Morford Monthly Memo

Our Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19th from 6:00pm - 7:00pm. We anticipate teacher assignments to be available in your ParentVue account at close of business on Friday, August 15th. Your classroom teachers will be reaching out to you via email beginning August 15th as well.

The first day Is Thursday, August 21st. Our full day of school begins at 8:19am and ends at 3:27pm. Doors will open only for those eating breakfast at 8:00am. If your student will not be eating breakfast it is important they remain in the car or on the bus until the doors open at 8:09am. We ask that you do not drop students off prior to this as we will not have staff available to supervise students. Please review our parent drop off/pick up procedures posted below.

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!

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.

Michigan School Meals has allowed all Michigan public schools across the state to provide school meals at no cost to families for the past 2 school years. Unfortunately, the 2025-2026 School Aid Budget has yet to be finalized. This means that continued funding for free school meals cannot be guaranteed beyond the current School Aid Budget, which ends on September 30, 2025. We want you to be aware that there is a chance that school meals may not be free as of October 1, 2025.

The program we operate for this school year will depend on the finalized state budget, and the form we ask you to complete for meal and or educational benefits is dependent upon the passage of universal free meals within the budget.

The form we currently have posted on the Linden Schools website food service page and online in the Linden Meal Magic family portal (Education Benefits Form) is applicable only if Michigan Schools Meals is included in the State School Aide Budget.

If Michigan School Meals is no longer included in the State School Aid Budget, we will have to return to the Free and Reduced Meal Application (currently named Education and Nutrition Benefits Form). This form would determine if your student(s) qualify for free or reduced meals, or pay full price for meals. Paper copies of this form will be sent to all buildings before Open Houses.

Linden Schools is changing to the Education and Nutrition Benefits Form as it will provide a seamless transition should that be necessary, and can be used for either program.

If you have already filled out the Education Benefits Form either in the Family Portal or from the Linden Community Schools website, we are asking you to also fill out the Education and Nutrition Benefits Form.

Your patience and understanding are appreciated.

Linden Community Schools’ has implemented a Positive School Climate. All buildings use the SOAR acronym. At Central Elementary we Stay Safe, Offer Kindness, Act Responsibly, and Remember Respect. These rules are part of our school wide Behavior Expectations Matrix. Students are encouraged daily to follow these rules. As a result of their positive efforts, students have an opportunity to be recognized for positive choices. These expectations are reviewed by the classroom teacher on a daily basis.

All exterior doors will be locked. Our entrance buzzer is located just inside the vestibule to the left as you enter the main entrance door. You will need to press the buzzer to be admitted into the new office area. All visitors must make an appointment in advance. All scheduled appointments must report directly to the office, sign in and obtain a visitor badge. This safety measure will ensure that office staff is aware of all visitors entering our building. Please have your photo ID ready to present for entrance into the office.

Central Elementary utilizes our web page as a means to communicate with our families. You will find Daily Schedules, lunch menus and our monthly newsletters. Please visit our web page regularly at www.lindenschools.org. In addition to our web page, I will send out a monthly SMORE via email and also post to the web page. Linden Community Schools offers an app that you can also access the above information.

You may contact your child’s teacher by email, telephone, or letter if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s education or classroom activities.

Students may carry a cellphone to and from school, but it must remain turned off and placed in their locker during the day. According to the handbook, it must remain off and out of sight. If a student continues to have an issue a parent will be contacted. If the issue continues to arise, a parent may need to pick up the phone in the office.

All students must be signed in at the office whenever arriving late to school. Ring the buzzer to be let in. If a student arrives late, the parent/guardian bringing the student will need to sign them in at the office.

If picking up your child early, ring the buzzer to enter the office. While you are signing your student out, an office staff member will call your child from class to meet you in the office. Be prepared to present your picture ID for identification.

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.

Bus routes will be posted in the Tri-County Times. You can also access them on the school website. Please work with your child on bus etiquette and following bus rules. It is important for your child to know the importance of staying seated on the bus, and keeping track of their personal belongings.

Due to safety of students, students must ride their assigned bus. If you have questions please contact the Transportation Department at 810-591-0996.

Students who are eating breakfast are to be dropped off no earlier than 8:00am. These students will go right to the cafeteria to sit and eat breakfast. Students who are not eating breakfast are to be dropped off no earlier than 8:09am. When dropping a student off for morning arrival time, please remain in your car, drive as far through the loop as you can and make sure your child exits from the passenger side of your vehicle. Please do not use the bus loop at the north end of the building, as a drop off.

Any student who is arriving after 8:19am is considered tardy and must be walked into the office to be signed in.

The front doors will be unlocked at 8:00am for student entry. They will be locked at 8:19am. If this is inconvenient for your work schedule and you need to drop your student off earlier, please contact the Early Childhood Center at 810-591-0320. Hyatt houses our Eagle Club before and after school program for a minimal fee.

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.

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.

School Picture day is September 11th. Retakes are scheduled for October 8th.

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

Stop by the PALs table at the open house! We would love to have you support some of the activities that will be happening at Central this year.

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

September 5

October 10

November 7

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

August 19 - Open House from 6-7pm

August 21 - First Day of School

August 29 - No School

September 1 - No School - Labor Day

September 11 - School Pictures

September 17 - Half Day of School - Teacher PD in afternoon

October 3 - Central Elementary 24/25 Fun Run Fundraiser from 9am-1pm

October 8 - Picture Retake Day

October 16 - Half Day of School - Parent Teacher Conferences

October 17 - No School

November 4 - Teacher PD Day - No School for Students

November 26 - November 28 - Thanksgiving Holiday break

December 5 - The NED show Assembly

December 11 - 5th Grade Holiday Musical at LHS Theater

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 12 - Half Day of School - Parent Teacher Conferences

March 13 - Teacher PD Day - No School for Students

March 30 -April 3 - Spring Break

May 25 - No School - Memorial Day

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