Avilla Family Newsletter

Hello, Avilla Families!

We are celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week this week. I would like to recognize all of you, the parents and guardians of our Avilla students. You are your child's first and most important teacher that they will ever have. We appreciate your continued support toward helping your child to grow. Also, thank you for the many kind messages that we have received this week in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week.

As we wrap up the 2020-21 school year, it's very encouraging to know that we have had our doors open for in-person learning. We are doing our best to provide an engaging, empowering end of the school year for all of our students. It is my hope that we can welcome families into the building more frequently next year. If you have any questions or considerations for next school year please contact me directly. Thank you again for your continued support!

Jeff Harper

Principal

email: jharper@eastnoble.net

phone: 260-897-2301

Our Avilla Elementary Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) is once again funding a free donut for every Avilla student and an adult of their choosing. Coupons will be coming home this week and are redeemable at Tasty's Donuts in Kendallville until May 23.

Third grade teacher, Sheri Onion, and third grade student, Taya Coney donated hair to Locks of Love during our March Kindness Celebration. Ms. Melanie Cross stepped in to give them their haircuts too! This was a nice display of kindness in real time.

Mrs. Garl and Mrs. Leffers, along with their current NEHS members, inducted our new members. Congrats to our new members! We look forward to watching you grow and lead in our school.

The fourth graders finished their “Shakes and Quakes” project we do with graduate engineering students at Notre Dame. Groups of students worked to design and build Lego skyscrapers that could withstand an earthquake, but also be appealing to look at, and make a profit. Although we didn’t get to visit Notre Dame like usual, we met virtually three times with students from ND, including Friday for the presentations and final “shake-off” to test the buildings.

Our Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grade concerts will be May 18th. We will have one grade come at a time to promote social distancing. Each child can bring 3 guests. We ask that you please wear masks.

Kinder: Arrive 5:30, sing 5:45-6:00 (probably shorter): dress nicely

2nd grade: Arrive 6:15, sing 6:30-6:45 (probably shorter): dress as you would for gardening or playing outside. Our songs are about gardening. Gardening gloves are invited.

4th grade: Arrive 7:00, sing 7:15-7:30 (probably shorter): One of our songs is about baseball, so feel free to wear baseball hats/baseball apparel or something you might wear to watch baseball.

Door 2 opens daily at 7:50 (8:35 on Mondays) and we dismiss at 2:45. Here are some tips to help you save time in the car line:

• Arriving early and waiting will most likely take more of your time than showing up closer to our doors open and dismissal time. We need everyone to show up closer to our advertised times in order to lessen traffic on streets close to the school.
• Preschool parents should be the only people in our car line before 2:30. Our preschool parents pick up around 2:10 and have been blocked by people waiting for our 2:45 dismissal. Please help us by keeping the car line open for preschool pickup. These students need the most help with car pickup and a clear line really helps.
• Please do not park your car and walk across the street to greet your child. When you remain in your car it helps us to worry less about pedestrians and takes less time to get students to where they need to be.

April 19 - May 14 ILEARN state testing for grades 3, 4, and 5

May 3 -14 NWEA testing window for grades K - 5 (test days selected by grade level)

May 17 5th grade Camp Potawatomi day

May 18 Music program for Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grade

May 21 Field Day

May 24 Field Day rain date

May 27 Report cards issued on last student day

July 22 Corporation Kindergarten Health Screening at South Side Elementary 5:30 to 8:00 pm