Central Hub
March 2017
Our Mission
A Note from the Principal
The last few weeks have been very busy as we have taken the ISTEP+ test and are preparing for the IREAD (March 14th). While we have worked very hard, we have managed to squeeze in some fun as well.
As we near the middle of March, the weather seems to be breaking and spring is around the corner. Another sure sign of spring is the fact that we're getting ready for the walkathon! You will find information about the event in this newsletter.
Since spring is quickly approaching that means Spring Break is too! Don't forget that the kids will be out of school starting on Friday March 24th and classes will resume on Monday April 3rd. So get ready to get some rest, hopefully some sun, and get ready to start the last grading period of the year!
Sincerely,
Julie Thacker
IMPORTANT DATES
- February 27--PTO Meeting 7:00 p.m. at Central Elementary Cafeteria
- February 27-March 10--ISTEP Applied Skills Testing Window
- March 10th--End of the Grading Period
- March 12--Daylight Savings Time "Spring Forward" your clocks one hour forward
- March 13-March 17-IREAD-3 Testing Window
- March 14--Fifth Grade Music Program at Central Elementary Gym
- March 15--PTO Fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings from 10:30am-11:30pm
- March 20--Mobile Smile Dentists will visit
- March 20--PTO Meeting at 7:00pm at Central Elementary Cafeteria
- March 23--Central Celebration 2:30-3:15
- March 24-April 2nd--Spring Break
- April 5th and 6th--Kindergarten Registration 9-2/4-7:30 (on the 5th) and 4:30-7:30 (on the 6th)
- April 17--PTO Meeting at 7:00pm at Central Elementary Cafeteria
- April 17-May 5--ISTEP Multiple-Choice Gridded Response Testing Window
- April 28--PCSC Elementary Walk-a-thon
- May 15--PTO Meeting at 7:00pm in Central Elementary Cafeteria
- May 19--Fifth grade Honor Breakfast and Central Celebration
- May 19--Field Day (rain day May 22nd)
- May 23--Last day of school for students/End of Fourth Grading Period
March 20th Mobile Dentist will visit Central
From the nurse:
Parents, please send back the mobile dentist application form as soon as possible if you want your child to be seen by a Dentist here at school.
ISTEP and IREAD-3 Testing
On Tuesday February 28th we began Part 1 of the the ISTEP. We are confident that our students were prepared and showed what they knew as they have been working very hard this year. Our teachers are proud of how their students performed and the positive attitude about the test!
The second phase of ISTEP will be after Spring Break starting April 17th.
IREAD-3 practice testing will begin this week. The test is Tuesday, March 14th. Please make sure your children get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast because we will test in the morning.
Central C.H.A.M.P.S
Central Elementary is excited to share our Positive Behavior Intervention Support program. Our program is rooted in Central character and the idea that Champions Make Choices and Choices Make Champions. Our faculty was involved in creating and defining a Central CHAMPS student.
The following defines what it means to be a CHAMPS student:
Caring
Honest
Achievement
Making good choices
Prepared to learn
Safety
Furthermore, we have defined our Central Champs expectations in all areas throughout our school. In a continued effort to recognize our students making good choices, as well as build our climate and culture, we are going to begin our school-wide incentive program using Brag Tags. All students will receive a necklace and a Central tag to start with to be worn every Friday. This is a way to acknowledge the hard work and positive behavior of our students. Additional tags will be awarded one time a month.
Dr. Seuss Day
"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child."
Theodor Seuss Geisel, best known as Dr. Seuss, would have celebrated his 113th birthday on Thursday, March 2. Born in 1904, he passed away in 1991 at the age of 87. His legacy lives on through his unique poetic meter and illustrations of some of the literary worlds favorite characters that include the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, and Horton the elephant.
We caught up with some of our students celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday and Read Across America Day on March 2nd. They celebrated by making hats, reading their favorite Dr. Seuss books and having special snacks! You can continue the celebration at home and read a book of your favorite Dr. Seuss character as a family.
About NEA’s Read Across America
The National Education Association is building a nation of readers through its signature program, NEA’s Read Across America. Now in its 20th year, this year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources.
Third Graders Reading Dr. Seuss to Kindergarteners
Elementary School Walk-A-Thon
Be on the lookout for an informational letter, permission slip, and fundraising packet for this year's Annual Corporation-Wide Elementary School Walk-a-thon. These will come home with your student the week we return from Spring Break. This huge event raises money for the elementary school budgets to fund field trips, convocations, and other fun student activities throughout the school year. Students will be eligible to earn fun prizes for their fundraising and participation efforts. Check the packet and the Central PTO Facebook page for more details!
Bundle Up!
Children will be expected to go outdoors for recess when the temperature and wind chill is 20 degrees Fahrenheit and above. Students will not go out if it is raining or sleeting. The handbook also says that if your child must stay indoors because of illness during recess time, we ask that you write a daily note requesting that your child stay inside. Repeated requests for indoor recess will prompt the nurse to require a written statement from the family doctor concerning the request.
Central Robotics Team
The Central Robotics teams consisted of 4th and 5th grade students that competed twice in a youth robotics competition.
The robotics league is operated by FIRST, an international youth organization that sponsors four separate levels of robotics starting from Kindergarten through High School. FIRST is an acronym for 'For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology' and is the brain child of famous inventor Dean Kamen who introduced the world to the Segway device. The organization was established to promote interest in STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) educational activities and offer opportunities for students to take part in team focused competition events. Participation ages range from upper elementary grades through middle school. Teams spend a 10-12 week season preparing for an all-day event that includes creating displays, giving presentations, and culminates in a 'table game' where student constructed robots compete to tally as many points as possible in a two & a half-minute period, all running off computer programs created by the teams. Students are scored for all aspects of the event and top teams advance.
Each competition year establishes a Challenge theme where students are tasked with identifying a problem that exists in the world and proposing a solution. This year's Challenge was entitled Animal Allies and encouraged students to tackle problems about how humans can co-exist better with the animal population. Teams must spend part of the season researching the Challenge to incorporate their offered solution into their competition presentations.
Great job to the 10 students we had this year who represented Central Elementary! Also, a special thank you to teachers Melissa Mosier and Diana Cragen, who were the sponsors and led our team to success!
2017 Math Bowl
Math Bowl Participants: Demi Bolin, Corban Bradley, Isaiah Clay, Elijah Eckroth, Anna Harris, Poet Kenworthy, Ethan McJunkin, Ibraheem Rana, Caleb Schwettman, Madison Schilling, Mikey Slaven, and Bryce Weaver.
February Value Student Of The Month
Value of the Month Winners!
Brianna Short
Norah Brenner
Vivia Claus
Jedidiah Minnett
Jaylin Jones
Navayah Jones
Jeremy Lubsen
Allison Woodard
Finn Haulton
Kyaira Carter
Bryce Weaver
Brogan Williams
Oliver Blake
Alexa Perez
Brennen Cox
Bailynn Adams
Brendon Terry
Autumn Nichols
Dajah Floyd
Knox Madsen
Derek Scott
Emerie Hutzler
Ethan McJunkin
Luke Tallent
Student of the Month is Autumn Nichols
Autumn's Nomination Letter from Mrs. Richard
Autumn best exemplifies the value of Honesty for the month of February. Autumn shows honesty every day to her teachers and peers. As her teacher, I know that I can trust Autumn to always tell the truth, even when she knows she is wrong. She once forgot to do her homework and instead of coming up with an excuse or blaming someone, she said “I’m sorry, I just forgot, but I will remember next time.” Many of her classmates also agree that Autumn is a truthful person. They think that Autumn is honest and fair on the playground at recess. Many students also said that Autumn is someone they can trust to do the right thing at all times. It is for those reasons that Autumn is a great representative of the February Value of the Month, Honesty.
A Note from the Central PTO!
Box Tops!!
Congrats to Ms. M. Johnson's class who won the Box Top Competition with 806 collected! They get to celebrate their victory with a Pizza Party! Great job to everyone who participated!
All Central Families
Please take a minute and sign up with Remind to receive messages/reminder about up upcoming events. It's super easy!
Please text the message @dha97h to the number 81010 if you’d like a text message reminder for upcoming PTO events.
Eat at Buffalo Wild Wings and raise money for the PTO
Help support your school by eating at BW3's in Plainfield on Wednesday March 15th from 10:30am-11:30pm. Present the flyer pictured (being sent home with your child) for 10% of all proceeds to go to the Central Elementary PTO.
NEW Online Registration for 2017-2018!
Some of the key reasons we're moving to online registration include:
- Online registration creates an optimum experience for families
- Securely available anywhere with internet access
- Annual process = more current information
- Forms are pre-populated with data on file
- Families can save and come back if necessary
- Ability to remind families to update data
- Share family information between siblings
- Technical assistance is provided by InfoSnap!
For the 2017-2018 school year, Plainfield Community School Corporation will accept new transfer applications for non-resident students for the following grade levels ONLY: Grade K, Grade 6, and Grade 9. Transfer registrations will be accepted online from March 1st- May 1st.
2017-2018 Kindergarten Enrollment
Children's Programs at the Guilford Township Library
Highlights of March's Children Programs:
BUILD-A-MANIA
March 4 * 2-3 p.m. * All Ages * Children's Activity Room
Let your imagination run wild and show off your creative genius by using our
collection of LEGO bricks to build alone or work with a friend.
ART ZONE: SUN-CATCHERS
March 9 * 6-6:40 p.m. * All Ages * Imagination Hub - Children's Room
Join us at the Imagination Hub where we will make beautiful sun-catchers for the upcoming spring!
ANIMAL TALES
March 10 * 12:30-1 p.m. * All Ages * Children's Activity Room
Join the Park Naturalist from McCloud Nature Park for the wonderful animal story, Box Turtle at Long Pond, and create a related craft.
READING WITH DOGS
March 14 * 6:30-7:30 p.m. * Grades 1-4 * Children's Activity Room
Trained and certified Therapy Dogs provide a relaxed and dog-friendly
atmosphere which allows children to practice the skill of reading. These
are real dogs with gentle personalities who love to listen to stories.
Children should bring a book to read.
CRAFTY KIDS
March 28 * 2-4 p.m. * Grades K-5 * Children's Activity Room
Create a pretty spring bouquet.
*JUNIOR CHEF
March 30 * 2-2:30 p.m. * Grades K-5 * West Meeting Room
Have you ever had breakfast sushi? Try it today.
TEST IT: SLIME
March 30 * 4:30-5:10 p.m. * Preschool-6th Grade * Children's Activity Room
Join us in the Children's Activity Room for some simple, fun, and hands-on science experiments! This month we are going to be making oozy-gooey, fun-to-play-with slime!
*Registration is required for some programs.
To register, please call 317-838-3801 or register online at
Changing the End of the Day Transportation Routine
The following information is simplified from our handbook:
- If your child is to go home a way different than their normal arrangement, you must send in a note to the teacher with instructions as to how the child is to go home.
- Please make these arrangements before school or by 1:00 p.m. at the latest.
- If you call requesting that your child become a car rider, you are required to come into the school office to sign out your child. Your child will be waiting in the office lobby until you sign them out.
- If you call requesting that your child ride a bus home instead of being a car rider, we will need to verify that we are speaking to the child’s parent/guardian
- Finally, please note that e-mail notifications of changes for the end of the day ride home will not be accepted.