Lakes Elementary - January 16th, 2026

Matt Zokoe - Principal
mzokoe@rockfordschools.org

Address: 6849 Young Avenue, Rockford, MI 49341
Website: www.rockfordschools.org

Phone: (616) 863-6340

From The Desk of Mr. Zokoe

Lakes Families,

We are getting right back into the swing of things here at Lakes Elementary! Last week, our fourth graders had an awesome experience spending their week learning at the John Ball Zoo. Our fifth-grade students began the D.A.R.E. and Junior Achievement Biz Town programs. These programs are designed to support decision-making and financial literacy understanding for our students. This week, all students are working through the Winter NWEA ELA and Math assessments. Students are setting goals and celebrating their personal successes through this testing period. It is great to see everyone back and learning each day!

Our January character trait focus is gratitude. Gratitude is the act of showing thankfulness and appreciation for the good things in life. Students' express gratitude when they say, “thank you,” recognize acts of kindness, or notice the simple joys in their day. Practicing gratitude helps students build a positive outlook and strengthens relationships with those around them. We will continue to focus on gratitude through our RAMS model at Lakes each day. We will be celebrating our Students of the Month on Wednesday, January 28, during our morning MTSS- Behavior Assembly. Students are encouraged to dress in their DEN colors for our assembly.

Later this month, we will be sending all families a link to complete a School Climate Survey that helps us better understand how our MTSS-Behavior is going. This link will help our building navigate what is going well and what we can work to improve. Thank you in advance for your participation in our survey.

At the end of this month, we will send out our link for conference sign-ups. We will continue to start the sign-up for families who have 3 or more students attending Lakes, and then all families will follow. Our conferences will be in person and will take place on Tuesday, February 24, and Thursday, February 26. Our School Book Fair will coincide with our Tuesday conference night. See you there!

Thank you for your continued partnership,

Matt Zokoe

Cannonsburg Punch Pass

Cannonsburg Punch Cards are now available. Lakes' sponsor is Matt Zokoe. Cannonsburg Punch Cards

Cannonsburg's punch cards offer discounted lift tickets so that students in kinderfarten through 12th grade can enjoy winter to the fullest! Punch cards also offer discounts on rentals and private lessons. There are options for 6 and 10 punches.

Ages 7-10 can get 6 punches for $120 - a savings of $9.17 per lift ticket.

Ages 11+ can get 6 punches for $160 - a savings of $28.34 per lift ticket.

How to Volunteer

Step 1 : Get involved! Contact the PTO for volunteer opportunities, become a daily volunteer, sign up to be a Watch D.O.G., or check your teacher's newsletters for additional classroom opportunities.

Step 2 : Complete a background check online. Background checks can take 2-3 weeks to process so please complete it early! Names are not cleared until teachers, PTO, or volunteer coordinators know that you are coming in. So DON'T hesitate to sign up for a volunteer opportunity, but DO make sure that you have completed the online form this school year! Forms must be resubmitted each school year.

Step 3 : This one is on us! We'll contact our security department to run your background check, and then you will receive an "All Clear" email!

Step 4 : Bring your Driver's License on your volunteer day! Scan the back of your license, smile for a picture, and we'll direct you down to your classroom or volunteer space.

Thank you for supporting our Lakes community!

Daily Volunteers

Sign up to Volunteer!

We are seeking parent or family volunteers to support our learning community at Lakes daily. We are seeking support for both our lunchroom and recess spaces during the day. Parents will be aiding in activities that will allow our students to continue to grow in social situations here at school. Your participation is greatly appreciated!

Current Available Options:

Lunchroom - 11:15 am - 12:50 pm
Lunch Recess - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Last Recess - 1:50 pm - 3:25 pm

Watch D.O.G.S

Watch D.O.G. Volunteer Sign Up

Watch D.O.G.S. is a nationwide program with two primary goals: First, to provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important. And second, to provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security, reduce bullying, and promote good sportsmanship.

We offer two options to make it easier to get involved. When you sign up from the link in the Lakes Newsletters, you will select if you are full day or afternoon only.

First is a whole day from 8:25 am - 3:45 pm . You will support the building from drop-off until the pick-up line is empty! This is how the program was designed and is the most preferred.
Second is a half-day option with a start at 11:00am -or- 1pm until 3:45pm).

Featured Artists

Congratulations to our featured artists of the month. These students will have their artwork displayed in our front vestibule for the rest of January. Congratulations artists!

Smiling student with dark hair and a red sweatshirt poses behind his artwork that features a vase of flower on a yellow background. — Eric S., Kindergarten - Flower Still Life

Student with short blond hair poses behind behind his framed artwork that features a black hole type structure with multi colors. — Braydon Y., 4th Grade. 'The Hole of Doom'

Students with long blond hair poses behind her framed artwork of a blue and purple cupcake. — Addison T., 2nd Grade. Wayne Thiebaud Sweets

Image of two smiling students standing behind their framed artwork with a cardboard man wearing a large dollar sign necklace. — Colten S. + Cullen M., 4th Grade. Cardboard Man

Smiling students with shoulder length dark hair poses behind her framed artwork. A collage of black construction paper houses on a red background. — Claire K., Second Grade. "untitled"

Student with brown hair smiles holding his framed artwork with a detailed city construction scene with a meteor flying in from the side. — Hank W., 5th Grade. Eclipse City

Coming Soon

Mileage Club 2026!

Yearbook Sales are now open!

Yearbook are now available to be pre-ordered! Make your purchase today.

Lakes Yearbook ID is 14560826

We Want To Hear From You! RPS Community Survey. The future of our schools impacts the stretgth 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. Take the survey by clicking this graphic. Thank you for sharing your voice and helping guide our district forward. Image contains previous text and a photo of students engaged in classroom learning and two students in marching band.

REF Rockford Education Foundation on a black and gold background that says Thursday, March 5, 2026. 6:00pmm at the Gilmore 5179 West River Dr. — The Rockford Education Foundation invites you to The Taste on March 5, 2026. This is REF's annual signature event, serving up amazing support for education through great food, drinks, and community partnership. The Taste hosts many local restaurants and businesses. Learn more, sign up to sponsor or purchase tickets online. The sponsor deadline for marketing materials is January 10, 2026.

Superintendent Sub For A Day

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

Nominate a Teacher!

Lakes PTO

Upcoming PTO Meeting

Our next PTO meeting will take place on Thursday, February 5th at Lakes Elementary, 7pm in Room 25. No prior experience or participation needed; everyone is welcome to attend! The agenda will be shared a few days prior to the meeting.

New Opportunities

POPCORN DAY The next popcorn day will be Friday, January 23rd. We have ten (10) slots available for parents to pop, bag and distribute the delicious goods to eager students that morning. Please sign up HERE.

Reminder: Activity Pass

Your student's Activity Pass is their ticket to field trips (entry and transportation), as well as other fun and enriching activities throughout the school year. As a reminder, please review the Activity Pass amounts by grade and submit payment for your student. Have questions or need details on the Activity Pass? Click here!

Kindergarten ($82) - 1st ($67) - 2nd ($77) - 3rd ($98) - 4th ($133) - 5th ($127)

Pay Now online via Paypal or Venmo, or drop a check at the front office.
If you are experiencing financial hardship, please contact Mr. Zokoe for a confidential discussion.
If you have a business that'd like to donate to the PTO scholarship fund to cover families experiencing financial hardship, please contact the PTO for more information.

Thank you to our business sponsors this year! Their generous contributions help our scholarship fund. A warm and hearty high five to the following businesses: 85West Dental, SixOneSix Dentistry for Children, Douglas Photography, Integrated Packaging Machinery, Rockford Self Storage and Swift Printing!

Join the PTO!

Join our team of parent volunteers as we enhance the learning and educational experience of students and staff at Lakes Elementary. Work alongside fellow parents, get to know Lakes teachers and staff while making a positive impact on our school. We have many volunteer roles available for the 2025-26 school year. CLICK HERE to fill out an interest form!

Helpful Links

Check out our new Website!
Follow the PTO on Facebook or Instagram
PTO Linktree and Email
Rockford Booster Bucks

Lakes Recycling Initiatives

NexTrex Plastic Recycling

Our goal is to collect 1,000 pounds this school year so we can earn a new bench for our playground!

Produce bags, grocery bags, ice bags, cereal box liners, bread bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags - Plastics that can stretch.
We've collected over 380 pounds of plastic so far this year!

Papergator Recycling

Papergator use can continue throughout the summer! The green dumpster is located in the side parking lot. Papergator can accept office/school papers, newspapers, junk mail, magazines, shredded paper, and cereal boxes (paperboard that can be torn), etc. Please note, wrapping paper (without sparkles) can be donated to Papergator for all your Holiday party cleanup!