Hello Central Elementary!

Greetings, Central Falcon Families!

Progress reports are coming home today, Friday, November 6! Please review your child’s progress, celebrate their accomplishments, and contact their teacher with any questions about supporting continued growth.

Families are invited to a FREE Community Clothing Event tomorrow, Saturday, November 7, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, at Central Church of Christ, 304 Hargrove Road. Gently used children’s clothing, free donuts, and drinks will be available. All community members are welcome!

School will be closed Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. We honor and thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice.

On Thursday, November 12, at 1:30 p.m., our fifth graders will demonstrate confidence, communication skills, and professionalism during the Great Handshake Competition. Families, please help your scholar practice their elevator speech, handshake, eye contact, and interview responses.

We will celebrate World Kindness Day on Friday, November 13! We encourage our Falcons to spread kindness through caring words, helpful actions, and thoughtful gestures. A small act of kindness can brighten someone’s day and help our Central community bloom!

Get ready for a reading adventure! Central Elementary’s Book Fair is November 16–20! From exciting adventures to fascinating discoveries, there’s a book to spark every reader’s imagination. Families, encourage your scholar to find a new favorite and keep the joy of reading growing at home. Let’s saddle up, explore, and READ! 📚

On Wednesday, November 18, we will recognize Education Support Professionals Day! We celebrate our paraprofessionals, office staff, custodians, child nutrition staff, bus drivers, and other dedicated support professionals who help our school thrive. Their work keeps our scholars safe, nourished, supported, and ready to learn. Please join us in thanking these valued members of our Central family for the care and dedication they show every day!

Bring your Falcon spirit to Central High School on Thursday, November 19, at 5:30 p.m., for the Westside Classic, featuring our fourth- and fifth-grade Falcons! Tickets are $3 in advance and $5 at the gate. Let’s fill the stands and cheer on our scholars!

Our students in grades 3–5 will practice their 5s multiplication facts for the next Multiplication Fact Challenge on Friday, November 20! Students will have two minutes to complete the quiz. Students who score 100% will be entered into a prize drawing, with five winners selected after the challenge! Families, please help your child practice at home. A few minutes each day can build confidence and strengthen math skills. Let’s multiply our skills and SOAR to success!

As we approach Thanksgiving Break, November 23–27, we are reminded of how thankful we are for our Central community. Students return Monday, November 30. Thank you for supporting our scholars, encouraging their growth, and helping them SOAR! ❤️

Welcome back—we are so glad you are part of the Central Elementary family! Let’s make the 2026–2027 school year our best one yet!

Central families, you are invited to find gently used clothing for your little ones at a FREE community event on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to noon at Central Church of Christ, 304 Hargrove Road, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401.

Enjoy free donuts and drinks while finding clothing for your children. All community members are welcome! Please help spread the word to families who may benefit.

Central Elementary will be closed Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in observance of Veterans Day. We honor our veterans and thank them for their courage, service, and sacrifice.

School resumes Thursday, November 12.

Calling all Central Falcon readers! Our Book Fair is coming to Central Elementary November 16–20! From exciting adventures and mysteries to stories about animals and friendship, there’s something to spark every reader’s imagination.

Families, encourage your scholar to discover a new favorite and keep the joy of reading growing at home. Saddle up, explore, and READ—great adventures begin with a book!

Come support our 4th- and 5th-grade student-athletes and cheerleaders at the Westside Classic on November 19, 2026! Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. at the Central High School Football Stadium.

Tickets are $3 in advance and $5 at the gate. Bring your enthusiasm and help us celebrate our students’ teamwork, effort, and school spirit!

Let’s fill the stands and cheer our Falcons on as they SOAR! ❤️🖤🦅

Central Elementary is collecting nonperishable food items from October 1 through November 19. Families can donate canned goods, pasta, rice, and condiments by placing them in the collection barrel at school. Every donation helps support neighbors facing hunger. Thank you for helping our Central Falcons make a difference!

Central’s Spelling Bee Competition will take place on Friday, December 11, at 1:00 p.m. in the Central Elementary Library! We look forward to celebrating our scholars as they showcase their spelling skills, confidence, and hard work. Keep practicing, Falcons—one word at a time helps you SOAR!

Central Elementary is excited to announce that our fifth-grade students will participate in the Great Handshake Competition! This valuable experience will help students strengthen their confidence, communication, and leadership skills as they practice offering a professional handshake, participating in an interview, delivering a one-minute elevator speech, and responding thoughtfully to impromptu situations. Students will also learn about professional attire, teamwork, current events, and making a positive first impression. Additional information about participants, preparation sessions, and competition dates will be shared with families soon. We look forward to watching our fifth-grade Baby Falcons bloom into confident young leaders!

Central Elementary will be closed November 23–27, 2026, for Thanksgiving Break. We are thankful for our scholars, dedicated staff, and supportive families who help our Central community bloom!

Wishing our Falcon families a restful and joyful Thanksgiving filled with love and time together. Students return Monday, November 30.

Central Elementary parents and guardians, please refrain from calling the school to change how your child will get home. Last-minute transportation changes have created confusion for students, teachers, and staff during dismissal.

If you will not be home to receive your child, please make arrangements to come to the school and check your child out before 2:00 p.m. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe, organized, and efficient dismissal process for all students.

Joining the PTA is an important way to support our students, strengthen family-school partnerships, and help our school community continue to grow. Your $10 membership gives you a voice and helps provide meaningful programs, activities, and opportunities for our students. Together, we are Blooming to an A!

Central Elementary is proud to partner with Neighborhood Bridges Tuscaloosa City, a charitable organization that connects schools and communities to help meet students’ basic needs, remove barriers, and create opportunities for every child to succeed in school and life. Community members can subscribe to receive notifications about anonymous needs within our schools and choose how they would like to help. To learn more or become a subscriber, visit Neighborhood Bridges Tuscaloosa City. Together, we can build bridges of kindness and support for Central students and families!

For the next two weeks, our social and emotional learning (SEL) focus is Self-Efficacy, a skill within Self-Awareness.

Self-efficacy means believing we can succeed through effort and practice. It helps students stay motivated, work through challenges, and recognize their progress.

Our slogan is “Step by step, I can do it!”

At school, we will encourage students to break tasks into smaller steps, practice, and celebrate their growth. Families can reinforce this at home by asking, “What is one small step you can try next?” Remind your child that needing more practice is part of learning!

“Success comes from effort and persistence.”

Together, we are helping our students build confidence and keep Blooming to an A!

Transportation Request Form

Families should complete the transportation request form only if their child did not ride a Tuscaloosa City Schools bus during the previous school year.

Transportation Request Form:

Tuscaloosa City Schools Transportation Request Form

📌 Important Reminders

• ✅ Students who were assigned to a bus route last school year will automatically be assigned to a bus route for the new school year.
• 📧 Families will receive an email asking them to confirm their current transportation information and report any changes.
• 🏡 If your home address has changed, please update your address in PowerSchool before submitting a transportation request. Transportation requests cannot be processed until the new address has been updated in PowerSchool.
• 🚌 If your child is new to Tuscaloosa City Schools or did not ride the bus last year, please complete the transportation request form as soon as possible.

Families, please take time to review the Tuscaloosa City Schools 2026–2027 Code of Conduct with your child. This important guide outlines student expectations, attendance requirements, appropriate behavior, disciplinary procedures, technology use, and the rights and responsibilities of students and families.

Working together to understand and follow these expectations will help us maintain a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment for every student.

• View the Code of Conduct in English
• View the Code of Conduct in Spanish

School Start Time Reminder

School begins promptly at 7:55 a.m. Students arriving after this time are considered tardy.

• Breakfast is served before the bell—late arrivals may miss it.

• Intervention and review time happen first thing in the morning.

• A calm, on-time start sets the tone for a successful day.

Thank you for making punctuality a priority and helping our students start strong each morning!

Tardies

Please know that excessive tardies or absences are closely monitored and may result in truancy concerns, as required by state guidelines. We want to partner with you to ensure this does not become an issue for your child.

Getting to school on time helps your child start the day calm, prepared, and ready to learn. Thank you for making punctuality a priority—it truly sets your child up for success!

If you are experiencing challenges with morning routines or transportation, please reach out to us. We are here to support you.

Daily Attendance

Attendance plays a vital role in your child’s success and in our school’s overall report grade. We need every student at school each and every day unless they are sick or there is a family emergency. If your child is absent, please be sure to send a written or doctor's excuse the very next day they return.

When planning vacations or out-of-town events, we kindly ask that you refer to our holiday calendar and schedule trips during school breaks. Consistent attendance helps your child stay on track academically and socially, and it makes a significant difference in their learning progress. Let’s work together to ensure our Falcons are present, learning, and soaring every day.

The mission of Central Elementary is to create a culture of high expectations and develop S.O.A.R. leaders in which our scholars are providing service, being optimistic, ambitious, and respectful at all times.

The vision is for all of us to build on our students' past to face the challenges of the future in an intentional environment supporting 100% of students' every day!

S - Self Discipline

O -Open Minded

A - Accountable

R - Respect

NOVEMBER 2026

Monday, November 2–Wednesday, November 4 – No After-School Program

Wednesday, November 11 – Veterans Day (School Closed)

Thursday, November 12 – Great Handshake Competition @ 1:30 PM

Friday, November 13 – World Kindness Day

Monday, November 16–Friday, November 20 – CES- Book fair

Monday, November 16–Friday, November 20 – American Education Week

Wednesday, November 18 - Education Support Professionals Day

Thursday, November 19 – Westside Classic Football Game

Monday, November 23–Friday, November 27 – Thanksgiving Break (School Closed)

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ParentSquare Quick Start Guide

ParentSquare is our main tool for keeping families informed and connected. Please follow these steps to set up your account and start receiving important updates.

Step 1: Download the ParentSquare App

• 📱 Apple Devices: Go to the App Store, search for ParentSquare, and download.

• 📱 Android Devices: Go to Google Play, search for ParentSquare, and download.

• You can also use ParentSquare on a computer: www.parentsquare.com

Step 2: Create Your Account

• Open the app or visit the website.

• Click “Sign Up/Create New Account.”

• Use the email address or phone number you provided to Central Elementary during registration.

• Follow the prompts to set your password.

Step 3: Verify Your Contact Information

• After logging in, confirm that your name, phone number, and email are correct.

• If information is incorrect, contact the school office so we can update it in our system.

Step 4: Set Your Notification Preferences

• Tap your profile picture (top right) → My Account → Notification Settings.

• Choose how you want to receive messages:

  • Instant (for urgent updates)

  • Daily Digest (one summary per day)

• You can also select App, Email, or Text notifications.

Step 5: Start Connecting

• Read posts from the school and your child’s teachers.

• RSVP to events, sign up for volunteer opportunities, or fill out permission forms directly in the app.

• Send private messages to teachers or staff when you have questions.

💡 Tip: Keep notifications on so you never miss important updates about events, school closures, or emergencies.

Need Help?
📞 Central Elementary Main Office: 205.759.3570
💻 ParentSquare Help Center: https://parentsquare.zendesk.com

For your safety and the safety of our students, please following the traffic loop during arrival and dismissal. Thank you advance for your patience in the drop off /pickup line. We will continue to become more efficient as time progresses.

• Parents please remain in your cars during arrival and make sure students are ready to exit the vehicle on the right side of the car closest to the school.
• Doors open daily at 7:30. Therefore, students cannot be dropped off at the front of the school prior to 7:30. You must wait with them to make sure your child is safe and supervised by an adult.
• Please drop your child off near the front door where the Officer will direct them to cross, not across the street or in the parking lot.
• Students will be dismissed at 2:40 p.m.

For the safety of all our students, we kindly ask that during dismissal you refrain from yelling across the street or signaling for your child to walk toward you.

All parents must follow our established dismissal procedures to ensure a safe and orderly process. No students will be permitted to walk across moving traffic in the carpool line to meet parents waiting across the street.

Your cooperation helps us protect every child and maintain a smooth, safe dismissal for our school community.

To help us get you in and out of the carpool lane quickly, we will provide you with a tag to keep in your vehicle. Each grade level will use a different color.

• Complete the car tag with the name (first and last) and grade level of each child riding with you and place the tag on your dash near the windshield (on the passenger side) upon arriving on campus.
• Please DO NOT get out of your vehicle to retrieve students. This is a safety issue.

Thank you for your cooperation!

If you would like to see Central Elementary with a strong PTO this year, then let's start out strong and contact me today!