Morford Monthly Memo

Welcome to the wonderful new Fall season at Central Elementary School! As the leaves begin to change and the air becomes crisp, our school community is filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and enjoy the beauty of fall together.

Thank you for the encouragement, care, and partnership you provide each day. Your support helps our students feel confident, connected, and ready to make positive choices at school.

Cozy Autumn Days Are Here

Fall weather can change quickly. Mornings may be chilly, while afternoons can become warmer. Please help your child prepare for the day by dressing in comfortable layers. A light jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt can help students stay comfortable during arrival, recess, and outdoor activities.

Students will be going outside unless it is raining or the air temperature and/or wind chill is zero degrees so it is important that they have the proper gear. Please make sure your child comes to school dressed for the season and wearing shoes that are safe and comfortable for active play.

As we enjoy the colors, sounds, and traditions of autumn, we look forward to a season filled with curiosity, creativity, and joyful learning.

In partnership with you,

Katie Morford

As the colder weather and holiday season approach, I wanted to share a few wonderful opportunities being offered by caring organizations in our community. We hope you'll share these resources with anyone who might find them helpful!

Winter Gear Giveaway – The Road Community Church in Fenton is offering a winter gear giveaway. Click here to sign up! https://theroadcc.simplechurchcrm.com/external/form/b81058e4-4474-401f-9561-493f61e6a6f8

Thanksgiving Meals – Freedom Center Church in Fenton is generously providing 175 Thanksgiving meals to local families. Click here to sign up! https://fccfenton.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1340381

Angel Tree and Christmas Express – Coordinated in part by the Linden Presbyterian Church. Registration packets for both programs are available in the Central Elementary office.

If one of these opportunities could be helpful to your family or someone you know, please don't hesitate to reach out or share the information. For additional details about these and other available resources, you're always welcome to call the Central Elementary office at 810/591-8410. We're happy to help!

It's hard to believe we are already planning for Halloween! Students are able to wear their Halloween costumes to school on Friday, October 30th. Please contact your child's teacher or the office with any questions. A few reminders regarding costumes and the day:

• Children may wear their costumes to school
• No masks will be allowed for safety.
  
• Face paint dries out the skin and will likely become an irritant as the day progresses, so it is recommended that you save this portion of the costume for trick-or-treating at home
• Leave any "weapon like" accessories at home
• Please be sure that costumes are school appropriate.

So long as students are able to engage in their learning for the day they will be able to stay in their costumes. You may want to pack another choice of clothes as students will go about their daily schedule of specials, Recess, etc. 4th graders will be going on a field trip on this day so be sure to have students dress appropriately.

Central Elementary students certainly showed up for the Fun Run fundraiser! Together students raised $19,236 to help support activities and learning. This money will provide opportunities for field trips, classroom grants and much more. Thank you for your support!

Students and staff came together on October 23rd for the assembly to give out prizes and recognize the hard work of everyone.

Central Student Council is collecting new pajamas, new packs of socks, new packs of underwear, gift cards, diapers and any other items that would be good for kids entering foster care. All donations go directly to Clara’s Hope in Fenton. This fundraiser started October 1st and will run through Friday, October 30th. Each item brought in is 1 worth one point and we will have prizes for the top 3 classes! Please donate to your classroom! Thank you!

The marking period closes Friday, October 23rd. Central Elementary report cards will be viewable on ParentVue October 30th. You will need to have access to ParentVue to access your child's report cards. If you don't have access or have questions, please contact the office.

Linden Community Schools is excited to present the 29th Annual Faculty Follies! This beloved community event brings together teachers and administrators from across the district for an evening of laughter, entertainment, and fun—all while supporting two wonderful local organizations.

Faculty and staff will take the stage to showcase their talents and share some laughs for a great cause!

Proceeds benefit Angel Tree and Christmas Express, two organizations dedicated to bringing joy and support to local families in need during the holiday season.

Date: Thursday, December 3, 2026

Tickets: Coming soon!

Join us for a memorable evening of laughter, community spirit, and holiday giving. We hope to see you there!

Christmas Express is happening again this year! Central Elementary will be collecting DISH SOAP for the holiday food baskets this year. If you are out and about and could bring a bottle of DISH SOAP to donate that would be great! The items can be dropped off to the office. All dish soap will be collected by Friday, December 11th. Thank you for your support!

Linden Community Schools has been participating in Michigan's Promoting Positive School Climate (PPSC) project to enhance positive behavior supports in our school. The survey for parents is a perception survey required by PPSC. It is anonymous and used to identify school climate issues within our school.

Please take a moment to answer some questions here.

Deadline to complete the survey is October 31st.

The state has recognized common terminology that we use at Linden across the district for emergency operations. Of course as the year begins we often practice safety drills more so than as the year comes to an end. With the shift in terms and possible confusion that may occur when talking with your student, I wanted to share with you the terms and what they may be used for.

HOLD - medical emergency, student behavior incident, clean up in hallway

SECURE - offset incident

LOCKDOWN - hostile visitor, suspicious package

SHELTER - tornado, hazmat situation

EVACUATE - fire, if my area becomes unsafe

Our staff members look for opportunities to recognize students who demonstrate these expectations. We celebrate positive choices through encouragement, classroom acknowledgments, and schoolwide recognition. Some ways that we recognize our students is by giving them a SOAR ticket. Three students are recognized everyday by coming down to the office to spin the SOAR wheel in which they may win dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings or Texas Roadhouse, the opportunity to cut in front of the lunch line for a week, choosing items from the trinket drawer or lunch with Mrs. Morford and Mr. Sinn. Some days, weather permitting, we draw a number of tickets and provide students a SOAR ticket blitz which might include an extra recess or popsicles.

In order to promote a positive school climate, Linden Community Schools has implemented the SOAR expectations across all buildings. To SOAR at Central Elementary, we Stay Safe, Offer Kindness, Act Responsibly, and Remember Respect.

Students and staff that SOAR make Central Elementary a welcoming place for everyone.

Be sure to ask your Eagle how they SOAR each day!

Access the school wide Behavior Expectations Matrix

We are finding that items from home that are not necessary to the learning environment are making the trip here to Central. Please have conversations with your student that stuffed animals, toys, games, etc. need to stay at home.

Of course the only pass on this is if teachers have a scheduled reading day that students might be able to bring a blanket or stuffed animal. Otherwise, all "home" items must stay at home. If your student continues to be warned, we will place a phone call for you to pick up the item in the office.

Thank you for your support with this!

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 in 4th and 5th Grade. 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.

Access forms here:

Nonprescribed medication form

Prescribed medication form

Emergency contacts and transportation information must be updated when changes happen. Please make sure that your ParentVue account is updated when things change, like that of phone numbers, address, etc. 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 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!

Just wanted to remind you of the health safety information especially as it pertains to meds and birthday treats.

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. Medications and special accommodations for the health of your child are required to have a medical professional authorization form completed. Please refer to the forms section at www.lindenschools.org. 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.

We are excited to share that breakfast and lunch will be available at no cost to all students this school year through the Michigan School Meals program, and our participation in the Community Eligibility provision in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program. Every student is eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day, regardless of household income.

Although meals are free for all students, we ask that every family complete an Education Benefits Form. This form is very important because it helps determine eligibility for state and federal funding that supports educational programs and services for all students.

Completing the Education Benefits Form may help our district receive additional funding for:

• Classroom resources and technology
• Academic intervention and support services
• School counseling and student wellness programs
• Before- and after-school programs
• Other valuable educational opportunities

Families who qualify may also be eligible for additional benefits through other state and community programs.

How to Complete the Education Benefits Form

Families may complete the form online through the Meal Magic Family Portal: Meal Magic Family Portal

If you prefer to complete a paper application, you may print the Education Benefits Form here:

Education Benefits Form

Paper copies are also available in the school office upon request.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete the Education Benefits Form. Your participation helps ensure our district receives the resources needed to provide the best possible educational opportunities for all students.

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 (see below the excerpt from 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 will need to pick up the phone in the office and additional disciplinary action may be taken.

According to the student handbook……

“Students are prohibited from using a wireless communications device ("WCD") on school grounds during instructional time. A WCD is an electronic device capable of, but not limited to, text messaging, voice communication, entertainment, navigation, accessing the internet, sending and receiving photos and videos, or producing email. A WCD does not include a basic telephone, which is a device primarily used for voice calling that 23 cannot support third-party applications, except those preinstalled, and does not support access to internet platforms via applications or web browsers. For purposes of this policy, school grounds means a building, classroom, playing field, or property used for school purposes to impart instruction to children or used for functions and events sponsored by a school. School grounds does not include a building used primarily for adult education or college extension courses.”

The prohibition on WCD use does not apply to the following:

A. Medically necessary devices, as outlined in a student's medical plan/504, and on file with the school.

B. District-owned devices including, but not limited to, school-issued tablets and laptops.

C. Devices designated by the District to be used for instructional purposes.

D. Devices used for special education programming or devices provided as an accommodation to students as required under Section 504 of Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794, or as part of an individualized education plan under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 12131 to 12165.

E. Lesson-specific academic assignments, at the limited and direct discretion of a classroom teacher. Building principal must be notified in advance.

F. Emergency situations. Use of a WCD under this exemption must not interfere with school emergency protocols or the actions of first responders, and must not endanger students or faculty. A protocol for when and how pupils are permitted to use wireless communications devices during an emergency is included in the District's Emergency Operations Plan (Policy 8402).

Students who violate this policy by using a WCD on school grounds during instructional time will be subject to the following progressive disciplinary measures:

Minimum penalty: Verbal warning and confiscation of the device with parent/guardian notification and required parent/guardian pickup.

Maximum penalty: Confiscation of the device with parent/guardian notification and required parent/guardian pickup, and additional disciplinary action as determined by school administration up to and including suspension.

All students must be signed in at the office whenever arriving late to school. Students are considered late if arriving after the bell rings at 8:19am. 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 a Volunteer Registration Form to have a background check done prior to you helping. Given the process takes a couple days, please plan ahead. 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.

The best way to avoid hiccups and issues is to complete the form now! Click here to access the form. Complete the form and return it to the main office.

District policy is to run the background checks each semester. If you plan to help anytime during second semester, you will have to complete another form and sign permission for us to re-run the check.

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.

The schedule for the 26/27 year will have classes broken into 3 sections for each grade.

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

Group A (Gase and Vanitvelt) Recess is from 11:05-11:30am & Lunch is from 11:30-12:00pm

Group B (Bowles and Duguid) Recess is from 11:10-11:35am & Lunch is from 11:35-12:05pm

Group C (Fitzgerald and Cooke) Recess is from 11:15-11:40am & Lunch is from 11:40-12:10pm

5th Grade

Group A (Crampton and Perkins) Recess from 11:45-12:10pm & Lunch from 12:10-12:40pm

Group B (Miller and Lindsay) Recess from 11:50-12:15pm & Lunch from 12:15-12:45pm

Group C (Elmer and Wolosiewicz) Recess from 11:55-12:20pm & Lunch from 12:20-12:50pm

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 taking place on the following dates at 9am right at Central. We hope that you can join us each month.

October 1

November 6

December 4

January 8

February 5

March 5

April 9

May 7

Questions contact our Central Elementary PALs via email at central.el.pals@gmail.com

October 30 - Halloween festivities from 1:30pm to end of day

November 3 - No School - Teacher PD Day

November 25-29 - Thanksgiving Holiday break

December 2 - Half Day for students - Teacher PD in afternoon

December 4 - NED Show Assembly

December 16 - 4th grade concert

December 17 - 5th grade concert

December 18 - Holiday parties from 1:30pm to end of day

December 19-January 3 - Christmas Holiday Break

January 13 - Half Day for students - Teacher PD in afternoon

January 15 - End of 2nd Marking Period/Semester

January 18 - No School - MLK Day

February 11 - Valentine's parties from 1:30pm to end of day

February 12 - No School - Teacher PD Day

February 15 - No School - President's Day

March 12 - No School - Teacher PD Day

March 12 - End of 3rd Marking Period

March 26-April 4 - No School - Spring Break

May 4 - Half Day for students - Teacher PD in afternoon

May 6 - District wide Art Show at MPB

May 21 - 4th Grade Field Trip to Mackinaw

May 24 - 4th Grade Concert

May 25 - 5th Grade Concert

May 26 - SOAR Day!

June 4 - Last Day of School (Half Day)