 4pm.

November 14, 2025

Weather
Winter has settled in and it's now essential for our students to be prepared for the cold weather during recess and outside times. Please ensure that your student dresses appropriately for the snow and cold. Proper gear (hats, gloves, winter coat, boots, etc.) help keep kids comfortable and safe while enjoying outdoor activities. If your student is in need of warm gear, please contact the office or Mrs. Connor. Let’s work together to make sure our kids can have fun in the winter while staying warm! 

Conferences
We appreciate you taking the time to meet during conferences this week and for your ongoing partnership in support of your child’s learning and growth. This collaboration helps us create a clearer, more consistent plan for your student’s growth.

When families and teachers work together, students benefit in several important ways:
*Consistent expectations at home and school help students build strong learning habits and routines.
*Shared information about strengths and challenges lets us target instruction and supports where they’re most needed.
*Regular communication keeps goals clear and allows us to monitor progress and adjust strategies quickly.

To help you see how we measure growth, here is a link to the elementary-level proficiency scales for GLPS. These scales provide detailed information about what students are learning and the progression toward mastery, which is a level 3 on the scale. If you have any questions about the scales or would like suggestions for supporting learning at home, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or case manager. Thank you again for your partnership — it makes a real difference.

Kat Farr, Principal

November School Counseling Lesson: Identifying Others’ Feelings
This month’s school counseling lesson focuses on identifying others’ feelings. Your child is learning to identify other people’s feelings based on physical, verbal, and situational clues; and that people can have different feelings about the same situation. Identifying how others feel and understanding that feelings can differ will help children have empathy for others.

To practice at home, ask your child: What clues on someone’s face or body, or in the situation, would help you tell that the person feels embarrassed? What about excited?

Practice Together: Same or Different?
1. Read the scenarios below with your child, and write how each of you would feel for each scenario.
2. Compare the two feelings for each situation. Talk about if you feel the same or different.

Scenarios
*You are getting on an elevator to go to the top of a very tall building.
*There is a big storm outside, and you have to stay home from school or work.
*You are asked to introduce a new person at school or work to everyone else.
*You are listening to ghost stories.
*You are invited to go to the circus.
*Are your feelings usually the same or different?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
*To access local resources visit the Tri-County Community Health Guide.
*To access social-emotional learning resources for home, visit Holbrook’s school counseling website
*To book a phone appointment with Mrs. Conner, visit Mrs. Conner’s booking page.

Couldn’t make it to the in-person Book Fair?   No problem! You can still shop online at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/holbrookelementary.  Online shopping is available from 11/10 - 11/23. Thank  you for  your support!

The next PTO meeting of this school year will be held, Thursday, December 4, 2025. All meetings are held in the Holbrook Library at 6pm. There is a virtual option to attend posted on the PTO Facebook page the day of the meeting. Any staff member, parent, guardian, caregiver or grandparent of a student at Holbrook is automatically a member of the PTO at no cost or obligation. Even if you do not have a lot of time to volunteer, there are many ways to help contribute to the PTO.

PTO meetings will be on the first Thursday each month, unless otherwise scheduled ... 12/4, 1/8, 2/5, 3/12, 4/9, 5/7, 6/4.

Stay Connected with Holbrook PTO!
Please like and follow the Holbrook Elementary PTO Facebook page for PTO updates and volunteer opportunities. Also, check out our Holbrook Spirit Shop, which is live today and will run until Sunday, November 30th. Don’t miss your chance to grab your Holbrook attire and show your school spirit!

Fall Conferences
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated snacks, drinks, and utensils for our Fall Conference! Your generosity helped us fuel and appreciate our amazing staff during this busy time. The PTO is so grateful for your continued support and for making Holbrook such a wonderful school community. 

Help Fuel Our Students! 
We’ve updated our Holbrook Elementary Snack Wish List and could really use your support! Whether it’s a single item or a small bundle, every donation helps keep our students energized and focused throughout the day. Let’s come together to make sure every child has access to nutritious snacks! Your generosity truly makes a difference!

https://a.co/4Hv8Pq4

Survey
We’d love your input, Holbrook families! Please take a few moments to share your thoughts on our PTO fundraising efforts — your feedback helps us plan events and initiatives that truly support our students, teachers, and community. Together, we make Holbrook stronger! 

 

 

Daily Choice » Soft Pretzel with Yogurt and String Cheese
Mon., Nov. 17 » Bosco Sticks & Marinara
Tue., Nov. 18 » Confetti Pancakes & Sausage
Wed., Nov. 19 » Chicken Nuggets
Thu., Nov. 20 » Ham & Cheese Croissant
Fri., Nov. 21 » Beef Hot Dog

Students who bring lunch from home may purchase milk for $0.50 if they choose.

Please note that students do not have access to a microwave for lunch.

Christmas time is right around the corner and the Grand Ledge Shopping Tour committee is looking for our help! The Shopping Tour is an organization here in the GL area that helps provide clothes and a toy for needy children in grades K-4 at Christmas time. Each child is assigned a chaperone for an evening in December and the child and chaperone shop together for clothes for the student. After shopping they go to dinner at a local church and visit with Santa. The dinner food is donated by lots of local restaurants. The toys are donated by school families.

That is where they need our help! If your family would like to donate some toys please send the unwrapped toys to Holbrook on or before Tuesday, December 9. If you would like more information please call the school at 517-925-5480. Thank you!

Attendance Reporting
There are several ways to report an absence at Holbrook. When using any of the options below please include the following information; Child's full name, teacher and the reason for their absences. We keep track of all illness for the Barry-Eaton Health Department.  If your child is going to be tardy please let us know what their choice for lunch is before 9:15 am. Thank you!
1. The fastest way is using 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. Please note: online attendance reporting is not available in the app; it is only available on the website.
2. Email hirschmana@glcomets.net or edgettt@glcomets.net.
3. Call the main office at 517-925-5480. Feel free to call anytime day or night and if you need to leave a voicemail message, please include your student's full name, teacher and the reason for the absence.

Update Contact Information
Do you need to update contact information (email, address, name, emergency contacts, etc. for you, your child, or people associated with your child? Please visit www.glcomets.net/ourschools/holbrook-elementary.

Student Drop Off/Pick Up
When dropping off your child in the drop off line, please make sure your student is able to exit the vehicle themselves with their belongings, otherwise please park and walk them to the crosswalk.

Late Arrivals
If your student is going to be late and needs school lunch, you must call the office by 9:15am to order lunch for them.

Medication Drop Off
If your student will require medication during the school day, you will need to provide the proper paperwork.  All medications must be turned into the office by an adult.  This includes over the counter medications, any ointments, and cough drops.  Medical paperwork can be found on the district website under Parent Resources Medical Paperwork

Blessings in a Backpack
If your student needs additional food at home, the Grand Ledge Blessings in a Backpack program is here. For over a decade, this program has provided bags of food for weekend meals at no cost to hundreds of students in the Grand Ledge area. For students attending school in-person, a bag of nourishing, kid-friendly food will be placed discretely in their backpack or locker at the end of each week during the school year (except during school breaks.) Examples of some of the food items distributed are: macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables, soup, oatmeal, granola bars, fruit cups, and beef ravioli. If you would like your student to participate in the program, please fill out the permission form that went home or request one from the office.  Return the form to the school office by Wednesday, September 11th, for your student to receive the first bag on September 19th.

Lost and Found
The lost and found is located near the gym in playground vestibule. If your student is missing something, please have them check the lost and found. Labeling clothing/items will also help us to return things to students.

Need Hats or Gloves?
Please call the office (517-925-5480) and let us know.  We have a supply of donated items that we'd love to get to your child if needed.

End of the Day Changes
If you need to change end of the day plans for your student, please contact the office prior to 3pm so proper notes can be delivered to classrooms. Thank you so much!!

Illness Reminders
We ask that your child be 24 hours free of fever (without fever reducing medications), vomiting or diarrhea before you send them back to school after they have been out sick.  We appreciate your cooperation with this!

Covid Reporting
To report a positive Covid case, please complete the Covid Reporting Form.

Need Shoes or Boots?
The Old Newsboys Association of Greater Lansing is a nonprofit charitable organization whose sole purpose is to provide footwear to needy school children. This includes well fitting school shoes, warm boots and socks. For, assistance and to obtain a request for footwear form, please contact our office (hirschmana@glcomets.net).

Change of Clothes
Please send in a change of clothing with your student to be left in their locker. Students have spills during lunch or get muddy/wet on the playground. The office supply of clothing is very limited and students are often more comfortable in their own clothing.

Student Birthday Treat Policy
Student birthday treat policy will be up to each individual classroom teacher. Communicate clearly and often with your student’s families regarding your specific policy so they know your expectations. Keep in mind that not all students celebrate birthdays, and not all birthdays are positive for students. Also be sure to be mindful of allergies. Food must be store bought & prepackaged. Encourage healthy snacks at all times.

Raptor Visitor Management System Starting
Grand Ledge Public Schools will continue using the Raptor Visitor Management System to enhance the safety of our school buildings. The Raptor system will better allow us to screen school visitors, providing a safer environment for our students and staff.  School visitors will be screened during the school day before being allowed to leave the main office and enter the school building. School visitors will be asked to present a valid, government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license), and it will be scanned or manually entered into the Raptor system. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of the visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary to drop off an item in the main office or to pick up paperwork from there.

Volunteering & Chaperoning
Persons wishing to volunteer for Grand Ledge Public Schools are 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 District Volunteer Application to complete the process.  If your student will be moving to a different school next year, be sure to select both their current school and the school they’ll be attending.  For example: If your child is currently in 4th grade at Holbrook and will attend Hayes next year, select Holbrook and Hayes on the application. This ensures you’ll be cleared to volunteer at both locations when needed. Applications are valid for one calendar year.