MSD OF DECATUR TOWNSHIP
DISTRICT NEWSLETTER - BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION - JULY 2023
DISTRICT NEWSLETTER - BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION - JULY 2024
A MESSAGE FROM DR. SCOTT COLLINS
Dear Decatur Township Families,
Welcome back to school! It is an honor to open the 2024-2025 school year as the Superintendent of Schools for the MSD of Decatur Township. I hope you all had a wonderful summer filled with relaxation and fun. As we gear up for another exciting academic year, I want to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students, families, and staff members.
We are looking forward to the first day of school for this academic year, which will be on Tuesday, July 30th. We are excited to see our school buildings full of students next week!
I invite you to mark your calendars for an upcoming event on August 13th, where we will have an opportunity to come together as a community to meet our new administrators in Decatur Township. The MSD of Decatur Township Board of School Trustees will be hosting a “Meet and Greet” opportunity from 4:30-5:30 p.m. next to the Administration Building at 5275 Kentucky Avenue. We will have refreshments available for you to enjoy and I would encourage you to come out and meet our new administrators. More details about this event will be provided in early August.
The MSD of Decatur Township is Student Invested, Community Connected. We prioritize Student Learning, Safety and Customer Service, fostering a support system for our families. Our school's mission, vision, and priorities continue to guide us in providing a nurturing and enriching learning environment for every student. We are committed to fostering academic excellence, character development, and personal growth in all our students.
In this newsletter you will find important back-to-school information such as school supply lists, school breakfast and lunch details, upcoming events, school hours, transportation options, and more. Please review and reference this information as it will help you prepare for a smooth transition into the new school year.
As we embark on this journey together, I am confident that with your support and involvement, we will make this school year a truly exceptional one as we focus on our vision of “Preparing Students to be Tomorrow Ready”!
We are Decatur Proud!
Dr. Scott Collins, Superintendent
MEET OUR NEW ADMINISTRATORS
BACK TO SCHOOL INFORMATION CENTER:
School Supply Lists
*Teachers at DCHS will communicate supply needs to students.
SCHOOL START & END TIMES
Menus
Check out this school year's menu! Don't forget that breakfast & lunch are free for all students! Join us for some delicious, nutritious meals!
Purchases and Account Info
Check out our lunch portal! You can monitor purchases, add funds, and much more!
Reminder: For the 2024-2025 school year, breakfast and lunch will be provided to all students at no charge. Families can load funds through the Linq Connect app for any "extras" students may want to purchase.
Register here: https://linqconnect.com/WPME5A
MSD of Decatur Township Child Nutrition Department
5275 Kentucky Ave., Indianapolis IN 46221
317-856-5265
TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
Bus stop information can be obtained over the phone beginning at 1pm on July 25th. Bus drivers will begin calling parents on July 25th and continue to call through Monday the 29th. Please make sure the contact information for your student in Skyward Family Access is up to date, as transportation will call the primary number on the student account. If you have questions regarding transportation, we can be reached at 317.856.8060.
The MSD of Decatur Township Transportation Department will continue to use the Stopfinder app as a GPS bus tracking system. Stopfinder will be available on Friday, July 26th. Look for an email invitation to set up your account and follow the instructions below.
Email Invitations and Setting up Your Account:
Email invitations from Stopfinder will be sent to the primary email address in Skyward for each family of any student who uses MSD Decatur Transportation on July 26th. Look for the email from Stopfinder that says "Stopfinder-MSD Decatur Transportation" in the subject line. Follow the instructions in the email and below to accept the invitation, download the app, and set up GeoAlerts to get started. If you did not receive an email, please check your spam. You can also check Skyward Family Access to make sure your email is up to date and make changes there if it is not. You can also contact the Transportation department for assistance with this.
Stopfinder can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play.
Here are other resources to assist you in setting up the Stopfinder app, once you receive the invitation email:
Video: How to set up and use your Stopfinder Account
We would like to highlight that once you set up your account, you will also need to create GeoAlerts for your student, which will notify you when the bus has arrived in or departed from any location on your student’s route, including their assigned bus stop and school. Please view the following linked video, which explains how to set up these GeoAlerts:
Video: How to Set Up GeoAlerts (Notifications of bus arrival/departure)
Please monitor the app as bus stop information is subject to change prior to the first day of school.
We look forward to getting to know students and parents in the weeks to come.
Decatur Township Transportation Department
317-856-8060
Community Virtual Care
With cold and flu season upon us, don't forget that Decatur Township students in grades K-12 can receive FREE Virtual Care services through Community Virtual Care! Appointments are held at the clinic (5106 S. High School Rd, Suite B, Door #4 in the Technology Center, beside the entrance to DMS) and the students will see a provider virtually. Schedule an appointment by calling your school nurse or emailing decaturvirtualcare@ecommunity.com.
STAY CONNECTED
ParentSquare
ParentSquare is the official communication platform of the MSD of Decatur Township.
Visit https://www.parentsquare.com or download the ParentSquare app to get started:
Connect to Skyward here or download the Skyward App:
Textbooks
K-12 Curriculum - No Fees
Per state legislation, Indiana families will not be charged textbook fees. Parents and students will continue to be responsible for any lost or damaged educational material, including but not limited to, lost textbooks, lost or damaged iPad and related components, library books, cafeteria fees, extracurricular activities, fundraising, and NSF check fees.