March 29 Weather Make Up Day – School is in session!

April 1-5 No School for Students and Staff – Spring Break

April 18 Cedar Springs Community Night @ Cedar Springs High School – Come visit our booth!

April 22 Family Night – 5-7 pm

April 22 Parent / Superintendent Town Hall Meeting – 7-8 pm

April 23-25 K-8 Parent/Teacher Conferences (by appointment)

April 25 9-12 Parent Teacher Conferences (by appointment)

Cedar Springs Public Schools “The Future Begins Here”

Kindergarten Registration 2013—2014 School Year

Enrolling children who will be 5 years old on or before 11/1/2013

Pre-register online at www.csredhawks.org

Schedule an appointment with the Registrar to complete enrollment.

Take a virtual tour of Cedar Trails Elementary through the link on the district website.

Any questions Contact Central Registration 616-696-7317

8am – 4pm; Monday through Friday

Central Registration is located on the 2nd Floor of the Hilltop Community Building

Hearing and Vision Screenings will be held on Friday, May 17 @ Cedar Trails Elementary. If your child has not been previously screened, please call 616-696-9884 to schedule an appointment.

Dawn Nielsen, Cedar View Teacher

Cedar View 4th grade classes are celebrating “March is Reading Month.” 4th grade teachers and students decided to use this opportunity to help our community by having a read-a-thon to raise money for our Cedar Springs Library. All of the reading will be done at school on March 15. It will be an “all day reading marathon”. Each student has a goal to raise $35. Half of all money raised will go to the library the other half will help the Cedar View PTO purchase needed items for classrooms. To encourage students to raise as much money as they can, teachers have agreed to have a “sing-off” for any class that reaches their total class goal of $1,000. Whichever class raises the most money will get to tell the other teachers what songs they have to perform. 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Nielsen said “Any opportunity that students have to laugh at and embarrass their teachers is worth their weight in gold to them!” One student in Mrs. Nielsen’s class is really rallying his class to win the competition so we can make Mr. Gregory sing “All the Single Ladies.” The Cedar Springs library has partnered with the 4th graders for the read-a-thon. They have offered to give a stuffed Red Hawk Mascot to each student who reaches their $35 goal. Having this read-a-thon is a great way to promote reading and let students learn about helping out in their community. If you are reading this article and would like to make a pledge to this cause, please contact any 4th grade student that you know or contact a 4th grade teacher at Cedar View Elementary at 616-696-9102.

Mary Ann Frandsen has been a volunteer for Cedar Springs Public Schools for many years. As a middle school volunteer, Mary Ann has helped work our book fairs. With her help, students have chosen great books to add to their home libraries. Her work has also helped add additional books to our classrooms.

Some students struggle during middle school to find their identity and realize their dreams. Mary Ann has mentored students in need of a little direction with their future goals. The relationships she forms last many years.

If you have attended Friday night football games, you have seen Mary Ann, greeting our fans and guests in the tunnel. During volleyball and basketball games, Mary Ann will keep the score book, run the clock, or manage the game if we need it. She attends countless events, home and away. Mary Ann is always there to cheer on our Red Hawk athletes.

We are grateful to Mary Ann Frandsen. She is always there to help.  She is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure our events run smoothly.  She is a great person to have volunteering in our athletic department.

February 28 and March 1, the bands from Cedar Springs Middle School and Cedar Springs High School performed at Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association Festival. We are very proud to announce that all the bands (7th grade, 8th grade, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble) received First Division ratings!

A First Division rating represents the highest level of performance standards in instrumental music in the state of Michigan. The kids worked very hard and we are so pleased to see this hard work pay off.

Thank you all so much for supporting the band program. Great band programs do not exist without the support of administration, faculty and parents.

Please join us in celebrating our band students’ accomplishments!

March is Reading Month!

March 5-7 ACT/MME (Regular School Day for all others)

7 End of 2nd Trimester

8 Weather Make Up Day for FlexTrac Students

(FlexTrac students WILL attend School; No School for All

Other Students and Staff

26 State Representative VerHeulen visits K-5 – 12 N – 2pm

29 No School for Students and Staff – Spring Break

April 1-5 No School for Students and Staff – Spring Break

22 Family Night – 5-7 pm

22 Parent / Superintendent Town Hall Meeting – 7-8 pm

23-25 K-8 Parent/Teacher Conferences (by appointment)

25 9-12 Parent Teacher Conferences (by appointment)

The Sweetheart Swirl was held on Saturday, February 23rd, and was sponsored by the senior class and their advisor, Mrs. Terpstra. CTA is appreciative of the efforts of Mrs. Terpstra, her husband Larry, and the crew of chaperones from CTA parents, staff, and administrators.

Highlights of the evening included crowning of the Sweetheart and Heartbreaker for each class (see photos) and stretch limo rides (contracted by Mrs. Terpstra) for everyone who attended.

Good laughs, fun, and food were had by all! Thank you, seniors and Mrs. Terpstra.

This Valentine’s Day, the CTA Kindergarten did something a little different for its celebration; we had a Kindergarten dance. Our parents embraced the idea by sending their munchkins dressed in their most fashionable duds. This dance was a complete success with the help of our amazing parents. To start the dance off, we had yummy treats that were brought in by our parents. During the feast of treats, we had a manners lesson that emphasized the needs for saying “please” and “thank you,” as well as proper eating procedures. After our bellies were full, out came our dancing shoes. When the music began, the kids had a blast dancing to the songs like “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves and “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang. These songs were new to the students, but the beats still snuck in and they started moving their feet! Fun was had by all at our First Annual Kindergarten Valentine’s Day Dance!

Veltkamp & Klein named Cedar Springs High Schools’ Student Athletes of the Month

Allie Veltkamp

Senior Allie Veltkamp was named January 2013 Student Athlete of the Month for the Varsity Girls Basketball.

Allie is a 3 sport, 2 year Varisty Basketball player.  Allie also excels in the classroom with a GPA of 3.981 and is a member of NHS.  Allie gives back to the community through participation in the Red Hawk Kids Club.

Coach Taylor comments “Allie has stepped up her game from her Junior year.  She is averaging 12 points per game so far this season.  She continues to be a positive role model for our program and in the community!”

Allie is the daughter of Chris and Ron Veltkamp.

Robert Klein

Senior Robert Klein was named January 2013 Student Athlete of the Month for Boys Varsity Basketball.

Robert is a 3 sport, 2 year Varsity basketball team member and is team co-captain.  Robert also excels in the classroom with a 3.587 GPA and is a regular on the honor roll.  He is also the captain of the Athletic Leadership Council and is a member of the Red Hawks Kids Club.

Coach Patin says” Robert is a great leader for his team; he leads not just in words, but in his actions as well.  He is a great person to be around, and it is a joy to coach him.”

Robert is the son of Jim and Maribeth Klein.

Since 1986 the Education Foundation has been serving the students and teachers of the Cedar Springs Public Schools.  Each year grants are given to bring new and innovative resources into the classrooms.

In 2012, $20,000 was awarded to help make the Cedar Springs Public Schools a great place to educate our students.  The Foundation is a 501©(3) tax exempt organization.  A dedicated board of directors oversees an endowment fund and all donations are tax deductible.  Please consider a gift, bequest, or memorial to help continue this mission begun 26 years ago.

Board of Directors

Bill Tucker

Tom Noreen

Deb McIntyre

Elizabeth Marckini

Beth Blades

Matt Shoffner, ex-officio

Ron McDermed, ex-officio

FOUNDATION AWARD GRANTS FOR 2012

CEDAR TRAILS

Differentiation Literacy & Math—$4,400

Pre-School—6 Read it Again Kits—$800

K—Take Home Books & Leveled Readers—$2,200

1st—Math Manipulatives—$1,600

Benefits 800+ Students

BEACH

Interactive Whiteboards—$2,800

18—20 Interactive Whiteboard Kits—$2,340

Benefits 500 Students

CEDAR VIEW

Technology Enhancements—$2,800

(CD Books, Kindles, I-Pads & Classroom)

Benefits 486 Students

RED HAWK

Classroom I-Pads—$1,400 (4 I-Pads for classroom use)

Benefits 250 Students

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Literacy, Computer Lab Microphones & Anti-Bullying  Campaign—$2,600 (20 Kindles & Books, Anti-bullying assembly & classroom set of microphones for Media Center)

Benefits 496 Students

HIGH SCHOOL Technology Boost

4 Tablets @ $500 each—$2,000

45 e-Readers @ $80 each—$3,600

Benefits entire student body

NEW BEGINNINGS

Library Update—$400

Continue building a Library with updated books

TOTAL $20,000

Visit www.csredhawks.org/csef for more information.