MacArthur Elementary School

Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for another year, we are delighted to have you as part of our school community. You will find important information below to help you begin the school year with confidence and ease.

August

11th: Back to School Night at MacArthur

• 5:00-5:45-last names A-M
• 5:45-6:30-last names N-Z

12th: Kindergarten Practice Bus Ride begins at 10:15 am

13th: First Student Day of School

September

1st: No School-Labor Day

17th: E-Learning Day

18th: Picture Day

https://cpcsc.powerschool.com/public/home.html

Supplies for elementary students are paid for by the district. However, CPCSC requests that elementary students also have the following:

• Backpack (no wheels, please)
• Pencil case
• Chromebook case cover (strongly recommended, Chromebook dimensions are 12 x 9 inches)
• Headphones or earbuds
• Reusable water bottle

• Bus routes will be posted the afternoon of Monday, August 11, 2025.
• Students who enroll or make a change of address after August 7 will have transportation starting August 19.
• A practice bus ride for kindergarteners will be held on August 12.
• You must complete registration or address changes before August 7 to have transportation on the first day of school.

Please have your students at their bus stop 10 minutes before the posted time. Bus times can change any day due to construction, weather, etc. The times posted in Bus Planner are estimates and are subject to change.

If you have any questions, please call the Transportation Department at 219-663-1465.

Our food services team remains committed to providing healthy meals that meet all requirements of the federal school lunch guidelines. Mrs. Milner and the cafeteria crew look forward to serving you hot lunches this school year.

Ice cream treats will be sold every day for $1.00.

Student Breakfast: $1.60 Student Lunch: $2.55

Please visit our website at https://www.cps.k12.in.us/district-departments/food-services for:

• Online payments for My MealTime

• Nutritional information for all products

• Free and reduced applications

• Birthday Treat Order Forms

• Allergy information (call us to help plan a menu if your child has dietary restrictions)

Free & Reduced Applications can be done online at www.mymealtime.com starting July 24.

Please take a moment to review the arrival and dismissal procedures. Minor adjustments may be made to ensure safety and improve traffic flow. Staff will be supervising arrival & dismissal locations. Please be patient and courteous the first few weeks of school as dismissal tends to take a little bit longer in the beginning. For the safety of all students and families, please drive carefully and avoid speeding in the parking lot.

8:30 am: Doors Open & Breakfast Begins

9:05 am: School Day Starts

3:44 pm: School Day Ends

• Arrival should begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
• Car riders will enter in the car rider parking lot off of 129th Street.
• Walkers, bike riders, bus riders, and Latch Key will enter through the main entrance off of Fairbanks Street.
• If you arrive after 9:05 am, you will need to go to the main office and sign your child in because they are tardy to school.
• Wise Workers, Library Helpers and Robotics will be given a pass to enter the building early from their sponsor.

• Car rider traffic will flow into the lot from the entrance off of 129th. It is advised that cars do not begin lining up for dismissal prior to 3:15 pm.
• Students will be loaded into cars from the passenger side only and all vehicle passengers are to remain in the car.
• During dismissal, vehicles must have a sign with the last name of all students riding in the vehicle. Signs will be distributed to all families during Open House.
• Walkers, bike riders, bus riders, Latch Key will be dismissed through the main entrance off of Fairbanks St. Students going to the Boys & Girls Club will be supervised by someone from the club on their walk from MacArthur to the club.
• If you live in the neighborhood to the north or west of MacArthur and you child is a walker, please call the school office to let us know. They will dismiss from door 8N at 129th Street & Edison Street.
• Latch Key Before & Afterschool Child Care pick-up & drop off will be at the main entrance off of Fairbanks St.

Dear MacArthur Families,

On Friday, August 15th, our students and staff will practice a lockdown drill. Our team knows that lockdowns are sometimes a sensitive topic, but we must make sure our students and staff are prepared for all types of safety situations. Just like we practice evacuation/shelter drills, we must also practice lockdowns.

In an elementary lockdown drill, teachers and students practice turning off the lights and quietly moving out of sight. Students practice using their best listening skills to follow teacher instructions. We have age-appropriate conversations that lockdowns are used when someone is in our school who shouldn’t be. Our team is careful that these drills do not cause our students to be fearful or think that their school is unsafe.

Crown Point Community School Corporation uses Standard Response Protocol (SRP) to respond to safety situations. SRP is a consistent framework of five specific actions. When we all have training around a common language, we can better help our students. You can read more about SRP on our website at this link.

Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.

Principal Buchko

Stay connected with your child's teacher and the school by downloading the ParentSquare App. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff and parents to send and receive school and class information, share pictures and files, see calendar items, sign up to volunteer, and more.

The contact information you provide through PowerSchool, our student registration system, is automatically synced each night with ParentSquare. Make sure your contact information is completed correctly by viewing the information at this link.

CPCSC offers a before and after school child care program (also called Latch Key care) at each elementary before school from 6-9 am and after school from 3:45-6 p.m. On scheduled e-learning days, child care will be available from 6 am – 6 pm at Solon Robinson and Jerry Ross Elementary Schools.

Child care fees are $9 before school each day and $9 after school each day. On e-learning days the fee is $9 for up to 4 hours, $18 between 4 and 8 hours, and $27 for more than 8 hours. There is an annual $10 non-refundable sign-up fee.

Please read the Child Care Procedures and Regulations

To register for Child Care in 2025-2026, please click on the link below.

If you have questions about the Latch Key Child Care program, please contact Kendra Daves at 219-663-3371 ext. 10246 or at kdaves@cps.k12.in.us.

The MacArthur Elementary PTO is excited to welcome all new and returning families! We’re here to support our students, staff, and school community — and we’d love for you to be a part of it.

Joining the PTO is a great way to stay connected, meet other families, and make a real difference. Whether you have a little time or a lot, there are many ways to get involved — from volunteering at events to helping behind the scenes.

Let’s make this year amazing, together! 💙

Interested in joining or volunteering? Reach out to macptocp@gmail.com

• President: Stephanie Heim
• Vice President: Amy Harvey
• Secretary: Lissette Martinez-Kadisak
• Treasurer: Katie Santostefano
• Volunteer Coordinator: Open Position
• Communications Coordinator: Hannah Noonan
• Member-at-Large: Naomi Longoria

The new school year is here — time to grab your spirit wear! We’ve got tons of Mustang designs on gear and accessories from awesome brands like Under Armour, Nike, The North Face, Lululemon, and more.

Stock up and show off your Mustang pride all year long!

mbuchko@cps.k12.in.us

Laura Florek, Assistant Principal ext. 16003

lflorek@cps.k12.in.us

Carla Gard, Treasurer ext. 16000

Kim Wasserott, Secretary ext. 16002

Jodi Kvachkoff, Nurse ext. 16081

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