Belmont Elementary School
6097 Belmont Ave NE
Belmont, MI 49306
616.863.6362
Dear Belmont Families,
Thank you so much for joining us for conferences this past week. We love celebrating our students and collaborating with families.
Each year, we ask stakeholder to complete a School Culture Survey. In the past, we've done this in January. This year, we are hoping to collect feedback in the fall to allow more time for action during the academic year. At conferences, teachers put out a QR code for families to scan and complete the survey. If you did not get a chance to complete the survey at that time, please click on the link below. The survey will be open until Friday, November 20. Thank you in advance for helping us be the best Belmont we can be!
School Culture Survey - Families
With gratitude,
Rachel DeKuiper, Principal
PTO Update
Our PTO has had a busy fall and we greatly appreciate all they do for our students and school! If you haven't already, please read their newsletter below. Thank you!
steam night - save the date
STEAM Night volunteers
Big Ideas Need YOU!
STEAM Night is coming up, and we are looking for volunteers to help make the evening a success!
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Time: 5:30–8:00 PM
Location: Rockford High School
This year, we are using ONE volunteer sign-up for both students and adults.
Student Volunteers:
Volunteer hours can count toward National Honor Society (NHS) or Junior National Honor Society (NJHS) service hours.
Parent & Adult Volunteers:
We need help running activities, welcoming families, assisting students, setting up, and cleaning up.
Whether you're a parent, high school student, middle school student, or community member, we'd love to have you join us!
Sign Up to Volunteer:
Thank you for helping us create an exciting night of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math for our Rockford students!
STEAM Night Tie-Dye T-Shirts
Get creative at STEAM Night! Pre-order your Rockford STEAM T-shirt and turn it into your own colorful tie-dye creation during the event!
How It Works:
Order Online: Purchase your T-shirt online by October 30, 2026.
Pick Up at STEAM Night: Pick up your pre-ordered T-shirt at the tie-dye tables, t-shirts will not available to purchase at the event.
Tie-Dye Your Shirt: Visit the tie-dye station to create your own unique shirt to take home!
Order Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026
Order Your T-Shirt Here:
Don't miss out on this fun, hands-on STEAM Night activity!
School ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Rockford Public Schools: School Assistance Program in partnership with REF and Pine Rest offers couseling services for family members.
Call 1-800-442-0809, press 1 and follow the prompts. Say "I have a SAP with Rockford Public Schools" or schedule online at: Pine Rest Scheduling
For complete details please follow the link to the School Assistance Program page:
Upcoming Events:
November 11 - Early Release Day for Students
November 11 - PTO Meeting at 6:30 PM
November 17 - STEAM Night at RHS
November 18 - Dress Like Jovie Day for Jovie's Birthday!
November 20 - Popcorn Day
November 25-27 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
November 30 - BC Pizza PTO Fundraiser
December 2 - Holiday Concert - SAVE THE DATE!
December 9 - Early Release Day for Students
December 16 - Last Day before Holiday Break!
Holiday Break
December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027
Jovie's birthday pet supply drive
Monday, November 16th through Friday, November 20th to support Michele's Rescue
- Supplies needed include laundry soap, dawn dish soap, paper towels, garbage bags, sheets/blankets, puppy & kitten food, toys, and treats. See full list of requested items here.
- Students may drop supplies in any of the donation bins stationed throughout the hallways.
- Michele's rescue is 100% donor-based
- They operate through a foster-family model. Please check out their website if you are interested in fostering an animal or providing respite for a foster family.
- Monetary donations can be made via their website and are tax deductible.
Wednesday, November 18th- Dress like Jovie day!
- Wear white, bandanas, anything with dogs or paw prints on it, or any Rockford gear to wish Jovie a Happy Birthday!
Holiday Music Program - December 2
'Tis the Season to plan for the best Holiday Music Program around! Belmont's program is scheduled for Wednesday December 2 at RHS. Our Kdg-2nd grade students will take the stage at 6 pm and our 3rd-5th grade students will perform at 7 pm. Mrs. VerMerris has created a website linked below with more information about the program. Thank you for saving the date...we can't wait to share the magic of the season with you!
School Culture survey
It's time for our annual school culture survey. In the past, we've had stakeholders complete the survey in January. We moved the timing up a bit to coincide with the end of the first trimester and give us additional time Over the next two weeks, staff members, students, and families will have the opportunity to share feedback about Belmont. Thank you for taking the time to do this and for helping make Belmont the best school it can be.
2026/27 School Culture Survey Families (Deadline: November 20)
Gently used pants/shorts needed
Accidents happen and playground equipment is sometimes VERY wet! Because of this, we are in need of gently used pants and shorts for both boys and girls. We appreciate having extra pairs of these items on hand for our kindergarten through third grade students. If you have some items you wish to donate, please drop them off in the office. Thank you!
Belmont Breakfast and lunch
The State of Michigan is once again providing FREE breakfast and lunch to Michigan students. You can view the menus for both using the links below.
Cannonsburg Punch card Program
Please read the information linked below the Cannonsburg Punch Card Program. This program offered discounted lift tickets for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Mr. and Mrs. Long have offered to be the Belmont liaisons for this program again this year. Their email is k79long@gmail.com if you have any questions! Thank you!
Belmont Volunteer opportunities
We have some awesome volunteer opportunities daily at Belmont Elementary! We would love extra hands in the lunchroom and on our playground. Please visit the sign-ups below to volunteer and please refrain from including your student's name on the sign-up. Thank you!
Popcorn Time!
Please check your child's folder for information about how to sign up for popcorn this year. Once a month our PTO treats students to this delicious treat. Popcorn funds are due September 18 and our first popcorn day is September 25.
If you'd like to volunteer to help make this happen, please click on the link below.
RAMS XII and Belmont
Every three years, RPS goes through the process of reflecting on our current Rams Action Model for Success (RAMS XII). Through this process, we identify growth areas for our district. From there, individual buildings select FAST Goals to focus on each academic year. One of the FAST goals is shared by the elementary building cohort, while the others are building specific.
For the 2026/27 school year, Belmont is focusing on the following two FAST goals:
2.A.3 Wellness and Preparedness: Healthy Relationships
- Establish restorative practices to respond to student behavior
1.C.2 Academic Excellence: Critical Thinking
- Incorporate inquiry-driven and problem-based learning activities across all grade levels and subjects to encourage innovation and critical thinking among students
2.A.3 is a natural next step after elevating our Tiered Systems of Support (2.B.2) last year and emphasizing Strong Emotional Skills (2.A.2) the year before.
1.C.2 was determined to be a strong need by our staff. We want students who have a growth mindset and the ability to problem solve. We want sudents who are resilient and able to think critically. Our PTO has provided us with a tremendous resource to make this learning fun and engaging. Breakout EDU is a game-based platform where students can work both collaboratively and independently to think through different scenarios and solve the problem by cracking a code.
We look forward to evaluating the effectiveness of RAMS XII and planning for RAMS XIII.
Standard Response Protocol
Dear Rockford Families,
Rockford Public Schools is deeply committed to the safety and security of our students, staff, and the community we serve. We view safety as a layered approach—built through community involvement, continued district critical incident training, staff and student engagement, family support, and the use of both physical and technological safeguards. At the heart of this work is strong relationship-building. By collaborating with students, families, staff, and law enforcement partners, we foster a climate of trust that allows every student to learn, grow, and thrive.
In response to new state law signed in January 2025, school districts were required to adopt standardized emergency responses and terminology. To meet this expectation, Rockford Public Schools is partnering with the Kent Intermediate School District and the I Love U Guys Foundation to align our protocols with best practices and provide education across our school community.
The I Love U Guys Foundation has developed the Standard Response Protocol (SRP)—an all-hazards approach designed for urgent situations. The SRP includes developmentally appropriate lessons that classroom teachers will share with students from Preschool through 12th grade in the months ahead.
For the next three months, students will learn about the following procedures this fall:
September: Lockdown
October: Secure and Hold
November: Shelter and Evacuate
Families are encouraged to learn more about the Standard Response Protocol by visiting the I Love U Guys Foundation I Love You Guys Parent Handout. Together, we can ensure our students are prepared, supported, and safe.
The safety of our students is our highest priority. By providing age-appropriate tools and clear procedures, we aim to give students confidence while fostering a strong sense of security in our schools. With your partnership, Rockford Public Schools will continue to build a culture of preparedness, care, and support so that every child can learn and thrive.
Best Regards,
Scott Beckman
Executive Director of Safety and Security
Rockford Public Schools
