May 8, 2025 | Volume 43, Issue 33

COME TO OUR FINE ARTS FEST

AN EXCITING "Polynesian Paradise"

TONIGHT, THURSDAY, MAY 15th at 7 PM

Come celebrate with us at our last school event -- the Fine Arts Fest: a "Polynesian Paradise".

Contribute to the atmosphere and wear Tropical Tops (Hawaiian shirts, Moana t-shirts, Leis, etc.) and plain pants/shorts!

In the spirit of our theme, bring finger foods to share: Tropical Fruits and Snacks as well as other Ethnic snacks.

NO SCHOOL FRI, MAY 16

TEACHER WORKDAY

There will be no school tomorrow, May 16th.

BID ON THESE ITEMS NOW!

Bid on the following unsold items from our Auction last month. They will go to the highest bid received before the next publication of this newsletter so BID NOW! Call Jason at (248) 957-8200, office, or email him at: jroder@steppingstoneschool.org before May 22nd.

C-19 Tickets to the Jamestown-Yorktown Museum ($70)

Expires: 12/31/2025

Four complimentary passes to the Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum at Yorkstown. The museums are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.

C-20 Family Fun Passbook ($200)

Expires: Most tickets expire 12/31/2026, but some expire 12/31/2025, so look first.

A book of coupons and passes to various activities in the Oakland County Parks system.

🐟 THANK YOU FOR MAKING A SPLASH

AT SALMON RELEASE DAY!

A big thank you to everyone who came out to support our Salmon Release Day at Belanger Park! We had a fantastic turnout, and it was truly heartwarming to see our community come together to celebrate the success of our Salmon in the Classroom program.

🎉 A special shoutout to Francis, Finley, Cassie, and Finnley — all of whom showed up to release their adopted salmon, as well as assist with releasing the rest of the tank. Your care and excitement brought this event to life!

🐣 We started the school year with 151 salmon eggs, and we’re thrilled to share that 126 healthy smolts were successfully released into the Detroit River — an incredible success rate thanks to the dedication of our students and staff.

Your participation and enthusiasm help fuel our mission of hands-on, real-world science education, and we couldn’t have done it without you.

🌊 Until next year—thank you for being part of this incredible journey from egg to river!

DROP IN AND SEE OUR SEA LAMPREYS!

🌊 FROM SALMON TO SLIME:

A NEW CHAPTER IN AQUATIC EDUCATION BEGINS!

Now that our Salmon-in-the-Classroom program has wrapped up with a successful release of 126 smolts into the Detroit River, we’re excited to announce the launch of a new hands-on learning experience at Steppingstone: the S.L.I.M.E. Program — Sea Lamprey in Michigan Education!

Hosted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in collaboration with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, this innovative program aims to:

• Repurpose our existing salmon tank setup
• Introduce students to the impact of invasive species, focusing on the sea lamprey
• Encourage critical thinking and environmental stewardship through real-world biological and ecological studies

🧪 What is a Sea Lamprey?

Sea lampreys are parasitic, jawless fish that invaded the Great Lakes and have had a devastating impact on native fish populations. One lamprey can kill up to 40 pounds of fish in its lifetime! Through S.L.I.M.E., students will learn how these invaders have shaped Great Lakes ecosystems and explore the efforts being made to manage and control their spread.

Meet one of our guests below.

This new addition to our classroom will continue to support inquiry-based learning while fostering a deeper appreciation for local ecology and conservation.

👉 To learn more about S.L.I.M.E., visit: www.glfc.org/slime.php

We’re thrilled to keep the momentum going as our students dive into another exciting aquatic adventure!

CATERPILLAR TO CHRYSALIS

As of this writing, all but one of our surviving caterpillars have made a chrysalis. The caterpillars each made a "silk button" on the lid of their container, from which they hang. When they are in the "J" shape, it is only a matter of hours before the chrysalis forms. This was certainly the case with our caterpillars! There was just one chrysalis on Monday after school, but Tuesday morning there were 15 more, and 15+ more by Wednesday.  

The students have been writing one-sentence observations every couple of days. Here are a few favorites:

Vera: They grew and are cleaning the windows (they were eating the food in their cups)

Owen: They made a cave (they ate a cave into their food)

Finley: They are getting fat

Aliya: Some are on the ceiling

Cassie: Some of them ate the tissue (tissue lining top of cup)

Declan: They are very big. I think one more week.

Francis: They are making chrysalis

Finnley: The chrysalis is shiny and looks metallic

The metamorphosis should take between 7-10 days, so we anticipate having dozens of Painted Lady butterflies to release by the end of next week.

HOW DO SEEDS MOVE?

Our Early Elementary students have learned that plants need pollination to make seeds. Why do different kinds of plants grow in the same area? If the seeds just dropped down from the parent plant, then there would be clumps of the same plant everywhere. What moves seeds around? 

We experimented with bean seeds, cockleburs, and maple seeds. Using a fan, we discovered which type of seeds were dispersed by the wind. Using a piece of faux fur, we found out which seeds might stick to a passing animal (or your socks!). Two teams each made a claim about a mystery seed and presented evidence to support the claim, just like real scientists!

We are gathering experience and evidence to help solve the mystery of the disappearing Grand Spider Orchid of Australia.

Newest Donors

Cristina Hauncher, Susan Mero & John Monk

For a full list of donors, see the Annual Giving page on our website.

Volunteers

Auction Chair

Chris Isberg

Auction Acquisitions

Michelle Belt, Chair

Dena Nehme

Brad Styke

SMART Center Chair

Robert Schiff

SPARC Chair

Michelle Tan

Marketing

Jorge Contreras

Yearbook & Keepsake Editor

Barbara Malnar-Styke