Southside News
Friday, May 20, 2022
From the Desk of Mr. Backmeyer...
THANK YOU for a great 21-22 school year! I cannot believe that we are celebrating our last day today! We appreciate the partnership between home and school...it makes all the difference!
Yearbooks just arrived today from the company! We do have extras for purchase the next 2 weeks between the hours of 8 AM - 2 PM, if you would like to purchase one or more. They are $15 and we request that you bring the correct amount, as we do not have change, or a check made payable to Southside Elementary School.
"I am bored!" I hope you don't hear this during the summer, BUT if you do OR if you would like some things for your student to stay engaged with some academic activities...scroll down to the article titled, "IXL this SUMMER!!!!"
A couple of reminders and some NEWS...
- PICTURES - High School Mustangs, 6th Grade Graduation, Ukraine pictures from Art
- Spell Bowl List for 2022!
- IXL this SUMMER!!!! Need something for your student to do?
- COMMUNITY EVENTS - always being updated! See opportunities for STEM camps, Academic camps, Foster and Kinship Day, Girl Scouts, Basketball camps, etc.
- High Ability Testing and Re-Testing Information Now Available
- 2022-23 School Supply List
- NEED HELP with School Supplies for Next Year? See how to sign up below!
- IMPORTANT PARENT PORTAL INFORMATION - UPDATE THIS PLEASE! BCSC thinks we will only have 35% do this...not at Southside!
- BCSC Newsletter
- PTO NEWS
- BCSC Summer 2022 Feeding Program
GET THOSE KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ENROLLED - Kindergarten Online Enrollment is Open
DON'T FORGET ABOUT PARENTSQUARE! Download the app! More information below!
Have a great SUMMER!
~ Mr. Jeff Backmeyer
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IMPORTANT DATES:
June 1st - PTO Meeting from 6-7 PM in the Library
August 2nd - Open House - Times TBA on Social Media and ParentSquare
August 4th - School Begins
August 6th - Community Immunization Clinic - more information below
- BCSC Calendar for 21-22
6th Grade Southside Graduation...Congratulations and Best Wishes, Mustangs!
BEST WISHES TO ALL OF YOU!
IXL this SUMMER!!!!
Would you like something educational and fun for your student to do this summer? Keep those grade level skills sharp for August? Well, you are in luck! Our students will have access to IXL this summer!
Parent Handouts (links below to English & Spanish) are here for all students! The one-page parent PDF below includes login information, directions on choosing skills, and how to view progress.
Summer Skill Plans are created as a set of plans that provide 20 days worth of skill recommendations for both enrichment and remediation, with a focus on challenging, summative skills that cover critical topics for each grade level in order to get students ready for the new school year:
- For Enrichment - Summer Adventures - Daily themed adventures that allow students to explore Math & ELA in grades K-1, and Math, ELA, Science, and Social Studies skills in grades 2-8.
- For Remediation - Summer Boost: Math & ELA - Four weeks of IXL skills for solidifying essential Math & ELA concepts for students in K-12.
* For both plans, students should select their grade for the upcoming fall (e.g., rising third graders should use the third grade plan).
For students to use IXL on a non-BCSC device they will need to go to ixl.com/signin/barthschool to get to our BCSC login page. On the parent letter below it just has ixl.com as the link address. The students will also need their username and password to login. The usernames and passwords are their BCSC Google logins.
Spell Bowl List for 2022!
Calling all future 4th, 5th, and 6th grade spellers. If you are interested in trying out for next year's spell bowl team and would like to begin practicing the words over the summer, please stop by Mrs. Duchow's office, room 292, to pick up a list of words. Tryouts will be over the first 300 words and will happen the first couple of weeks of school.
SEE LIST BELOW...
Ukraine, our hearts are with you! Art work from Mrs. Hass's Art Classes
2022-23 School Supply List
IMPORTANT PARENT PORTAL INFORMATION - UPDATE THIS PLEASE!
You received an email/text/social media post pertaining to PARENT PORTAL this week! WE NEED YOUR HELP! We try really hard to keep your information up to date, BUT we have 900 students and that can be very daunting at the beginning of the school year. THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE your information is critical and we are excited to have your correct address, email addresses, cell phone numbers, etc. This will fit perfectly into PARENTSQUARE, our communication tool for you for the 2022-23 school year! THANK YOU for taking the time to update your information!! If you need your Parent Portal account information, please call our office at 812-376-4423 and Mrs. Amini or Mrs. Simms will help you get that information!
IMPORTANT PARENT PORTAL INFORMATION
BCSC Families,
In an effort to help our schools get prepared for the 2022-2023 school year, we are sending you a link to help us confirm or update your student's registration information. Your information being up to date will be very important as your contact information will be pulled directly from this data in the event that we need to contact you.
Please do not worry that this form is called Re-enrollment. Your student is already enrolled at BCSC and any future transfer requests are handled through a different process.
- Please login to your Parent Portal account and click on the Returning Student Registration link. https://powerschool.bcsc.k12.in.us/public/
Please contact your student's school office if you do not have a Parent Portal account.
- For step by step directions, please use this link. https://bcscschools.helpjuice.com/bcsc-re-enrollment
High Ability Testing and Re-Testing Information Now Available
High Ability Testing and Re-Testing Information Now Available
High Ability Open Testing/Re-testing Sessions will take place on June 14-15, 2022, for students in grades 4-8.
BCSC students may re-test one time between the Grade 3 and Grade 6. The re-testing will be completed in their home schools. Non-BCSC students may open-test 2 times. The Registration Form with details about session times is now available at:
https://www.bcscschools.org/highability
All open-testers/BCSC re-testers will complete a cognitive measure (CogAT) and BCSC Writing & Math tasks.
Non-BCSC students must complete NWEA testing, as well as the above-mentioned components.
If your Non-BCSC child has completed NWEA testing after 4/1/2022 in a non-BCSC school, you may submit the NWEA Map Growth Student Profile report to Gail Koors at koorsg@bcsc.k12.in.us. The student must still attend sessions to complete all other requirements.
There will be a $25 testing fee for non-BCSC students. On testing day, please bring cash or check made out to BCSC Fund 2949.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT HIGH ABILITY PROGRAMMING IN BCSC - CLICK HERE
NEWS from our Southside PTO
Our next PTO meeting is scheduled for June 1, 2022 at 6:00 PM in the library.
Click here for the minutes from the May 4, 2022 meeting.
Sincerely,
Jill Mishler
President, Southside PTO
PTO Board: Jill Mishler- President, Monta Frazier- Vice President, Ali Rauchfuss- Treasurer, Jennette Merwin- Secretary
Southside PTO Facebook Page - CLICK HERE
Questions? Email the PTO at southsidemustangspto@gmail.com
Southside Library Artwork - Donation Opportunity
The Southside Library is pleased to unveil an amazing new piece of art created by Jenni Kielser of Keywords, Co. The art is a large-scale replica of 23 children’s book spines. Additionally, the Southside community has a unique opportunity to add a personal touch to this artwork. PTO is collecting donations for each of the 23 spines. If you would like to donate a book spine, Jenni will add your family, classroom, in memory of, or in honor of name to the book spine for a donation of $125. In addition to your name featured on the artwork, a donation plate with your name will also be added to a new copy of the book to be circulated at the Southside Library.
To donate a book spine, please send $125 in cash or a check payable to Southside PTO to the library, or Venmo our Southside PTO @Southside_PTO. Please include the title of the book spine you would like to donate. Please contact Mrs. Frazier with further questions: 812-376-4423 or frazierm@bcsc.k12.in.us.
The following excellent bookspines are still available:
- Peanut Butter & Cupcake by Terry Border
- The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
- Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
- Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
- Who Would Win?: Ultimate Showdown by Jerry Pallotta
- True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
- Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Kindergarten Online Enrollment Open NOW for 22-23 School Year
BCSC Kindergarten enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year is available online.
Please note the following guidelines:
- Any child that is 5 years of age by August 1, 2022, is eligible for Kindergarten.
- All parents/guardians must present the following items to enroll their child for school: the child’s birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residency. The proof of residency can be a utility bill (not a cell phone bill), but the address reflected must match the student’s home address.
- For further questions, please contact the school your child will attend.
Kindergarten online enrollment is available online at www.bcscschools.org/enrollment
2022 Summer Break Care with i-CARE
When: May 26 – July 29, 6:30 am to 6:00 pm (excluding May 30 and July 4)
No school or break care on May 23-25, August 1-3
Where: Smith Elementary, 4505 Waycross Dr., Columbus, IN 47201 (812) 374-2338
Price: Full Time care per week is $100.00 for the first child, $25.00 per add’l sibling.
Drop In care is $25.00 a day for the first child and $5.00 per add’l sibling.
How:
1) Go to bcscschools.org, click the Programs tab, click i-CARE and click the link to enroll your child.
2) If you have an existing parent portal account, log in. If you do not have an account, click on ‘New Customers Open Account’, to create an account.
3) Register your child for the activity “Summer Break 2022” and review your child’s information. There is NO bus transportation during break care.
4) If your child is attending Full Time or Drop-In, you will enroll them according to your needs. You will be charged according to what you enroll your child/children in, whether they attend or not.
5) E-mail Anna Villa (Site Coordinator for break) at villaa@bcsc.k12.in.us to inform her if your child has any specific medical, dietary, or activity restrictions.
Please feel free to call our office with any questions/concerns at (812) 418-0924.
**Enrollment starts on April 4, 2022 and ends on April 29, 2022.**
No enrollment changes can be made after April 29, 2022. The only change that can be made is if you withdraw your child completely from Summer Break, which requires a two week notice in writing.
17th Annual Mustang Walk-A-Thon Corporate Sponsors
Mustang Walk-A-Thon Corporate Sponsors - THANK YOU to our 2021 Southside Mustang Walk-a-thon sponsors! You are greatly appreciated! Mustang families, please consider supporting those that support us!
Hot Box Pizza - 2415 N National Rd Suite A, Columbus, IN 47201 - (812) 565-9999 - https://www.hotboxpizza.com/hotbox-pizza-locations/columbus/
Baird Private Wealth Management - 380 Plaza Dr Suite D, Columbus, IN 47201 - (812) 372-7892 - http://www.bairdoffices.com/columbus-in/
Growby's RTO Home Furnishings - 2915 N National Rd, Columbus, IN 47201 - (812) 418-8226 - http://www.growbys.com
Johnson-Witkemper Insurance - 305 Washington St, Columbus, IN 47201 - (812) 372-7829 - https://jwinsurance.com/
AAA Striping - 1540 Cottage Ave, Columbus, IN 47201 - (812) 372-3820 - http://www.tripleastriping.com/
McDermott Orthodontics - 3140 Middle Rd, Columbus, IN 47201 - (812) 379-1111 - http://www.drmcdermott.com
Our Own Southside Family Support Specialists
We are fortunate to have a great partnership with Centerstone. Southside and Centerstone are partnering to help serve our students with an advanced, comprehensive, approach to counseling. Centerstone works with BCSC schools collaboratively by providing school-based services to improve the behavioral health and well-being of students. Three Centerstone mental health clinicians, located at Southside, provide support to youth struggling with academic studies due to mental health and behavioral issues. Mrs. Leslie Cain, Mr. Theo Cook, and Mr. Samarcus Hollinsworth are our Southside Family Support Specialists. They can be accessed quickly and will build a plan of care around the unique strengths, needs, and preferences of the child and the family. Services are offered at the school and can also be extended to the home, community, and/or the local Centerstone office.
Some common developmental skills which can be developed in our work with students include:
- Attention and Focus
- Organization and Time Management
- Communication Skills
- Goal Setting
- Assertiveness Skills
- Positive Coping Skills
- Feelings Identification
- Making Friends
- Conflict Resolution
- Moving through Grief, Loss, and Change
- Self Esteem Building
For more information please contact our counselor, Mrs. Jeannie Newell, at newellj@bcsc.k12.in.us or you can contact Centerstone at 812.314.3300
REMINDER: Criminal History Background Checks
REMINDER: Criminal History Background Checks
ANYONE wishing to volunteer for the school must have a limited criminal history background check and sexual offender registry check on file in the Southside office.
NO EXCEPTIONS!
The approved volunteer list is updated each school year...please allow seven school days for processing your background/sex offender checks.
ANYONE volunteering or chaperoning me on any field trip must complete a form!
For the safety of our students, parents, and staff members, all volunteers must participate in these two background investigations.
Call the office (812-376-4423) with any questions.
Our Vision & Mission
Southside Vision
Good, Better, Best,
Never rest,
Until Your Good is Better,
and Your Better is Best!
Southside Mission
The Southside community will ensure all learners demonstrate growth by modeling positive choices and recognizing the gifts and challenges of each student through a collaborative working environment.
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FEATURES to Our Newsletter...Change Font, Background, Translate
We have some GREAT FEATURES to our newsletter!!! We have upgraded our newsletter to add some features that I think will help our families! You will need to SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE NEWSLETTER to access these NEW FEATURES!
- FONT SIZE - if your newsletter comes in a font that is too small...scroll to the bottom and click the LARGER Aa!
- CHANGE BACKGROUND - if the background and colors are a distraction or removing them makes things easier to read...scroll to the bottom and click High Contrast Mode!
- TRANSLATE THE NEWSLETTER - if you speak a different language...scroll to the bottom and click TRANSLATE! A Google Translate box will appear - click arrow to scroll to select a language. This is not perfect and does not translate everything but we hope this will be beneficial to our parents and students!