MacArthur Elementary School

Dear MacArthur Families,

It’s hard to believe we have just three weeks left in the school year! As we head into the final stretch, our classrooms are still full of important learning, exciting activities, and opportunities for students to finish strong.

Over the next few weeks, students will be completing end-of-year projects, assessments, and celebrations. We encourage families to continue supporting strong attendance, daily routines, and positive encouragement at home so every student can make the most of these final days.

Thank you for your continued partnership, support, and involvement throughout this school year. We are proud of all our students have accomplished and look forward to celebrating their successes.

Let’s finish the year strong!

9th: Best Buddies Friendship Walk

11th: 5th Grade DARE Graduation

15th: Kindy 500

18th: PTO Meeting @ 4:15pm

20th: Unified Game Day

21st: Miss Buchko's Retirement Open House

22nd: Field Day & Burger Bash

25th: Memorial Day-No School

29th: Last Day of School & 5th Grade Walk @ 2:45 pm

Our 2nd graders had so much fun at the Family Folk Dance Night this past Wednesday! This event is extra special because it invites students' families to join in the district-wide 2nd grade music program. Folk dancing helps build community and social skills by working with partners and a group!

Please join us for a Retirement Open House honoring our principal, Marian Buchko, on the evening of Thursday, May 21st from 5:30-7 pm at MacArthur Elementary School. Stop by for light refreshments, laughter, and shared memories as we honor her 30 years as principal of MacArthur Elementary and 38 years in education.

First grade had such a fun time studying animals at Sandy Oak Ranch yesterday!

Please check your student's PowerSchool account balance for any unpaid items. Fees are due and payable by the end of the school year. Please note that unpaid balances could be sent to collections and also incur additional charges.

All library books must be returned to the school library by the last student day, Friday, May 29. Please check your email for overdue notices from the school librarian. Notices will be sent from do-not-reply@cps.k12.in.us and may be in your junk or spam folder.

If you believe there is an error with a notice, please contact the school library as soon as possible. Books not returned by May 29 will be considered lost, and a fine to replace the book will be charged. All fines for lost and damaged library books will be available in PowerSchool by June 10. Please note that book fines will not be reversed or refunded if a book is returned after the fine is entered.

A credit card payment for lost books can be made through the PowerSchool website https://cpcsc.powerschool.com/public/home.html by logging into your parent account and going to “Balance.” The app does not have a payment option. You can also pay in person by cash, check, or money order made payable to the school.

Please use this link for more information regarding the ILEARN rescore process for students in grades 3-5.

Join Our Board! (We promise we’re fun!) 🍎

We are officially opening nominations for our 2026-2027 PTO Board! If you want to have a direct impact on school events, teacher appreciation, and student programs, we need you.

Available Positions:

• Leadership: President & VP

• Organizers: Secretary & Treasurer

• Outreach: Membership Chair & Communications Coordinator

• Community: Volunteer Coordinator & Kindergarten/New Student Liaison

How to Apply: To be eligible for a board position, simply join the PTO and attend our next meeting! You can sign up here: https://www.macpto.com/join

Elections Held: May 18th

No prior experience is necessary—just a passion for our school community and a collaborative spirit!

Circumstances can change for families at any point during the school year, and support is always available. If your household situation has shifted, you may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Our cafeterias serve lunch AND breakfast daily.

Applications can be completed at any time and are quick and easy to fill out online through MealTime. Please know that all information related to your student’s free or reduced meal status is kept completely confidential.

We encourage you to apply if this resource could help your family. Visit http://www.mymealtime.com/apps or call our Food Service team at 219-663-3371 for more information.

Breakfast: $1.60
Lunch: $2.55
Ice cream treats: $1.00 (available daily)

Visit our Food Services webpage for online My MealTime payments, nutritional information, free and reduced meal applications, birthday treat order forms, and allergy support (please call us to plan for dietary restrictions).

You may choose to purchase birthday ice cream treat tickets for your child’s class, which will allow your child’s classmates to select a special treat from our birthday choices at lunch!

$1.00 Birthday Tickets allow students to choose an ice cream treat for their class to be eaten in the cafeteria at lunchtime.

This form, ALONG WITH PAYMENT, must be completed ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE of your child's birthday.

Laura Florek, Assistant Principal ext. 16003

Carla Gard, Treasurer ext. 16000

Kim Wasserott, Secretary ext. 16002

Jodi Kvachkoff, Nurse ext. 16081

Email: mbuchko@cps.k12.in.us
Website: https://mac.cps.k12.in.us/
Location: 12900 Fairbanks Street, Cedar Lake, IN, USA
Phone: 219-662-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maccpcsc