Lakes Elementary Newsletter August 28

Principal Matt Zokoe

Matt Zokoe - Principal
mzokoe@rockfordschools.org

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

Phone: (616) 863-6340

Welcome to Lakes 2025-2026

Thank you for entrusting us with your student(s) for another year. We have enjoyed getting to know them. If there are questions we can answer, please contact the front office or your child's teacher.

Coming Home -

Picture Day Order Forms. Picture day is fast this year - next Friday is the day. Students should come photo-ready. Orders can be placed online or returned to school in the provided ordering envelope.
At-A-Glance - This bright orange sheet can be tucked in your planner, taped to the refrigerator, or wherever you glance for quick information and dates.
Hand2Hand Sign Up Form - if your family could benefit from some additional meal support over the weekends, Hand2Hand can help. A discreet backpack of meals and snacks for your student is delivered to their lockers to take home on Fridays. Please see this additional information to enroll.

Picture Day is coming on Friday, September 5!

You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTDCJ2PT. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!
Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com. Flyers will be sent home once school begins!

Picture Day is Coming displayed on a blue background with the year 2025. In black ink is says order this year's school pictures today.

Attendance Reminders

To report absences, appointments, or changes in transportation, please email the student's teacher and both administrative assistants -or- call the attendance line at 616-863-6340, 24 hours a day.

Evie Campbell - ECampbell@rockfordschools.org

Kathy Low - KLow@rockfordschools.org

If your student has a morning appointment, please indicate whether your student will be having school lunch so the order can be placed accordingly.
If your student will be leaving school early, please let us know the time and include if your student will be returning. Due to the arrival of buses and traffic, we ask that early pickups are completed by 3:10 pm. Driveline will begin at 3:30pm.
If your student will be absent due to illness, please include details of the symptoms that they are experiencing in your message.
If your student attends BAC, please make sure to let the school and BAC know if after-school plans change.

Driveline Reminders

Parents or other family members should remain in their vehicles at all times for student safety and to keep traffic flowing smoothly.
Please leave furry friends at home or make sure they are secured in the vehicle.

Morning Dropoff

Please form one line along the sidewalk. Please pull all the way forward to the front of the line - following the directions of our paraprofessionals.
Students should exit from the passenger side of the vehicle only. Students should only exit the vehicle when their car is parked along the sidewalk of the drop-off points.
Please do not pass the cars in front of you. Please be patient and wait for the car ahead of you to clear the drop off.

After School Pickup

Please keep one lane until you reach the half-circle portion of the driveline so vehicles can enter and exit the parking lot safely. Some buses only pick up a few students and will promptly leave, please keep the space in front of the bus driveway clear for exiting buses.
Please display your number tag where it is easy to see. Please make sure to have your pick up tag with you.
When between the cones, please follow the directions of our paraprofessional team. Please turn off your vehicle and pay attention. Students will cross the road to all vehicles in the area at the same time. Please watch for our staff to walk by. Please give them a thumbs up when you have all of your students in your vehicle. If you are still missing a student, please let them know so we can help your student find your vehicle. Once all students are in their cars, the cones will be moved, and vehicles can exit from the left side first.

Lakes PTO

Your Lakes PTO volunteers are excited to bring students, families and staff tons of fun, exciting activities throughout the school year. Are you interested in being part of our team? Join us at our first meeting, where we will be talking about our plans for the year and volunteer opportunities, as well as selecting leads for committee and board positions. No prior experience or commitment needed to attend; everyone is welcome. Additionally, Dr. Matthews will join us to discuss the RPS bond proposal that will be on your November ballot. See you on Thursday, September 11, 2025, 7PM at Lakes Elementary.

Activity Pass Reminder

As you know, your student's Activity Pass is their ticket to field trips and other enriching activities throughout the school year. Here's how that breaks down:

$61 goes toward school-wide activities for students and staff, such as assemblies, field days, staff appreciation and grants, and more. The remaining amount (varies by grade level) covers field trip entry fees and transportation costs.

2025-26 Activity Pass Amounts by Grade

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

Pay Now online via Paypal or Venmo
If you are a family experiencing financial hardship, please reach out to 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.
More information on the Activity Pass here.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, September 11th PTO Public Meeting at 7pm at Lakes Elementary. We welcome all parents, guardians or teachers to join us as we look ahead to supporting and staffing this years’ efforts. Special guest speaker Dr. Matthews for the RPS Bond Proposal.
Thursday, September 25th Donuts with Grown-ups! Enjoy donuts and cider with Lakes families, friends and staff on the school playground! This is a simple way to connect with other parents at the beginning of the school year, and a free event covered by your student’s Activity Pass.
Tuesday, September 30th Deadline to pay Activity Pass for 2025-26 school year
Monday, October 20th thru Sunday, November 9th Lakes Spirit Wear Sale. Purchase sweet gear to show your school spirit and support! More details to come.

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 a variety of elected, leadership and general volunteer roles available for the 2025-26 school year. Click Here to fill out an interest form!