Belmont Elementary School
6097 Belmont Ave NE
Belmont, MI 49306
616.863.6362
Dear Belmont Families,
WOW! I cannot say enough good things about the first week of school! Students have been doing a great job of being RAMS, and we look forward to learning more about our schoolwide RAMS behavior expectations next week. Learning how to be respectful, accountable, motivated, and safe in every school space is our goal!
Also, thank you so much for your patience the first week of school. We appreciate our Belmont families and all they do to support students and staff. We also wish our families the best four-day weekend! We hope you enjoy one last summer hurrah, and look forward to seeing your children back at Belmont on Tuesday, September 2.
Now that we're up and running, our Belmont Newsletter will be updated and posted on a bi-weekly basis. Please look for your next Belmont Newsletter on Friday, September 12.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
With gratitude,
Rachel DeKuiper, Principal
rmdekuiper@rockfordschools.org
616.863.6362
Student Drop-off and pick-up reminders
We love seeing our students every morning and want them to enter and exit the school building safely.
Here are a few reminders for those who are dropping their children off in the morning:
- Please form a single line next to the sidewalk on the south side of the building and pull ahead as far as you can (until the sidewalk ends).
- Please avoid large gaps between vehicles.
- Students may never exit the vehicle until the vehicle is completely off the main road.
- We will have staff present to help students out of their vehicles and guide them to the main entrance.
- Drivers should remain in the vehicle.
- If a driver needs to exit the vehicle, please park in the parking lot and help your student cross safely to the sidewalk.
- There are NO left turns out of the parking lot during morning drop-off.
The end-of-the-day pick-up line is quite a bit busier. We are doing our best to get your child to you as safely and efficiently as possible. Here are reminders for end-of-the-day pick up:
- Please form two lanes and pull ahead as far as you can (until the sidewalk ends).
- Please remain in your vehicle and have your child's last name displayed in the window.
- A safety will walk your student to their vehicle.
- Please avoid large gaps between vehicles. We are trying to avoid a long line of cars on the road.
- If you choose to exit your vehicle, please park in a parking spot.
- Vehicles should never be left unattended in the pick-up line.
- There are NO left turns out of the parking lot during afternoon pick-up.
Thank you for having your parent pick-up sign displayed in your window during pick-up. If you still need a sign, please call the office. Thanks!
Classroom supply lists
Classroom supply lists are posted on the RPS district website. If you have any questions or would like to request assistance with the recommended supplies, please let us know.
Thanks again for all you do to support students and learning!
Belmont PTO Bulletin
Our Belmont PTO is already SHINING BRIGHT this school year! They have created a Belmont PTO Bulletin full of great information and are getting ready to launch our annual Shine Bright fundraiser. Please click on the link below to read the PTO Bulletin, and thank you for considering how you might be able to support our Shine Bright campaign!
Belmont Elementary PTO Facebook Page
Please feel free to email Belmont6097@gmail.com for additional information about any of our PTO happenings! We appreciate your support and thank you for helping us SHINE BRIGHT!
Belmont Staff
We are excited to have both new and returning staff at Belmont Elementary!
Front Office: Ms. Holly and Ms. Katie
Kindergarten: Mrs. Guy and Mrs. Stevenson
1st Grade: Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Murdock
2nd Grade: Mrs. Bair and Ms. Lobdell
3rd Grade: Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Westveer
4th Grade: Ms. Humphreys and Mrs. Walla
5th Grade: Mrs. Bisher and Mr. Linsley
Resource Room: Ms. Sweigart
Social Worker: Mrs. Kaminski
Speech Pathologist: Mrs. Jakiemicz
Interventionists: Mrs. Sperling and Mrs. Childress
Art: Mrs. Brown
Music: Mrs. VerMerris
PE: Mr. Banta
STEAM: Mrs. Priem
Library: Mrs. Watkins
Food Service: Ms. Karen
Paraprofessionals: Mrs. Alderink, Mrs. Host, Mrs. Schaberg, Mrs. Shira, Mrs. Walsh
Custodial: Ms. Jacquelina and Ms. Kelli
Attendance/Illness Communication
Please contact the front office when your child will be absent, tardy, and/or picked up early by calling 616.863.6362. We appreciate you communicating directly with them so that they can let teachers know in real time.
When appropriate, please give us a brief description of why your student is absent (stomach flu, headache, respiratory infection, etc.). This allows us to respond to student/staff illness and do additional cleaning when necessary.
If you choose to send an email, please make sure you include both Holly and Katie in the front office. Their email addresses are hcombs@rockfordschools.org and ktrolla@rockfordschools.org. Teachers don't always get a chance to check their emails during the school day, and we appreciate your help with this!
Jovie, Belmont's Counseling Dog
Jovie is our counseling dog at Belmont. We are excited that our students have the opportunity to interact with and be supported by Jovie throughout the school year. Mrs. Kaminski, our social worker, is Jovie's handler. They work together to support the social-emotional and mental health needs of our students. Jovie has been loved by the students at Belmont for the past few years and is looking forward to working with students again this school year. If your child has a fear of or allergy to dogs, please don’t hesitate to contact us regarding your child’s needs. We will ensure that appropriate accommodations are in place to support your child.
Student cell phones and smart watches
- Students with a cellphone may not use them during the school day, and they should be stored in the child’s backpack at all times.
- Please do not text or call your student on their device during the school day. Communication should go through the office.
- Students with smartwatches should have their device set to school mode, which disables distracting smartwatch features—like calls, messages, and games—while keeping essential safety tools active.
- Students should not be wearing earbuds or other noise-canceling headphones unless it is a documented accommodation.
Thank you for your help with this!
Upcoming Events:
August 29 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day Weekend
September 1 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
September 10 - Early Release Day
September 10 - PTO Meeting at Belmont at 6:30 pm
September 11 - PTO Trailside Treats Fundraiser
September 15 - Shine Bright Kickoff Assembly for Students
September 19 - Popcorn Day!
September 22 - School Picture Day!
September 24 - Early Release Day
September 26 - PTO Fall Family Fun Night with the Bumblebee Ice Cream Truck
Transportation and busing
If you have questions about bus routes or times, please call the transportation office at 616-863-6328 or e-mail the director of transportation, Matt Puett, at mpuett@rockfordschools.org.
Transportation is also encouraging RPS families to get the My Ride app on their phones. For more information on this, please click on the RPS Transportation link below.
Water Bottles
We have added additional water bottle filling stations at Belmont. We now have five in the building. Students are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to bring a labeled water bottle to school so that they have easy access to filtered water throughout the school day. We also appreciate when water bottles come to school already filled. This cuts down on the wait time at the water bottle filling stations. Thank you for your help with this!
Volunteer opportunity
It is time to fill the halls of Belmont Elementary with the wonderful smell of popcorn! In the link below are all the dates and times when volunteers are needed. Please only sign up for dates that you know you are available. When signing up, please don't include the name of your child(ren). Adult names only on the sign-up, please. Thank you so much for signing up and taking the time to help. Belmont kids LOVE popcorn day!
Volunteers are also asked to complete a volunteer form when working with students. If you plan to volunteer in any capacity this year, we recommend filling out the form now. Please check out the Belmont PTO Bulletin for two more volunteer opportunities: Recess Rams and Lunch Rams. Please do not include the names of students when signing up for these opportunities. Thank you!
Student Verification
All verification and acknowledgment will take place in FAMILY ACCESS. You can find a link to RPS Family Access on our district website. The process is similar to last year; however, the materials have been updated to support student learning for the 2025-2026 school year.
The steps for completing the verification process for your child are as follows:
- Log in to Family Access.
- Click on the "Go to Information Verification for your son/daughter."
- Please complete the steps in order, as listed on the right-hand side of your screen. (Note that fields in grey can only be edited at the school building with proper documentation.) Please select the appropriate drop-down items for each screen. Each step requires you to select "I have completed this step" at the bottom of the screen to finalize your information.
- When completing the School Participation step, click on the link called "School Participation", click "yes" on the pop-up window to complete this step. Enter the proper information and click "Save" in the upper right-hand corner.
- Once all steps have been completed, the final step allows you to submit the information. (THIS IS KEY TO FINALIZING VERIFICATION.) Once finalized, you will receive an email verification of enrollment. If you do not receive an email, please go back into FAMILY ACCESS to review any missing steps/information.
Note: We highly encourage all families to set up a FA account as it is the district’s main source of communication to parents. Please visit our website at www.rockfordschools.org & click on the Family Access link (upper right-hand side), or please feel free to contact the main office of your student's school for additional assistance.
School Nurse Update - Student Health
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome (almost) to a new school year! We hope you have had a wonderful summer. As the District Nurses, our priority is to support your child’s health and safety at school so they can learn and thrive.
If your child(ren) has a medical condition—such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, seizures, or any other health need—please update the school with:
- Current medical information and emergency contacts
- Any required Medical Action Plan (Asthma, Allergy, Seizure)
- Updated Medication Authorization Form
- Necessary medications or supplies for use during the school day
These items help us respond quickly and appropriately to your child’s needs and ensure staff are prepared to provide safe care. Required forms must be updated each school year and can be located on the Rockford Public Schools website under Nursing Services. Forms and supplies can be dropped off to your student's school building during open house.
If your child’s condition has changed since last school year, please notify us as soon as possible. We look forward to partnering with you to keep your child healthy and ready to learn.
Wishing you and your family a great start to the school year,
Kelly Theaker and Jennifer Collins, District Nurses
Free Breakfast and Lunch at Belmont
As you may be aware, the state budget that funds Michigan Meals is not yet finalized. We are hopeful that we will know the funding status of this program by October 1st.
RPS will be providing free breakfast and lunch through September 30th, but there is uncertainty about whether free meals will continue after this date.
Students who do not qualify for free or reduced meals may be charged for breakfast and lunch starting on October 1 if the Michigan Meals budget is not approved. Because of this, families are encouraged to fill out the Education and Meals Benefits application linked below.
Outdoor Classroom Ribbon Cutting - July 31
We had a great turnout for our Outdoor Classroom Ribbon Cutting! Thank you to all those who joined us that evening, and to both the Rockford Education Foundation and Belmont PTO for their support! We look forward to learning outside this year!
Outdoor Classroom Wish List:
- Outdoor Marker/Chalk Board
- Hose (50 feet)
- Flower Bulbs (one per student!)
- Perennials (if you're splitting or digging up, we'll take them!)
- Gardening Gloves for Students
Thank you to those who have already donated! We are super excited about our bird feeder and shepherd's hook from the Peterman family as well as the gardening tools and sprinkler from the Anders family!
Proud Principal moments
Student device management and fees
Students in RPS are afforded the opportunity to access and enhance some learning activities through district provided Chromebooks. Thanks to the support of the 2019 school bond proposal, RPS has been able to support the scheduled purchases of instructional technology for student use. Last year, elementary students received new devices, and this year all secondary Chromebooks are new. Thank you!
To preserve the quality of student devices as long as possible, we educate students about proper care and charge for repair when avoidable damage occurs. Like a textbook, each student is assigned a Chromebook and responsible for proper care. If a device is damaged or lost, a charge will be issued against the student's Family Access account. The charge will reflect Rockford Public Schools' cost to repair or replace the device. It is our hope that the layered approach of informing parents/guardians, educating students, and assigning fees when necessary, will assist to promote a decrease in the amount of overall damage to student devices and increased consistency of student accessibility to learning activities.
Should a student device be damaged, the initial fees are as follows:
Chromebook:
- Broken Screen $30
- Broken Keyboard (missing keys, etc.) $30
- Damaged Chassis/Lost Device $200
- Power Supply (Lost or Not Returned) $15
iPads:
- Screen Repair $110
- Broken/Lost Device $299
During the summer of 2025 all devices were inspected to ensure that they are ready for distribution. School personnel will be diligent about communicating device care expectations to students and we ask that parents and guardians reinforce proper care expectations as well.
During the year if a device requires repair, a district technician will review the damage and decide if a charge is necessary. Normal scratches and wear are expected and will not incur a charge. Any fees assigned will generate an email notification to parents/guardians.
District Calendar Overview
