As the snow starts to disappear and the temperatures start to warm, most of us have started to feel a bit of spring fever.  I can feel it in the energy that our students have as they anticipate getting outside and when they come in from recess. Ahhh…the battle of keeping winter gear on their little bodies when it is only 40 degrees outside and there is still snow on the ground! J We would sure appreciate your help with this. Please remind your child that our guidelines for not wearing a coat at recess includes a “feels like” temperature of 60 degrees or more. We get some very chilly and windy days during these spring months.

Spring is also a time when we become more aware of growth, both in nature and in our students. Parent/Teacher conferences offered the opportunity for you to celebrate your child’s growth with his or her teacher. We also look closely at student growth through our assessments. While we assess our students regularly to help us plan for instruction, we also look at growth in a more summative fashion, looking at the overall growth that our students have made throughout the year. Most of this testing takes place during the months of April and May. 

This year, our third graders will be taking the Wisconsin FORWARD Exam. This battery of tests will measure mastery in Reading, Language Arts, and Math. The test has a format of multiple-choice and short answer questions. It is an online assessment that will be given during the last week of April. Rest assured that our third grade teachers will spend time preparing the students with practice questions and other test-taking strategies throughout the month of April. More details will be shared as that testing window draws near.

During the lunchtime this week, I was noticing the growth spurt that some of our students have gone through…so much taller and less baby-looking. However, as I reflect on the months that have passed, I think the growth that I am most proud of has been in the area of character development. I am so proud of the choices that our students make on a daily basis. Our teachers work very hard to support good character choices and it has surely paid off. Simple things, such as picking up a pencil that was dropped by a classmate or walking appropriately in the hallway, will definitely serve as the building blocks of strong character for when the choices that they need to make become more difficult. 

It is hard to believe that it has been one year since the onset of the COVID virus and the necessary closure of our schools and conversion to virtual learning. That loss of in person time had an impact on all of us. We have worked hard to be face to face and it has been worth every minute. The rest of the school year will undoubtedly pass quickly. Please take time to enjoy the growth that comes with the change of the season, but more so, be sure to celebrate the growth in your child.

Proudly,

March 5 - NO SCHOOL

March 14 - Daylight Savings Time

March 16 - Cen-Den PTO Meeting 6:30 pm (Library)

March 26 - NO SCHOOL

March 29 - April 2 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL

April 5 - School Resumes

April 6 - Election Day - Please Vote

April 30 - NO SCHOOL for students

May 31 - Memorial Day

June 4 - Last day for students

Car riders and walkers pick up at 3:40 p.m.

I would like to remind you of the importance of your child’s face mask. Since our students are required to wear them throughout their day, it is important that they be washed frequently or exchanged for a new one. I have noticed that some of the “gator-style” masks have stretched out over time, making it difficult for children to keep them in place. Because your child is not wearing a mask around the house like they wear it at school, you may not be aware of some of these concerns. Please take a look at your child’s mask.  We do have extra masks in the office if your child is in need. Wearing a mask is one simple step that can go a long way in protecting the health of your child as well as others. 

Social Media, the Internet, and

Interact! is an online, interactive, e-course created for parents and guardians to complete with their children, with the goal of sparking basic online safety discussions in the home. This 30 minute module provides parents with the opportunity to review their own tech use to set a good online example; interactive activities to complete alongside their children; and follow-up resources and activities to keep the discussions going. Be your child’s trusted adult. Interact! and stay safe!

The Interact! program was created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

For more information, visit https://www.doj.state.wi.us/dci/icac/social-networking-sites

Lake Geneva Schools is pleased to offer a top-quality, comprehensive 4K child development program. Our half-day program, offered either in the morning or afternoon, is designed to nurture each child's social, emotional and early literacy skills. To be eligible for 4-year-old kindergarten, a child must be 4 on or by September 1 of the school year. Click for more 4K Information.

Lake Geneva Schools 3-Year-Old Preschool was established for the purpose of providing quality early academic readiness, building a strong base around social-emotional well being, and creating a culture that will help foster a pleasure in learning to young children. We believe that 3-Year-Old Preschool is about using play, social interactions and language experience to educate and help children grow. To be eligible for our half-day morning preschool program, a child must be 3 on or by September 1 of the school year. Our Buzzing Bees Preschool Program is tuition based. Click for Preschool Information.

See what is happening at Central-Denison on a daily basis by following our Facebook page.

PICK-UP and BUS CHANGE INFORMATION:

If you are picking up your child for an appointment during the day, a parent or guardian needs to call the office at 262-348-4000, send a note with the student or write on your child's communication card to let us know. If there is a change to the way your child is going home at the end of the day, a parent or guardian will need to send a note or call the office before 3:15 p.m.

If there is a change to your child's normal bus routine, we require a note or a phone call by a parent or guardian to the school, 262-348-4000, to make that change. Please do so before 3:15 p.m.

If you are planning a vacation or a trip and your child will be out of school for three or more days, please complete a Planned Absence Request. Please call the Central-Denison office at 262-348-4000 for a form, complete and the Principal will approve.