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

October 8, 2026

Drills
This week, Holbrook conducted their first severe weather drill. We teach where to go within the building and how to properly protect yourself during severe weather. Holbrook Elementary follows the National Weather Service school guidance. For guidance on severe weather at home, please visit the National Weather Service website. Discussing and practicing drills such as severe weather drills at home is a great way to help your child understand these procedures.

Conferences
Conferences are the week of November 9th, 2026. Conferences are 15 minutes in length and held in the teacher’s classroom, with Friday, November 13th conferences held virtually. Please use this link to sign up for a conference time for your student.

GLPS Bond 2026
Thank you for staying informed about our schools. On November 3, voters in Grand Ledge will be asked to consider a bond proposal that focuses on building and site upgrades. This includes additions and renovations, enhanced safety and security measures, flexible/adaptable furniture, and updated instructional technology. You can find answers to frequently asked questions and more information about the bond on our GLPS website.

Kat Farr, Principal

October’s School Counseling Lesson: Bystander Power
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, making it a great time to talk with students about how each of us can help create a safe, kind, and respectful school community.

This month’s school counseling lesson will focus on Bystander Power, the important role students can play when they see or hear bullying. Research shows that changing how bystanders respond can be a powerful way to reduce bullying. During the lesson, students will learn and practice different ways they can respond, including standing up for others, reporting or helping report bullying, and including others.

At-Home Practice: What Can I Do?
Bystanders have the power to make a difference. Encourage your child to think about what they could do or say if they see someone being treated unkindly or unfairly. Remind them that they do not have to handle a bullying situation on their own. Getting help from a trusted adult is always an appropriate choice.

Use the situations below to start a conversation with your child:
*If I see and hear my friends whispering mean things about a classmate behind her back all the time, I will…
*If I see an older student picking on a younger student on the bus, I will…
*If I see two of my classmates not letting another classmate sit at their lunch table every day, I will…
*If the kids I play with at recess never let another classmate play on the playground equipment, I will…

You can help strengthen your child’s learning by asking, “What could you do? What could you say? Who could you tell?” Remind your child that even small actions such as including someone, speaking up, or getting help from an adult can make a big difference.

BEST DAY EVER WAS THE BEST!
What. A. DAY! Yesterday our Holbrook Comets celebrated their incredible, record-breaking fall fundraiser with Best Day Ever — and we hope your kids came home with LOTS to tell you about!

We cannot say THANK YOU enough to everyone who helped make this event possible. From every family who supported our fundraiser to the amazing volunteers who gave their time yesterday, this celebration truly took our whole Holbrook community.

Our students worked hard, our families showed up BIG, and they absolutely deserved a day dedicated to celebrating them. Thank you for helping us make Best Day Ever live up to its name!

NEXT UP… BOO-GRAMS!
Spooky season is here, and soon you’ll be able to send a little Halloween surprise to your favorite Comets!

Boo-Grams will be available October 16–30, with Boo-Grams being passed out on Friday, October 23 and Friday, October 30.

Last day to order: Thursday, October 29
Payment options: Zeffy, cash, or check

The Zeffy ordering link is coming soon, so keep an eye out for more details!

COMING SOON: TEXAS ROADHOUSE GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER
Just in time for holiday shopping! Holbrook PTO will be holding a Texas Roadhouse Gift Card Fundraiser later this fall.

Friday, November 13 – Monday, December 7

Gift cards make easy holiday gifts for teachers, family and friends — or grab some for yourself and call it supporting PTO while getting out of cooking dinner. We fully support this strategy.

Ordering information and the Zeffy link will be coming soon!

FALL FUNDRAISER SURVEY — WE STILL WANT YOUR FEEDBACK!
Our fundraiser may be over, but planning for the future starts now! The Fall Fundraiser Feedback Survey will remain open through the end of October.  Loved this year’s fundraiser? Have suggestions? Want to see something completely different next year? Tell us! We can’t make meaningful changes without hearing from our Holbrook families.

Complete the survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3mXjsNXcWTnmLxzdWEhhH0jmxe7qKULOrE63aqF3SrgRr0A/viewform?usp=send_form

POPCORN FRIDAYS
Don’t forget about Popcorn Fridays! If you haven’t purchased popcorn for your student yet, there’s still time.

Pay for Popcorn:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/popcorn-fridays-2026–27

POPCORN VOLUNTEERS
Popcorn Fridays wouldn’t happen without our volunteers! If you have some time to help pop, bag, and distribute popcorn to our Comets, we’d love to have you.

Sign up to volunteer:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C0F4AAEAB2FA3FCCE9-64605668-popcorn?useFullSite=false

NEXT PTO MEETING — THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 - 6:00 PM - HOLBROOK CONFERENCE ROOM
PTO meetings are typically held on the first Thursday of each month, unless that date falls on a holiday or a day off from school.  Everyone is welcome! You don’t have to be a PTO member or commit to volunteering. Come hear what’s happening, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of the conversation.

STAY CONNECTED WITH HOLBROOK PTO!
With Boo-Grams, our Texas Roadhouse fundraiser, Popcorn Fridays, and more coming up, make sure you’re following our Facebook page so you don’t miss anything!

Follow Holbrook PTO on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CLvg34vEc/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Thank you, Holbrook families, for continuing to show up for our kids. Yesterday was a pretty perfect example of what our Comet community can accomplish together!

Daily Choice » Blueberry Muffin with Yogurt, String Cheese & Goldfish
Mon., Oct 12 » Mac & Cheese with Garlic Toast
Tue., Oct 13 » Personal Cheese Pizza
Wed., Oct 14 » Chicken Nuggets
Thu., Oct 15 » French Toast Sticks & Sausage
Fri., Oct 16 » Chicken Sandwich

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.

Just a friendly reminder that dental screenings will take place at Holbrook next Tuesday, October 13.  The State of Michigan now requires children entering kindergarten in public school to have an oral health screening. We are happy to offer this screening right here at Holbrook to help families meet this requirement.  If you have already submitted dental screening paperwork from your child’s dentist, your child does not need to participate.  If we haven't received paperwork, your student will screen at school or may opt out.   Thank you for your help in keeping our youngest Comets healthy and smiling!

October is Michigan Library Appreciation Month, dedicated to celebrating the vital impact of all types of libraries across the state.  This year’s theme is “LibrarY2K26: Take Me To Your Library!” and focuses on how much libraries have changed (from card catalogs to Google, from VHS to streaming), yet stayed the same (being a place where people can enjoy reading, discover, learn and connect through books) over the years.

Almcrantz
Arbour 
Barnhill
Houdek
Browning
Cano
Carver
Davis
Diaz
Diller - N/A
Fender
Ford
Griffin
Haney
Harvey
Herington
Kowalesky
Kruse
Long
Mena
Miller
O’Neill
Priese
Sherman
Stevens
Vanderlaan
Warren

*compiled by the PTO

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 9th, for your student to receive the first bag on September 17th.

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 3:30 pm 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!

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 Policy
To ensure every child can participate safely, please do not send edible items for birthdays due to allergies and dietary restrictions. We will celebrate students with songs, books, and other classroom activities. If you would like to send a celebration item, please choose a non-edible item such as stickers, pencils, or small fidgets that can be shared and sent home. This is optional — we will happily celebrate every student who wishes to be recognized on their special day.

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.