Morford Monthly Memo

Central Elementary families,

As we roll into the busy holiday season, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for partnering with our staff to provide a strong village for our 4th and 5th grade students to learn and grow. Research has shown that a home-school partnership improves student academic achievement and increased school attendance. Teachers, and parents also have been seen to benefit from this relationship too. Our hope is that our village and partnership continues to grow stronger so that our students will SOAR at even greater heights than they already are.

Welcome to Logan Murray, new staff member to Central! He will be supporting students at Central throughout the day working with students in the classroom, in small groups or with individual students. If you see him at arrival, dismissal or school events please say hello. He is joining us from the high school.

While we are out of school from November 26-November 30 for Thanksgiving break, be sure to pause, take a break and enjoy the time with your Eagle(s). Wishing you all a very restful and fantastic holiday break. We look forward to welcoming our Eagles back to learning on Monday, December 1st.

In partnership with you,

Katie Morford

LAST CALL!!

Central Elementary will be collecting DISH SOAP for the holiday food baskets this year. If you are out and about and could bring a bottle of DISH SOAP to donate that would be great! The items can be dropped off to the office. All dish soap will be collected by Friday, December 12th. Thank you for your support!

Dear 5th Grade Parents and Guardians:

Our performance of The Big Chill: Waiting for a Snow Day will take place Thursday, December 11 in the high school auditorium. Students in group one (Elmer, Edwards, and Sinn) will meet in the high school cafeteria at 6:15pm and perform at 6:30pm. Group two (Wolosiewicz, Mize and Perkins) will meet in the cafeteria at 7:15pm and will perform at 7:30pm. Each performance will last approximately a half hour.

The performance is free to the public. The students and I are very excited to present this musical performance.

If there are any questions, or if you are able to help with sets, please feel free to email me at, jjordan@lindenschools.org. I look forward to seeing you on December 11th!

Jaimee Jordan,

Central Elementary Music Teacher

MI HEARTSafe Schools are Michigan schools that have implemented a comprehensive plan to prevent and respond to sudden cardiac arrest. To receive the designation, schools must have a cardiac emergency response plan, a response team, proper AEDs, and staff trained in CPR and AED use.

Central Elementary has met the criteria to become recognized as a MI HEARTSafe school! 1 of 399 schools, we have been recognized and awarded the certification by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Department of Education, American Heart Association, Michigan High School Athletic Association and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young.

Read the news release Health and Human Services from November 3, 2025 here.

Each month we like to a recognize a staff member at Central that goes above and beyond.

This month staff nominated Greg Sinn, 5th grade teacher. Greg is a quiet, humble, amazing human being that always does what is best for students. He knows his students and cares about each of them individually...academically and socially. When he develops strong positive relationships with his students, his students flourish. Being a structured teacher is one of his many strengths. He is so helpful for bus dismissal each day and makes sure that students get where they need to be. Congrats on this much deserved award!

Mark your calendars for the following days. Show your spirit at Central!

The cold has officially arrived and we continue to be on the look out for the first SNOW! Please make sure your child is prepared for the elements. Hats, gloves, warm coats, snow pants, and boots are all essential regardless of the changing weather patterns. It's always easier to have clothing you don't need for recess then it is to go outside wishing you had another layer of protection from the elements. Students will be going out weather permitted. The office does not keep extra clothes for students to utilize for recess. If your family is in need of support of winter gear, please contact the office.

At what temperature do you keep the children inside for recess?

When the "feels like" temperature is below zero we will keep the children inside, yes, this includes the wind chill.

The NED show will be taking place in the gym on Friday, December 5th at Central. Our school-wide character education program centers around a 45 minute assembly called The NED Show. NED is a loveable cartoon character whose name is an acronym for Never give up, Encourage others, and Do your best. Teachers love that NED is simple, relatable and kid-focused.

The assembly is a fun pay it forward type assembly that was given to us by another school through the yo-yo sales. See below if you would like to purchase a yo-yo and help pay it forward for another school to have NED come for an assembly.

Is your eagle missing something?? Make sure to have the lost and found checked. Items that are not claimed will be donated to a local charity.

We are definitely in the cold and flu season; please remind your children the importance of washing their hands, trying to keep their hands off their faces, covering their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and not sharing their food with others. These are proven strategies to reducing the spread of illness. Remember, a child with a fever or who is physically ill must stay home for at least 24 hours and be symptom free without medication before returning to school.

Students who arrive after 8:19am are considered tardy. A parent or guardian will need to walk the student into the building to sign them in.

As we move through the school year, evenings can get busy with homework, activities, and routines. But even just 15 minutes of family time can go a long way! Try a tech-free dinner, a short walk together, or a round of a favorite card game. These simple moments help kids feel connected and supported.

This month, we’re tying our conversations at school to our SOAR expectations:
S – Stay Safe
O – Offer Kindness
A – Act Responsibly
R – Remember Respect

A great way to reinforce these values at home is by talking about what they look like in everyday situations—especially when it comes to friendship and communication. We’re encouraging students to offer kindness and remember respect by avoiding gossip and stopping the spread of rumors. These are powerful ways to build a positive school climate.

Here are a few questions to spark meaningful conversations at home:

• “What’s something kind someone did for you today?”

• “How can we help someone feel included tomorrow?”

• “What would you do if you heard a rumor at school?”

• “How did you show responsibility or respect today?”

Little conversations can lead to big learning—and help students truly SOAR in all they do!

Access the school wide Behavior Expectations Matrix here.

When picking up your student from school early, please be prepared to show your ID. This is for safety and security of our students. Know that while we are working to build relationships with our families we don't always have the same people working in the office nor do we often see you each day. Thank you for being patient to ensure our Eagles are safe!

The office tends to get very busy at the end of the day. If you have an end of day message for your student, like that of a dismissal change, please contact the office by 3:00pm.

Please ensure the Health Alerts are up to date on ParentVue for your student. If a prescription is needed to be administered at school, you must have a physician’s authorization and meds in the original container. If you would like your student to have over the counter medications at school, you must have a parental authorization and the meds in the original container. Students cannot self-carry. Also, at no time should a student be transferring meds in their backpack to take to the office. Meds must transfer from adult to adult.

We will continue to use ParentVue to acknowledge parent/student annual forms. While in your ParentVue account, you will need to initial your acceptance of the required electronic forms, complete Transportation information so your child is picked up and dropped off at the correct location, update any pertinent Health Alert information, and update your emergency contacts, email and cell/work phone number if applicable. To log into your ParentVUE go to https://parentvue.geneseeisd.org/lind and type in your username and password.

Please know it is important to keep ParentVue up to date with the most recent information. Our systems pull from this data and if you haven't updated it, we will not know without you making changes to ParentVue. If you should have questions, please contact Mrs. Oden in the office at 810/591-8410.

If you have someone that plans to pick up your eagle and they are not on your emergency contact being they have permission to pick up, someone will be contacting you to approve this change. To eliminate this from happening, be sure that ParentVue is up do date by adding those who are approved to pick up your eagle. Thanks for your support with this!

Some of our students have been diagnosed with Tree Nut/Peanut Allergies and have had severe reactions after contact. Please be cognizant of any allergy in your child’s classroom.

A few students are diabetic and have food restrictions. If planning for birthday treats please take the above info into consideration and plan for store bought pre-packaged items. Check with your child’s teacher for ideas.

Visitors are welcome in our building. In order to chaperone on trips, assist in classroom parties, help at field day, etc. You must have completed an I-Chat form to have a background check done prior to you helping. The application must be turned into the school at least 5 school days prior to the activity occurring. The form must be completed and is a non-negotiable for student safety. If you do not have one on file the day of the event, you will not be able to attend. As a parent myself, I hope that you understand the importance of the background check and will trust this process.

I-Chat forms are good for one semester so you will need to complete a new one for the second half of the school year (after January 16th). The best way to avoid hiccups and issues is to complete the form now! Please make sure you have a scheduled appointment time with your child’s teacher if coming in. Upon arrival, please sign in at the office.

Access the I-Chat form here. Complete the form and return to the office.

Arrival and dismissal can be a bit challenging. Please know that student safety is of top priority. While we recognize that some of you may be in a hurry, it is absolutely important to pack your patience each day for both arrival and dismissal for pick up and drop off.

Student dismissal

Students will be dismissed at 3:27pm. There are two options for dismissal; pick up curbside or ride the bus. We request that students have one consistent way to get home after school Monday - Friday. This will eliminate any confusion at the end of day.

• Curbside Car Pick Up - We have established a convenient parent pick up loop that aids in the efficient flow of traffic. Please remain in your car, drive through the loop the furthest you can and wait for your child to come to your vehicle. Please remind your student to be looking for you to assist in the line moving quickly for all families. Your student will need to independently enter on the passenger side of the vehicle (sidewalk side). Please stay in your car.

• Students Riding the Bus - All students will be put on the bus at the end of the day unless you have established a regular consistent parent/guardian pick up routine. If a situation arises and you need to pick your child up from school, please send a note that morning to your child’s teacher. Students are not permitted to be removed from their bus once they have boarded nor are parents permitted in the bus loop. Please plan ahead to ensure the safety of all students.

Parent Drop off/Pick Up - Traffic Flow:

It is important that we work together to make sure the traffic during drop off & pick up times runs smoothly. Please refer to the map to join the queue both for morning and afternoon. When the line is long, it starts by the high school then loops to Central. At Central, we don't do tags or signs in cars. We rely on students to be paying attention by the tree (Little Library) and follow their car until the line stops to enter. Please practice patience and remain aware for safety. After a couple weeks our goal is that we are moving quickly.

Notes regarding the parking lot

* Students, visitors and parents must use the crosswalk to get to and from the parking lot. A crossing guard (staff member) will be assisting with this. Please do not walk in between cars in the drop off/pick up line.

* Students cannot be wandering into the parking lot on their own. The parking lot is for "parking" only. If you wish to park and walk your child up to the building that is up to you. If you must pick them up from the parking lot, it is expected that you walk your student to ensure safety. The last thing that we want is that someone gets injured because of carelessness.

Our main goal is fluidity, so please join the queue to drop your Eagle off or pick them up from the car line loop. If all those participating in the loop pull all the way forward, students hop out or into the car quickly, the time will be minimal.

A yearbook link will be sent as a mass email to all parents around Thanksgiving time with a link to order. I will also share the link in a future SMORE so you don't miss out on purchasing your Eagle a 25/26 Central yearbook. Stay tuned!

School Hours 8:19 am - 3:27 pm.

8:00am - students getting breakfast can enter building

8:09am - all students can enter building

8:19am - bell rings to start class

Students arriving after 8:19am must be signed in by an adult in the office

4th GRADE RECESS/LUNCH

Block A - ELA Team

11:05 am - 11:30 am: recess

11:30 am - 12:00 pm: lunch

Block B - Math Team

11:15 am - 11:40 am: recess

11:40 am - 12:10 pm: lunch

5th GRADE RECES/LUNCH

Block A - Math Team

11:50 am - 12:15 pm: recess

12:15 pm - 12:45 pm: lunch

Block B - ELA Team

12:00 pm - 12:25 pm: recess

12:25 pm - 12:55 pm: lunch

3:27 pm Dismissal

Our fundraiser has kicked off and things are going fantastic. We are so excited to be able to provide a fun and exciting learning experience for your child this school year. Popcorn Fridays will kick off on Friday 9/26. Our next scheduled PALS meeting is 10/10 at 9am at Central in the cafeteria. We hope to see you there.

PALs meetings are on the calendar. We hope that you can join us each month. Meetings start at 9am right at Central Elementary.

December 5

January 9

February 6

March 6

April 10

May 1

Questions contact our Central Elementary PALs via email at central.el.pals@gmail.com

November 26 - November 28 - Thanksgiving Holiday break

December 2 - Christmas Extravaganza

December 5 - The NED show Assembly

December 11 - 5th Grade Holiday Musical at LHS Theater

December 19 - 4th Grade field trip to Henry Ford for Polar Express

December 22 - January 2 - Christmas Holiday break

January 7 - Half Day of School - Teacher PD in afternoon

January 16 - End of First Semester

January 19 - No School - MLK Day

February 13 - Teacher PD Day - No School for Students

February 16 - No School - President's Day

March 11 - Shamrock Shuffle

March 12 - Half Day of School - Parent Teacher Conferences

March 13 - Teacher PD Day - No School for Students

March 30 -April 3 - Spring Break

May 20 - SOAR day

May 25 - No School - Memorial Day

May 29 - 4th Grade field trip to Mackinaw

June 2 - 5th Grade field trip to Splash Village

June 5 - Last Day of School - Half Day for Students and Teachers