Centennial Blue Jays

Greetings, Blue Jay Families!

As we cruise toward the end of the school year and get ready to say goodbye to another group of fifth-graders, we want to thank our students for all their hard work during the end of year testing process. Results are starting to come in, and it appears we've made some good academic growth.

I'm afraid we also have some sad news to share.

As you have probably heard, the district has had to make a lot of difficult decisions as a result of next year's budget deficit. One such decision was that our enrollment does not support an assistant principal. As a result, we will be losing the amazing Calli Dean. But our loss will be Riverbend Elementary's gain, as she is moving over there to serve as Principal. As happy as we are for her for the promotion, she has been a huge asset to our school and our students and we are going to miss her very much, every day. Please join us in wishing her all the best in her new position.

We are also very sad to say that due to continually declining enrollment, we will need to trim a teacher. For contractual reasons, the decision unfortunately came down to the teacher who had served the least amount of years in our district – Rebecca Lefferts. Since she arrived at Centennial, Rebecca has made a huge different in our school and with our students. Her incredible attitude, energy and never-ending belief in every single student will always be remembered. We truly hope she can find her way back to Centennial some day – she's been an amazing part of this team.

Don Hakala, Principal

Calli Dean, Assistant Principal

June 2: PTO Meeting (6 p.m., snacks, childcare provided)

June 2: Safety Patrol Field Trip (9-11 a.m.)

June 3: 1st and 2nd Grade Concerts, 1st grade arrives 5:45 p.m., 2nd grade 6:45)

June 4: Springfield High Grad Walk (12 p.m.)

June 5: Minute to Win It Assembly (2 p.m.)

June 9: 5th Grade Field Trip (10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.)

June 10: Field Day (K-2 activities begin at 9 a.m.)

June 11: Last Day of School (Early Release 12:30)

June 11: Fifth Grade Promotion (activities begin at 10 a.m.)

Please mark your calendars - with the adoption of the teachers' contract, the last day of school, June 11, is now an early release.

You can download the adopted calendars for next year here. Key dates are:

• First day of school is September 9.
• Winter Break is December 21 - January 1.
• Spring Break is March 22 - 26.
• The last day of school is June 17.

Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, Springfield Public Schools will update district-issued device procedures for elementary and middle school students in response to ongoing feedback from families and staff. SPS remains committed to technology access and will continue maintaining a one-to-one student device ratio.

• Elementary and middle school students will continue using district-issued devices during the school day, but devices will no longer routinely be taken home unless they are specifically checked out for educational purposes or special circumstances.
• As part of the transition, all devices and chargers assigned to current elementary students and current 6th and 7th grade students will be collected at the end of this year so the district’s Technology Services team can inspect, clean, repair, and prepare them for fall.
• Families can support the transition by ensuring all chargers are also returned and encouraging students to remove personal stickers or labels from devices before turning them in.

There are no changes to device procedures at the high school level, and current 8th graders will keep their device and charger over the summer.

Our annual field day will take place on Wednesday, June 10.

• Grades K-2 activities will start at 9 a.m.
• Grades 3-5 activities start at 12:30 p.m.

Stations:

• Otter Pop Show & Tell Station • Gaga Ball • Rock Painting • Bubbles & Hula Hoops • Water Relay Races• 4 Square Volleyball (Grades 3–5) • Keepy Uppies Soccer Challenge (Grades K–2) • Tug of War • Inflatable Obstacle Course

1. We encourage families to PLEASE come to school on time so your kiddo doesn't miss out on these super-fun activities!
2. Also, we are not allowed to put sunscreen on your kiddos, so K-2 students should lube up before they come to school!
3. Approved volunteers are welcome to come and watch, but we encourage you to sign up to volunteer! We need many helping hands to run stations, supervise activities and help with setup and cleanup. Follow the link below to volunteer!

Exciting times as our fifth-graders get ready to move on to Middle School! Here are some key dates to keep in mind:

• June 2: Safety Patrol Field Trip (9-11 a.m
• UPDATE: June 1: 6th Grade Orientation Night (6:00-7:15)
• June 9: 5th Grade Field Trip to Skinner Butte Park/Defy (10 a.m.-2:30)
• June 11: 5th grade parade, 10:10; promotion ceremony, 10:20; reception, 10: 50

It's also a fantastic time to register an incoming kiddo! It really helps us with our planning to know what our numbers will look like in the fall.

And if you've already registered but still need to turn in paperwork, let's get that all cleared up before the end of school so we can all cross it off our to-do lists!

We LOVE volunteers at Centennial! Parents are welcome and encouraged to come and help in their students' class(es) or at special events. Please do check with the teacher about days/times that might be best. There may also be projects you can help with outside of school. Community members are also welcome. We currently have volunteers helping teachers with tasks, helping with reading groups, helping tidy the lost & found, and helping Ms. Hodgin shelve books - a neverending task! It takes a village!

For everyone's safety, all school volunteers need to be registered and undergo a background check. If you're not sure if you're still current, please ask Ms. Deb.

Our website is a solid place to look for information such as menus. Facebook will be your best bet for quick updates and photos. We also frequently send information via email, so be sure to check your email frequently. Many teachers use the SeeSaw app to communicate via phone. Your child's teacher will send you an invitation to join their classroom SeeSaw community, and it's a great way to communicate directly with the teacher. And Ms. Deb is always available for questions!

• Stock up on blue bags from the school office. This is an easy way to support the PTO through donations of bottles and cans. Just bring the bag to the Springfield Bottle Drop Redemption Center, scan the PTO bar code, and toss your bag. Easy peasy!
• Come to their Popsicles on the Playground event this summer! This will be happening again this summer, starting on Wednesday, June 24, at 6 p.m. and continuing every other week into August. Such a great way to catch up with your Blue Jay family!

Email: deb.jolda@springfield.k12.or.us
Website: centennial.springfield.k12.or.us
Location: 1315 Aspen Street, Springfield, OR, USA
Phone: 541-744-6383
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentennialBlueJays