Central Elementary Bits and Bites

We hope you all enjoyed the holidays celebrating with friends and family!

We are excited to begin our second semester of the 2024-2025 school year! Just as busy as the first, we look forward to all the things the spring semester brings. We will be working hard to be sure all students meet their academic goals and grow as learners and leaders in and out of the classroom. Thank you parents and families for sharing your students with us at CES!

USD 462 works to keep our students, staff and families safe during severe weather that causes hazardous road conditions. Information regarding school closures will be shared as soon as the district has made a decision to close by using the below communications:

• Email
• Text
• App Alerts
• Phone Calls
• Local News Stations
• Social Media

Please see any of the above outlets for school closures as we prepare for another season of winter. If we do close schools and you do not receive alerts via text, email, or phone call, please call your child's school to be added to the contact list. Thank you!

As we begin our second half of the school year, we wanted to remind parents of our attendance policies. The below policies are found in our CES Handbook. Please let us know if you have any questions or need any help improving your child's attendance!

Attendance

The state attendance laws are explicit in the definition of valid excuses for absence from school. A student is expected to be punctual and regular in attendance to school. The parent is charged with the duty of keeping the student’s attendance regular. Students absent during all or a major part of the day, are not permitted to participate in extracurricular activities scheduled for that date.

If your student is to be absent, parents should telephone the office by 9:00 a.m. each morning they are absent. Parents are required to contact the office to request excused absences within 72 hours of the absence. Failure to contact the attendance office within 72 hours will result in the absence remaining unexcused. If a phone is not available for parents to call, we will accept a note upon their return. Students are to bring notes to the office.

Administration shall be responsible for determining if an absence is excused or unexcused. It is important for all students and parents to know that calling in an absence does not mean the absence will be excused.

Students missing more than two hours will be considered absent for that portion of the day.

Example: Arrival at 9:50 AM will result in half day absence. Departure at 1:45 PM will result in half day absence. Any arrival after 7:50 am is tardy and the arrival time is documented.

Any departure prior to 3:45pm is an early exit and the departure time is documented. If the reason for early exit falls within the excused absence categories, early departure will be recorded as excused.

Excused Absences

Absences will only be excused for the following reasons:

1. Illness

2. Doctor’s or dentist’s appointments (a note is required if the absence is more than ½ day)

3. A family death or serious illness

4. Court/judicial duty (a note is required if the absence is more than ½ day)

5. Participation in school sponsored activities

Tardies and Early Exits

Students arriving at school after 7:50 a.m. in the morning will be considered tardy to school and will report to the office to be issued a Tardy Admit Slip before going to class. In the event of a late arriving bus, students will not be penalized. Students will report to the office for a late bus slip. Students leaving before 3:45 p.m. will receive an early exit to be documented. For every 3rd unexcused tardy or early exit, an unexcused absence will be recorded. After 6 unexcused tardies or early exit, a letter will be sent to the parent/guardian by administration. After 9 unexcused tardies or early exits in a semester, a referral will be made to the Department of Children and Families office and/ or the Cowley County Truancy Officer Program.

Parents- please be sure kids are dressed and prepared for the cold conditions. As long as the weather permits, we will be taking our kids outside for recess. If your family is in need of coats, hats, gloves, long pants and tops, please reach out as we have generous donations for this need specifically!

Please note the date change for our February late start! New date: March 5th!

If you have any needs, concerns, or information you would like the school to know, please use the link below to communicate with us. The appropriate staff member will get back to you based off of your concerns. Thank you!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYMEBvN-XAgK8phV0yIoF2n17CwYg-0PwwZalTjjnlhY0ZUA/viewform?usp=pp_url

Check out our app! Access documents, news updates, emergency notifications- but most importantly- the Breakfast and Lunch Menu right from your pocket.

Download for Android https://bit.ly/3dI3SFm

Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3TkaZnS

Sunday, January 5th

Monday, January 6th

Tuesday, January 7th

• HS BB @ Wichita Central Christian Academy

Wednesday, January 8th

Thursday, January 9th

• JH BB @ HOME

Friday, January 10th

• HS BB @ HOME

Saturday, January 11th

• HS Wrestling @ Herrington

Sunday, January 12th

Monday, January 13th

• JH BB @ HOME

• BOE Meeting 6pm

Tuesday, January 14th

• HS BB @ Sedan

Wednesday, January 15th

Thursday, January 16th

• JH BB @ Caldwell

Friday, January 17th

• HS BB @ Caldwell

• HS Wrestling @ Halstead

Saturday, January 18th

• HS Wrestling @ Halstead

• HS BB SCBL Play In Games

Sunday, January 19th

Monday, January 20th

• HS BB SCBL Tourney Boys

Tuesday, January 21st

• HS BB SCBL Tourney Girls

Wednesday, January 22nd

• LATE START FOR ALL USD 462 Students

• No Prek 3 Classes

• Rising Raiders Assembly 12pm

Thursday, January 23rd

• HS SCBL Tourney Boys

• JH BB @ Sedan

Friday, January 24th

• HS BB SCBL Tourney Girls

• HS Wrestling @ Halstead

Saturday, January 25th

• HS Wrestling @ Eureka

• HS BB SCBL

Sunday, January 26th

Monday, January 27th

Tuesday, January 28th

• Cowley County Spelling Bee @ CJSHS 9am

Wednesday, January 29th

Thursday, January 30th

• JH BB @ HOME

Friday, January 31st

• HS BB @ HOME

• CES Professional Development Day

Saturday, February 1st

• HS Wrestling @ Fredonia