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 Elementary had a fun week last week. From our Halloween parties to the Halloween parade, it was great to see everyone who came out to support our students. This week we have not slowed down.
Thank you for coming to Parent/Teacher conferences and hearing about the ‘glows and grows’ from our first trimester. We appreciate your support of the fall book fair. A portion of the sales goes right back into purchasing books for the media center. Thank you to the PTO for assisting with dinner this week as well. Not only did the PTO provide options for teachers during conferences, but the pizza served in the gym was a great touch on a busy night for our families. Thank you, Lakes community!
This month, our character trait focus is Integrity. Integrity is the quality of being honest and doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. When children practice integrity, they learn that trust is built through honesty and consistency. This important trait helps kids grow into responsible and dependanble people others can count on. We will recognize Students of the Month who demonstrate integrity at our DEN assembly later this month. To learn a little more about our DENS, Fox17 recently published an article. Click here to access the article on Fox 17.
As we move into trimester two, we will continue encouraging our students to show how we are RAMS each day. Please continue to promote Respectful, Accountable, Motivated, and Safe behaviors while on the bus, in the classroom, on the playground, and in the cafeteria each day. Have a wonderful weekend!
Matthew Zokoe
Principal
Lakes Elementary
Veterans Day Parade
Thank you, Veterans!
Please join us for a Veterans Day Celebration!
The staff and students at Lakes Elementary would like to honor and thank our Veterans for their service and dedication to the United States of America.
Veterans, please join us for a gathering and a short walking parade to honor you.
WHAT: Walking Parade to Honor our Veterans
WHEN: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
9:00 AM: Join us in the Lakes Elementary Library for coffee, donuts, and camaraderie!
10:00 AM: A short walking parade outside with staff and students lining the sidewalks. The parade will end at the flagpole for a flag raising, moment of silence, and school-wide Pledge of Allegiance.
WHERE: Lakes Elementary, 6849 Young Ave, NE, Rockford
RSVP: Email Kathy at Klow@rockfordschools.org or 616-863-6340 (Please include your name, military branch, and relationship to Lakes staff or students, if any.) All Veterans are welcome!
From the Shelf of Mrs. VanStensel
Thank you for to our wonderful volunteers. You help to make book fair so magical. Thank you to Mrs. Bier, Mrs. Stellard, Mr. Crowe, Mrs. Crowe, Mrs. Blasen, Mrs. Snider, and Mrs. Fenlon.
5th Grade Battle of the Books
How Do I Join A Battle Team?
- Read 10 books on the battle list between October 1 and January 8
- Fill out the Google form provided by your teacher
- Join us for the school battle the week of January 11th, 2027
- The Grand Battle will take place Friday, January 29th, 2027 at Rockford High School
Steam-ing off the Presses
Rockford STEAM Night 2026
Mark your calendars! Our annual Rockford STEAM Night is coming up! Tuesday, November 17, 2026
5:30–8:00 PM
STEAM Night is an evening filled with hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math experiences for Rockford elementary students and their families. Students will have the opportunity to explore, create, experiment, and try activities hosted by teachers, community partners, high school students, and other volunteers. This year will be our first STEAM Night at Rockford High School, and we are excited to bring our elementary students and families to a new location!
If you or your National Honor Society student would like to volunteer at STEAM Night, you can sign up on our linked Sign Up Genius.
Help Our Rockford STEAM Students Become Engineers!
We are collecting old electronics for students to use in our reverse engineering activities! Students will get hands-on experience taking apart electronics to discover what's inside and how things work. Do you have an old electronic device collecting dust? We would love to put it to good use!
A few guidelines:
- Please remove ALL batteries before donating.
- Electronics should have exposed, accessible screws so students can practice taking them apart.
- Smaller, desk-sized electronics are ideal!
Donations can be sent to the school office or dropped off in a STEAM room by November 13th.
We are running low on recyclables!!
We are always looking for clean, dry recyclable materials to use for student design challenges. Some items we can use include: Cardboard tubes, small plastic containers (yogurt, sour cream, etc.), Kleenex boxes, broken-down cereal boxes, plastic caps and lids, egg cartons, shoe boxes, etc.
If you have materials that might be useful for building, designing, or creating, please send them in! Please make sure all donated materials are clean and dry. Thank you for supporting STEAM!
Den Assembly
Lakes students will have two DEN meet-ups this month.
On November 11, they will meet with their Den groups and we will also have a Veteran's Day parade. Students are invited to wear red, white, and blue or their Den Colors.
On November 24th, we will have an assembly and students are encouraged to wear their DEN colors to represent their DEN!!
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
Introducing Lakes Student Council
Thank you to Mrs. Schirmann and Mrs. Fierge for running the student council this year. Thank you also to Mrs. McCloskey for your past years of service.
Congratulations to our student council members for the 2026-2027 school year!
President : Brooke A
Vice President : Kirby C
Team Fierge Representatives: Nora R, Haylee G, Thomas A, Claire A, and Colten C.
Team Post Representatives: Lillie V, Lexi N, Avery H, Harper C, and Maddie V.
Team Schirmann Representatives: Sutton K, Cora T, Izzy B, Aaron T, and Meryl L.
Toys for Tots
Our 5th Grade Student Council is organizing a Toys for Tots Toy Drive.
How You Can Help : Donate new and unwrapped toys to bring a smile to a child's face this holiday season!
When? Toys will be collected at Lakes from November 23rd through December 10th! Send them to school with your student.
Please contact Mrs. Schirmann or Mrs. Fierge with questions.
Lakes PTO Updates
Busy week for Lakes PTO during Conferences!
We had a busy week supporting students, families and staff during conferences this past week!
Pizza! Pizza! A huge PTO high five to our pie partner Pizzeria Grande for helping us bring this convenient meal service to our busy families. We sold 70 pizzas, plus drinks and dessert to our Lakes families across both days. All proceeds will be invested into the Lakes PTO Activity Pass fund. Thank you parent volunteers Amy S and Theresa L for volunteering alongside the PTO Board!
Staff Conference Meals. An additional shout out to our PTO sponsor Perrin for providing meals for teachers and staff during conferences. On Monday, they chose from empanadas, grilled chicken, salad and butternut squash. On Thursday, chicken bacon ranch wraps, kettle chips and salad were on the menu. Plus an assortment of yummy desserts both days. Thank you to our Staff Appreciation team for setting this up for our teachers during this busy week!
No Tricks, just Treats! October Staff Appreciation
In October, our staff appreciation team enlisted the help of our Lakes 3rd graders! They filled gift bags with ‘wonderfall’ autumn goodies and handwritten notes of gratitude! Props to our staff appreciation crew who continue to shower our teachers and staff with love each month, alongside third-grade parent volunteers Kim V, Erica D, and Sara B!
Next PTO Meeting is November 12th, 7:00PM at Lakes (Room 25)
No prior participation needed to attend. We welcome all parents, families and staff to learn more about the PTO and the different ways to get involved at our kick-off meeting. Agenda will be shared on our Facebook page the week of the meeting. Please note: We understand that time is scarce. We are committed to meetings that last 90 minutes or less this year.
New PTO Volunteer Opp on Friday, November 20th (Morning)
Want to be part of a celebration of our hardworking students? Those students who achieved $115 suggested donation amount for the PTO fundraiser have earned extra recess. We need a few parent volunteers to serve as recess aides. Volunteer times are slotted based on grade level. Please sign up using our SignupGenius form here.
Holiday Gift Giving Guide - Lakes Staff Favorite Things
Are you planning to purchase a holiday gift for your teacher, staff member and/or bus driver but don’t know what to get? Check out the Staff Favorite Things resource on our website. It is full of helpful information that can help you pick out the perfect gift to share your gratitude. Check out the online guide here.
Note: This was a voluntary survey for all Lakes staff & bus drivers. If you do not see a specific person listed, please let us know. We’ll contact them to let them know to take a few minutes and complete it.
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 currently 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 email us to learn more!
Helpful Links
Check out our new Lakes PTO Website!
Rockford Booster Bucks
GIrls On The Run
Flyers were sent home this week and we are searching for interested coaching partners! Please contact Miss Sedlock for more information. MSedlock@rockfordschools.org
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.
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!
Other Volunteer Opportunities:
- Help with the front sign - Please contact Mrs. Low in the office
- Book Fair shopping support - please see the sign up in Mrs. VanStensel's library section
- Cares Closet Cleanup! Our clothing closet needs organization after so many wonderful donations to the PTO last year.
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.
SOCKS
Donations of clean socks are appreciated! Mismatched, but close enough, socks from your lost sock pile work great for extra gym socks. If your student borrows a pair of socks, please wash and return! Thank you.
Lakes Needs
Lakes is in need of additional paraprofessional substitutes. Our para team is the best around and a fun team to work with. You must mostly enjoy outdoor adventures, have lots of patience, and be ready to have fun! Para subs work the same time frame and days as students so a great job to match your student's schedule. If you are interested in more information, please reach out to Mrs. Low in the main office. KLow@RockfordSchools.org
Upcoming Dates
2026
- 11/11: Early Release Day, Veterans Day Parade, and Den Meetups
- 11/12: 5th Grade Celebration Team Meeting at 6:15pm and PTO Meeting at 7pm
- 11/17: 2nd Grade Field Trip
- 11/23: Turkey Trot Fun Run + Toys for Tots drive starts
- 11/24: Den Assembly
- 11/25-11/27: Thanksgiving Break
- 12/9: Early Release Day
- 12/10: Last day for Toys for Tots donations!
- 12/18: Jingle Bell Run + Popcorn Day
- 12/21: Holiday Break Begins
2027 - 1/4: School Resumes
Important Links
School Assistance Program Information
School Lunch Offerings or the Nutrislice App on your mobile phone
