Cannonsburg Elementary
4894 Sturgis St., Rockford, MI 49341
Phone: (616) 863-6344
Fax: (616) 863-6357
Teya Cotter - Principal
tcotter@rockfordschools.org
Message from Miss Cotter
Greetings, Cannonsburg Families!
Thank you for your feedback on our recent Family Survey. We had 36% of our families complete the survey, and the results are a testament to the staff, teaching, community, and systems we have here! The following areas stood out as celebrations and growth areas:
STRENGTH AREAS (80%+ Strongly Agree):
I feel comfortable talking to teachers at school.
My student(s) feel safe at school.
Staff work hard to make sure students achieve their potential.
Staff have high standards for achievement.
Staff at school promote academic success for all students.
I feel welcome at school.
GROWTH AREAS (70% Strongly Agree):
My student(s) is recognized for good behavior.
Staff communicate well with families.
School rules are consistently enforced at school.
Parental involvement
We take your feedback seriously. We are constantly striving to have a learning environment at Cannonsburg where learners are Respectful, Accountable, Motivated and Safe. Today, we introduced our Golden Tickets system for “recognition of good behavior,” and all students tried mini slushies during lunch. Our first focus for learning and practice will be hallway behavior. Please review the Hallway & Stairs Expectations with your child(ren) that he/she brought home today.
Throughout the week, all staff will be giving out Golden Tickets to students showing exemplary hallway behavior, and students can redeem their tickets on Fridays during lunch. Approximately 60 students will win each week. As students demonstrate mastery of the first skill, we will select a new focus to teach, reward, and reinforce. In addition to our Golden Tickets Behavior Celebrations, we notice students who exhibit exemplary character. This month we are learning about how to show INTEGRITY.
Thank you for all you do at home to teach, support, and reinforce these skills and behaviors as well!
Warmly,
Teya Cotter, Principal
important upcoming dates
- March 16: Kindergarten Parent Information Night 6-7 pm
- March 20: Popcorn Day
- March 25: Early Release 1:30 pm Dismissal
- March 28: Honey Creek Breakfast, 5th graders & their families
- April 1: Fifth grade field trip to Biz Town
- April 2-12: Spring Break No School
- April 14: Spring Music Program, K-2 at 6pm, 3-5 at 7pm
Classroom environment form
Occasionally, parents may wish to ask for a specific learning environment for their child due to particular circumstances. This spring, your child’s current teacher will be working with their colleagues to select the best placement based on your child’s needs for the 2026-27 school year. Forms are due by May 8 at noon and late requests will not be considered.
Please know that many factors contribute to the creation of class lists, and not all requests can be honored, including teacher assignments. Please do not request a particular teacher.
Use this link to complete the form:
STEAM is looking to be more social!
Are you curious what types of activities your child is doing in STEAM?
Or like one student said the other day, he likes to know ahead of time what we are doing, because he is so excited about what is going to happen in STEAM!
During the month of March we are holding a contest to see if we can increase our social media presence. We will be giving away an amazing STEAM Craft Pack on March 27th. You can have your very own Makerspace just in time for Spring Break. Follow and share on Facebook and Instagram to be entered to win!
Here are the links:Facebook:
Instagram:
Spring Music program
The programs will be on Tuesday, April 14 from 6:00 pm (grades K-2) and 7:00 pm ( grades 3-5). Please have students arrive 15 minutes early. A more detailed letter to parents will be going home the week we get back from Spring Break for line-up, room assignments etc. The music newsletter has more information on what to wear and practice ideas. You can read it here:
Congratulations!
The Cannonsburg 3rd grade Odyssey of the Mind team earned 2nd place at the Michigan Region 2 Odyssey of the Mind competition held at North Rockford Middle School on February 28!
The team competed in a long-term challenge, Problem 1: Off the Rails, where they designed and built a creative train solution. They also participated in a spontaneous problem that required quick thinking and strong teamwork. We are so proud of how they collaborated and represented Cannonsburg.
With their outstanding performance, the team will advance to the State Competition on March 21 in Middleville!
Thank you to all of the parents for your support, and a very special thank you to our dedicated coaches for the countless hours they invested in preparing the team.
Students: Linus R, Kinsley F, Gus L, Will S, Bryce H, Will O, Jack G
Coaches: Josh & Jill Risner
Westward Expansion in 2nd grade
Second grade has been learning about Westward Expansion of the United States. The kids learned that the Pony Express was used to send messages to the pioneers out west. The Pony Express riders would ride to a station and hand off the letters to the next rider who would ride to the next station to hand off the letters and so on until the letters were delivered. We brought this to life and had the kids ride "horses" and hand mail off to each other. We also enjoyed some food from that time!
Thank you for the warm fuzzies!
Thank you to the Littrells and Bades for the recent warm fuzzies for our school stuff! We all loved the coffee and goodies and luck of the Irish you shared with us.
Yearbook helpers needed
We are in need of some adults to help with the creation of the Cannonsburg Yearbook.
The Yearbook is created by Mrs. Arnett and a team of 4th and 5th Graders and we would like to have one person overseeing the different areas where help is needed.
We are looking for:
Photo Crew- an adult to come in during recess to help manage the photos.
I would like this person to go around with students to help them take pictures of activities going on around the school. They will be the candid crew! I would also like this person to upload and tag the pictures that are taken by the students after they go around.
Page Placement- an adult to come in to assist students in choosing and placing pictures that have been taken by the students. They can add captions if they want and make their designated page look nice.
Page Submission- When the kids are done placing pictures, I’d love a fresh set of eyes to go through and proof each page. Look for errors or pictures that might be blurry.
This will take place during morning Recess: 10:15-10:35 (sometimes you may need to stay a little longer).
Please only sign up for ONE slot to allow space for multiple parents to volunteer. Thank you!
Sign up here:
Traffic safety
Traffic safety during arrival and dismissal is a shared responsibility. We have noticed cars not yielding to traffic on Sturgis Avenue when leaving the drop-off/pick-up loop at school. Please remember you must stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear if you are turning right or crossing over Sturgis when leaving the school drop-off/pick-up loop. If turning, please also use your signal to indicate your direction. Our school buses frequently travel on Sturgis, so please help us ensure safety for all by yielding and using your signal before traveling onto/across Sturgis. Thank you!
3rd Graders-outdoor learning
If you are a current third grade student and are interested in joining the Outdoor Learning program next year, please read this information:
Kindergarten enrollment!
Kindergarten Enrollment is now open! Find more information here:
ptc updates
All volunteer sign-ups and PTC related information are available in one place!
Order Your yearbook
We are excited to share our student-created yearbook with you this year! It will feature artwork on the cover by Carter T. from Mrs. Vallad's class. The artwork of our runner ups will be on the back cover. These artist's include: Remi F, Lena F, Dodge M, and Grant H. from Mrs. Vallad's class; Nolan H, Kalli S & Sami N, Harper F & Emma E, and Henry M & Briggs R from Mrs. Ralph's class. Thank you all for your hard work and contributions!
All orders are due by April 17.
Please click the button below to order a yearbook for this year.
You can also print the form below and return it with your payment to school:
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:
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).
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
February PBIS Winners-Initiative
Congratulations to our Cannonsburg students who were recognized for exemplifying initiative during the month of February!
March Character Trait: Integrity
Definition: The quality of being honest.
Challenge: Google why Abraham Lincoln was nicknamed "honest Abe".
Reflection: Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
GRASP
Do you want to help your child maintain reading and math skills over summer break? GRASP is an at home program used by families for 50 years!
Grand Rapids Academic Summer Program (GRASP) is a summer math and reading correspondence program that helps scholars in grades kindergarten through 8th retain skills learned during the school year by providing review exercises.
Teachers and curriculum professionals developed GRASP as a cost-efficient substitute for traditional summer school. Lessons were written to correlate with the Common Core Standards which most states have adopted.
GRASP offers nine lessons to be submitted during the summer - one per week or at a scholar's own pace as long as they are submitted before the final due date. Each lesson reinforces the basic skills typically found in most curricula at that particular grade level. GRASP staff score the lesson and return it to the scholar with comments.
Packets are available for scholars finishing grades K-8 to review their math and reading skills. Scholars finishing grades 4-8 can select online resources instead of the packets.
We recognize our scholars' efforts by awarding a certificate to those who successfully complete at least seven lessons with 70% accuracy. A medal is given to scholars who successfully complete all nine lessons from their packet.
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!
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.
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
Birthday treats and celebrations
- We look forward to celebrating our students’ birthdays and will honor each student with a shout-out on the announcement 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.
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.
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 geo-location 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.
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.
