Final Harvest Happening of the 23-24 School Year!

Emily Sickler

Happy Pride Month! We’re dedicated to creating safe and welcoming environments where every student, staff member, and family feels respected and valued.

Finally, please keep looking for library books!

Emily

  • THIS WEDNESDAY– 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • THIS THURSDAY – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

We are looking for some board positions for the 2024-2025 school year!

Board Positions that Will Be Available for 2024-2025 School Year

  • Treasurer
  • Book Fair Chair (only attend around Book Fair Sept/Oct)
  • Field Day Chair (only attend around Field Day Apr/May)

Meetings are once a month for 2 hours – if you are interested, it does not take a lot of your time! It’s also a great way to meet more parents/staff and help create a great school year for your child(ren). Reach out to any Board Member for details (linked HERE)

The Saline Area Schools Board of Education’s Sex Education Advisory Board will host two public hearings to present their recommendation for updated adolescent health curriculum for students in grades 4-8. These updates will provide students with high-quality, evidence-based curriculum that addresses the needs of students to make informed decisions about their health and interact appropriately with peers. The selected curriculum will also align our adolescent health program with state and national education standards. The selected curriculum will be presented at the first public hearing, scheduled for June 10 at 6 p.m. at the Liberty Board Room. A second public hearing will be held before the curriculum is recommended to the SAS Board of Education for adoption this fall in order to be delivered in classrooms during the 2024-25 school year. Families interested in a more thorough review of the proposed curriculum may access it at The Saline Area Schools District Office at Liberty School starting on June 11 within normal business hours. Appointments to review the curriculum are recommended by calling the District Office at 734-401-4000. Families unable to review the curriculum during scheduled business hours that would like to request a special accommodation may contact the District Office.

Did you know we are not allowed to store student medication in the office in the summer months?  Learn more HERE.

Week of May 27th – May 31st

Emily Sickler

At Harvest, we are committed to teaching our students about the value of gratitude. As we enjoy time with family this Memorial Day, let us also take the opportunity to remember and express our gratitude to all who have served and sacrificed for our country.

One of our favorite Harvest traditions is to “clap out” our third graders on the last day of school.  Our students and staff line the halls to allow our third graders a final chance to walk the halls and wave goodbye to their teachers from previous years.

 

Emily

  • THIS MONDAY – No School; Memorial Day
  • June 5th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • June 6th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

THANK YOU so much for all the Harvest family members who helped make our 2024 field day a great success, we could not have done it without you!

  • Sign up to help in lunch in May HERE.

Saline Summer Boosters is Still Accepting Registrations!
SAS and Saline Community Education are excited to offer the new Summer Boosters series for students who could benefit from a review of key academic content from the previous year(s). These classes cover a range of academic subjects and grades, are taught by SAS teachers, and are meant to:

  • Address unfinished learning.

  • Help to meet grade-level academic standards.

  • Provide additional academic assistance to students at risk of falling behind their peers.

They ARE NOT meant to:

  • Accelerate learning beyond grade/course level (in other words, they are not for students who are already meeting standards/expectations).

  • Earn credits.

Registration is on this Eleyo page and there are still spaces available in most classes! We are able to offer a limited number of scholarships through the 23g State MiKids Back onTrack grant, so if you are interested but financial constraints make it difficult for you to sign up, please email Caroline Stout for K-5th grade (stoutc@salineschools.org) or Beth Russow (russowb@salineschools.org) for 6th-11th grade to find out if your child might be eligible.

For further information on Boosters classes, please see FAQs here.

Did you know that Acadience data will be shared with families this week?  You can find a full description of all assessments here.

District

Harvest

Week of May 20th – May 24th

Emily Sickler

This Friday is our Harvest Field Day! *Today* the weather report is just perfect to make this a wonderful day for our Harvest Hornets!

 

Harvest Field Day Sign Up

 

Emily

  • THIS THURSDAY – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)
  • THIS FRIDAY – Harvest Field Day
  • May 27th – No School; Memorial Day
  • June 5th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • June 6th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

  • We are still looking for a few parent volunteers to help us THIS WEDNESDAY.   We will have volunteer opportunities inside classrooms and at a few stations throughout the building.  You may be asked to hand out swag, answer questions from a parent perspective, etc.  We would love to have you help us share some Harvest Pride with new families.  Feel free to bring your own student(s) with you to help.  Please wear Hornet/Harvest gear if you have it!  If you have any questions or would like more information, please email registration@salineschools.org or call 734-401-4072!

Walk Through Sign Up Link

  • Sign up to help in lunch in May HERE.

Did you know that this Wednesday is our Harvest building walk-through?  Share with neighbors and friends that they are invited to meet the principal, teachers, and learn about school and community extra-curricular activities accessible to their new Young5 or Kindergarten student. While geared for new Young 5 and Kindergarten students, these walk-throughs are open to all new families with students in Young 5 – 3rd Grade. Open houses will be held in August for all families.

District

Harvest

Week of May 13th – May May 17th

Emily Sickler

 

Wishing all our mothers and mother-figures a wonderful and happy Mother’s Day today! We thank you for the unending support, kindness, and generosity you give to our Harvest Hornets each and every day. Both the seen and unseen contribute to the wonderful students you send to Harvest, and for that, we are truly grateful!

 

  • Harvest Field Day is Friday, May 24th and we need your help to make this a huge success for our students. The day is broken into 3 parts:
    • Bounce houses, zip line plus more on the baseball field
    • Lunch in the middle of the day
    • Field activities on the playground

Harvest Field Day Sign Up

 

Emily

  • THIS SATURDAY – PTA Parents Night Out at Mothfire Brewery (starting at 6pm)
  • May 24th – Harvest Field Day
  • May 23rd – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)
  • May 27th – No School; Memorial Day
  • June 5th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • June 6th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

  • We are looking for a few parent volunteers to help us at the May 22nd Y5/Kindergarten building walkthrough (6-7pm).   We will have volunteer opportunities inside classrooms and at a few stations throughout the building.  You may be asked to hand out swag, answer questions from a parent perspective, etc.  We would love to have you help us share some Harvest Pride with new families.  Feel free to bring your own student(s) with you to help.  Please wear Hornet/Harvest gear if you have it!  If you have any questions or would like more information, please email registration@salineschools.org or call 734-401-4072!

Walk Through Sign Up Link

 

  • Sign up to help in lunch in May HERE.

2024-2025 registration for new students within the Saline Area Schools boundary is now open.  

2024-2025 registration for new students within the Saline Area Schools boundary is now open.  Please click here to access the registration portal.  If you have any issues, please call the Registration Department at 734-401-4000.

 

Did you know that May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as well as Jewish American Heritage Month? By clicking on the links, you can enjoy some fun and uplifting stories you and your family can visit over and over again — even when it’s not May.

Ms. Sickler shares Big Dreams Small Fish

District

Harvest

Week of May 6th – May 10th

Emily Sickler

 

 

 

 

  • Field Day 2024 is almost here and we need your help to make this a huge success for our students. The day is broken into 3 parts:
    • Bounce houses, zip line plus more on the baseball field
    • Lunch in the middle of the day
    • Field activities on the playground
      • And we need family support for all three areas! We ask that if you wish to participate that you please volunteer at one or more of the events/times during the day. If you are signing up multiple people at once, please be sure all the names are listed.  We are excited to make this a really special day for all our Harvest Hornets and can only make that happen with volunteer support!

Harvest Field Day Sign Up

Emily

  • THIS TUESDAY – 3rd Grade MStep (Math); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • THIS FRIDAY – SEAC Family Playdate (Pleasant Ridge playground; 5:30-7:30pm)
  • THIS FRIDAY-SUNDAY – Spring Arts Festival @ SHS
  • May 18th – PTA Parents Night Out at Mothfire Brewery (starting at 6pm)
  • May 24th – Harvest Field Day
  • May 23rd – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)
  • May 27th – No School; Memorial Day
  • June 5th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • June 6th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

  • We are looking for a few parent volunteers to help us at the May 22nd Y5/Kindergarten building walkthrough, sign up HERE.  We will have volunteer opportunities inside classrooms and at a few stations throughout the building.  You may be asked to hand out swag, answer questions from a parent perspective, etc.  We would love to have you help us share some Harvest Pride with new families.  Feel free to bring your own student(s) with you to help.  Please wear Hornet/Harvest gear if you have it!  If you have any questions or would like more information, please email registration@salineschools.org or call 734-401-4072!

 

  • Sign up to help in lunch in May HERE.

Saline Area Schools has partnered with Care Solace to help families ease the burden of identifying mental health and substance abuse services. Care Solace is a confidential care hub with a network of over 425,000 providers and services, available to families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential service provided to Saline Area Schools students, staff, and their families. Care Solace can help families navigate providers, insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale payment options for those without insurance.

Families can access Care Solace in three ways:

  • Call 888-515-0595 anytime. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365. A dedicated care companion will help you research options, secure appointments, and follow-up to make sure the provider is a good fit.
  • Search anonymously to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at www.caresolace.com/salineschools.
  • Contact your school social worker, and they will submit a referral on your behalf.

Information on individual treatment providers is gathered by Care Solace based on criteria such as geographic proximity, whether the provider accepts the authorized user’s insurance, and whether the provider is accepting new patients. The school district does not recommend, endorse, promote, or refer to any of the individual treatment providers.

Families or students experiencing a life-threatening emergency or mental health crisis, please call 911 or The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider.

Did you know that we celebrate our third graders with a “clap out” on the last day of school?

District

Harvest

Week of April 29th – May 3rd

Emily Sickler

  • Please send all your positive thoughts to our third graders as they take the English Language Arts M-Step (M-STEP is an acronym that stands for Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress) on Tuesday.  Our third graders have been working so hard to prepare.  Families of third graders, please read THIS LETTER with some good reminders for creating a positive test taking experience for your child.

 

  • Remember, Field Day T-shirt order postcards were sent home with students. We chose to keep a similar design on purpose across the elementary schools to help families reuse and share. The order deadline is THIS WEDNESDAY.  Order HERE.

 

  • Save the date for our district’s Spring Art Show next weekend!

Emily

  • THIS TUESDAY – 3rd Grade MStep (ELA); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • THIS TUESDAY – School and Family Partnership Series: Ready, Set, Summer Success; 6-7pm
  • THIS WEDNESDAY – Last day to order field day T-Shirts
  • May 7th – 3rd Grade MStep (Math); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • May 10th-12th – Spring Arts Festival @ SHS
  • May 10th – SEAC Family Playdate (Pleasant Ridge playground; 5:30-7:30pm)
  • May 18th – PTA Parents Night Out at Mothfire Brewery (starting at 6pm)
  • May 24th – Harvest Field Day
  • May 23rd – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)
  • May 27th – No School; Memorial Day
  • June 5th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • June 6th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

  • Monday  – Tom’s Travelin’ Coffee Truck
  • Tuesday – Hot breakfast catered by City Limits Diner
  • Wednesday – “You are our favorite thing” gifts
  • Thursday – Lunch catered by Mi Zarape
  • Friday – Special Gift

 

  • Sign up to help in lunch in April & May HERE.

This Tuesday! RSVP HERE.

             

Did you know that next Friday the Saline Special Education Advisory Committee is hosting a Family Playdate at Pleasant Ridge playground?

District

Harvest

Week of April 22nd – April 26th

Emily Sickler

  • On Wednesday, join us as we celebrate Autism Acceptance Month throughout the district by wearing your favorite color.

  • Field Day T-shirt order postcards were sent home with students last week. We chose to keep a similar design on purpose across the elementary schools to help families reuse and share. The order deadline is May 1st.  Order HERE.

  • Order your 2023-2024 yearbook HERE.  The last day to order is THIS FRIDAY!

Happy Passover to all who celebrate.
Emily

  • THIS FRIDAY – last day to order Harvest yearbooks
  • April 30th – 3rd Grade MStep (ELA); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • April 30th – School and Family Partnership Series: Ready, Set, Summer Success; 6-7pm
  • May 1st – Last day to order field day T-Shirts
  • May 7th – 3rd Grade MStep (Math); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • May 10th-12th – Spring Arts Festival @ SHS
  • May 18th – PTA Parents Night Out at Mothfire Brewery (starting at 6pm)
  • May 24th – Harvest Field Day
  • May 23rd – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)
  • May 27th – No School; Memorial Day
  • June 5th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • June 6th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

Dear Harvest Elementary Families,
During the week of May 6th we will be celebrating the wonderful staff we have at Harvest Elementary.  The PTA has been working to plan something special for each day of the week.  While the PTA provides most of the goods for the week there are a few donations that we are asking for.  Below is a schedule for the week.  You’ll find links on Tuesday and Wednesday for donations needed.  Thank you for helping spoil our teachers and staff – they are very deserving!
  • Monday  – Tom’s Travelin’ Coffee Truck will be out front from 9-11 am.
  • Tuesday – Hot breakfast catered by City Limits Diner to be served at 7:45
  • Thursday – Lunch catered by Mi Zarape – Taco Bar
  • Friday – Special Gift

 

  • Sign up to help in lunch in April HERE.

Saline Area Schools has partnered with Care Solace to help families ease the burden of identifying mental health and substance abuse services. Care Solace is a confidential care hub with a network of over 425,000 providers and services, available to families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential service provided to Saline Area Schools students, staff, and their families. Care Solace can help families navigate providers, insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale payment options for those without insurance.

Families can access Care Solace in three ways:

  • Call 888-515-0595 anytime. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365. A dedicated care companion will help you research options, secure appointments, and follow-up to make sure the provider is a good fit.
  • Search anonymously to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at www.caresolace.com/salineschools.
  • Contact your school social worker (Harvest Social Worker – Terri Pickett, pickettt@salineschools.org/734.401.4509), and she will submit a referral on your behalf.

Information on individual treatment providers is gathered by Care Solace based on criteria such as geographic proximity, whether the provider accepts the authorized user’s insurance, and whether the provider is accepting new patients. The school district does not recommend, endorse, promote, or refer to any of the individual treatment providers.

Families or students experiencing a life-threatening emergency or mental health crisis, please call 911 or The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider.

Did you know Saline Community Education summer catalogue offer “Summer Booster Sessions”?   Saline Area Schools is partnering with Saline Community Education to provide additional academic support for select Saline students through Boosters classes this summer. Booster classes will be provided through Saline’s Community Education platform and are intended to provide summer support to set students up for success in the coming school year. These programs are not for credit, and are intended as refresher/review programs covering the previous year’s material.   Online Registration Begins April 15.  See if any sessions work with your family HERE.

 

District

Harvest

Week of April 15th – April 19th

Emily Sickler

 

  • Order your 2023-2024 yearbook HERE.  The last day to order is April 26th.

Eid Mubarak to all our Hornets who celebrated last week!

Emily

  • April 18th – 1st Grade Music Concert (7pm)
  • April 26th – last day to order Harvest yearbooks
  • April 30th – 3rd Grade MStep (ELA); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • April 30th – School and Family Partnership Series: Ready, Set, Summer Success; 6-7pm
  • May 7th – 3rd Grade MStep (Math); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • May 18th – PTA Parents Night Out at Mothfire Brewery (starting at 6pm)
  • May 24th – Harvest Field Day
  • May 23rd – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)
  • May 27th – No School; Memorial Day
  • June 5th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal
  • June 6th – 1/2 Day; 12:10pm Dismissal; Last Day

Dear Harvest Elementary Families,
During the week of May 6th we will be celebrating the wonderful staff we have at Harvest Elementary.  The PTA has been working to plan something special for each day of the week.  While the PTA provides most of the goods for the week there are a few donations that we are asking for.  Below is a schedule for the week.  You’ll find links on Tuesday and Wednesday for donations needed.  Thank you for helping spoil our teachers and staff – they are very deserving!
  • Monday  – Tom’s Travelin’ Coffee Truck will be out front from 9-11 am.
  • Tuesday – Hot breakfast catered by City Limits Diner to be served at 7:45
    • Baked goods provided by Harvest families will also be available – donations needed by May 6th; sign up for donations HERE
  • Wednesday – “You are our favorite thing” gifts
    • Donations needed by April 29th; sign up for donations HERE
  • Thursday – Lunch catered by Mi Zarape – Taco Bar
  • Friday – Special Gift

 

  • Sign up to help in lunch in April HERE.

Dear Families:

I am writing to inform you of a change that requires action on your part in order to receive timely updates about your child’s bus route status. On May 1, the Ride 360 app that Saline Area Schools uses to provide our families with student transportation and bus route information will be retired, and an updated app will be available to all users. This new app, My Ride K-12, can be downloaded now in the Apple and Android app stores, or by accessing this customized link for Saline Area Schools families. Usernames and passwords from Ride 360 will carry over into My Ride K-12. Additionally, you can use your existing log-in information to access a web version of My Ride K-12 at myridek12.tylerapp.com. New users will need their student’s 6-digit ID number in order to register and establish their account.

To learn more about My Ride K-12 or to access user guides, please visit the Saline Area Schools Transportation Department website.

Families with questions or experiencing difficulty accessing the app can contact the Transportation Department at (734) 401-4479, or transportation@salineschools.org.

Sincerely,

Tracey Mulcare
Saline Area Schools Transportation Manager

Did you know the summer 2024 Community Education program guide is now available?  Check it out HERE.  Classes include Broadway Boot Camp, Summer Boosters, The Science of Slime, Chess Club (before school), and more!

District

Harvest

Week of April 8th – April 12th

Emily Sickler

  • Join us in honoring the culture and contributions of Arab Americans. Let’s embrace diversity, foster understanding, and build a more inclusive community together!

 

  • Tomorrow many parts of the United States will observe a total solar eclipse.  Teachers have been providing instruction about the eclipse and eclipse viewing safety and the District has provided solar eclipse glasses to all students and staff to safely view the eclipse. If weather conditions and classroom lessons permit, teachers may take students outside to view the eclipse using these glasses. If you prefer your student(s) not participate in this type of experience, please contact your student’s teacher(s) directly.  Saline Area Schools does not plan to alter the dismissal time for the day, but asks that families have conversations about how to exercise caution during the eclipse, reminding students it is never safe to look directly at the sun. Sunglasses do not provide adequate protection for viewing an eclipse, and phones and cameras must be equipped with special filters for viewing through their lenses. We will not be holding recess between the times of 1:30 pm and the end of the school day.

  • Yearbooks are now on sale!  Click HERE to order.

 

 

  • Now that the weather has changed, and our playground can be muddy in the spring season, please remember to send in an extra pair of clothes for your student’s lockers.  Additionally, if families have any gently used girls size 8-14 sweatpants and leggings and boys size 6-14 sweatpants, we would take those donations for our office clothing closet.  Thank you!
Emily

  • THIS TUESDAY – Harvest Science Fair
  • April 30th – 3rd Grade MStep (ELA); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • May 7th – 3rd Grade MStep (Math); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • May 23rd – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)

 

 

Sign up to help in lunch in April HERE.

Affinity Group Listening Sessions

Families are invited to join Superintendent Laatsch, DEI Specialist Ryan Kerr, and City of Saline and Pittsfield Township officials in conversations with affinity groups to better understand families’ experiences in Saline Area Schools and the greater Saline community. As an educational community, Saline strives to embrace diversity and create a culture of equity and inclusion. Saline Area Schools continues to focus on being a more culturally responsive District by seeking to eliminate discrimination and harassment from our system. An RSVP is appreciated, but not required to attend.

  • April 29: Families of students who are Black or African American.
  • May 2: Families of students who are Asian, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander
  • May 7: Families of students with special needs
  • May 8: Families of students who identify as LGBTQIA+
  • May 13: Families of students who follow religious traditions

Did you know that Ride 360 is being replaced by a new app, My Ride K12 effective May 1st?  Families who utilize the Ride 360 app will need to download the new app and will be able to login using their credentials from the Ride 360 app.  New users will need their students 6-digit ID number in order to login. Families with students riding the bus can expect an email from the Transportation Department about this change in the coming week.

Additional Resources

District

Harvest

Week of April 1st – April 5th

Emily Sickler

To everyone in our Hornet community, welcome back from Spring Break and to those who celebrate, Happy Easter!    Whether you had an opportunity to catch up with family and friends, catch up on some much-needed rest, or enjoy some sun, or maybe even some snow – I hope you enjoyed the break!  A few important notes for upcoming events…

  • Tuesday is the last day to register for our 2024 Harvest Science Fair (April 9th) Link HERE
  • Many parts of the United States will observe a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. While Saline is outside of the path of totality, residents are expected to experience a partial eclipse (98.5%). Teachers are providing instruction about the eclipse and eclipse viewing safety in Young 5s-6th grade and in science classrooms across the District.  The District will provide solar eclipse glasses to all Harvest Hornets and staff to safely view the eclipse. If weather conditions and classroom lessons permit, teachers may take students outside to view the eclipse using these glasses. If you prefer your student(s) not to participate in this type of experience, please contact your student’s teacher(s) directly.  In addition to classroom resources, the Saline District Library is offering an Eclipse Program presented by the Longway Planetarium on Saturday, April 6 from 2-3 p.m. Families must register to attend this free event. More information on the eclipse, timeframe, and instructions to safely view the eclipse is available from NASA.
  • Saline Area Schools continues to work to create more equitable and inclusive spaces to best serve our diverse student population and their families. For many students in our schools, the observance of religious and cultural traditions is an important part of their personal, family, and community life. SAS educators are provided with resources to help them consider common religious and cultural observances in their classroom planning in addition to the guide posted on our website.  With Ramadan underway, should families need any additional or more specific accommodations for students related to fasting, resting, prayer, or other supports, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself and/or your classroom teacher. Saline staff are dedicated to collaborating to ensure student needs are met so they can continue to learn and grow during this sacred month, and during any other important religious observance our families celebrate.

Emily

We are in the season where we are holding tight to the learning and joy of the current school year while also starting to prepare for the 2024-2025 school year.  This is your opportunity to share your thoughts regarding your child as we start gathering information to begin the placement process for the 2024-2025 school year.  These input forms will be open throughout the remainder of the current school year.

  • April 9th – Harvest Science Fair
  • April 30th – 3rd Grade MStep (ELA); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • May 7th – 3rd Grade MStep (Math); Please refrain from scheduling appointments on this day!
  • May 23rd – Heritage Walk-Through 6-7:30pm (link HERE)

 

 

Sign up to help in lunch in April HERE.

Beginning the week of April 8, Saline Area Schools will be inviting all staff and students/families in grades 3-12 to participate in the annual end-of-year school/district climate survey (also referred to as the District Quality survey). The District wants to hear your thoughts on critical school issues, including academic support, student support, family involvement, school/district leadership, safety, and behavior. Your feedback on this survey helps guide our work. This is one of the surveys the District facilitates annually in order to collect feedback from stakeholders using a systemic approach. You can learn more about the timing of annual District surveys here. Students in 3rd-12th grades will be invited to take this survey within the April 8-26 timeframe. Parents/guardians can preview the student surveys below. If you prefer your child not participate in this survey, please reach out to your child’s building principal.

These annual surveys are an important part of our District’s continuous improvement process and provide many examples of highlights to celebrate as well as data that can serve as a catalyst for change in areas of improvement. Refer to the complete District Quality Summary Report for findings from the 2022-23 survey.

Did you know Michigan recently experienced its first confirmed case of measles since 2019, and since that time three additional cases have been reported, including a second case in Washtenaw County on 3/21/24?  In addition to Michigan, 41 measles cases have been reported in 2024 in 16 other states to date. Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact with nasal and throat secretions and through respiratory droplets (sneezing and coughing) that can live in the air for up to 2 hours. Measles is the most contagious virus known to infect humans. The Michigan Department of Education has asked districts to share information with our families about symptoms related to measles which usually begin 7-14 days after exposure: 

  • High fever (may spike to over 104˚F)
  • Cough
  • Runny nose
  • Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
  • Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums, and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) two to three days after symptoms begin.
  • A rash that is red, raised and blotchy that usually starts on the face and spreads to the trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin.

If symptoms develop, families are urged to call ahead before visiting their doctor or emergency room so facilities can take precautions to prevent exposure to others.

With the risk of community spread, families are encouraged to ensure all individuals are up to date on all their childhood immunizations, including the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Ninety percent of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to measles will become infected. About 20% of people who get measles will be hospitalized.

  • The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services encourages all students and staff to be immunized against measles. One dose of MMR is required for preschool-age children, two doses of MMR are required for school-age children, unless they have the appropriate medical or non-medical waiver.
  • All school employees should know and have documentation of their measles immunity status. Anyone not immune to measles or with no documentation of immunity should be vaccinated as soon as possible. Anyone born prior to 1957 is considered immune. Contact your primary care doctor if you do not know your immunization status.
  • In the event of a confirmed case, any exposed student or staff member without documented immunity may be excluded from work, school, and public activities, usually for 21 days; longer if more cases of measles occur.
  • Exposed individuals may be eligible to return to work, school, and public activities sooner if they receive post-exposure prophylaxis (MMR vaccine) within the appropriate time frame (72 hours from exposure), making quick identification of these eligible contacts essential.

Saline Area Schools are working closely with the Washtenaw County Health Department to be prepared in the event of a local case. Please reach out to Karan Hervey, District Nurse if you have questions or would like more information.

District

Harvest