Boone Meadow Friday Flyer

“I seek out situations where I gain new experiences without getting in my own or other people’s way.”

Re: Photos below - As fourth grade students explored the events leading up to the Revolutionary War—and examined the perspectives of both British Loyalists and Colonists—Mrs. Welch’s class brought history to life by hosting a tea party while reading about the historic Boston Tea Party.

What is Bravery?

Often referred to as the "uncomfortable" lifeline trait. To be brave is to face your challenges, threats, or difficulties. It involves valuing a goal or conviction and acting upon it, whether popular or not. A central element involves facing, rather than avoiding, fears. Bravery requires creativity to find new ways to lead yourself through difficult circumstances.

There are three types of bravery (an individual may possess one of these or a combination):

• Physical bravery (e.g., firefighters, police officers, soldiers)
• Psychological bravery (e.g., facing painful aspects of oneself)
• Moral bravery (e.g., speaking up for what's right, even if it's an unfavorable opinion to a group)

Winter certainly reminded us this week that it has a mind of its own. Thank you, truly, for the flexibility, patience, and grace you extended as we navigated E-Days, shifting plans, and the added challenge of learning from home while managing technology, schedules, and a whole lot of cabin fever. We see you. Supporting children through E-Day learning—especially with multiple little ones —is no small task, and your partnership does not go unnoticed.

I am deeply grateful for our Boone Meadow teachers, who once again put their best foot forward at a moment’s notice. With creativity and care, they worked quickly to design learning experiences so students could continue some momentum despite the disruption. While this winter storm impacted schools across multiple states, I know that didn’t make things any easier within your own homes. Please know there is plenty of grace to be found in moments like these. We appreciate your efforts to help students engage with healthy portions of their E-Day experiences, and if challenges linger as lessons are completed, don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher—we’re here to support you.

That same spirit of flexibility and commitment was on full display with our Science Fair. A special thank-you to Mrs. Bender for her true gymnastics-level problem-solving as she worked through countless variables to ensure this event could move forward. With over 100 student participants, family schedules, community judges, and other school programming to consider, it would have been easy to cancel or scale back. Instead, we adamantly chose to honor the importance of student work and provide our learners with an authentic audience to showcase their thinking as best we were able. While we recognize it didn’t work out perfectly for every family—and some limitations were beyond our control—we celebrate all students who opted into this learning journey. The curiosity, perseverance, and deep thinking on display were truly something to be proud of and is a priority of the experience.

Upcoming Highlights & Important Dates

Yearbooks on SALE! It’s time to order your child’s 2025–26 Yearbook. Order online using the link below. If you need to pay by cash or check, please contact the office. (Note: Order Deadline is March 13)

Kindergarten Round Up – Save the Date - Tuesday, March 24 at each ZCS elementary school. Pre-registration (required) will open in early–mid February. Know a family with a future kindergartener? Help spread the word!

International Night – Save the Date! Thursday, March 12 | 5:30–7:00pm Join us as we celebrate the many cultures that make up our BME community. Interested in hosting a booth? Contact Assistant Principal Mr. Jarrod Gatlin at jgatlin@zcs.k12.in.us with your name, your student’s name, and the country you’d like to represent.

Global School Play Day – Friday, February 6 A Boone Meadow favorite! We’ll join schools around the world to highlight the importance of unstructured play. Be sure to check the banner below for more information.

Team Meadow, Tom & Jarrod

Tom Hundley, Principal

thundley@zcs.k12.in.us

Jarrod Gatlin, Assistant Principal

jgatlin@zcs.k12.in.us

It's time to order your child's 2025-26 Yearbook! Follow the link below to place your order online. If you need to pay by cash or check, please contact the office. (Fourth grade families: Please reference Mr. Hundley's ParentSquare message regarding yearbooks sent earlier this week.)

Back again this year! Cripe Photography GIFT A YEARBOOK. You have the opportunity to donate a yearbook to one of your child's peers. Your school decides who will receive this awesome gift thanks to your generosity!

Boone Meadow Yearbooks - ORDER HERE

ORDER DEADLINE: March 13 (late orders cannot be guaranteed a yearbook).

Questions? Please contact Cripe Photography HERE.

Kindergarten Round Up will be hosted at each ZCS elementary school on Tuesday, March 24! This is an exciting opportunity for families with incoming Kindergarteners to learn more about our schools and the year ahead. Pre-registration is required and will open in early–mid February, so be sure to keep your eyes open for updates coming your way. Know a family with a future Kindergartener? Tell your neighbors!

We are excited to announce that International Night is returning to Boone Meadow!

This exciting event will take place on Thursday, March 12 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM. On this special evening, BME families will come together and learn about the amazing and various cultures at Boone Meadow. Years past have been a tremendous success, and we are excited to do this once again. If you had a booth last year, we hope that you will consider having a booth again. (See details below.) If you did not host a booth last year but thought about it, now is your chance! You can also bring your family and enjoy the evening as a participant. Whatever you do, don’t miss out!

**If you are interested in having a booth, please email our assistant principal, Mr. Jarrod Gatlin, at jgatlin@zcs.k12.in.us. Please specify your name, your BME student’s name, and the country you will represent.

Curiosity is the desire to explore, ask questions, and discover new ideas or experiences. It is an openness to learning—taking interest in what is happening around us and seeking understanding for the joy of learning itself. Curiosity drives us to notice, wonder, try new things, and build knowledge through exploration.

Curiosity Starters for Everyday Life

Noticing & Wondering

• “What’s something you noticed today that made you stop and think?”

• “What are you curious about right now?”

• “Did anything surprise you today? Why do you think that happened?”

Exploring New Experiences

• “Is there something new you’d like to try or learn more about?”

• “What do you think would happen if we tried this a different way?”

• “What’s a question you have that we could explore together?”

Learning From the World Around Us

• “How do you think this works?”

• “Where else have you seen something like this?”

• “Who could we ask to help us learn more about this?”

Life Goals and Care Statements

Do the Right Thing/Treat People Right

I care for myself, for others, and for our space

February Lifeline: Bravery

February 6 - (BME) "Global" School Play Day" (Honoring Global School Play Day - official date is February 4. We will participate on Friday, February 6)

February 10: Nature Center visit (AM) Schermerhorn/West; PTO Mtg @ 6

February 11: Nature Center visit (AM) Boehm/Graham

February 12: Step Up Program (4th grade transition) @ ZWest

February 13: Friendship/Valentines Parties

February 16-20: February Break (No School)

March Lifeline: Perseverance

March 2 - March 13: IREAD Testing Window (2nd & 3rd grades)

March 10: PTO Mtg @ 6

March 13-14: ZWest Musical: NEWSIES

March 16- March 26: ILEARN Checkpoint #3 (3rd & 4th grades)

March 17 - End of Q3

March 18 - Bloodmobile

March 24 - Kindy Roundup; Report cards and comments due in PS by 8 AM

March 27 -April 3: - Spring Break

April Lifeline: Zest/Enthusiasm

April 6: Return to school from Spring Break

April 7: Report cards posted in PS

April 13- May 8: ILEARN testing - 3rd/4th grades

April 14: PTO Mtg @ 6

April 24: Boone Meadow Bash

May Lifeline: Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence

May 4 - May 12 - NWEA (K-2 only)

May 5: Boone Meadow Voices School Performance @ 1:30 and Spring Concert @ ZWest @ 7

May 12: 3rd gr Eagle Creek Service Project; PTO Mtg @ 6

May 13: 3rd gr Eagle Creek Service Project cont...

May 15: Field Day

May 22: 4th grade Statehouse/Downtown Tour

May 25: Memorial Day (No School)

May 26: Staff Mtg

May 27: 4th Grade Celebration

May 28: Last Day of School w/ students

May 29: Teacher Workday

May 31 - ZCHS Commencement

With our recent winter weather, this is a good time to share a few reminders about procedures on snowy or cold days:

• Two-hour delays: On delay days, we are unable to have outdoor recess due to the abbreviated day and adjusted schedules for related arts and lunch.

• Snow play: Students must have proper snow gear (snow pants, boots, hats, gloves) in order to play in the snow. Students without full gear will still have access to games and playground equipment in the cleared/safe areas of the back lot.

• Cold temperatures: We value fresh air, and students should be prepared for outdoor play if temperatures are above 10 degrees. Thank you for sending your child prepared for the weather.

• Label your gear: Winter gear is easily misplaced, and names on items help us return belongings quickly. Our lost and found grows rapidly this time of year!

Lunch Guests

We are ready to welcome lunch guests! Students and their guests will have lunch at designated locations in the front lobby area. Please no more than 2 guests per student due to limited space. So that others may have the opportunity, we ask that you not sign up more than 1 time per month. As we implement this new system/procedure, we will limit availability the first two weeks to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday visits.

Here's how it works:

• Sign up for a reservation in advance using this link: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/BMELunchSchedule@zcsk12in.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/ When you sign up, please be certain to complete all fields requested.
• Bring a photo ID and arrive 5 minutes early (lunch times are listed on the signup form link above).
• Your child will meet you in the front office area when they are ready.
• HAVE FUN!

During the school day, all volunteers are expected to check in at the front office. Prior to the volunteer's first volunteer experience, the individual 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 before 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.