Centennial Blue Jays

Greetings, Blue Jay families!

It was great to see so many families come in this year for conferences! Report cards went home last week in students' backpacks and can also be viewed in ParentVue. Just a reminder that although this is the only official time for conferences, we encourage families to stay in regular communication with their kiddos' teachers through SeeSaw, email or scheduled appointments. If you need help connecting via SeeSaw, please ask Ms. Deb for assistance!

And thanks to those of you who took the time to take our survey letting us know how we are doing. Some of you mentioned a suggestion box of some kind. While you are always welcome to give us a call or email with feedback, we will take this under consideration. And congratulations to the families of Madison/Amelia and Sapphira, winners of Menchies and Cool Beanz gift cards!

If you didn't get a chance to watch the videos explaining how we use Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) to encourage good behavior, you can watch our video here. If you want more details, you can view the referenced slideshow here.

This month's character trait is GRATITUDE. Please see below for ideas of how to help your students show their gratitude. Students who are caught demonstrating gratitude can earn Blue Jay Bucks that they can use at the Student Store. We are also focusing on following directions.

it's a short month as we get ready to head out for Winter Break starting the week of the 23rd.

Let's have a great December, everyone!

Don Hakala, Principal

Dec. 3: PTO Meeting, 6 p.m.

Dec. 6: Flock Friday

Dec. 13: Early Release/Flock Friday (12:30)

Dec. 17: 5th Grade Field Trip to Science Center

Dec. 20: Flock Friday

Dec. 23-Jan. 6: No School - Winter Break

During December and January Centennial is focusing on the expectation of following directions. A special Blue Jay Buck is being used to acknowledge students following directions throughout their day: in class, in the hallways, on the playground, and in the cafeteria. Each classroom is setting a goal for how many special Blue Jay Bucks they need to accumulate to earn a special classroom celebration. Students can also use their Blue Jay Bucks to enter their name into prize drawings. The main idea is to recognize students as they make great choices at Centennial!

Gratitude is about focusing on what's good in our lives and being thankful for the things we have. Gratitude is pausing to appreciate what we often take for granted. An attitude of gratitude helps build stronger relationships and fosters a positive mindset. Best of all, it’s contagious!

Teams are getting solidified for OBOB! We currently have 14 teams signed up this year. WInter Break will be an EXCELLENT time for students to get cracking on reading, just in time for practice sessions after break. 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. You can also feel free to reach out to Ms. Hodgin in the library (madison.hodgin@springfield.k12.or.us).

The NED Show came to our school last month teaching great lessons of N.E.D.: Never Give Up, Encourage Others, and Do Your Best. The assembly was provided on a "Pay it forward" basis, and our yoyo sales will allow another school to receive the assembly for free. Thank you to those of you who purchased yoyos! The school is also making yoyos available for students to earn through our December SRR booster, in which students can earn orange Blue Jay Bucks for doing what their teacher asks the first time. Students will be able to practice their yoyos together in the NED Zone at recess. Families can help us by reinforcing the NED concepts at home!

Congratulations to our November's Super Students, who were all acknowledged for being RESPONSIBLE, among other awesome traits: Autumn, Andrew, Briza, Zach, Oliver, Lunabelle, Anahya, Elli, Ariella L, Brandon, Noah P, James, Micah, Amelia, Otter, Bethany, McKenzie, Hawkins, Annabell, Max N, Raegan, Daniela C-C, Jayna, Angel, Cailin, Mateo, Declan, Rocio, Cesar, Vienna, Kenzie, Aiden, Calvin, Aubriella, Lizeth and Amilia! Keep up the great work!

Willamalane:

• Check out Winter Break activities on their website.
• Spots are still available for 5th-grade boys basketball after school at Centennial, which starts Jan. 13. (The girls league is in March.)
• There's also a 1st-grade co-ed basketball clinic starting in Jan.
• Ask about FULL scholarships for qualifying families!

Eugene Science Center:

• Learn about Winter Break workshops here.

Centennial has an outstanding PTO! We really appreciate all they do to support our staff and students at CES! We would love to have you participate with this group. Meetings are generally held on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Child care is always available, and they offer a light meal. You can visit their website at www.cespto.org.

How to support our school:

• You can always get blue bags from the school office. This is an easy way to support the PTO through donations of bottles and cans. Just bring the bag to the Springfield Bottle Drop Redemption Center, scan the PTO bar code, and toss your bag.
• Watch for upcoming fundraisers, and in the meantime, volunteer!

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

We are always happy to help or answer any questions you might have!