Balance between work and play is important in the lives of all of us. Your children work hard learning and growing as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, and so much more. The value of play for children is also extremely important, and I'm grateful for our team and community that recognizes the importance of taking on day for play with school peers.

As you can see above, I've also included a video link above so that you may catch a glimpse of the Back to Bach program that occurred for our fourth grade students this week. Thank you to Mr. Doublestein for coordinating and for Mrs. Schermerhorn, Mrs. Hamlow, Mrs. West, and Mrs. Benson opening their doors and space to accommodate. It was beautiful.

Mrs. Gray (literacy coach) and I had the opportunity to learn and study at Columbia University and New York City School at a writing institute throughout the past weekend and early this week. We are grateful for the grant that provided the learning opportunity for our literacy coaching team.

A few reminders and highlights:

• PTO Family Movie Night - is TONIGHT, February 3! BME PTO is hosting our indoor movie night for our students and families. The event is free and begins at 7:00 (doors open at 6:30). The event will be hosted in the gym, and families are welcome to bring blankets/pillows or other soft items to create a comfy spot. To protect the gym floor, we ask that no outside chairs be brought in for use. We will have some chairs available for use.
• Yearbooks - It's time to order your child's 2022-23 Yearbook! Follow the link below to place your order online. If you need to pay by cash or check, please contact the office for an order form to be sent home with your student. Yearbook: $15

  Boone Meadow Yearbooks - ORDER HERE

• Kindergarten registration for the 23-24 school year will open up soon (late February). Keep your eyes open as registration will go live for the graduating class of 2036! BME will host our first of a series "Kindy Strong Start" event (formerly known as Kindy Round Up) in the afternoon/evening of March 23rd for those registered families. More information and details to come soon.

Enjoy your weekend,

Mr. H

ParentSquare is continually applying system updates to enhance individual communication experiences and offer customized options for receiving messages.

We highly recommend checking your individual ParentSquare settings to ensure you have selected to receive messages that align with your preference in consuming information. You can elect to receive messages instantly or you can choose to put them on a daily digest.

In the event of emergencies, including school closings and delays due to weather, the sender will attempt to override your individual settings to ensure you receive information instantly.

In a recent ParentSquare update, some individual settings were adjusted based on individual user consumption activity.

It is important to check your individual ParentSquare settings to be sure you are receiving the communication you desire on the timeline that you prefer.

This ParentSquare tutorial will guide you through accessing and selecting your individual ParentSquare message settings. If you have any questions, please contact ZCS technology to walk you through this process.

SEVERAL opportunities for employment await within the ZCS Food Service Department! ACT FAST as this may not be the case for long! J

Can you answer YES to any of the following questions?

Do you like kids?

· Are you eager to be a positive role model?

· Would you like to work with like-minded team players?

· Do you envision yourself OUT OF THE HOUSE, yet home for the kids?

· Does the idea of FAST action and quantifiable results sound appealing?

· Might you value the achievement of walking 10,000 steps in a 5-hour timeframe?

IF SO, please call Jan at 317-733-4804 OR apply online via the ZCS website; simply click here !

NOTE: The ZCS Food Service Department has regular positions starting at $15.25/hour and SOME even include benefits (medical/dental/vision)!

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

February 3 - PTO Movie NIght (movie starts @ 7:00)

February 8 - PTO Meeting (6:30 cafe)

February 14 - Valentine's Day

February 15 - Step Up Experience (4th grade visit to ZWEST)

February 20 - 24 - February break

March 6 - IREAD3 testing window begins

March 15 - End of Quarter 3; 3rd Grade Rube Goldberg celebration (evening); NWEA testing wndow opens

March 20-24 - Scholastic Book Fair

March 23 - Kindy Strong Start event (3-7PM) for incoming Kindergarteners and families (formerly known as Kindy Round Up)

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.