The Times Family Newsletter

Thirty-four students from Heartwood School will be participating in the Special Olympics Track and Field events at Michigan State University on Friday, May 10, beginning at 9:30am. Students will be participating in events such as the softball throw, 50-meter and 100-meter running events.  

For our younger athletes, there is a 25-meter dash, ball throw, frisbee toss and bean bag toss. In addition, the students with severe multiple impairments will participate in modified track, doing running events in their PACERS, wheelchair races and a ball toss. 

We wish all of these student athletes the best of luck tomorrow! 

Ingham Preschool Openings

While the year is in full swing, there are still available spots in preschool classrooms across the region for the current school year. There's no beginning or end to learning, so there's no right or wrong time to enroll. Communities like Dansville, Holt, Lansing, Leslie, Haslett, Stockbridge and Webberville have openings available. Families shouldn't wait to enroll as spots fill up quickly. See the current openings and contact information here.

Spartan Project SEARCH Update

Students in the Spartan Project SEARCH program have recently started their second rotation jobs. Students have been working at Sparty's Café, Case Dining Hall, MSU Linen Services and 1855 Place just to name a few. They have been navigating getting to their new assignments and learning new skills.

Spartan Project SEARCH combines classroom instruction with a year-long unpaid internship at Michigan State University. The application for the 2024-25 school year is now available. Applications are due no later than February 16, 2024. 

North Star School Honors Veterans

Karen Keel and her students at North Star School honored veterans with  a flag display in the drive of the Wilson Talent Center/North Star Schools in November. There were large flags representing each branch of the military, and families of staff and students had the opportunity to pay tribute to a veteran by displaying a smaller flag featuring their name and years of service beneath the larger branch flags. 

It was quite a display! Thank you Karen and students for remembering those who allow us to enjoy the freedoms we have today.  

District's Safety Webpage

Student and staff safety are a top priority at Ingham ISD. As part of our continued efforts in the area of school safety, we have launched a school safety webpage to keep families up to date on our safety efforts. This page includes school safety terms, updates and announcements as well as information on our relations with local law enforcement. In addition, most Ingham ISD staff have recently attended a full ALICE training for active violent incidents. It takes the effort of all of us to provide a safe learning environment for our students and staff. 

Wilson Talent Center Open House a Success

Yesterday, the Wilson Talent Center held its annual Open House. Thank you to the prospective students and parents who attended to learn more about our program offerings. As a reminder, students interested in attending the WTC next fall need to complete their online application as soon as possible. Current WTC students who are interested in returning next year do not need to complete another application. If you have questions about enrollment, please email WTC Student Outreach. 

Heartwood School Hosts Holiday Idol

Heartwood School held their annual Holiday Idol show yesterday, and it was a great success. The students have been preparing their holiday medleys for quite some time and were very excited to perform. Thank you to those who were able to attend. We hope you enjoyed the show, and it gave you some holiday spirit! Kudos to the Heartwood staff who helped prepare the students for the show. 

From all of us at Ingham ISD, Happy Holidays! 

Upcoming Dates and Events
 

• December 19, 2023, Regular Board Meeting
• December 25, 2023-January 5, 2024, Winter/Holiday Break
• January 8, 2024, School Resumes
• January 15, 2024, No School, MLK Day
• January 16, 2024, Regular Board Meeting
• February 19, 2024, No School, President's Day
• February 20, 2024, Regular Board Meeting
• March 13, 2024, Spartan Project SEARCH Transitio Expo
• March 19, 2024, Regular Board Meeting
• March 25-March 29, 2024, Spring Break 

September is Suicide Prevention Month

With September bringing awareness to suicide prevention, understanding the issues concerning suicide and mental health is an important way we can all take part in suicide prevention, help others in crisis and change the conversation about suicide. If you are thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one or would like emotional support, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week across the United States. The Lifeline network provides a variety of resources on how we can all help prevent suicide and partners with over 200 local crisis centers to provide local resources.

OK2SAY

OK2SAY is the student safety program that allows students to confidentially report tips on potential harm or criminal activities directed at students, school employees and schools. It uses a comprehensive communication system to facilitate tip sharing among students, parents, school personnel, community mental health service programs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and law enforcement officials about harmful behaviors that threaten to disrupt the learning environment. Tips can be submitted 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 8.555.OK2SAY, texting 652729 (OK2SAY) or by email to OK2SAY@mi.gov.

Secure Gun Storage Saves Lives

With firearms now being the leading cause of death among children in the United States, the Be SMART campaign was launched in 2015 by the Be Smart for Kids organization to promote responsible gun ownership to reduce the deaths, injuries and trauma that can result when a child or teen is able to access a gun. What does it mean to Be SMART? It means:

Secure (all guns and firearms in your home and vehicle),

Model (responsible behavior with firearms),

Ask (about the presence of unsecured firearms in others homes),

Recognize (the role of firearms in suicide), and

Tell (your peers to be smart about firearms).

The Be SMART campaign also offers some additional best practices adults can do to help keep kids safe and tips on talking to your children about guns.

Michigan 2-1-1 Help Available

Michigan 2-1-1 is a free service that connects Michigan residents with help and answers from thousands of health and human services agencies right in their communities – quickly, easily and confidentially. Whether you need assistance with food, housing, paying bills or support in a family crisis, they are here to help. Michigan 2-1-1 can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year simply by dialing 2-1-1, texting your zip code to 898211 or via their website. With seven regional contact centers across the state, they believe access to information and social services are the cornerstone to thriving communities.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

Since 2006, October has been a time to acknowledge that bullying can have devastating effects on children and families. Bullying happens in many ways, whether verbal, social, physical or through the use of technology. Over 8.2 million students face bullying each year. When students are bullied, they tend to want to avoid school, lose self-esteem, have increased anxiety and often experience depression. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers a variety of resources to raise public awareness and help families navigate the impact bullying can have on a child. 

Fall Fun Fest 

The Ingham ISD Special Education Parent Advisory Committee will host the Fall Fun Fest on Saturday, September 16, from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Hawk Island Park, Red Tail Shelter. The 8th annual event for families in the Ingham ISD service area will have community partners providing resources to families who have a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Students will have an opportunity to participate in several interactive activities.