Report Cards

Report cards will be coming home with your students on December 12. Some students will come home with the kind of report cards you would like to put on the front door. But , some children are like the tiger in the lovely children’s book, Leo the Late Bloomer. They need just a little more time and a lot of effort on everyone’s part to get in sync.
One of the true pleasures of having been the principal at Maire for going on nine years is hearing about the activities of former students who are now in college or high school. Some of them struggled in elementary school despite everyone’s concerted efforts. Many of them are like Leo and have truly bloomed as they have matured and developed their strengths and interests.
So, when your child’s report card comes home, focus on the positive first. Celebrate the big and little victories. Learning is a process and a complicated one. It takes time.
Think about strategies to help your student succeed. Look at the “Attitudes & Behaviors” section first on the K-3 report card and at the “Citizenship and Work Habits” section on the 4-5 report card. These are key to doing well in school and take time and everyone’s effort to develop. If all is fine, consider yourself blessed. If not, let’s work together to help your little Leo learn the skills to do well in school.
If you would like more information about thinking about how to think and act upon report cards, the following website from the American School Counselor Association is excellent: http://school.familyeducation.com/report-cards/parents-and-school/38696.html

Safe Routes to School

Maire is located in a busy area next to an increasingly vibrant business district. Our school is the keystone of the neighborhood. Many times real estate ads feature "walk to Maire School" as part of a home's appeal to potential buyers. Walking or biking to school is something we encourage for all of our families to promote physical fitness, independence for our children, and to ease traffic congestion around the school.

The Maire community is involved in several efforts to encourage walking or biking to school. One is our annual "Walk to School Day" which is scheduled for Friday, October 3rd. Members of the City of Grosse Pointe Public Safety Department and other dignitaries will be on hand to meet our walkers. Safety Patrol members will be sworn in and receive their badges at an assembly. Public Safety representatives will discuss personal safety measures with the students.


Our newest project to improve safety around the school is through our participation in the state's Safe Routes to School program. A committee consisting of parents, school staff and representatives of the City of Grosse Pointe are collaborating to improve pedestrian and vehicular traffic around Maire. Our goal is to to receive a state grant to support this effort. As part of that process, we need your help. Please participate in the survey posted on Maire's home page so we can get a better sense of what you see as important. Survey results will also be used in planning for a project to improve the playground with funds raised from the 2009 Maire Fair.


Thanks for your help!

August is a busy month at school. The custodial staff is cleaning, painting, and repairing just about every surface and moving part in the building. The phones are ringing as new and returning families start to call with questions about the start of school. Teachers are already setting up their classrooms.

Our biggest changes this year will be in curriculum and instructional materials. Our district has adopted new math series and new social studies series. Teachers and administrators have been participating in staff development activities all summer to prepare for this important change.

The big question at this time of year from every child and parent I see is, "When will I find out who my teacher is?" Letters will be mailed with class assignments on August 26th.

Other frequently asked questions are about

• Supply Lists
• School Calendar
• Drop off pick up procedures
• School hours

Please visit our home website (www.gpschools.org/maire) to get information about all of these.

Enjoy these last beautiful days of summer with your children! I'm looking forward to see how much they have all grown!

“I'd like to call back summertime and have her stay for just another month or soBut she's got the urge for going and I guess she'll have to go.”
-Joni Mitchell