Creston Community News

Students, Parents, and Caregivers,

As you have now heard, MSD Warren Township Schools will be CLOSED through Sunday, April 5th. Please review the newsletter carefully, as it includes important information related to the next few weeks as well as field trip updates for all grade levels.

The following communication was shared earlier this afternoon by our district:

As you are aware, all Warren schools and buildings have closed starting today March 13th through April 5th working under the guidance of our local and state health departments. We understand that this announcement happened after school hours on Thursday and there may be personal items that students and staff need during this time. On Monday, March 16th, all buildings will be open from noon to 5:00 PM for staff and families to come in and pick up what they need. Nurses will be at schools during this time if parents need to pick up medications or health items. After 5:00 PM on Monday, March 13th, all buildings will be closed with no access until April 6th. All programs, activities and practices have been canceled during this time frame as well. Please make sure you gather needed items during this timeframe. We will continue to communicate updates as we have them.

Please know that if you have a need to visit Creston on Monday between Noon and 5:00 PM, your student MUST be accompanied by their parent/guardian, and only brief visits can be accommodated (to allow students to pick up important items only). This is the ONLY TIME we will be able to access the building prior to April 6th. Visitors should park in front of the building and enter Door 1.

Over the next few weeks, I encourage you and your family to take note of and practice the social distancing guidelines set forth by the CDC: Social distancing means remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings of large crowds, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible. We hope our CIMS students and staff stay healthy and are ready to return at the conclusion of our school closure!

Lunch is being served (grab & go) daily at Warren Central High School, outside Door #1, from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. to any Warren student throughout next week.

I encourage you to stay tuned for further updates as they become available; we will keep you informed throughout the next few weeks.

Wishinig you and your family safety and wellness,

CIMS Principal

Under guidance from the CDC, the decision to cancel the trips was made based on the rapidly evolving nature of the Coronavirus outbreak and with overall concern for the health and safety of our students and staff. In addition to the risk of exposure during the trip, student travelers could become unexpectedly subject to additional travel restrictions while away from home and the possibility of remaining quarantined after returning from the trip.

At Creston, the following out-of-state trips are canceled:

- Washington DC (8th grade), March 18

- Chicago (7th grade), May 8

- Cincinnati (6th grade), May 26

- Louisville (5th grade), May 15

The timing of the decision was made to allow for the greatest amount of refund for families in relation to the scheduled departure of the trips. Working closely with the partnering touring company, Appian Tours, refund rates for canceled trips will be as follows:

- The Washington DC trip will be refunded in full, less the $50 non-refundable deposit used for non-recoverable expenses, by canceling more than 7 days in advance of the trip. The refund rate would have dropped to 50% if cancellation occurred within a week of the trip.

- The trips to Chicago, Cincinnati, and Louisville will be refunded in full, less the $25 that was used for unrecoverable expenses.

- A statement from Appian Tours is shared to provide greater explanation of the unrecoverable fees.

The refund process originally communicated for the Washington DC trip has been updated due to the closure of school, such that families may receive refund money in a more timely fashion. Refunds for ALL out-of-state trips will be issued by Appian Tours using the following process:

1. All Washington DC payments and payments that were made by cash, check, or credit card (older than 3 months) for the trips to Chicago, Cincinnati, and Louisville will be refunded for the amount paid and to the person(s) who made payments. Payments made within the last three months via credit card toward the Chicago, Cincinnati, and Louisville trips will be refunded directly to the card used for payment.

2. The non-refundable fee ($50, Washington; $25 Chicago, Cincinnati, and Louisville) will come from the initial payment that was made at sign-up.

3. Refund checks will be mailed directly from Appian Tours to persons making payments.

4. Students that purchased trip insurance will receive a 100% refund for the canceled trip. Appian Tours will assist in the process of obtaining a portion of the refund coming from the insurance company.

Thank you for your understanding of the circumstances that contributed to the difficult decision to cancel the trips and to this change in the refund process to help families recover money sooner. Please contact me directly at 317.532.6812 or at cstorm@warren.k12.in.us with questions about the trip. Please contact Appian Tours at 317.903.0430 with questions regarding the refund process.

8th grade students interested in Summer Gym:

Once school resumes, we will provide an update with how the registration process for Summer Gym will work.

8th Grade Visit to Warren Central HS:

On Wednesday, April 8, all CIMS 8th grade students will travel to WCHS with teachers, counselor, and dean to begin their high school journey. During this showcase the students will meet key leaders at WCHS, tour the building and circulate through rotations with Walker Career Center, the 9th Grade Cohort Team, Athletics, and Performing Arts. Students will be transported during the school day by MSD Warren buses and will eat lunch at the high school. The trip will run from approximately 9:30am - 1:30pm.

Website: https://creston.warren.k12.in.us/
Location: 10925 East Prospect Street, Indianapolis, IN 46239, USA
Phone: (317)532-6800
Twitter: @CrestonIMS