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

Greetings, Blue Jay Families!

We have had a fantastic start to the year, and I've really enjoyed getting to know you and your kiddos. We are looking forward to continuing old traditions, like the Peace Pledge and school song every week, as well as starting new ones, such as Monday assemblies (coming soon).

This year, we are happy to see a lot of students return to our school. The increase in enrollment allowed us to add another teacher. Mrs. Ihnat kindly offered to create a third 1st-grade class. Mrs. Tunnell kindly created another 3rd-grade class. And we now welcome Mr. Lomica to our Room 18 fifth-grade class! Many thanks to Mrs. Senner for starting the year for us.

Families, this year we are really going to be counting on you to help us reinforce learning "The Blue Jay Way." The Blue Jay Way means we are safe, respectful, responsible and kind to teachers and staff as well as fellow students. When students choose not to follow their teacher's directions, it can disrupt the learning for other students as well as for themselves. We would really like to create an environment here at school that allows all students to learn and grow. This always works better when families work with us to help students feel motivated to be successful and to understand the consequences of their behavior. We hope you will help us help them.

We are really looking forward to a fantastic year!

Don Hakala, Principal

Every Thursday in Walktober, starting on the 12th, students who walk, bus, bike ride or roll to school will be entered into a raffle for cool prizes.

Oct 3: PTO Meeting, 6 p.m.

Oct 5: Open House, 5:00 – 6:15 p.m.

Oct 9: Visual Screening (free, courtesy of the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation)

Oct 10: PTO Fundraiser at McMenamin's North Bank

Oct 12: Walking School Bus begins!

Oct 13: Early release: 12:30

It's also Picture Day - so we will NOT have a spirit day today!

Oct 16-17: Dental Services (screening is free for all, students must opt-in for other services)

Oct 20: PTO Bingo Night

Oct 23-34: Jog-a-Thon Fundraiser

Oct 27: Early release, 12:30: Hat Day

Oct 31: Class harvest parties, courtesy of PTO

Families, welcome to Walktober! We are excited to announce that we will be starting a weekly Walking School Bus to school, thanks to the assistance of our fantastic Eugene-Springfield Safe Routes to School program! The first walk will be on Thursday, October 12, and will happen every Thursday morning after that. The route starts at the upper end of Mill St, and families are encouraged to join us along the route. All should arrive at school with plenty of time to get breakfast. There will be cool prizes available for those who participate.

We'd love to have parent volunteers join in! If you're already on our volunteer list, you can sign up with SRTS here. Need to sign up to volunteer? Do it here.

We will have raffles EVERY THURSDAY in October for students who walk, roll or bus to school!

We've been wanting to do this for a long time to help out families with littles who live in the Walk Zone. Kids will have fun, get a chance to meet other kids in their neighborhood, and also get some exercise. What's to lose??

Mrs. Gifford is a great person to know at Centennial if your family needs any help outside of school. We know that students and families need all the help they can get these days to be successful, and we are here to help, whether it's food, housing, clothing, mental health - you name it. Julie started as a volunteer when her kids were at Centennial, and has never left. Among many other things, she coordinates the school's Snack Pack program, which provides weekend snacks to students through the Springfield Elks. She also has access to lots of other resources.

You can always contact Julie directly by phone or text at 541.321.0394.

Please fill out the survey below to let us know how we can help.

• The district's academic calendar can be found online. You can filter the view so that you just see your children's schools.
• Please note there are one or two early release days each month and plan needed day-care accordingly.
• Please note that early release days are always on a Friday but NOT every other week.
• Early release days are always spirit days, so stay tuned to find out what's coming up. You can always wear Blue Jay gear or the color blue to show your school spirit!

September

9/22 - Blue Jay Day (Centennial shirt/ blue shirt)

October

10/13 - Look Your Best Day (also Picture Day!)

10/27 - Hat Day

November

11/17 - Patriotic Day

11/22 - Rivalry Day (Ducks vs. Beavers)

December

12/8 - Sweater Day

January

1/12 - Sports Day

1/26 - Grade Level Pride (each grade wears a specific color, TBA)

February

2/9 - Red and Pink Day

2/23 - Superhero Day

March

3/8 - Mismatch Day

April

4/12 - Stripes or Polka Dots Day

4/26 - Neon Color Day

May

5/3 - Crazy Sock Day

5/17 - Tropical/Beach day

June

6/14- Blue Jay Day (Centennial shirt/ blue shirt)

Families, we encourage all of you to take part in this fantastic, free resource from our partners at the Riverview Center for Growth! The classes are 8 weeks long, online, and are no charge for any parent, guardian or caregiver. All children are different, and families today have more challenges than ever to help their kids be successful. The folks at Riverview can help. Check it out!

• Just a reminder that if you still need to get us paperwork, please either bring it by the office (Ms. Deb would love to chat with you) or take a picture and email it to her at deb.jolda@springfield.k12.or.us.
• Proof of address is required for every student.
• Can't remember what we need? Give us a call!
• If you have special circumstances, just let Ms. Deb know and we can work with you.
• We also need any custodial paperwork, as well as birth certificates and immunization info for kinders.
• If you need to update your contact info or emergency contacts, just call the office.

• To prevent the loss of personal items, please mark your student's personal belongings with a permanent ink pen – particularly lunch boxes, jackets, sweaters, hats, backpacks, and sweatshirts.
• Encourage your children to look in the courtyard Lost & Found for missing items.
• Unclaimed items are given to a charitable agency for those in need at the end of each trimester.

Student LTD bus passes are available for free from the office upon request. If your student had a pass last year, it should have automatically renewed this year. Questions? Ask Ms. Deb!

• Please take a moment to check out our spiffy new website. This is going to be a solid place to look for general information such as our calendar, menus, how to reach staff members, etc.
• Facebook is going to be your best bet for quick updates and photos.
• We also frequently send information via email, so be sure to check your email often.
• Many teachers use the Seesaw app to communicate. Stay tuned for info from your child's teacher about how to connect with them.
• Your child's teacher should always be your first point of contact with any classroom questions or concerns, but you can always call the office for general questions.

• Kinders leave through the north main door. Grades 2 and 4 exit through the south main door, by the office. Grades 1, 3 and 5 exit on the south side.
  
• For security, parents and caregivers are asked to remain on the grassy strip separating the upper and lower lots when greeting or dropping off students at school. Please, no dogs.
• Use the right-hand lane of lower driveway for vehicle drop-offs and pick-ups. Remain in your vehicle and pull forward as far as possible. Students will be called down to your vehicle. Drive slowly and watch for students at all times!
• We understand parking can be difficult, but please be respectful of other parents by not leaving your vehicle parked in the pickup or dropoff line.
• Please also be respectful of our neighbors by not blocking their driveways.
• Vehicles may not enter the upper driveway during arrival (8:00-8:45) and dismissal (2:15-3:15).

• We are so happy to welcome Ms Trish and Ms Victoria to our kitchen this year! They are so excited to bring our kids yummy food every day.
• Breakfast and lunch are free to all students again this year.
• Families are always welcome to send kids with their own lunches, of course.

• Please keep your child home if they are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, upset stomach, or headache.
• You can find guidelines here.
• Students must be symptom-free for 24 hours to return to school.
• Remember, student medications, whether over-the-counter OR prescription, must be signed in with the health aide. Yes, even cough drops.
• Questions? Just ask for Mrs. Quigley.

• Families who live a mile or more away from school, OR on the south side of Centennial, are eligible for the bus.
• You must register to be added to the route.
• Kinders must be picked up by an authorized adult or authorized sibling in 3rd grade or higher.
• If you don't qualify for transportation, but leave close to a bus stop, you may apply for a Temporary Rider Permit starting Oct. 1. At that time, the Transportation Dept can determine whether this is space on the bus for another student.

• 8:00 Students may enter for breakfast. All others enter through the front doors to line up in the gym.
• 8:25 Students may go directly to classes.
• 8:35 Instruction begins (if you are tardy, you will need to check in at the office).
• 2:50 Dismissal bell rings.

• 12:30 Dismissal on early release Fridays.

Please do not drop students off prior to 8:00 as we do not have supervision available.

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 new 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!

CALL US! We are always happy to help.