Stonegate Elementary Newsletter
February 22, 2025
Dear Stonegate Families,
Wow! The last week of February is upon us! Our students and teachers had fun yesterday by playing Stonegate BINGO! Who knew we had so many competitive people in our school community!
The week ahead brings IREAD practice tests for our 2nd and 3rd grade students and a visit to Zionsville West for our 4th graders! We are hopeful with the anticipated warmer temperatures our students will be able to enjoy outdoor recess and the promise that spring will be here soon! This final week in February will springboard us into the madness of March coupled with the excitement of spring. Below are important reminders of what will be coming soon!
Looking ahead:.
- PTO Hot Chocolate/Hot Cider Recess Treat - Friday 2/28--This was rescheduled due to cold temperatures.
- ZCS Do Days - Stonegate is collecting new and used crayons!
- 4th Grade to ZWest-On Thursday our 4th grade students and parents will visit Zionsville West!
- Yearbooks on Sale- Order a yearbook for your students; the deadline is March 14th!
- Kindergarten Strong Start- We look forward to meeting our newest eagles on Tuesday, March 25th! Registration is now open, so please spread the word to your neighbors with young children!
Enjoy the weekend and thank you for your partnership!
Mrs. Connie Largent, Principal
Mrs. Kathy Drake, Asst. Principal
February
27 - 4th graders visit ZWest
27 - 4th Grade Parent Meeting 7p at Zionsville West
28 - PTO Spirit Day: Favorite Decade
28 - PTO Hot Chocolate at Recess for students
March
5 - PTO Meeting at 2:45pm
12-13 PTO Spring Raffle
14 - End of Quarter 3
14 - PTO Movie Night
15 - PTO SGE Scavenger Hunt
19 - 4th graders visit the Carmel Palladium
19 - PTO Dine for Diners - Culver's with "Celebrity Servers"
27 - PTO Spirit Day: Favorite Vacation Shirt
28 - First Day of Spring Break
April
7 - Return from Spring Break
9 - PTO Meeting at 2:45pm
9-11 - PTO Book Fair
11 - PTO VIP & ME Event
17 - 2nd grade to the Pacers Athletic Center
25 - PTO Spirit Day: Crazy Socks
SAVE THE DATE & SPREAD THE WORD!
Kindergarten (Pre) Registration will NOW OPEN (required in order to attend Round-Up)
- Kindergarten (pre) registration for the 25-26 school year is now open! Visit the ZCS website to complete registration (part 1) for the graduating class of 2038!
- All ZCS elementary schools will host Kindergarten Round-Up in the afternoon/evening of March 25th for registered families. More details coming soon!
Science Fair and Love of Learning
Last week was a busy week at Stonegate Elementary! We had 25 students participate in the science fair. Their hard work was impressive as they presented their projects to the judges. It was exciting to see so many families here for We Love Learning night! The kids were busy playing games, listening to stories, and learning! We appreciate all of our staff and community partners who made the evening possible
Each year the Houses look for a way to give back or offer support to our community. This year, the Houses are once again working together to provide sack lunches for both Wheeler Men's and the Women and Children's Mission. Together we will seek donations, organize items, decorate bags, and pack 250 lunches! Obviously, this takes a lot of materials, but we know we can do it if we have your support! Please note that most donations can be sent in at any time up to February 28th, but some items such as fruit, bread, Uncrustables, and lunch meat have specific donation date of March 3rd. Thank you in advance for coming alongside us for such a worthy cause! *Donations can be placed in the labeled boxes in the front office.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0F44A4A823A02-54896276-lunch
IREAD was developed in accordance with Indiana Public Law 109 which requires all second and third grade students to be assessed in foundational reading skills. In second grade, the test is a practice. If students pass in second grade, they have met this requirement and do not have to take the test again in third grade. If a student passes in third grade, they have met this requirement and are finished with the IREAD assessment.
State law mandates that any student in grade two or three who does not pass the IREAD assessment will be provided with remediation during the rest of the school year and during summer school and will take IREAD again at the end of June. If a child does not pass the retake in second grade, they will continue to work on their reading skills in third grade and take the assessment again in March of their third-grade year. If a child is in third grade and does not pass the summer retake, we will meet with families to discuss if a child meets one of the Good Cause Exemption categories (listed below) to enable the student to move on to fourth grade or be retained in third grade. All students who are on diploma track must continue to take IREAD until they pass or complete sixth grade.
The IREAD assessment is an online exam. It will take approximately two hours. It is our expectation that all ZCS students are prepared to meet the proficiency levels required at each grade level. Should additional intervention be required to ensure a child’s success, a remediation plan will be developed and shared with families, and a retest will be offered in the district to assist each child needing to meet grade level skills.
Students eligible for a GCE include:
● A student who has previously been retained in third grade.
● A student whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) or case conference committee specifies that promotion to the next grade level is appropriate.
● A student who is an identified Multilingual Learner (ML) who has received services for fewer than two years and has had an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) committee determine promotion to the next grade level is appropriate.
● A student who achieved a performance level of “Proficient” or “Above Proficient” on the third grade ILEARN mathematics assessment.
● A student who has received two or more years of intensive intervention in reading aligned to science of reading and was retained more than once during kindergarten, first grade, or second grade.
February 27- During the school day, SGE students will visit ZWEST for their Step-Up trip. Fourth grade families are invited to ZWEST for informational meetings. See the message below from Katie Gordon, ZWMS Assistant Principal.
Hello Future (and possibly current) ZWest Families,
It's incredible to think that we're already gearing up for the 25-26 school year and making preparations to ensure seamless transitions for our students. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, February 27th, and save that date! We're thrilled to extend a warm welcome to current 4th-grade students from our feeder elementary schools for a special visit experience during the school day.
During this visit, students will have the exciting opportunity to engage with our current ZWest Eagles, explore the world of our music programming, and take a guided tour of our school building. The day is designed to give them a taste of the vibrant and supportive community they'll be joining.
For our parents and guardians of students receiving special education services, we have a tailored session planned just for you at 6 pm. Join us for an informative session on the specialized programming at Zionsville West and the chance to meet members of our dedicated team. We believe in providing a nurturing environment for every student, and this session is aimed at addressing your specific needs and concerns.
Following that, at 7 pm, we invite all incoming 5th-grade families to join us. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about Zionsville West and gain insights into how we'll collaborate to ensure a smooth transition for your child into our ZW family. We're excited to share our vision, values, and the various ways we support our students' growth and development. We look forward to meeting our future ZWest families on this special day and starting this exciting journey together!
Katie Gordon and the ZWEST Team
2.Parents/Guardians Teacher Organization PTO (pg 6):Parent Teacher Organizations are a major part of each school. These groups provide support to the students, teachers, and staff in the form of fundraising, event planning, and other special opportunities. All parents and guardians are members of PTO organizations and are encouraged to visit the school’s website or main office for more information.
3. Kindergarten (pg 8): The ZCS kindergarten curriculum, which is standards-based, creates a balanced approach that nurtures individual growth and development. The kindergarten curriculum builds a strong foundation of literacy and mathematical understanding, and fosters students’ social, emotional, and academic growth. The flexibly structured kindergarten day ensures important opportunities for teacher-directed learning, whole and small group interaction and inquiry, individual exploration, and creative pursuits.
4. Literacy Best Practices and Beliefs (pg 8): ZCS educators believe that literacy is the foundation for all learning and is critical to future success, combining phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension. ZCS elementary students receive direct instruction in reading at and beyond grade level texts with appropriate intervention and enrichment provided. Students are guided to read a variety of texts (including fiction, non-fiction, narrative and expository) for meaning and pleasure across all curricular areas. For more information regarding how the ZCS literacy framework provides experiences for readers and writers to grow through best instructional strategies, visit the ZCS website under the Academics link.
5. Media Center (pg 9): Students are instructed in literary appreciation, reference, and study skills by their classroom teachers and the media center specialist. Access to the school media center resources/catalog can be found at https://zcs.follettdestiny.com/common/welcome.jsp?context=saas099_1398200 or on each elementary school website under the Academics tab.
It's time to order your child's 2024-25 Yearbook! Follow the link below to place your order online. If you need to pay by cash or check, please contact the office on how to submit your order.
- Returning this year! Cripe Photography GIFT A YEARBOOK was a great success! Your school was able to donate 12 gifted books. You have the opportunity to donate a yearbook to your child's peers. Your school decides who will receive this awesome gift, thanks to your generosity!
- Stonegate Yearbooks - ORDER HERE ORDER DEADLINE: March 14 (late orders cannot be guaranteed a yearbook).
- Questions? Please contact Cripe Photography HERE.
Second Step Program
Students are putting their Skills for Learning (focusing attention, listening carefully, using self-talk to stay on task and being assertive when asking for help) in action! Students are now learning how to identify and understand their own and others’ feelings and how to show compassion. Compassion involves saying kind words or doing something helpful to show you care how another person feels. When students can identify, understand, and respond in a caring way to how someone else is feeling, it helps create a positive and accepting school climate. Below are the Home Links for the grade levels so you can learn more about what your child is learning, why it is important, and activities you can do at home with your child!
Family Assistance Form
When basic needs are met, students are better able to focus on education and learning. Therefore, there is assistance available for our students and their families to help with various needs that may arise throughout the school year. If you are currently in need of assistance, please fill out this Family Assistance form. This information will be kept in strictest confidence.
Warmly,
Jessica Wetzel
School Counselor
Stonegate Staff Birthday Lunch Sign Up
Everyone loves a good birthday celebration! Help us celebrate our staff with birthdays in January, February & March.
Stonegate Scavenger Hunt
Join us for a fun filled scavenger hunt on Saturday, March 15th! We will meet in front of Stonegate Elementary at 10:00. Hot chocolate will be provided at the end for all participants! RSVP below with how many adults and children will be coming. Can't wait to see you there!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D4DACAE2DA1FF2-55213937-stonegate
Lunch Guests Sign Up!
Starting September 3, SGE will be ready to welcome our K-4 Lunch Guests! Here's how it works:
- Due to limited space, we are happy to welcome one special visitor with each student for a total of four different guests per grade level.
- Sign-up to reserve your spot by clicking here.
We have "Visitor Tables" in the front foyer that you will sit at with your child during their lunch time.
Buddy Up Fun Night: March 22nd
The Best Buddies Club encourages friendships between general education and special education students. Feeling excluded and lonely from others is a common feeling among those with disabilities. ZCHS recognizes the importance of INCLUSION. Buddy Up FUN night (March 22, 2025) is an event that is here to help all students feel welcome and accepted. It is open to all K-4th grade elementary students with or without disabilities and 5th-8th grade students WITH an intellectual disability. The fee covers pizza, beverages, snack, magician, balloon animals and bounce houses.
ALL PROCEEDS from Buddy Up FUN night go to the ZCHS Best Buddies Club to help pay for activities and their PROM. Each additional sibling is $31.00. Check in (3:45-4:15) takes place in the high school wedge. The wedge parking lot is off of Hal Sharpe Blvd (enter door #3). Dinner and various activities (4:30-8:30) including games, magician, bounce houses, and snack time. Sign up here.
Child Find
Child Find is the process for locating, identifying, and evaluating individuals with suspected disabilities who may need special education services, regardless of the severity of their disabilities. This is the responsibility of ZCS regardless of whether a parent affirmatively requests an evaluation. ZCS provides a Free Appropriate Public Education to any child who qualifies as having a disability, in accordance with federal and state laws. ZCS is responsible for locating all children ages 3 through 22 years of age with a suspected disability who reside within the boundaries of its district. With early identification and intervention, frustration and academic failure can be prevented, which in turn creates a positive learning experience for students. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), which encompasses academics, speech, language, and/or social and emotional learning, is an essential component of the child find process. Utilizing screening assessments, the ZCS team members identify students in need of intervention, implement action plans, and monitor the response to the targeted interventions. In addition, the evaluation referral procedures in ZCS provide the framework to refer students with suspected disabilities for evaluation. If you have questions regarding the Child Find process in ZCS, please contact your child’s school counselor.
Eagle Rec Programs
Interested in learning more about after school clubs, sports, and enrichment opportunities? Click the link for a list of opportunities offered here at Stonegate. https://www.zionsvilleeaglerec.com/stonegate-elementary.cfm
Visitor and Volunteer Procedures
During the school day, all volunteers are expected to check in at the front office. Prior to the volunteer opportunity, all volunteers must sign a Non-disclosure Acknowledgement Form and have successfully completed a Full Criminal History Background Check.. Necessary background check paperwork is available on the ZCS website at the Volunteers/BRAVO link and should be submitted at least 10 days prior to the intended volunteer date. Volunteers must also view the state mandated confidentiality/bullying video, provided on the Volunteer/BRAVO website. The volunteer will pay the fee for the full background check which will expire after 5 years.
During the school day, all visitors must enter via the front door and sign-in at the front office. Visitors need to be prepared to present a government issued photo ID which will be scanned against the National Sex Offender Registry. All visitors will be issued a visitor badge/tag to be worn inside the building at all times. Visitors other than parents/guardians must be prearranged and organized through the main office.
ZCS Community Events
