Douglas Road Elementary School (DRE)

Douglas Road Elementary School, building, and BPS logo

WELCOME TO DOUGLAS ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!

KEEP INFORMED

Set Schoology Parent Account Notification Settings to see additional announcements shared with students. Learn how here!

SNOWFLAKE SHOPPE

December 11-15

Volunteers Needed: Sign up to volunteer in our Snowflake Shoppe!!

We could also use donations of plastic bags, if you could send with your student and tell them to bring to the office. Thank you!

STAFF RECOGNIZED WITH ABOVE & BEYOND AWARDS

Mr. Chapman, our Executive Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations, has spent some time visiting the schools and departments across the district to recognize staff nominated by the building principals, department heads and central administration for going above and beyond. Congratulations to the following staff who were recognized with the First Quarter’s Above & Beyond Awards we see daily at DRE: Michelle Miller and Denise Welch!

Mrs. Miller with students

Mrs. Welch with students

Winter Items Needed

Please consider donating new or gently used winter/snow boots, snow pants, or coats to DRE. We're also looking for new gloves and hats as winter weather is quickly approaching. Drop off to the DRE office during school hours. Please reach out to [email protected] or 734-850-6712 if you are in need of any of the above items.

DRE STUDENTS OF THE MONTH PROGRAM

NOVEMBER STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!

Congratulations to our November Students of the Month. Throughout this month, our emphasis was on Citizenship. The students understood that exemplary citizens volunteer to make our school a better place, collaborate with their peers, adhere to school rules, respect authority, and attentively consider diverse perspectives. We proudly acknowledge the following students by name: Easton D., Landry G., Macey W., Lillian A., Brynn H., Eleanor C., Ella H., Cheyenne S., Logan W., Ashton P., Brady G., Isabella B., Vincent H., Jovie B., Hudson U., Colton P., Dale T., Zachary S., Noah J., Jackson B., Bryce M., Elize E., Anton M., Hailey H., and Reese N.

As part of this award, the students of the month will receive the following incentives:

Student of the month certificate
Group picture posted on the marquee in front of DRE, on Schoology and on the PBIS bulletin board.
$10 in Mule Money
Lunch with the principals (Students will eat their own lunch but in a fun location with the principals and other student of the month winners!)

DRE PTO NEWS

WELCOME TO DOUGLAS ROAD ELEMENTARY PTO!
Welcome to Douglas Road Elementary! The DRE PTO is excited to welcome you here and we can't wait to get to know you.

FOLLOW THE DRE PTO ON FACEBOOK!
We utilize our Facebook page to share information and to provide many exciting opportunities for involvement.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR MEETINGS!
Our PTO meetings will be on the dates listed below at 3:45 pm in the Library and available through Facebook live. We encourage you to contribute your thoughts and ideas in person or from home! We happily provide childcare during meetings and the kids have a ton of fun playing with the other Douglas Road kiddos.

January 11, 2024
February 8, 2024
March 14, 2024
April 11, 2024
May 16, 2024

OTHER FUN PTO EVENTS TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR

December 11-15, 2023: Snowflake Shop
February 2, 2024: Mule Masquerade
March 4-7, 2024: Book Fair
March 6, 2024: Book Fair/Family Night, 5-7 pm
April 25, 2024: Donuts with Dudes
May 3, 2024: DRE in the Dark (sales start March 6th)
May 6-10, 2024: Staff Appreciation Week
May 17, 2024: Mini Mule Mini Marathon
May 31, 2024: 5th Grade Recognition
June 3, 2024: Kindergarten Recognition

DRE ONLINE SPIRIT SHOP

DRE Online Spirit Shop will be open August 30 - September 13th.
Please allow 3 weeks after the store closes to receive your order.

PTO EXECUTIVE BOARD:
President: Julianne Pickard
Vice-President: Tara Coakley
Secretary: Kaitlyn Pisanti
Treasurer: Maria Zapp
Teacher Liaisons: Nicole Hite and Laura Burgermeister

SUPPORTING DRE PTO WHILE YOU SHOP

BOXTOPS ARE NOW EVEN EASIER!
Simply make an account at this link and scan your receipts after you shop. The app does all the work and you get to help Douglas Road!

SUPPORT DRE PTO WITH KROGER REWARDS AND AMAZON SMILE

COMMUNTY EDUCATION NEWS

You can see our full list of Community Education programs and register online at HTTPS://BEDFORD.CE.ELEYO.COM/

2023 FALL BROCHURE IS HERE!

Check out the fall programs covering everything from art classes to kayaking, youth sports leagues and skills training, to special programs for adults; computers, and CPR, or take a trip to Frankenmuth! There truly is something for everyone! Winter classes and programs will be coming soon. Look for new art and fitness programs and more league play to come in early December. Until that time, there is still plenty to see and do.

SEARCH PROGRAMS & REGISTER ONLINE AT:
HTTPS://BEDFORD.CE.ELEYO.COM.

BASKETBALL
Fall Co-Ed Basketball League Registration is now open for Pre-K, grades K-3. Register at bedford.ce.eleyo.com. Deadline is October 13 (K-3) and October 20 (Pre-K).

NEW - Girls Grade 4-5 Basketball Program This new basketball program is for girls in grades 4 and 5 who want to learn the game and/or hone their skills through targeted skills practice and scrimmages. Deadline to register is October 13. Register at bedford.ce.eleyo.com

Winter Boys Basketball League Registration for the Boys Basketball League for students in grades 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12 will run from December 1-21st. The league will begin in January. Register at bedford.ce.eleyo.com

SAVE THE DATE!
The Annual Daddy Daughter Dance for girls in grades K-8 grade and their dads, uncles, grandfathers or significant other is set for Saturday, February 10. Registration will open on January 3 through February 2. Volunteers are always needed for this event - contact the Community Education Office if you are interested in assisting at the dance.

GREAT LAKES WRESTLING CLUB
The club is open for ages 5-12 and instruction time is broken up into three sessions: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Registration for GLWC will be held on Monday, October 30 and Wednesday, November 1 at the Bedford Junior High School Gym from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. The cost, $150, includes custom singlet and shirt.
GLWC 2023-2024 Registration Form Link
The club will meet on Tuesday and Thursday of each week with practices beginning on January 2nd. Tournaments start on Saturdays in February and are optional.
See the GLWC website for more info. Email the director at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Adult enrichment classes are also offered. Check out the adult fitness classes: cardio & tone, karate, line dancing, and yoga as well as art classes and more. Ed2Go offers a full array of online Career Training programs in multiple fields. Go to www.ed2go.com/bedfordae for a complete list

Don't see a class that you would be interested in? Email us your interests - [email protected] or call our office 734-850-6036.

Follow Community Ed on Facebook for updates on their new programs and activities: facebook.com/bedfordcommunityeducation

GENERAL INFORMATION

ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL TRAFFIC FLOW MAP
Please review the Arrival/Dismissal Traffic Flow Map to help things flow smoothly from Day 1!

LATCHKEY IS AVAILABLE
Latchkey is available before and after school. You can learn more on the Latchkey website or by calling 734-850-6004 to speak with Latchkey Director, Amber Brushaber.

MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM
Parents can drop off any medication that will be given at school in the health room. A Medication Authorization Form, signed by a physician, must accompany the medication. This includes many common over-the-counter medications, such as cough drops.

UNIVERSAL SCHOOL MEALS ARE BACK!
FREE & REDUCED SCHOOL MEALS APPLICATION STILL WORTH FILLING OUT!
We encourage families in need to fill out a Free and Reduced School Meals Application. Other programs that may benefit families may also require this form to be completed in order to be considered such as potentially waived or discounted Chromebook Fees. Family participation in the program may also qualify the school to receive additional funding to support our students. This form can be filled out online: https://bedfordps.familyportal.cloud/.

BUS ROUTE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON TRAVERSA RIDE 360 MOBILE APP

Ride 360 App Icon

Link to detailed instructions on how to access and use the Traversa Ride 360 app and website
The “Where’s the Bus?” link on our website also links to these instructions.

Please note that the staff is continuing to make adjustments to the routes as last minute student registrations come in. Please double check before the first day of school. Times will fluctuate at the start of a new school year until everyone settles down into a routine.

BPS MOBILE APP AVAILABLE
-- APP STORE LINK
-- GOOGLE PLAY STORE LINK

2023-2024 DISTRICT SCHOOL-YEAR-AT-A-GLANCE CALENDAR

Note: Easter Sunday is March 31, 2024. It is the last day of Spring Break.

2023 NEWS & VIEWS NEWSLETTER

The BPS District Back-to-School Newsletter is a great resource to use year round!

HOW TO REQUEST TEXT MESSAGE ALERTS AND MANAGE YOUR CONTACT PREFERENCES IN INFINITE CAMPUS

Bedford Public Schools uses Infinite Campus' ability to send out Emergency Notifications. You can manage your contact preferences within your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. (If you have not set up your Parent Portal Account yet, please check you email for an activation key code.)

You can choose how you want to receive our messages: email, phone calls, and now text messages. The default setting is email and phone options. If you wish to add text messages, you will have to add that as an option in your Parent Portal Settings. Please use this link for Instructions on How to Set Your Contact Preferences and to Receive Text Message Alerts.

You can edit your phone numbers within the portal, but if you need to change your email, you will need to contact the school office.

NEW TO INFINITE CAMPUS?
Each parent who is listed as a student guardian in Infinite Campus will receive an email on Monday. This email will include their personal parent activation key (a long string of letters and numbers) that will connect the parent to all of the students in their household that attend BPS. A parent will use that special key to set up their Infinite Campus parent account.

BPS MOBILE APP AVAILABLE

APP STORE LINK
GOOGLE PLAY STORE LINK

TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Please see the latest Tech Department Newsletter with information for current 1st-11th grade families as we wrap up the 2022-23 school year and get ready for 2023-24!

It includes details on:

End of Year Chromebook & Charger Collection
2023-24 Chromebook Insurance for 2nd-12th Grade
Optional Protective Chromebook Messenger Bag Available
Chromebook Distribution for 2023-24
Google Drive & Gmail Summer Access for Students
Like the Bedford Ed Tech Facebook Page

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Parents Guide: How to View Child Information on Schoology & Infinite Campus
Infinite Campus: Resources for Parents to Get Started

COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR BEDFORD FAMILIES

Find details with this Community Assistance Opportunities for Bedford Families Link including information about food assistance programs, Eye Exams/Glasses, Parent Support Group and more. New information will be added to that document as it comes in. Some programs are seasonal but past details are included for future reference.

MOBILE FOOD PANTRY

Link to Mobile Food Pantry dates/locations in Monroe County

Douglas Road Elementary Vision and Mission Statement

OUR VISION:

D -- Developing thoughtful minds
R -- Relationship driven
E -- Establishing successful students

OUR MISSION: Inspiring emotional and academic growth for a successful future.

DOUGLAS ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
6875 DOUGLAS ROAD, LAMBERTVILLE, MI 48144
PHONE: 734-850-6700, ATTENDANCE: 734-850-6720, FAX: 734-850-6799

SOLIANT NAMES BEST INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS IN AMERICA

DRE MAKES THE LIST!

When the Gandee family decided to do the CP Swagger to raise awareness for Cerebral Palsy, they did not imagine their efforts would spark an outpouring of support and donations for an inclusive playground. Those donations, and many hours of volunteer work from community members, launched the C.P. Swagger Playground. These inspirational efforts caught the attention of Soliant as they sought to celebrate the ten best inclusive playgrounds in the United States.

Soliant reviewed outstanding school playgrounds across the country based on several factors, including the utilization of inclusive playground design core principles, quantity, and quality of play features offered, and any unique inspirations or stories behind the development, funding, or name of the playground. These selected playgrounds go beyond minimum accessibility to offer play experiences for a wide variety of needs—for example, by offering braille features for students who are visually impaired and sensory-rich structures for students with developmental disabilities.

“We were absolutely blown away at the number and variety of inclusive playgrounds in schools nationwide, so much so that it felt nearly impossible to pick just ten. Here at Soliant, we feel grateful for this opportunity to spotlight ten playgrounds with incredible design and stories. Additionally, we extend our acclamation to the school educators and support staff who help push inclusivity further into education systems and continuously work to benefit the experience for all children—regardless of abilities,” Soliant Senior Vice President of Education Lesley Slaughter said.

Use this link to see "The 10 Best Inclusive School Playgrounds in America” released by Soliant. Douglas Road Elementary School’s C.P. Swagger Shipyard is the second entry on the list and it is the only one located in Michigan.

“The opportunity to be able to offer an inclusive educational environment both in and outside of the classroom is extremely important for our students,” said Bedford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Carl Shultz. “The Douglas Road Elementary community came together to purchase and install an amazing play structure that would benefit all students equally. This is another amazing example of what can happen when caring people come together for the benefit of all.”

Now hiring, jobs at BPS, see website for details

BPS is hiring!

Among the available openings are several Parapro positions. These are great for people looking for part time work that fits within the same times as their child’s school days!

Use the “Jobs at BPS” link to see what is available and for details on applying.

A variety of substitute positions are also available. Substitute bus drivers are in demand. (If you are interested in being a bus driver, please call Transportation Director, Cari Dupree, at 734-850-6071 to ask about paid training if needed.)

Bedford Public Schools