Center Stage
September 18, 2026
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We all survived our first full week of school! Our students have officially worked through each of their daily schedules, settled into routines, and begun finding their way around their new school year. It has been wonderful to see our Wildcats getting comfortable, building relationships, and getting ready for all of the learning ahead.
Thank you to all of our families who were able to join us for Open House this week! It was wonderful to see so many families in the building, meet our teachers, visit classrooms, and learn more about the exciting year ahead.
We hope you enjoyed the sessions and found the Grade 5 and Grade 6 presentations helpful. We appreciate your continued support and partnership as we work together to make this a successful year for every student. Open House presentations are linked below for your information and reference throughout the year.
Our students began taking the STAR Assessment in literacy and math this week and will continue testing through next week. These assessments provide our teachers with valuable information about students' current skills and areas of need. This data is one piece of the larger picture we use to understand our students as learners and to help guide instruction, differentiation, and support.
Today, our students participated in Safety Response Protocol Training with our School Resource Officer and School Marshal. Our students did an excellent job listening, participating, and asking thoughtful questions. Following the training, we conducted a lockdown drill. Everyone did a great job following directions and practicing our safety procedures. These opportunities are important because they help students and staff understand what to do in the event of an emergency and allow us to practice our procedures in a calm and structured way. We appreciate our students' maturity and cooperation throughout the training and drill.
Please help ensure your student is set up for success by making sure they come to school each day with all of their required school materials, including a fully charged Chromebook. A quick tip is to put their charging Chromebook on top of their backpacks as it charges. Being prepared for the school day allows students to transition smoothly between classes and be ready to participate in their learning from the moment they arrive. If an item is dropped off in the office, it is placed on a table outside the office for students to retrieve between classes. This allows us to preserve their learning time and environment. If you drop off an instrument, they are brought to the band room directly. If you bring a pair of shoes for your child, we kindly ask that you place them in a bag.
Please take time to read the Bell-to-Bell Personal Device reminder included in this newsletter. Students are expected to have all personal devices turned off and stored in their lockers or backpacks throughout the school day. This includes cell phones, smart watches, and other personal electronic devices.
We recognize that some students have medical needs that may require the use of a personal device. If your child has a medical need that requires device use and this is not already addressed through an existing plan, please reach out to me so we can discuss the appropriate accommodations and make sure we have a clear plan in place. Our goal is to minimize distractions and help students remain fully present and engaged in their learning while appropriately supporting individual student needs.
Be sure to read about all of the after-school activities happening at Center School! These activities provide students with wonderful opportunities to explore new interests, try something new, build friendships, and have fun outside of the regular school day. We are excited to offer so many opportunities for our students this year and hope they will find an activity that sparks their interest!
Morning Drop Off
We appreciate everyone's continued cooperation as we work to make our morning arrival process as safe and efficient as possible.
Please remember:
Do not block the right lane before 7:15 a.m. during our car arrival process. Keeping this lane clear allows our staff members to have access to the staff parking lot.
Please do not block the crosswalk. Keeping this area clear is essential for the safety of our students and staff.
Thank you for following these procedures and helping us keep arrival safe and moving smoothly.
Bus Passes
We are currently unable to process bus passes as the bus company finalizes ridership. We will let you know as soon as it becomes available again.
Identification
- All parents MUST provide identification at pick up. Please arrive in the office with it available. We do not always have the same people in the office and this is for the safety of your children.
Fall officially arrives this weekend! We hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy some of the many fall activities happening throughout our community. Thank you for a fantastic start to the school year.
Sincerely,
B.J. Martin
25th-Blackout Cancer Football Game-Wear you blackout shirt to school or black and gold!
7th-Ice Cream Social 5:30-7:30
12th-Columbus Day-No School
15th-Parent Safety Night-GBS 6-7 PM
16th-Progress Reports Close Trimester 1
16th-Picture Re-take Day
16th-Grade 6 Monster Bash/Alternative Activity Provided
19th-School Council Meeting
20-21School Board Meeting/ Budget Workshops
21st-Early Release Day
23rd-Progress Reports Available to Parents
26-30th-Fall Book Fair
26-30th-Red Ribbon Week
27th-Parent Teacher Conferences 3-7 PM
29th-Parent Teacher Conferences 3-6 PM
Beginning in the 2025 school year, New Hampshire enacted a statewide “bell-to-bell” ban on student personal electronic device use from the first instructional bell to dismissal, except in very limited cases.
Although this was a new statewide policy, the Windham School District already had a cell phone, smart watch, tablet, or personal laptop policy in place for students in grades K–8. For our students, this was not be a change. All personal electronic devices are expected to remain off and stored in their lockers and or bags.
We ask parents and guardians to please remind your child of this expectation so we can continue supporting a focused, distraction-free learning environment.
Center School is looking for volunteers during weekly library class periods to help with check-out, shelving, and processing books. If you would like to volunteer during your child's library class time, please fill out the Library Volunteer Google Form, which also has further details.
The PTA is a Parent/Teacher Association, which has been formed for the purpose of increasing and improving communication between home and school. The PTA meets once per month, runs book fairs during parent/teacher conferences, and runs many other important school events. Each fall, the PTA has its annual membership drive for new members and the election of officers. It is hoped that the parents of all of our students will become members and support our school projects.
Visit our PTA website at: http://www.windhampta.org/ for the most current PTA officers and Information.
Drama Club - The WCS Drama Club is excited to announce our production of Newsies Jr.! Please register by Friday, September 25 by 3PM. We look forward to seeing you all at our first meeting on Monday, September 28th after school. There will be a quick (10 minute) parent meeting at pickup.
The Jr. Book Beat Club will meet after school on selected Tuesdays each month, beginning on September 22 from 2:30 to 3:30 pm in the WCS Library. This book discussion group is open to interested 5th and 6th grade students. Members will select a book together, read it outside of school, and meet together to discuss the book. Please fill out the Book Club registration form for your child to participate and to read more details.
Bowling Club will run for 5 weeks on Tuesday October 6, 13, 20, November 10 and 17 from 2:30pm-5pm. Please fill out the Google Form below to sign up. Sign ups will close when the club is filled up or on September 23, 2026, whichever comes first. Bowling Club will be limited to the first 40 sign ups. You will receive an acceptance email if you are within the first 40 once sign ups close. First come, first serve! If sign ups are closed, and you would like to be placed on the waitlist, please email Jamie Dumais (jdumais@windhamsd.org). The club price is $95 and includes bowling, shoe rental, transportation, and an additional chaperone. Unfortunately there will not be any refunds for student’s absences. Payments will be made through the student’s PowerSchool account and the fee will only be added if the student is accepted into Bowling Club. Please reach out with any questions!
Bowling Club Google Form Sign Up Link:
Hello WCS Families,
We are happy to announce that Ski Club will occur again this year! We will be going to Pat’s Peak on Thursday nights in January for five fun-filled nights of skiing and snowboarding (January 7, 14, 21, 28 & Feb. 4). Students of all levels are welcome to sign up, as there are lessons at the mountain.
This year, sign-ups will be emailed out on October 25th at 9:00 AM (Sunday) to allow for early bird pricing and for all families to have an option to sign up. (To receive early pricing, registration must be paid in FULL on or before 11/15/26!) Sign-ups will be first-come, first-served and can be very competitive. When you go to sign up, you will need the names and numbers of TWO emergency contacts ready to be entered. If your child does not make the cut-off for the club, there will be a Google Form in the notes asking you to sign up for the waitlist. The waitlist will be timestamped from when the form is submitted to ensure a fair process for all 5th- and 6th-grade students.
If you are new to Ski Club, here is some overview information:
- Please be advised that participation in this club entails additional expenses, including bus transportation fees and a Pats Peak ski pass. Families may select from a variety of pass types, depending on their preferences and budget.
- All students must pay for their spot on the bus and get their pass from Pat’s Peak.
- Videos of how to purchase tickets and detailed information can be found on the Ski Club Page for students who join the Ski Club. You will not be entered early; only students who make it into the club will be on the page, so no one gets confused.
- This year, you can pay for the Ski Club bus digitally (PowerSchool) or by check payable to Windham Center School.
- Pat’s Peak passes must be purchased directly through Pat’s Peak. Please see the video and/or PDF directions for 2026/2027 ski club members on the Ski Club page (only available for those who get into the club).
- Students leave WCS at 1:45 pm and will be responsible for gathering information and work from their missed classes.
- Students will have lessons (if purchased) from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM and free skiing from 4:00 PM to 6:45 PM.
- Students who miss their check-in time (5:00 PM - 5:30 PM) cannot come the following week.
- Rental gear is available for anyone who needs it and can be purchased with their pass.
- Mrs. Schuurman and Mrs. Cronin will email chaperones to alert them if they can be chaperones for their chosen night. You will then get a pass from Mrs. Schuurman to ski/snowboard for the night.
-Mandatory Parent Meeting: If your child is in Ski Club for the first time and is accepted into the club, at least one parent/guardian must attend a required meeting on December 2nd at 5:30 PM. This meeting will cover all expectations, procedures, and important information for the club.
As always, if you have any questions, please email us at jschuurman@windhamsd.org and scronin@windhamsd.org.
Hello Center School Families!
I’m excited to share that Homework Club still has spots available for this school year! Homework Club is a great opportunity for students to have a quiet, supportive place after school to work on homework, complete assignments, ask questions, and get extra help when needed.
Homework Club will begin Monday, October 5th and will be held in Room 128 with Mrs. Schuurman (previously Ms. Lemay) on Mondays and Tuesdays from 2:30–3:30 PM.
A quick note about the sign-up: I opened the Google Form a little earlier than originally planned, so if your family has already completed the form, you are all set! 😊 If your child would still like to join Homework Club, there are spots remaining, so please feel free to use the link below to sign up.
During Homework Club, students will have the opportunity to:
Complete daily homework assignments
Work on unfinished classwork or projects
Ask questions and receive extra support in math, reading, or other subject areas
Develop strong study habits and organizational skills in a structured environment
Have a quiet space to focus and get things done before heading home
Homework Club has a maximum of 30 students due to space limitations. If the club fills, students will be placed on a waitlist. If you are interested but see that the form is full, please email me anyway! I will see what we can do to accommodate additional students if possible.
Please remember that transportation is not provided after Homework Club, so families will need to make pick-up arrangements in advance. Students should be picked up promptly at 3:30 PM.
Families of students who are accepted into Homework Club will receive updates and reminders through the Remind App. Remind information will be provided at the end of the Google Form once students have been accepted.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at jschuurman@windhamsd.org.
I’m looking forward to another great year of helping our students feel confident, supported, and successful with their learning! 💙
Thank you,
Mrs. Jordan Schuurman
Do you enjoy solving challenging problems, thinking creatively, and finding different ways to approach a math challenge? Then Math Olympiads may be the club for you!
Math Olympiads is an after-school math competition club where students work together to solve challenging problems that require logic, creativity, perseverance, and strong problem-solving skills. Students do not need to have every answer immediately or be the fastest mathematician. Math Olympiads is about being curious, trying new strategies, learning from mistakes, and enjoying the process of problem solving.
Students interested in joining Math Olympiads will first participate in a tryout so I can learn more about how they approach challenging problems and think as mathematicians. Completing the sign-up form only registers students for the tryout and does not guarantee a spot on the team.
To sign up for the Math Olympiads tryout, please complete the Google Form linked here:
Try Out Link CLICK HERE
The form should be completed by the student interested in trying out. Parents/guardians should be involved to review the club information, meeting expectations, and schedule details, but the student should complete the questions independently. The goal of the form is for me to learn more about each student's own mathematical thinking, problem-solving approach, and interest in joining Math Olympiads.
Math Olympiads Tryout Information
Friday, October 16th
2:30–3:30 PM
Café
The Math Olympiads team will be limited to 24 students. Students selected for the team will participate in practice sessions and prepare for Math Olympiad competitions throughout the season.
Club Information:
Meetings: Every other week from November through March
After school (specific meeting dates will be shared with selected team members)
Students selected for the team should be prepared to:
Attend bi-weekly meetings and actively participate
Work collaboratively with teammates
Challenge themselves with complex math problems
Practice perseverance when problems are difficult
Represent our school with a positive attitude
I am excited to see students take on new challenges, stretch their mathematical thinking, and discover that there is more than one way to solve a problem!
Tutor.com: We are thrilled to continue offering Tutor.com services to grades 4-12! This partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Education and Tutor.com provides unlimited access to the tutoring service – anytime, anywhere, from any internet-connected device. This means your child can get the academic support they need, even from the comfort of home. Our students can access Tutor.com through their Schoology course pages. Please click here for more information.
