Big Rock Elementary School

09/03/2026

Dear Big Rock Families,

Due to dangerous weather conditions in the area, Big Rock was placed into our Tornado Warning protocols today, Thursday, September 3. All students and staff moved to designated safe locations throughout the building and sheltered in place. I want to reassure families that students were moved away from windows and into the safest areas available within our brick-and-mortar building, based on our established severe weather procedures.

Students remained in these locations for approximately 40 minutes while we closely monitored the weather conditions. Once the warning had passed and it was safe to do so, students returned to their classrooms to resume normal activities.

I want to thank our entire Big Rock staff for their response throughout the warning. They remained calm, supportive, and reassuring while making sure our students were safe and cared for.

Most importantly, I am incredibly proud of our students. They did an outstanding job following the protocols we have in place and responded exactly as we would hope, especially considering we have not yet had the opportunity to practice these procedures this school year. Their ability to remain calm, listen, and follow the direction of our staff was a great example of how well our students responded in an unexpected situation.

Sincerely,

Mr. Ralbusky

09/03/2026

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdc4kyd1ss1o3Fa9IO6x8L2d3t8jMYIeZ4LAzz4244XcPn89w/viewform

09/03/2026

Google registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0m-1kIllHj26uTjwSIHHC2Cn61CKZh1_0qjwgtgOclAFIuA/viewform

09/01/2026

08/29/2026

Happy Friday! As we complete our first week of school I would like to introduce our Great Expectations for the Year. Character Matters! 🧡🖤

08/26/2026

Dear Big Rock Families,

We are excited to welcome you to Meet the Teacher Night tomorrow, Thursday, August 27, from 4:30–6:00 p.m.

The purpose of the evening is to provide families with an opportunity to visit Big Rock, spend some time in your child’s classroom, and learn more from your child’s teacher about the routines, expectations, and learning that will help make this a successful school year.

During the evening, families will have the opportunity to:

Visit your child’s classroom and meet their teacher
Learn more about classroom routines, expectations, and communication
Ask general questions about the school year
Bring in any remaining school supplies
Pick up supplies that may be needed—we will have additional school supplies available for families
Complete a virtual consent form, which will be provided by your child’s teacher
Receive a QR code for quick access to our Big Rock Student Handbook
Third-grade families only: Receive information and instructions for setting up your Skyward Family Access account
This evening is intended to be a welcoming and informal opportunity to strengthen the connection between home and school. With the first few days of school underway, we hope it also gives your child a chance to proudly show you their classroom and share a little about their start to the year!

We are looking forward to seeing our Big Rock families tomorrow evening and continuing a great start to the 2026–27 school year.

Together, we make Big Rock the best place to learn and grow!

Mr. Ralbusky

08/20/2026

Thank You to The Andersons of Oakley for the Donation of School Supplies! The Big Rock Staff and Students are very grateful for your generosity! 🧡🖤

08/19/2026

We’re excited to welcome our kindergarten students and families to tomorrow’s Meet the Teacher event! Please join us on the sidewalk in front of Big Rock for a special outdoor gathering.

Event Details:

Who: Kindergarten students and their families only
Where: Sidewalk in front of Big Rock
When: Tomorrow! August 20th, 4:00 - 6:00pm
Highlights:

Meet your teachers in person
Pick up school supplies generously donated by The Anderson Grain Elevator of Oakley and Stuff the Bus
Receive your very first Big Rock T-Shirt and Jitter Glitter
If you have completed forms, you are welcome to bring them.
If your child has classroom supplies that will be hard to carry for their first day they are welcome to bring them and leave them with their teacher.

Important: Due to ongoing construction, we cannot enter the building at this time. All activities will take place outside.

We can’t wait to see our newest students and families as we kick off a wonderful school year together!

08/17/2026

Hello! My name is Julia Dittenber and I am excited to begin my new role as the Resource Room teacher at Big Rock Elementary. This is my fourth year teaching and before teaching I was a Registered Behavior Technician in ABA centers for 4 years. I enjoy spending time with friends and family, crafting, and relaxing at our cabin in Houghton Lake. I am excited to join the Indian Tribe again, this time as a staff member instead of a student.

08/16/2026

Big Rock would like everyone to meet our new Secretary Ms. Sam!

Hello all, my name is Samantha Worstenholm and I'm happy to be a new member of the Big Rock Elementary School Office Staff.

My husband and I moved here a little over ten years ago and fell in love with the Chesaning Community, LET'S GO INDIANS🧡🖤🧡🖤! I have been a dedicated stay at home mother for 13 years, to three wonderful kiddos. I stepped into Big Rock a few years ago when my youngest child started Kindergarten and I absolutely loved it. I've worked as a lunch and recess monitor and a one-on-one paraprofessional right in our elementary school, getting to know our staff and students. I'm excited to take on this new role supporting our staff and students, as well as helping parents/guardians as a reliable resource.

In my free time I enjoy coaching my children's sport teams and spending time with family. A few other things I enjoy are baking, planting flowers, and playing card games.

I'm looking forward to this new adventure, being the new face in the office that helps, organizes, and problem solves the day to day.