Belmont Elementary School
6097 Belmont Ave NE
Belmont, MI 49306
616.863.6362
Dear Belmont Families,
I can't believe it is already October! We have just wrapped up our seventh week and 33rd day of school! Every day is an opportunity for students to learn and grow and we appreciate all you do to get your students through our doors each morning. Thank you!
Our fall conference dates are November 2 and 4. A conference sign-up link will be shared with you next week. We look forward to meeting with you and sharing both glow and grow areas for your student. Our Book Fair will also be open each night. A big thank you to Mrs. Watkins for helping make this possible.
We have a tremendous team at Belmont and you are a big part of that! Belmont really is THE BEST!
With gratitude,
Rachel DeKuiper, Principal
Belmont shined bright!
It’s official! Students raised $13,268! This is well beyond their $10,000 goal! They also received donations from all 50 states! Thank you to Ava in fourth grade for inspiring these efforts!
We also had three classes that had not earned pizza, BUT we’ve had two generous students donate their funds to help with this! Thank you to Avery and James for getting us closer to a whole school pizza party. We have generous students that genuinely care for the each other!
We are moving our Shine Bright Celebration Day to a Friday afternoon. It will now be on Friday, October 23! More info to come…
Thank you again for ALL your support and for helping Belmont Shine Bright again this school year!
REF - Stock the shelves
Let's Stock The Shelves, Rockford!
From October 5–16, 2026, your gift to REF provides more books and more opportunity. For every $50 donated to the Rockford Education Foundation, you’ll help put books and educational resources into the hands of Rockford students and receive a $25 gift card to epilogue Books.
It’s a simple way to support Rockford students and shop local. Use the Stock the Shelves link below to donate! Thank you!
RAM out pediatric cancer
Our football program is honoring Anni and her past battle with medulloblastoma on Friday, October 23. The Anni's Army Foundation will be selling shirts the week of October 19 at Belmont Elementary and at the football game on Friday, October 23. The shirts are $10 each, cash only, and will get you into the football game for free. The shirts will be for sale in the front office.
Costume Cookie Run
The Rockford Chamber is holding its annual Costume Cookie Run on Friday, October 23 at 6 pm. Registration is $30 and includes a long sleeve shirt, timed races with prizes, and cookies & milk at the finish line. The Costume Cookie Run will take place in Downtown Rockford behind Parkside and the Rockford Community Cabin. Register online at the link below:
Trick or Treating at RHS
On Thursday, October 29 the Student Council at RHS is hosting their annual Trick or Treat event in the high school parking lot from 5:30-7:30 pm! It's a great event and another opportunity to for students to wear those costumes!
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. BreakoutEDU 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.
Upcoming Events:
October 14 - Early Release Day for Students
October 14 - PTO Meeting @ 6:30 pm
October 15 - Math Night at Belmont @ 6:00 pm
October 16 - Popcorn Day!
October 23 - Shine Bright Celebration Day - NEW DATE!
October 27 - Culver's on Alpine PTO Fundraiser
October 28 - Early Release Day for Students
October 30 - Class Halloweeen Parade (weather permitting) and Parties
- 1:45 - 2:05 ~ Parade (perimeter of playground; visitors welcome)
- 2:05 - 3:00 ~ Classroom Parties (thank you, volunteers)
- 3:00-3:20 ~ All-School Recess
November 2 - Conferences and Book Fair
November 4 - Conferences and Book Fair
November 11 - Early Release Day for Students
November 25-27 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
Math Game Night
Thursday, October 15
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Belmont Elementary Gym
Our Belmont PTO, in partnership with Mathnasium, is inviting Belmont families to participate in a fun and interactive Math Game Night. Students will travel from station to station learning new ways to engage and practice math at home. Every student will leave with a goodie bag and a smile. Math Game Night will be set up like an Open House giving families the flexibility to come and go as needed.
If you plan on stopping by, please complete this form. We want to ensure we have enough give-aways for all the kids. You can also indicate on this form if you are interested in volunteering. Thank you!
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.
Rams of the month recognition
Each month, we will recognize "RAMS of the Month" from each classroom. These are students who have positively influenced Belmont Elementary by exhibiting exceptional RAMS (respectful, accountable, motivated, safe) behavior without seeking recognition or praise. Please join me in celebrating our September recipients:
Kindergarten: Vincent and Raine
1st Grade: Quinn and Emma
2nd Grade: Nilan and Knox
3rd Grade: Miles and Ty
4th Grade: Ava and Lily
5th Grade: Kreed and Spencer
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.
steam night - save the date
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 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
