About Us
About your school day.
Greetings, Pansophia Families,
My name is Ryan Tomlinson. I am an educator, and with great privilege, the principal here at Pansophia Academy. I would like to formally introduce myself to the Puma Pride Community.
I graduated from the University of Michigan with my bachelor’s degree in elementary education … Go Blue! I received master’s degree in educational leadership in 2016.
I’ve worked in the education field for 13 years; six as a kindergarten teacher, two as a second grade teacher and finally, I’ve spent the past five years of my career as an administrator for a K-8th grade school in Saginaw and Lansing.
My journey as an educator has now brought me to Pansophia Academy, and I can say with great honesty I am honored to lead the Puma Pride Community. I am enthusiastic and committed to supporting all staff members, students and our Pansophia families.
Please reach out to say hi. If you have any questions or concerns, I am available through email (rtomlinson@pansophia.us), and of course you’ll see me around often!
I am already humbled by the warm welcome I have received from the students, staff and families over the last two weeks. It makes me excited and optimistic about this school year and the many more to come.
Sincerely,
Ryan Tomlinson
School Information
School day begins at 8:10 a.m.
Monday through Thursday, the school day ends at: 3:15 p.m. for all students.
On Fridays, all grades are dismissed at 1:30 p.m. This allows our staff to participate in professional development sessions.
Cub Club
Cub Club is a free service to Pansophia Academy students that will run all year long. During this time students will be offered breakfast and time to study and work on classwork. When tutoring begins students in Cub Club will attend grade level tutoring at no cost. If interested please contact the main office at (517) 279-4686 to apply for Cub Club.
Mornings
Monday - Friday
6:00 am - Start of school day.
Afternoons
Monday - Friday
After School - 5:30 pm
Meals
All students receive free breakfast and free lunch. Click here to see menu.
Transportation
Lorri Weaver is our Lead Bus Driver and Mrs. Bovee is our Transportation Coordinator. If you have questions regarding transportation, please call the academy at 279-4686 during regular school hours. The bus dispatch phone number is 677-7473; please call this number to cancel pick-ups and drop-offs or for updates on bus route progress.
Student Pick-Up
We have multiple ways that students arrive and get home on a daily basis. We ask for your cooperation and patience as we make sure students get to their destination safely. Please note the following:
- If you are picking up your students at the end of the day, please park in a parking space. Please do not interrupt the flow of traffic.
- Elementary Car pick-up: The student car rider pick-up loop is located on Abbott Avenue. If this is your choice of pick up, be sure to get a car number from Ms. Scott. For this choice, parents remain in their cars and children are delivered to them as they drive through the loop. This number will connect you and your student in a quick, safe manner. Car Loading begins at 3:15 p.m. This process quickens as the year progresses. Students are never waiting outside.
- Elementary Car Rider/Parent walk up to the building: Some students are car riders, but parents like to park on Elizabeth Street and walk up to the building and pick up their child. Unfortunately, we do not permit parents to walk into the building at the end of the day to find their student. This places unnecessary traffic inside the building and has the potential to be a safety issue. To accommodate parents that pick up their students but do not want to participate in the loop, we allow walk-up pick-up at the north end of the building near the gym doors. Parents will wait near the doors for students to be released. To begin the year, students will not be released from this room until 3:15 p.m.
- Elementary Bus Rider: Students riding buses are released to gym then escorted the bus exit on Abbott Ave. Buses depart at approximately 3:20 p.m. This form of transportation takes the most coordination between home and family due to the scheduling of the routes. It is important that bus riding changes happen 3:00 pm. Last-minute changes often impact the drop-off time for multiple stops because the buses are held up to ensure changes are honored.
- Elementary Walkers: We do not recommend students younger than fourth grade walk home by themselves, but understand that younger students walk home with older siblings. In the case that your child is a walker, they will be connected with their siblings and released from the building. Please communicate with your child’s teacher and the front office if your child(ren) are walkers.
- Elementary/Secondary BATA: Some students ride the BATA bus home. BATA picks up at Pansophia Academy daily. Elementary students that ride BATA will be escorted to be picked up on Abbott Ave. Secondary students independently exit the building to board BATA.
- Secondary Students: Secondary students are independently released to their rides.
Student Drop off (morning)
- Students being dropped off in the morning should use the Elizabeth Street parking lot loop. Please note that as the morning traffic increases, the more dangerous it is to allow students to walk across the parking lot to enter the building. Please use the loop and remain in your car as your child enters the building. We do permit parents of younger students to enter the building and escort their children to their classroom at the beginning of the year. As your child becomes familiar with the process, please allow your child to become independent. We have staff members posted throughout the building to guide students.
PowerSchool
Keep up-to-date on your student’s progress by using PowerSchool, our student database system through which you can access your student’s grades. Parents and students are provided with login information at the beginning of the school year. If you need your password reset, please call the office.
Volunteer Information
We love welcoming parent volunteers to our schools each year.
Remember, all parents seeking to volunteer must fill out and return a Volunteer Registration Form. The form is available in the office; please note we need to take a copy of your driver’s license or other state-issued photo ID before we can process the form.
We need volunteers for the following areas:
- Classroom parent volunteers
- Recess monitors
- Lunch room monitors
- Field Trip Chaperons
Keeping our students and staff safe is a top priority. In order to ensure this safety, and in accordance with the Michigan School Safety Legislation and the National Child Protection Act, Pansophia Academy requires a criminal record check to be performed through the Michigan State Police ICHAT System on all volunteers who accompany and supervise students on field trips or who directly volunteer to work with students on a regular and continuous basis. A valid Michigan driver's license or valid State of Michigan ID is required to conduct a Michigan background check. Background checks must be conducted annually if you wish to volunteer.
Pansophia Academy reserves the right to “approve” or “deny” any volunteer service upon review of the background check returned through ICHAT. The determination will be based upon the individual’s fitness to have responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of children. Providing false information, or information contradicting the background check information, is grounds for immediate volunteer denial.
Completing this form provides your consent for Pansophia Academy to conduct a background check through the Michigan State Police Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) system.
Attendance
Please join us in providing students with the best chance at succeeding by helping to maintain good attendance. School attendance for some students can be an issue and ultimately lead to schools initiating the truancy process which could lead to CPS and court involvement. When your student is absent from school it impacts their chance for success and can be a disruption to the classroom as a whole. Necessary academic and social skills are practiced daily and impact a student’s ability to find success in school, the workplace and in social settings.
