Friday, December 18, 2020

Comfort & Joy

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! I always struggle each year with what to get for the staff for the holidays. They do SO much that nothing seems adequate to show my appreciation for all they do. This year, it was a simple gift with a heartfelt wish to spread Comfort & Joy to this incredible team. COMFORT in the form of a mug and hot chocolate and JOY in the form of an inspiration poem or quote about joy. I would also like to wish all our Buchanan families the same Comfort & Joy this holiday season! I look forward to working with everyone when we return in January! 


MATERIALS PICK UP!! 

When instruction begins in January, our teachers will be providing another opportunity for families to pick up important instructional materials for remote learning. You should have received information from your child's teacher about material pick up, but if not please contact them for your pick up schedule. 

The Livonia Virtual pick up will still be on the first Friday of the month (Jan 8) in the gym from 3:00-4:00 PM. 

  • All families who put in for a change of placement (In Person to Virtual or Virtual to In Person) will be contacted the week of January 4 and given their new classroom assignments.
  • All new assignments will go into effect on Monday, January 11.
  • We are planning on returning to In Person instruction on Monday, January 11. A confirmation note will be sent out from the district on Thursday, January 7.
PTA POINTS

  • Five Below Fundraiser: Our fundraiser at Five Below (both the Livonia and Northville locations) runs through Thursday, December 24. This is a great opportunity to support Buchanan while picking up some stocking stuffers - and/or to take out your Buchanan Bears who may be missing our traditional Santa Shop to pick up some gifts for loved ones. Please print out and present the flyer attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email (if you are unable to print it, just be sure to mention Buchanan PTA when you are checking out), and 10% of your total will be donated back to the PTA!

  • Staff Gift Guide: In an effort to encourage safe gift-giving this holiday season, the PTA surveyed our staff about some of their favorite places to receive e-gift cards and compiled their answers (along with the email addresses gifts can be sent to) into the Gift Guide that is attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email. We hope this is helpful as you navigate the holidays this year!
  • Givebacks: We are excited to launch a new fundraiser called Givebacks. Almost every week there will be new savings on family products and services, and when you purchase Givebacks, up to 20% of sales go back to our PTA! Right now you can purchase select gift cards (Ulta, Gap, Old Navy, Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, and more!) through Givebacks for up to 10% off. Please visit our Givebacks store to support our school while doing some holiday shopping: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store?category=Sponsors
  • PTA Membership: We are holding strong at 104 members, but would love to reach last year's membership of 203. If you haven't already joined, could you help us reach our goal? PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential education and curriculum needs, advocating on behalf of children and educators, and building an inclusive school community for all families. Please show us your support and become a member today at our MemberHub store: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store
  • Amazon Smile: Holiday shopping on Amazon? Make sure to shop through Amazon Smile. You can support Buchanan with your usual Amazon shopping by visiting http://smile.amazon.com and selecting James Buchanan Elementary PTA as your charity. 
  • Follow the PTA on Facebook: @BuchananElementarySchoolPTA
  • Next PTA Meeting: Tuesday, January 26


Below are our STUDENTS OF THE MONTH for Kindness!!

Kindergarten:

Mrs. Stromberg has Sailor T.

Mrs. Pillai has Morgan A.

Mrs. Sosnowski has Jace B.

Ms. Haapala has Vivienne C.


First Grade:

Mrs. Jones has Lillian M.

Mrs. Kamin has Mia Q.

Mrs. Hurula has Meela R.

Mrs. Hochkins has Madison C.

Mrs. Sparrow has Kyla W. 


Second Grade:

Mrs. Benson has Brady H.

Mrs. Tanner has Gideon M.

Mrs. Gruenewald has Jonah H.

Ms. Adams has Jackson C.

Mrs. Drolet has Joshua J.


Third Grade:

Ms. Yost has Connor J.

Mrs. Duff has Abraham D.

Mrs. Allmayer has Adeline P.

Mrs. Edwards has Trevor W.

Mrs. Trantham has Paul A. 


Fourth Grade:

Ms. Medellin has Ryan W.

Mrs. Ringler has Memphis O.

Mrs. Banter has Rileigh L. 

Ms. Kaufman has Braylon E.

Miss Brown has Foster S.



Join me tonight on Facebook at 7:00 PM for a special Holiday Edition of STORY TIME!!
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Friday, December 11, 2020

Conferences

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! This week we held Parent/Teacher Conferences and it was a great way to build and strengthen partnerships between the home and school. Research shows that the more communication there is between the teacher and parents, the better children succeed. Conferences are one of the most important ways to build that collaboration. Together we are better! 


In an effort to help up make the Parent/Teacher Conference experience the best it can be, please take a moment to fill out this brief survey on conferences: Parent Survey  Thanks for helping us improve!

Face to Face / Virtual Instruction

Families who have requested a change in instructional mode via the surveys sent to parents, either into or out of Livonia Virtual, will be notified the week of December 14 and those transfers will be effective on Tuesday, January 19.  The pause for in-person instruction is scheduled to end as of Friday, January 15th.  With no school in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 18th, the return to in person or requested movements to Livonia Virtual is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

PTA POINTS

  • Five Below Fundraiser: We are holding a fundraiser at Five Below (both the Livonia and Northville locations) from Sunday, December 13 through Thursday, December 24. This is a great opportunity to support Buchanan while picking up some stocking stuffers - and/or to take out your Buchanan Bears who may be missing our traditional Santa Shop to pick up some gifts for loved ones. Please print out and present the flyer attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email (if you are unable to print it, just be sure to mention Buchanan PTA when you are checking out), and 10% of your total will be donated back to the PTA!
  • Staff Gift Guide: In an effort to encourage safe gift-giving this holiday season, the PTA surveyed our staff about some of their favorite places to receive e-gift cards and compiled their answers (along with the email addresses gifts can be sent to) into the Gift Guide that is attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email. We hope this is helpful as you navigate the holidays this year!
  • Givebacks: We are excited to launch a new fundraiser called Givebacks. Almost every week there will be new savings on family products and services, and when you purchase Givebacks, up to 20% of sales go back to our PTA! Right now you can purchase select gift cards (Ulta, Gap, Old Navy, Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, and more!) through Givebacks for up to 10% off. Please visit our Givebacks store to support our school while doing some holiday shopping: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store?category=Sponsors
  • PTA Membership: We added two new members last week - THANK YOU! - which means we now have 104 members. If you haven't already joined, could you help us reach our goal of hitting last year's number (203 members)? PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential education and curriculum needs, advocating on behalf of children and educators, and building an inclusive school community for all families. Please show us your support and become a member today at our MemberHub store: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store
  • Amazon Smile: Holiday shopping on Amazon? Make sure to shop through Amazon Smile. You can support Buchanan with your usual Amazon shopping by visiting http://smile.amazon.com and selecting James Buchanan Elementary PTA as your charity. 
  • Follow the PTA on Facebook: @BuchananElementarySchoolPTA
  • Next PTA Meeting: Tuesday, January 26
MATERIALS PICK UP

If you have not yet pick up your child's curriculum materials, please do so as soon as possible. The students need these materials to be successful during their remote learning. All materials that have not been picked up are located in the main vestibule and can be picked up during regular school hours. 

MESSAGE FROM THE BUCHANAN LIBRARY

Library Storytime Opportunity! Your child is invited to join me for a LIVE storytime during the week of December 14-18, where I will read the story Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree. Please check the Library Google Classroom for your child's grade level storytime dates and times, as well as the meeting link. I hope to see your child at this special event! - Miss Ford







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Thursday, December 3, 2020

It's Cool to be Kind!

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! This month, we are focusing on the theme of Kindness. All of our character traits are important, but this one is so central to what we try to teach at Buchanan. I'm proud when I see the academic success of our students, but I'm even prouder when I see our students treating one another with respect and kindness. This time of year it's easy to share kindness through gift giving and donations, but it's important to keep that spirit of kindness active all year long. I want our students to know that it's always "Cool to be Kind"!


UPCOMING EVENTS AT BUCHANAN


The LV materials pick up was held on Thursday, December 3. The Face to Face students who are working remotely will be able to pick up curriculum materials on Monday, December 7 or Tuesday, December 8 from 3-4 PM. Please check with your child's teacher if you are not sure what day your classroom material pick up is being held!


Report Cards will be available on Parent Connect the afternoon of Wednesday, December 9 for parents to view prior to conferences. We will not be mailing out hard copies. Teachers will review report cards along with student progress during your scheduled Parent Teacher Conference. 



Parent Teacher Conferences will be held the evening of Wednesday, December 9 and the afternoon & evening of Thursday, December 10. Please check with your child's teacher if you haven't scheduled a conference time yet. 

Students will have half days on Thursday, December 10 & Friday, December 11. That means they will only have 2 live sessions those days. Grades K,2 &4 may adjust their noon session to a different time and they will inform families if a time change is made. 


PTA POINTS

  • Staff Gift Guide: In an effort to encourage safe gift-giving this holiday season, the PTA surveyed our staff about some of their favorite places to receive e-gift cards and compiled their answers (along with the email address gifts can be sent to) into the Gift Guide that is attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email. We hope this is helpful as you navigate the holidays this year!
  • Student Gifts: Please look out for a special gift from the PTA for each of our Buchanan Bears at December Materials Pickup. We wish all of our Buchanan families a wonderful holiday season!
  • Givebacks: We are excited to launch a new fundraiser called Givebacks. Almost every week there will be new savings on family products and services, and when you purchase Givebacks, up to 20% of sales go back to our PTA! Right now you can purchase select gift cards (Ulta, Gap, Old Navy, Olive Garden, and more!) through Givebacks for up to 10% off. Please visit our Givebacks store to support our school while doing some holiday shopping: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store?category=Sponsors
  • PTA Membership: We broke 100 members! We now have 102 members, and we are thankful for each and every one of you. If you haven't already joined, could you help us reach our goal of hitting last year's number (203 members)? PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential education and curriculum needs, advocating on behalf of children and educators, and building an inclusive school community for all families. Please show us your support and become a member today at our MemberHub store: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store
  • Amazon Smile: Holiday shopping on Amazon? Make sure to shop through Amazon Smile. You can support Buchanan with your usual Amazon shopping by visiting http://smile.amazon.com and selecting James Buchanan Elementary PTA as your charity. 
  • Follow the PTA on Facebook: @BuchananElementarySchoolPTA
  • Next PTA Meeting: Tuesday, January 26



Super Proud of our Buchanan Livonia Virtual Team!! 



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Friday, November 20, 2020

Once more unto the breach dear friends

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! Here we go again. For the next few weeks, our Face to Face student will be receiving instruction through remote learning. Our Livonia Virtual students will continue with their same schedule. Until we return to in person instruction, ALL students will be following the same schedule:

Kindergarten, Second, Fourth Grades

10:00 AM, 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM

First and Third Grades

9:00 AM, 11:00 AM & 1:00 PM

I know these are challenging times, but we will get through this together and whether we are in the building or learning from home, I know that great things will continue with our Buchanan Bears! 


Remember there is NO SCHOOL on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week for 
Thanksgiving Break!! 

PTA POINTS

  • PTA Meeting: Thank you to everyone who joined our November meeting on Thursday! We were happy to see so many staff members, as well as a couple new faces. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7:00pm.
  • PTA Membership: Thank you to our families who have joined the PTA so far this year - we are up to 97 members! But that's still less than half of the 203 members we had last year. Can you help us reach our goal of hitting last year's number? PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential education and curriculum needs, advocating on behalf of children and educators, and building an inclusive school community for all families. Please show us your support and become a member today at our MemberHub store: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store
  • Membership Raffle: Congratulations to our two raffle winners, Amanda H. and Laura A.! They each won a basket of Scholastic books. Thank you for being members and supporting the PTA!
  • Spirit Wear: To purchase Buchanan-branded items, please visit our spirit wear store here: https://buchananspiritwear.com 
  • Follow the PTA on Facebook: @BuchananElementarySchoolPTA

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES SIGN UP LINKS

Kindergarten

Miss Haapala     Mrs. Stromberg     Mrs. Pillai     Mrs. Sosnowski

First Grade 

Mrs. Jones     Mrs. Hochkins     Mrs. Kamin     Mrs. Sparrow     Mrs. Hurula

Second Grade

Mrs. Benson     Ms. Adams     Mrs. Gruenewald     Mrs. Drolet     Mrs. Tanner

Third Grade

Mrs. Allmayer     Mrs. Trantham     Ms. Yost     Mrs. Edwards     Mrs. Duff

Fourth Grade

Mrs. Banter     Ms. Kaufman     Ms. Medellin     Miss Brown     Mrs. Ringler


Lifetouch Pictures were just sent to our school. Our plan is to send them home with the students when we return for Face to Face instruction.  If we are NOT back for Face to Face instruction the week of December 7, we will schedule a materials pick up for our families and picture packets will be included.

Livonia Virtual families may pick up picture packets at your regularly scheduled materials pick up on Thursday, December 3.





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Friday, November 13, 2020

Red, White & Blue

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! This week we recognized our Veterans by wearing Red, White & Blue at school on Wednesday. It was a fun and simple way to say thank you on Veterans Day. I enjoy the fact that we say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning at school and I've even heard students on the playground talking about following our "Three to Be" pledge of being Safe, Kind and Responsible. My goal is that the words we recite each morning become actions throughout our days and throughout our lives.  

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Thursday, November 19: PTA Meeting (Virtual) 7:00 PM
  • Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27: Thanksgiving Break
  • Friday, December 4: No School (Records Day) 
Here is the link to the updated DISTRICT CALENDAR



PTA POINTS

  • PTA Meeting: Join us on Zoom for our November PTA Meeting on Thursday, November 20 at 7:00pm. Link below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83795917036

Meeting ID: 837 9591 7036

Passcode: 0JgcSW

  • PTA Membership: Last year we had 203 PTA members, but this year we only have 95 members so far. Can you help us reach our goal of hitting last year's number? PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential education and curriculum needs, advocating on behalf of children and educators, and building an inclusive school community for all families. Please show us your support and become a member today at our MemberHub store: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store
  • Follow the PTA on Facebook: @BuchananElementarySchoolPTA



The ACAT application window opens 11/30/2020. Webster Elementary will be holding a virtual information meeting on 12/3/2020 to share information about our program. Please see the flyer attached to this email for more information! 

Please remember that each child had an iReady instructional license provided by the district this year. This resource is an incredible tool that will help provide instruction in BOTH reading and math for all our students. To be most effective, we recommend 20 minutes for reading and 20 minutes for math five days a week. Thanks for your continued partnership and support! 

MEET THE STAFF




Kindergarten Literacy Coach

My name is Mrs. Alt and I am the Literacy Coach for Kindergarten. I have two boys and we live in Canton. We love to go to Pentwater every summer and spend time at the beach.  I’m looking forward to working with the Buchanan Kindergarten Team!




First Grade Literacy Coach

My name is Mrs. Burke and I am the Literacy Coach for First Grade. I

have three boys and 2 rabbits named Mario and Luigi. We live

in Livonia and enjoy spending time outside. My favorite book is, I Need

My Monster.  I can’t wait to work with the Buchanan First Grade Team!



Second Grade Literacy Coach

     Hi!  My name is Mrs. Serazio.  I am the Literacy Coach for Second Grade.  I have three children and a dog named Gracie.  My favorite book is Peanut Butter and Cupcake by Terry Border.  I can’t wait to work with the Buchanan Second Grade Team and learn together!



Third Grade Literacy Coach 

      Hi!  My name is Mrs. McGlinch.  I am the Literacy Coach for Third Grade.  I have two little girls, 4 and 1 years old.  We love to travel up north, swim, spend time at the beach, and ride our bikes. My favorite book is The Monster At The End Of This Book by Jon Stone and Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper.  Looking forward to learning together with the Buchanan Third Grade Team!



Fourth Grade Literacy Coach

Hello!  My name is Mrs. Daraskavich, but you can call me Mrs. D!  I am the Literacy Coach for Fourth Grade.  I have three daughters and a dog named Lucy.  We are a very active family and love spending time outdoors, traveling up north, hiking, boating, skiing and biking. My favorite book is Wonder, by R.J. Palacio. I can’t wait to learn together with the Buchanan Fourth Grade Team!




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Friday, November 6, 2020

We Rise By Lifting Others

 Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! Over the summer, a team was given the assignment to “beautify” our Buchanan lounge and turn it into a space that is warm, inviting and motivational.  We received a coffee cart and a large chalk board to hang above it.  Since we returned to in-person learning, the chalk board has been waiting to be “beautified”.

Outside of Buchanan, our speech therapist, Mrs. Parnell, has the pleasure of working with the students at the Livonia Transition Program. This program teaches life and vocational skills to students with a variety of disabilities that are 18-26 years old. One student she had the pleasure of meeting was Dylan and she quickly learned that he is more than a person with autism, more than a gentle giant, more than a young man who LOVES movies and cartoons and technology. Dylan is an amazing artist. 

Knowing that our “message board” was in desperate need of “beautification”, she asked the team at Buchanan if they would give Dylan the opportunity to showcase his artistic talents and beautify our sign.  He was given only the guidance to be mindful of the picture hanger orientation and the knowledge that someone at our school loves Superman. Below is his finished product that we are proud to display at Buchanan! 


UPCOMING EVENTS
  • Thursday, November 19: PTA Meeting (Virtual) 7:00 PM
  • Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27: Thanksgiving Break
  • Friday, December 4: No School for Students (Records Day)
PTA POINTS

  • Fall Treats for Students: A big THANK YOU to Cantoro Italian Market for its donation of donuts and cider and to Walmart (7 Mile) for its donation of cups so we could provide a Halloween treat to our Face-to-Face students last week! Our Livonia Virtual students should look out for a fall treat from the PTA at Materials Pickup on Friday. 
  • Last Call for Art Contest Entries! Reflections is an annual art competition held by the National PTA. Artwork is accepted in the following categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts. This year, all entries will be submitted virtually. Entries are due to ValerieRJackson@gmail.comby Friday, November 13. Please see the flyer attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email for details.
  • PTA Membership: Last year we finished the year with 203 PTA members, but we are sitting at just 94 members so far this year. Can you help us reach our goal of hitting last year's number? PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential education and curriculum needs, advocating on behalf of children and educators, and building an inclusive school community for all families. Please show us your support and become a member today at our MemberHub store: https://buchanan.new.memberhub.store/store
  • Follow the PTA on Facebook: @BuchananElementarySchoolPTA
  • Next Meeting: Thursday, November 19, 7:00pm

MEET THE STAFF


Hi Buchanan Community! My name is Haley Yost and I'm thrilled to be at Buchanan. I went to Central Michigan University and graduated in 2018.  After graduation, I served as a building substitute in Walled Lake Public Schools. I have a dog named Buster that gets my attention when I'm not in school. A goal I have this year is to try and make this year as normal and fun as possible for my students! 


Hello Buchanan Families! I am Brittany Brown the new fourth grade teacher here at Buchanan. Being a first year teacher I am thrilled to be here in such a welcoming district and school community. In December 2019, I graduated with honors from Eastern Michigan University with my degree in Elementary Education and minors in integrated science and reading. One of my favorite things to do outside of school is skating, I have been a figure skater for 16 years and a Learn To Skate Instructor in Garden City for 6 years. I also enjoy spending time with my family; mom, dad, younger brother Alan and my grandmother. One of my main goals is to make this a memorable year for my students and not just because of COVID-19. 


Hi Everyone! My name is Bobby Miller and I'm excited to be a part of the Buchanan team. Before working for LPS, I was a manager at Granite City for 4 years and have been in food service a total of 12 years. I enjoy working with my hands and am happy to be working as a building supervisor. My wife's name is Liz Miller and my daughters name is Cora. I enjoy spending the weekends watching football with my family while cooking delicious meals (steak dinners are my favorite). My professional goal for this year is to learn the ins and outs of our John Deere tractor. My personal goal is to perfect my beef wellington recipe!

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