Battle of the Books
If you were in the building for parent pick before spring break you likely heard the energetic PA announcements for our school-wide Battle of the Books competition. Numerous staff recorded a read aloud of a favorite book and entered it into the competition to generate excitement around reading. Students keenly watched the videos and then voted for their favorites. In the end, Mrs. Dana Ezekian’s submission of “Norman Didn’t Do It!” was the winner. Click here if you would like to view the event and the sixteen video entries. Please know that the videos would be great for engaging your child in reading before bedtime or over the summer. Also, if your child liked the books that were read during Battler of the Books, consider trying to find other books by those same authors.
2022-2023 Placement Consideration Form (PCF)
The Howell elementary schools have a process that allows parents to provide the school information about their child that will assist in the placement of the child through the use of a Placement Consideration Form (PCF). The form asks that you describe the educational setting (academics, behavioral and physical) that you would like to have for your child without naming a particular teacher. It is important to be as detailed as possible stating the type of classroom environment that would most benefit your child. Example: structured, relaxed, hands-on, challenging, quiet, teacher-directed, etc. Please note: When a specific teacher name is included on the form, the form will not be accepted or considered. Click here to access the form. Forms will be accepted through Friday, April 22nd.
1st to 2nd Grade Looping
As we plan for next year, we plan on offering the opportunity for students who are currently in 1st grade to loop to 2nd grade with their current 1st grade teacher. For example, if your child currently has Ms. Greenwald for 1st grade, your child will move up to second grade with Ms. Greenwald. We will be sending home a more detailed letter to all 1st grade parents soon. Parent support is important, so if you do not wish for your child to loop, you will have an opportunity to opt out of this practice.
Important Information for the Class of 2029 - Next Year's 6th Graders!
The middle school principals had a fantastic time visiting your children at all six of the district's elementary schools. They shared course descriptions with them during their visit and answered questions about next year. Now it's your turn. A Fifth Grade Parent Night will be held Tuesday, April 12, at 6:00 p.m. at each middle school. Please attend the session at your child's assigned school. At that meeting, the middle school team will share the basics of middle school and how they will support your child in this transition to secondary school. The only decision you have to make as a family is to select Band or Choir if your child is interested. All other encore classes are assigned through PowerSchool, so all children have a variety of experiences in middle school. Please help your child log in to their Howell Public Schools email and complete the Google Form by April 19, so the middle school staff can build their sixth-grade schedule for next year. Your child will receive their schedule at Orientation in August.
2022 State of the District is April 19
Superintendent MacGregor will host his annual State of the District Address on Tuesday, April 19, at 6 p.m. in the Howell High School Project Lab. Mr. MacGregor will update district stakeholders on various district initiatives, programs, and the 2019 Capital and Safety Bond projects during the State of the District. Attendees will also be invited to a program showcase to learn more about several of Howell High School's career and technical education programs. To read more about the State of the District, please visit https://bit.ly/3LPtMTm.
Nominate a Teacher for the WILX Teacher of the Week
WILX News 10 of Lansing is currently accepting nominations for their Teacher of the Week. The Teacher of the Week program honors an outstanding teacher who works to inspire their students each day. To submit a nomination, please visit https://bit.ly/3NRezTN.
M-STEP Calendar
This spring, Michigan is administering its required state assessment to all 3rd- 5th graders. The test is called M-STEP - Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress. All Howell elementary schools will be taking the online version of the assessment. The state mandates that all schools statewide follow the same testing window. The Three Fires in-person M-STEP testing schedule is as follows:
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5th Grade: April 20th, April 21st, April 25th, April 26, April 29th, and May 6th.
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4th Grade: May 2nd, May 4th, May 9th, and May 11th.
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3rd Grade: April 11th, April 13th, April 18th, and April 19th.
Please mark these dates on your calendar. We are giving parents the testing schedule so that appointments, vacations, etc. can be scheduled around these dates as much as possible. We encourage you to help your student take this seriously and rest well the night before.
Ways To Support Senior Survivor 2022
In addition to the fundraising with our fifth-grade survivors, there are many fundraisers planned over the next few weeks to support the various Senior Survivor teams. To learn more about the various fundraisers, please visit https://bit.ly/3jfZkWd. In addition to these events, the high school student council has also planned a Senior Survivor Kick-Off Carnival on Friday, April 22, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the high school field house. To learn more about this event, please visit https://bit.ly/3qff1Ry.
Three Fires Elementary Seed Library - One Seed One State
Three Fires has joined the Michigan One Seed One State Program. This program encourages families to participate in growing food at home and preserving seeds for future generations. This year’s seed is the Boston Pickling Cucumber. Last year we grew the Provider Green Bean. Both will be available. Families are encouraged to sign up, get free seeds to plant, use some of the bean plants for yielding food for your family, and use some of the plants for the purpose of collecting and saving seeds. Feel free to visit the One Seed One State website for more information. Miseedlibrary.org Ms. Langell will be overseeing the distribution and collection of seeds. If you would like to participate, please email Ms. Langell at [email protected]. After you sign up, seeds will be sent home with your child.
Bus Driver Appreciation Day
Please help out Three Fires students show our appreciation for our bus drivers! We are putting together "care packages" to present to them in May. We need your help to collect items for the packages. Below is the link to the Sign Up Genius for donations towards the care packages. Donations can be turned into the office or your child’s teacher. Thank you for your help with this project! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0F4CAFAF2FAA8-busdriver
Counselor’s Corner: Jeanie Nemeth
The Mobile Dentist is coming to Three Fires Elementary! Health and wellness are both integral to success at school, and taking care of your child’s teeth is important to keep them healthy. All elementary schools in Howell are proud to work with the Mobile Dentist program, where a dentist and dental hygienists visit the schools twice per year to offer dental check-ups and cleanings. Here at Three Fires Elementary School, we are pleased to announce that we will once again have the Mobile Dentist visiting our school on Thursday, May 5, 2022. Your child will receive a Mobile Dentist application the week of
April 18. You can also fill out a form online at https://www.myschooldentist.com/NEHPMI_schsrm. If dental services are desired, please be sure to fill out that form and have your child return it to school as soon as possible.
PTO Updates and Reminders
The PTO will be hosting a Timberwolf Pack Party (Food trucks and Cornhole Tournament) on Saturday, May 21st in the Three Fires Bus lot. Please save the date! Also, to assist the PTO in setting up the Cornhole tournament, the PTO is asking interested families who would like to participate in the cornhole tournament to register via SignUpGenius. Parents can sign up with a child, spouse, family members, or friends. There will be a tournament trophy and TFE staff members will also be participating in the tournament. Please click here to sign up for the tournament. If you have any questions regarding this event and/or the sign up process, please contact the PTO at [email protected].
Pinwheels for Prevention Returns to our School
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. To raise awareness of child abuse prevention, our school is joining LACASA and several businesses, community organizations, and other schools in displaying a pinwheel garden as part of LACASA's Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign. To read more about the Pinwheels for Prevention, please visit https://bit.ly/3KlIOQm.
Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/threefireselementary, find our PTO on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThreeFiresElementaryPTO/, find us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowellTFE