Centennial Blue Jays

Email: deb.jolda@springfield.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.springfield.k12.or.us/Centennial
Location: 1315 Aspen Street, Springfield, OR, USA
Phone: 541 744-6383
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentennialBlueJays

Hello Blue Jay families!

Please read through the following updates for important information about our school.

READ-A-THON

April 4-11 is our annual Read-a-Thon! This is a wonderful way to encourage our students to read while also raising funds for our school. Students can win prizes in a number of ways by the number of minutes they read as well as by funds raised. Of course, all the money that is raised will be used to support the students and staff at Centennial. We appreciate our PTO for organizing this great opportunity!

REGISTRATION

If you have a student who will be 5 before September 1, please contact our office for information about registering for Kindergarten. We're looking forward to another awesome Kindergarten class this fall!

MASKING UPDATE

Remember that, at school, everyone can choose whether or not to wear a mask. Some children and adults may choose to continue to wear a mask due to medical reasons, because they have a sick family member at home, or just because they prefer to.

It is very important for students and staff to maintain 6 ft distance whenever possible and practice thorough handwashing.

COVID-19 Update

If a student tests positive they need to stay out for five days from the start of symptoms or date tested, if they are asymptomatic. They will be asked to wear a mask for an additional five days when they return.

COVID continues to be a concern for all of us and we appreciate your support as we work together to keep our students safe and healthy. Please make frequent handwashing, for 20 seconds, a normal part of your routine and keep your child home if they are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, upset stomach, or headache. Students must be symptom free for 24 hours to return to school. Please click here to check the SPS website for additional information about vaccines and other resources.

COVID Testing

We now have free test kits available here in the office. Please stop by the office to get one if you think you need one.

Also, a reminder that the UO's free weekly testing program is still accepting students. This program has been very helpful so far in identifying students who are positive but have no symptoms. Please review this info/registration-flyer https://tinyurl.com/OHAconsent5-14.​ Tests are collected at school each morning.

At this time we are, unfortunately, not able to have parents and other volunteers, in our building. We will keep you posted if this changes.

VACCINES & BOOSTERS

Children 5-17 years old are up-to-date on their COVID vaccines if they have completed their primary series of vaccinations plus two weeks. Quarantine protocols are determined based on the level of vaccine that a person has.

We encourage all eligible individuals to ensure that they are up-to-date with this vaccine as it is one of the most powerful ways to limit the spread and seriousness of COVID-19 symptoms.

To find information about vaccination clinics available throughout our community visit www.lanecounty.org/vaxclinics.

LOST & FOUND

Please, remind your student to check the Lost and Found at school and check out this page on our school website for missing items.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

We'd like to know how we can help support our community. Please click here and take a minute or two to fill out this brief survey and give us your feedback.

Let's have an outstanding April!

CES is excited to participate in the World Wide Welcome Youth Relay!This event is sponsored by Making Tracks, the local organizing committee of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. We will join 200-plus other groups in helping welcome the nations of the world to Oregon by taking on a leg of the World Wide Welcome (WWW) Youth Relay! Each one-mile leg of the youth relay is dedicated to one of the 200-plus global track and field teams on their way to WCH Oregon22. All our students will have a chance to run on our track and welcome our designated country.

Your student will be bringing home a release form allowing them to be videotaped. Please return these as soon as possible.

Free summer camps available for K-7th grade students!

This summer, Springfield Public Schools is offering FREE Summer Programs with Academics + Recreation for Kids (SPARK) at 6 of our elementary schools and all 4 middle schools. This program is open to any current Springfield student in grades Kindergarten through 7th grade. The fun begins Tuesday, July 5th!

For more information, visit the SPARK Camp page.

Register in English or Spanish at this link.

KITS registration is also LIVE and any incoming Kindergarten student may register to attend one of our four sites! Flyers are attached.

SPS covers the cost for students to attend Willamalane summer camps!

Thanks to a grant, Springfield Public Schools is covering the cost of Willamalane’s summer camps for current and incoming SPS students. Capacity for summer camp spots is very limited and spots will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Willamalane registration opens April 6th! You can find camp information, registration instructions, contacts, and all of the information you need by visiting Willamalane's website. Use code "SPSSummer22" at checkout to receive the discount. Willamalane’s one-time summer camp registration fee of $45 (per camper) still applies.​

Browse Willamalane camps and download the summer camp planner at willamalane.org/camp.

How to register:

Registration opens on Wednesday, April 6 at 8 a.m. You can register online at willamalane.org, by phone at 541-736-4544, or in-person at Bob Keefer Center at 250 S. 32nd St. in Springfield.

Apply the coupon code “SPSSummer22” at checkout to get your camp covered by SPS. This discount is only available for current or incoming SPS students. Willamalane’s one-time summer camp registration fee of $45 still applies. That fee will cover your child for the whole summer.

Willamalane recommends checking that your family's information is correct at Willamalane’s registration site. Be sure to make an account or update your family's information before registration day. You can access their registration site at willamalane.org/register. If you have any questions about your account, please contact Willamalane at 541-736-4544.

April

Flexible thinking allows a person to better face unexpected challenges, quickly problem-solve a solution or workaround, and adjust to a different way of doing something. Flexible thinking is a key to success and it is a skill that can be learned!

April 4-11 Read-a-thon

April 5 PTO meeting at 6:00 (link)

April 8 Early Release - Crazy Hair Day!

April 22 Early Release - Neon Color Day!

Centennial has an outstanding PTO! We really appreciate all they do to support our staff and students at CES! We would love to have you participate with this group. Please check them out! Information page link.

April 5 Meeting at 6:00 - click here for the link

We encourage our CES families to take advantage of this free parenting class! It is specifically designed to provide help for adults raising kids with challenging behaviors and will help you:

• Build skills & confidence in using the CPS approach
• Network & share information about community resources
• Develop new understanding of challenging behavior & learn new ways to help your child
• Rethink conventional approaches to behavioral difficulties and strengthen relationships
• Gain support from other parents, grandparents, and foster parents

The Collaborative Problem Solving approach is an evidence-based method to managing challenging behavior that promotes the understanding that challenging kids lack the skill - not the will - to behave; specifically, skills related to problem-solving, flexibility and frustration tolerance. Unlike traditional models of discipline, the CPS approach avoids the use of power, control and motivational procedures and instead focuses on collaborating with the child/ youth/ young adult to solve the problems leading to challenging behavior and building the skills they need to succeed.

The 8-week class is provided in an online setting.

For more information, please click here.

Have you ever thought of being part of the outstanding Centennial Elementary staff? If so, we have a number of opportunities you may want to consider. These include:

• Family Resource Coordinator (6.5 hours per day)
• Educational assistants that help to supervise and instruct students (range of hours available)
• Health aide (6.25 hours per day)

You can find these, and more, open positions on the district website by clicking on this link and then scrolling down to the bottom of the page where you will find a number of different options.

In April of 2022, we will begin taking referrals for TAG identification. The SPS Talented and Gifted program assesses through district wide tests and classroom work samples whether or not your child is at the 97%ile or above in the areas of Reading, Math, or Intellectual giftedness, or shows the potential to perform at this level. The 97%ile means that if your child was in a line of 100 students, they would know more than the first 97 students in line. These children are at the top of their class, and typically above most students at their entire grade level at school.

Students must be referred for screening no later than April 15, 2022. After you refer them for screening, the teacher will pull all of the data for the screening and be in contact with you about whether or not your child qualifies for further identification procedures. If your child qualifies, you will receive a packet from your school with a parent questionnaire and a timeline of what to expect throughout the process.

April is the beginning of our last push of the school year. This is the time when our students really double down to successfully complete the expected learning for the year. Please continue to encourage your student to practice good work habits and attend school every day, unless ill.

During March, our students had a 'secret' classroom where they left notes and clues about their identify. It was so much fun to watch them sneaking around the building to drop off their notes and it was a really great way to help our students get to know each other a little bit more. In April, our students will continue to focus on building our community by practicing positive interactions with one another.

We love our CES community and look forward to a great next few months!

Sincerely,

Principal Williams