Dear Scott School Families,

March is Reading Month is off to a fantastic start.  Students and staff alike are enjoying the hype and buzz about how reading is enjoyable, informational, and magical.  I encourage you to consider what your at-home reading practices and modeling are, and think of ways you can provide your child access to various forms of texts.  The way you foster excitement and opportunities for your child to read independently and with your family has a huge impact on academic achievement and how your child perceives reading.  It's never to late to pick up a book and establish new reading habits at home.  Give it a try; you'll be glad you did.

We have just shy of three weeks until Spring Break, and in addition to student learning that will occur between now and then, other upcoming events are the release of second trimester report cards (viewable in Infinite Campus), our spring book fair, and Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Also, a week after we return from break, we'll be diving into spring testing.  Peruse through this newsletter for information about all of these upcoming events.

All my best,

Linda Reha

Scott School Principal

Each week every classroom at Scott School has a Panther Pride drawing from all Panther Pride slips earned by students for demonstrating respectful, responsible, safe, and bucketfilling behavior.  Lucky drawing winners are invited to a special Panther Pride event at the end of the month with Mrs. Reha and Mrs. Schwarz which was Panther Pride Bingo this month.

Uh-oh! We’ve discovered a mountain of missing items — hats, sweatshirts, gloves, and mittens are waiting to go home!  If something belongs to your student, please stop by and claim it before March 24th.  Anything still left after that date will be donated to help others stay warm.  Please come check the Lost & Found if your child is missing some gear. 

March is Reading Month has started and Scott School students and staff are enjoying this magical month.  Our theme this year is Scott School Is Game For Reading, and our calendar of events has lots of fun in store for the 'all things games theme' that our students will experience while we put a special emphasis on the joy of reading.

Scott School spring Parent/Teacher Conferences are in a couple of weeks.  To accommodate families, we are continuing to offer both an in person and a virtual option to choose from.  If all in person conference slots fill up though, and you prefer to meet with your child's teacher in person, just reach out to the teacher, and he/she will be happy to accommodate you.  A Parent-Teacher Conference SignUp Genius was sent to families today, so check your email.  Conferences nights will be:

In Person Conferences - Tuesday, March 24th from 4-7:30 p.m.

Virtual Conferences - Wendesday, March 25th from 4-7:30 p.m.

Spring testing at Scott School will begin the second week after we return from Spring Break.  Although some classes may have to adjust their schedule due to some conflicts, below is a general guideline of what to expect.  Please remember that these assessments are not ones that students can study for, but you can help your student be test ready by making sure your child:

• Gets a good night of sleep before each testing day.

• Eats a healthy breakfast.

• Attends school on testing days and be on time (students arriving late on testing days cannot test once a test session has started).

• Perseveres and gives his/her very best effort.

• Brings headphones or earbuds for testing (3rd grade needs a pair for the M-STEP ELA assessment, and 2nd grade needs a pair for the NWEA Reading and Math assessments.)

Spring Testing will be as follows:

• M-STEP ELA (3rd grade only):  4/13 - 4/16 (All third graders must have headphones or earbuds required for this test for the directions and listening portion.)

• M-STEP Math (3rd grade only):  4/21 & 4/23 (All third graders must have headphones or earbuds for this test required for the directions only.)

• DIBELS 8:  4/29 & 4/30

• NWEA Reading:  5/4-  5/7 (Classroom teachers will communicate the two dates their students will test in this window.  All second graders must have headphones or earbuds for this test.)

• NWEA Math:  5/11 - 5/14 (Classroom teachers will communicate the two dates their students will test in this window.  All second graders must have headphones or earbuds for this test.)

Third graders are encouraged to access the MSTEP Sample Items (practice tests) at home to become familiar with the format of test questions and the testing tools available within the platform.  Students will also have an opportunity to practice at school too.  Like most things, the more students are exposed to something, the more comfortable they are with it, so please carve out some time at home for your child to take the English Language Arts and Math Grade 3 Sample Items.  Even if you set aside 10 minutes a few nights a week leading up to testing, this is time well spent.  Here's how you can access the online practice tests:

M-STEP Practice Tests (must use Google Chrome)

• • • • • Click on the Sample Items Sets

        • Select Grade 3

        • Complete both the English Language Arts and Math (no calculators allowed) Sample Items.

        • Be sure to have your child try out the testing tools located at the top of each question screen.  These are useful tools to assist with taking the test.

IMPORTANT:  All third graders need headphones or earbuds for both the English Language Arts and Math MSTEP Assessments.  We are happy to loan these out to students who need them, but we have a limited supply, so thank you for sending a pair in with your child if possible.

Mr. Oney, parent, community member, and expert at STEM instruction, visited Mrs. Toth's class and taught a STEM lesson that included students making a spinning top with our 3-D printer.  Oh, what fun!

Below is a message from our DeWitt PTA.

STEAM Family Event – Saturday, March 21 | 3–5 PM at Herbison Woods Elementary

Get ready for an afternoon of hands-on learning and creativity at our STEAM Family Event! Families will explore interactive stations featuring science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities designed for all ages.

Registration is now open for planning purposes. While space is not limited, the first 200 students to register will receive a special STEAM goodie bag to help carry their creations home.Register here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/steam-family-event

Conference Cuisine

With long days (and nights!) of Parent-Teacher Conferences happening this month, it’s time for Conference Cuisine! We’ll be providing meals for our teachers on conference days and stocking staff lounges with snacks and drinks throughout the week.

If you’d like to help, we’re currently collecting snack and beverage donations. Please click the link below for the school you’d like to support:

Schavey Road
Scott School
Herbison Woods

Due to switching programs, DeWitt Community Education is not offering classes or clubs during March.   The Game Club and STEM Club that have both been offered and hosted this year at Scott School through Community Ed. will be offering one more session before school is out - stay tuned if this is something your child is interested in joining.  Community Ed. will have class and club offerings again after the month of March.

Below is a communication from Kevin Robydek that will be going out to all DPS families this afternoon regarding free school meals for the current school year.  

Dear DPS Families,

We’re excited to share some wonderful news! The Michigan Legislature has approved the 2025–2026 state budget, which includes continued funding for the Michigan School Meals Program. This means that all DeWitt Public Schools students will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch this school year, regardless of household income.

While this funding remains in place, the State of Michigan now requires every family to complete the Education Benefits Form each year. This form is quick and easy to fill out, and it plays a crucial role in helping our district qualify for important state and federal funding. These funds support classroom instruction, technology, student support services, staffing, and our school meal programs.

You can now easily complete the Education Benefits Form online at dewitt.familyportal.cloud simply click “Apply for Benefits” to get started. Please complete the form as soon as possible to help us secure essential funding that supports classroom instruction, technology, student services, and more. Even though all students receive free meals, submitting this form is important for maintaining these valuable programs.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to our Food Service Director, Megan Haase, at meganhaase@dewittschools.net.

Thank you for partnering with us to maintain these valuable programs and ensure that every student has access to healthy meals and strong educational support.

Sincerely,
Kevin Robydek, Ed.S., Superintendent

DeWitt Public Schools will continue to offer free breakfast and lunch to students this year.  Although this is a cut that legislators are considering within the education budget that has not yet been approved, DPS is committed to offering this important food program to students with hopes this continues to be funded by our state.  Menus can be found here and will be updated soon.

We are grateful to families and our community members who donate healthy, no nut snacks to classrooms and our snack pantry which also provides our students brain and body fuel throughout the day.  Your partnership in removing hunger as a barrier to learning and child development makes a lifelong impact.  Thank you!

Student safety is a priority.  Please bring proper identification each time your child is picked up from school.  Here are some ways adults picking up students can be identified:

• Physical ID (ie. driver's license)

• Personal ID by office staff

• Other identification proof such as utility bills or other statements, credit card, etc., AND answer personal information that we have in Infinite Campus (ie. phone number, child's birthdate, etc.)

There are some Scott students who have health-threatening nut allergies in our building.  Scott School is a 'No Nut' building.  Pack items that do not contain nuts for your child's lunch and snack.  It is critically important that we provide a safe learning environment for all students, and your help with this is needed and appreciated.  Please always contact your child's teacher if you have a concern about an allergy or other health condition related to your child that they should be aware of.  Also, if your child has a medical need, including food or other allergies, don't forget to update your child's Medical Management Plan by completing and submitting the district forms to the office before school starts so we can follow protocols to keep your child safe.

In order for Scott School personnel to administer medication (including cough drops) to your child, a parent guardian must:

• Submit a completed district medication form to our office. 

• Be sure all medications are brought to and stored in our office. 

• Be sure prescription medication is in its original container accompanied with a physician’s signature. 

• Be sure non-prescription medication is in its original container accompanied by a parent’s signature. 

• Please communicate with your child's teacher if he/she takes medication daily at school. 

• If your child has a medical condition, please be sure to complete a Medical Management Plan for your child and turn it in at the office.

Medication and other medical forms can be found on our DeWitt Public Schools website.

Our school social worker, Mrs. Schwarz, is always willing to assist students and families in any way possible.  In addition to working closely with your child's teacher, consider reaching out to her if you have questions or need support.  She is truly amazing at what she does!  She can be reached at 517-668-3446 or schwarzdea@dewittschools.net.