Belmont Elementary School
6097 Belmont Ave NE
Belmont, MI 49306
616.863.6362
Dear Belmont Families,
It's finally starting to feel like fall, and we are very ready for the cooler temperatures at school. We are also in the midst of our longest stretch of consecutive school days. Students have been building their learning stamina and are now, for the most part, navigating the school day with ease. I love popping into classrooms and seeing all the learning taking place. Thank you for prioritizing school attendance and for giving your student(s) the support they need to be successful while they are here. It matters, and we are grateful!
Speaking of school attendance, Belmont is off to a great start! As of today, we've had 33 days of school, which equates to 198 hours of instruction (11,880 minutes). That's a whole lot of learning, folks, and likely explains why your student(s) may be tired at the end of a school day!
With gratitude,
Rachel DeKuiper, Principal
rmdekuiper@rockfordschools.org
616.863.6362
Belmont PTO Bulletin
Thanks to the incredible support from our students, families, and community, our school has had an awesome Shine Bright fundraiser—now it’s time to celebrate!
We’re throwing a special celebration packed with fun: an inflatable obstacle course, crafts, an exciting color run, and a pizza party! And don’t forget... there’s a messy surprise in store that you won’t want to miss!
Students should wear clothes and shoes that can get messy (bringing an extra set of clothes is highly recommended).
We’re also looking for volunteers to help make this day extra special and successful. Please see the SignUpGenius link. Thank you for helping us make amazing memories!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C48A9A62DA4F49-59281601-2025
If you have any questions, please email our PTO at Belmont6097@gmail.com.
Free Breakfast and Lunch is back!
It actually never left, but the state sure kept us guessing! Thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we tried to make sense of the information coming out of Lansing.
Research is pretty clear that hunger can harm student learning. Hungry students are not as engaged in the classroom, and can have difficulty concentrating and processing information effectively. Because of this, we are grateful to have free breakfast and lunch available for all of our students.
As you know, not everything on the school menu is a crowd-favorite. Because of this, we encourage families to preview the menus linked below each day and plan accordingly if what is being served for breakfast and lunch is not something your student will eat.
Costume Cookie Fun Run
RAM Out - for Pediatric Cancer
The 2nd Annual RAM Out Pediatric Cancer Football Game is coming up on October 24. If you would like to purchase a Youth T-Shirt to wear to the game please see the information below on how to purchase one.
Football Game Youth T-Shirt Sales
- What: Youth Size Large T-shirts for $10, grants entry to 10/24 Varsity Football Game (please note: limited adult sizes will be available for students/parents; Cash or Venmo as payment)
- When: Sunday, October 19 @ 4 - 7 pm and Monday, October 20 @ 5 - 7:30 pm
- Where: Look for our AAF Tent @ Rockford High School / Freshman Center parking lot
More information can be found on our social media channels and shared with your network:
- www.facebook.com/AnnisArmyFoundation
- www.instagram.com/annis_army_foundation
- https://x.com/AnnisArmy25
Musical Notes with Mrs. VerMerris
Welcome to the RECORDER UNIT, Students and Families!
In the next several weeks, your 4th-grade student will be learning a lot about how to play an instrument called the Recorder.
They will learn how to read music better.
They will learn how to make the instrument sound beautiful and work on putting the strategies taught in class into practice.
They will learn how to perform on the instrument with few mistakes, and to make this fun, they will earn a recorder karate “belt” for each piece they learn to read and play with at least 75% accuracy. (See below for the criteria Mrs. V looks for.)
Belt Test Criteria
- Must play from “clean” music (does not have letters written in unless it was discussed with Mrs. V. beforehand).
- Must play with the Left Hand on top.
- Must play the correct Rhythm
- Must play the correct Pitches
- Must play with good Tone Quality
What is a BELT TEST?
A belt test is simply when students play a song for Mrs. from a list she gave them in their recorder packet. The song DOES NOT NEED TO BE MEMORIZED. In fact, it is preferred that they show me they are actually reading the music. This means that the letter names of the pitches should NOT be written in for every note, as this does not demonstrate knowledge of where the notes are on the staff. More about this will be discussed in class this week!
Keep reading for ways to take a Belt Test without even being in class!
Announcing a new way to pass those Recorder Karate Belt Tests!
Students currently learning to play recorder in music class, and who are ready to take the next Belt Test, no longer need to wait until the next time they see me in class to take the test. There’s a quicker and easier way! Technology!
You may now videotape yourself using a smartphone or digital camera and send it to Mrs. VerMerris in one of three ways:
1. Via email at lvermerris@rockfordschools.org with an attachment of the video.
3. Via Schoology (This option can only be used if the student is allowed to bring a device home or can access it from home another way)– Send a private message to me, make the video by clicking on the microphone and choosing “Audio/Visual”, record the video, INSERT it into the message, and SEND!
*If you have any trouble with any of these methods, please feel free to contact me via the email address mentioned in #1 above!
Can’t wait to see all of those videos filling up my inbox!
Thank you and happy performing!
Mrs. VerMerris
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 forward as far as possible (until the sidewalk ends).
- Please avoid large gaps between vehicles.
- Students may never exit the vehicle until it is completely off the main road and must exit on the sidewalk side.
- We will have staff present to help younger 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!
Best Things We've Seen!
Belmont teachers and staff are using a bulletin board to recognize and celebrate, "The Best Things We've Seen This Month". Areas of emphasis include: Friendship, Kindness Squad, Readers, Spreading Smiles, Safe Choices, Motivated, Respectful, Sharing, Accountable, and Encouragement. If you visit our building, this positive board will be the first thing you see after walking through the vestibule. We've got great students and couldn't be prouder!
Upcoming Events:
October 10 - Water Polo Youth Night at RHS Natatorium at 6 pm
October 15 - Early Release Day
October 17 - Shine Bright Celebration at Belmont! Volunteers Needed (see below)!!
October 21 - Culver's Fundraiser (wear costumes!)
October 24 - Popcorn Day!
October 29 - Early Release Day
October 31 - Outside Halloween Parade - Families Welcome (time TBD)
November 3 and 6 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 6 - Picture Retakes
November 3-7 - Book Fair (open during the school day and at conferences)
November 11 - STEAM Night!
November 12 - Early Release Day
November 26-28 - Thanksgiving Weekend
Halloween Parade - October 31
We are excited to invite you to our outdoor Halloween Parade on October 31. The parade will run from 1:30-2:00 with a photo opportunity once all students are on the playground. Students are invited to wear or bring costumes to school on Halloween. We look forward to dressing up and celebrating this fun holiday with your children.
Please consider the following when choosing your child's costume for school:
- Costumes should not be gory or threatening.
- For the safety of students, masks should not be worn to school.
- Students may not bring weapons or wands to school.
- Crowns and hats may be worn as long as students can see clearly.
- Costumes must avoid stereotypes and be respectful of all ethnic and cultural groups.
- Costumes must be politically neutral.
- Skin color may not be altered to look like another race.
Classroom parties will be held inside with activities throughout the school day on October 31. Please look for information from your student's teacher about how you can donate to the fun, and thank you for your support!
Fall Conference sign-up
Please find below the Fall Conference Sign-Up Link for Belmont Elementary. All conferences will be held in person this year; however, you can certainly arrange a virtual or phone conference with your student's teacher if you prefer.
Conference Sign-Up LINK: https://www.schoolbookings.net/code/cv3cs
Mrs. Watkins will be hosting the Scholastic Book Fair both nights in the Belmont library and during the school day that week as well. This is a great opportunity to purchase new titles and support your child’s reading life. Our PTO has partnered with BC Pizza on Monday night, with a portion of the proceeds going back to our school.
Kindergarten Dental Screening
What is the Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment Program (KOHA)? Michigan requires the Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA) [Public Act 316 of 2023] to help improve school readiness and raise awareness on the importance of good oral health. Similar to hearing and vision screenings, the oral health assessment takes no longer than 5 minutes to look for signs of tooth decay or infection by a licensed dental professional at no cost to you. Belmont screening took place this past week, and our kindergarten students came home with a dental goodie bag.
Shoe-tying Challenge
Hi, Kindergarten and First Grade Families!
Mr. Banta is doing a reward challenge for any kindergartener or first grader who can demonstrate they can tie their own shoes. Below you will find a link to a video of Mr. Banta demonstrating how to tie his own shoes. If you come into school and show Mr. Banta that you can tie your shoes, he will reward you with a prize. You do not have to use Mr. Banta's method. If you have learned a different way, that is absolutely fine! Can't wait to see your awesome skills!
Standard Response Protocol (SRP)
HB 4096, the Revised School Safety Code, has been introduced to provide common language for schools during emergencies. Here is an overview of the FIVE actions schools may take when addressing emergencies.
LOCKDOWN - The term "lockdown" should be used when there is an existing threat in or at a school building or a threat is expected to arrive in or at a school building imminently. Secure in a room, confirm the door is locked, and move to a place of cover away from the door and any windows.
SECURE MODE - Determined when a LOCKDOWN, as described, is not necessary, but heightened security and awareness are needed due to a potential EXTERNAL threat. Instruction continues in a normal manner, but access to the school building and movement within the building is highly restricted.
SHELTER - This is used when it is safer to be inside the building than outside. Common situations where this is used would be severe weather approaching or some type of hazardous materials incident in proximity to the school.
EVACUATION - Deals with the need to evacuate the building as it is no longer deemed safe to occupy for any variety of reasons, like fire, chemical spill, gas leak, etc.
HOLD - Hold is utilized when there is a need to have students and staff remain in their classrooms as staff address a concern or issue (medical, student in crisis) in a hallway or common area. Students are released when the office announces all clear.
For more information about our SRP resource, please visit the https://iloveuguys.org/ website.
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!
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.
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!
Hand2hand - free weekend food for kids
We would like to offer your student the opportunity to participate in a program called "Hand2Hand". This program helps provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who currently may be experiencing a financial burden.
Here's how it works: At the end of each week, students who are signed up for Hand2Hand will receive a minimum of 10 food items in a bag. These food items will be a combination of breakfast, snacks, and lunch or dinner items.
There is no cost to participate! If you sign your student up to receive Hand2Hand, they will continue to receive the weekend bag of food each week throughout the school year. Bags will be discreetly delivered to your child at school.
If you feel like your child would benefit from this opportunity, please complete the form linked below. (You will need to complete one form for each of your children.) If there comes a point when you no longer need the assistance, alert your school office. It will take at least two weeks to receive your first bag. If you do not receive a bag, please contact your school office.
Hand2Hand Permission Slip
*Please note: if your student or another family member has food allergies, it will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian to check the contents of the bag each week to ensure the food doesn't contain ingredients that could cause an allergic reaction.
STEAM NIGHT
Mark your calendars! Our annual STEAM Night is coming up on Tuesday, November 11th from 5:30–7:30 PM at East Rockford Middle School. Please note the important updates: the date has changed from November 4th to November 11th (due to voting day), and the location has moved from the Freshman Center to East Rockford Middle School. More details can be found on the attached flyer. In addition, our STEAM program is still collecting recyclable materials to support student projects. We are currently accepting cardboard tubes, plastic containers, cereal boxes, plastic water bottles, and corks. A flyer with more details is attached. Thank you for supporting our students as they explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math!
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!
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
