Central Hub
February 2021 Edition
Message from the Principal
Dear Central Parents,
This monthly newsletter is highlighting our celebration of cultural diversity, especially as our nation marks Black History Month - a time to discover, honor and celebrate those who have come before us.
Founded by historian Carter G. Woodson, Black History Week was first celebrated on February 12, 1926. This week was to commemorate and celebrate the many achievements and contributions to our nation by people of African descent. The date coincides with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and former President Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, Black History Week was expanded to a month-long celebration.
Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” While we strive to include diverse historical figures and moments in our curriculum, Black History Month allows us to focus specifically on African American influencers, from the past and today, whose work continues to move our society forward.
Plainfield Community Schools, as a district, is committed to making sure all of our students feel included and connected to our community and world. At the district level, we have formed a diversity team made up, for now, of administrators. We are reading, listening and talking, and preparing to share important learning opportunities for our teachers.
Our team’s mission statement is as follows: We have a non-stop commitment to ensure all students leave school fully prepared to succeed in a society that is ever more racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse.
Bringing this back home to Central Elementary, we have added over $3,000 worth of library books celebrating many cultures this year. It’s important that our children be able to see themselves in the books we read, and this was an important step in that direction. Please see a few highlighted books below.
Take some time to review all of the information in the newsletter and feel free to call me regarding questions or concerns. We are a team dedicated to your child's success!
Sincerely,
Julie Thacker
Principal
The Day You Begin
Big Bob, Little Bob
The Proudest Blue
The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade
The Skin You Live In
Brave
afraid. Superheroes are brave. But they aren't the only ones.
Fry Bread
Giant Steps to Change the World
Ojiichan's Gift
Computer Science is Changing Everything
If you want to feel really confident that we are preparing our students for the future, watch this video. We are on the right track and I can't wait to see where our students take their learning. Your children embraced our PLTW computer science curriculum taught by teachers in the classroom last semester. Additionally, students are exposed to Indiana computer science standards in Mr. Wheeler's computer science class.
Indiana's Computer Science Standards are divided into five core concepts:
- Data and Information (DI)
- Computing Devices and Systems (CD)
- Programs and Algorithms (PA)
- Networking and Communication (NC)
- Impact and Culture (IC)
Our students are incredibly creative and I encourage you to ask your children to show you something they have learned on their device.
Register Your Children For Next Year ASAP
All new and returning students are required to register online before being scheduled into classes for the 2021-2022 year.
To register a returning student, you will need to sign into your Parent PowerSchool Account. If you forget your username or password, please call the office. Please do not submit a forgotten password on the website as it may take a few days to get back to you.
Please use the 2021-2022 Returning Student Registration link to sign in your account, then click the Returning Student Registration (2021-2022) on the bottom of the left menu to complete. This must be done on a computer, not through the PowerSchool app.
For new students or new transfer tuition students, please use the 2021-2022 New Student Registration link
PCSC is accepting new transfer applications for ALL GRADES students from February 1st to June 1st. No transfer applications will be accepted after June 1st.
PLEASE NOTE IF MOVING:
If you plan on moving for the start of the 2021-2022 school year, you must submit an address change with your new address on your returning student registration. If your new address is not Central's assigned district, you will be contacted and your registration will be sent to the appropriate school.
Feel free to call the office at 317.839.7707 with registration questions.
State Assessments--Set to Happen
Since we have returned from our holiday break, your child has hit the ground running preparing for the ILEARN (grades 3-5) and IREAD (grade 3 only) assessments. So far, we are set for the state assessments.
Assessment Windows
- IREAD-3 March 8-March 19
- ILEARN April 19-May 14
Please note the following: Schools are required by state and/or federal legislation to administer assessments, such as ILEARN, IREAD-3, ISTEP+, IREAD-3, I AM, and WIDA. Statewide summative assessments are considered high-stakes and may not be given to students remotely since doing so would pose a risk to the accuracy of test data.
ILEARN is a computer adaptive test, which means students are assessed at grade level standards. However, the difficulty of the test will adjust based on student answers. This will provide a better measure of what each student knows and can do.
However, I don't want to give you the impression that we are all about test scores because that is not true. We are all about bringing joy to learning through our creative instructional strategies. We push our students to build stamina, to persevere, and to have a growth mindset in all they do. The ILEARN assessment is just another way for us to have students prove their mastery of the academic standards.
eLearning Schedule
School Clinic
Every school has an RN full time on staff. We are fortunate to have Mrs. Jackie Mace. Our nurse administers medication, does vision and hearing screenings, all on top of taking care of your children at school. If your child has a medical condition or takes prescription medication during school hours, please contact Nurse Mace at jmace@plainfield.k12.in.us or at 317-838-3652.
Medications and over the counter medicine- Please note all medication must be delivered to school and picked up from school by a parent. Medications must be in their original packaging; prescription medications must include documentation of the student as the person to whom medication was prescribed (i.e. prescription label).
Asthma Paperwork- please contact Nurse Mace for the form.
Cold Weather and Recess
Now more than ever we want to take children outside whenever possible.
Social Emotional Learning at Central
The world of education is filled with acronyms, and SEL is one that is garnering more and more attention in this time of COVID. SEL stands for Social Emotional Learning, and represents a focus on the whole student, as opposed to simply looking at the grades a student produces.
From the early days of our COVID awareness, many experts began talking about the social and emotional effects of a pandemic on children as well as adults. In fact, schools have been focusing on student SEL since long before COVID came to the United States, but the challenges of the last ten months have made it more important than ever before.
Plainfield elementary schools will begin working with SEL Labs in February 2021. Their SELweb program measures children’s understanding of things like emotions and perspectives, social problem-solving, and self-control through engaging, brief assignments. Teachers and counselors will then be better equipped to help students grow in these areas.
School Supplies
If you need any help with school supplies at any point in the year, please reach out to our home school advisor, Diana White. We have had many donations and are glad to help support your child's learning any way we can. She can be reached at dwhite@plainfield.k12.in.us
2020-2021 Title One Compact
Click below to learn more about the School-wide staff, parent/caregiver and student compact for 2020-2021
Add School Events to Your Calendar!
We are still updating our calendar for this year, but I am sharing our Central Elementary Parent Calendar. I am hoping this will help you to have all our important events at your fingertips.
(Disclaimer: Every phone is different. If you have a Google calendar, it will work for sure; others will have different steps to follow, but your phone should prompt you.) Note - for Google, you need to be on a computer to add the calendar.
Link to VIEW ONLY the Central Elementary Parent Calendar
Check Out How to Access Beanstack from Home and Log Your Reading
A Note From the Central PTO President
We had a very informative January meeting with Kristal Hellmann, Youth Services Manager at the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library. She shared the following information with us.
We now allow parents to register kids for library cards on our website. You can access our digital card application here: https://www.plainfieldlibrary.net/digital-library-card/
Here is a digital flier for Libby, and a video walkthrough for Tumblebooks! TumbleBooks We didn't have as many electronic promo fliers as I thought we did.
All our digital databases can be found here: https://www.plainfieldlibrary.net/digital-resources/
Highlights:
-Readathon: Reading is Fun in 2021! During this 3 week event students logged minutes, had 9 dress up days, 4 opportunities for virtual events, and had opportunities to win free books!
- Over 100 families logged on for virtual craft night with Mrs. Loudermilk to make corner bookmarks.
- 84 families logged in for a virtual scavenger hunt with Mr. Wheeler.
- 63 families logged in for our virtual reading night with Mrs. Thacker and 7 Central teachers. The staff read for an hour and a half to students and families!
- Multiple classes had special guest readers for Bedtime Stories.
- We had drawings for free books after each virtual event and 15 students received a free book. Congrats to those winners!!
- Students also had the opportunity to fill out a Book BINGO card to win free books.
- We also offered 12 virtual Escape Rooms.
- Students received prizes each week: SkyZone jump passes, Texas Roadhouse kids meal, Hot Box Pizza breadsticks, Chick-fil-a cookies
Fundraising:
- Papa John's Pizza Week Jan. 22-29
- Valentine's Day Cocoa Bombs sale
- February 12- Valentine Class Parties
- February 13,- Valentine's Day Cocoa Bomb pick up from 9-11am in the Central circle drive.
- February 22- PTO Parent Meeting at 7pm
- February 23- Culver's Restaurant Night 5-8pm
Thank you! Have a great week!
Nicole Rongo
Minutes from January Meeting
VALUE OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY: Honesty
Value of the Month for January was Equal Opportunity
Value Winner For Each Class
Genevieve Campbell
Mason Lange
Caden Johnson
Blakely Dolan
Zoey Schinbeckler
Noah Crayton
Sophie Gummer
Guinevere Dick
Lillian Shafer
Natalie Weaver
Emma Wells
Hunter Craig
Kylie Suiter
Harriett Jones
Boston Corbin
Demi Anthony
Tyler Chaille
Antoine Turner
Madeline Blewett
Remy Carlton
Madelyn Healey
Adeline Hess
Brogan Williams
Robert Tygart
Value of the Month- School Winner
Nomination Letter from Mrs. M. Johnson
Harriett is kind all the time. She is accepting of anyone, and looks for the best in everyone. Here are some statements that Harriett's classmates used to describe her: "Loving to everybody. Kind to all of the kids in 3rd grade on the playground. She will hang out with anyone and is nice to them. She makes me feel happy." Harriett is a great example to others of someone who shows equal opportunity!
Computer Science Updates from Mr. Wheeler
Computer Science Boat Lesson
In early November, 4th and 5th grade students created boats that they were then able to test. They were instructed to imagine being a naval architect and create the fastest boat using aluminum foil, popsicle sticks, and straws among other materials! After the boat was created we used a mini fan and a plastic container full of water to test how fast the boats were.
While students in grades 4 and 5 were creating boats in early November, K-3 grade students had a float or sink activity. We explored a variety of objects and tested whether they would sink or float. We also talked about density and how boats float.
Using code.org, we learned about coding and programming. Students in 3rd and 4th grade had a fun time attempting to program Mr. Wheeler to walk across the room, pick up a piece of trash, and then walk to the trash can and throw it away! Key topics such as sequencing, debugging, loops, and conditional statements were covered in September and October.
Transportation
Providing a safe arrival and dismissal system is extremely important to all of the staff at Central Elementary. To achieve that, Central utilizes a number system when dismissing our car rider students.
Car Rider Request Form-Will you be picking your child up from school this year? If so, please click on this link Central Car Rider Request and register for a number. You must complete the form for EACH child that is attending Central. Please place your car rider number on the right side of your dashboard for pick up beginning the first day of school. With the changes in our procedures, it is imperative that we know asap.
Bus- You will be contacted by the bus driver a week before school starts with information regarding the pick-up and drop off times for your child. For any questions or concerns regarding transportation, please call their office at 317-838-3632.
Add/Cancel Bus Service- You will need to fill out the Transportation Data Form to add or cancel bus service.
Arrival- If your child will be dropped off by a parent or guardian in the mornings,
please follow these procedures:
Enter the parking lot from Wabash Street and pull forward to let your child get out of the car on the passenger side. Doors are locked until 8:30am. Once doors are unlocked and staff members appear, your child may exit your car. Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
Dismissal- Please the Car Rider number tag in your front car window for pick up. Please enter off of US 40 onto Wabash Street. There will be two lines, which form into one around our horseshoe. A dismissal teacher will radio for your child to be walked out from the gym. You can also park in the lot/grass parking for the funeral home and enter the gym at Door #8 on the east side of our building. Be sure to social distance and wear a mask.
- Please make sure to list in your car rider request sheet all parent names and anyone else, such as a grandparent, aunt/uncle or babysitter, who will be picking up your child. Any additions or changes to your pick up list must be made by calling the office at Central. No child will be released at dismissal to someone who is not on their pick up list.
Bus- If there will be a change in your child’s regular after-school transportation routine, you must send a note to your teacher and call the front office on that day before 1:00 p.m. If NO note or call is made, the child will go their REGULAR way home that day.
Changing the End of the Day Transportation Routine
The following information is 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. We will not allow a child to go home a different way without a note. Please make these arrangements before school or by 1:00 p.m. at the latest. NEW THIS YEAR, Children will NOT be allowed to ride a different bus to or from school. All children have assigned seats on the bus.
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 no earlier than 3:45 p.m. Your child will be waiting in the office lobby until you sign them out. Signing your child out prior to 3:45 does affect your child’s attendance, as it counts as a partial day present.
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 by asking certain questions or through caller ID on our phone system. To make this smoother, please call from one of the phone numbers that you have registered with our school as contacts.
Finally, please note that e-mail notifications of changes for the end of the day ride home are not accepted. We are not able to ensure that the email will be read in time.
ADDRESS CHANGE? RECENTLY MOVED?
Before and After School Care--
The YMCA runs a before and after school program at Van Buren. THIS IS A CHANGE. Van Buren is better suited to host the program this year. They are able to keep Central and Van Buren students separated. Students will ride a bus from Van Buren in the morning and a YMCA staff member will walk the students over to Van Buren in the evening.
The program is run independently from the school so please call 317-941-9578 for information and to register or Click the link below. In addition, there are several daycares that bus kids to and from Central that include ABC Daycare, Living Christ for Kids, Kids Connection, Children of America, Beginning Steps and Kindercare.
FREE LUNCHES EXTENDED
USDA has extended the waiver for FREE school meals for the remainder of the 20-21 school year. All school meals will be free for all students until the end of the school year. Ala Carte items will still be available to purchase. Free meals are available for our Virtual Learners. Visit our school website https://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/page/new-food-services for more information on the pickup for the meals.
Sincerely,
Kelly Collins
Director of Food Services
General Food Service Information
Breakfast- $1.50, Lunch $2.50, Milk $0.50 (FREE PROGRAM EXTENDED THROUGH MAY 2021)
Purchase- FREE Breakfast and lunch is served daily at Central. To purchase additional ala catre items you will need to put money into your child’s lunch account. You may send cash or a check to school in a sealed envelope with the student name, teacher name and “lunch money” on the front. You can also add money by creating an account on EFunds . You can check your child’s lunch card balance and/or upload money via debit/credit card for lunches or Textbook Rental ("optional fees"). You will need your child’s student number to set up this account.
Packing a lunch- You can pack your child a lunch box
Free/Reduced Status- Applications for Free/Reduced lunch status can be submitted online on Lunch App Website. We protect the privacy of students who receive free or reduced-price meals or textbooks. Their classmates will not know that they’re receiving this support. If your family qualifies, these programs can save you hundreds of dollars, so please be sure to apply. If your child receives free or reduced-price meals, you may add money to their account to allow them to purchase ala carte items that are not part of the free or reduced-price federal meal program. Please be sure to apply if the free breakfast and lunch program should end.
FREE TEXTBOOKS Did you know? If a child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, they also qualify for no-fee textbooks. You do not have to use the meal benefit to receive this benefit. Other school fees may apply.
LOW BALANCE E-MAILS When a student's meal balance drops below $5, the student's parent/guardian will be notified by email. Please be sure your child's student record includes current contact information.
Food Allergies- If your child suffers from food allergies, we are prepared to help ensure they enjoy meals that are both safe and nutritious. Please fill out the correct form and return to Kelly Collins, Director of Food Services at kcollins@plainfield.k12.in.us. If you have any questions regarding the forms please call Kelly Collins 317-839-2578. Please use the following links below:
Computers
It is the expectation that students come to school every day with their computer charged and ready to go. You may leave the charger in your child's backpack. Cases for the computers were ordered for the 300 model computers because the 500 are more durable.
In the event we would have a school closure, students would need to be ready to work from home the next day of school.
Student Acceptable Use Policy- The Plainfield Community School Corporation (PCSC) recognizes that access to technology in school gives students greater opportunities to learn, engage, communicate, and develop skills that will prepare them for work, life, and citizenship. We are committed to helping students develop 21st-century technology and communication skills. To that end, we provide access to technologies for student and staff use. You may review the Student Acceptable Use Policy for more details.
PowerSchool Student Management System
The Plainfield Community School Corporation uses the PowerSchool Parent portal, which gives you access to your child’s grades, lunch account balance, bus schedule, and registration for returning students for the next school year.