Soaring Eagle News
Stephen Decatur Elementary February 14, 2020
The Principal's Message
Greetings Eagle Families,
And...just like that it is February! When I think of February, I think about love and kindness. The month is also known for Black History, Groundhog's Day, and Presidents' Day. As I was thinking about all things February, I thought I'd research all of the February celebrations. Apparently, there's a day for EVERYTHING! The lists below just show next week's celebrations!
January concluded most of our winter testing. Midterms will come home next week. Don't forget that you can check your child's progress at any time by looking on Skyward.
Stephen Decatur will join Blue Academy in piloting a new communication program called Parent Square. Our hopes are that this app will replace the multiple other tools used to communicate and will allow the school and parent to have simple, 2-way communication. You do not have to sign up to get notifications. Parent Square will send you notifications either way. You may download the FREE Parent Square app and change settings from email to text or any other combination. It also allows you to translate the information into the language that best suits you.
We work everyday to teach children that our goal is to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today. We are Decatur Proud to have this opportunity to serve your family.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Jennifer Pearson
Week at a Glance
The week of February 10th:
Monday: Internet Safety Training for 4th-6th grades
Tuesday: Extended Day
Wednesday: 6th graders visit DMS at 9, After school Clubs, DMS Open House at 6:30
Thursday: Run, Hide, Fight Drill, Extended Day
Friday: Popcorn Sales, Girls Inc.
MSD Decatur Township Calendars
From the Nurse's Office
Resources
Popcorn Sales
Attendance Matters
As you think about the upcoming holidays, please keep in mind the importance of your child attending school. Absences spike in the week before and after the holidays. It’s critically important that your student is in school. Just a few missed days, even if they are excused, means lost learning time. This is true for all students, kindergarten through high school. Homework packets do not replace missed time in the classroom. So please, make certain your child is in school each day.
We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away. The costs of gas and plane tickets often influence when you want to travel. But keep in mind the costs to your children’s education if they miss too much school— and the message you will be sending about the importance of attendance. Even if you’ve got a homework packet from the teacher, it doesn’t make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning, right up until vacation starts and the first day back. This holiday season, give your children the gift of an education and the habit of attendance.
Outdoor Recess
As the weather is becoming colder and colder, please ensure students are dressed to go outside. See the district's guidelines below.
Weather permitting, all children will go outdoors for recess. If the temperature (including the wind chill factor) is below 20 degrees, students may not go outside for recess. If a Heat Advisory is announced, students may not go outside for recess.
Inclement Weather Information
Transportation Changes
"For safety reasons, if your child’s dismissal routine will be changed, you must send a note in with them that morning. Your child either rides his or her assigned bus or becomes a car rider/walker. The following are two examples of an acceptable dismissal change:
• Your child normally rides the bus, but today he/she will be picked up by car.
• Your child normally walks home, but today he/she will be riding the bus.
This policy is to ensure that students are sent to the appropriate areas at the end of the day. We have had multiple calls daily with changes. These changes cannot happen unless written notice is turned in, in the morning. Thank you for your prompt attention to this and your help keeping our students safe.
Parent Resources
PTO
Calling All Volunteers
To increase our volunteer base, a new incentive program has been established.
When a volunteer opportunity is posted on “Signup.com”, approved volunteers will receive an email with a link to sign up for the event.
Once you have signed up to help and then attend the event your child(ren) will receive $ 25.00 in Eagle Bucks.
Any parent who wants to volunteer and has not submitted a volunteer form, here is the link to complete a form:
Thanks for all you do for Stephen Decatur Elementary!
No Hassle Fundraiser
Community Opportunities
AYS
Being a parent can sometimes feel like being a superhero. Your kids depend on you to look out for them, protect them, and help them when they’re down. We understand that being a superhero can be tiring, especially when it’s summertime and your kids are out of school. That’s where Camp AYS comes to the rescue! We empower your kids to make them feel like superheroes. We challenge them to be brave, try new things, and learn through their experiences. So remove your cape and take a breath this summer. We’ve got your back! Register for FREE through February 29! Beginning March 1, there will be a $35 registration fee per child.
Youth Cheer Clinic
Registration Link: https://gofan.co/app/events/79388
MISSION
We are student invested, community connected. We prioritize student learning, safety, and customer service.
VISION
We are a model campus characterized by an environment that is: Calm, Safe, Positive, Purposeful, AND FUN! Students, families, and staff will be invested through respectful relationships and a thirst for learning.
Stephen Decatur Elementary
Assistant Principal: Jay Lovell
Lead Teacher: Wendy Grant
Nurse: Brea Middleton-Keen
CIS Coordinators: Matt Ernst and Laverna Tracy
Email: jpearson@decaturproud.org
Website: http://www.decaturproud.org/stephen-decatur
Location: 3425 Foltz Street, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: 317-241-0183
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephenDecaturElementary/
Twitter: @SD_Eagles