Mrs. Herron's title at our school is Behavior Interventionist, but she does so much more than just work with student behavior. She is a constant presence in all areas of our school. She provides support, encouragement, and just an overall calm, caring and friendly presence to students, staff and parents at Courtade. Mrs. Herron is a key staff member that helps to make Courtade such a special place.
Please join me us congratulating Mrs. Herron on this amazing accomplishment and recognition! She's the best!
And congratulations to this week's ROAR Model award winners!
The May 2026 edition of TCAPS District News is officially live! 🗞️✨
Stay connected with the latest stories, student highlights, and important updates from across our schools.
Mobile Version: 📱https://itl.ink/DistrictNewsMay26
Desktop & Print Version: 💻 https://aptg.co/YbKds7
#GreatCommunityGreatSchools
Did you know that 3rd - 5th graders have the opportunity to engage in novel studies through the CKLA curriculum? These Novel Study Units are where "learning to read" transforms into "loving to read." By diving deep into these specific titles, our students are building more than just literacy—they’re building character:
- Stella Díaz Has Something to Say: Students are finding their own "inner starfish" as they learn about confidence, identity, and the bravery it takes to speak up.
- The Seasons of Styx Malone: This adventure pushes kids to analyze loyalty and friendship, weighing the thrill of the "extraordinary" against the value of home.
- The Science of Breakable Things: A beautiful look at using the scientific method to understand empathy and hope, connecting lab reports to real-life emotions.
The Big Benefit: Novel studies build reading stamina and critical thinking. Instead of just skimming, students learn to track complex themes and see the world through a new lens.
Have a great weekend, and Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms in the Courtade community!
Mrs. Wilson - Thank you for helping my daughter with speech. We have seen such an improvement and we are very thankful that she has this opportunity to have one on one time to help her. Thank you for always being positive and helpful for our sunshine girl. We appreciate everything.
Mr. Boyce - Thank you for not only leading the classroom in this final year at Courtade for Bennett, but for the things you do outside the classroom as well. While only one of our boys has had the opportunity to be taught by you so far, both adore you and your extra curricular activities. Whether it's a STEM exercise in CEP or outside for Cross Country and Track, you are giving these students your time and energy, and it does not go by unnoticed. Thank you for everything you give to your students!
Mrs. Gross - Thank you so much for all you have done to help Charlotte learn and grow. She has come so far in a short period of time because of your love and guidance. Thank you for always being there for her (and me) and for helping her reach her full potential. You have been such a blessing to our family.
Mrs. Lautner - Thank you so much for always being there for our girls. Helping them learn through the good and the bad days. Giving them the one on one time that they need. You even have guided us as parents by giving us little things to help keep our daughters learning We are so lucky to have had three years with you teaching them. We truly appreciated everything!
Ms. Partman - Thank you so much for being such a positive influence for our 4th Graders! I know that Natalee is in good hands every day because she has you as her teacher. She tells me every day how much she enjoys being in your class. You are so kind, loving, caring, and everything I would want in a teacher and role model for my girls.
Mrs. Helman - Thank you so much for being there for our girl. You give her the space she needs on her bad days, and encourage her on her good days. Thank you for all the one on one when she needs it. You truly care about all the students and take time to help each of them out in whatever way you can. Thank you so much we really appreciate all that you do.
Mrs. Gregory - Thank you SO much for making Eddie's first elementary school experience a great one! We are so grateful for you!!
Mrs. Helman - There really aren't words to describe the level of awesome this lady is. Her dedication, passion, and love is felt every day by her students and school community! Courtade families are lucky to have Mrs. Helman! (Ps. Thank you to her family for constantly sharing her with us! This lady is always present for our kids!
Ms. Snyder - This was our daughter first year of “school”. We felt comforted with this change and have had nothing short of a great experience. Ms. Snyder really makes it known how much she cares for the kids in her classroom. She is an amazing teacher and we have watched our daughter excel.
Mrs. Gross - This year have been harder and more challenging year for my son. Libby has made sure he has been supported and cared for. Any challenges that have came up she has communicated with us on. From classmate concerns, behavioral changes, learning supports, etc. we are very lucky to have a teacher willing to work with our son and his limitations but also making sure he has support every step of the way. "
Mrs. Bienkowski - We are so grateful that Miss Cici entered into our lives this year! Special education, when done right, is a positive experience for children - and that’s exactly what our son has encountered during his “visits” (his words 😆) to her classroom. So thank you, Miss Cici - you have impacted our son’s life more than you know and we look forward to partnering with you more in the years to come!
Mrs. Bevier - We are so happy Mrs.Bevier joined Courtade! She sure has a way of making every child feel seen!!
Mrs. Helman - We cannot thank Mrs. Helman enough for everything she has done for our son this year! There are so many things that have clicked into place for him in second grade - none of which could have happened without her advocacy, support, and partnership with us. We will be eternally grateful for everything she set in motion for him this year and for the positive impact she has made in our lives. Thank you, Mrs. Helman!!
More appreciations have come in! There's one day left! Submit yours using the form below:
https://forms.gle/AamSCy3ZYabEkJoR9
Ms. Snyder - Ms. Snyder is clearly in the role that she was meant for. Her positivity and patience for our preschoolers is incredible. It is so nice knowing that a teacher has our child's best interest at heart and that they are being set up for a future of success throughout their school career. Not only does my little one love going to school, but as parents we know we couldn't have found a more trusting and loving place for them to be. Thank you Ms. Snyder for all that you do for new families!
Mrs. Piatek and Mrs. Dansingburg - Our family is so grateful for the attentive care you provide to Eddie and the other students during the extended day program! We appreciate you so much!!
Ms. Snyder - She has made our transition into school so easy! Our son says his favorite thing about Ms. Snyder is "talking to her". When I asked what he means by that he explained that he feels he can tell her anything, and talk about any topic with her. Knowing that my child found a safe person he feels comfortable talking to about anything, makes this mama's heart so happy! Could not ask for a better teacher to get us started into the school world.
Mrs. Helman - Shoutout to Mrs. Helman for Teacher Appreciation Week 💙 We’ve been lucky enough to have her teach both of our daughters in second grade, and she is truly something special. She is incredibly organized and attentive, and consistently goes above and beyond to create meaningful, memorable experiences for her students. What really stands out is how she challenges her class academically while also supporting their emotional growth—such a rare and important balance. You can tell she genuinely cares about each child and the environment she creates in her classroom.
We are so grateful for the impact she’s had on our girls and so many others. Thank you, Mrs. Helman, for everything you
do! ✏️🍎"
Mr. Q - Teagan loves talking about her time in gym, especially the different forms of tag!
Mrs. Payne - Teagan recalls drawing the bee around the holidays as a favorite activity. These made fun bookmarks to pass out for family Christmas gifts.
Mrs. Myers - Thank you for all the kindness you have shown both my girls. Giving them the space and help that they need to help them grow. Thank you for still sending them little messages even now that they are out of your class. We appreciate all you do.
Mrs. Bedore and team - Thank you for all you do, day in, and day out, it doesn’t go unnoticed! We appreciate all the time and care that goes into helping our kiddos! What you do matters and we are eternally grateful! Thank you all!
Mrs. Bevier - Thank you for all your love and patience with our preschoolers! Parker loves to share all the ways she helps the earth because of you and your lessons. She loves being in your class and is so excited to see you every week. You are so special to us. Thank you for making Parker’s first experience in school such a positive and fun experience.
Mr. Phillips - Thank you for being a ROAR Model that the Courtade Community can look up to! You lead the school but your presence is so much more than that of the principal. You know these students well, you engage and participate and the high fives are just the cherry on top! We are lucky to have a leader like you to support our school environment.
Mrs. Lentini - THANK YOU for being such a bright light every time we see you. We appreciate you so much!
Mrs. Ducheney and Mrs. P - Thank you for being the welcoming, helpful and smiling faces of Courtade! You both have always been there for our family, going above and beyond for our kids! When Nathan was out sick and chosen as the Cougar Artist of the Day, Norma was sure to get a picture of Nate’s artwork and emailed it to me right away so I could share the exciting news with him! It brightened his day and warmed my heart to know how much you truly care! You ladies truly keep our school running smoothly not only during the day to day but by putting in all the extra effort for the many amazing events hosted at Courtade! You both are amazing!
Mrs. Bevier and Mrs. Ransom - Thank you for creating an environment that fosters so much creativity through play, projects, and hands-on activities! We appreciate the positive impact you’ve had on Izzy and are looking forward to our next little Cougar joining your classroom next year!
Keep the notes of appreciation coming! The form is linked below.
https://forms.gle/AamSCy3ZYabEkJoR9
Here are some more submissions from the Courtade community.
Mrs. Kelly - A big shout-out to Mrs. Kelly! Your kindness, patience, and dedication truly shine through in everything you do. Your patience especially does not go unnoticed, and we are so grateful for the calm, caring way you support Silas each day. You make learning such a positive and welcoming experience, and it means so much to see how happy and excited he is to come to school each day. Thank you for the care you put into your classroom and for the impact you’re making—not just academically, but emotionally and socially as well. We are so grateful for you!
Mrs. Kelly - Consistent, caring, communication issues everything. Belief in my child and the time and effort to help him grow and show him that someone sees him and believes in him.
Mrs. Grezeszak - From Teagan: I love all the music you teach the whole class. From Teagan’s parents: we appreciated how you set up the music open house that combined instruction and performance.
Mrs. Gregory - It is clear in everything you do how much you truly care for your students. The way you teach, encourage, and care for your student’s does not go unnoticed. You have created a space where my daughter Brooklyn feels safe, so excited to learn, and genuinely loved and that means more than words can say. Because of you, Brooklyn now wants to be a teacher one day to be just like Mrs. Gregory. That alone speaks volumes about the kind of person and role model you are. Thank you for the patience you give, the kindness you lead with, and the heart you pour into not only my daughter but all the JK kids. What you do matters more than you probably hear, and we as parents couldn’t be anymore thankful and grateful for you. Teachers are superheroes!
Mr. Boyce - Mr. Boyce, Thank you for all you do! Our family appreciates your hard work, creativity, consistency and overall care for your students. You're an asset to Courtade Elementary School!
Mrs. Gregory - Mrs. Gregory has made a life changing difference for our son (and our family)! Her kindness, compassion and grace have been instrumental in the growth we have seen in him! This school year started out really rough, and I can now say that because of her, it has been a true gift! We are so grateful for her expertise and how she shows up for each one of her students! She is a gem and we are so grateful to have spent the year with her!
Mrs. Helman - Mrs. Helman is without a doubt a one of a kind teacher. She has made our son feel welcomed, challenged, and most of all loved! The growth we have seen in our son not only academically but also socially this year has been truly incredible. We have so many reasons to be thankful for Courtade!!
Mrs. Kelly - Mrs. Kelly is such a kind and caring teacher! It comes through in every weekly newsletter, parent communication, and especially in the positive experiences the kiddos have while spending their days with her.
Mrs. Myers - Mrs. Myers, we cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for each one of our children. When I think of who I would want to be the kindergarten teacher for my kids I truly could not imagine anyone better! You are kind, creative, caring, inclusive and so many more wonderful things! You have set the foundation for our children’s educational journey, making them confident young learners that believe in themselves and know that they can accomplish all their goals and dreams! Thank you for being you, we love you so much Mrs. Myers!
Mrs. Myers - Mrs. Myers, you are such a gift to the kindergarteners! Your enthusiasm and energy is truly special. It is amazing to see how much Peyton has grown and learned this year, and so much of that is because of you. Thank you!
Ms. Partman - I wanted to share how much we appreciate your teaching. Your laid-back and calm energy is so refreshing for the kids in their busy lives. The kids love the environment you’ve built, and they thrive in the supportive, no-pressure space you provide. Thank you for letting them be themselves and for making learning feel so effortless!
Ms. Slawter - Ms. Slawter, we want to thank you so much for being such an amazing teacher and role model for our son, Jason! Your bright and sunny disposition makes the classroom such a fun place to be! You always encourage Jason to do his best and you truly believe in him! Thank you for all you do!
Thank you to everyone who has submitted a kind comment about a Courtade staff member. Here are a few of the comments we've received so far. If you'd like to recognize a staff member, follow the link below:
https://forms.gle/LNbuK1PUE8RGRrE38
Mrs. Myers - An absolute rock star!!!! My boy just lights up when he talks about his teacher. She has had such a meaningful impact in his life, we are so grateful. Mrs. Meyers is so kind, fun, and great ROAR model to all students she gets to impact. The Eising family just loves her.
Mrs. Helman - Even though you are not a teacher for one of our kiddos this year you still go above and beyond to look out for them at school! I know having your support means the world to them and I can’t begin to tell you how much comfort it is to know our children attend a school where they are loved and cared for by all the staff!
Mrs. Gregory and Mrs. Lentini - From the very first day Lennon stepped foot in her "Cougar School" we knew how much she was loved and cared for. Every day, she runs into school, backpack bouncing, ready for another day of learning and fun. Her enthusiasm for school can be directly attributed to the wonderful teachers and staff who show up every day with a smile on their face and a high five. Everyone from the front desk staff, the lunch room attendants, the specials teachers, and Lennon's JK teachers are absolutely wonderful. Specifically, we would like to thank Mrs. Gregory and Mrs. Lentini for their patience in guiding twenty 5 year olds every day to be respectful and kind humans - no small feat! Thank you is never enough but please know how much you are all appreciated!!!
Ms. Snyder and Mrs. Barr - GSRP has been such a great program! Mrs. Snyder and Mrs. Barr are extremely patient and understanding with the kids and are truly making a difference in their lives in this early learning stage. A huge THANK YOU to both of them for all the love and care they provide for this young class.
Ms. Jo - Handling the book fair with ease and being so kind to our students. It’s so nice to have our kids come home saying they talked with Ms. Jo about the books they are reading and that she enjoys listening to them talk about their books whatever they are! You are loved and appreciated by everyone.
I have become a walking advertisement for this school, Mr. Phillips, and the entire staff. Courtade is full of wonderful caring people and it has truly become our community. We love it so much!!!
Preschool team - It’s hard to just pick JUST one, Ms. Barr, Ms. Snyder, and Ms. Becky are all so incredible. We love all 3 of them. But Ms. Becky is so incredibly kind, and patient. She shows up with a big smile on her face everyday. Ms. Becky stepped in and was such an amazing support while Ms. Snyder was out on leave. She is extremely inviting and although she is no longer in Brynie’s class she still makes Brynie feel incredibly loved and that she is still important although she is not on her class.
Mrs. Bevier - Mrs. Bevier has such a natural ability to foster preschool learning and lead in a way that is positive, kind, fun and silly while still maintaining high expectations for her students. We feel Courtade is so lucky to have had her join their team this year and we are so thankful our preschoolers, Jasmine and Jack, have had the opportunity to learn and grown from her this year! Thank you Mrs. Bevier!
Mrs. Dansingburtg - Mrs. Dansingburg is a Courtade staple, always making sure our kiddos are safe before and after school as well as on the playground. It is a joy to see her smiling face and hear her friendly greeting anytime we drop off / pick up! Thank you Mrs. Dansingburg for what you do!
Mrs. Helman - Mrs. Helman, thank you for being one amazing educator. Now both of our boys have had the privilege to be in your room and experience a magical year of learning and challenges and fun and everything in between. But furthermore, they've been taught and nurtured and pushed to their doable limits by you and are so lucky to be able to say that. Our boys have undoubtedly loved their time with you but as parents we have absolutely loved our time as well. Thank you doesn't seem like enough but we cannot express our appreciation for you enough. Thank you!
Mrs. Lautner - Mrs. Lautner, thank you for being such an amazing supporter of our boy, Nathan! He loves school and loves learning, you are a key player in this love for education he has. We can’t thank you enough! Everything you have done for him and our family means the world!
Mrs. Myers is a magical person. Our daughter is thriving in the environment she has created within her classroom community.
It's Teacher Appreciation Week! A job in education doesn't come with a yearly bonus. And you sure don't get into it to get rich. But, one of the great perks of our jobs is that when you do a good job, you get to feel good about it by feeling appreciated by those you have a positive impact on. With that said, I'd like to invite anyone in our community to say something kind about any staff member at Courtade by filling out the short form linked below. We will share the notes with staff during the week and post to our social media so that others can see how special the Courtade staff is.
Thank you for taking a few minutes to share a note with a staff member that has made a positive difference for your Cougar!
https://forms.gle/Fiej3D5s39ZiUeyW6
Today was the last day for the fifth grade can drive fundraiser. This, combined with an extremely successful plant sale, and other fundraisers, has raised enough money for our fifth graders to go to overnight camp for FREE! Thank you for all of your support!
Watch the video here: https://itl.ink/TCAPSStateoftheDistrict26
Reminder: TCAPS has an early release day today, Thursday, April 16.
Find start and dismissal times here: https://5il.co/3jfxa
View the academic calendar here: https://5il.co/3jfx6
For questions, please contact your school directly.
TCAPS Transportation and Safety Update
Our TCAPS Administrative team spent the day working closely with Grand Traverse County to evaluate road conditions and finalize bus routing. While families whose students have been rerouted have already been notified, we ask for your patience tomorrow, as there will likely be delays in both morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off times. School administrators are aware of these delays and are prepared to assist students as they arrive.
To stay updated on your student’s transportation status, please utilize the MyRide K-12 app. You can access Account Setup Instructions and Routing Information online to view real-time routing details at https://www.tcaps.net/page/transportation. The Grand Traverse County Road Commission asks that you plan ahead for the next few days and give yourself extra time. Please use extra caution when traveling and slow down immediately if you encounter areas with standing water.
Also, please note that tomorrow is a scheduled early release day. You can view start and dismissal times athttps://5il.co/3jfxa and the full academic calendar athttps://5il.co/3jfx6. Thank you for your flexibility and for your partnership in keeping our students and drivers safe.
Reminder: TCAPS has an early release day on Thursday, April 16. 🔔
Find start and dismissal times here: https://5il.co/3jfxa
View the academic calendar here: https://5il.co/3jfx6
For questions, please contact your school directly.
Have you ever wondered how to build background knowledge for students? CKLA builds background knowledge for reading comprehension. In our Amplify CKLA curriculum, we use "spiraling"—revisiting big topics at a deeper level as students grow! For example, TCAPS 5th graders learned about Maya, Aztec and Inca this year, but this isn’t the first time students will be exposed to these ideas.
In 1st Grade (The Foundation): Students first "meet" these cultures. They listened to stories about maize, stepped into the floating gardens of Tenochtitlan, and learned basic geography. 🌽
In 5th Grade (The Deep Dive): Now, they are investigators. They aren’t just listening; they are analyzing primary sources, decoding Maya hieroglyphics, and comparing the sophisticated political systems of the three empires.
Connecting the Dots: This unit isn't just about the past, it’s a bridge! It sets the stage for future units on the Age of Exploration and the American Revolution by giving students the "big picture" of who was here first.
By revisiting these big ideas, our students aren’t just memorizing facts for a test—they are building a permanent library of knowledge that makes them better readers and critical thinkers for life.
