MacArthur Elementary School

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is coming up May 4–8, and we’re excited to celebrate the incredible team that makes MacArthur such a special place! This year, the MacArthur PTO is planning a fun, Star Wars–themed week to honor our teachers and staff for all they do for our students each day. To help make this celebration a success, the PTO is looking for donations from our school community. If you’re able to contribute, please consider signing up using the link below. Thank you for helping us show our appreciation in a galaxy-sized way!

4th-8th: Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week

4th: NWEA Testing for Kindergarten-Grade 2

9th: Best Buddies Friendship Walk

11th: 5th Grade DARE Graduation

15th: Kindy 500

18th: PTO Meeting @ 4:15pm

20th: Unified Game Day

21st: Miss Buchko's Retirement Open House

22nd: Field Day & Burger Bash

25th: Memorial Day-No School

29th: Last Day of School & 5th Grade Walk @ 2:45 pm

Please join us for a Retirement Open House honoring our principal, Marian Buchko, on the evening of Thursday, May 21st from 5:30-7 pm at MacArthur Elementary School. Stop by for light refreshments, laughter, and shared memories as we honor her 30 years as principal of MacArthur Elementary and 38 years in education.

This past week, our school and community came together for a very special celebration. We honored Octavia as she recently rang the bell, marking the end of her cancer treament. Since she has not been able to attend school in person during her treatment, this moment made the celebration even more meaningful.

Students and staff lined the halls, cheering and clapping as Octavia walked through the building. The parade ended with a celebration with all the first grade students as they got to decorate their own cupcakes in the cafeteria-something Octavia hoped for! It was a powerful reminder of the strength, resilience and support that make our school community so special. We are so proud of you, Octavia!

Special thanks to the following people and organizations for making this celebration possible.

• Mrs. Santaguida
• Mrs. Lapsley
• 1st Grade Teachers
• Mrs. Lang
• 1st Grade Parents
• Mrs. Harwood
• Cedar Lake Strack and Van Til
• Cedar Lake Police Department

Please check your student's PowerSchool account balance for any unpaid items. Fees are due and payable by the end of the school year. Please note that unpaid balances could be sent to collections and also incur additional charges.

Parents/Guardians of students in grades 3–5,

Thank you for partnering with us to support our students.

Between May 4 and 15, students in grades 3–5 will take a short 5-10 minute survey at school. This survey helps us understand how students feel about their confidence, how they handle challenges, how they connect with others, and the support they experience from the people around them.

The results help us make sure students have what they need to be successful learners. Similar surveys in past years have helped guide positive changes to school culture and support programs.

If you have questions or prefer that your child not participate, please contact your school’s main office by May 1. Students who opt out will still have access to any programs or supports that come from the survey results.

Sincerely,

CPCSC Office of Curriculum and Instruction

Indiana Employability Skills and Competencies

Student Employability & Competency Survey

Flower orders will be available for pick up on Friday, May 1st. Please park in the small parking lot on the corner of Fairbanks & 129th. PTO will post on their Facebook page when orders are available for pick up once they are unloaded and sorted.

Join Our Board! (We promise we’re fun!) 🍎

We are officially opening nominations for our 2026-2027 PTO Board! If you want to have a direct impact on school events, teacher appreciation, and student programs, we need you.

Available Positions:

• Leadership: President & VP

• Organizers: Secretary & Treasurer

• Outreach: Membership Chair & Communications Coordinator

• Community: Volunteer Coordinator & Kindergarten/New Student Liaison

How to Apply: To be eligible for a board position, simply join the PTO and attend our next meeting! You can sign up here: https://www.macpto.com/join

Elections Held: May 18th

No prior experience is necessary—just a passion for our school community and a collaborative spirit!

Circumstances can change for families at any point during the school year, and support is always available. If your household situation has shifted, you may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Our cafeterias serve lunch AND breakfast daily.

Applications can be completed at any time and are quick and easy to fill out online through MealTime. Please know that all information related to your student’s free or reduced meal status is kept completely confidential.

We encourage you to apply if this resource could help your family. Visit http://www.mymealtime.com/apps or call our Food Service team at 219-663-3371 for more information.

Breakfast: $1.60
Lunch: $2.55
Ice cream treats: $1.00 (available daily)

Visit our Food Services webpage for online My MealTime payments, nutritional information, free and reduced meal applications, birthday treat order forms, and allergy support (please call us to plan for dietary restrictions).

You may choose to purchase birthday ice cream treat tickets for your child’s class, which will allow your child’s classmates to select a special treat from our birthday choices at lunch!

$1.00 Birthday Tickets allow students to choose an ice cream treat for their class to be eaten in the cafeteria at lunchtime.

This form, ALONG WITH PAYMENT, must be completed ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE of your child's birthday.

Laura Florek, Assistant Principal ext. 16003

Carla Gard, Treasurer ext. 16000

Kim Wasserott, Secretary ext. 16002

Jodi Kvachkoff, Nurse ext. 16081

Email: mbuchko@cps.k12.in.us
Website: https://mac.cps.k12.in.us/
Location: 12900 Fairbanks Street, Cedar Lake, IN, USA
Phone: 219-662-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maccpcsc