We are drawing close to the conclusion of semester one, and the school house continues to be full of learning opportunities and activity. We completed NWEA testing, and a variety of learning experiences and assessments are wrapping up prior to the new year. Note that we have school next Monday and Tuesday. From there, the school building will be closed from Wednesday, 12/21 and reopen on Tuesday, January 3.

Piano/Welcome Music - Emma was our first student guest pianist today, and staff as well as students were mesmerized by her beautiful music. Thank you, Emma! You were amazing!

Parents and/or students, we would love for you to play for us! Don't forget that we are now calling out all piano players to consider playing welcome music during arrival. This invitation is open to students and parents/guardians. To get on the calendar, simply call Barb or Beth at our front office (317-873-2226) during school hours to reserve your spot. We ask guest pianists to arrive by 7:40 and plan to play from 7:45 - 8:05. We can't wait to see who will welcome us in the mornings.

PTO Website - Our PTO has launched a website! It contains important PTO information and is a perfect landing spot for all things PTO. I've placed links and other details below.

Wellness Night is coming - Save the date for the evening of January 12th for the return of our BME Wellness Night. This is an evening evening where students and families are invited to visit the school between 6:00-7:30. During this time, a variety of activities will be housed throughout the building for engaging experiences. Come to tap into physical activity, learn about nutrition, and explore your creative side. We hope to see you on 1/12/23.

STEM Science & Engineering Fair - Proposals were due today, but if you need to turn yours in on Monday, we can still accept.

Our Science and Engineering Fair is scheduled for January 26th (corrected time is 6:00-7:30)! Any kindergarten through 4th grade student that is interested in participating needs to bring a signed proposal form to Mrs. Benson no later than Monday, December 19th. More information and proposal forms can be found in Mrs. Benson’s Science & Engineering flyer or by logging in to your child’s Canvas account and visiting the STEM course on the dashboard. Contact Mrs. Benson if you have questions. (kbenson@zcs.k12.in.us)

I love this place and all the big & little people in it!

If our paths don't cross before, I'll see you in 2023!

Tom Hundley, Principal

The BME PTO has established a new way to share information with parents, families, and the community! The new website can be found at www.BMEpto.com and includes up-to-date information about events, fundraisers, and other PTO activities. Please spread the word about the new site, so even those without social media can explore opportunities with the PTO!

As we approach the holiday season, we are aware that members of our school community may be seeking assistance to provide for their families. We have been working with a number of agencies to assist in connecting families with ongoing and/or holiday support for food, clothing, and financial assistance. Please contact our school counselor, Kristi Sloan, if we can offer any assistance in connecting your family with a support agency.

Please note the following agencies provide a variety of assistance for families. Please contact the agencies directly for a full list of services:

Love, Inc.: Hours 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Mon/Wed/Fri (765) 482-6144 https://www.loveincbc.org/

Love, Inc. provides short term assistance and education services supported by numerous Boone County Churches

Zionsville Food Pantry – Serving all of Boone County

Located at Zionsville Presbyterian Church, (317) 873-6503.

The Caring Center: 1230 Ransdell Ct., Lebanon, IN 46052 (765) 482-2020. Visit www.thecaringcenter.net for additional information. Assistance with holiday food baskets, Christmas gifts for teenagers ages 13 - 18, and Thanksgiving meals.

Help 4 Hoosiers: Offers a variety of resources. https://www.help4hoosiers.org/

Indiana 211: Families can access resources by calling 211 directly or visiting https://in211.communityos.org/

Food Assistance Availability Map https://www.in.gov/fssa/dfr/food-assistance-availability-map/?fbclid=IwAR0qdNVKD-Dsxkn0_tAd2Bk5_PJo_newqBp1-qCcSiKFkGflBLtxXeTGqOQ

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry https://feedingindianashungry.org/find-your-food-bank/

Boone County Shop with a Cop - Applications are available at Zionsville Police Department, Whitestown Police Department, and the Boone County Sheriff's Office. Applications must be submitted by 11/23.

Indiana weather is known for its rapid changes and we have certainly already seen that this year! As the weather turns colder, students will need to come to school with their winter coats, hats, and gloves. Snow pants, waterproof boots, warm gloves/mittens are required to be able to play in the snow. Please reach out to our counselor, Mrs. Sloan, if you are in need of assistance to obtain cold weather gear. All children play outside except on rainy, icy, or very cold days (wind chill below the 10-20 degree range). Inside recess will be held on those exceptional days.

2022-2023 ZCS Calendar

December 16 - Science/Engineering Fair Project Proposals Due to front office

December 20 - End of quarter 2/Semester 1 & Winter parties

December 21 - January 2 - Winter Break

January 3 - Students and Staff return to school

January 9 - Science/Engineering Fair Research/Help Session in Media Center, 4:00-5:00

January 11 - PTO Meeting (6:30 cafe)

January 12 - Student Progress Reports posted on PowerSchool; Wellness Night 6:00-7:30 PM

January 16 - MLK Jr. Day - no school

January 17 - Teacher professional development day (no school for students)

January 25 - Science Fair set up in Gymnasium (2:30-4:00)

January 26 - Science Fair Judging (school day); Open House for Science Fair 4:00-5:30

January 27 - Science Fair Concludes

February 8 - PTO Meeting

February 14 - Valentine's Day

February 20 - 24 - February break

March 20-24 - Scholastic Book Fair

March 31 - April 7 - Spring Break

April 12 - PTO Meeting

April 28 - Boone Meadow Bash!

May 1-5 - Teacher Appreciation Week

May 2 - Boone Meadow Voices Concert @ ZWEST

May 10 - PTO meeting

May 12 - Field Day

May 22 - Kindy Sing

May 24 - Fourth Grade Celebration

May 25 - Last Day of School

Lunch Guests

We are ready to welcome lunch guests! Students and their guests will have lunch at designated locations in the front lobby area. Please no more than 2 guests per student due to limited space. So that others may have the opportunity, we ask that you not sign up more than 1 time per month. As we implement this new system/procedure, we will limit availability one more week to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday visits.

Here's how it works:

• Sign up for a reservation in advance using this link: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/BMELunchSchedule@zcsk12in.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/ When you sign up, please be certain to complete all fields requested.
• Be sure to notify your child's teacher so they are informed to send your child to the front lobby to meet you/guest during their scheduled lunch time.
• Bring a photo ID and arrive 5 minutes early (lunch times are listed on the signup form link above).
• Your child will meet you in the front office area when they are ready.

The School Directory App is Updated for the 2022-23 school year families!

Our Student directory is now complete! Many thanks to the PTO for organizing this helpful resource! To access the directory follow these steps:

• Go to www.directoryspot.net or download the “Directory Spot” app on a smart phone. Click “Login”.
• Enter your email address as your Username, and click on “Reset Password”. An email will be sent to you with a link to set your password.
• Click on the link in the email to set your password and to log in.

If you have trouble logging in, please contact PTO Secretary, Carolee Sanguedolce at caroleeaustin@aol.com

When volunteers are needed and approved, appropriate staff members will reach out to you in effort to welcome your support and assistance.

If you plan to volunteer or visit in the future, please note the following information.

Click here for information regarding required Background Checks for volunteers: ZCS Volunteer Background Check

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR VOLUNTEERS

We value partnerships with our families and welcome parents and guardians to serve as volunteers in our schools. Each ZCS building typically offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. If you plan to assist as chaperones or engage with children in a volunteer capacity, we strongly recommend getting a criminal background check completed well in advance to have on file.

Examples include:

• Field Trip Chaperones
• Out of Town/Overnight Chaperones
• Tutors
• Volunteer Coaches
• Classroom Helpers (PTO parties/room parents)
• Library Helpers
• After Prom Workers
• Field Day/Jog-A-Thon Volunteers
• Book Fair Sales/Athletic Ticket Sales

During the school day, all volunteers are expected to sign in at the front office. Prior to the volunteer opportunity, all volunteers must sign a Non-disclosure Acknowledgement Form and have successfully completed a Full Criminal History Background Check. Volunteers must also view the state mandated confidentiality/bullying video, provided on the Volunteer/BRAVO website.

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR VISITORS

During the school day, all visitors must enter via the front door and sign-in at the front office. Visitors need to be prepared to present a government issued photo ID which will be scanned against the National Sex Offender Registry. All visitors will be issued a visitor badge/tag to be worn inside the building at all times.

Examples Include:

• Lunch Guests
• Classroom Guest Speakers
• Classroom Special Events (Grandparent Day/Famous Hoosiers/etc.)
• Parent/Teacher Conferences

*ZCS thanks all volunteers for generous support of our youth and schools. Thank you, too, for supporting assurance of student and staff safety by completing and paying for a volunteer background check.