PLEASE join us at Lindemann Elementary for our next PTA meeting on March 5 at 6:30. The district will be at the meeting presenting information on this vote to all three AP elementary PTAs.
Art Exhibition Information!
BROWN AND JUANITA C. FORD ART GALLERY
DOWNRIVER CAMPUS
21000 Northline Rd., Taylor, MI 48180
EXHIBITION • March 4 through March 30, 2020
Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday • 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
artgallery@wcccd.edu
March is Reading Month News!
March is Reading Month One Book, One School
This year to celebrate March is Reading Month, our entire school
will be reading Spring According to Humphrey. That is why our
celebration is called One Book, One School. Spring According to
Humphrey is just one book in a series about Humphrey, the class
hamster at Longfellow School.
Each student will get a book this year! Our goal is that you would
read this book together at home. The book is for your family to keep!
We hope you enjoy reading together as a family. The included pacing
guide outlines the chapters to be read each week. Your child’s teacher
will also be given a book to read and discuss the book in class.
Throughout the month of March we will have a wide variety of
reading themed activities to participate in at home and at school. Also,
attached is a calendar of all of the fun activities we have planned!
Books will be distributed on Thursday, February 27, 2020.
Pacing Guide
To celebrate March is Reading Month at home, we ask that you read Spring
According to Humphrey at home each night. To finish the book by the end of the
month please follow this suggested pacing guide.
March 2-6: Chapters 1-4
March 9-13 : Chapters 5-8
March 16-20: Chapters 9-12
March 23-27: Chapters 13-14
Book Exchange
During the week of March 3 -9, students will be participating in a book exchange on
their library day. Students can bring in up to three books to exchange with gently
used books. Students will be able to exchange the same number of books that
they bring from home, so if a student brings in one book, they will be able to pick
out one book. Look for a flyer coming home with more information.
Unplugged Night
Every Tuesday in March, we ask that you “unplug” from your electronic devices.
While you are unplugged, do fun activities together with your family like: play a
board game, read together, make dinner together, or any other unplugged activity
you can think of.
Wear it Wednesdays
Each Wednesday dress up to celebrate March is Reading Month!
March 4: Dress up as your favorite book character
March 11: Wear a t-shirt with words on it
March 18: Wear a hat with words
March 25: Dress up as Humphrey
DEAR
On Tuesdays and Thursdays each classroom will participate in D.E.A.R, which stands
for Drop Everything And Read! Students can read books from their classroom
libraries or they can bring a book from home.
Guest Readers
Throughout the month of March, Mrs. Byrne, our media specialist, will be arranging
guest readers to come into different classrooms to read. If you would like to be a
guest reader in your child’s class, contact your child’s teacher to schedule a time.
Penny Wars
Save your spare change to bring to school every Monday in March, March 2, 9, 16,
23, and 30. Give your pennies to your class and your nickels, dimes, and quarters to
other classes. Pennies add to your classes total, but other coins count against your
total. The class with the highest total wins! All proceeds will go to future March is
Reading Month events.
Bingo for Books
On March 19, students are invited to play bingo in Arno’s cafeteria. Get a bingo and
win a book! There will be two different times available. Look for more information
about Bingo for Books coming home soon.
Culminating Activity
Friday, March 27, is a half day. Help us celebrate the end of March is Reading Month
by wearing your pajamas and bringing your favorite book to school.
Thank you so much for all of your support for the cookie dough fundraiser. As you know, the district does supply our building with a budget, but there are many programs, supplies, books, super cougar lunches, etc that enhance the educational experience at Arno- and this goes a long way to fund those initiatives! All orders should be here within 2-3 weeks after Feb 21.
The gaming truck will be here on March 11 for all those who sold 20 items or more.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
We are excited to introduce this Social-Emotional & Academic link to parents and staff members. This webpage has been updated and can be found on the District website under the Resources, District, and Department tabs.
Unpaid Food Service accounts are a financial concern for our district. If you are struggling to pay for your child’s breakfasts or lunches on a regular basis, please complete the Free & Reduced meal application below.
**If you believe that you may qualify for free or reduced lunch, we ask that you please submit the application as soon as possible. Our total count for free/reduced lunch also helps the district receive federal funds to run our Title 1 program and help our at-risk students.
Apply for Free and Reduced Meals Online
We are now accepting Free and Reduced Meal Applications Online. Parents and Guardians now have the option of completing a meal application on paper or online.
*Please note* paper applications are available in all school offices and at the free and reduced meal application link below. Click here for the Online Free and Reduced Meal Application
Parents can setup a free account online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ . You will need your child’s student ID number to setup the account and can get the ID number from parent connection, the school office or the FS office. To view your child’s meal account information and/or make payments online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ (link is on our website). There is a small transaction fee charged to make online payments. The lunch program will continue to accept cash or check as we always have.
Community Conversation with Mike Darga- 6:30 Arno Media Center (see below)
Feb. 4
No events
Feb. 5
No events
Feb. 6
No events
Feb. 7
No events
Feb. 10
No events
Feb. 11
No events
Feb. 12
Skating Party 6:00
Feb. 13
African American Artists Assembly
PTA Meeting 6:30
Feb. 14
Early Dismissal 11:30- Teacher PD
Happy Valentines Day!
Feb. 17
No School
Feb. 18
No School
Feb. 19
PTSA Founders Day Banquet 6:00
Feb. 20
No events
Feb. 21
No events
Feb. 24
No events
Feb. 25
No events
Feb 26
No events
Feb 27
No events
Feb. 28
PBIS Reward
ARNO VISION
ARNO ELEMENTARY WILL PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT TO EMPOWER
AND INSPIRE STUDENTS TO BECOME COLLABORATIVE LEARNERS
THAT STRIVE FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Parent Surveys
It’s that time of year already in our school improvement planning where we need to send out surveys to our Arno stakeholders. You will have the opportunity to take a brief survey from the State of Michigan rating some of your experiences here at Arno. The survey will be available until Feb. 7. We will be providing the link to it via email blast on that day, as well as posting it in the blog below. If you are unable to access via computer, we will also have a computer set up in the office if you wish to take it there. Giving us good feedback helps us plan better to meet the needs of every Cougar stakeholder. In addition, students and staff also take a similar survey during the school day.
All of the feedback you provide is then summarized and becomes part of our school improvement plan for the 2020-21 school year. Thank you very much, please click on the link to start the survey:
Arno will be once again doing the Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser starting Feb. 3 to help supplement the many requests we get from staff during the school year such as Spelling City, research-based activities, special project supplies, literacy materials, tech, etc. Last year’s fundraiser helped us purchase many extra classroom supply requests, Playworks training for teachers and lunch staff, Zoo Phonics materials for kindergarten, Super Cougar pizza lunch supplies, an ipad for our Broadcast team, and professional development for teachers.
The PTA has been a tremendous resource for our building with all they have given, however, the many teacher requests received throughout the school year to give our students the very best experiences create a need to seek additional support. Therefore, we have partnered with this company to offer you a choice of items should you choose to purchase any, that would support providing more resources for our teachers. The large envelope coming home on Feb. 3 and will contain all of the information needed (and there is an online order method).
Fundraiser Timeline
February 3 – February 18 Fundraiser Sale
February 18All money and orders due (online payment option available)
Game Truck Prize for qualifying sales: March 11
**Turnover time is about 2-3 weeks, we will contact everyone when the items will be in (before Easter)
On Jan. 30, Arno held its second annual NWEA Rewards Assembly to celebrate student achievement. Students in grade 3-5 had an opportunity to earn an extra recess reward, and a certificate by either reaching their own personal growth goal, or meeting the grade level cut score or above on the NWEA assessment that was taken in January. we also took the Top 10 reading scores in each grade and rewarded them with a movie on Feb. 14. During the assembly, students were recognized with a certificate and another charm for their MSTEP necklace. Congratulations to all of Cougars on their accomplishments!
February is Black History Month!
Every day this month, the Arno Announcements are highlighting a special African American person in history – ranging from Rosa Parks to Lebron James! During these announcement videos, students are learning interesting facts and accomplishments by past and present scientists, athletes, artists, activists and more.
In addition to this special programming, classroom teachers are extending instruction with various activities. In the school library, there is a designated area of books featuring African American characters and book pertaining to African American history.
Keep the conversation going at home! Ask your child who they learned about in each day’s announcements. Use multiple resources to do more research – like YouTube, books from the local library, and visits to museums and institutions that highlight black history, including:
Due to a water main break last month, the choir concert was postponed until Jan 21. So it was wonderful to hear the holiday sounds bringing back Christmas memories from the Elementary Honor Choir. They were outstanding and everyone was surprised with a solo performance from Mr. Hoffman, who announced to the audience that this is his final year in Allen Park. Way to go Honor Choir- you were fantastic!
Community Conversations with Mike Darga
Please join Superintendent Michael Darga and Virginia Winters, Wayne RESA School Culture and Climate Consultant, for an opportunity to engage in dialogue on the critical issues of diversity, race and inclusion. These casual kitchen table-style discussions are designed to provide a safe environment to share and collect feedback from our PARENTS of various ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences.
Purpose:
-To engage all members of the school community in dialogue.
-Deepen our understanding about diversity as a rich resource.
-Equip all Allen Park Students to become responsible and global citizens.
Please mark your calendar for upcoming meeting dates:
– February 3rd. Arno Elementary. Media Center. 6:30 PM
– March 2nd. Bennie Elementary. Media Center. 6:30 PM
– March 23rd. Lindemann Elementary. Media Center. 6:30 PM
Important: Read by Grade Three Updates from the MDE
Allen Park Public Schools is looking for respectful, reliable drivers to join our team. On site shadowing and training is offered for all drivers, new or experienced. CDL Class B Preferred
School Bus Driver’s responsibilities include ensuring proper vehicle maintenance, observing safety and traffic rules, and maintaining order among students while they are on the bus. To be successful as a School Bus Driver you should enjoy working with children and strictly observe passenger transport regulations.
Arno Elementary will provide a system of support to empower
and inspire students to become collaborative learners
that strive for academic excellence
Congrats Mrs. Schultz! Outstanding Educator
The annual Founder’s Day Awards were announced at this month’s PTA meeting. Congratulations to all our winners! The award winners will attend a banquet in their honor in February where they will be recognized for their accomplishments.
Congratulations to our Founder’s Day Winners!
Business Partner: Get Movin Crew (Fun Run)
Outstanding Program: Book Fair- Nicole Adkins and Jackie Brown
Distinguished Service Award: Stacy Sisson
Outstanding Educator: Megan Schultz
Community Conversations on Diversity and Race
Please join Superintendent Michael Darga and Virginia Winters, Wayne RESA School Culture and Climate Consultant, for an opportunity to engage in dialogue on the critical issues of diversity, race and inclusion. These casual kitchen table-style discussions are designed to provide a safe environment to share and collect feedback from our PARENTS of various ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences.
Purpose:
-To engage all members of the school community in dialogue.
-Deepen our understanding about diversity as a rich resource.
-Equip all Allen Park Students to become responsible and global citizens.
Please mark your calendar for upcoming meeting dates:
– February 3rd. Arno Elementary. Media Center. 6:30 PM
– March 2nd. Bennie Elementary. Media Center. 6:30 PM
– March 23rd. Lindemann Elementary. Media Center. 6:30 PM
Congrats to all our students who participated in the year’s PTA Reflections Contest!
Crossing Guard Positions
Please see the posting below:
Traffic Pattern
Parking/Drop-off
As we all need to get our children to school, safety is always the primary concern. We will do our best to help ensure an orderly drop-off/pick-up daily, but we need your help in making that happen.
** No child should run across the street to get into a car, or out.
**Help our traffic issues around school by parking a block or so away and WALKING your child before and after school.
**School traffic flow MUST go clockwise around the school. Make sure that your passenger door is ALWAYS closest to the curb.
**We now have some volunteers for the dropoff/pickup, but we need more. Please contact the office if you can help out!
BE SMART! BE PATIENT! BE CARING! BE KIND!!! BE RESPONSIBLE!!
EXCITING NEWS
Wahoo! Introducing Arno Elementary’s first Facebook page! “LIKE” us to see lots of great updates and photos from school! This format is much easier to share photos in real time, so the blog photo gallery will now be coming to you in the form of Facebook posts! Thank you for promoting this social media platform as a positive way to share the good news and great things happening at Arno!
**I have learned that there is an Arno Elementary Facebook page out there with pictures- this is NOT an official school page- The real Arno Facebook page is titled “Arno Caring Cougars”. Please check the page to make sure it has current photos before you “LIKE” it.
New Year’s Resolutions: 4 Simple Ways to Read More with your Children in 2020
Since it’s a brand new year, you may be thinking about New Year’s resolutions for your family. Does your family have a goal to adopt a healthier lifestyle? Do you think about reducing screen time? Or would you like to spend more time together?
Believe it or not, there are New Year’s resolutions that are healthy for your child’s brain, allow more time to spend with your little one, and are fun! Here’s a hint: your child’s doctor encourages you to do this activity every day. Did you guess what the New Year’s resolution is?
Reading aloud doesn’t have to be limited to your home or only at nap time or bedtime. If you’re a parent of a young child, you know every reading experience does not look the same. Though it seems futile, your child still benefits from hearing you read aloud to them even when it seems they’re not paying attention or are distracted by their surroundings.
To make life a little easier, here’s a list of a few resolutions to help add more reading to your and your child’s day, even the days you are on the move.
New Year’s Reading Resolutions
Resolution #1 for 2020
I will fill wait time with book time instead of screen time.
Goal: Keep some books in your car. Whether you are waiting in line at the grocery store,
a waiting room at the doctor, or preparing a meal in your kitchen, you can share the love of books and reading with your child
Resolution #2 for 2020
I will visit the local library with my children
Goal: Go to your local library and see what services they offer. Go to story time, let your child choose the books they want to check out, ask the librarians for some good book ideas, and of course, check out a book for yourself to model being a reader.
Resolution #3 for 2020
I will make reading part of out family routine
Goal: Read aloud to your child just 15 minutes a day, start with just a few minutes at a time- build it up. Show your child that books are fun and part of what your family life and routines. Be sure that they are also seeing your reading books too!
NHS Tutoring- Important!
Unfortunately, due to some work at the Allen Park library, NHS tutoring will not be running. The work at the library is expected to last from Jan 1-March 31. The NHS advisor is working on alternate plans, an announcement will come about if and when they are able to find a new location.
Help! Volunteers needed for the classroom!
Arno parents are encouraged to sign up and become involved in our Cougar day! Volunteers are such an important part of being partners for your child’s education. If you have not had the chance yet, the volunteer form from Meet the Teacher is below
Report Cards available after 4:00 p.m. via Parent Connect
Dec. 9
No events
Dec. 10
Reflections Breakfast
Dec. 11
No events
Dec. 12
No events
Dec. 13
Half-Day Early Dismissal 11:30
Dec. 16
Arno Christmas Sing A Long 2:30
Dec. 17
Metro Parks 3rd Grade
Honor Choir Concert APAC 6:30
Dec. 18
Kindergarten to Marquis Theater
Dec. 19
No events
Dec. 20
PBIS Reward
**Christmas Break begins at the end of the day
Christmas Break Dec. 21- Jan 5—Classes Resume Jan 6, 2020
Arno Vision
Arno Elementary will provide a system of support to empower
and inspire students to become collaborative learners
that strive for academic excellence
On behalf of all the staff at Arno, we wish you and your family
a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!
Celebrating being a Super Cougar at Rewards Clubs
This month we ran a second version of PBIS Clubs for our students as their monthly reward. Lots of fun clubs for the kids to visit from Legos to book club to drawing an Elf! Providing this incentive is a way of recognizing student effort in following all of our Arno PBIs expectations for behavior. Way to go Cougars!
Conferences
Thank you once again for attending parent/teacher conferences. A strong school/home connection is research proven to make a difference in a child’s education. In addition, please consider contacting your teacher if you are available to volunteer in the building and/or interested in doing projects at home.
Congratulations…
To all of our students who entered the PTA sponsored Reflections contest on “Look Within”. We are so very proud that so many students entered this year. As part of that contest, winners are picked for each category and will go on to the state judging where they can earn additional recognition. All of our winners are below!
Photography
Makenzie Warneck
Literature
Ameria Bellinger
Cecilia Bergman
Visual Arts Primary: k-2
Nina Hegedus
Lainey Sisson
Our breakfast for all students that participated is Dec 10
District-wide Holiday Toy Box Drive
The annual district-wide toy drive for local families, as in the past we are looking for donations of new or gently used clothing and toys. The box for drop off is in the main office at our school until December. Please consider donating something if you are able.
Help! Volunteers needed for the classroom!
Arno parents are encouraged to sign up and become involved in our Cougar day! Volunteers are such an important part of being partners for your child’s education. If you have not had the chance yet, the volunteer form is below:
Fourth grade had an awesome experience at the Parade Company this past month, with up close and personal tour of all the floats that were featured in the Thanksgiving Parade!
Traffic Pattern
Parking/Drop-off
As we all need to get our children to school, safety is always the primary concern. We will do our best to help ensure an orderly drop-off/pick-up daily, but we need your help in making that happen.
** No child should run across the street to get into a car, or out.
**Help our traffic issues around school by parking a block or so away and WALKING your child before and after school.
**School traffic flow MUST go clockwise around the school. Make sure that your passenger door is ALWAYS closest to the curb.
BE SMART! BE PATIENT! BE CARING! BE KIND!!! BE RESPONSIBLE!!
Breakfast and Lunch Program
Parents can setup a free account online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ . You will need their child’s student id number to setup the account and can get the id number from parent connection, the school office or the FS office. To view your child’s meal account information and/or make payments online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ (link is on our website). There is a small transaction fee charged to make online payments. The lunch program will continue to accept cash or check as we always have.
MyPaymentsPlus Free Mobile App available for download on IPhones, Androids and Tablets!!
**If you believe that you may qualify for free or reduced lunch, we ask that you please submit the application that went home in September or pick up a new one from the office as soon as possible. Our total count for free/reduced lunch helps the district receive federal funds to run our Title 1 program and help our at-risk students.
If you are not sure about the guidelines or have
any other questions, please call the office @827-1050
Top Ten Ways to Encourage Children to Read Over Christmas Break
10. Set expectations. I expect my students to continue to read daily over break. I expect the same of my own children at home. I tell them up front that I will be checking in after break and want to know what they read. As a parent, I ask my boys what they are reading each day and talk to them about the book when they’re done. There is not a question of if they will read on a given day, but when and how much.
9. Make plans. . In my classroom we will plan out what we think we will read before we leave for break. In my home we will plan out the best time for us to read, daily. My students know I plan to read a book a day over break. I need to plan ahead so that I have enough reading material to make it over the long break. I ask them to think about the books they are reading – do they need to take more home? My own children ensure they have reading material to read each day. If they don’t, we jump down to number 8. (Or, we jump to number 8 if it is Saturday, rainy, or we’re just in the mood.)
8. Visit a library or a bookstore. Just going to either one of these places is great – you are immediately surrounded by a community of readers! Both of my boys have library cards and a trip to the library is guaranteed during winter break. I immediately head to the new picture books and plop on the floor and read as many as possible. They usually head to the non-fiction books and look for something new on their current obsession. The bookstore is just as wonderful and we could all spend hours there.
7. Connect them to an author. I’ve seen it in my classroom and I’ve seen it at home – when children connect to the authors of the books they are reading, magic happens. Luckily, in this era, this is easier than ever. Kids can tweet out their love of their books to the author who wrote them. Many authors will tweet back. At home and at school we also check out the author’s website. Sometimes you can email them, but even more than that the resources are often incredible. Watch book trailers; find out the story of why they wrote the book, and more.
6. Talk. In my classroom I make time to sit down with each child over the course of two weeks and talk about what they’re reading. This is just as important at home, if not more so. I want to know what my boys are reading and what they are connecting to. I want to be there when they read the sad/hard/scary/funny part and get to discuss the reaction they had. I want to discuss why they feel this is the best series of all time and debate it. We connect through books and the discussion around them strengthens that bond.
5. Make it fun. We hold read-a-thons in my giant bed on a regular basis on the weekends. It’s a great feeling to look up from my cozy spot and see both of my boys curled up near me reading their books. If it is cold outside, we hold our read-a-thons downstairs by the fire with hot chocolate. There are challenges to see who can read the most, book talks to try and convince family members to read the book next, and more.
4. Make it important. When we value something, we devote time to it. By doing so, we show its importance. That’s why when I heard this idea from author Linda Urban; I knew I was going to steal it. In Linda’s family they bring their books to the dinner table on Tuesday nights. Whatever you’re currently reading is welcome. Finger food is on the table for dinner and for the entire meal everyone reads. Let me say that again, everyone reads. Think of the message that sends children!
3. Give books. We give books to everyone on our list. I include my boys on the title discussions for each recipient so they can see the thought that goes into matching the perfect title with the recipient. We talk about how wonderful the gift of a book is because it gives the person we’re giving it to an experience. (For more on giving books, and Chronicle’s #givebooks campaign, check out this link: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/landing-pages/givebooks/)
2. Get books. Books are part of the gift of Christmas in our home. I can think of no better way to send the message that I want you to be a reader than to give books. My boys can tell me titles that they are looking forward to reading and I will purchase them, but I also buy some because I think they will be a good stretch. I also give them gift cards so they can go to the bookstore and pick out their own books. If you are looking for great titles this year, look no further than the Nerdy Book Club nominees for 2013: https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/our-2nd-nerdversary-and-the-2013-nerdy-award-finalists/
1. Be a role model. In the classroom I share my reading life with my students. Returning from Thanksgiving break I will tell them what I read over break and share titles. I want them to know I am a reader. I do the same with my children at home. If I don’t model it, they won’t do it. Be a reader. Magazines, novels, comics, newspapers, etc. – let them see you read. Let them see you react to books. Inspire
Katherine Sokolowski has taught for fifteen years and currently teaches fifth grade in Monticello, Illinois. She is passionate about reading both in her classroom and also with her two sons. You can find her online at http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/ and on Twitter as @katsok.
HealthCorner
Winter time brings some additional challenges to school aside from the cold weather. Below are a few reminders for helping our students to stay safe and healthy at school:
Wash hands frequently — especially after using the restroom, coughing, or sneezing.
Cover your cough — cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue.
Encourage children to put hats and gloves into coat sleeves when hanging among others’ items.
Please report all cases of communicable illnesses or circumstances to our office when reporting your child’s absence.
** Students should be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication before returning to school.
** Students who have been treated for head lice must have a head check in the office before returning to class, even if the head lice was discovered over the weekend.
By reporting these things to our staff, we can limit the spread of germs and other things. The two attachments contain additional information that may be helpful to you. Please know that information related to illnesses is kept confidential. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Brr! The weather has turned chilly! Please send your child to school with a warm coat daily. It’s always a good idea to dress in layers to adapt to changing temperatures. Please label your child’s jackets and sweaters so they can find their way back to their owners if left somewhere. The Lost & Found is currently full of items needing to be claimed!
Wishing all of our Arno Families a Wonderful Thanksgiving!
ARNO VISION
ARNO ELEMENTARY WILL PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT TO EMPOWER
AND INSPIRE STUDENTS TO BECOME COLLABORATIVE LEARNERS
THAT STRIVE FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Happy Halloween!
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Please mark your calendar for Nov. 20 & 21 as parent/teacher conferences are just around the corner. The sign up links for your child’s teacher are below. Be sure to click the link to get a time slot. The annual PTA Book Fair will be that same week this year with a parent night to purchase on November 20 & 21 until 7:30.
Picture retake day is Nov. 14. For those students who would like to get their picture retaken and bought a package, they MUST bring their package down to the cameras for an even exchange.
From the District
We are excited to announce that with our most recent bulk purchase, APPS is able to offer families our educational discounted pricing on Chromebooks – Lenovo 100E Generation 2 – with 4 GB RAM for $170. (25% savings over current Amazon price)
If you are interested in taking advantage of this offering for your student(s), please see the attached letter for more info! (Great holiday gift!)
Many of our teachers maintain educational websites or blogs- please see the list to see of your teacher has a site to access. Some teachers also use other means of communicating such as class dojo, so there may be alternate tech piece for your teacher not listed here- you can contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions.
We had a terrific turnout for our third annual Preschool meeting with parents and their preschooler. This is an event that is open to all of our local preschools in the area and is designed to give parents a better understanding of the skills that their child will need as they enter kindergarten next fall. We had over 53 amazing families from various preschools attend the event, well more than the amount over last year.
A huge thanks to our staff , Nickie Stanley, Cristina Mercer, Beth Wesley and Cassie Harrison, as well as our Bennie colleagues for an excellent job on helping our future kindergartners be better prepared for next year.
The presentation slides can be seen below- there will be Part 2 of Building up to Kindergarten in the winter.
As we all need to get our children to school, safety is always the primary concern. We will do our best to help ensure an orderly drop-off/pick-up daily, but we need your help in making that happen.
** No child should run across the street to get into a car, or out.
**Help our traffic issues around school by parking a block or so away and WALKING your child before and after school.
**School traffic flow MUST go clockwise around the school. Make sure that your passenger door is ALWAYS closest to the curb.
**We now have some volunteers for the dropoff/pickup, but we need more. Please contact the office if you can help out!
BE SMART! BE PATIENT! BE CARING! BE KIND!!! BE RESPONSIBLE!!
EXCITING NEWS
Wahoo! Introducing Arno Elementary’s first Facebook page! “LIKE” us to see lots of great updates and photos from school! This format is much easier to share photos in real time, so the blog photo gallery will now be coming to you in the form of Facebook posts! Thank you for promoting this social media platform as a positive way to share the good news and great things happening at Arno!
**I have learned that there is an Arno Elementary Facebook page out there with pictures- this is NOT an official school page- The real Arno Facebook page is titled “Arno Caring Cougars”. Please check the page to make sure it has current photos before you “LIKE” it- The most recent post is on a lesson from Mrs. Byrne.
So what’s happening with the blog?
The blog, after a post on Oct. 11, will then only be updated once monthly on the first Friday of every month. It will still contain a calendar and other news, but will no longer contain pictures- those will be on the Facebook page.
Of course, as always, if you have a concern or question, please contact me directly by email or by calling our office. I am here to help you in any way you need.
Free NHS Tutoring is Back!
Help! Volunteers needed for the classroom!
Arno parents are encouraged to sign up and become involved in our Cougar day! Volunteers are such an important part of being partners for your child’s education. If you have not had the chance yet, the volunteer form from Meet the Teacher is below
ARNO ELEMENTARY WILL PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT TO EMPOWER
AND INSPIRE STUDENTS TO BECOME COLLABORATIVE LEARNERS
THAT STRIVE FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
TrafficPattern
Parking/Drop-off
As we all need to get our children to school, safety is always the primary concern. We will do our best to help ensure an orderly drop-off/pick-up daily, but we need your help in making that happen.
** No child should run across the street to get into a car, or out.
**Help our traffic issues around school by parking a block or so away and WALKING your child before and after school.
**School traffic flow MUST go clockwise around the school. Make sure that your passenger door is ALWAYS closest to the curb.
**We now have some volunteers for the dropoff/pickup, but we need more. Please contact the office if you can help out!
BE SMART! BE PATIENT! BE CARING! BE KIND!!! BE RESPONSIBLE!!
EXCITING NEWS
Wahoo! Introducing Arno Elementary’s first Facebook page! “LIKE” us to see lots of great updates and photos from school! This format is much easier to share photos in real time, so the blog photo gallery will now be coming to you in the form of Facebook posts! Thank you for promoting this social media platform as a positive way to share the good news and great things happening at Arno!
**I have learned that there is an Arno Elementary Facebook page out there with pictures- this is NOT an official school page- The real Arno Facebook page is titled “Arno Caring Cougars”. Please check the page to make sure it has current photos before you “LIKE” it- The most recent post is on a lesson from Mrs. Byrne.
So what’s happening with the blog?
The blog, after a post on Oct. 11, will then only be updated once monthly on the first Friday of every month. It will still contain a calendar and other news, but will no longer contain pictures- those will be on the Facebook page.
Of course, as always, if you have a concern or question, please contact me directly by email or by calling our office. I am here to help you in any way you need.
Time to get those costumes on the kids and come on down to Arno on Oct. 31 at 10:00 for our annual Halloween Parade. Our route will take us out of the 5th grade doors that morning, making a loop on the inside perimeter of the playground. Please join us around the outside perimeter of the playground for the best seats. It is a district PD day with an 11:30 dismissal that morning.
Free NHS Tutoring is Back!
Help! Volunteers needed for the classroom!
Arno parents are encouraged to sign up and become involved in our Cougar day! Volunteers are such an important part of being partners for your child’s education. If you have not had the chance yet, the volunteer form from Meet the Teacher is below
Please remember to drop off any lunches, folder, homework, etc in the cabinet that is outside of the main doors (Be sure to put a sticky note on with their information). The secretary will then go get all of the items in there and be sure to get it to your child. This helps to keep the office clear which helps everything run smoother. Thank you for your help!
VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECKS
In order to protect the safety of all of our students, any family member who plans to regularly volunteer in the classroom, or chaperone a field trip must complete the background check information below. This paperwork is also available in our Arno office. Unless you are planning to begin as a regular volunteer, or chaperone a field trip within the next month, please refrain from completing this paperwork in advance. It is most effective if the requests are processed within a few weeks of the intended volunteer experience. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! Volunteer-Background-Check-Authorization-Form-2-2f9d6ta-1unseow-27li2bfICHAT-Volunteer-Letter-2-1wr1z3p-zjrwpf-1esyvyz
PBISSmencils for Sale
Smencils will be sold on Tuesday afternoons at 2:30p. The proceeds from Smencils benefits the PBIS program at Arno. With the funds, we are able to have great monthly incentives such as pizza lunches for Super Cougars and Zumba. The prices for items are as follows:
Smencils: $1
Smens: $2
Smencils Pouches: $8
Happy Smelling!
Fromthe District
AP Rotary Club – Blaze Pizza Fundraiser
Enjoy yourself and support the AP Rotary by dining at Blaze Pizza on Wednesday, October 9 from 5:00-8:00 pm. Proceeds will benefit the literacy programs in the APPS elementary schools and help fund improvements to Milward Rotary Park. (Flyer attached)
Blood Drive – AP KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
October 9 – 1:00-6:45 p.m. at Crystal Park Banquet Hall
Swim Lessons & Aqua Tots Fall Lessons
Thru AP Community Services (flyer attached)
Walk to Fight Suicide
The Downriver Out of the Darkness Walk to fight suicide is Sunday, October 13 at Lake Erie Metropark, Brownstown – details attached.
On Thursday, October 24th the Stop Underage Drinking/Drugs (SUDDs) Coalition will be hosting an event titled “Underage Drinking:When it Stops Being Fun”.
This event is for parents, students, and anyone else concerned about alcohol misuse among youth. The Coalition will have several professionals in law enforcement, the health field, recovery, and prevention covering this topic.
The event is free and open to all members of the public. The Coalition is inviting all students, parents, caretakers, and staff to attend.
Event: Underage Drinking Town Hall
Date: Thursday, October 24th
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm
Location: 16703 Fort St. Southgate, MI 48195
Thank you so much to our PTA for funding GoNoodle!!
Coming soon to Arno…
Sept. 30
PBIS Rewards
Reflections Contest Kickoff
Oct. 1
Fire Drill
Oct. 2
Student Count Day
Reading Log Reward Recess
Oct. 3
PTA Meeting 6:30
Oct. 4
Early Release 11:30
Oct. 7
No events
Oct. 8
No events
Oct. 9
3rd Grade to River Raisin
Oct. 10
Hearing Tests
Oct. 11
No events
Arno Vision
Arno Elementary will provide a system of support to empower
and inspire students to become collaborative learners
that strive for academic excellence
Thank you for another memorable Fun Run!
From the PTA
It’s Fun Run time!!! Donations can still be submitted until October 4th so please please please keep sharing it on social media, through texts and emails! The Fun Run will be on September 27th and the schedule for when your child will be outside running will be sent home soon.
The next PTA meeting will be held on October 3rd at 6:30 p.m. Spirit wear will be sold that night, come see our new designs and new colors! We hope to see you there! Bring grandma, auntie, daddy & uncles too! Don’t forget, you can still sign up for the PTA at all the meetings, events and online!
Don’t forget that October 4th is a half day for your littles.
Membership drive is still in high gear, when you sign up to become a PTA member online you can also buy extra Western Stamps for your littles!
Halloween skate party is coming up on October 24th from 6-8 p.m. Have your kiddos put on their costumes and come skate with us!!! There will be a Halloween costume contest too!
Reflections kickoff is September 30th! The theme this year is Look within. Encourage your child to show their special talent in Art with the rest of the school!
Last but definitely not least is our Buffalo Wild Wings Fundraiser on October 16th! Come visit and support Arno’s PTA! A portion of your meals profits come to our PTA to help out our amazing caring cougars!
Dr. Warren (Board of Education) reads delights Arno students
Last week Dr. Warren paid a visit to Arno and all of our classrooms introducing herself and reading to some of our excited Cougar rooms. Thank you Dr. Warren- please visit again soon!
Free NHS Tutoring is Back!
Book Swap Numbers
What another great turnout we had for our summer book swap! If you still have books at home, please return them to your child’s teacher. Check out our numbers below- especially the minutes read!
Thank you!
Total # of Attendees at Book Swaps: 175
Total # of Students who turned in reading logs: 69
Total # of Students who read over 1000 minutes: 34
Total # of Minutes Read: 70263
The extra recess earned for those over 1000 minutes will be on Oct. 2 with Mr. Zielinski
Help! Volunteers needed for the classroom!
Arno parents are encouraged to sign up and become involved in our Cougar day! Volunteers are such an important part of being partners for your child’s education. If you have not had the chance yet, the volunteer form from Meet the Teacher is below
Back-to-school means back to after school activities! Explore Allen Park Community Center’s youth programs. Guaranteed to strengthen your child’s creative muscles while building self-confidence.
Junior Chef:create delicious dishes while learning kitchen basics. The best part is tasting your food!
Allen Park Dance Accepting new dancers! (Discover Dance, Ballet, Tap, Broadway Jazz, Hip Hop) Classes start for dancers as young as 3.
Has your living room become a stage? Youth Theater Auditions for Junie B. Jones will take place Friday, October 4 at 5:30pm. No experience necessary!
We are excited to announce the return of the Playworks company to continue implementing their organized recess play program for all of our new lunch parapros. Playworks reps worked with our parapros for four days that included lots of games and strategies to use on the playground, as well some of our teachers and their students also were treated to some lessons! We are up and running and ready to make recess even more fun!
Arno Lunch Parapros pose for their Playworks Completion
Halloween Parade
Time to get those costumes on the kids and come on down to Arno on Oct. 31 at 10:00 for our annual Halloween Parade. Our route will take us out of the 5th grade doors that morning, making a loop on the inside perimeter of the playground. Please join us around the outside perimeter of the playground for the best seats. It is a district PD day with an 11:30 dismissal that morning.
Getting our Cougars moving!
Mrs. Smalley’s Cougars planking..
PBIS Smencils for Sale
Smencils sales will begin again starting Oct. 8th! Smencils will be sold on Tuesday afternoons at 2:30p. The proceeds from Smencils benefits the PBIS program at Arno. With the funds, we are able to have great monthly incentives such as pizza lunches for Super Cougars and Zumba. The prices for items are as follows:
Smencils: $1
Smens: $2
Smencils Pouches: $8
Happy Smelling!
Drop off for student items
Please remember to drop off any lunches, folder, homework, etc in the cabinet that is outside of the main doors (Be sure to put a sticky note on with their information). The secretary will then go get all of the items in there and be sure to get it to your child. This helps to keep the office clear which helps everything run smoother. Thank you for your help!
VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECKS
In order to protect the safety of all of our students, any family member who plans to regularly volunteer in the classroom, or chaperone a field trip must complete the background check information below. This paperwork is also available in our Arno office. Unless you are planning to begin as a regular volunteer, or chaperone a field trip within the next month, please refrain from completing this paperwork in advance. It is most effective if the requests are processed within a few weeks of the intended volunteer experience. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! Volunteer-Background-Check-Authorization-Form-2-2f9d6ta-1unseow-27li2bfICHAT-Volunteer-Letter-2-1wr1z3p-zjrwpf-1esyvyz
Traffic Pattern
Parking/Drop-off
As we all need to get our children to school, safety is always the primary concern. We will do our best to help ensure an orderly drop-off/pick-up daily, but we need your help in making that happen.
** No child should run across the street to get into a car, or out.
**Help our traffic issues around school by parking a block or so away and WALKING your child before and after school.
**School traffic flow MUST go clockwise around the school. Make sure that your passenger door is ALWAYS closest to the curb.
BE SMART! BE PATIENT! BE CARING! BE KIND!!! BE RESPONSIBLE!!
Breakfast and Lunch Program
Parents can setup a free account online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ . You will need their child’s student id number to setup the account and can get the id number from parent connection, the school office or the FS office. To view your child’s meal account information and/or make payments online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ (link is on our website). There is a small transaction fee charged to make online payments. The lunch program will continue to accept cash or check as we always have.
MyPaymentsPlus Free Mobile App available for download on IPhones, Androids and Tablets!!
**If you believe that you may qualify for free or reduced lunch, we ask that you please submit the application that went home in September or pick up a new one from the office as soon as possible. Our total count for free/reduced lunch helps the district receive federal funds to run our Title 1 program and help our at-risk students.
If you are not sure about the guidelines or have
any other questions, please call the office @827-1050
Arno Elementary will provide a system of support to empower
and inspire students to become collaborative learners
that strive for academic excellence
From the PTA
Fun Run is coming up on September 27th! The link has been opened for registration of your student and Flyers have been sent home! You are all invited to come cheer on your Caring Cougar the day of the Fun Run! Times your student will be running will be posted in the next few weeks, so you can put it on your calendar!
Spirit Wear will be sold at every Arno Elementary Event and PTA meeting with two brand new designs! The shirts have Minecraft and the Unicorn designs! In grey for both designs or pink for the Unicorn design and green for Minecraft! Check out our Facebook page to see what they look like! We also have a select amount of last years designs available on sale for $5!
Reflections kickoff is September 30th! The theme this year is Look within. Encourage your child to show their special talent in Art with the rest of the school!
We still need a chairperson for end of the year skate parties, Buffalo Wild Wings Fundraiser, and spring and Holiday fever. Thank you Nikki Adkins for Chairing the book fair and Jennifer Hook for chairing our Halloween and Valentines day skate parties. If you are available and want to Chair this event please let out PTA know either by email or through Facebook!!!
If you haven’t joined the PTA and would like to do so, you can sign up online at arnopta@memberhub.com/dues and while your their add an extra western stamp or two for your Cougar! Help boost their class up for prizes!! The 1st place will get a pizza party and $100 dollars in book fair dollars to shop at the book fair! 2nd place will get a popcorn party and $50 in book fair money, 3rd place winners will get a rice krispy treat party and $25 in book fair money!! Come join this amazing group of ladies and gents that run Arno’s PTA and help raise money for your child at the same time!
If you have not yet handed in your child’s summer reading log, please sure to do that by early next week. Also a reminder to send the 3 books that were issued back to school so we have a supply for next summer. Thanks!
Thanks for Attending!
Thank you to all of our families that attended Meet the Teacher last night, it was out pleasure to see everyone who is excited about this school year! As always, please stop by, call, or email if you have any questions or concerns= my door is always open.
We will rise to new heights this year!
Steve Zielinski, Principal
Meet the Teacher Night with our Title I Annual Meeting,
PTA Spirit Wear Sale, and updates on the
3rd grade reading law
Are you a Member of the Arno PTA?
We are excited to announce the return of the Playworks company to continue implementing their organized recess play program for all of our new lunch parapros. They will be with for four days next week out at lunch recess, working with some teachers and their students, as well as ongoing training during the day. We look forward to the return of this research-based approach to organized fun.
Download the Allen Park Public Schools app from AppStore or Google Play
Make sure you allow Push Notifications from the app
Click Menu → My Channels
Click Parents → Click the checkmark next to Arno Elementary
Click SAVE at the bottom
VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECKS
In order to protect the safety of all of our students, any family member who plans to regularly volunteer in the classroom, or chaperone a field trip must complete the background check information below. This paperwork is also available in our Arno office. Unless you are planning to begin as a regular volunteer, or chaperone a field trip within the next month, please refrain from completing this paperwork in advance. It is most effective if the requests are processed within a few weeks of the intended volunteer experience. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! Volunteer-Background-Check-Authorization-Form-2-2f9d6ta-1unseow-27li2bfICHAT-Volunteer-Letter-2-1wr1z3p-zjrwpf-1esyvyz
5 reasons you should volunteer at your child’s school
As parents, most of our plates are not only full but overflowing; our schedules are so tight they’re cutting off blood flow and our to-do lists are endless. The last thing any of us truly wants to do is commit to another project, group, or organization.
But there’s one area where we shouldn’t be cutting corners or making excuses, and that’s volunteering at our child’s school. The ongoing social, academic and emotional success of our kids relies heavily on the amazing network of parents and guardians.
You might think you don’t have anything to offer, or that someone else is better fit to volunteer their time. But passing the buck is exactly why so many volunteers end up burned out; it’s always the same five people going to the meetings, planning the events, executing the fundraisers, counting the money, and cleaning up other people’s messes. If you’re a parent or a guardian, and your child goes to school, you have an obligation to find a way to volunteer.
Now, before you show up on my doorstep with your pitchforks in hand, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: volunteering doesn’t have to be painful.
Here are five reasons why should get involved (and how to do it without getting overwhelmed).
It takes a village: As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and the same is true for creating and maintaining a positive and nurturing school environment for an entire student body. While teachers and administrators are responsible for providing enriching academics and professional support, school is much more than just a place where worksheets are distributed and graded. Building a tight knit community of volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to building a solid foundation of support creates a lasting impression on staff and students alike. But planning events, organizing fundraisers, donating time and energy to cleaning up and beautifying the campus, and using professional and personal connections to benefit the school takes some serious manpower. Your child’s school is the village and you, my friend, are a villager, so get to work.
A little goes a long way: Maybe you work full time. Maybe you run a Girl Scout troop. Maybe you haven’t had a decent shower since your firstborn arrived in 2004. I’m busy too, and odds are so are the other parents at your child’s school. The big mistake here is thinking volunteering has to be an “all or nothing,” thing. It doesn’t. When it comes to helping out, a little can really go a long way. Spending once a week or even once a month making copies, distributing fliers, sending out emails, or painting posters takes the edge off of someone else who’s probably already doing more than their fair share. So check your calendar and figure out how much time you can really devote to volunteer work, then make a commitment and stick to it.
Everyone has something to offer: I get it – you can’t bake your way out of a paper bag. Or maybe you have the social skills of an aardvark. Volunteer work at your child’s school can certainly seem daunting if you buy into the idea that you have to be Martha Stewart or have the personality of a politician to contribute anything of worth. But volunteering is so much more than decorating the perfect holiday cupcakes or greeting parents during school events. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work to be done that doesn’t require anything other than a true willingness to give your time and energy. Everyone is good at something which means everyone has something to offer. Library books are just begging to be organized in school libraries across the county, fundraising ideas are just waiting to be discovered and implemented, and emails about upcoming meetings are dying to be typed out and sent. What are you good at? How can you apply your skills and passions to your child’s school community? In other words, don’t sign up as the PTA treasurer if you barely passed 10th grade Algebra — you’ll hate what you’re doing and end up quitting (and maybe even bounce some checks while you’re at it). The trick is to find your niche and apply it to volunteer work accordingly.
Your child will benefit: Some parents take for granted that their child continues to benefit from the hard work of others. School is so much more than just drop-off and pick-up, yet a large percentage of moms and dads regard the place where their child spends the majority of their childhood as nothing more than an overcrowded babysitting agency. The majority of assemblies, teacher wish list items, book fairs and special events are organized and implemented by volunteers who believe your child is worth the extra effort. Helping to oversee some of these programs and projects will give your child a more meaningful school experience — and that should be motivation enough for anyone.
You’ll feel good: Not only will your volunteer efforts pay off by enhancing your child’s experience on campus, you’ll feel pretty good about yourself too. Doing for others feels right, and it’s contagious. Plus those “I’m a volunteer!” stickers you get to wear are pretty awesome (sometimes I purposely leave mine on long after I’ve left my sons’ campuses while I run errands throughout the day; it’s a badge that says I care about my community and makes me feel kind of special). I’m not going to try and sell you on volunteer work without tapping into the fact that it’s sure to get those feel-good endorphins flowing.
So do your child’s school – and yourself – a favor: become a volunteer in whatever capacity you are able to, and get ready to get your buzz on. I’ll be looking for you and your giant sticker in the Starbucks line.
Traffic Pattern
Parking/Drop-off
As we all need to get our children to school, safety is always the primary concern. We will do our best to help ensure an orderly drop-off/pick-up daily, but we need your help in making that happen.
** No child should run across the street to get into a car, or out.
**Help our traffic issues around school by parking a block or so away and WALKING your child before and after school.
**School traffic flow MUST go clockwise around the school. Make sure that your passenger door is ALWAYS closest to the curb.
BE SMART! BE PATIENT! BE CARING! BE KIND!!! BE RESPONSIBLE!!
Breakfast and Lunch Program
Parents can setup a free account online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ . You will need their child’s student id number to setup the account and can get the id number from parent connection, the school office or the FS office. To view your child’s meal account information and/or make payments online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ (link is on our website). There is a small transaction fee charged to make online payments. The lunch program will continue to accept cash or check as we always have.
MyPaymentsPlus Free Mobile App available for download on IPhones, Androids and Tablets!!
**If you believe that you may qualify for free or reduced lunch, we ask that you please submit the application that went home in September or pick up a new one from the office as soon as possible. Our total count for free/reduced lunch helps the district receive federal funds to run our Title 1 program and help our at-risk students.
If you are not sure about the guidelines or have
any other questions, please call the office @827-1050
On behalf of the entire Arno staff, I would like to welcome all of our wonderful families back to another great school year! I would also like to extend a warm welcome to those families who are new to our building this year, a truly remarkable year awaits you. We are very excited to get started with much anticipation of Cougar success. I am so very proud of all the work our staff and students are doing at Arno. The M-STEP results that will be coming out for our 3-5th graders have shown significant increases over last, especially in Language Arts. We implemented many different programs last year to help better prepare our students for all testing circumstances they encounter throughout the year, including NWEA (3 times a year tested). I look forward to all of our future accomplishments this year as we help all of our students at Arno master their academics!
We also continue to look forward to all of the fun PTA events, assemblies, Arno Olympics and camp to name a few. I believe in all of our students and staff here at Arno and I know it’s going to be an unbelievable year of accomplishment!
CLASS ASSIGNMENT INFO
Student schedules will be available today, August 30, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.
Please be sure you have completed all of the Back to School updates that are necessary in order to access your child’s teacher.
New MiSTAR App
The wait is over…Parent Connect just got a whole lot easier to access
Arno Elementary will provide a system of support to empower
and inspire students to become collaborative learners
that strive for academic excellence
MEET THE NEW FOLKS…
STAFF CHANGES FOR 2019-2020
So many new changes and classroom changes for this school year. Please help me welcome all of our new staff for the 2019-20 school year.
Erica Saville- School Social Work
Hello, Arno family! My name is Erica Saville and I’ll be your new School Social Worker! I got my MSW from the University of Michigan (go Blue!) and have worked in neighboring districts for the last 5 years. Outside of school, I love spending time with my own sweet daughter and husband, and traveling to visit my family. We are particularly fond of the National Parks, so look for my souvenir stickers in my office. I am so excited to be joining this team and can’t wait to get to know the Arno staff, students and families!
Lindsay Garza- 5th grade
Hello!
My name is Lindsay Garza and I am excited to be joining the Arno team this year. Teaching has always been a passion of mine, even as a child. Growing up my dream of being a teacher never wavered. I graduated from Alma College with a bachelors in Elementary Education in 2016. After graduation I was given an opportunity to pursue another passion of mine, coaching cheerleading at the collegiate level. I coached at Alma College for two years and won two national championships in the process! In 2018 I moved back to the Downriver Area to finally become a teacher. I was a substitute teacher in a number of schools for the 2018/19 school year, which also included a long term substitute position in Gibraltar schools. I’m excited to finally live my dream of being a teacher and sharing my love of learning with others!
Fun Facts:
– I have a dog named Aria
– My favorite color is blue
– I love tacos!
– I love traveling abroad! So far I’ve been to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, England, and Costa Rica!
– I can do a back flip
Ciara Zuke- 5th grade
My name is Ciara Zuke. To fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, I attended the University of Michigan – Dearborn and received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in 2018. I student taught in Southgate, Michigan in a fourth-grade classroom. I plan on going back to school to obtain my Master’s Degree.
This year will be my very first year of teaching in my own classroom, and I am very excited to be teaching 5th grade! I began my teaching career as a substitute teacher in Allen Park and Southgate and continued as a Title 1 Math and Reading Interventionist in Southgate. I have worked with students from Kindergarten through 5th grade. I am also a lifelong Allen Park citizen! I attended Arno Elementary, Allen Park Middle School, and Allen Park High School and still currently live in Allen Park. I am very thankful to be starting my teaching career back at Arno!
Emilie Talamonti- 4th grade
Hello! My name is Emilie Talamonti and I am a new teacher at Arno Elementary this upcoming school year. I graduated from Michigan State University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. In 2018, I obtained a Master’s Degree from Eastern Michigan University in Learning Disabilities. I have been teaching fourth grade for the past five school years. When I am not teaching, I enjoy cooking and being outside with my family. I am so excited to join the Arno team!
2019-20
Young fives
Jeanine Haskin
Kindergarten
Cassie Harrison
Kindergarten
Nickie Stanley
Kindergarten
Cristina Mercer
First Grade
Julie Martinchick
First Grade
Barb Pushman
First Grade
Dawn Watson
Second Grade
Nicole Amonette
Second Grade
Alexandra Cervantes
Second Grade
Megan Schultz
Third Grade
Sarah Kalis
Third Grade
Renee Guyot
Third Grade
Rachel Warneck
Fourth Grade
Megan Johnson
Fourth Grade
Emilie Talamonti
Fourth Grade
Brian Trionfi
Fifth Grade
Ciara Zuke
Fifth Grade
Lindsay Garza
Fifth Grade
Erin Higgins
Cross Categorical Classroom
Katie Jensen
ECP Program
Sara Bleau
Life Skills
Stella Boyer
Media Lit Arno/Bennie
Colleen Byrne
Media Tech Arno/Bennie
Carrie Solak
Art Arno/Bennie
Elisabeth Cunningham
Art Arno/Lindemann
Rachel Trapani
Speech
Andrea Alvarez
Vocal Music
Tracy Hoffman
Instrumental/Vocal Music
Jeff Skebo
Physical Education Arno/Bennie
Lisa Smalley
Social Work Arno/Bennie
Erica Saville
Resource Room
Michele Sbonekk
Reading Coach/Title I
Beth Wesley
Summer Book Swap
It was another great summer of swapping as we saw many students up here at Arno looking for new books- we are so PROUD of our Cougars ! Now that summer is over, we need to set up the return of the books so that we have good stock for next summer’s swap. Please plan on sending in your child’s summer books by Friday, Sept. 6 to their teacher. Returning the bag is optional, but if it’s in good shape- you may return that as well. Ms. Stanley will need all summer reading logs as well as the students may have earned an extra recess and popsicle in early October.
NEW: Receive push notifications on the AP app!
Download the Allen Park Public Schools app from AppStore or Google Play
Make sure you allow Push Notifications from the app
Click Menu → My Channels
Click Parents → Click the checkmark next to Arno Elementary
Click SAVE at the bottom
From the PTA
Welcome Back to Arno Parents!
Hope you’re ready for another fun filled year! The PTA
would like to welcome back all of the Arno Cougars students current and new! Just as a
reminder, Student teacher assignments will be available through the new app for MiSTAR Parent
connect. This should make it a lot easier to see your Arno Cougars info. Remember that you
must log in and complete the back to school section before you will have access to see your
child’s teacher on Aug 30th. You can also view it through the Parent Portal on the Allen Park
Schools website at www.allenparkschools.com
Spirit wear is in with 2 new awesome designs! We have a Magical Unicorn and
Minecraft design! $15 for youth sizes XS-L, and adult sizes S-XL, and $18 for adult sizes 2XL-
3XL. The spirt wear will be available at our first PTA meeting on Thursday, September 5 th at
6:30pm in the Arno Cafeteria and then again at meet the teacher night September 12 th !
Fun Run Event is coming soon on September 27 th ! We have chosen a LEGO theme! We
are also in need of volunteers for that event as well! Invite your family and join in on the fun!
There will be an awesome DJ and sweet prizes! Come one come all and have some fun with our
Cougars!
This year the PTA is having a “Western Roundup” membership drive theme! Each
classroom will have Wanted posters on display on the bulletin board. At the end of each week
from now until the end of October we will add one Western Stamp for each PTA member that
joins per classroom! There is also the option to donate extra money to the PTA to purchase an
extra Western Stamp for our class Wanted Poster! As an additional incentive the PTA is offering
the top three competing classes a prize!
Register https://arnopta.memberhub.store/
3rd Grade Reading Law
The Law officially kicks into effect this year. It’s important to understand that there can be a huge help at home if your child reads daily, either with you, by themself, or is read to by an adult. Being a partner with Arno is critical to your child’s literacy development.
The legislature passed what is known as the Third Grade Reading Law last school year. This law has many moving parts, see below for more info:
K-3 parents have to be notified if their child has a reading deficiency starting this year
Any student below grade level on reading (deficient) must have a school and home reading plan for success
By 2019-20 school year, any 3rd grade student one year or more below grade level as measured by a state assessment will be retained. This year’s third graders will be the first group in to be affected.
There are a number of ways to exempt the student from retention ie. parent waiver, shows better results on another local assessment, etc.
As a result of this law, we now are required to issue reading plans (IRIP) that shares information on testing, a plan, and what parents can do at home for K-3 students. These are issued out in the fall, winter, and the spring for those students who are below grade level as identified in our standardized assessment, NWEA. If your child is to receive one in the fall, you will be notified at the first parent-teacher conference. As always, we will provide quality instruction and interventions for all of our Arno students. If you would like more information, please visit: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2016/10/08/third-grade-reading-retention-bill-now-law-what-parents-need-to-know/
Line up procedures will remain the same as last year with indoor lineup with the exception of the first day of school– students will line up outside the grade level doors. Indoor lineup will start on the second day of school.
The first day of school, line-up will be OUTSIDE their assigned door.
Indoor line-up starts September 4th
Outside doors are closed and will be opened at 8:20 daily for students to enter for indoor lineup, not before that time, however
Breakfast doors still open at 8:05
Students should still report to their assigned outside door to enter the building
Parents will not permitted to enter with students/stand in the halls- normal protocol to sign in with the main office does not change
Students will enter the classroom at the 8:30 bell after waiting in the hall
Door Assignments
Five reasons for Parents to get Involved in their Child’s Education
Higher grades and better behavior are just a few of the benefits of parent involvement.
What if you could help your child enjoy school more, get better grades, and reduce behavior problems at the same time? Reams of research has shown that regardless of parents’ income and educational background, their involvement in education helps their kids do better in and out of school.
Here are 5 reasons you should get involved in your child’s education though there are many more than just these:
Higher grades – Kids whose parents are involved in their education get better grades and have higher test scores. And the more parents are involved, the more their children seem to benefit. A study of parents highly involved in the educational process showed that their children were more likely to improve in reading and math.
Better behavior – Kids develop better social skills and show improved behavior when their parents are involved at school. Studies have also shown that kids are less likely to skip school, less disruptive in class, and more likely to do their homework when their parents are involved. One study showed that when dads are highly involved in schools, their children enjoy school more and are less likely to be suspended, expelled, or required to repeat a grade.
Improved education – Research shows that parent involvement can help improve the quality of schools, raise teacher morale, and improve a school’s reputation in the community. Involved parents gain the respect of teachers; as a result, teachers have higher expectations of their children. Involvement pays off in the long term, too: Children stay in school longer and are more likely to continue their education after high school.
Increased confidence – When students feel supported at home and school, they develop more positive attitudes about school, have more self-confidence, and place a higher priority on academic achievement. Children of involved parents are more likely to feel that they’re accepted, included, and respected and at school.
Parents benefit too – When parents become involved in their children’s education, they become more comfortable in the school building, gain confidence in their parenting skills, and feel more capable of helping their children learn. They’re also more likely to continue their own education.
Involvement is easy. You don’t have to log hundreds of volunteer hours for your child to benefit. Even if you can only volunteer a few hours a year, every little bit counts.
Please contact the main office for your background check form to start the journey to Volunteering at Arno!
Traffic Pattern
Parking/Drop-off
As we all need to get our children to school, safety is always the primary concern. We will do our best to help ensure an orderly drop-off/pick-up daily, but we need your help in making that happen.
** No child should run across the street to get into a car.
**Help our traffic issues around school by parking a block or so away and WALKING your child before and after school.
**School traffic flow MUST go clockwise around the school. Make sure that your passenger door is ALWAYS closest to the curb.
BE SMART! BE PATIENT! BE CARING! BE KIND!!! BE RESPONSIBLE!!
2019-20 School Information
Office is open daily: 7:30-4:00
School day for students: 8:30-3:30
Latch key hours: 7:00-8:30
3:30-6:00
Student arrival time: 8:20
Half-Day dismissal 11:30
*If your student participates in the breakfast program, breakfast starts serving at 8:05.
*If your child is not picked up consistently 20 minutes past dismissal, you will be required to enroll in latchkey services.
Student Attendance
Please read the attitude article on the importance of student attendance, which is mandatory by the laws of the State of Michigan. Please be aware that we are required to follow up with families either verbally, in writing, or both when absences reach the 10 full day mark.
Parents can setup a free account online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ . You will need their child’s student id number to setup the account and can get the id number from parent connection, the school office or the FS office. To view your child’s meal account information and/or make payments online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ (link is on our website). There is a small transaction fee charged to make online payments. The lunch program will continue to accept cash or check as we always have.
MyPaymentsPlus Free Mobile App available for download on IPhones, Androids and Tablets!!
**If you believe that you may qualify for free or reduced lunch, we ask that you please submit the application that went home in September or pick up a new one from the office as soon as possible. Our total count for free/reduced lunch helps the district receive federal funds to run our Title 1 program and help our at-risk students.
If you are not sure about the guidelines or have
any other questions, please call the office @827-1050
Be sure to mark Sept. 12 on your calendar for our Meet the Teacher night. This is a wonderful opportunity to come to Arno and meet your child’s teacher, hear about grade level curriculum, classroom policies, and important classroom information.
There will be a short presentation at 5:45 for Second and Third grade parents only on the Third Grade Reading Law
There will also be a short presentation from our new Title I teacher, Beth Wesley, at 6:15-6:25 in the media center
The evening starts at 6:30 and runs until 7:30 p.m.in your child’s classroom.
Please call 313-827-1050 if you have any questions.
See you there!
Put On Your Smile…
Please mark your calendars for September 26 for picture day, retakes will be on Nov. 14. Information will be coming home soon.
Although we cherish every birthday here at Arno, we wanted to remind everyone that birthday food treats are not allowed and will not be brought down to the classroom. Pencils, bookmarks, etc are acceptable alternatives. Thank you for your support!!
Please enjoy some last pictures of 2018-19 school year! Have a great Summer!!
School Supply Lists are out and ready to go…
This year we are using Teacherlists.com to post all of our supplies. You can access the lists down below from the click-button, or you can access from our Arno site off the main APPS website. This feature also allows you to choose a store, if you wish, which auto sets up the list for purchase and lets you finish the process without ever setting foot in a store.
The district will be in contact with all families this summer to go into MiStar Connect. It is very important that you log in and go to Back to School updates- where you will review forms for next year. Be sure your email address is updated in our system as class lists will not be posted this fall. Families will not be able to view the new teacher for the fall until that step is complete. Please visit MiStar Parent Connect on Aug 30 after 4:00 p.m. to see your child’s placement once you have completed your updated information. Paper copies will be available the first day of school to be sure everyone gets to their correct classroom.
Class of 2026:
APMS has set up a new facebook page for the incoming 6th graders. Please search for “APMS Class of 2026” on FB, Please request to be added.
Field Day 2019
NWEA Celebration Picnic
Certificate of Excellence
Our Arno Cougar’s Retirees were honored at Monday’s Board Meeting for all of their years of service. Congratulations to Dr. Barb Chuby, Sandy Bennett, Jenny Dalton, and Cathy Gorski!
Super Cougar Celebration
Congratulations to all of our 2018-19 Super Cougars who enjoyed an ice cream for all of their efforts throughout the year!
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