Dear FTCSC Elementary Families,

As you may know, some of our elementary buses have continued to run late on their routes this school year. Our FTCSC Transportation Department has done a great job of trying different options to have our buses run on time. Unfortunately, our elementary buses are still struggling to consistently be on time. We realize that in order for our buses to run on time and keep everyone safe, we need to move the elementary start and stop time later by 10 minutes for elementary schools. In most cases, bus stop times will remain the same. If there are changes, your bus driver and the Transportation Department will communicate that to you as soon as possible. This also means our car riders will be let out of cars at 8:50 in the morning and we will begin boarding car riders at 3:50 in the afternoon.

At the August FTCSC School Board meeting, our FTCSC School Board approved moving the elementary times later by 10 minutes starting the Tuesday after Labor Day (September 8th). This change will allow our buses to run on time.

• Current Elementary times:
• 9:00-3:45

• New Elementary start time beginning Tuesday, September 8th:
• 9:10-3:55

There are also several new items in this newsletter with dates included.

I encourage you to revisit the FTCSC Return to School Plan. It is revised often to reflect changes as they are announced by the Indiana State Department of Health and other governmental agencies. Please carefully check the Covid Parent Screener. There are some changes there, too. There were some symptoms that were removed from the exclusion list, but now if one child is excluded due to symptoms all siblings are treated as a close contact and are also excluded. The recommendations continue to evolve, and the FTCSC website is diligent about keeping up to date with those changes.

Picture Day is this Wednesday, Sept. 2nd. Details are listed below.

Our first PTO meeting is next Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6 PM in the media center. We would love to see you! This is not just for parents of in-person learners; parents of virtual learners are welcome, too!

Thank you again for your continued support especially during this window of time in which we find ourselves. It makes all the difference in the world!

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Jaci Greig

The High Ability nomination window for students in the 2021-2022 school year is open NOW through Oct. 23rd. Any student in grades K - 3 can be nominated by teachers and/or parents. If you would like to ensure that your child is assessed and considered for either Tier II or Tier III in the High Ability program please complete the parent nomination form for students in grades K - 3. Please also communicate your desire to your child’s teacher.

All students in grade 3 will be given the CogAT assessment in late October/early November. A nomination for high ability ensures that your child will proceed to the next round of assessments in January. Final determinations will be made in Spring 2021. If you would like more information about the FTCSC High Ability program it can be found on the FTCSC website.

Body Safety Program from Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

On September 24, the Body Safety Program will be presented to our students at Adams Elementary School. Due to COVID-19, the program will be presented virtually this year. The presenter, Jessica Medeiros of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s Victims Assistance Unit, is a well-trained expert who works very effectively with elementary age children. This program teaches children to recognize and avoid sexual abuse. The main objectives of the program are:

• to give children non-threatening, practical information about abuse that is delivered in a positive manner

• to teach children that their body is their own and they can say “no” to abuse

• to teach children the correct names of their body parts and explain the importance of using accurate terms when talking about their bodies

• to help children identify people who can help if there is a problem with abuse or other situations that make them feel confused, uncomfortable, or gives them an “uh-oh feeling”

• to affirm that sexual abuse is NEVER the child’s fault

• to teach children that they can tell someone they trust about abuse if it happens to them and what to do if they tell but aren’t listened to or believed

Students in each grade level will view the presentation in their own classroom with their teacher. The presentation will be shown through Google Meet and will be projected onto the screen in the classroom at the following times: Kindergarten & 1st grade from 9:30 – 9:50 a.m. and 2nd & 3rd grade from 10:15 – 10:45 a.m. The Kindergarten and 1st grade program is 20 minutes long and is adapted to their age level (there is no video for this age group). For 2nd and 3rd grade, it is a 45-minute program, which includes a DVD and time for questions. For grades 2 & 3 ONLY, the following will occur immediately after the presentation:

• Students in grades 2 and 3 will be given an online form to complete. The purpose of the form and how to complete it will be explained to students at the end of the presentation.

• The form asks for the student’s name, teacher’s name and has only one question: “have you ever been touched on your private body parts for NO GOOD reason?” The child may select “yes” or “no” as the answer to this question.

• If a child answers “yes” to this question, that child will speak privately with either Jessica Medeiros, IMPD Abuse Program Specialist, or Kerry Purvitis, Adams Elementary School Counselor.

• If a reasonable belief is established that a child is a victim of abuse, the abuse program specialist will generate a “Preliminary Report of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect” to the Marion County Department of Child Services hotline.

• At the time this report is generated, parents will not be notified by IMPD or the school. When appropriate, notification to the parents that a report has been generated will be made by the Department of Child Services.

• Dependent upon the number of children needing to speak to the abuse program specialist, it may not be possible to complete all interviews on the same day as the program presentation, but may require the abuse program specialist to return to the school on September 25.

This program is an important part of your child’s educational experience regarding personal safety and it has the greatest positive effect when supported by parents and guardians. However, if you DO NOT wish for your child to participate in the Body Safety program, you will be given the opportunity to withhold consent for your child to participate. Letters about the Body Safety program will be sent home with your child well before the program date. If you DO want your child to view this presentation, you will not have to do anything. However, if you DO NOT want your child to participate, you MUST sign the letter and return it to school. It is very important that you sign and return the letter if you do not wish for your child to participate because If we do not receive a signature slip from you, your child will join the rest of the children in viewing this program.

If you have any questions or concerns, or would like more information about the program, please contact Mrs. Purvitis, School Counselor, at 317-860-4257 or kerry.purvitis@ftcsc.org.

We are looking for:

~Instructional Assistant to assist our English Learner Teacher

and Students.

~Maternity Leave Long Term Substitute

For more information or to apply: https://ftcsc.org/human-resources/employment-opportunities/