4/14 - 5/15 : MStep testing window for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students
5/11: GRCDC Board Meeting, 6:00 -7:30 PM
5/12: Early Release day
- 2:30 - 2:45 is for students with the last name A - I
- 2:45 - 3:00 is for students with the last name J - Z
5/13: Community Meeting for 3rd - 5th feat. 3rd Grade End of Loop Celebration, 8:30 - 8:45 AM
5/14: Community Meeting for K - 2nd feat. Celebration of the End of Kindergarten, 8:30- 8:45 AM
5/14: Family Team Meeting, 8:45 - 9:45 AM
5/15: 5th Grade Flashlight Tag, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
5/22 - 5/25: No School, Memorial Day Break
5/28: End of Year Celebration, school-wide event, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
6/2: Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony for the Fifth Grade families, 6:30 - 7:30 PM (information will be sent to 5th grade families soon!)
6/3: Last Day of School, 11:30 AM Dismissal
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State Representative to Visit GRCDC!
We are very excited to share that on Monday, May 11, State Representative Kristian Grant will be visiting GRCDC to kick off Charter Schools Week in Michigan. Charter Schools Week is May 11-15 and unites families, educators, and advocates in celebrating charter schools and illuminating what how choice in public education impacts children. This will be an opportunity for us to advocate in support of independent, non-profit public charter schools and share the challenges with the inequities in funding, as well. We are looking forward to Representative Grant experiencing an Education Based on Relationships!
State Representative Grant will have the opportunity to learn about our project work from 4th grade students and see early literacy in action with our Kindergarteners. We are honored to be chosen for this visit and we know it is because of the hard work and dedication of the teachers and staff, the brilliance and creativity of our children, and the commitment and partnership of our families! We will share photos and information after the visit!
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Family Survey Update
WOW! I am also excited to share that 206 responses have been received for the Spring Family Survey. This represents 91% of our student body! We are still working towards 100%, but we are so very thankful for each and every one of you who took the time to take the survey. Let me share what happens with this feedback next:
- Teachers will receive the feedback from families who have students in their class.
- Sarah and I read each individual survey.
- We then analyze the survey for trends- what are we doing well? What needs to change? where are we missing the mark? What must we protect? What can we celebrate? We use these findings to plan professional learning for the summer, shift practices or communication strategies, and partner with the Family Team to design family events.
In the spirit of transparency, I will share the full results of the survey in the Link Letter, as well as a video overview of our analysis. I am also always open to talking about things further, answering questions, or providing additional context. Please reach out to me at any time via Parent Square, text/voicemail at 517-206-3868, call the office at 616-459-0330 or email me at nuyensl@childdiscoverycenter.org. Thank you!
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Public POST- Openings to Serve on the GRCDC Board of Directors
The Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center (GRCDC) Board of Directors is looking for new directors to join our team. This is a volunteer position for a term of three years.
The GRCDC Board supports school leadership, provides guidance on budget, facilities, personnel, communication, fundraising and other important matters.
We are looking for school and community members (you don't have to be a caregiver of a current student) who have an interest in serving on a public-school board and can bring experience from a variety of backgrounds. We are specifically looking for experience in Facilities Management, Finance, and/or Fundraising.
Please reach out to the Board of Directors board@childdiscoverycenter.org or any current Board Member for more information or to express interest. A letter of intent and resume will be required to submit your application.
We welcome you to join us at the next GRCDC Board meeting listed below. Please be prepared to introduce yourself and provide information about your background and interests.
**All Regular Open Board Meetings are held the 2nd Monday each month at 6pm. Next meeting is Monday, May 12."
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Collecting Meaning. Collections help us explore the past by showing how people lived, what they valued, and how communities grew. As we learned more about our third graders, we discovered that many already create their own collections at home based on their curiosities such as Pokémon cards, stuffies, rocks, and coins. These collections became a powerful way to build peer connections and shared understanding. Recognizing this, we used students’ natural interest in collecting as a pathway to explore and share stories from Michigan’s history. Like artists and historians, students are now creating their own collections of handmade objects and drawings inspired by both personal experiences and Michigan’s past. Through these collections, they are telling meaningful stories about our state and the communities within it. |
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Arrival Reminder: During arrival, 8:00 - 8:20, students may be dropped off on Cass Ave only. Do not let them out of your car on Lafayette, Logan or in the school parking lot. This is for your students' safety.
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The weather is changing! As we move towards spring/summer weather, make sure your student has clothing for the cool mornings and warm afternoons. Also, all students should bring a change of clothes in their backpack in case they need to change due to muddy conditions or other reasons.
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2026-2027 School Calendar: The full calendar has been approved by the GRCDC Board and is displayed and linked below. This calendar is also available in Google Calendar. If you already subscribe, you calendar should already be update. Here is the link to subscribe to the Google calendar.
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Lost and Found Weekly Post: No new post this week. |
Family Team Meetings
- Our last Family Team meeting is next Thursday May 14 after the Community Meeting
Find Family Team on ParentSquare!
The GRCDC Narwhals - Families of Current Students Facebook group has been archived, so stay up to date through the Family Team GRCDC Narwhals Group on ParentSquare.
Let's Connect
We want to hear from you! If you have an idea, question, or suggestion for the Family Team email us at grcdcfamilyteam@gmail.com. |
Upcoming After School Club meetings:
5/12 - Last GOTR practice - Good luck for the 5K on May 16th!
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Art Camp Opportunity: CREATE is an art camp for children entering grades K-8. the dates are June 15, 16 and 17 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. For registration and more info, please click here.
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Sunbucks, Michigan Summer EBT: Michigan Summer EBT is a program to help families buy food for their school-aged children during the summer. Families will get $120 for each eligible child to buy groceries during the summer. For more information, please follow this link.
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Free pool passes for City youth are back for 2026! For kids ages 17 and under who live within Grand Rapids City limits, GR Parks and Recreation will provide a free 2026 season pool pass as long as they are signed up before 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 25. Register at: grparks.info/poolpass26
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- If you are experiencing a housing crisis or issue, please contact us at 616-459-0330 and our Homeless Liaison will reach out to you.
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Families Supporting Families! We want to support our families. We are collecting the information for any family-owned businesses within our community. If you own a business, please fill out this survey. We will add you to the directory once we receive your information.
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GRCDC Threat Reporting Form: It takes everybody in the school community to keep a school safe! In short, if you see or hear something, say something! GRCDC has a team of staff that have been trained to assess and respond to any threats to the school community. Please use this form to make a report.
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OK2SAY: If you receive a threat or know of a threat of violence against your community, please contact your local law enforcement or call 9-1-1. Non-emergency tips can be submitted the following ways:
- Call: 8-555-OK2SAY, (855-565-2729 )
- Text: 652729 (OK2SAY)
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Email: OK2SAY
- Visit: OK2SAY website
- OK2SAY Mobile App: Available for download for Apple, Google and Android mobile devices.
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Absence Reporting: If your child will be absent from school, please contact us by 8:20 AM if possible. There are a few ways you can contact us about an absence:
- Email office@childdiscoverycenter.org
- Call the main office, 616-459-0330
- Send a ParentSquare message
- If you contact a teacher only regarding attendance, please know that they do not always have time to inform the office about your child's attendance. Your first contact should always be the school office. If you want to include the teacher and inform them as well, go for it!
If we do not hear from you, ParentSquare will send an automated message around 8:50 AM that you may also reply to. If you do not contact the office to excuse the absence, it will be marked unexcused.
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