McKinley's Monthly Scoop

Welcome back, staff, students, and families! We hope you had a wonderful summer filled with sunshine, laughter, family time, and lots of special memories. We are so excited to have everyone back and to begin another school year together!

A new school year brings fresh beginnings, new opportunities, and plenty of moments to celebrate. We are looking forward to learning, growing, and making meaningful memories together. Thank you for being such an important part of our school community. Here’s to a happy, successful, and amazing year ahead! 💛

Welcome to McKinley Elementary! We are thrilled to have you join our school community. Your talents, energy, and dedication will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students. We look forward to working together and supporting one another as we make this a wonderful year.

Pre-K Team:

Mrs. Bonilla, Mrs. Pimentel, Mrs. Roberts

Kinder:

Ms. Ramirez

1st Grade:

Mrs. Hinojosa

Gym:

Coach Upshaw

Instructional Coach:

Ms. Diaz

School Psych:

Ms. Hudson

Speech:

Ms. Lovasko

My name is Carmen Fernandez, and I am honored to serve as the Community Engagement Liaison at McKinley Elementary. For the past three years, I have had the pleasure of working alongside our students, families, staff, and community to help create meaningful connections and make sure our families feel supported and welcomed.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at your child’s school, joining field trips, or getting more involved in our school community, I would love to connect with you! I am also here to help families who may be in need of community resources, support, or assistance.

Please feel free to reach out to me to schedule an appointment. I’m always happy to listen, help, and do my best to connect you and your family with the resources and support you need. 💙

📞 Contact Me: (219) 391-4186 ext. 84233
🕗 Available: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–2:30 PM

I look forward to getting to know more of our McKinley families and working together to make our school community a wonderful place for every child and family.

In compliance with IC 20-26-5.40.7 (amended by SEA 78), School City of East Chicago maintains a “bell-to-bell” ban on personal wireless communication devices. Students are prohibited from using, carrying, or possessing these devices from the first morning bell until the final dismissal bell.

Prohibited devices include:

• Smartphones
• Smartwatches
• Earbuds/headphones
• Gaming devices
• Tablets/iPads
• Personal laptops

• Meta glasses

NO ACCESS at any time during passing periods, lunch periods, or while in the hallways.

Confiscation: Any device found on a student’s person after the first bell (including in pockets or backpacks) will be confiscated and held in the front office for (parent/guardian pickup).

Good-Faith Immunity: Under SEA 78, SCEC and its employees are immune from civil liability for the loss, theft, or damage of any device confiscated or stored in compliance with this policy.

Linnet Carpenter

McKinley Elementary School

Academic Dean

Ms. Serrano, School Social Worker

As I kick off another school year at McKinley Elementary, I want to extend my warmest welcome back! While navigating the recent derecho and tornado winds was undoubtedly stressful, it also showed me the strength of our community. I have been so moved by the gratitude, encouragement and support surrounding us from local neighbors and churches alike.

As we settle back into our daily school routines, it is a great time to focus on our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies. For August and September, our core focus is Regulation.

Regulation helps our students navigate both the classroom and the world around them. The focus are on three main areas:

• Emotional Regulation: Recognizing and calming big feelings like anger, frustration, or sadness, so we can choose how to respond rather than just react.

• Social Self-Regulation: Adjusting our social cues, tone, and actions so we can comfortably share space, build healthy friendships, and work well in teams.

• Personal & Task Regulation: Staying focused, managing stress, and seeing a task or assignment through to the end.

Why It Matters:

• Better Focus: Helps individuals pay attention and learn.
• Stronger Relationships: Builds empathy and improves how people interact with others.

• Long-Term Success: Supports problem-solving and readiness for school, work, and life.

Learning to regulate is especially important as we process the stress of recent events and transition into the structure of a new school year. I am, so glad to be partnering with you to support our kids as they grow in these skills!

September: National Suicide Prevention Month

October: National Bullying Prevention Month

Contact Information:

Josette M. Serrano, LCSW

School Social Worker

William McKinley Elementary School

4825 Magoun Ave.

East Chicago, IN 46312

219-391-4186 Ext. 84241

Room: 228

jserrano@ecps.org

What an exciting first day of school at McKinley! We were thrilled to welcome our students back and see their smiling faces as they began a new school year filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities. A big thank you to our dedicated staff, families, and students for helping make the first day a wonderful success. We are looking forward to an amazing school year together! 🌟

This summer, Northwest Indiana experienced something that none of us expected. Storm Lucy caused significant damage and widespread power outages, forcing our schools to close for two weeks. For many families, those two weeks were incredibly challenging. Some lost the food in their refrigerators and freezers, others experienced damage to their homes or neighborhoods, and many of us had to find ways to cope with the extreme heat without power.

Despite all of the challenges, something truly special happened—we came together as a community. ❤️

Neighbors checked on one another, families shared what they had, and people found ways to help those around them. Local businesses stepped up in a big way, providing everything from free or low-cost food to household essentials and other basic necessities. Our school district also made sure families were supported by providing meals and opening spaces where families could come and charge their phones and other electronic devices.

One of the sweetest things to see during this difficult time was our neighborhoods coming alive. The streets and parks were filled with kids simply being kids—riding bikes, playing outside, laughing, and making memories instead of spending their days in front of a screen. It was a reminder that sometimes the simplest moments can bring people together.

Of course, we would never wish for the circumstances that brought us to that point. The storm caused real hardship for many families, and the recovery took time. But in the middle of such a difficult experience, it was heartwarming to see the kindness, generosity, resilience, and sense of community that came from it.

Storm Lucy may have knocked out our power, but it certainly didn’t knock out our community spirit. 💙

If your family is still in need of assistance or resources following the storm, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m here to listen, help, and do my best to connect you with available resources and support.

Thank you to every neighbor, business, organization, school staff member, and community member who stepped up and helped someone during those two weeks. Together, we showed what it truly means to be a community.

9/2/26: Open House/Title 1 Meeting 3:30pm-5:30pm

Volunteer Orientation 5pm

9/3/26: Volunteer Orientation 8:30am

9/7/26: Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)

9/8/26: First Day of School (PRE-K)

Tutoring Begins 3:30pm-4:45pm\

9/10/26: Fire Drill

9/13/26: UBM Mexican Independence Parade

9/14/26: Grandparents Day

9/15/26: Tornado Drill