Dear Lakeside Elementary Families,

Last week Lakeside Elementary second grade students visited the Grand Rapids Public Museum to learn about the history of Grand Rapids. Students enjoyed traveling through the streets of Grand Rapids through their “Then and Now” exhibit. Please enjoy the photos below of their learning adventures.

          

Spring Concert

Spring is in the air and the EGRPS Elementary Music teachers, Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Pugia, have been working with students to prepare a performance that showcases their learning throughout the school year. We look forward to welcoming families to this event on Monday, May 16 at 2:00 p.m. in the Lakeside Elementary gymnasium. Please see this letter from the music teachers for more information.

Gardening Club- Adopt a Planter

This year as part of the Gardening Club, the PTO will be introducing Adopt a Planter. You can volunteer to care for a planter at one of the entrance locations of the school. Responsibilities include planting and maintaining the planters from spring planting season, through the summer and into fall of next school year. There are also other opportunities to get involved with the Gardening Club, please sign up on the link here for the planter program or to find out more about the group! A fun activity the Gardening Club led in the fall was a bulb planting fundraiser to earn money for mulch for the new plantings. If you happen by the front of the school now, you will see the daffodils and tulips starting to emerge!

5th Grade Parent/Guardian Night at the Middle School

Fifth Grade Parent/Guardian Night will take place on Wednesday, May 18th from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the middle school. This is a parent/guardian-only event, as students will be visiting the middle school on their transition day. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Mr. Dykhouse at jdykhous@egrps.org. 

Earth Day Initiative Continues

Last Friday we celebrated Earth Day with a school grounds cleanup during afternoon recess. Additionally, a student group led the charge on starting a small service project to help educate Lakeside students on ways they can help to preserve our Earth, as well as fundraise for a local organization, Blandford Nature Center. If your child(ren) would like to participate in raising funds to help Blandford continue to provide a natural space for locals and healing animals to enjoy, there is a donation jar in the office. Donation collections are extended through April 29.

Smartwatch and Cell Phone Reminder

We understand that Smartwatches and cell phones are an easy way for families to communicate with their children. Please help us to maintain a distraction-free learning environment by reminding your child that any smartwatches and cell phones brought to school must remain off and in their backpack while on school grounds. For more information, please click here to review Board Policy 8320 and 8320-R.

Important Calendar Dates

• April 26:  M-STEP testing begins (see M-STEP section below)

• April 27:  Administrative Professionals Day, Reproductive Health Parent Night for Fifth Grade Parents 5:00 pm

• May 2-6:  Teacher Appreciation Week

• May 9:  Board of Education meeting 6:00 pm in EGR Middle School Learning Commons

• May 10:  PTO meeting in Learning Commons 8:30 am

Direct Your Dollars

Please save your Spartan Nash receipts (D&W, Forest Hills Foods, Family Fare, Ada Fresh Market) Keep the entire receipt and turn it into the collection jar in the main office. Our school earns $1,000 for every $150,000, and we average $3,000 a year!

Additional questions? Reach out to the PTO or our committee chair Kateri Schutt. Thank You!

Staff Appreciation
The first week in May is a time when we try to show the Lakeside staff how much they mean to us! We are looking for parent volunteers to take over second recess from 2:00-2:20 on May 2-6. This recess is usually supervised by teachers, so this would give them some bonus time to their day! We are looking for 4 volunteers each of the days that week who would work with 2 of the regular lunch recess helpers on duty for extra support each of those afternoons. Please sign up here. Thank you!

Fun Day
A greatly anticipated and exciting event for the end of the school year is quickly approaching! FUN DAY will be Friday May 27, 12:15-3:15. (rain date of Tuesday, May 31). The kids will participate in a variety of outdoor field games, inflatable slide, dunk tank, treats and an overall fun time! Please sign up here if you'd like to help out for the event.

PTO General Meeting May 10th

Please join us for our last general meeting of the school year, Tuesday May 10, 8:30 in the Learning Commons. We will hear from Dr. Kattula with district updates and Principal Thelen with Lakeside news. Also, meet our new board members for the 2022-23 school year!

It's spring, the time of year for outdoor yardwork! Please support our student-athletes by buying your yard mulch through the Team Boosters Mulch Sale, orders will be accepted through June 1.

      
EGRHS Drama Department Presents
 

Once Upon A Mattress - April 28 & 29 @ 7 p.m. and  April 30 @ 8 p.m.
Click here for more information.

 
City of EGR Open Houses
 
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