Central Hub

We have had an excellent start to our school year! You can just feel the positive energy when walking in our building because the students and staff are excited and ready to learn each day. We appreciate everything you do to ensure that your children come to school ready to learn.

I am sure you have noticed the renovation which occurred this summer. We are calling this phase 1 since we will undergo another renovation next summer. During phase 2 we will update the corridors and stairwells, paint the lockers, and brighten the exterior of the building, hoping to give it a warmer, elementary feel.

Please note we are continuing to work through our changes this year. There are areas which are not quite finished, and we are aware. We hope to have our new furniture and shelving in the library to use after fall break. Overall, we are excited to show off our classrooms at the upcoming Back to School nights.

Hats off to our PTO members who have volunteered time to get us off on the right foot. Members helped our younger students get to class on the first day of school. I encourage you to be involved in PTO. The commitment can be as big or as little as you want it to be. The first meeting is August 22nd in our school cafeteria at 7:00 p.m.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new families. This is an extraordinary place and I feel fortunate to be here serving you, our staff, and students. My goal is to have open lines of communication. Please know that I am approachable and available to you at any time. Our ultimate school goal is to give your child the very best elementary experience as they travel through childhood.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Julie Thacker

Expectations for Visitors - NEW

All external school doors are locked during the school day. All visitors will now be required to show their driver’s license or a valid State issued photo ID to the school police officer, security employee or office when entering the building. Your license or ID will then be scanned and processed through our new “safe school” security program. You will be required to have your photo taken and a “temporary” time sensitive sticker will be printed with your name and photo on it to wear during the time you are in the building or on a school field trip.

Lunch Visitors

Lunch visitors must also have their ID scanned and a photo badge printed and worn during their lunch visit and it must be visible at all times. Lunch visitors are only allowed to be in the cafeteria. Students may not invite their friends to join them at the adult lunch tables. In order to help us keep the school safe, parents may not walk their student back to their classroom, locker or go outside for recess.

Limited Criminal Background Check

Volunteer classroom helpers must have a limited criminal background check on file and also have their valid ID scanned through our “Safe School” program and have a photo taken. You will then be given a “Volunteer Pass” photo badge to keep and to wear on your shirt at all times when you come in the building. It must be visible at all times. With this badge, the volunteer can be anywhere they are needed in the school.

Field Trip-Day Trips

Field trip chaperones for day field trips must have a limited criminal background check on file. You will also be required to have your valid ID scanned and check in with the “Safe School” program and have a photo taken. A photo badge will then print for you to wear during the field trip.

Field Trip- Overnight 5th Grade

Overnight field trip chaperones must have a deeper background check done before the overnight field trip.

I would like to introduce Mike Underwood, who is serving as our security support person this year. You may have seen him helping in the car rider pick up line or in the office. We are so grateful to Mike for joining our team. He is an incredible resource and an all-around good guy! Every day, for the entire day, each school campus will have a Plainfield Police Officer or Plainfield Security support on-site. The focus will be to monitor the building, provide an extra set of eyes and support the safety and security of the building. This support is taking place in ALL Plainfield Schools.

Last week, all of our students learned about Standard Response Protocol, which includes shared language and icons that can apply to any school emergency. Our students K-5 watched grade-level specific instructional videos and participated in discussions with their teachers. Standard Response Protocol is based on four actions and directives that are communicated during an emergency. Those actions are: Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. Standard Response Protocol was implemented as we conducted our safety drills beginning Tuesday of last week.

The following information is simplified from our handbook:

1. 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.
2. Please make these arrangements before school or by 1:00 p.m. at the latest.
3. 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.
4. 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
5. Finally, please note that e-mail notifications of changes for the end of the day ride home will not be accepted.

Overall, we have been doing a wonderful job with drop-off and pick-up. We have not had any complaints from the Plainfield Police Department about us blocking US-40. There are just a couple of reminders:

• Please do not drop off students before 8:30 a.m. We do not have supervision available.
• Continue to pull all the way around the half-circle. If you need to buckle your children, we ask that you stay in your car until you can pull all the way forward to the spots right before Wabash.

Thank you very much for making this process as smooth as possible!

We enjoy seeing your children every day. Although we understand that there will be times when your child is sick and needs to stay home, there is a direct correlation between student attendance and success. Here are a few ways we can work together to make sure your children have very good school attendance and don't feel like they are missing out.

• Schedule all doctor’s appointments outside of the school day, if at all possible.
• Share with your child how important it is to be at school.
• Make sure to communicate absences in advance, if possible, so the classroom teacher can ensure that your child still has opportunities to learn skills that he/she will miss when they are absent.
• Help to make sure that your child arrives at school on time each day. The doors open at 8:30 and students need to be seated in their classroom each morning by 8:50 or they are counted tardy.

Our teachers work hard to provide the best instruction and we want to make the most of each of our days together. We look forward to seeing you at school!

Parents, Grandparents and Guardians:

We appreciate you giving us time to settle into a routine. We welcome you to eat lunch with your child! Spending time with your child is so important toward healthy social and emotional growth. In addition, your presence here encourages a positive attitude toward school.

Some things to remember:

· We ask that you only eat lunch with your own sons and daughters. In our efforts to keep our students’ lunchtime as calm as possible, they are not allowed to have a friend to join them.

· Because we are always considering our students with allergies, please do not bring in food or snacks for children other than your own.

· Knowing that our teachers and students are busy with the process of learning, we ask that you not leave the cafeteria to go anywhere else in our building. The only exception would be if you have already signed up to volunteer in the building immediately following lunch.

· Please keep younger siblings from wandering around the cafeteria. This is for the safety of your little one, and our school-aged children.

Thank you for helping us to make this a positive and safe environment for our children!

• August 15 Back to School Night grades K-1 from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
• August 16 Back to School Night grades 2-3 from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
• August 17 Back to School Night grades 4-5 from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
• August 18 Community Forum Kindergarten/New Parents
• August 22 PTO Meeting 7:00 p.m.
• September 2 School Picture Day
• September 5 Labor Day No School
• September 6 Running Club Begins
• September 8 School Board Meeting PCMS cafeteria
• September 16 Central Science Day
• September 19 PTO Meeting 7:00 PCMS LGI
• September 23 Central 4th Grade Participates in Bicentennial Torch Relay

Tell a little bit about yourself, including how many years you have been a teacher.

I was born and raised outside Philadelphia. With a variety of interests and boundless energy, I have been an EMT / Rescue Specialist, played drums in a rock and roll band, raced motorcycles, and then, for 25 years, working on a variety of racing vehicles. In that endeavor I have been all over the US and on 5 of the 7 continents of the world (no Africa or Antarctica).

I moved to Indy in 1993 and both of my children (Clayton, 17 and Georgia, 7) are Hoosiers. My wife is the school nurse at Wayne Twps.’s Chapelwood Elementary; my sister is the Urban Education Program Coordinator for the New Jersey Audubon Society; my mother was a principal’s secretary for over 25 years at a small, rural school district in Pennsylvania – apparently education is the family business.

When Clay was 6 he joined Cub Scouts and I became a leader. Through being a leader and working with boys of all ages I began to reflect on becoming a teacher. As a person who has had issues with focus, attention and the behaviors that manifest themselves in those realms, I chose to be a special education teacher. Being extremely frugal I started my college career at IVY Tech and transferred into IUPUI. After a 3 year stint at IPS in a self-contained intermediate ED room I am proud, and a bit anxious, to be at Central and look forward to a great year!

Some of your favorite things.

· Color: Red or black

· Movie: Secondhand Lions

· TV show: Home Improvement shows

· Book(s): I like informational text mostly, though I have read every Junie B. book published…..

· Flower: Roses

· Restaurant: Red Lobster

· Candy: Swedish Fish or Peanut Butter cups

When I am not teaching, I am with my kids, working around the house or riding a motorcycle.

A student memory you remember fondly: Every time a student smiles after accomplishing something they thought they couldn’t.

Advice for parent involvement:

Get to know parents and connect to them as you would their student. I am a parent, so I use empathy and my experiences as a parent to help me connect with them. If they feel included, they will be inclined to help more.

Tell a little bit about yourself, including how many years you have been a teacher.

This is my 8th year teaching! I spent two years in third grade and the last five in 5th.

Some of your favorite things.

Color: green

Movie: action/adventure

TV Show: I am currently binge watching Madam Secretary when I’m awake with Ben at night.

Book: I have been on a Tim Keller kick lately as far as books go.

Flowers: daisies.

Restaurant: Any with a good porch or deck and anything chocolate!

When I am not teaching I am playing with my 6 month old son Benjamin or walking our golden retriever named William.

One of my favorite student memories of my career was with a student who was very challenging to say the least, who made huge gains in both academics and emotional responses. He came back to visit me as a middle schooler to tell me how well he was doing.

My advice for parent involvement is to feed our interaction “bank” with positives. I try to have at least one positive interaction with parents before any worries or concerns come up.

I grew up in Danville, Indiana. After high school, I went to college at Butler University and majored in Elementary Education. For the past five years, I have been a 6th grade Language Arts teacher at PCMS, but I am very excited to begin teaching 4th grade this year! When I’m not teaching, I enjoy playing tennis and relaxing with my family and dog, Annie.

Some of your favorite things.

· Color: Pink

· Movie: The Sound of Music

· TV show: The Middle

· Book(s): Wonder by R.J. Palacio

· Flower: Peony

· Restaurant: Stone Creek

· Candy: Heath Bar

A student memory you remember fondly: I love all of my students! I love hearing about their lives outside of school, and I love supporting them in any extra-curricular activities that they may be involved in.

Advice for parent involvement: Do not feel hesitant to be involved in your child’s learning! Parent-Teacher relationship are the key to a successful student.

I have been a teacher for 14 years. I have taught first grade and third grade. My husband and I have a 14 month old son named Nikolas, and a HUGE dog named Murphy! I love being a teacher, and am so excited to be at Central Elementary this year!

Some of my favorites:

Color: Green

Movie: The Wizard of Oz

TV Show: Fixer-Upper

Book: Charlotte’s Web

Flower: Tulip

Restaurant: Jockamo’s Pizza

Candy: Skittles

When I am not teaching, I am spending time with my family!

A student memory I remember fondly is my first grade teacher, Mrs. Schott, teaching me how to read and loving her students. She was my favorite teacher!

Advice for parent involvement: I would love to have parents come in to read to our class!

I am originally from Gurnee, Illinois. I graduated from Eastern Illinois University. I have been working in the school setting for 5 years. I am married and have three daughters all in the Plainfield school district.

Some of my favorites:

TV Show: New Girl

Book: Harry Potter Series

Restaurant: Greek Islands

When I am not teaching, I am running my girls to and from their events. If I am lucky to have a break you can find me running on the White Lick Creek path.

A student memory I remember fondly is when I taught first grade my class sent me to a Green Bay Packers game.

Advice for parent involvement: Ask your child each night “what did you learn in school?” and have a conversation about their education. Show them it is important to you.

My name is Ms. Wade and I excited to start my first year working as a speech therapist!

My favorite things include:

Color: Pink

Movie: Cinderella

TV Show: Fixer Upper on HGTV

Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Flower: Tulips

Restaurant: McAlister's Deli

Candy: Reese's Cups

When I am not teaching, I am visiting with family and friends.

My advice for parent involvement is to eat together and talk to your child about school.

Aug. 22nd at 7:00 PM in the LGI room.

Would you like to help your teacher receive a $100 allowance for their classroom? If so, attend our meeting. The teacher who has the highest parent participation at our meeting will win a $100 classroom allowance. Topics that will be discussed - Book Fair, Corporate Promotions, Teacher Mini Grant Program, Family Fun Night and room parents role/responsibilities. Hope to see you!