Center Stage
September 11, 2026
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We have officially wrapped up our second week of school, and what a great two weeks it has been!
Our 5th grade students are settling into the routine of finding their classes on our Tuesday–Friday schedule. Next week, they will experience a Monday for the first time, so we are excited to see them continue to find their way around and become more comfortable with their new school routines. They are doing a great job navigating their new trails!
Our 6th graders are also getting acclimated to the life of using a locker! While having a locker is very exciting when you are a 5th grader, we all know that the excitement can wear off pretty quickly once you are trying to remember your combination while carrying three textbooks! We appreciate everyone's patience as students continue to practice and develop these routines.
Students had their school pictures taken on Tuesday. For families who would like to pre-order pictures, the ordering portal will remain open through the weekend. If your child did not have their picture taken or you simply were not quite prepared for picture day—no worries! We will be scheduling a make-up/re-take day soon and will share that information with families once it is finalized.
As we move beyond the first few weeks of school, we have started removing some of the information from our weekly newsletters that was especially important during the beginning of the year. We know that too much information can quickly become overwhelming! If you ever need to go back and find beginning-of-school information, you can easily locate our previous newsletters right in the Power Hub. This is actually one of my favorite features as a parent myself! It makes it easy to go back and find information without having to search through emails or wonder where you saw something.
We are excited to welcome our families to Open House next week! The Open House agenda and RSVP information for our sessions were posted in the Power Hub on Monday. You will also find the information included in this week's newsletter below for easy reference. We are looking forward to seeing all of you and sharing information about your child's school experience. Our goal is for the evening to be productive, informative, and a great opportunity to connect with our families. The Tech Department will also have a table on site for any questions you may have.
Thank you for continuing to partner with us as we begin another great year at WCS. We are excited about the journey ahead and all that this school year has in store!
As always, if you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out. We are always happy to help!
B.J. Martin
14-26-Fall STAR Assessments
14th-School Council Meeting
15th-School Board Meeting
16th-WCS Open House 6-7:30
17th-Constitution Day
25th-Blackout Cancer Football Game-Wear you blackout shirt to school or black and gold!
7th-Ice Cream Social 5:30-7:30
12th-Columbus Day-No School
15th-Parent Safety Night-GBS 6-7 PM
16th-Progress Reports Close Trimester 1
16th-Picture Re-take Day
16th-Grade 6 Monster Bash/Alternative Activity Provided
19th-School Council Meeting
20-21School Board Meeting/ Budget Workshops
21st-Early Release Day
23rd-Progress Reports Available to Parents
26-30th-Fall Book Fair
26-30th-Red Ribbon Week
27th-Parent Teacher Conferences 3-7 PM
29th-Parent Teacher Conferences 3-6 PM
Center School is looking for volunteers during weekly library class periods to help with check-out, shelving, and processing books. If you would like to volunteer during your child's library class time, please fill out the Library Volunteer Google Form, which also has further details.
The PTA is a Parent/Teacher Association, which has been formed for the purpose of increasing and improving communication between home and school. The PTA meets once per month, runs book fairs during parent/teacher conferences, and runs many other important school events. Each fall, the PTA has its annual membership drive for new members and the election of officers. It is hoped that the parents of all of our students will become members and support our school projects.
Visit our PTA website at: http://www.windhampta.org/ for the most current PTA officers and Information.
Bowling Club Sign ups will be in the newsletter next Friday, September 18! The club is limited to 40 students and it is first come, first serve!
The club meeting dates will be October 6, 13, 20, November 10 and 17 where we will bowl at Lakeside Lanes in Manchester. Transportation will be provided. We leave Windham Center school at 2:30pm and arrive back to school at 5:00pm.
Reach out to Mrs. Dumais at jdumais@windhamsd.org with any questions!
Hello WCS Families,
We are happy to announce that Ski Club will occur again this year! We will be going to Pat’s Peak on Thursday nights in January for five fun-filled nights of skiing and snowboarding (January 7, 14, 21, 28 & Feb. 4). Students of all levels are welcome to sign up, as there are lessons at the mountain.
This year, sign-ups will be emailed out on October 25th at 9:00 AM (Sunday) to allow for early bird pricing and for all families to have an option to sign up. (To receive early pricing, registration must be paid in FULL on or before 11/15/26!) Sign-ups will be first-come, first-served and can be very competitive. When you go to sign up, you will need the names and numbers of TWO emergency contacts ready to be entered. If your child does not make the cut-off for the club, there will be a Google Form in the notes asking you to sign up for the waitlist. The waitlist will be timestamped from when the form is submitted to ensure a fair process for all 5th- and 6th-grade students.
If you are new to Ski Club, here is some overview information:
- Please be advised that participation in this club entails additional expenses, including bus transportation fees and a Pats Peak ski pass. Families may select from a variety of pass types, depending on their preferences and budget.
- All students must pay for their spot on the bus and get their pass from Pat’s Peak.
- Videos of how to purchase tickets and detailed information can be found on the Ski Club Page for students who join the Ski Club. You will not be entered early; only students who make it into the club will be on the page, so no one gets confused.
- This year, you can pay for the Ski Club bus digitally (PowerSchool) or by check payable to Windham Center School.
- Pat’s Peak passes must be purchased directly through Pat’s Peak. Please see the video and/or PDF directions for 2026/2027 ski club members on the Ski Club page (only available for those who get into the club).
- Students leave WCS at 1:45 pm and will be responsible for gathering information and work from their missed classes.
- Students will have lessons (if purchased) from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM and free skiing from 4:00 PM to 6:45 PM.
- Students who miss their check-in time (5:00 PM - 5:30 PM) cannot come the following week.
- Rental gear is available for anyone who needs it and can be purchased with their pass.
- Mrs. Schuurman and Mrs. Cronin will email chaperones to alert them if they can be chaperones for their chosen night. You will then get a pass from Mrs. Schuurman to ski/snowboard for the night.
-Mandatory Parent Meeting: If your child is in Ski Club for the first time and is accepted into the club, at least one parent/guardian must attend a required meeting on December 2nd at 5:30 PM. This meeting will cover all expectations, procedures, and important information for the club.
As always, if you have any questions, please email us at jschuurman@windhamsd.org and scronin@windhamsd.org.
Hello Center School Families,
I am excited to announce that Homework Club will be offered again this year! Homework Club is a great opportunity for students to have a quiet, supportive place after school to work on homework, complete assignments, ask questions, and receive extra help when needed.
Homework Club will begin on Monday, October 5th, and will be held in Room 128 with Mrs. Schuurman (previously Ms. Lemay). This year, Homework Club will be offered on Mondays and Tuesdays from 2:30–3:30 PM.
Homework Club is designed to help students build confidence, stay organized, and receive additional support with their learning. During Homework Club, students will have the opportunity to:
• Complete daily homework assignments
• Work on unfinished classwork or projects
• Ask questions and receive extra support in math, reading, or other subject areas
• Develop strong study habits and organizational skills in a structured environment
Due to space limitations, Homework Club will have a maximum of 30 students. Once the club reaches capacity, students will be placed on a waitlist, and families will be contacted if a spot becomes available.
The sign-up link will be included in the September 18th newsletter. Please be sure to complete the Google Form if your child is interested in participating.
Please note that transportation is not provided after Homework Club, so families will need to make pick-up arrangements in advance. Students should be picked up promptly at 3:30 PM.
Families of students who are accepted into Homework Club will receive updates and reminders through the Remind App. The Remind information will be provided at the end of the Google Form once students have been accepted into the club.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at jschuurman@windhamsd.org.
I look forward to another great year of helping students feel confident, supported, and successful with their learning!
Thank you,
Mrs. Jordan Schuurman
Do you enjoy solving challenging problems, thinking creatively, and finding different ways to approach a math challenge? Then Math Olympiads may be the club for you!
Math Olympiads is an after-school math competition club where students work together to solve challenging problems that require logic, creativity, perseverance, and strong problem-solving skills. Students do not need to have every answer immediately or be the fastest mathematician. Math Olympiads is about being curious, trying new strategies, learning from mistakes, and enjoying the process of problem solving.
Students interested in joining Math Olympiads will first participate in a tryout so I can learn more about how they approach challenging problems and think as mathematicians. Completing the sign-up form only registers students for the tryout and does not guarantee a spot on the team.
To sign up for the Math Olympiads tryout, please complete the Google Form linked here:
Try Out Link CLICK HERE
The form should be completed by the student interested in trying out. Parents/guardians should be involved to review the club information, meeting expectations, and schedule details, but the student should complete the questions independently. The goal of the form is for me to learn more about each student's own mathematical thinking, problem-solving approach, and interest in joining Math Olympiads.
Math Olympiads Tryout Information
Friday, October 16th
2:30–3:30 PM
Café
The Math Olympiads team will be limited to 24 students. Students selected for the team will participate in practice sessions and prepare for Math Olympiad competitions throughout the season.
Club Information:
Meetings: Every other week from November through March
After school (specific meeting dates will be shared with selected team members)
Students selected for the team should be prepared to:
Attend bi-weekly meetings and actively participate
Work collaboratively with teammates
Challenge themselves with complex math problems
Practice perseverance when problems are difficult
Represent our school with a positive attitude
I am excited to see students take on new challenges, stretch their mathematical thinking, and discover that there is more than one way to solve a problem!
Tutor.com: We are thrilled to continue offering Tutor.com services to grades 4-12! This partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Education and Tutor.com provides unlimited access to the tutoring service – anytime, anywhere, from any internet-connected device. This means your child can get the academic support they need, even from the comfort of home. Our students can access Tutor.com through their Schoology course pages. Please click here for more information.
