This year Inland Lakes Elementary became a school wide Title I building. Title I is a federally funded program. During the summer the elementary school wrote a grant for this funding that allows all students to receive extra help in reading, writing and math. This grant allowed our school to provide one full time Title I teacher, Mrs. Kathy Cole; 3 part-time Title I teachers, Ms. Phyllis Berger, Ms. Susan Collins and Ms. Jan Johnson; and I part time Title I aide, Mrs. Mary Ann Lintz, serving grades K-4.

Your child may see any one of the Title teachers for additional help based on either: recommendations from the classroom teachers and/or school wide tests. The Title I team is seeing the following percentage of children at each grade level: Kindergarten – 61%, First – 47%, Second – 50%, Third – 58% and Fourth – 62%. In January we will retest all students to mark their progress. We are looking forward to sharing our growth with you in our January newsletter.

In keeping with Inland Lakes Elementary’s commitment to improving school wide student writing, we are featuring a parent information sheet to help you support and encourage your child’s writing at home. This month we are focusing on Expository writing. This means writing that informs, describes or explains. It could be an autobiography, something descriptive, essay or informational reports. On the back is a grade level check list for descriptive writing.

The Title I team is inviting all families to our first “Book Bingo” on December 11 at the elementary multi-purpose room from 6:00-7:00. Please enjoy this free night of fun and snacks with your child. We will be playing regular Bingo and free books will be the prizes. Hope to see you and your family there!

Once again District Health Department No. 4 will be doing hearing and vision testing on our elementary students as mandated by Public Act No. 368 of the Public Health Code of 1978. Vision testing will take place for all children in grades preschool, K, 1, 3, 5, 7 and also drivers education students. Hearing testing will be done on all children in grades preschool, K, 2, and 4. Both hearing and vision will also be provided to elementary special education students if they are not in a regular classroom less than ½ day.

The testing will take place on December 8, 9, 10, 11.

Parents will receive a referral to see and eye/ear specialist if their child does not pass the screening and meets referral criteria. Assistance is available for families having an financial need.

If you do NOT want your child to be screened, please notify the school in writing PRIOR to the screening dates. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the elementary office at 231-238-6868 ext. 3.

• Check the weather forecast and help your child choose clothes, coat, and shoes.
• Have her stow her backpack by the door. Be sure she has put in homeword, lunch money, and permission slips.
• Together, plan breakfast, and pack a healthy snack or lunch.
• Test your youngster for tomorrow’s quiz one last time.

Note: In the morning, set the oven timer to go off five minutes before your child has to leave. That will be the signal to put on socks and shoes and head out the door.

SHOW YOU CARE. Want your children to know that your’re interested in their learning? Talk about their school activities and projects. Attend as many school events as you can. If homework and after-school activites conflict, speak up: “I know you have baseball practice this evening, but homework comes first. After you finish, I’ll take you to practice.”

KEEP IT UPBEAT. Try to set a positive example for your children, even when your own day has been difficult. Insted of saying, “I had a hard day at work. I’ll never get my project done,” try, “Work was hard today, but I made some progress on my project.” If you show a positive attitude about your work, your youngsters may feel better about their own.