Superintendent's Update

Summer at Centennial School District was quite busy. Throughout the summer months:

• Summer learning took place across the District, bringing together hundreds of students in grades K-12, providing them with rich academic and fun learning opportunities.

• While the 2020 Bond work is essentially completed, we remain focused on improving learning environments for students. To that end, this summer, Centennial undertook several Capital Construction projects including:

• Centennial Classroom Improvement Fund Work

• Painting of classrooms at all schools

• Remodeling four classrooms, as well as the music room at Patrick Lynch Elementary

• Seismic improvements to Powell Butte Elementary School as part of a $2.5 million State of Oregon Seismic Rehabilitation Grant

• 104 new windows installed across 52 classrooms at four schools using ESSER pandemic relief funds (Patrick Lynch, Parklane, Powell Butte, and Meadows Elementary Schools)

• Ceiling and lighting replacements in the Centennial High School main kitchen

• New covered play structure at Oliver Middle School (OMS)

• Parking lot repaving and striping at Parklane and OMS

Examples of remodeled learning spaces completed in the Classroom Improvement Fund work

Some of the new classroom window installations supported by ESSER funds

The Centennial High School main kitchen following ceiling and lighting replacements

The new covered play area at Oliver Middle School

Parking lots at Parklane and Oliver Middle School after repaving and striping

As we enter Year 2 of Roadmap ‘27, our focus this year will sharpen on four priority areas that will guide our District and School Improvement Plans. These focus areas are directly aligned with our Five Goals for Student Success:

This year, we will deepen our practices to ensure every student experiences a sense of belonging. When students feel valued and capable, their academic and personal achievements increase.

Literacy remains a cornerstone of our work. We are committed to fostering a community of lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and effective communicators. Our goal is to ensure every student has the foundation to thrive in an increasingly complex world. This year, we will be placing a strong emphasis on using our Literacy Framework to ensure every student has the foundational skills they need to succeed.

Learning in school depends on regular attendance. Students who feel more connected to school have higher attendance rates, which lead to higher academic outcomes, graduation and post-secondary success rates. This year, we will focus on strategies to improve attendance, including developing strong relationships with students and families, creating engaging and relevant learning experiences, and providing the support and resources students and families need to overcome barriers to attendance.

Engagement is more than showing up; it’s about being actively involved in learning. This year, we will be focusing on creating learning conditions and designing experiences so all our learners are engaged and active in their learning everyday.

As you can see, there’s much happening in our District, and we continue to keep our community updated about our District’s progress in our Superintendent’s Update Newsletter, website, and social media. We look forward to continued engagement with you!

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to our staff, our partnerships with families, and the commitment of our community that makes Centennial School District a great place for our students to learn and grow. I invite you to join us in providing additional possibilities for our students and supporting them in their academic success.

Let’s continue to work together and foster a welcoming community that serves all students.

Offices at all Centennial locations will be closed Monday, September 2, 2024 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from September 15 to October 15, honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of individuals whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Established in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week, it was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

For most of our students, the first day of school will be Wednesday, September 4, and will be on a late start bell schedule. For more information about bell schedules, visit our website at https://csd28j.org/bellschedule

Kindergarten and Preschool Schedule:

• Kindergarten Last Name A-L - Wednesday September 4 (Late start schedule)

• Kindergarten Last Name M-Z - Thursday, September 5

• Friday, September 6 - NO SCHOOL for Kindergarten

• All Kindergarten and Preschool - Monday, September 9

Are you a resident of the Centennial School District and interested in serving on the School Board? The Centennial School Board is seeking applications to fulfill the unfinished term for Board Director Position 6-At-Large. This temporary position will serve through June 30, 2025. Any resident of the District that is a registered voter and has lived in the district for one year or more may be considered for appointment to this position.

Applications are open now through September 9 at 5 p.m. More information about the application process and the application can be found at the link below.

This year, our schools and District Office will continue to use ParentSquare as our platform to communicate with families via email, text, and mobile app. To make sure you are receiving all communications, please update your child’s school with any changes to your preferred email address and phone number so that we can reach you correctly.

We encourage all families to register their accounts for the best experience with ParentSquare communications. While you do not have to register to receive emails and alerts from your school, registration does have many helpful benefits, including:

• All of your messages in one convenient dashboard or phone app: Have students at multiple CSD schools? Want to be able to read all messages from the District and your school in one convenient location? Registering your ParentSquare account allows you to access a single dashboard or mobile app to see all messages together.

• Customization features: Registering your account allows you to select when and how you want to receive messages from your school, based on your specific preferences and schedule.

• Access to new upcoming features: As we expand our use of the ParentSquare platform this year, schools will be able to share calendars, important links, and more through the ParentSquare dashboard and mobile app.

• You do not have to download the mobile app to register your account, and can access your customized dashboard from any internet browser.

All unregistered parents/guardians will receive an invitation email and/or text on Tuesday, September 3 with a registration link. To complete your registration using this link, please see the directions below, or contact your school office for assistance:

ParentSquare Registration Instructions (English)

ParentSquare Registration Instructions (Spanish)

Scan the QR code below, or download at the Apple App Store or Google Play.

The entire Centennial community is invited to be a part of this year's Centennial School District Homecoming celebration, happening on October 4. Come show your school spirit and join in the fun! This year's festivities will include a coloring contest, parade and tailgate event -- all leading up to the big game at 7pm at the CHS Stadium. Watch our website or follow us on social media for more details coming soon!

Don’t forget to check out the latest edition of our Report to the Community, highlighting several examples of how our Roadmap ‘27 Strategic Plan goals are shaping the work of the Centennial School District.

The Report to the Community is available in English, Spanish, and Russian at www.csd28j.org/communityreport