School hours are 8:55am-3:55pm. Please do not drop students off before 8:40am. Students must be picked up by 4pm.
Message from the Principal
January 17, 2025
Cold 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 (hots, 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!
Understanding Grief: A Resource for Elementary Students (see attached) This guide is designed to help parents support young learners navigate the complex emotions that come with loss. It aims to provide you with tools to support your students to express their feelings and understand that grief is a natural part of life.
Kat Farr, Principal
Mrs. Conner's Counselor Corner
January School Counseling Lesson This month’s lesson focuses on compassion. Your child is learning that people can show compassion for others by saying something kind or doing something helpful. Learning about how to show compassion for other people helps children take action on their feelings of empathy and helps them get along well with others.
Things you can ask your child: *What does showing compassion mean? Possible answers: showing you care about others. *What are some ways you can show care and concern for others? Possible answers: listening to them. Saying kind words. Helping them. *When is a time someone might need you to show someone compassion? Possible answers: When someone is feeling sad, lonely, tired, or frustrated. *How do you feel when someone shows you compassion? Possible answers: Happy, special.
Practice at Home: Help your child notice when someone else could use some help or a kind word. For example: *Your father has a lot of dishes to do after dinner. Do you think he could use some help? *It sure looks like Mrs. Sanders could use some help picking up the trash. Can you do that?
Next week your student will be coming home with a flyer for Penny Wars: Penny Wars will be held January 13th - January 24th (prizes for Penny Wars Jan 31st).
The next PTO meeting will be held on Thursday, February 6th. All meetings are held in the Holbrook Library at 6 pm. 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.
Upcoming Popcorn Friday Dates for 2025 are 02/07 03/14 04/04 05/02.
Daily Choice » Build Your Own Pizza! Flatbread, Marinara and Mozzarella cheese Mon., Jan 20 » NO SCHOOL Tue., Jan 21 » Personal Cheese Pizza Wed., Jan 22 » Breaded Chicken Sandwich Thu., Jan 23 » Macaroni & Cheese Fri., Jan 24 » Corn Dog on a Stick
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.
Mrs. Morgan's Message
With the onset of the snow that just doesn't want to stop, the number of wet books being brought in to me in the library is increasing. Please remind your children to make sure that they are not putting their wet snow clothes (boots, mittens, snow pants) on top of their library books in their backpacks. Also remind them that if their library book gets wet, they need to give it to an adult right away so that it can be dried out. Sometimes wet library books are put into the collection bins (without notifying an adult) and aren't discovered until hours (or days) later. At that point, the pages are generally sticking together and mold has started to set in, requiring that the book be replaced.
Upcoming 2024-25 Dates
Jan 20 » NO School - MLK Day
Jan 31 » Penny Wars Rewards
Feb 6 » PTO Meeting 6 pm
Feb 7 » Popcorn Friday
Feb 14 » NO School - Teacher PD
Feb 17 » NO School - President's Day
Feb 28 » PTO Glow Dance 6-8 pm
Mar 6 » PTO Meeting 6 pm
Mar 7 » HALF Day of School
Mar 11, 13, 18 » Conferences
Mar 14 » Popcorn Friday
Mar 21-31 » Spring Break
Apr 3 » KA4/B4 - 4th Grade Field Trip - IQhub
Apr 3 » PTO Meeting 6 pm
Apr 4» TA4/D4 - 4th Grade Field Trip - IQhub
Apr 4 » Popcorn Friday
May 1 » PTO Meeting 6 pm
May 2 » Popcorn Friday
May 14 » 4th Grade Field Trip - Wharton Center
May 23-26 » NO School - Memorial Day Weekend
Jun 5 » PTO Meeting 6 pm
Jun 6 » HALF Day of School - LAST DAY!
Important Information from the Office
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 atps.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.
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 LedgeBlessings 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 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).
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.
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.
Updating Student Contact Information Click this link to update your address, name, phone number, email, emergency contacts, medical updates. To change an address we need two proofs of residency. These are the only forms that we can accept. *Property Tax Statement (the taxes you pay on your home twice a year) *Lease/Rental Agreement (with your name, the address, and the signature pages sign by both the lessee and lessor) *Utility Bill *Mortgage/Home Closing Documents *Cable/Internet Bill *Home/Renter's Insurance
Driver's licenses and voter registration cards are NOT acceptable for this purpose.
You can email the documents to hirschmana@glcomets.net or edgettt@glcomets.net. If you have questions please contact our office at 517-925-5480.
District & Community News
Jan. 15-18 » Pongal
Jan. 21 » World Religion Day
Jan. 24 » International Day of Education
Jan. 27 » International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
Is something missing? Please share with John Ellsworth, GLPS Director of Communications, any additional Recognitions & Acknowledgments you think we should include on this list or upcoming lists – email him at EllsworthJ@GLcomets.net.
Fri., Jan. 24, 2025 » International Day
Cold & Flu Season? Try the GLPS Health Center!
Next Year's School Calendar is Here!
The Board of Education approved a letter of agreement between the school district and the teachers' union regarding the calendar for the next school year. Here is the 2025-2026 GLPS District Calendar. Our website now has two school calendars, one for this this year and one for the next year.