Belmont Elementary School
6097 Belmont Ave NE
Belmont, MI 49306
616.863.6362
Dear Belmont Families,
It's hard to believe we are approaching the end of September. We've experienced some warm temps and are so ready for fall! Over the last couple of weeks, students were taught about how to be RAMS in our outdoor classroom. We learned that the outdoor classroom is an extension of our school and that we need to be respectful, accountable, motivated, and safe when in this space too. We also practiced getting in and out of hammocks which was a real hoot! I sure do love our Belmont kids!
We will have our hammocks out and open for business during our Fall Family Night TONIGHT from 6 pm until dusk. Please join us for delicious desserts and fun activities on the Belmont playground.
Belmont is shining brighter than ever! Thank you for participating in our annual Shine Bright fundraiser. Our students and staff appreciate our school community so much!
As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
With gratitude,
Rachel DeKuiper, Principal
rmdekuiper@rockfordschools.org
616.863.6362
Belmont PTO Bulletin
Students have done an awesome job fundraising for Shine Bright! They have surpassed their goal and raised over $11,000. Shine Bright will officially wrap up fundraising on this Sunday, September 28. Thank you for all your efforts...our Belmont family is truly special!
Our wonderful PTO is providing “Shine Bright” shirts for all Belmont Students! To make sure every child receives the correct size, please take a moment to fill out the Google form linked below. Thank you for your help-we can’t wait to see our students shining bright together!
If you have any questions, please email our PTO at Belmont6097@gmail.com. They are currently planning our Shine Bright celebration for Friday, October 17, and we can't wait!
Free Breakfast and Lunch
As you may be aware, a state budget deal was reached last night. We do not have details yet and do not know if funding has been approved for the Michigan Meals (free school breakfast and lunch) program.
If funding is not available through the state budget, RPS will begin charging for breakfast and lunch starting October 1. Eligible families are encouraged to fill out the Education and Meals Benefits application for free/reduced lunches on the district website. You can find this application and more information using the links below.
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
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.
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!
Upcoming Events:
September 26 - PTO Fall Family Fun Night with the Bumblebee Ice Cream Truck (6 pm - dusk)
September 28 - Shine Bright Fundraiser Ends! We are crushing our goals!!
September 29-October 3 - Homecoming Spirit Week
October 1 - Student Count Day
October 2 - School Custodian Day - Thank you, Jaquelina and Kelli!
October 8 - Belmont PTO Meeting @ 6:30 pm
October 15 - Early Release Day
October 17 - Shine Bright Celebration at Belmont!
October 21 - Culver's Fundraiser (wear costumes!)
October 29 - Early Release Day
October 31 - Outside Halloween Parade - Families Welcome (time TBD)
November 3 and 6 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 11 - STEAM Night
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.
SRP and Practice Drills
The State of Michigan requires us to do several practice drills a year to prepare for different emergencies. We are required to do five fire drills, two tornado drills, two lockdown drills, and one shelter-in-place drill. Today we had our first fire drill. Students and teachers followed our SRP protocol for a building evacuation, and students exited the building safely. Next week, we will practice a lockdown drill. Teachers are doing a nice job of preparing students for this practice in a developmentally appropriate way. Thank you for your support and understanding.
School pictures are ready!
To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number. All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.
More about the Smilesafe program is linked here.
Thank you!
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!
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!
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
