REMINDER – Teacher Records Day on Monday, January 23rd – No School for Students.

On Friday, January 13th Protege Game Studios and iCademy Global welcomed students from Innocademy and Grand Rapids Christian to our Re:Fuel Coffee Shop for our first-ever ESports Tournament! Students participated in Smash Bros and Mario Kart Races to earn points for their team and determine a winner! With student analysts and commentators, the tournament was live-streamed on Twitch and YouTube. So fun!

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Please make sure your child is at school, ready to begin by 8:45 a.m. every day.  Should your child be absent, please email attendance@innocademy.com and let your child’s teacher know the reason for their absence so they can share any missing work.  Thank you for your support in ensuring your child learns and grows with us this year.  Every day counts for their academic success!

NEW INFORMATION

INNOCADEMY STAFFING UPDATE

Please help us welcome Ms. Liliana back as she is teaching Spanish to our Classic elementary friends for the months of January and February.  She has taught Spanish for our classic students when she first joined Innocademy a few years ago.  She also was our academic interventionist for las huellas and taught 4th grade las huellas and middle school social studies for our Spanish Immersion students as well.  Please know we continue to look for a long-term teacher.  

Please also note that we are actively looking for a middle school English Language Arts teacher as Ms. Ris’ last day is January 20.  Ms. Isabella, who is a certified teacher, has subbed for us throughout the school and an Inno parent is happy and able to help us starting next week Tuesday, January 24 through February 9.  If you know of anyone certified to teach and looking to work with a great team of educators, please let them know to email Ms. Jessenia at jessenia.martinez@innocademy.com.

MS. RACHEL’S CLASS – WEEKS OF SERVICE – HOW CAN YOU HELP?

After celebrating MLK Jr. Day Monday Ms. Rachel’s 1st grade class has decided to work on some community action over the next few weeks. 

They will be highlighting a different local need for 1 week at a time and raising awareness as well as collecting donations. This coming week they chose to seek donations for Harbor Humane. You may have seen that they had a recent setback after $10,000 was stolen from them. If you would like to help donate. The kids have made an Amazon wish list https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/genericItemsPage/1GODYJZEBBL5R?type=wishlist&_encoding=UTF8

Monetary donations can be made through their website or sent to school (attn: Ms. Rachel W) and she will deliver them at the end of the week. Thank you!

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS & SUPPORTS (PBIS) PARENT UPDATE

New Year & New Habits:

Happy New Year! The New Year is known as a great time for new routines and goal setting. As we continue to focus on PBIS goals and initiatives at school, I encourage you to review this great tool on ways to set easy routines, habits, and expectations at home. It’s a great activity to do as a family.

https://assets-global.website-files.com/5d3725188825e071f1670246/60354ecfd70fb75f8ffc9ee0_Family%20Plan%20for%20Positive%20Behavior%20at%20Home.pdf

Donations & Drawings:

We continue to need more treats and prizes in the classrooms. Please consider donating prizes for the drawings that occur each week. If you’d like to directly donate to your child’s classroom-you may directly message your child’s teacher for items needed for their classroom or ask your student for age-appropriate ideas for their classrooms. If you wish to donate to items to stock the prize boxes of any classroom/areas of need-that would be greatly appreciated-Middle School is currently a higher area of need! Items can be delivered to the classroom or front desk at any time.

Ideas of what to donate (new items & NO NUTS):

  • · movie box candy
  • · school supplies-pencils, pens, erasers, markers, etc.
  • · puzzles, card games
  • · water bottle stickers
  • · books (gently used okay)/activity books
  • · keychains
  • · Chapstick, coin purses, fidget spinners

Middle School Drawings:

We are looking for parent volunteers to help with drawings for Middle School rewards on Friday afternoons. The time can be flexible. The tasks would include setting up the prizes, supervising students while they choose their prize and cleaning up the prizes. There will be other staff members nearby if support is needed. This is a great opportunity to celebrate your student(s). Please contact Kristin Frederick (kristin.frederick@innocademy.com) if you’re interested in volunteering.

INNOCADEMY SPELLING BEE – JANUARY 27TH

We are looking for parent volunteers to help with set up and tear down for the Bee. If you would like to help please contact Morgan at morgan.cummings@innocademy.com or Megan at megan.anders@innocademy.com .

OLD INFORMATION

KNOW A FAMILY THAT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR?

We always appreciate that most of our new families come to us because you’ve shared your stories and positive experiences with them – THANK YOU! Enrollment for Precademy, Innocademy and iCademy Global is open for the 23/24 school year. If you have a family you would like to refer to us, please invite them to one of the Open Houses listed, below:

  • Tuesday, January 31st – 5-7pm
  • Tuesday, February 21st – 5-7pm
  • Tuesday, March 21st – 5-7pm
  • Tuesday, April 18t – 5-7pm
  • Tuesday, May 2nd – 5-7pm

NEWS FROM HOLLAND CHRISTIAN FOOD SERVICE

Did you know that you may apply for lunch benefits at any time of the school year? 

Situations change so don’t be hesitant to apply to this confidential resource. 

Go to familyportal.cloud ,  use the drop-down (select Holland Christian as the district), and apply for Lunch Benefits.  This is very easy, with no need to know your student’s ID number, and extremely confidential.  For questions please contact Sue at 616-820-2934. 

JANUARY FOOD PANTRY INFORMATION

WINTER IS HERE

Winter is officially here! The wind is blowing and the snow is coming down – or WILL BE at some point! Please make sure your child is dressed for success in the outdoor weather. Coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, and boots are required for playing and learning outside. We are outside for play and learning every day that the “feels like” temperature is above zero degrees.

JANUARY LUNCH MENU

https://innocademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/HC_Inno_Jan_2023_menu_fnl.pdf

NEED CAR REPAIRS OR A NEW VEHICLE? READ ON…

Does your family need car repairs or is in need of a car? Does your family receive benefits from Family Independence Program, Child Development and Care, Family Medicaid, or Family Food Assistance benefits through MDHHS? You could be eligible for free or low-cost repairs or purchases. Please check out the documents, below

https://innocademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Vehicle-Repair-12.9.pdf

https://innocademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Vehicle-Purchase-12.9.pdf

TUITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (TIP) OPPORTUNITY

What is TIP? 

The Tuition Incentive Program encourages students to complete high school by providing college tuition assistance after graduation. 

How does TIP work? 

TIP helps the student pursue a certificate or associate degree by providing tuition and mandatory fee assistance at participating Michigan institutions. 

After earning a certificate, associate degree, or even 56 transferable credits, the student can then be eligible to receive up to $500 per semester while pursuing a bachelor’s degree, not to exceed $2,000 total. 

Learn more by clicking on THIS LINK

CHILD CARE SUBSIDY – SEE IF YOU QUALIFY!

More families are eligible for help paying for child care than you might think. To help families know if they are likely to qualify, Governor Whitmer partnered with the Michigan Department of Education and Early Childhood Investment Corporation to create an online eligibility calculator. Now families can know in less than two minutes if they could get help lower child care costs by visiting https://greatstarttoquality.org/calculator/.     

To qualify for the Child Development and Care Program (commonly called the child care subsidy), families must:    

ï         Have a child under age 13       

ï         Need child care because they’re working or going to school      

ï         Have a qualifying income, up to:       

ï         $36,620 for a family of 2      

ï         $46,060 for a family of 3      

ï         $55,500 for a family of 4     

Families can visit Michigan.gov/childcare for a complete list of reasons they may qualify for low or no cost child care and qualifying income levels for larger families.    

INNOCADEMY STUDENTS ON THE MOVE

REMINDER: HOMESTEAD CAMPUS IS NUT FREE

We have students on campus who have severe allergies to nuts of any kind. Please use extra caution when packing snacks, bringing treats to school, and enjoying lunches so that we can keep all of our students safe.

LUNCH INFORMATION FROM HOLLAND CHRISTIAN

Food service is in full swing, thanks to YOU for being patient and persistent with our Family Portal.  Please continue to use the family portal to deposit funds into your lunch account.  We are a Pre Pay system and appreciate families having funds in your child’s account when they choose to take hot lunch.  Plus NO FEE TO MAKE A DEPOSIT ONLINE.  Familyportal.cloud is where you can deposit funds or apply for lunch benefits.  If you do not know your student account number, reach out to heidi.wolters@innocademy.com 

For those families that are receiving lunch benefits and only want milk, the national school lunch program does not give benefits for milk only.  If you want free or reduced-price milk, you may take a fruit or vegetable, and the milk will be under your benefits. 

IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION

If you have someone new to pick up at dismissal time, please always feel free to share THIS VIDEO that includes the map.

STILL TIME TO APPLY! – – HAND 2 HAND – SIGN-UP OPEN FOR THIS YEAR

OK, Hand2Hand is firing up again for the year, and attached is the sign-up form.  A few things to know:

https://innocademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Permission-Slip-Backpack-Inno.pdf

  • Hand2Hand is a weekly food bag distribution, provided by Vertical Church (yay to them for this partnership!!). Read the attachment for more info.
  • There are no qualifications, other than just signing and returning the form.
  • Bags are distributed on Thursday mornings and we attempt to put in lockers/cubbies during the lunch hour.
  • In order to receive the first delivery, forms must be returned to the front desk before the Labor Day break. However, families can continue to sign up throughout the year.

2022-2023 SCHOOL CALENDAR