Morford Monthly Memo

I can't believe this is the last monthly memo of the year! First and foremost, I want to thank each of you for making this a great year at Central. It takes a village....and I appreciate you being a part of the village. Know that as some of our students move on...my door remains open. If I can be of any support please don't hesitate to reach out. For those returning another year or more, I look forward to watching our Eagles grow and learn.

As you know the next few weeks will be very busy. Please make sure to read the SMORE in its entirety so you have all the info you need for field trip dates, SOAR Day info and 5th grade clap out. It is sure to be an exciting time for our students.

In partnership with you,

Mrs. Morford

SOAR Day is fast approaching! It will take place on Wednesday, May 20th at Central. Please know that this is a student event. Only those parents who have signed up to volunteer will be able to attend the event. Those who are volunteering must have a valid I-chat on file. Those who do not have a valid I-Chat on file will be turned away and unable to stay for SOAR Day. Also, we will not be allowing spectators during this event.

For those volunteering, you will need to come to the main office to check in on SOAR day....and you will be given a volunteer badge before heading to your location.

Your child’s medication(s) must be picked up at school in the office on or before JUNE 8, 2025.

Due to Safe and Drug-Free laws, any medication must be picked up by an adult. If the medication is not picked up by this time, it will be properly disposed of according to district policy/guidelines. All medical documentation from physician and parent/guardian will be disposed of as well.

Thank you!

Mrs. Oden

I would like to take a moment to share some information about the last day of school and our 5th grade Clap Out Celebration. Our last day of school at Central Elementary is Friday, June 5th. This is a half day with a scheduled release time of 11:42am.

To celebrate our 5th grade students completing their elementary school career and moving up to middle school, we will be continuing our clap out tradition this year. I have attached a picture below showing where parents can line up to help celebrate. Parents will not be allowed in the building during the clap out time, but are invited to stand along the yellow highlighted area connecting the 4th grade playground doors with the sidewalk in front of the building. Parents may begin lining up at 11:30 am.

Students that are riding the bus can continue back inside the building and head down to their bus. Students being picked up can find their parent/guardian and head home from Central one last time. Please make sure to respect those around you so that all families can celebrate their child.

Silly string and other confetti devices will not be allowed in the building and again we ask that you be responsible for the bulk of any mess created on school grounds. Our hope is this is a positive and exciting event for all students and everyone gets the opportunity to be celebrated for the work they've put in to get to this point in their educational careers.

Parents of future middle school students for the 2025-2026 school year be on the lookout for an informational video coming in the next few weeks. The video will help answer questions you might have all while sharing some great things going on at the middle school.

All library books are due May 22nd! Please make sure to locate any that you may have lost and get those turned into Mrs. O'Connell.

I wanted to share some info from a local camp that offers an opportunity for students who are dealing with loss....

Hello!

My name is Alyssa Gaerte, and I am the Bereavement Coordinator for The Medical Team Hospice located off Hill Rd in Flint, Michigan.

I wanted to make you aware of an exciting opportunity we are offering our community and surrounding schools.

CAMP TMT 2026 – Treasuring Memories Together

When:

Saturday, June 6th, 2026 and Sunday, June 7th, 2026

Time:

9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Where:

Covenant Hills Camp

10359 E. Farrand Rd. Otisville, MI 48463

Cost: FREE

For Campers who are 6 to 16 years of age

About:

Camp TMT is a safe place for children to learn how to cope with their own grief and to know that many other children are coping with the loss of loved ones. Trained staff and volunteers provide planned activities to help children grieve and express themselves in a safe and healthy manner. Campers will participate in fun activities like a rock-climbing wall, swimming, arts/crafts, and a memorial service to include family members that will be held on the final day of camp. *Note, lunch and snacks are provided.

Below is the link for information about the camp and our camper application:

https://medicalteam.com/hospice/camp-tmt/

We are also in need of volunteers to make this camp a success. Volunteers will provide support and comfort to campers. You will be assigned to a camper as their “buddy”. You will attend grief support groups with your camper and participate with them in the fun activities that camp has to offer.

Use the link below to apply:

https://medicalteam.com/hospice/camp-tmt/

Still want more information?

For interested families of campers, please contact:

Alyssa Gaerte, Bereavement Coordinator

Email: agaerte@medteam.com

The office is a busy place at the end of the day. If you would like to sign your student out at the end of the day please be sure to stop by the office prior to 3:15pm. As the end of day dismissal is happening, students are packing up, and teachers and students are moving throughout the building. It makes it very difficult to locate students. It takes a village and we appreciate your understanding.

The bell rings at 3:26pm. We may ask you to wait outside to collect your student as they are released through the main doors.

Dress and Grooming

While fashion changes, the reason for being in school does not. Students are in school to learn. Any fashion (clothing, accessory, or hairstyle) that disrupts the educational process or presents a safety risk will not be permitted. Personal expression is permitted within these general guidelines.

Students should consider the following questions when dressing for school:

*Does my clothing expose too much? (no)

*Does my clothing advertise something that is prohibited to minors? (no)

*Are there obscene, profane, drug-related, gang-related, or inflammatory messages on my clothing? (no)

*Would I interview for a job in this outfit? (yes)

*Am I dressed appropriately for the weather? (yes)

*Do I feel comfortable with my appearance? (yes)

If a student has selected a manner of appearance that is beyond mere freedom of expression and disrupts the educational process or presents risk to themselves or others, they may be asked to change or be removed from the educational setting.

The following styles or manners of dress are considered inappropriate for the education environment:

1. Sleeveless shirts/top

2. Any clothing bearing tobacco, alcohol logos, sexual innuendo, or profanity

3. Shorts, skirts, and dresses that are shorter than fingertip in length, and/or holes in clothing above fingertip length.

4. Bare midriffs, bare shoulders, open back shirts, indecently low-cut shirts, and clothing that would expose undergarments.

5. Any clothing that rides up and exposes a bare midriff and/or undergarments while student is sitting or raising hands.

6. Attire not specifically necessary in the classroom.

7. Hats, bandanas, and sunglasses (These must be kept in the student’s locker).

8. Appropriate footwear as to not cause potential injury.

Students who are representing Linden Community Schools at an official function or public event may be required to follow specific dress requirements. Usually, this applies to athletic teams, cheerleaders, bands, and other such groups.

We hope that you will join in on the fun beginning April 30th as we begin the ABC countdown to Summer! Check out the calendar below and have some fun.

Access the digital document here.

Please have your eagle check the lost and found! Deadline is Thursday, June 4th. We will be donating items that are not claimed by that date to a local charity.

We are finding that more and more items from home that are not necessary to the learning environment are making the trip here to Central. Please have conversations with your student that stuffed animals, toys, games, etc. need to stay at home.

Of course the only pass on this is if teachers have a scheduled reading day that students might be able to bring a blanket or stuffed animal. Otherwise, all "home" items must stay at home. If your student continues to be warned, we will place a phone call for you to pick up the item in the office.

Thank you for your support with this!

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!

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.

New semester means new I-chat form is needed for the second half of the school year. 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.

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.

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

May 18 - 5th grade visits middle school (Mize, Edwards and Sinn)

May 19 - 5th grade visits middle school (Elmer, Wolosiewicz and Perkins)

May 20 - SOAR day

May 21 - 5th grade field trip to Greenfield Village (Elmer and Wolosiewicz HOMEROOM)

May 25 - No School - Memorial Day

May 26 - 3rd graders from Hyatt visit Central

May 27 - 3rd graders from Linden Ele. visit Central

May 27 - 5th grade field trip to Greenfield Village (Edwards and Mize HOMEROOM)

May 28 - 5th grade field trip to Greenfield Village (Perkins and Sinn HOMEROOM)

May 29 - 4th Grade field trip to Mackinaw

June 2 - 5th Grade field trip to Splash Village

June 4 - 4th Grade field trip to Rollerhaven

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