We have a few new students so here are some gentle reminders for all of us:

Please remember tomorrow is late start.  Students will start one hour later.  (9 a.m.)

If you are driving your student to school:

• Drop off time 8 a.m.     Late start drop off 9 a.m.
• Pick up time 2:45-2:50 p.m.
• Half day pick up time 11:00 a.m.

Please be respectful our time.  If you are not able to pick your son/daughter up at the assigned times, please let us know and we will be happy to arrange bus transportation for your student. 

Also, please remember, if you are bringing your son/daughter to school late, you must personally check in with a teacher.  After 8:20 we have already left for job sites, community based instruction, etc.  There is a very good chance we will not be in the building and we cannot have students in the building without supervision.  If a Dearborn Public School staff member is not present, you must remain with your son/daughter at all times.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

Another week has come and gone – where did it go?  We are quickly moving through November.  Just a few notes this week:

• The sheet order has been placed!  A total of 224 sets of sheets were sold!  Thank you all for your efforts – this is the most we have ever sold.  We will be able to do many wonderful things for our class with the profits.  Thank you!

Next Week:

• Wednesday November 18th is a late start
• Thursday November 19th – Provider Fair at Hype
• Saturday November 21st – SkyZone Weekend Activity #2  If your son/daughter qualifies,  follow up information and homework will be sent home on Friday, November 20th.
• Sunday November 22nd – Community Day at Hype

That’s it for now – have a great weekend!

As part of our ongoing fitness program, the students were assigned fitbits today.  This is the first time we’ve allowed students to wear them home.  We wrote a grant to receive the fitbits last year, and we are so fortunate they were awarded to us.  They are however, expensive to replace.  We trust the students enough to send them home, but we are asking for your help in making sure the students are responsible for them.  They are able to get wet – but they shouldn’t be immersed.   They should be able to wear them in a shower, but not for swimming or baths.  The students all have a fitbit account and we will check steps every Friday. (Nothing like a little healthy competition!)    One more way we are encouraging healthy lifestyles!  The students are very excited to get started!

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a half day.  Students will be dismissed at 11:00 tomorrow afternoon.

Also, notes went home regarding our next weekend activity.  The students are really excited about this and I hope everyone is able to attend.  If your son/daughter did not bring home a note, it is because he/she did not qualify at this time.  Students have up until the day before the event to qualify by bringing up their attendance and/or participating in class activities.  Weekend activities are for our students only so that they have the experience of hanging out with their friends on the weekend, in a non-classroom setting.  Please, no siblings.

It seems like we’ve had a little bug making it’s way through our classroom.  Dearborn Public Schools policy is that the student must be free of symptoms for 24 hours following a fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea before returning to school.  This is especially important in our classroom, as students go to different work sites, some including food preparation, as well as the close proximity we are in in this classroom.   We certainly understand that students can be fine in the morning, and become ill while at school.  However, if your son/daughter is complaining of not feeling well before coming to school, it is best to keep them home.  As long as we are notified the absence will be excused and not counted against the student.

Also, if anyone has any medium sized T-shirts they would like to donate,  Ms. Barton (our former parapro),  is making cat houses for the cats at the Animal Shelter.  If you would like to be a part of this project, please send t-shirts in by Tuesday November 24th (the last day before Thanksgiving Break).  Thanks for your help!

Due to some staffing changes, we have postponed updating the student planners for November until tomorrow. (We schedule parapro’s with the students, so when we found out there would be changes, we had to wait on making the schedule)  Unfortunately, tomorrow will be Ms. Lambert’s last day with us.  Ms. Lambert will be moving to another department on Monday.  We have enjoyed having her with us and wish her the best of luck!

We had a GREAT time at Ford Lanes today – be sure to check out some of the pictures on our Facebook page!

Please be aware that there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, November 3rd and there will be a half day on Friday, November 6th.  Next week will be a short one!

Other dates in November:

Nov 3 – No School

Nov 6 – Half Day

Nov 18 – Late Start

Nov 19 – Provider Fair – Details to follow.  Come get information from CMH, Consumer Link, STEP, Special Olympics, etc

Nov 21 – Weekend Activity #2 Skyzone/McDonalds  (Must have 75% attendance record and be in good standing with the class)

Nov 22 – Community Day at Hype

Nov 25, 26, 27 – No school – Thanksgiving

As always, please be sure to check your son/daughters planners for their daily schedule.

Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween!!!!!

Dear Families,

Please be sure to be check  your son/daughter’s planners daily.  This is how we communicate to you regarding the daily activities of your son/daughter.  Today, we had two students scheduled to go to Fairlane Mall, who did not bring money for lunch, and will not be able to attend.  If your son/daughter is scheduled for Fairlane Mall, they need to bring approximately $10 to school with them that day to purchase lunch.  (Students are only scheduled 1x a month)  Normally, I would have gone into student bank accounts for money so that the students could still attend the activity, but unfortunately, these students did not have bank accounts set up either. (Currently only 6 of our students have bank accounts set up)

PLEASE, in order for your son/daughter to get the most out of this program, they need to participate in all of our activities.  Families need to stay updated with the blog and student planners.  We have 17 students going out to as many as 7 different locations a day,  we cannot make individual calls or send home personal notes with every student.  We strive to make this the very best program we can for our students, but we have to do this as a team.

Thank you.

Good Morning!  I tried to post the “Friday News” several times last week, but ran into various problems, so here it is on Monday instead.

This is the last week for sheet sales!  Thank you so much for your help and support.  This fundraiser helps our students do many fun and exciting things.  One of the things it has paid for in the past is our end of the year celebration at Benihana’s restaurant.  It has also paid for supplies, curriculum materials, and SMART bus tickets.  100% of the profits go back to our students and only our students.

It came to my attention that there may be a problem with the emails sent out regarding the Transition Assessement.  Everyone should have received a hard copy of that on Friday.  Please fill out and return to school by October 30th.

We will be going to Ford Lanes this Friday for bowling and pizza.  Please send in $10 to cover the cost by Wednesday Oct 28th if you haven’t already.  Thank you.

If a student has a Planet Fitness Membership, they should bring their clothes every M-W-F,  whether they are scheduled to go or not.  Most often they are able to go even if they are not scheduled.  Please note:  Planet Fitness clothes need to be washed when they bring them home.  Our kids work up a sweat!  (I’m so proud of them!)

The open house at STEP is today if you’d like to stop by and see what they have to offer.  The location is 15200 Mercantile, Dearborn, MI  It sits right behind the Tim Hortons/Wendy’s on Greenfield Rd, just North of Rotunda.

Save the Date:  The next weekend activity will be November 21.  We will be going to Skyzone in Taylor and McDonald’s afterwards.   As always, students must be present in the classroom at least 75% of the time and the student must be in good standing with the class.  (Completion of classroom assignments, appropriate behavior at work sites and community based instruction sites)    All students are welcome, but if your son/daughter has any health/physical limitations, a parent must attend with that student for safety purposes.  If you are not sure, please check with me.

Save the Date #2:  Community Day at Hype will be November 22nd.  Information to follow.

Have a great week!

If we have your email address, you should have received an email today that contains a link for you to complete the family portion of the TAGG Transition Assessment.  Please complete the assessment and submit by Friday, October 30th.  If you prefer a hard copy of the assessment,  please contact me and I will send one home. ( If you have previously contacted me for a hard copy – I remembered!  It will be coming home today!)  If your email was not on file,  please check your son/daughter’s back pack today.  You know your son/daughter best, and we appreciate you taking the time to complete this assessment so that we have the best and most complete picture of your son/daughter as possible.

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It’s the weekend already!  Students had a half day and Ms. Cote and I are off to our meetings.  Notes regarding the Weekend Movie went home with the students today – it has the drop off and pick up time, locations, etc. for your reference.  There is also a homework portion attached to the note.  Students are to do that (with your help) and return it on Monday, October 19th.

Thank you in advance for the sheet sales already coming in!  Keep ’em coming!

Oct 26 – Open House at STEP from 10-2  Please RSVP

Oct 30 – Ford Lanes Bowling  – cost $10   Please send in money by Oct 28th.  Includes two games of bowling, two pieces of pizza, pop, shoe rental and SMART bus.

That’s it for now – enjoy your weekend!