Matt Zokoe - Principal
mzokoe@rockfordschools.org
Address: 6849 Young Avenue, Rockford, MI 49341
Website: www.rockfordschools.org
Phone: (616) 863-6340
Quick Information
- March Reading Month is HERE! Our camping-themed month will have some special Spirit Days, we will work on donations for Hand2Hand, and donate to Kids Book Basket while doing a March Madness Book Bracket. Next week, students can vote in our March Reading Madness with packs of individual packets of oatmeal!
- Attached to the email sending out this newsletter were some important files. The first, is a Parent Climate Survey that will help us to plan for the future. The second and third offer information regarding the Kids Have Rights program which will happen on March 17th in all Kindergarten - 4th Grade classrooms.
- Thank you for joining us at conferences this last week. We loved getting to spend some time with you.
- Thanks to our book fair helpers - from shopping with students, quickly adding taxes, setting up, and cleaning up you were the book ends to hold us up!
- We have hit our muddy season! It is strongly recommended that you continue to send your students to school with boots and snow pants. Our playground is often very muddy until Spring Break. Students need the protection and ability to remove a layer so mud is not brought into the classroom.
- Please consider leaving a pair of clean gym shoes at school for students to wear in the classroom and during gym class. Many students are arriving to gym class with slippers, crocs, sandals, and boots.
- Please help us to keep everyone healthy. If your student has had a fever (100.4 or higher), vomiting, or diarrhea; please keep them home for a minimum of 24 hours after the last use of medication and symptoms.
- SAVE THE DATE! Our Lakes Elementary Springtime Hoedown Spring Concert will be held on April 16th for all students in K-5. Timing details will be available soon!
- Congratulations to our January Star Students who were recognized for their generosity. We are so proud of you!
- Lakes had a record-breaking number of students involved in Odyssey of the Mind this year. 4 of teams will continue on to State Finals. Great job and good luck on your next rounds!
- Lunch menus had some shifting! The correct menu for Monday is Mozzarella Sticks and Tuesday is Chicken Nuggets. It has been updated on the Nutrislice app!
Friday, March 14 - World Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day - Wear Green
Cerebral Palsy (CP) impacts movement, the brain, and people's day-to-day life. On this day, we celebrate the achievements and abilities of people with CP. We advocate for research, support, and inclusion for people with CP.
Friday, March 21 - Rock Your Socks Day - Wear Your Brightest, Silliest, or mismatched socks!
Every year, on March 21, people celebrate World Down Syndrome Day by wearing brightly colored, mismatched socks. March 21 is symbolic because people with Down Syndrome have 3 copies of their 21st chromosome. Socks were chosen because the chromosomes look like mismatched socks! World Down Syndrome day is a day to show support for those with Down Syndrome and advocate for their rights, inclusion, and well-being.
Happy 2nd Birthday Phoenix!
Thank you Mr. Posthumus and Mr. Low joining us as Watch D.O.G.s this week. We appreciate your support!
Steam Wish List
Paper Towel Rolls
Empty Kleenex Boxes
2 Liter Bottles
Old/Broken Electronics
Your clean and dry recycled items, leftover party supplies, and paper towel/toilet paper rolls are ALWAYS welcome!
You're Invited to Rockford Family Night at the West Michigan Whitecaps!
Support Rockford Public Schools and kick off your summer with the Whitecaps. A portion of each ticket bought will be donated directly back to the schools.
GRASP is a correspondence program for students in Kindergarten through 8th grades which helps students maintain reading and math skills while they are on summer break. Enrolled students will receive a packet of materials with a booklet containing 9 lessons. It should take your student approximately one hour to complete each weekly lesson. They can complete one lesson a week or work at their own pace, as long as all lessons are submitted before August 8th. The students can mail the lessons to GRASP for scoring or, new this year, lessons can be scored with a parent/guardian cell phone instead of mailing them in! There is also an on-line version of GRASP for students in 4th through 8th grade and these students will also receive results via the email provided.
Students who successfully complete and submit at least 7 lessons with 70% accuracy are awarded a certificate. Those who successfully complete and submit all 9 lessons with 70% accuracy will receive a medal! Certificates and medals will be distributed by your student’s school at the beginning of the next school year.
Please order your student’s CURRENT grade level. If there are extenuating circumstances, order the level that is appropriate for your student. The fees for the summer of 2025 are $26 for one subject or $48 for both subjects for each student. You can enroll your student for the book version (grades K-8) or the optional online version (grades 4-8) by completing the registration and payment online.
Place your yearbook order today!
Paper orders forms were sent home recently. If you would like a new paper copy, please contact the office to have one sent home with your student.
You can also purchase online. Lakes Yearbook ID is 14560825. Please make sure to enter your student's name and teacher for correct delivery. Extra yearbooks are not ordered so make sure to place your order by April 11th.
Can't recall if you already placed an order? Please email Kathy Low (KLow@rockfordschools.org) to check your status.
Volunteer Opportunities
Mileage Club Volunteers :
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090D4DA5A82CA5F49-55132694-mileage#/
Daily Volunteers :
We now have some daily volunteer opportunities for families to help foster our Lakes Community. Please visit the link for additional details and to select a time slot.
Lunchroom (11:30 am - 12:50 pm) - How to support in the lunchroom:
- Walk around and interact with students.
- Help open lunch materials.
- Review lunchroom procedures to help with the end of the lunchtime.
- Push the trash bin around to gather trash materials.
- Play a game with the 5th-grade students at their table.
- Encourage students to walk to recess.
Lunch Recess (11:10 am - 1:00 pm) - How to support at lunch recess:
- Play or organize a game.
- Encourage positive play.
- Help with chalk art.
- Walk around with a group of students.
- Organize a coloring table.
- Support the quiet area with quiet area activities.
Last Recess (2:15 pm - 3:30 pm) - How to support at last recess:
- Play or organize a game.
- Encourage positive play.
- Help with chalk art.
- Walk around with a group of students.
- Organize a coloring table.
- Support the quiet area with quiet area activities.
Dads of Great Students
Who can participate: Fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, uncles, and other father figures.
Watch D.O.G.S can serve full days (8:15 am - 3:45 pm) or half days (pm option). Watch D.O.G.S can be assigned to classrooms as needed by the teachers, perform recess duty, complete ground checks, or other various tasks. When possible, Watch D.O.G.S will have the opportunity to work with their students or their student's classrooms. However, they may also be called to serve in a separate space as needed.
Sign Up for Lakes Watch D.O.G.S.
Lakes-A-Palooza Volunteers
Looking for any high school sports teams and/or our Lakes families to volunteer during May 15th's Lakes-A-Palooza Carnival and Art Show! Please sign up with the PTO!
PTO Corner
Lakes-A-Palooza
Volunteers are needed to help run carnival games, supervise the bounce house, and more! Please help us to make this event a success.
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:
$34 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.
- 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.
For students who have not paid, an itemized bill will be sent home to ensure equal opportunities. Thank you for your support!
Lakes PTO and admin
Recycling Initiatives
NexTrex Recycling
Bins located in front vestibule. All bags should be clean and free of food or other debris.
- Produce bags, grocery bags, ice bags, cereal box liners, bread bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags - Plastics that can stretch.
Papergator Recycling
Green dumpster located in the side parking lot.
- Office/School papers, newspaper, junk mail, magazines, shredded paper, and cereal boxes (paper board that can be torn), etc.
Popcan Tabs
Can be turned in to the front office. Collected and sent to Ronald McDonald House.
Enrollment is Open
Enrollment for the 2025/2026 school year opens February 13th. Children who turn five years old on or before December 1, 2025 are eligible to enroll for the 2025/2026 school year. In order to take advantage of an early placement screening, please enroll your Developmental Kindergarten -or- Kindergarten-age child before June 1, 2025. Please visit www.rockfordschools.org/enrollment// to review the online enrollment procedures and required documentation.
Upcoming Dates
3/10 - Week 1 Badge Reading Slips Due
3/17 - Kids Have Rights Presentations
Week 2 Badge Reading Slips Due
Read to a Stuffed Animal Day
3/18 - Read with Messy Hair Day
3/19 - Read with a Hat On Day
3/20 - Read with a Flashlight Day
3/21 - Read with Fun Socks Day
3/24 - Week 3 Badge Reading Slips Due
3/31 - Week 4 Badge Reading Slips Due
4/2 - Movie Day - The Lorax (1972). Student rewards for each badge earned!
4/3 - 4/13 : Spring Break
4/14 : School Resumes
4/16 : Lakes Spring Music Program
4/18 : Rockford Family Skate Night at CedarRock Sportsplex
5/15 : Lakes-A-Palooza
5/20 : Family Night at the West Michigan Whitecaps
Important Links
After the Bell - Rockford Community Services Registrations
Annual Education Report : Paper copies available in office by request
Lakes Facebook Page (family only)
School Lunch Offerings : You can also download the NutriSlice App
School Lunch Payments : Make sure to select Family Portal. Lunches are free this year unless your student selects milk only.
