Dear EGRMS Families,

Please click on the East logo for this week's personal video message from Mr. Dykhouse.

Sincerely,
Jeff Dykhouse
Principal
Twitter: @EGRMSPrincipal

We are in our ninth week of school and students have been given grace on classroom tardies.  It is the expectation that students be on time and prepared for each class.  Starting this week, students with excessive tardies will be serving lunch detention.  Please encourage your child to be prepared and on time for each and every class.  

Thank you for your support,

Katie McIntosh
Assistant Principal

Updates 
Due to COVID-19, we are continuing many of our safety procedures from last school year, which are in alignment with the guidelines provided by the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). Our staff will maintain what we know to be at the heart of teaching and learning; strong, positive relationships. We appreciate your cooperation, understanding and support in keeping our students and staff safe. District information on COVID-19 is available on our website linked here.

Student Covid-19 Health Screener
Please remember to screen your student each morning by using this 
this link to access the student symptom screener.  

Hot lunch service has returned for the 2021-22 school year and is available to all students at no charge.  Free school lunches must be ordered online in advance to ensure adequate food is prepared.  This form is simple and quick. Menus and other information can be found on the form.

Breakfast is served at the middle school from 7:30 - 7:45 a.m. Students are invited to enjoy a FREE hot or cold breakfast, now that's a great start to a school day! 

Please use this link for information related to Hearts of Gold.

2021 PARKS IMPROVEMENT MILLAGE UPDATE 

Thanks to all who attended our first educational meeting on the Parks Improvement Millage.  There’s still time to learn more about the millage proposal — join City Manager Shea Charles and department directors in person on October 19th. 

What if the millage passes? It would provide funding for the replacement of the five playgrounds located within the City as well as several improvements throughout EGR’s parks identified in the City’s Master Plan and the Community Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Residents would pay an annual 0.56 mills (taxable home value multiplied by 0.00056) that would allow the City to borrow up to $7 million over 20 years beginning July 1, 2022, at the earliest. 

What if the millage does not pass? The City will reassess the listed projects and determine which are feasible to accomplish with the available funding to ensure parks remain the vibrant community asset EGR is known for. 

More information and resources at eastgr.org/parksmillage. 

EGRMS PTO is proud to present “Sherlock Holmes and the 1st Baker Street Irregular” on November 4th, 5th and 6th at Pioneer Auditorium. 

The drama students are so excited to be performing in front of a full, live audience. Information on ticket sales will be available next week. Tickets will be $5 each.

Students are issued “Way to Go” cards for demonstrating Respect, Responsibility or Personal Best by doing the right thing!  As students receive these cards, they are placed in the container located in the Main Office. Every Friday, names are drawn and announced during the afternoon announcements.  Each student selected, has the opportunity to pick a prize from the prize basket simply as a way to say “Thanks, we appreciate and recognize you!” 
 

This week's winners are:

Brynn Leestma, 6th Grade
Elise Hunter, 7th Grade
Michael Flores, 8th Grade

BOOKS BRING US COMMUNITY

A Scholastic Book Fair gives kids, parents, teachers, and the whole community a chance to come together to celebrate not only the joy of reading, but also the joy of giving back!  Every year, the Scholastic Dollars from the Middle School Scholastic Book Fair brings books into our English teacher classrooms as well as the Media Center. 

• We will be hosting our book fair from October 22nd to October 29th in the Media Center with an online shopping option for Parents as well.
• Wish-lists for our English Teachers will be sent out soon. 
• We will send out additional information with shopping links and options to volunteer. 

Happy Reading, 
Kim Bardeggia and Jackie Deane

Middle School Ski Club

The East Grand Rapids Middle School would like to invite all students to join an informal ski club at Cannonsburg for the winter of 2021-2022.  Students and ALL family members have the opportunity to purchase discounted lift tickets in the form of a punch card. The cards have other benefits as well!  You may use these tickets ANY time, but we will also organize Middle School ski nights/weekends when we see some good powder.  

Transportation to Cannonsburg will NOT be provided, but we will plan to meet by the fire pits and get kids on the slopes with their friends.  If this sounds like something your child would like to get involved in this school year, please sign up at Cannonsburg’s webite.  The form linked above can also be sent to school, but Cannonsburg prefers we use the website to sign up.  

All participants should fill out this form so that you’re not left out of any communications.  You can also search Facebook for our group: EGRMS Ski Club.  This Facebook group can be used by anyone to coordinate rides, times to use your passes, and share pictures.  If you have any questions, please contact the Ski Club advisor Amy Marlow at amarlow@egrps.org.  

Give a Teacher, Coach, or Staff Member a STAR Award

Our teachers have done an incredible job of getting the school year off to an awesome start! You can recognize their hard work by giving them STAR (Staff member and Teacher Appreciation and Recognition) awards from the Foundation. You can also recognize coaches as the fall sports season winds down.

STAR Awards honor outstanding teachers or staff members for going above and beyond for our students. For a $20 donation to the Foundation, we’ll produce a STAR Award and either present it directly to the recipient or give it to you to present it yourself. Best of all, your donation will go toward funding enhancement grants that enable our schools to offer our kids educational opportunities that are second to none. To honor someone quickly and easily, visit the STAR awards page on our website. 

One other thing: Save the date of Saturday, March 26, 2022 for the Foundation’s spring event, Hurrah! Together Again! Details are coming soon, but we do know this: You won’t want to miss it!

• Tutoring Club: please click this link to learn more about tutoring opportunities and connect to their website.  
• For more upcoming events, please be sure to check with your child and reference the MS Calendar which may be found here.
• EGRMS Daily Announcements may be found here.