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

October 23, 2026

October Awareness: Inclusion Day, Down Syndrome & AAC
During October we celebrated World Inclusion Day, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and AAC Awareness Month. This month we discussed ways to include and celebrate peers who use diverse communication modalities and who have disabilities. Classrooms participated in age-appropriate lessons, read-alouds, and presentations that taught students how to be inclusive and kind peers here at Holbrook. I’m proud of how our students practiced empathy and learned simple, respectful ways to include everyone. Please reach out if you’d like resources to continue these conversations at home or have questions about what we covered.

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.

Important Halloween and Fall Celebration Information
Holbrook staff and students that choose to celebrate Halloween will do so on Friday, October 30. If your family participates in Halloween celebrations, we ask that you please keep our costume guidelines in mind, as we believe that the following will promote a fun, positive climate to the afternoon’s activities:

*Costumes promoting violence, blood, indecency, or involving weapons are not allowed.
*Be original, creative, and/or funny!
*Costume masks are allowed, but there is not enough staff or time to help with make-up. 

Students must be able to get into their costumes with minimal assistance.

The school "Halloween/Fall Celebration Day" is mostly a typical school day, with academics and a regular schedule in the morning and afternoon until the parade at 2:00pm. Students will change into their costumes directly before the parade and class celebrations will follow our parade. Families are welcome to line Jones St. and Green St., as we will parade out of door 13 and proceed to Holbrook’s back parking lot. Lastly, your child's classroom teacher will communicate with you on specific donations or needs for classroom celebrations. We welcome the donation of children's costumes for those that may need one.

Kat Farr, Principal

McKinney-Vento Act
Eaton RESA is committed to helping students in Barry, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton and Shiawassee counties who are experiencing homelessness by coordinating the McKinney-Vento grant. 

The grant was established to provide homeless students the same educational opportunities as housed students by removing as many barriers to learning for homeless students as possible.

Families in these counties who are experiencing homelessness may seek assistance to receive support for transportation, basic supplies, housing assistance and other essential needs by working with their school’s McKinney-Vento District Liaison. 

Students Who May Qualify
They are living in a shelter, car, park, abandoned building, campground, motel, bus/train station or are living “doubled-up” with other people due to loss of housing and economic hardship. The McKinney-Vento Act states Michigan students in kindergarten-12th grade, as well as children enrolled in state or federal funded preschool programs, have the right to:
*Receive a free, appropriate public education
*Enroll in school immediately, even if they do not have documents that are normally required
*Enroll in the local school or continue at their school of origin (determined by the best interest of the student)
*Receive transportation to and from school of origin, if needed 
*Receive meals through federal breakfast and lunch programs
*Receive educational services comparable to other children, according to their needs

If you believe that your family qualifies for this program please contact Nicole Conner, School Counselor via phone at (517) 925-5526 or email at connern@glcomets.net.

BOO-GRAMS ARE IN FULL SWING!
Spooky season is here, and our Boo-Grams are the perfect way to send a little Halloween fun to your favorite Comets!

Whether you’re surprising your own student or helping spread some spooky smiles, don’t miss your chance to participate in this fun Holbrook tradition!

Sales: October 16–30
Delivery dates: Friday, October 23 and Friday, October 30
Order deadline: Thursday, October 29
Payment options: Zeffy, cash, or check

ORDER YOUR BOO-GRAMS HERE:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/holbrook-pto-boo-grams–2026 

Let’s spread some Halloween cheer throughout Holbrook!

COMING SOON — HELP US TREAT OUR AMAZING TEACHERS!
Parent-teacher conferences are coming up, and Holbrook PTO is getting ready to show our incredible teachers and staff some extra appreciation!

We will be organizing meals for our teachers during conference week, and we’d love the help of our Holbrook families to make it happen!

We’ll soon be looking for families willing to donate or contribute items to help provide these meals.

A donation sign-up genius will be coming soon!

Keep an eye out for next week’s newsletter, where we’ll share more details and the sign-up link.

Our teachers do so much for our students every single day, and this is one small way we can come together to show them how much they’re appreciated!

COMING SOON — TEXAS ROADHOUSE GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER!
Holiday shopping that supports our school? YES, PLEASE!  Our upcoming Texas Roadhouse Gift Card Fundraiser is a great opportunity to check some names off your holiday shopping list while supporting Holbrook PTO!

Fundraiser dates: November 13 – December 7

Gift cards make great presents for teachers, family, friends, or anyone who appreciates a good steak! And if you grab one for yourself, we certainly won’t judge.

More information and the Zeffy ordering link will be coming soon!

FALL FUNDRAISER SURVEY — TIME IS RUNNING OUT!
Our record-breaking fall fundraiser was an incredible success, and we are so grateful for the amazing support of our Holbrook families!  But we still want to hear what YOU thought!  Did you love this year’s fundraiser? Would you prefer something different? Have ideas for improvements?  We can’t make meaningful changes without input from our families! Whether your feedback is positive, negative, or somewhere in between, we want to hear it.  The survey closes October 31!

COMPLETE THE SURVEY HERE:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3mXjsNXcWTnmLxzdWEhhH0jmxe7qKULOrE63aqF3SrgRr0A/viewform?usp=send_form 

Your feedback helps us make informed decisions about future fundraisers and what works best for our Holbrook community!

POPCORN FRIDAYS!
Our favorite Friday tradition continues!  Haven’t purchased popcorn for your student yet? There’s still time to join in on the fun!

PAY FOR POPCORN:  https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/popcorn-fridays-2026–27 

POPCORN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
It takes some pretty awesome volunteers to keep those popcorn bags popping! If you have time to help prepare and distribute popcorn, we’d love to have you.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C0F4AAEAB2FA3FCCE9-64605668-popcorn?useFullSite=false 

NEXT PTO MEETING — NOVEMBER 5!
Want to know what’s happening behind the scenes with PTO? Have an idea you’d love to share? We’d love to see you at our next meeting!

Thursday, November 5, 2026 - 6:00 PM - Holbrook Library

PTO meetings are typically held on the first Thursday of each month, unless that date falls on a holiday or day off from school.

Everyone is welcome! You don’t have to be a PTO member or commit to volunteering. Come when you can, share your ideas, and help us continue making Holbrook a great place for our students!

STAY CONNECTED WITH HOLBROOK PTO!
Don’t miss out on Boo-Grams, upcoming fundraisers, school events, volunteer opportunities, and all the fun happening at Holbrook!

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CLvg34vEc/?mibextid=wwXIfr 

Thank you for continuing to support Holbrook PTO! Whether you’re volunteering, participating in fundraisers, sharing your feedback, or simply helping us spread the word, YOU make a difference for our Comets!

Daily Choice » Soft Pretzel with Yogurt and String Cheese
Mon., Oct 26 » Beef & Cheese Soft Taco
Tue., Oct 27 » French Bread Pizza
Wed., Oct 28 » Mini French Toast & Sausage
Thu., Oct 29 » Mini Turkey Corn Dogs
Fri., Oct 30 » Popcorn Chicken

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.

If your child didn't have a photo taken in September or if you are interested in retakes, our make-up day is October 29.  If choosing to have photos retaken, please send the photo packet to school with your child that day.  It'll be turned into the photographers.

FALL BOOK FAIR is coming!!
Our fall Scholastic Book Fair will be held during conference week (November 9 - November 13).

Family Shopping hours will be:
Monday, Nov. 9th, 4-6 pm
Tuesday, Nov. 10th, 5-8 pm
Wednesday, Nov 11th, 4-6 pm
Thursday, Nov. 12th, 5-8 pm
Friday, Nov. 13th, 8 am - 12 pm

Dentists R Us will be here at Holbrook on November 10 & 11. Please see the flyer here for all that they do while in our building. If you need a form sent home with your child, please contact the office at 517-925-5480 or hirschmana@glcomets.net.

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.