Family Resources
In an effort to help our student and families find supportive resources, we have created this page that will be regularly updated with information and links to assist in many ways.
MAPS Canvas Observer Role – Parent/Guardian Instructions
MAPS has created instructions for creating an Observer role in Canvas. Access this documentation by clicking the Observer Role Setup button below:
School Nutrition Services Information
We are pleased to inform you that we will be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as part of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.
The GREAT NEWS is that ALL students enrolled at Manistee Area Public Schools can receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at NO CHARGE to your household each day.
As we start this program for the 24/25 school year, we ask that each household complete a Household Information Report found online at: https://manisteeps.familyportal.cloud. Click "Apply for benefits" to get started. This report only takes five minutes to fill out and must be completed by each household in our District. Paper copies are available upon request. We also ask that you pay any lunch balance due from the prior school year. The CEP Program cannot be in place with overdue balances remaining.
In addition, the Household Information Report is critical in determining the amount of money that our school receives from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs like Title I A, At-risk (31a), Title II A, E-Rate, etc. These supplemental programs have the potential to offer supports and services for our students including, but not limited to:
- Instructional support (staff, supplies & materials, etc.)
- Non-instructional services (counseling, social work, health services, etc.)
- Professional Learning for staff
- Parent and Community engagement supplies and activities
- Technology
We are asking that you please complete and submit the Household Information Report as soon as possible to ensure that additional funding for our school is available to meet the needs of our students. All information on the report submitted is confidential. Without your assistance in completing and returning the report, our school cannot maximize the use of available State and Federal funds. If we can be of any further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Keri Carlson, Nutrition Services Director
Complete Student Forms on Powerschool
This year all families will need to login to Powerschool fill out the enrollment forms. Log into the PowerSchool Portal then go to “Forms”:
Then complete the all of the forms within the “Enrollment” tab:
School Day Start/End Times & Academic Dates
Below are the start and end times for the learning schedule for each building.
MAIN DOORS OPEN:
Jefferson: 7:50 am
Kennedy: 7:40 am
MMHS: 7:45 am
ACADEMIC DOORS OPEN:
MMHS: 7:45 am
START TIME:
Jefferson: 8:00 am
Kennedy: 7:50am
MMHS: 7:55am
END TIME:
Jefferson: 3:10pm
Kennedy: 2:50pm
MMHS: 2:40pm
MAIN DOORS OPEN:
Jefferson: 9:00 am
Kennedy: 8:40 am
MMHS: 8:35 am
ACADEMIC DOORS OPEN:
MMHS: 8:45 am
START TIME:
Jefferson: 9:00 am
Kennedy: 8:50 am
MMHS: 8:55 am
END TIME:
Jefferson: 3:10pm
Kennedy: 2:50pm
MMHS: 2:40pm
MAIN DOORS OPEN:
Jefferson: 7:50 am
Kennedy: 7:40 am
MMHS: 7:45 am
ACADEMIC DOORS OPEN:
MMHS: 7:45 am
START TIME:
Jefferson: 8:00 am
Kennedy: 7:50am
MMHS: 7:55am
END TIME:
Jefferson: 11:40 pm
Kennedy: 11:20pm
MMHS: 11:15pm
2024-2025 Meeting Schedule
All meetings are held 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
When held at Jefferson, meetings are located in Mrs. Bradford’s classroom
When held at Kennedy Elementary, meetings will be located in Mrs. Antal's classroom
September 12th
October 17th
November 21st - Kennedy
December 19th - Jefferson
January 16th - Kennedy
February 20th - Jefferson
March 20th - Kennedy
April 17th - Jefferson
May 15th - Kennedy
Current Officers
President: Ariel Ferreira
Vice President: Katrina Jankowski
Treasurer: Kris Brandt
Secretary: Kelly Vartyak
ATP Contact Information
ATP Contact: mapsatp1@gmail.com and we can be found on Facebook as MAPS Elementary ATP
Building Contacts: Julia Raddatz raddatzj@manistee.org
MAPS Elementary ATP (Assembly for Teachers & Parents)
What is ATP?: ATP is our parent-teacher group for all of the MAPS Elementary buildings – Jefferson and Kennedy, grades Pre-K through 5.
Parents who become involved in their child’s education can make a positive difference.
What does ATP do?
We fundraise to help support our schools and students. We pay for field trips, school supplies, recess/playground equipment, books, staff appreciation activities, and more! We also organize many family events: Fall Carnival, Daddy-Daughter and Mother-Son nights, Holiday Caroling, Birthday Lunches, Book Fairs, and Santa Shop are some examples.
What are the objectives of the ATP?
The MAPS Elementary ATP (Assembly of Teachers & Parents), is a dedicated group parents that spearhead projects to benefit our students grades Pre-K through 5th. It is similar to a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) only a little more prescriptive and based on committees, including:
- Parenting
- Communicating
- Volunteering
- Learning at Home
- Decision Making
- Community Collaboration
ATP Points Tracker
Starting January 2019, ATP is starting a point tracker for volunteers!
How do I earn points?
- Every ATP event (popcorn day, slushy day, winter carnival, etc.) every 2 hours you volunteer, you earn 1 point.
- For showing up to our ATP meeting that’s once a month, you earn 1 point.
- For suggesting a friend to volunteer & they show up for at least 2 hours, you earn 1 point.
All the points you earn will be entered for a drawing. At the end of the year, we will choose two winners. We hope to have a ton of volunteers!
Social Media Abuse Reporting
As you well know, social media is a popular means for communication within our school community. Although there are some positive aspects to this method of communication, there are also times when it is misused.
It is important that we work together to put a stop to the abuse of social media accounts. Each social media platform has a reporting method allowing ANYONE to report fraudulent or abusive behaviors. Below are links to each of the reporting resources for these platforms:
Should you witness or hear of the misuse of one of these platforms, we encourage you to reach out directly to the social media platform to report your concern immediately. This is the most direct way to quickly put a stop to any fraudulent or abusive behavior.
If the complaint involves the district directly, a circumstance that has occurred at school, or the account used appears to mimic any component of MAPS programming, please reach out to us so that we are able to take appropriate action. Working together we can stop unwanted behaviors that can be damaging to our students.
We always encourage anyone to say something if they see something of concern. Reports can be made confidentially through the ok2say app.
MAPS McKinney Vento Liaison
Amber Kowatch
231-398-3778
akowatch@manistee.org
The Educational Definition of Homeless
When someone lacks a fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence. This includes: sharing housing with another family, living in a motel/hotel or campground, living out of a car, living in a shelter or a public or private place that was not designed for nighttime residence by humans.
MAPS can provide assistance for youth experiencing homelessness in a variety of ways including but not limited to:
- school enrollment and advocacy
- guidance and counseling support
- referrals for housing, mental health, medical needs etc..
- transportation
- verification letters for college entrance or employment
- free breakfast and lunch
- FAFSA support
- scholarship opportunities specifically for youth experiencing homeless
- basic need supplies for home and school
- technology fee waivers
Students should be encouraged to talk with a trusted adult at school so that support can be available when needed.
P-EBT Food Assistance Benefits for Families
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) food assistance benefits will go to Michigan families with students ages 0-26 that are eligible for Free or Reduced-Price School Meals. This includes families currently receiving Food Assistance Program benefits, as well as those not currently enrolled in the program. No application is necessary for eligible families to receive P-EBT benefits.
If you have any questions, please contact 1-833-905-0028
“988” is the three-digit, nationwide phone number to connect directly to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
MAPS Behavioral Health Services Help
- Support for Stress or Trauma – Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. It’s important to recognize that sometimes we need help navigating our feelings about these situations. The MAPS Behavioral Health Services team is available to provide that support for you and your student. Our Behavioral Health Therapists can be reached by telephone Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Cecilia Lester (231-655-3744). Or a request for support can be submitted online by clicking this LINK
- Help Line – Our Behavioral Health help line is available 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 -4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at 231-655-3867 or cwolfram@manistee.org for anyone (staff, students or community) who is dealing with anxiety.
- Lack of Resources – Our current situation has created challenges for many families in our community. Our MAPS Behavioral Health Services team is connected to community agencies providing resources for healthcare, food, dental care, insurance, housing, and more. Do not hesitate to reach out to them for more information about what is available for you. Cheryl Wolfram from Northwest Michigan Health Services can be reached by calling 231-655-3814 or email cwolfram@manistee.org from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Serious and/or Chronic Mental Illness – If any student or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis they can reach out to Centra WellnessNetwork at 1-877-398-2013. Centra Wellness has Therapist available and provides crisis services 24/7.
Talking to Your Student During Stressful Events
In consideration of recent events, we have assembled some resources for helping a child in distress and for talking with your child/children about stressful events. In prompting conversation, we can learn more about what they understand and provide answers about things that might concern them.
Should you or your child need to talk with someone regarding stressful events or concerning behaviors Centra Wellness offers a 24-Hour Crisis Hotline @ 1-877-398-2013.
What to Watch For:
Some signals that the child is having a difficult time with (event):
- Day/night routine is “off”
- Abnormal anxiety about going back to place of event
- Child is describing upset stomach, headache, tiredness without any real illness
- Behaves/communicates repeatedly that (event) will happen again
- Easily startled, more on edge, not wanting to eat, wanting to be alone more, withdrawn
Tips for Talking with Your Child About a Stressful Event:
Setting: Talking to your child immediately following a stressful event may be necessary if they are very upset. Otherwise:
- Wait until your child (and YOU) are feeling calm and ready to talk.
- Find a time during your regular household routine to introduce the topic, rather than interrupting the routine for “a talk about ______.”
- Adult reactions are important influences on a child’s willingness to share. (DON’T call your child “silly” or challenge their fearful reactions; DO recognize a wide range of reactions as normal.)
1) Introduce the topic in a way that kids do the talking
For example:
- “I know this (event) doesn’t happen very often, so I wanted to check in with you about it. Tell me what happened . . .”
- “Hey, this (event) can be pretty stressful for people. What are your friends feeling right now? Do you feel the same way?”
- “What do you think might happen with (event)?”
As your child is talking, listen without interrupting. Watch their body language and tone of voice. Reflect on what you hear and respond with open ended questions or noticings.
- “You sound like you are (worried, concerned, nervous, not really affected by) this.”
- “Hmmmm, I was wondering about when you said,’_____.’ What did you mean?”
2) Help separate fact from rumor
Discuss what happened (factually). What rumors have you been hearing? Discuss what makes rumors take a life of their own.
3) Return to the event by asking about their related experiences
For example:
- “Where were you when you heard about (event)?”
- “What did you think was going on?”
- “What did you notice as the day went on?”
4) This is a normal feeling
- Assure kids that they are not alone. Their reaction is a normal response to a (stressful event.)
- Even if they are not personally close (to the event) it is normal to have a lot of emotions OR not a lot of emotions about it.
Questions to ask:
- “How did you feel about (the event) itself?”
- “Have your feelings of _____ been growing?”
- “How can I help?”
Let kids know that with time, for most people, reactions will become manageable.
5) Help child to pick out a coping skill
For example:
- “You must have been worried when this (event) was going on. What helped you make sense of it?”
- “If you could go back in time, what would you do differently to help people feel safe?”
- “What good came out of this experience?
6) Closing:
Reassure your child they are safe. Remind them you are there if they ever need to talk. The adults responsible have a plan in place in case this happens again. Be positive about moving on and ask permission to “check in” together again in a week.
Should you or your child need to talk with someone regarding stressful events or concerning behaviors Centra Wellness offers a 24-Hour Crisis Hotline @ 1-877-398-2013.
Armory Youth Project
Offering Free After-School Programming for Students in Grades 6-12, open Monday - Friday 3:00 to 5:30 pm
Our vision is to create a flourishing youth culture in Manistee County where every person feels valued, finds a pathway to opportunity, and has the tools to realize a more promising future.
The Wexford-Missaukee-Manistee Great Start Collaborative is a partnership of community leaders, business owners, charitable and faith-based organizations, health and human service agencies, educators, and parents. It is committed to establishing and maintaining a comprehensive early childhood system.
Mission Statement
Because our community values families, the Wexford Missaukee Manistee Area Great Start Collaborative strives to assure a coordinated system of resources and supports to assist every family in providing a great start for their children from birth through age eight.