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,
On Monday, October 12, the office will send a link to sign up for the Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences. Our Fall Conferences are on Monday, November 2, and Wednesday, November 5. These conferences will take place here at Lakes and will cover the “glows” and “grows” of the start of the school year. Progress reports will accompany these conferences and will be pushed through to PowerSchool on Monday, November 2.
During the Fall conferences, pizza will be available for sale through the PTO. They will be selling pizza by the slice as well as whole pizzas. This is a great offering on what can become a busy night. Additionally, our library will be offering the Fall Book Fair on both evenings. Come eat, shop, and conference all at Lakes!
Today, Lakes students had a chance to Prank Their Principal for their efforts in the Let’s Glow Crazy fundraiser! I had to eat a few bugs, as that was what students selected as their prank. Ask your student what they thought of the prank; it was a wild one.
We are in the final stretch of our Fall Fundraiser with just over a week left. Thank you, everyone, for supporting the PTO, our students, and our school. Our Halloween Parade takes place on Friday, October 30, from 10:30- 11:00 am on the soccer field. Parents and grandparents are welcome to line the soccer field and see all the great Halloween costumes. You are also invited to stay for the dance party on the field that follows the parade. We hope to see you there.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Matthew Zokoe
Ram Out, Pediatric Cancer
October 19th - October 23rd, The Lakes Office will have Anni's Army Foundation t-shirts for sale. Anni's Army Foundation and Rockford Football have teamed up to make a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer. All t-shirts will be sold in a Youth Large for $10 cash only. Purchase of a shirt gets you free entry into the game and helps to support the foundation's donation efforts.
Join the game crowd on October 23rd at 7pm at the Carlson-Munger Stadium at Rockford High School. To donate, please visit Anni's Army Foundation's webpage.
Den Assembly
Lakes students will have a DEN meet-up on October 14 and a DEN assembly on October 28. Students are encouraged to wear their DEN colors and represent their DENs on DEN days! This month, our character trait focus is respect.
Respect is showing others that they are valued for who they are.
Den #1 - color orange - Wallis, Glass/Zawacki, and DeBoer
Den #2 - color red - Onak, Sedlock, and Doenges
Den #3 - color yellow - Farran, Nelson, and Fierge
Den #4 - color blue - Kraft, Ejups, and Schirmann
Den #5 - color purple - Throop, Gittus, and Post
Den #6 - color green - MacKenzie and Baird
Last month, we learned about Respect and Kindness. We recognized students on September 28th, as our Students of the Month. Lakes is proud of you!
Lakes PTO Updates
Let’s Glow Crazy Activity Pass Fundraiser is in the FINAL STRETCH!
Thanks to our generous donors (all 250+ of them!), we’re about halfway to fun all year long as we head into the last week of the fundraiser, with 46% of our goal achieved. The deadline to donate is October 16th!
Can you help us get the rest of the way there?
The suggested per-student contribution amount of $115 covers all activities for one student for the whole school year, including all field trips and transportation costs.
There are multiple ways to unlock 100% of the activities planned! Our fundraiser goal equals our last year's budget, so we can maintain the activities that we currently do.
Direct donations are gratefully accepted through Venmo and Paypal (@lakespto), or via personal check dropped off at the front office. Please note the student’s name on the memo line. They will still receive credit for donations made this way to earn incentives and prizes!
Sign up, donate, and share with friends and family through FundHub in less than five minutes. There’s still time to join in the fun! Get started on the FundHub website.
Today was a SUPER exciting day! We announced the winning prank for our Prank a Principal subgoal achievement: Lakes Fear Factor. Six raffle winners joined us in serving Mr Zokoe six delicious plates of crispy, crawly creatures. Nothing says breakfast of champions like dried crickets & larvae! Plus, Mrs Carney and Mrs Van Stensel joined in on the “fun.” Congratulations to Kellen, Cooper, Amelia, Brooklyn, Finlann, and Owen for being our winning helpers today. And a huge high five to Mr. Zokoe, Mrs. Carney, and Mrs. Van Stensel for helping us celebrate our achievements!
Three AMAZING schoolwide goals and prizes are within reach!
$20K Movie and Popcorn Day (less than $1,500 to go)
$30K Teacher Swap Day! Lakes teachers will swap classrooms for part of the day!
$40K A school-wide glow-in-the-dark dance party with snacks, activities, and more!
Plus, three more BONUS SURPRISES were announced today - these are IN ADDITION to our existing prizes!
$30K Mega Multiplier Prank! If we reach our $30K subgoal, Mr. Zokoe will ALSO be subjected to the prank runner-up: Human Sundae!
Become a Prank Participant! Each donation made now through Oct 16 will earn your student a raffle ticket toward winning a chance to be part of the Prank action and sprinkle, spray, drizzle, or drop toppings on our Human Sundae. Plus, if your student receives over $250 in total donations, they receive 5 BONUS tickets in the drawing.
Earn a Special Surprise Prize! Every student who receives at least $115 in donations by the end of the fundraiser will receive a special extra prize to be announced at the end of the fundraiser. With everything else we’ve been doing, you KNOW it will be good!
It’s not out of reach! If $30 is donated on behalf of each Lakes student within the next week, we’ll hit our mega multiplier and have another round of pranking palooza!
See the rest of the prizes on the fundraising tab of our webpage!
You've built great momentum; now let's work together to bring it home! Thank you, Lakes families!
Were you Bummed to Miss Out on Lakes Gear @ Open House?
Don’t fret: the Lakes Spirit Store is NOW OPEN!
- Apparel, drinkware, stickers, accessories, and more!
- Custom-designed Lakes-specific gear
- Classic Rockford Rams favorites
Our online store opened for a limited time only: October 1-31. All orders delivered before the holiday. Visit Swift Printing to order today! Thank you, Swift Printing, for hosting our online store!
Activity Pass T-shirts Headed Home Soon
Our 2026-27 t-shirts have arrived! Our contest winner Indiana Franklin’s fantastic design is proudly on display. These were distributed to classrooms and should be headed home in the next couple of days. Thank you to Swift Printing for partnering with us on fulfillment this year!
These t-shirts are provided to every student as part of the Activity Pass.
**Kindergarteners! Be sure to wear your t-shirts on Monday for your Apple Orchard field trip. We can’t wait to see what kind of fall fun you have there!
Calling all Third Grade Parents: Upcoming Volunteer Opp on Oct 21st
We will be enlisting the help of our third graders to help spread the love to Lakes teachers and staff. Third grade parents: join us in the morning on October 21st to help assemble and deliver a fall-themed surprise. Email us at lakespto@gmail.com if you’d like to join in the fun!
Family Pizza Night Here Again on Nov 2th & 4th for Conferences!
Dinner is served! Stop by the Lakes gymnasium for a delicious slice of pizza or grab a whole box to-go. Lakes PTO will be offering this meal service to our busy Lakes families during parent-teacher conferences (4:30PM - 7:30PM).
$15 whole pie - $2 per slice - $1 pop or water
Tableware and seating provided, or take it to-go. All proceeds benefit the Lakes PTO Activity Pass fund.
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 throughout the school year.
We have one Board position open for 26-27. The VP, Community Events oversees all Community Events-oriented teams, working in partnership with each volunteer team to successfully execute PTO events. There are no specific qualifications required; we invite and encourage anyone who is enthusiastic about taking a more active role in the PTO to apply! Email us for more information.
Helpful Links
Check out our new Website!
Rockford Booster Bucks
GIrls On The Run
Is coming to Lakes soon! Registration opens on December 1st. Please make sure to add it to your calendars. Girls On The Run is a girl-centered program that supports the whole girl: socially, emotionally, and physically. Using an evidence-based curriculum, trained and caring coaches help girls to build confidence, develop vital life skills, and find joy in movement!
Please visit Girls On The Run West Michigan for more details!
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 RPS 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!
Watch D.O.G.S.
Thank you to Mr. Cole and Mr. Coppedge for joining us and being the first Watch Dogs of the year! We had a great time with you this week. Thank you for supporting our students.
The Dads of Great Students WATCH D.O.G.S.® program is one of the nation’s largest and most respected school-based, family, and community engagement organizations designed and developed by educators, experts, and parent & guardian volunteers over more than two decades.
The program provides positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important. Meanwhile, we provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security, reduce bullying, and provide a greater sense of campus safety, allowing students and teachers to focus on learning and instruction. Please remember that you are here to help and be a positive role model to all students. You may have the opportunity to work in your student's classroom, but you might be called to support other areas of the building.
Two options for this year:
1. All Day will be: 8:20 am - 3:45 pm
2. PM will be: 11:00 am - 3:45 pm
To sign-up to become a WATCH D.O.G. please follow this link? Watch D.O.G.S. Sign Up Genius
Daily Volunteers
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 within 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 as we look to launch these volunteer opportunities. Parents must complete the online background form and check in at the office when volunteering at RPS. Thank you, in advance, for your support!
Lunchroom (11:15 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 (11:00 am - 1:00 pm) or Last Recess (1:50 pm - 3:25 pm)
How to support at recess:
Play or organize a game.
Encourage positive play.
Help with chalk art.
Walk around with a group of students.
Organize a coloring table.
Supervise the Hammock Garden.
Twirl Jump Ropes.
Daily Volunteer Sign-Up Genius
Lakes Recycling Initiatives
NexTrex Plastic Recycling
The program has been revamped and our goal is now to collect 250 lbs of plastic EACH quarter.
- Produce bags, grocery bags, ice bags, cereal box liners, bread bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags - Plastics that can stretch.
- We reached 250lbs for our first quarter goal! Our second quarter has now started - send in those bags!
Papergator Recycling
The green dumpster is located in the side parking lot. The 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!
Pop Can Tabs
Pop can tabs are collected in the office and sent to the Ronald McDonald House. Please bring to Mrs. Low in the office.
Costume Cookie Run
Stock the Shelves
Community Info Night
Upcoming Dates
- 10/14: Early Release at 1:30pm
- 10/15: Community Non-Homestead Operating Millage Community Session 6:30pm
- 10/19: Picture Day Re-takes (am only) + Anni's Army T-shirt Sale Begins
- 10/20: Popcorn Day
- 10/28: Early Release at 1:30pm
- 10/30: Halloween Parade, Pumpkin Fun Run
- 10/31: PTO Spirit Sale ends
- 11/2 +11/4 : Parent-Teacher Conferences, Book Fair Family Nights
Important Links
School Assistance Program Information
School Lunch Offerings or the Nutrislice App on your mobile phone
