Greetings, Blue Jay families!
I hope this letter finds you well as we settle into the new year. We have had a great start to January, and I’d like to share a few updates about what’s happening at our school.
First, we are pleased to announce that the district has installed a new back gate for the school. This improvement enhances security and accessibility, and we appreciate the district’s support in maintaining a safe and welcoming campus for all.
Academically, all students have completed the easyCBM assessment, and we are using that data to guide both support and enrichment opportunities. Additionally, students wrapped up their i-Ready math assessments at the end of January. Our grade-level teams will begin analyzing this data soon to ensure we continue meeting the diverse needs of our students.
On the extracurricular front, our 13 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) teams at Centennial have kicked off their season and will be competing throughout the month. We are excited to see their hard work and teamwork in action! The winning team will represent our school at the Elementary Regional Tournament on Saturday, March 15, at Thurston High School. Best of luck to all our participants!
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to another great month of learning and growth!
Don Hakala, Principal
February’s focus is on Kindness and respecting others by being bucket fillers (as opposed to bucket drainers).
A bucket filler treats others with kindness, encourages the people around them, and looks for the positives in people and situations. These concepts will be shared with students through modeling, read-aloud books, and scenario discussions. Students will be acknowledged for their bucket-filling behaviors. Let the bucket filling begin!
Families, we understand that children get sick and we so appreciate it when you call to tell us they won't be in. We also understand that things often happen in our busy lives that cause us to be late.
But because showing up for school has such a huge impact on a student’s academic success, we want you to know that we are going to be increasing our efforts to reach out to families with information about attendance. You may be receiving more calls or other notifications than usual.
It's all because we know that attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves.
Students can fall behind when they miss school regardless if the absence is excused or unexcused. A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. Missing even 2 days a month equals 18 days a year and is considered chronically absent.
Start building this habit early so your student learns right away that going to school on time, every day is important!
Please reach out to us if we can help these efforts in any way.
One Book, One School: Many thanks to our fabulous PTO for buying books for every student and staff member to read! The book fostered lots of great discussions and craft opportunities, and culminated with a great Family Night on the 30th with trivia, crafts and storytelling.
Healthy Moves: Healthy Moves kicked off in January and will continue mornings through the school year, Monday through Thursday, thanks to grant funding from Slocum Orthopedics.
Safe Routes to School Bike Riding: Thanks to Safe Routes to School, our kinders and first-graders had a chance to learn how to bike ride during their PE classes. Fun was had by all!
Congratulations to our January Super Students, called out by their teachers this month for their extraordinary empathy, among other wonderful traits: Briana, Ruby, Layla, Jasper, Lia, Kolten, Audrey, Roxy A, Evie, Gary, Ariyella, Yasmin, Aadian, Anya, Tiera, Rogue, Sol, Sheyly, Sophia, Alice, Parker, Bryson, Cody, Alonzo, Aliah, Aleena, Addie, Achaius, Jay, Mireille, Tarlee, Dylan L and Erik!
Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) is in full swing at Centennial! Participating students in grades 3-5 have been hard at work, reading, studying, and working with their teammates to prepare for the OBOB trivia battles coming up starting Wednesda, February 5, 2025! For the month of February, Centennial’s 13 OBOB teams will have their chance to challenge various teams in the battle of book knowledge! Battles will be held in the library during school hours, moderated by Miss Hodgin. If parents or guardians are interested in volunteering their time to help during a battle, or have any questions about coaching their child’s team, please reach out to Miss Hodgin, madison.hodgin@springfield.k12.or.us! If you want to learn more about OBOB or how to support your student, you can find lots of resources, including a coaches guide, at www.oregonbattleofthebooks.org.
Click on the button below for a battle schedule. We will try to keep this as up-to-date as we can.
Contact Us
Email: deb.jolda@springfield.k12.or.us
Website: centennial.springfield.k12.or.us
Location: 1315 Aspen Street, Springfield, OR, USA
Phone: 541-744-6383
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentennialBlueJays