Morford Monthly Memo

Central Elementary families,

I can't believe how time seems to be flying by! In just a couple days we will be headed into our holiday break. No matter the season, and what you may or may not celebrate, the staff at Central Elementary would like to wish you a peaceful and restful break with your Eagle!

We look forward to seeing our eagles back to learning on January 5, 2026. With that said, the end of the first semester, the halfway point of our school year, is Friday, January 16th. Now is a great time to have those conversations with your eagle about work completion and ensuring they end the semester strong.

Also, with the beginning of the second semester it is time to turn in a NEW i-Chat form in order to volunteer for activities and attend field trips. If you turned one in already, policy is that a new one will need to be run for the second semester. Beginning January 19th, you will need to have a new i-Chat on file to help out in the building for the rest of the school year. Access the I-Chat form here. Complete the form and return to the office.

In partnership with you,

Katie Morford

We are finding that more and more 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!

We love having visitors in the building! Of course we have special procedures that must be followed to ensure safety. Those include: a valid i-Chat on file and all visitors must sign into the office prior to moving throughout the building.

When we return from Holiday break we will be moving into and utilizing new space at Central. The library and STEM room will be available for learning and student exploration. We also will have 5 new offices and/or meeting spaces to provide locations for meetings, phone calls, etc. Thank you for the continued support as we continue to beautify and update our building. I am hopeful for many new learning experiences and stories to be shared from these spaces.

MI HEARTSafe Schools are Michigan schools that have implemented a comprehensive plan to prevent and respond to sudden cardiac arrest. To receive the designation, schools must have a cardiac emergency response plan, a response team, proper AEDs, and staff trained in CPR and AED use.

Central Elementary has met the criteria to become recognized as a MI HEARTSafe school! 1 of 399 schools, we have been recognized and awarded the certification by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Department of Education, American Heart Association, Michigan High School Athletic Association and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young.

Read the news release Health and Human Services from November 3, 2025 here.

Each month we like to a recognize a staff member at Central that goes above and beyond.

This month staff nominated Rebecca Lapham, head cook at Central. She has stepped into this role without hesitation, always having a smile for students coming in each day, making sure that they are fed and happy. A student that is fed is a student who is ready to learn. She greets students each day both at breakfast and lunch. We appreciate all that she is doing to be a team player to ensure our students are eating healthy. Congrats on this much deserved award!

The cold has officially arrived and we continue to be on the look out for the first SNOW! Please make sure your child is prepared for the elements. Hats, gloves, warm coats, snow pants, and boots are all essential regardless of the changing weather patterns. It's always easier to have clothing you don't need for recess then it is to go outside wishing you had another layer of protection from the elements. Students will be going out weather permitted. The office does not keep extra clothes for students to utilize for recess. If your family is in need of support of winter gear, please contact the office.

At what temperature do you keep the children inside for recess?

When the "feels like" temperature is below zero we will keep the children inside, yes, this includes the wind chill.

We are definitely in the cold and flu season; please remind your children the importance of washing their hands, trying to keep their hands off their faces, covering their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and not sharing their food with others. These are proven strategies to reducing the spread of illness. Remember, a child with a fever or who is physically ill must stay home for at least 24 hours and be symptom free without medication before returning to school.

Students who arrive after 8:19am are considered tardy. A parent or guardian will need to walk the student into the building to sign them in.

As we move into the new calendar year, we will welcome our students back to a fresh start and new beginning. We will spend time both in the classroom as well as throughout the building to revisit our SOAR expectations to ensure our students are ready to learn.

Our SOAR expectations:
S – Stay Safe
O – Offer Kindness
A – Act Responsibly
R – Remember Respect

Help reinforce the expectations at home by asking:

• “How did you show responsibility or respect today?”

• "What is a SOAR expectation when you are in the cafeteria? How are you helping others while in the cafeteria?"

• “What’s something kind someone did for you today?”

A great way to reinforce these values at home is by talking about what they look like in everyday

Access the school wide Behavior Expectations Matrix here.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

January 9

February 6

March 6

April 10

May 1

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

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 11 - Shamrock Shuffle

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 20 - SOAR day

May 25 - No School - Memorial Day

May 29 - 4th Grade field trip to Mackinaw

June 2 - 5th Grade field trip to Splash Village

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