Stephen Decatur News
February 19, 2016
Stephen Decatur
Website: http://www.msddecatur.k12.in.us/stephen-decatur/
Location: 3425 Foltz Street, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Phone: (317) 241-0183
Twitter: @SD_Eagles
Winter Compassion Carnival
Our annual winter carnival is having a makeover! In an effort to promote our character traits, we have tied this event with our compassion trait. In coordination with one of our former students and Mary’s Movement, Inc., Stephen Decatur students will enjoy a fun carnival night while also working together with special needs students to complete activities and games in order to promote a more tolerant generation of students. The carnival will still include games and prizes, the Scholastic Book Fair, and dinner in the cafeteria, and it will also have some new concepts. The event is Thursday, February 25th from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. As the event date nears, more details will be sent home. We will also have a volunteer sign up for assistance with the games, food, and other events. We are looking forward to making this one of the best carnivals yet!
ISTEP- Ready to Show Our SUPER POWERS!
In order to support your child's success, here are a few tips:
*Make sure your child arrives to school on time. We will begin testing daily at 8am.
*Make sure your child gets a good night's sleep. (The brain actually does a lot of learning during sleep!)
*Gently encourage your child to do their very best on the test!
Please see below for information about our ISTEP Spirit Days!
ISTEP Incentive.....SHHH IT'S A SECRET!
We will announce this to the students next Friday!
We want to reward our student's hard work on the ISTEP test! We will provide the following incentives:
*Whole School Incentive: If our school as a whole shows growth on this year's ISTEP, we will begin next year with a school-wide PIZZA PARTY!! (We will make sure to get pizza to our 6th graders at the middle school as well! :)
*Individual Incentive: For students who show typical or high growth, they will receive a ticket for each section in which this is achieved. So students have the ability to earn 2 tickets! The tickets will be used to vote for a staff member to kiss a pig! The 6 staff members with the highest number of votes will kiss a pig at one of our first success times for the 2016-2017 school year. (Current 6th grade students will be able to vote electronically from the middle school and we will live stream the event!)
Please Welcome Our New Student Support Coach!
Email Communications
Keep us informed if you have a new email, and we will keep you informed on all the great things that are going on at Stephen Decatur! Please make sure to have rkehrein@msddecatur.k12.in.us and rkehrein@smore.com approved to go to your inbox and not spam. These emails will still be in addition to classroom communications from the teachers. Our hope is to have an email for every family so that we can share school related information quickly and efficiently.
Student Textbook Rental Due Now!
Payments on all remaining balances are due in full at this time. Please make sure that your child’s account is up to date. We rely on these fees to provide necessary items to your child for their daily learning needs. Payments can be made by cash, check, or money order at the office, or by debit/credit card in the office or by phone. Any balances that are still on your statement are current. These balances are after any free/reduced book rental has been credited. Families are responsible for these fees.
2015-2016 Yearbook Pre-Orders
Registration for the 2016-2017 School Year
Wednesday, July 13th 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 14th 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 16th 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Colder Weather, Delays and Closures
As it gets colder, please make sure to dress your child appropriately. Students will go outside for recess as long as the temperature is above 20° with wind chill factored in. Please make sure that the student has a winter coat, hat, gloves, and appropriate clothing for this time of year.
In the event that the weather causes us to have a 2 hour delay or closure, a Skylert message would go out to the primary phone number to alert parents. It would also be advertised on all of the local news stations that scroll local schools and businesses that close. We would be listed as MSD Decatur Township or Decatur Township. Please note that we are not listed as Decatur County Schools or Decatur Community Schools. Those are located in Decatur County, not Marion County. We also try to update the district's web page with the most current information on school changes.
A 2 hour delay means that Stephen Decatur would start at 9:45 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m. Buses will run exactly 2 hours behind their normal schedule for pickup times. We would still dismiss at 2:40 p.m. in the event of a 2 hour delay.
Transportation
Students who need daily transportation will be assigned to one bus. Due to bus capacities and routing efficiencies, students will not be able to use multiple bus stops or ride alternate buses. This includes riding to a friend or family member’s house just for the afternoon. Any daily changes in transportation from car to bus, bus to car, or AYS changes need to be in writing to the teacher in the morning. This ensures that the information is received and that the student is sent in the right direction at dismissal. Phone calls to the office are not guaranteed to reach the student in a timely manner, and teachers may not be available to receive messages during classroom learning time.
School Hours
School opens at 7:45 every morning. We are not equipped to watch children prior to 7:45. Door 10N will be staffed from 7:45-8:00 for all car riders. For the safety of our students, they should not be dropped off at the front entrance during times that the car rider line is open. Parents who do want to escort their child in to see the nurse, pay book rental, or meet with a teacher will need to park in a designated parking spot and walk in to the main entrance. Cars should not be parked and left in the drive unattended. At 8:00, students will be considered tardy and will need to enter through the front office and check in. School dismissal is at 2:40. Car riders are to be picked up at door 10N at dismissal time. If there are any difficulties conforming to our drop off and pick up times, AYS is an independent before and after care service that is located in our building. Information about that program can be obtained at http://www.ayskids.org or by calling 317-283-3817.
Attendance
In order to comply with Indiana State Law, the school and district are monitoring attendance. Administrators are required to report all chronic attendance occurrences, including excessive tardies, absences, and early dismissals. Parents are to report their student absent by telephone within one hour after school starts. Excused absences include doctor, dentist, or counseling appointments, a death in the immediate family, court subpoena, and major religious holidays. These will remain unexcused until proper documentation is provided to the school. Students are expected to be seated in the classroom, unpacked, and ready for learning at 8:00 a.m., or they will be considered tardy.
Volunteering
Parents and family members wishing to volunteer in the classrooms attend field trips, or help with class parties need to be registered with our volunteer coordinator. Registering on the volunteer hub needs to be completed annually. If you anticipate that you will be helping or going on a field trip, please register early. Applications take 48 hours to process, so last minute applications may not be approved in time. To register, please visit the following link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16saMYiObU8saHfeNGCPpMe-0WONduTIr4Vep1Mdo2aU/viewform and complete the form or visit our district homepage at www.decaturproud.org and select volunteer hub from the community tab. You may complete the online application, or you may print off a paper version and turn it in to the office.
AYS
AYS, Inc. and MSD of Decatur Township are working together to provide an activities program before and after school. This program provides creative, recreational and physical activities, as well as enrichment and homework opportunities. For more information, please visit http://www.ayskids.org or call 317-283-3817.
Decatur Proud License Plates
Support Decatur Township by purchasing a metal “Decatur Proud” license plate for the front of your vehicle. The cost is $10 (cash only) and the profits from the plates sold help the students in our building.
Kroger Community Rewards
Marsh Fresh Ideas for Education
Community Dinner
Second Helpings and MSD of Decatur Township have joined together to provide free community dinners every Tuesday at Stephen Decatur. The dinners are from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria, and guests may enter through door 4 South. This dinner is open to anyone in the community and is not limited to Stephen Decatur families.
Calendar of Events
Winter Compassion Carnival
Thursday, Feb 25, 2016, 05:30 PM
Stephen Decatur Elementary School, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Success Time
Friday, Feb 26, 2016, 08:15 AM
Stephen Decatur Elementary School, Indianapolis, IN, United States
ISTEP Testing
Tuesday, Mar 1, 2016, 08:00 AM
Stephen Decatur Elementary School, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Decatur Township Roller Skating Party
Tuesday, Mar 8, 2016, 06:30 PM
Wheels of Wonder, Southern Plaza Drive, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Spring Break - No School
Monday, Mar 21, 2016, 07:45 AM
Stephen Decatur Elementary School, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Decatur Township Statement
It is the Board’s commitment to provide a safe, positive, productive and nurturing educational environment for all of its students. Any individual who believes a student has been or is the victim of discrimination, bullying, or harassment should report the situation to the building principal or designee or complete the School District’s Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying report form, which is available online at http://www.msddecatur.k12.in.us.