Coulston Elementary School

Coulston Families,

And just like that, the first month of school is behind us! As we head into September, we have lots of exciting events planned. Beginning this month, we will also send home a monthly newsletter highlighting upcoming events. This will be included in our weekly newsletter as well, so you’ll always have a handy calendar for what’s happening at school. We hope this new resource makes it easier to stay connected with us at Coulston!

Parents recently had a student who brought an inappropriate toy resembling a firearm to school. The student immediately and proactively self-reported the toy to a staff member. While there was no threat, we want to assure you that the situation was handled immediately and appropriately by the school administration and our school safety officer. The safety, security, and well-being of all our students and staff are always our top priority.

This incident serves as a good opportunity to remind everyone about our school's policies on personal items. We understand that discussions about what is and isn’t appropriate to bring to school can be challenging, but they are crucial for a safe and focused learning environment.

We ask for your partnership in reinforcing these guidelines. Please take a moment to discuss with your child what is and is not appropriate to bring to school. Our policies are designed to ensure a positive and respectful atmosphere where all students can feel secure and concentrate on their education. Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain a safe and productive school community.

We are looking forward to a fun and busy month ahead. Thank you for being part of our school community!

Important Dates & Events in September

No School – Labor Day: Monday, September 1st
Mid-Terms: Wednesday September 3rd(check Powerschool)
PTO Fall Mum Pick-Up: Saturday, September 6th (9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.)
Grandparents Day: Tuesday, September 16th (5:30–6:30 p.m.)
Homecoming Spirit Week: Week of September 22nd
College Go Week: Week of September 22nd
Fall Pictures: Wednesday, September 24th
Volleyball & Cross Country: Seasons are starting up! Come cheer on our athletes!
Snowie Ice Fridays: Starting the first Friday in September on the 5th
Book Fair: September 29th – October 3rd
Parent/Teacher Conferences: October 2-3

Coulston Elementary Readers are Leaders

Families,

This year, our school is focusing on Reading At Home (RAH). We encourage students to check out and read their library books each week and return their RAH log to the library.

Students who return their log every week in the 1st Quarter will earn a prize in the library.
Their names will also go into a drawing for bigger prizes at our quarterly convocation and on the Prize Board.

Please try to READ 20 minutes a DAY with your child. This daily practice helps build knowledge, strengthens reading skills, and prepares students for success on the IREAD test in 2nd and 3rd grade. Thank you for supporting your child’s reading!

Smile….Picture Day is coming soon!!! Our picture day is on Wednesday, September 24th. Just a reminder that all picture orders need to be completed online. The required information is included below. Inter State Picture Order Link

Coulston Cub Scouts

If your child is interested in joining Cub Scouts, please see below. We hope you are able to join!

August PTO Updates

First PTO Meeting Our first PTO meeting was held on Monday, August 18 at 5:30PM. Please see the attached notes for our August meeting. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at our September meeting!

Fall Mum Sale Pick Up

Our PTO Fall Mum Sale has officially wrapped up! Thank you to everyone who purchased mums to support our PTO. Just a reminder: Pick-up will be Saturday, September 6th, from 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at Cossairts. If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Softball Camp

SHS girls softball is hosting a Back-To-School Softball Camp. Please see the information below.

Attendance Matters

This year, we will have a monthly focus on attendance and share helpful resources with our school community. We will continue recognizing strong attendance with classroom awards and celebrating overall improvement as a building. Our school-wide goal is to maintain an overall attendance rate of 96% or higher. Thank you for partnering with us to help meet this goal!

Please remember if your child will not be in attendance, please remember to call the school and report your child’s absence at 317-398-3185.

Transportation

Bus route information is available at scs.shelbycs.org/page/transportation. Scroll down to find the INFOFINDER link. If you need to make a change to your child’s transportation, please complete a Change of Transportation form at school. Changes take 48 hours to process. Call the office with any questions.

Car Rider Line

Thank you for your patience as we navigated the extra traffic during the first few weeks of school. We’re happy to see the flow improving this week! Here are a few car rider reminders to keep things running smoothly:
- Drop-off begins at 7:25 AM
- Pick-up is at 2:15 PM (1:45 PM on Wednesdays)
- Students should exit the car on the side closest to the sidewalk
- Please stay in your vehicle—do not park and get out
- Give hugs, kisses, and goodbyes before pulling forward in the line
- The car rider door closes at 7:45 AM. After this time, students must be dropped off and signed in at the front office.
  Thanks for helping us keep arrival and dismissal safe and efficient!

Lunch Information

We encourage all families to complete the Free & Reduced Lunch Form each year. Even if you qualified last year. This ensures eligible families receive meal assistance. You can sign up at this site: SCS Free and Reduced Lunch Form

SCS Free and Reduced Lunch Form

Click here to fill out the form

Cell Phones – Indiana law now prohibits cell phones in the classroom. Please keep this in mind if your child brings a phone to school.

Attendance – A new law requires interventions and parent conferences after 5 unexcused absences in a 10-week period. More information will be sent home this week.
Dress Code – Students must wear shoes with a back. No slides, backless sandals, or shoes without backs are allowed for safety reasons.
Wednesday Early Release – Dismissal is at 1:45 PM every Wednesday.
Transportation Changes – Must be called in by 1:00 PM. After this time, changes cannot be accommodated. Just a reminder that students being picked up after 2:00, need to be picked up in the car rider line.
School Start Time – The first bell rings at 7:25 AM. The tardy bell rings at 7:45 AM.
Tardy students must be signed in by a parent or guardian.

Students may not sign themselves in or be dropped off if tardy without an adult.

Healthy Snacks

We appreciate your help in following the SCS Wellness Policy! Students enjoy a daily healthy snack at school, helping us meet our Healthy Snacks guidelines.