Cannonsburg Elementary
4894 Sturgis St., Rockford, MI 49341
Phone: (616) 863-6344
Fax: (616) 863-6357
Teya Cotter - Principal
tcotter@rockfordschools.org
Welcome Back, Cannonsburg Cub Families!
Happy New Year! We are thrilled to welcome our Cannonsburg Cubs back for the second half of the school year. As we kick off 2026, we are focused on ensuring every student thrives and grows.
Our 2025-26 Focus Areas Include:
Using Tiered Instruction to provide "just right" support and enrichment for every learner. We are focused on engaging our learners through active and intentional student talk in Tier 1, sharing students across teams to provide Tier 2 instruction, and meeting the needs of the 7% of our students who require Tier 3 reading daily interventions.
Utilizing MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) to foster a positive social and emotional environment where our R.A.M.S. are Respectful, Accountable, Motivated, and Safe through the use of common expectations, positive reinforcement, and accountability.
Community Survey
As Rockford Public Schools looks toward the future, we want to ensure our planning reflects the values and priorities of our families. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to complete our anonymous Community Bond Survey. The results are being managed independently by Kent ISD and will be used to help guide future decisions regarding our facilities and student spaces. Your voice is essential to this process! Click here to take the survey. The survey closes this Sunday, January 18. Thank you for your time and for supporting our schools!
January Character Trait: Gratitude
This month, students and staff are practicing Gratitude. We encourage you to ask your student each day: "What is one thing you are grateful for today?"
Cub Culture & Expectations
To maintain a focused learning environment, please help us reinforce these recently reviewed expectations:
Personal Items: Toys, trading cards (Pokémon), and 3D-printed items should stay at home.
No Buying/Selling: To prevent distractions, buying, selling, or trading items (including candy/gum) is not permitted.
Smart Watches: These must remain in "School Mode" during the day. All communication should be routed through the front office.
Winter Reminders
Birthdays: Student birthdays are celebrated by the teacher as a whole class event. To honor your child on their special day, a book, an indoor recess game, or fun classroom supply can be donated. Food treats and goody bags should not be sent in.
Winter Gear: Please send coats, hats, and gloves for outdoor recess.
Attendance: Being at school and on time every day is key to student success! Under directives from the Kent ISD, truancy alert letters are sent home as a student is exceeding 10% days absent (excused or unexcused). This communication is to make families aware so a plan can be made or supports put in place.
Thank you for your continued partnership. Let’s make 2026 a great year!
Warmly,
Teya Cotter, Cannonsburg Principal
important upcoming dates
- January 12-23: NWEA Math
- January 18: RPS Community Survey closes
- January 19: Martin Luther King Day, No School
- January 23: Spelling Bee-4th and 5th Grade
- January 30: 5th Grade Grand Battle of the Books
- February 4: Early Release 1:30 pm Dismissal
- February 4: Mental Health Resource Night @ RHS 5:30 pm
- February 5: Breakfast with a Buddy-Last Names A-L
- February 6: Breakfast with a Buddy-Last Names M-Z
- February 9-11: Candy Gram Sale @ lunch
- February 9-12: Spirit Week
- February 10: Cubs Cupboard @ Lunch
- February 10: PTC Meeting @ 7:00 pm
- February 12: Class Valentine's Day parties
- February 13 & 16: Mid-Winter Break No School
- February 20: Popcorn Day
- February 24 & 26: Family Teacher Conferences-Sign-ups coming soon!
- There are no early release days in January.
4th Grade Market News Story
Last month, our 4th graders hosted their annual market day. Please read this fantastic news story about their special day! You can read about it here Market Story Link or find it here: https://www.schoolnewsnetwork.org/2025/12/19/holiday-market-is-festive-foray-into-economics/
Warm Fuzzies!
Thank you to the Gallagher family for the Italian soda refreshment bar for our teachers and staff! We so appreciate the warm fuzzies!
Breakfast with a Buddy!
It is that time again for our Annual Breakfast with a Buddy Event, hosted by our PTC! This year the event is on February 5th and February 6th in the cafeteria. Students can bring in one Buddy before school for a quick breakfast treat of donuts, fruit, coffee and juice.
At every table there will be blank cards for the students and/or family members to write a quick message of encouragement or thanks to the staff at Cannonsburg! There will be a basket for completed cards and we will pass them out to staff after the event.
Note: February 5th will be for students with last name A-L and February 6th will be for students with last name M-Z.
RPS Community survey
WE WANT TO forward. HEAR FROM YOU!
RPS COMMUNITY SURVEY
The future of our schools impacts the strength of our entire community. Following the November election, we are seeking your honest perspective on district priorities, transparency, and facility needs to help shape our next steps.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Scan the QR code on the below image or visit the following web address: https://kentisd.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3h3MI46XPF8rG0C Hard Copies are available at the Central Office or Community Services Office (350 N. Main St.). Please return your survey in the provided sealed envelope.
INDEPENDENT & ANONYMOUS: To ensure your privacy, Kent ISD is responsible for managing this survey and the results. Your responses are 100% anonymous and will be used collectively to guide future decision-making.
Take the survey here: Community Survey Link
Spirit Week!
Superintendent sub for a day!
One of our Cannonsburg staff members may be selected for a well-deserved day off with our own super substitute, Dr. Matthews! Once a month, Dr. Matthews will be trading his Superintendent’s office for the classroom and stepping in to substitute for a day.
How it works: Each $10 donation to the Rockford Education Foundation nominates a teacher to win a day off while Dr. Matthews takes over the classroom. All donations support REF educational grants, celebrate our incredible educators, and give Dr. Matthews a front-row seat in the classroom.
- $10 = 1 entry to nominate a teacher - multiple entries gladly accepted!
- Teachers may nominate themselves or a colleague
- One winner will be drawn monthly, January–May 2026
Link: Nominate a teacher
Lost and Found!
Our lost and found is full of hoodies, coats, gloves, and many other student items. Please encourage your student(s) to stop by to check if anything belongs to them!
Any items remaining in the lost and found will be DONATED to Rockford's Tapestry on Wednesday, January 21!!!
Please stop in to check the lost and found before then!
PBIS Winners-Generosity
Here are some of our December PBIS winners for showing generosity.
Mental Health Night
Rockford Public Schools Mental Health Education and Resource Night: An Evening of Connection and Learning.
Wednesday, February 4th, 5:30pm-8:30pm
Rockford High School Auditorium, 4100 Kroes Street NE Rockford, MI 49341
Sponsored by: REF (Rockford Education Foundation)
Join us for a FREE evening dedicated to strengthening our community through mental health education, awareness and connection. Visit with over 20 vendors and listen to two speaker presentations.
Guest Speaker Presentations
Guiding Youth Through the Complex World of Substances, 5:30pm-6:30pm, Mariah DeYoung, LMSW, CAADC, CCS Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services.
From Panic to Power: Understanding Anxiety Through Dynamic Psychotherapy, 7-8pm, Chloe Metzer, LMSW Therapy Today Counseling and Consulting.
PTc MEETING
The next PTC Meeting is February 10 at 7:00 PM in the Art Room. Our guest speakers are: Beky Chino, School Social Worker and Nicko’s Rosser, RPS School Resource Officer to discuss Digital Safety & Preparing for Middle School.
ptc updates
All volunteer signups and PTC related information are available in one place!
Weather Alerts
For up-to-date information regarding Rockford Public Schools delays and/or closings, events and safety alerts, send a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our district’s short code number, 67587. Opt out any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop”. Be sure to tune in on icy or snowy mornings!
Winter Weather
Snow is coming, believe it or not! Please help us make sure our students are prepared for outdoor recess this winter.
With that said, we want to make sure our students are prepared for outdoor recess this winter.
- It's "Chilly" when the temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees. Students should have long sleeves and pants. Some students will also need a sweatshirt or coat to be comfortable. Shoes and socks are a must!
- It's "Cold" when the temperature is between 33 and 49 degrees. Most students will need layers on the top and bottom to stay warm. Students might also need a hat and gloves. If it's wet or snowy outside, then boots are recommended.
- It's "Extremely Cold" when the temperature is between 1 and 32 degrees. Multiple layers are needed when kids go outside. Boots must be worn outside. Students should have shoes for indoor wear.
Students will go outside for recess as long as the temperature (including wind chill) is above zero. When they do go outside, they need to be dressed appropriately. Also, be sure to label EVERYTHING, pants, gloves, boots, hats, and jackets! If you need any winter weather gear for your child, please let us know. We have resources that we are happy to utilize to keep our students safe and warm. Please reach out to Nicole and Anne in the front office at 616.863.6344 if you need anything.
Send in Extra Clothes-Label Everything
To avoid your student’s clothing from going into the lost and found PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING!!! Label all coats, boots, mittens, hats, etc. Labeling items will ensure they will back it back home!
ALL students should have a change of clothes in their lockers. We only have a few extra clothing items for students to borrow and bring back. We tend to run out as the year goes on.
Cannonsburg Punch Cards
Cannonsburg’s punch cards offer DISCOUNTED LIFT tickets so that students in kindergarten through 12th grade can enjoy winter to the fullest. Punch cards also offer discounts on rentals and private lessons!
HOW TO PURCHASE A PUNCH CARD Punch cards can be purchased during office hours at Cannonsburg Ski Area. You can also purchase punch cards anytime online!
To purchase a punch card online, please follow the steps below.
Go to our website link: https://cannonsburg.com/cart/ Click on the C-flake icon for the type of punch card you would like to purchase. Fill out information, INCLUDING sponsor and school name.
If you have any other questions, please email info@cannonsburg.com
School assistance program (SAP)
Access support today!
Say “I have an SAP with Rockford Public Schools” when you call Pine Rest at 800.442.0809 and press “1.” Every RPS family member in your household is eligible. The Rockford Education Foundation (REF) has proudly partnered with Rockford Public Schools to provide expert counseling, therapy, and resources through Pine Rest’s School Assistance Program (SAP).
Free Breakfast and Lunch
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.
Student cellphones 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 smart watches 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!
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 I Love You Guys website.
Hand2hand sign up form
This program offers nutritious food to students over weekends and on extended school breaks by churches, schools, individuals, and businesses that have joined together to provide hope and opportunity for our kids to thrive.
Please scan the QR code below to sign your student up to receive weekly meals.
Medication Drop-off
If your student(s) will need medication during the school day, please follow these instructions:
The medication forms can be found on the RPS website and are linked below. Please remember these documents must be signed by a parent AND their physician. Medication should be dropped off in its original container.
Attendance Procedures
If your student will be absent please call the office attendance line by 9:30am. Robo calls go out at 10:00am.
If you choose to email attendance notifications please include office staff & your student's teacher.
- Nicole Curtis - ncurtis@rockfordschools.org
- Anne Joles - ajoles@rockfordschools.org
Volunteer Consent Forms
Volunteer Consent Forms must be completed every year, please complete your application now! This form must be on file in order to chaperone a field trip and/or volunteer at building events.
Transportation and busing
Transportation is encouraging RPS families to get the My Ride app on their phones. For more information on this, please click on this link to our Transportation Department: Transportation
My Ride K-12 App
My Ride K-12 capabilities include the following:
Stop location, assigned route, and scheduled pick up time
GPS geolocation push notifications, giving estimated time of bus arrival and information concerning bus status changes
Real time communication and messaging
Secure and confidential log in
Android/iOS app and Web Version available
Birthday treats and celebrations
- We look forward to celebrating our students’ birthdays and will honor each student with a shout-out on the announcement's birthday board, as well as special moments throughout the day with the classroom teacher and peers.
- RPS school policy is no food birthday treats. You are welcome to send in a book for the class or a non-food item, such as indoor recess game. We promise to make our birthday students feel special on their big days. Unfortunately, if food items are sent in they will not be able to be distributed.
- If your student is celebrating with classmates outside of school, please only send invitations to school when all classmates are included. This helps to avoid hurt feelings.
Thank you for your support with our Birthday Celebration Procedures.
free family assistance program
The Rockford Education Foundation (REF) has proudly partnered with Rockford Public Schools to provide expert counseling, therapy, and resources through Pine Rest’s School Assistance Program (SAP).
Say “I have an SAP with Rockford Public Schools” when you call 800.442.0809 and press “1.” Every RPS student, staff and family member in your household is eligible for up to three free sessions. Additional SAP benefits include: free elder care consultation, legal and financial consultation, infant-feeding advice and real estate consultation. Anyone in the household can utilize these resources and it is 100% confidential. Access an online library with over 20,000 resources covering health, finances, legal topics and more. The code to login the library is RockfordPS.
Login Code: RockfordPS
RPS Student Device Management
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.
We appreciate your support in assisting your child(ren) to participate in the proper care of devices and if you have any questions or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's school.
