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The Link Letter 8.21.2026

Posted Date: 08/21/26 (04:49 PM)
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A whimsical illustration of a narwhal with colorful details, the logo for Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center.

The Link Letter

8.21.2026

Upcoming Events

This Weekend!: Complete Online Registration if you have not already, see details below
8/24: First Day of School!
8/25: Early Release Day, 2:30 Dismissal
  • 2:30 - 2:45 for last names A - I
  • 2:45 - 3:00 for last names J - Z
8/28: Half Day of School, 11:30 Dismissal
  • 11:30 - 11:45 for last names A - I
  • 11:45 - 12:00 for last names J - Z
9/4 & 9/7: No School, Labor Day Break
9/9 and 9/10: Kick off Community Meetings for 26-27! W- 3-5th and TH- K-2 at drop off time

What are the school hours? Click Here

What's for Breakfast and Lunch? Click Here, then click on Grand Rapids Child Discovery. We are working with the food vendor to update the menu, there will be changes to this menu thoroughout the week

2026-2027 School Calendar: You may find the PDF of the calendar here, click here to subscribe to the Google calendar, or view it on our website.

See You Monday!

Let's kick off the new year in our Narwhal Gear!
Poster announcing "Narwhal Spirit Day!" with text explaining why narwhals are the school mascot.
 

Central Office Updates

Arrival and Dismissal Full Details: New families, please review this document before the first day of school to familiarize yourself with the procedure.
  • RETURNING FAMILIES: Please note that students will only be using the Orange Door for arrival. This will be an adjustment for some! We will have staff present to help guide students to the correct door.
Online Registration via Skyward Family Access DUE NOW: There are still 86 students that need to have the Online Registration completed. Please complete this weekend.
Instructions for completing Skyward online registration, including account setup and login steps.
If you are having any access issue, please message Rachel Harth for follow up.
Construction Heads Up now through 8/28: A section of the Lafayette and Wealthy roundabout is closed now and is scheduled to be closed through the first week of school.
  • Traveling to the school on Wealthy from 131 going east is open to Lafayette.
  • Traveling to the school on Wealthy from Madison going west, the roundabout is closed.
  • Exiting the car line at dismissal, you will only be able to turn right and then continue down Wealthy heading towards Madison.
Arrival Note: School instruction begins at 8:20 AM. Please make every effort to arrive on time for instruction daily. If arriving after 8:20, you will not be able to drop your child off at the car line. Please come to the front of the school to check in at the office.

Dismissal Times: Dismissal operates on a staggered schedule based on your child's last name. For new families, we will have a session at Back to School Night to introduce this process! For reference, here are the staggered dismissal times:

Regular School Days M, W, Th, F:
  • 3:45 - 4:00 is for students with the last name A - I
  • 4:00 - 4:15 is for students with the last name J - Z
Tuesday Early Release:
  • 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
Half Days:
  • 11:30 - 11:45 is for students with the last name A - I
  • 11:45 - 12:00 is for students with the last name J - Z
School Meals: Breakfast and lunch are free for all GRCDC students. Each classroom will have a daily morning process for students to let the teacher know if they need a school lunch or have brought a lunch from home. Please note: Milk is included in the school lunches, however, milk will not be available to purchase for students who bring a lunch from home. Breakfast is served before instruction begins. Please aim to have your child arrive between 8:00 - 8:15 AM for breakfast.
 

Volunteer Opportunities

  • Donation: The office would like to have on hand gently used leggings, sweats, and boys' gym shorts. You may bring any donations to the front door or send them with your student. We do not need hoodies or shirts at this time.
  • Project: The new railing in the greenspace needs to be stained to protect it from the weather. If you have skills/expertise in this type of work and are willing, please contact Mrs. Rachel.

Mary Free Bed Construction Updates

No updates at the time.
 

Community Resources

  • 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.




  • 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.


  • 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.  


  • 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:  
  1. Call: 8-555-OK2SAY, (855-565-2729 )  
  2. Text: 652729 (OK2SAY)   
  3. Email: OK2SAY   
  4. Visit: OK2SAY website   
  5. OK2SAY Mobile App: Available for download for Apple, Google and Android mobile devices. 
 
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.