10/31/25-Early Release Day Reminder

This is a reminder that Friday, 10/31/25 is an early release day. Please make sure to communicate to your child's teacher if there is a change in their afternoon dismissal.

For the month of October to celebrate positive behaviors classes met up with their PBIS Pals for a Glow Dance Party! Students were provided glow in the dark glasses and glow sticks. 

It was a GLOW-tastic time!

Classrooms are now in the groove with their SEL time within their weekly schedule. Biweekly, Second Step lessons are delivered by Clear Lake Family School Liaison (FSL), Mrs. Pizzo.

The Second Step program teaches skills in the following four areas:
1. Skills for Learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how to focus their attention, listen carefully, use self-talk to stay on task, and be assertive when asking for help with schoolwork.
2. Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and others’ feelings. Students also learn how to take another’s perspective and how to show compassion.
3. Emotion Management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.
4. Problem Solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way

This month, students also reviewed our anti-bully lessons. Students learn that bullying is defined by aggressive and unwanted negative behavior or actions towards someone, a pattern of behavior that is repeated over time, and includes an imbalance of power. Not all negative behaviors are bullying, but hurtful and unkind behavior are also not acceptable. Students are encouraged to demonstrate being caring, thinkers, and principled in all aspects of the learning environment.

Classrooms started in October meeting with their PBIS Pals class on the opposite week of Second Step. Within this paring, one class is the "mentor" class (3rd, 4th, 5th grade) and one class is the "buddy" class (DK, K, 1st, and 2nd grade). Each month we will be sharing the traits reviewed as well as questions you can use at home to engage with your child. 42 Strong has also provided a QR code to gather feedback so that we can collaborate and reflect on how the program is going. We thank you in advance for taking the time to fill out the monthly survey.

Oxford/Orion FISH Food drive: We are participating in our annual local food drive that supports the Oxford/Orion FISH Food Pantry. Items can be sent in anytime starting today through November 20th. Please NO glass items.

Cold Weather Clothing Reminder: It is that time of year where students could experience winter like temps in the morning during arrival and fall/spring weather for lunch recess! With this change in temperature throughout the day students might start out with a hat and gloves but then remove later when it warms up. Please make sure that items such as hats and gloves are labeled with your child's name. 

Lost and Found: Our lost and found is overflowing! Please make sure to stop in and take a look or check out the PTO Facebook page where Mrs. Kirk updates with items found. A great time to check is during Parent-Teacher Conferences when you are at the school. Items left at the end of the trimester will be donated.

Clear Lake Sign: We are looking for a volunteer(s) who would like to start learning how to update the sign out front of the building that shows dates for different events. Our sign volunteer, Mrs. Squires, will help train and support the volunteer to get them ready to take over the role after this school year. If you are interested please email Mrs. Niemi at stephanie.niemi@oxfordschools.org.

FUNd Run Winners Ride to School Days: Please be advised that on 10/28/25, 10/29/25, and 10/30/25 vehicles from Oxford Village Police, Oxford Fire Department, and Oakland County Sheriff will be in the parking lot during arrival. These departments have all generously donated their time to celebrate our top FUNd Run winners by giving them a ride to school.

Halloween Volunteers: All Halloween party volunteers must have an ICHAT form processed and on file by 10/27/25. This is to ensure there is time to process any new ICHAT forms prior to the event.

If you have not yet had your driver's license scanned into our visitor management system, you will also need to stop in the main office to do so by 10/29/25. If you had your driver’s license scanned last school year and it is a Real ID, it will need to be rescanned. This is due to a software update that will now ensure that Real ID driver’s license pictures print on the visitor badge.

The office will be preprinting visitor badges for volunteers that have both the processed ICHAT and a driver’s license in the visitor management system to help make checking in faster. Volunteers that wait until the day of the party to have their driver’s license scanned may have to wait in line. Guests may always come in during the following school hours 9:00-3:30pm to have their driver’s license scanned.

ICHAT FORM

The fall Scholastic Book Fair will be the week of November 10th during your child's library time. We are looking for some volunteers to at the book fair. 

Click the link to set up an Ewallet for your child to shop and to preview the book fair books: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/clearlakeelementaryschool4

If you are able to volunteer to help at the book fair please click the link to sign up. Volunteers must have an ICHAT processed and on file at least 48 hours prior to the day they are signed up. 

Volunteer sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090845A9AE2AA2F94-58791076-copy

Clear Lake Specials will be sharing highlights and information in our new Spotlight on Specials Classes section.

To learn more about what our Clear Lake artists, fitness fans, musicians, and language learners have been learning either scan the QR code, click the link below the graphic, or see the overall theme/concept for the class.

Reminder: Please send students with socks and gym shoes (no Crocs, boots, sandals, slides, or dress shoes) on the day they have PE. Students will need gym shoes for the warm-up/fitness part at the beginning of class and then will be removing shoes to do gymnastics on the mats and other equipment.

Students have just stared gymnastics and learning different ways they can move their body. This unit is all about exploring and using balance on the floor and equipment.

2025-2026 School Year

Dear Parents, Guardians, and/or Students,

Clear Lake Elementary is pleased to inform you that we have joined a nationwide 
community effort to make our school Heart Safe with Project ADAM. This decision is the result of our wish 
to ensure that our campus is prepared to provide an immediate response to someone suffering a cardiac emergency.

In the United States, it is estimated that annually 356,000 adults experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest as well as 23,000 pediatric cardiac arrests (Mozaffarian, D, 2015; Okubo, M et al, 2020). Although approximately 90% of those people will not survive the event, the likelihood of survival increases with prompt intervention. Early intervention that includes CPR and restoration of normal heart rhythm with the use of an AED increases the chance of survival.

Through our cooperative efforts with Project ADAM led by we have joined hundreds of schools throughout the nation in preparing our school for a life-threatening emergency. This program enables us to offer any person who may experience a sudden cardiac arrest the best chance for survival. 

One aspect of being a Heart Safe School is to practice a drill with our staff to rehearse our plan and practice our skills and staff have been trained to assist with an emergency during regular school hours.

After school hours, this is a Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program. If you suspect someone is experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest, please use the equipment at our school to save their life. Good Samaritan laws protect the layperson in a life-saving attempt who is acting in good faith. We recommend becoming trained in CPR and AED use as an investment in your health and the health of others. You can learn how to recognize a sudden cardiac arrest and hands-only CPR and AED skills by watching this brief Project ADAM video.
FOR YOUR AWARENESS, WE HAVE AEDS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS AT CLEAR LAKE ELEMENTARY
› Outside main office in box labeled AED

AEDs are a life-saving device, and anyone can use an AED, even if you are not specifically trained. In the case of a cardiac arrest, call 911, start CPR and retrieve an AED. To use the AED, first press the power button to turn the device on. The device will then verbally walk you through the steps to use and save a life. Please note, the AED will not shock a person unless it detects a shockable rhythm. 

Many thanks for your participation in this important Heart Safe initiative in our school! If you have any questions, please reach out to me.

Stephanie Niemi-Principal, Project ADAM Site Champion

stephanie.niemi@oxfordschools.org

Stephanie Niemi

Principal, Clear Lake Elementary School

Email: stephanie.niemi@oxfordschools.org
Website: https://clearlake.oxfordschools.org/o/cls
Location: 2085 West Drahner Road, Oxford, MI, USA
Phone: 248-969-5206
Twitter: @sniemi01

Non-Discrimination Clause: The District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, height, weight, familial status, marital status, military service, veteran status, genetic information, disability, or any other legally protected basis, and prohibits unlawful discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admission and employment. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:  Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, 775 W. Drahner Rd., Oxford, MI 48371, (248) 969-5004.