December 2024

5 Honor Choir Practice

5 Violin Class at BIA

8 Jingle Bell Spectacular

9 MCT Vision Screenings for 1st Grade

9-13 Candy Cane Grams

10 WCBK Christmas Caroling

12 Honor Choir Practice

12 Violin Class at BIA

12 Grinch Matinee 2:00 p.m.

12 Grinch Holiday Show 6:00 p.m.

16 4th Grade Field Trip

17 Pre-K Holiday Program 2:30pm

19 Violin Class at BIA

20 All School Sing Along

23-Jan 3 Winter Break

6 School resumes

6 Annie Musical Auditions for Kdg & 1st grade

6 4th Grade Lil Arties Practice

7 Annie Musical Auditions for 2nd - 4th

8 PTO Meeting

8 4th Grade Lil Arties Practice

9 Violin Class at BIA

10 Report cards sent home/posted

13 Donuts for Honor roll

13 4th Grade Lil Arties Practice

15 4th Grade LIl Arties Practice

16 Violin Class at BIA

20 Martin Luther King Jr day-No School

21 3rd Grade ILearn Testing

22 4th Grade ILearn Testing

Lil Arties

23 4th grade ILearn testing

23 Violin Class at BIA

27 4th Grade Lil Arties practice

27-28 2nd Grade Stem Field Trip

28 3rd Grade ILearn testing

29 4th Grade Lil Arties practice

30 4th Grade ILearn testing

30 Violin class at BIA

SAVE THE DATE!!

HOLIDAY PROGRAM - The Grinch!

Thursday, December 12th

6:00 pm

All the 2nd grade classes & Smith Honor Choir Proudly present “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”

Thursday, December 8th at 6:00 pm

2nd grade - dress like Seuss “Who” Characters,

Honor Choir wear your dress up clothes.

Mark your calendars and save the date - we will get you in the holiday spirit!!

Downtown Martinsville at the new outdoor amphitheater “The Venue”

Sunday, December 8th

We perform around 3:20 (right after Tom Fiddlery students perform)

Meet at 3:00 pm on the north side of the venue, we will line up on the sidewalk next to Pike Street.

• All the 2nd grade classes & Smith Honor Choir will perform songs from “The Grinch” at this

awesome venue in Martinsville!

• Dress warmly! Coats, hats, gloves, etc. It’s all outside!

• No speaking lines from the show, we just sing our songs. If you are a soloist/have a duet - please attend or let Ms. Palma know if you cannot attend so someone else can sing your part.

By law, every 1st grader has to have their eyes examined by an optometrist. Dr. Cunningham will be at Smith Fine Arts Academy to perform vision screenings on Monday, December 9th.

Tune in on Tuesday, December 10th at 9:30 am to hear our very own 3rd grade classes sing Holiday carols live on 102.3 FM, WCBK! We will get you in the Christmas Spirit!

November 18, 2024

As we begin a busy season of school and holiday activities, I would like to make you aware of our procedures and communication plan concerning the possibility of inclement weather:

• Weather decisions are made by our team who monitor conditions closely.

• When determining a delay, early dismissal, or cancellation of school, countywide weather conditions are reviewed. In addition, we utilize the National Weather Service website @ www.nws.noaa.gov/om/cold/wind_chill.shtml

Communication

Before school, a decision will be made by 5:30 AM and communicated to you and your family in the following ways:

1. Staff/ parents will be notified through an all-call using ParentSquare. (Telephone numbers are generated from our Skyward database. At your convenience, please check Family Access to ensure your telephone number is up-to-date for this academic year.)

2. Communication will be added to the district's website and social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MSD of Martinsville

3. Communication will be sent to the following radio and TV stations: WCBK, WISH 8, WRTV-6, WTHR-13, Fox-59.

4. This information can also be found on our website, https://msdofmartinsville.org/transportation-and-safety/.

Early Dismissal

As weather conditions in our area can change quickly, an early dismissal may be necessary. We will make a decision concerning dismissal as early as possible then call parents through ParentSquare and communicate information to our website, social media and local media.

I encourage you as a family to develop a weather plan. For example, if parents or guardians work, where should your child go if there is an early dismissal or a two-hour delay?

I hope this information is helpful as we work together planning for inclement weather events. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Eric Bowlen

Superintendent

Meet the PTO Board

Co-presidents: Ky Sumner and Katie O’Neal

Vice President: Amanda Thomas

Treasurer: Leann Moss

Secretary: Amy Purkey

Upcoming Events

Candy Cane Grams 12/9-12/13

Meeting Times

PTO meetings will be held on Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. in the library.

The following dates are tentative: Jan. 8, Feb. 5, Mar. 5, Apr. 2.

Everyone is invited and welcome. We hope many will participate.

Follow us on Facebook:

Smith Fine Arts Academy PTO

Winter break is December 23rd—January 3rd. School resumes on Monday, January 6th.

There will be no school for two weeks. We would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season.

ParentSquare is the MSD of Martinsville’s tool to communicate with Artesian families.

Families may register for an account and set their preferences for how they’d like to receive messages from us. For example, many parents only want to receive a text, while others prefer email, and others choose both. If you download the app (it’s free!), you can also get notifications via the app.

Another feature of the app is that it allows users to select their preferred language.

In emergencies or when notifying school families is urgent, ParentSquare will use all methods of contact, including a phone call, text, email, and app notification (if we have the correct information and if you’ve downloaded the app).

If you do not register with ParentSquare, you will still receive an email when we use ParentSquare to send a message.

Registering your ParentSquare account

If you do not have an email from the MSD of Martinsville inviting you to create a ParentSquare account, please notify your community.relations@msdmartinsville.org and we will send you the invitation. While you do not need to create an account to receive messages from us, you will have greater flexibility to tailor the ways you receive messages from us if you have an account.

Once you have created an account, there are additional resources available to help you tailor your account to meet your own preferences.

Questions? Email community.relations@msdmartinsville.org

Click this link to apply! Applying has benefits for the school and your family. If you have questions, check out the video.

All visitors to MSD of Martinsville Schools during the school year will be required to have a Limited Criminal History Check. Completed background checks are confidential and will be kept in the school office. A valid driver’s license or state-issued ID will be required for the background check. Please complete the Background Check Form, available in the office, and present your ID to the office at least a week prior to visiting or volunteering. In order to keep our students safe, individuals who do not have a valid driver’s license or state-issued ID will not be allowed access to our building or our students. Please note: If you have a misdemeanor conviction within the last 5 years or a felony conviction within the last 10 years, you will not be allowed to visit/chaperone during school hours. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we keep student safety a priority!

The building opens at 8:25 a.m. Students should not arrive before that time since there is no supervision. Please monitor the time your child leaves for school to make certain he or she does not arrive before 8:25 a.m. We ask that you call the school office (342-8488) by 9:30 a.m. if your child is going to be absent or tardy. If we have not heard from you, you will receive a phone call informing you that your child is not in attendance. A note is necessary the day your child returns if you do not call the school.

· Please share our dismissal procedures with any friends and/or family members who will be responsible for picking up your student.

· To change your student’s dismissal procedure, please call the office at 765-342-8488 ext 3 before 3:00 p.m. We may not be able to accommodate dismissal changes after 3:00 p.m. Please do not leave a message when making a dismissal change.

· If your child is a car rider, please stop by the office to pick up a green sign to place in your car during dismissal.

· Car riders, bus riders, and daycare students will begin dismissing at 3:30 pm. Walkers will be released at approximately 3:45 p.m., after all buses and car riders have departed.

· Students who are being picked up early must be signed out in the office by a parent, guardian, or emergency contact.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Indiana grade two and grade three students recently participated in the IREAD assessment,

which measures foundational reading skills needed for later success. The test included phonics,

vocabulary, and comprehension items.

The IREAD assessment results indicated that your:

● Grade two student obtained a proficiency level of “At Risk” or “On Track.”

● Grade three student obtained a proficiency level of “Did Not Pass.”

Foundational reading success impacts long-term success and opportunity. At this time,

(insert school name or educator name) will be discussing next steps for support and remediation

for your student. Please note the following:

● Your student will continue to retest in the IREAD spring and summer administrations

until they obtain a proficiency level of “Pass” or are promoted to grade seven.

● Your student will continue to receive support by (schools detail next steps here).

● Your student may qualify for a Good Cause Exemption (GCE). Indiana Code (IC)

20-32-8.5-2 defines specific criteria that serves to exempt eligible students from being

retained in third grade as a result of not passing the IREAD assessment, which is known

as a GCE. These exemptions to the retention requirement are made at the school-level,

and may be determined based on one of the following criteria:

○ The student was subject to retention and has been retained in grade three for one

school year.

○ The student has an intellectual disability or the student's Individualized Education

Program (IEP) specifies that retention is not appropriate, and the student's case

conference committee (CCC) has determined that promotion to another grade is

appropriate.

○ The student is an identified English learner (EL) who has received services for

fewer than two years and a committee consisting of:

● the student's parent;

● a building level administrator or designee;

● a classroom teacher of service;

● an English learner teacher of record, if one exists; and

● an English learner district administrator, if one exists;

determines that promotion is appropriate based on the implementation of

research-based instructional practices outlined in the student's Individual Learning

Plan (ILP).

○ The student received a score of “At Proficiency” or “Above Proficiency” on the

grade three ILEARN Mathematics assessment.

○ The student has received intensive intervention in reading for two or more years;

and was retained more than once during kindergarten, grade one, or grade two.

NOTE: The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) recommends careful consideration of

GCEs alongside reading support grounded in science of reading practices. By prioritizing

remediation and intervention, we can help ensure every student becomes a successful, lifelong

reader – laying the foundation for academic achievement and greater opportunities for the future.

Thank you for your continued commitment to ensuring that your child reaches their fullest

potential through reading proficiency and achievement.

The goal of the clinic is to keep everyone safe and healthy.

We would like to remind you that if your child has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher, they will not be permitted to stay at school.

Students must be fever FREE for 24 hours without medication to return to school. They must also be vomiting and diarrhea FREE for 24 hours to come to school.

Please talk to your children about hand washing and personal hygiene.

If your child borrows clothes from the clinic, PLEASE wash the clothes and return them to school.

It would be extremely helpful for students in Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten to keep an extra set of clothes in their backpacks in case of an emergency. The state is requiring immunizations to be up to date by September 3rd. Students not up to date will be unable to attend school on September 4th.

Menus are available at the beginning of each month and can be found at: artiescafe.org .

Lunch payments may be made, and meal/textbook assistance forms may be completed, online at artiescafe.org.

Student Lunch: $2.75

LUNCH SCHEDULE

PREK

10:45-11:15 a.m.

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

It is the responsibility of the students to maintain a healthy and respectful-looking appearance while attending school and school activities. Specific regulations of the dress policy:

· Clothing and/or accessories which are indecent or displaying/inferring offensive or lewd words, sayings, and/or pictures is considered a violation. Clothing and/or accessories may not display any forms or references to alcohol, tobacco products, and/or illegal substances.

· Short shorts, halter tops, net shirts, tank tops with spaghetti straps, and midriff tops are not permissible.

· Shoes should be appropriate for safety and comfort. Flip flops and shoes with wheels are not permitted at any time. Students must wear tennis shoes to Physical Education. High heels, and sandals without backs are not permitted.

· Hats and sunglasses are not to be worn in the school building except on designated days.

· The wearing or displaying of any gang related article of dress or adornment is not allowed at school or any school activity.

· Any attire that disrupts the educational process or puts a student at risk, such as clothing that does not fit appropriately, or leaves underwear exposed, is not permitted.

M, T, TH, F ARRIVAL

Doors Open: 8:25 am

School Begins: 8:40 am

WEDNESDAY ARRIVAL

Doors Open: 9:25 am

School Begins: 9:40 am

DAILY DISMISSAL

Daycare/Car Riders/Bus Riders: 3:30 pm

Walkers will be released after all busses and car riders have departed.