Kyle Avink - Principal
kavink@rockfordschools.org
Address: 6350 Courtland Dr., Rockford, MI 49341
Phone: (616) 863-6346
CRESTWOOD CALENDAR
Do you like to plan ahead?! Check out the Crestwood building calendar for exciting upcoming events specific for our building!!
DISTRICT CALENDAR
The 2025-2026 district calendar. Click below to view!
NO SCHOOL
NO SCHOOL:
January 19th (No school for students. Professional Development Day for staff)
SUPERINTENDENT SUB FOR A DAY!
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
VOLUNTEER IN STEAM
Welcome back to school after winter break! We are excited to jump into a new year of learning in STEAM. During the month of January, students will be designing and testing boats, exploring more with robots, and diving deeper into coding with Scratch and Scratch Jr.We would love to have parents and family members join us as STEAM volunteers! If you are interested in helping in the classroom, please sign up using the link below. Thank you for supporting STEAM learning at Crestwood!
COMMUNITY SURVEY OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 18TH
Following the November bond proposal, we are seeking honest feedback on district priorities, communication, and facility needs. To ensure fair and objective results, this survey is being managed independently by Kent ISD and all responses are 100% anonymous. The survey is only open until JANUARY 18TH. Click the image below to reach the survey or use the provided QR Code.
Community Survey QR Code
MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION NIGHT
REMINDERS
YEARBOOK ORDERS!
Click on the image below to order your 2025-26 yearbook!
LABEL OR INITIAL
We are already finding gloves, mittens, hats, and even coats left on the playground WITHOUT students' name or initials. There is a 100% return rate if the students name/initials are in their winter gear. All remaining items get sent to the final destination...Our Lost and Found.
UPDATES
HOLIDAY MUSIC PROGRAM
There will not be a holiday music program for Crestwood this month. The 2025-2026 music program is scheduled for April. More details to come.
2026 PTO MEETING DATES
PTO will be meeting two more times in 2026 to plan Spring family events, staff appreciation dates, Field Day and more. We'd love to have you join us on the following dates:
- March 11th, 2026 @ 7:00 PM
- May 13th, 2026 @ 7:00 PM
PTO BOARD UPDATE
We welcome new talents to our board and will be looking for the following positions to fill in the 2026-2027 school year. If you have a passion for giving your time and would like to join a wonderful team of driven parents, please contact us at crestwoodelementarypto@gmail.com. For more information, visit our webpage.
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- Events Committee - 2 people
- Staff Appreciation Committee - 2 people
RPS OPEN SKATE
Ice skate with friends and support your elementary school!
Crestwood's time is 1PM to 3PM on February 28th at Cedar Rock Sportsplex. Purchase tickets at the door for $10 each which include two hours of open skating time and ice skate rentals. PTO receives $2 back in donations from each ticket sold during their school time slot.
CRESTWOOD REMINDERS
Who do I call if my student will be absent or late to school?
- If your student will be absent or tardy, please call the attendance line OR email both the teacher AND Laura Greene (lgreene@rockfordschools.org)
- If a student is ill, you must include the symptoms (or diagnosis) for our weekly health report to KCHD
What if my student is out sick?
Absences MUST be called into the office 616.863.6346 or emailed to the front office - lgreene@rockfordschools.org
Please leave a message on our general voicemail box if you are calling after hours. Whether you are reporting an absence on our voicemail, the State of Michigan requires us to know the following:
- Student's name and teacher
- Reason for absence - if it is an illness we need to know the symptoms of the illness - vomiting, coughing, fever, cold, diarrhea, lice - whatever the reason may be.
Who do I notify if I have a dismissal change for my student(s)?
- We kindly request that there are no early pickups after 2:45pm. Once the parent pick up line starts to form out front, the office staff is busy with dismissal duties throughout the building.
- Please be sure to let us know of any dismissal changes PRIOR to 2pm
- To contact us with changes, please call 616-863-6346 or email both the teacher AND Laura Greene (lgreene@rockfordschools.org) in the event the teacher doesn’t see the message prior to dismissal.
Where do I find parent communications?
- Our family newsletter and other updates are posted on the RPS website on the Crestwood page bi-weekly during the school year
- You can also check out the Crestwood Elementary & Crestwood PTO Facebook pages
- Please always feel free to call or email the office with any questions
How do I set up or change busing for my student(s)?
- Please contact Transportation directly at 616-863-6328
- We also appreciate your help to support our drivers and remind your students of proper bus behavior
Important Contact Information:
Crestwood Office/Attendance Line 616-863-6346
Allyssa Shanahan ashanahan@rockfordschools.org
Laura Greene lgreene@rockfordschools.org
Transportation Office 616-863-6328
BAC/Child Care Office 616-863-6560
Community Services 616-863-6322
STUDENT RESPONSE PROTOCOL
This year Rockford Public Schools is following the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by the “I Love U Guys” Foundation. The SRP provides clear, common language for how we, as staff and students, respond to different situations, whether that’s a drill, a medical emergency, or a security concern. The terms Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter are simple and action-based, helping everyone know exactly what to do. By practicing these responses, we ensure that our students and staff are prepared and safe in any situation.
Please reach out if you have any questions about this protocol.
STAFF FAVORITES
Get to Know Our Amazing Staff
Our staff works hard daily to support and inspire students and we like to celebrate them. PTO has put together a fun list of all staff favorites from favorite treats to places to eat. This is a great document to save on your phone for special events such as a staff birthday, holidays or appreciation week.
REMINDERS
Feel free to pack an extra pair of socks, shorts, t-shirt, and sweatpants in your child's backpack during the spring months. Don’t forget to put your child’s name on coats, rain boots, etc. Thank you!
Weather Alert
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!
NO CELLPHONES OR SMART WATCHES
- Students with a cellphone will be asked to turn the phone off and not use them during the school day. Please do not text or call your student on their device during the school day. This creates a distraction to the classroom. We will always help with communication through the office or an email to the teacher if needed.
- Students with Apple watches or other wrist devices are asked not use the device to communicate during the school day.
- Students who need to contact home because they are ill or wondering about the end of the day pick up should talk to their classroom teacher who will help them navigate next steps of support.
- Devices at school are distracting to students during the learning day and we ask that unless your student needs the device to communicate after school that they stay home.
- Thank you for your support.
ACCESS SUPPORT AT NO COST
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
