Help keep Defer safe for everyone – Do not hold our parking lot door open for others. All visitors must be approved by the office staff before entering.
Do NOT use the parking lot to drop-off or pick-up students at the beginning and end of the day. Between Defer and Pierce Middle School we have almost 1,000 children coming and going at the same time. Parents using the Defer parking lot during these high foot-traffic times is a safety issue.
Cross Kercheval at the traffic light and under the direction of the crossing guard. Crossing Kercheval at any other location is very dangerous due to the high volumes of traffic.
Do not park your car in the drop-off/pick-up lane on Nottingham. If you wish to park on Nottingham please use the South side of the street only.
Be sure your child reports to the office if they are tardy for school. Our office staff will record their attendance and send them on to their classroom.
When a student has been ill they should not return to school until they have been fever free for 24 hours.
Our lunchroom microwaves are intended for reheating purposes only and food items should require no more than 30 seconds of microwave time. Sending in food that requires more time creates long lines in the lunchroom.
The school day ends at 3:38 each day. Please be sure your child knows their after school plans each day.
Be sure to label your child’s clothes. Our Lost and Found is overflowing with unclaimed mittens and hats.
Finally, please let your child in grades 1 – 5 come into school on their own each morning. One of the Defer PBS procedures is to start each day with our teachers meeting and greeting their students at their classroom door. This simple procedure done each day with fidelity builds relationship and sets the learning tone for the day.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Happy and Healthy New Year
Welcome back and welcome to 2012! I hope all the Defer families had a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, and fun! We are excited to pick-up where we left off in our school year. I’d like to thank all the families that attended our December Student-Parent-Teacher conferences. It provided the opportunity to review student achievement and growth and to set goals as we continue the school year. We look forward to this continued progress as school and home combine efforts to help students grow as learners and thinkers. Your support in this process is essential.
Here are 3 great school New Year Resolutions for families:
*Spend time reviewing your child’s homework
*Be sure reading is going on every night in your home
*Practice basic math facts until they become as automatic as reciting your own name
——————————————————————————————————————-
5th Grade Parents
Pierce Middle School is beginning the orientation process for the in-coming 6th graders of the 2012-13 school year. Please mark your calendar for the following events:
Thursday, January 19th is the Pierce “Coney Night” in the Pierce Gym from 6:00—7:30 p.m. Get to know your new school for next year!
Wednesday, January 25th Pierce Middle School will be hosting a Parent Night for in-coming 6th Graders at 7:00 p.m. in the Pierce Auditorium
Thursday, January 26th Defer 5th grade students will meet in the Pierce Auditorium at 2:30 p.m. to learn about the middle school program for next school year.
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Kindergarten for 2012 – 2013
Parents of children who will be eligible (5 years old on or before December 1, 2012) for Kindergarten for the 2012-2013 school year are reminded that our Kindergarten Parent Information Meeting will be held in the Defer Library beginning promptly at 7:00 p.m. on January 26, 2012.
If you know of any current non-Defer parents who have Kindergarten-aged children, please be sure to have them contact our office as soon as possible so that we can give them information about the up-coming parent meeting and enrollment process. Thank you for your assistance with this as it really as an impact on our staffing and budgeting for next school year.
Here are 3 great school New Year Resolutions for families:
*Spend time reviewing your child’s homework
*Be sure reading is going on every night in your home
*Practice basic math facts until they become as automatic as reciting your own name
——————————————————————————————————————-
5th Grade Parents
Pierce Middle School is beginning the orientation process for the in-coming 6th graders of the 2012-13 school year. Please mark your calendar for the following events:
Thursday, January 19th is the Pierce “Coney Night” in the Pierce Gym from 6:00—7:30 p.m. Get to know your new school for next year!
Wednesday, January 25th Pierce Middle School will be hosting a Parent Night for in-coming 6th Graders at 7:00 p.m. in the Pierce Auditorium
Thursday, January 26th Defer 5th grade students will meet in the Pierce Auditorium at 2:30 p.m. to learn about the middle school program for next school year.
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Kindergarten for 2012 – 2013
Parents of children who will be eligible (5 years old on or before December 1, 2012) for Kindergarten for the 2012-2013 school year are reminded that our Kindergarten Parent Information Meeting will be held in the Defer Library beginning promptly at 7:00 p.m. on January 26, 2012.
If you know of any current non-Defer parents who have Kindergarten-aged children, please be sure to have them contact our office as soon as possible so that we can give them information about the up-coming parent meeting and enrollment process. Thank you for your assistance with this as it really as an impact on our staffing and budgeting for next school year.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Ten Tips for Parents That Will Help Us Keep Defer Running Smoothly!
As we approach the end of 2011, here are a few helpful reminders:
Don’t park in the parking lot – The parking lot is not intended for parking for morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up. Please park on Kercheval, Balfour, or Nottingham in the areas designated for this.
Cross Kercheval and Nottingham with the Crossing Guards – Please don’t have your child cross between cars on Nottingham or down the street on Kercheval. There is constant traffic in these areas and your child’s life is being endangered as they weave between cars and dodge traffic.
Help your Child be on time for School Each Day - Students that arrive late are missing out on important instruction and interrupt the learning of others.
Please use the buzzer system to enter the building – Please don’t hold the doors open for parents to enter and for late students. We can’t keep your child safe if we don’t know who is coming into the building.
Please allow your child to come into school on their own – We have been in school for over three months and all students can make it in the building alone and be independent. Coming into the building interrupts our morning meet and greet by our staff. Kindergarten students may be assisted coming into the building.
Only use the Nottingham lane closest to the building for pick-up/drop-off – Please do not park in this lane. If you wish to park on Nottingham you must use the south side of the street.
Heat food at home for lunch – Our microwaves in the lunchroom are intended for 30 second reheats. Having enough time for lunch is hampered by long microwave lines. Do not send meals that require cooking time in the microwave. Also, send your child with a paper plate for reheating.
Make after school plans before your child leaves in the morning – Be sure to establish what your after school procedures will be with your child. We cannot supervise students after school in our office. You will need to sign up for Kids’ Club if you can’t pick up your child at dismissal or make arrangements with another family.
Watch the weather – As the snow flies this winter, generally students will not be allowed on the field to play without wearing boots and snow pants. Mittens are lost on a daily basis. Consider labeling your child’s outer wear.
Please greet your child outside at the end of the day – Each classroom teacher has a dismissal procedure. Please wait outside for your child to be released at the end of each day.
Thank you for helping us keep Defer running smoothly! Enjoy your break with family and friends.
Don’t park in the parking lot – The parking lot is not intended for parking for morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up. Please park on Kercheval, Balfour, or Nottingham in the areas designated for this.
Cross Kercheval and Nottingham with the Crossing Guards – Please don’t have your child cross between cars on Nottingham or down the street on Kercheval. There is constant traffic in these areas and your child’s life is being endangered as they weave between cars and dodge traffic.
Help your Child be on time for School Each Day - Students that arrive late are missing out on important instruction and interrupt the learning of others.
Please use the buzzer system to enter the building – Please don’t hold the doors open for parents to enter and for late students. We can’t keep your child safe if we don’t know who is coming into the building.
Please allow your child to come into school on their own – We have been in school for over three months and all students can make it in the building alone and be independent. Coming into the building interrupts our morning meet and greet by our staff. Kindergarten students may be assisted coming into the building.
Only use the Nottingham lane closest to the building for pick-up/drop-off – Please do not park in this lane. If you wish to park on Nottingham you must use the south side of the street.
Heat food at home for lunch – Our microwaves in the lunchroom are intended for 30 second reheats. Having enough time for lunch is hampered by long microwave lines. Do not send meals that require cooking time in the microwave. Also, send your child with a paper plate for reheating.
Make after school plans before your child leaves in the morning – Be sure to establish what your after school procedures will be with your child. We cannot supervise students after school in our office. You will need to sign up for Kids’ Club if you can’t pick up your child at dismissal or make arrangements with another family.
Watch the weather – As the snow flies this winter, generally students will not be allowed on the field to play without wearing boots and snow pants. Mittens are lost on a daily basis. Consider labeling your child’s outer wear.
Please greet your child outside at the end of the day – Each classroom teacher has a dismissal procedure. Please wait outside for your child to be released at the end of each day.
Thank you for helping us keep Defer running smoothly! Enjoy your break with family and friends.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Importance of Reading...
Let’s figure it out ----- mathematically!
The following is from the U.S Department of Education, America Reads Challenge, 1999
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Student A reads 20 minutes five nights every week.
Student B reads only 4 minutes a night or not at all.
Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.
Student A reads 20 minutes x 5 = 100 minutes per week.
Student B reads 4 minutes x 5 = 20 minutes per week.
Step 2: Multiply minutes per week x 4 weeks per month.
Student A reads 400 minutes per month.
Student B reads 80 minutes per month.
Step 3: Multiply minutes per month x 9 months of the school year.
Student A reads 3,600 minutes in a school year.
Student B reads 720 minutes in a school year.
Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.
Student B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.
By the end of 6th grade, if Student A and Student B maintain the same reading habits, Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days while Student B will have read the equivalent of 12 whole school days. One would expect the gap of information retained to have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance.

The Defer staff knows that students become better readers when they read. Helping your child to get into the reading habit is one of the most important things you can do to support their growth as students.
Check with your child’s teacher if you are unsure of the home reading expectations and then – start reading!
The following is from the U.S Department of Education, America Reads Challenge, 1999
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Student A reads 20 minutes five nights every week.
Student B reads only 4 minutes a night or not at all.
Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.
Student A reads 20 minutes x 5 = 100 minutes per week.
Student B reads 4 minutes x 5 = 20 minutes per week.
Step 2: Multiply minutes per week x 4 weeks per month.
Student A reads 400 minutes per month.
Student B reads 80 minutes per month.
Step 3: Multiply minutes per month x 9 months of the school year.
Student A reads 3,600 minutes in a school year.
Student B reads 720 minutes in a school year.
Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.
Student B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.
By the end of 6th grade, if Student A and Student B maintain the same reading habits, Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days while Student B will have read the equivalent of 12 whole school days. One would expect the gap of information retained to have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance.

The Defer staff knows that students become better readers when they read. Helping your child to get into the reading habit is one of the most important things you can do to support their growth as students.
Check with your child’s teacher if you are unsure of the home reading expectations and then – start reading!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Communication is Key
The 2011- 2012 school year is off to a great start at Defer! Our Back-to-School evening
last month was a wonderful opportunity for parents to learn more the academic program planned for this year, and the best ways to support their child’s education at home. We appreciated your attendance. As we continue on the path towards a successful year we will strive to set communication as an important goal. Our Defer Dragon Burning News comes out every second Thursday of the month with important current affairs. Our website itself contains information on a variety of topics which parents will find helpful, including our web calendar which is updated throughout the year. Parents can also sign up for an ‘e-Alert” which will help provide the best communication between Defer and your household. In order to do this, please visit http://gpschools.schoolwires.net click on the register button (top right of page) enter your birthday and submit. Once signed-in, you’ll be able to receive email alerts and subscriptions via the ‘access my info’ button on the top right of the homepage. Many Defer staff members send home classroom newsletters and also have Web pages that help maintain the link between home and school. Our hope is that we are offering a variety of ways to communicate with our Defer families. A few of the recent highlights from our Defer community include:
· MEAP (Michigan Education Assessment Program) testing began this week.
Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 tested this week in Reading and the 4th graders
also completed a Writing MEAP test. Testing will continue next week beginning
on Tuesday in Math for grades 3, 4, and 5. Fifth graders will also take the MEAP
Science assessment next week.
· All students in grades 1 – 5 have completed the first round of NWEA testing in
the areas of reading and math. This computerized test is a key piece of data
used by the staff in helping to differentiate instruction so that all students reach
their academic potential.
· Making Meaning is a instructional program that is part of our new Reading
Workshop approach to teaching reading. Making Meaning incorporates the use
of fine literature in teaching key reading strategies. The program involves
students working in pairs to – think, share, and pair. In a second grade class
today after hearing the book, Alexander’s No-Good, Very Bad Day , students
discussed in pairs their ideas of a very bad day and then used visualizing
techniques to illustrate and write about their experiences. It is amazing to
listen-in on these discussions.
· Another component of this reading program is IDR (Independent Directed
Reading). Even our youngest students are now reading on their own without
interruption for 15 minutes at a stretch and the time is much longer at the upper
grades. This IDR reading should be a part of each night’s home routine as well.
· On October 19th parents of students receiving either Title1 assistance or Reading
Support will be joining some of our Instructional staff to learn more about both
of these programs. Invitations will be arriving in the mail.
I truly believe it ‘takes a village to raise a child’. Thanks for partnering with us in the
education of our Defer Dragons!
last month was a wonderful opportunity for parents to learn more the academic program planned for this year, and the best ways to support their child’s education at home. We appreciated your attendance. As we continue on the path towards a successful year we will strive to set communication as an important goal. Our Defer Dragon Burning News comes out every second Thursday of the month with important current affairs. Our website itself contains information on a variety of topics which parents will find helpful, including our web calendar which is updated throughout the year. Parents can also sign up for an ‘e-Alert” which will help provide the best communication between Defer and your household. In order to do this, please visit http://gpschools.schoolwires.net click on the register button (top right of page) enter your birthday and submit. Once signed-in, you’ll be able to receive email alerts and subscriptions via the ‘access my info’ button on the top right of the homepage. Many Defer staff members send home classroom newsletters and also have Web pages that help maintain the link between home and school. Our hope is that we are offering a variety of ways to communicate with our Defer families. A few of the recent highlights from our Defer community include:
· MEAP (Michigan Education Assessment Program) testing began this week.
Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 tested this week in Reading and the 4th graders
also completed a Writing MEAP test. Testing will continue next week beginning
on Tuesday in Math for grades 3, 4, and 5. Fifth graders will also take the MEAP
Science assessment next week.
· All students in grades 1 – 5 have completed the first round of NWEA testing in
the areas of reading and math. This computerized test is a key piece of data
used by the staff in helping to differentiate instruction so that all students reach
their academic potential.
· Making Meaning is a instructional program that is part of our new Reading
Workshop approach to teaching reading. Making Meaning incorporates the use
of fine literature in teaching key reading strategies. The program involves
students working in pairs to – think, share, and pair. In a second grade class
today after hearing the book, Alexander’s No-Good, Very Bad Day , students
discussed in pairs their ideas of a very bad day and then used visualizing
techniques to illustrate and write about their experiences. It is amazing to
listen-in on these discussions.
· Another component of this reading program is IDR (Independent Directed
Reading). Even our youngest students are now reading on their own without
interruption for 15 minutes at a stretch and the time is much longer at the upper
grades. This IDR reading should be a part of each night’s home routine as well.
· On October 19th parents of students receiving either Title1 assistance or Reading
Support will be joining some of our Instructional staff to learn more about both
of these programs. Invitations will be arriving in the mail.
I truly believe it ‘takes a village to raise a child’. Thanks for partnering with us in the
education of our Defer Dragons!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Welcome back to the 2011 - 2012 school year. We hope you had a wonderful summer break, filled with opportunities to learn and grow. We know you share our enthusiasm as we embark on our journey together towards a successful school year. As the principal of Defer, it is my goal to continue the greatness of Defer Elementary. The staff and I are committed to delivering a high quality education for your child in a safe and caring environment.
The Defer Elementary staff is working hard on their School Improvement plans for the year. Our goals include math, reading, and writing. Last year our staff placed heavy emphasis on the teaching of writing and our professional development and Professional Learning Community time focused on Writing Workshop, a method for teaching and improving writing. Our work in this area will continue this year as we grow as teachers in this method and strive to improve student writing. The District focus this year is Reading. A year-long professional development plan is in place for the entire elementary staff on Reading Workshop. This program emphasizes the interaction between readers and text. Students learn to ask questions, make connections with prior knowledge and previously read texts, and ask questions to clarify faulty comprehension they recognize has occurred. The program includes peer conferences and teacher conferences with students, but emphasizes students’ independence and allows them to become successful readers outside of the classroom. One of the initial components we will be using is a program entitled Making Meaning, which uses a class read-aloud novel to generate deep discussions. We are excited about this new approach to the teaching of reading and our work with the Defer students in this area.
Parents make a big difference when it comes to your child’s education. After all, you are their first and primary educator. Remember that no matter how small the task, the little bit of encouragement or the extra time we spend with our children can make all the difference. Enjoy the school year with your child. Be a part of their education. Make it a shared partnership of cooperation,communication and caring.
I encourage you to attend the Defer Back-to-School night on September 22nd at 7:00 PM in the school gym. This is one of the first important steps you take as a parent in support of your child’s education. Teachers will have the opportunity to share the academic program and goals for the year. As a parent, you will have the opportunity to learn how you can best support that education. The partnership between home, the school, and the child is a key factor in your child’s success in school. Please mark your calendars and join us. Your child will thank you!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Summer Vacation is Almost Here!
Ahhh! Summer. A time to relax and enjoy those lazy days filled with trips to the park, family vacations and backyard barbecues, right? Not so fast! Summer can entail more than just a change from the usual routine. For children, it can mean a serious loss of learning. Research shows that many children experience a ‘summer slump’ and can lose about four weeks of growth from the previous school year. However, there are many things a parent can do to keep their child’s brain active. Here are a few ideas recommended by experts to help prevent the dreaded ‘brain drain’.
Read between the lines. Have your child join the local library’s summer reading program or start their own reading program or book club. They can set a goal for reading so many books and even keep track on a book ‘growth’ chart. Incorporate reading into everyday activities by pointing out billboards, fliers, food containers and such. Younger children can play the alphabet game on longer drives.
Talk the talk. Ask questions about anything and everything, but not the kind of questions that only illicit “yes” or “no” answers. For instance, ask “What did you like about . . .?” “What was your favorite part. . .?” Get children talking, and you may be able to turn a normal experience into a teaching moment.
Got Game? Organize game nights not just for your family, but in the neighborhood. Play educational games like Scrabble, Uno, crossword puzzles, Sudoku or basic card games. They make for a fun night and reinforce skills such as memory, concentration, logic and reasoning. They also teach children how to take turns, and be both a good winner and a good loser.
Vacation your body, not your mind. Going on a trip can be a great time to expand more than your physical horizons. Use the library and Internet to learn about the destination and its historical sites. Study maps and plot mileage.
It all adds up to fun. According to the National Summer Learning Association, losing math skills is the biggest threat. Try a number of activities to reinforce math skills. For instance, look at the measurements in a recipe you’re making and ask your child to double it. Ask your child to compute the 15% tip on the restaurant bill, or determine how many gallons of gas are needed to travel the 50 miles to grandma’s house. Make math a part of your everyday life.
Let’s stamp out summer slump when it comes to our Defer Dragons!!
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