2013-2014 School Calendar Revised 06/17/2013| Welcome to South Central Elementary! |
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 WelcomeDear Parents and Students, The faculty and staff of South Central Elementary (SCE) join me in welcoming you to our school. We look forward to working closely with you as we provide a challenging educational program for our students. I encourage your active support and participation as we seek to provide a positive learning environment for all of our students. South Central Elementary is a Kindergarten through Sixth Grade facility located in LaPorte County, Indiana. Our rural school includes several communities: Union Mills, Hanna, and Clinton Township of Wanatah. LaPorte, Michigan City, and Valparaiso are larger cities within a twenty minute radius. Communication between home and school is very important to the success of the school. I encourage each of you to remain active in your child's education. Always keep the lines of communication open with the school and reinforce the skills and procedures introduced by the classroom teachers on a daily basis. I welcome your participation in the school improvement process through Principal's Coffees and our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). We will continue to send home newsletters and bulletins and encourage you to regularly check this website for our many school activities and events. Congratulations to all of our students, staff, and parents for the great work and determination put forth in order to achieve great scores on the state ISTEP+ exam! We are proud of this accomplishment, but will strive to even do better. To help meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind Act, SCE is taking steps to help reach each student and improve student achievement. "· Interventions- spending extra time working with the students on their level "· Core (Power) Standards - identification of what is important for life, school, state tests "· Common Assessments- created collaboratively by a team of teachers responsible for instruction at the same grade level "· Formative Assessments- assessments for learning that measure a few things frequently "· NWEA-assessing students frequently to adjust instruction to meet individual needs "· Using data to make instructional decisions With the assistance of the entire SCE educational community, we are certain that our school will continue to produce knowledgeable, well rounded, caring students for the future. Once again, welcome to South Central Elementary School. We are glad you are part of our team! Thank you for your support as we continue "Think Outside the Bowl" in the 2012-2013 school year!
Proud to be Your Principal, Allisa R. Schnick VisionWe at South Central Elementary envision all of our students performing at or above grade level. MissionSouth Central Elementary will provide a safe, caring, positive learning environment with a solid academic foundation focusing on reading and math. South Central, family, and community will collaborate to prepare students with the life skills needed to be successful lifelong learners in an ever-changing society. IREAD-3 Posted 11/22/11 The Indiana Reading Evaluation And Determination (IREAD-3) assessment will be administered to all third grade students between March 19 – 21, 2012. The purpose of the IREAD-3 is to measure foundational reading standards through grade three. Based on the Indiana Academic Standards, IREAD-3 is a summative assessment that was developed in accordance with Public Law 109 which "requires the evaluation of reading skills for students who are in grade three beginning in the Spring of 2012 to ensure that all students can read proficiently before moving on to grade four". For more information, click on one of the following links: Emergency PreparednessTips for Talking with Children about Violence Helping Children Cope with Tragedy National Association of Elementary School Principals Limit TV coverage. Because children can be overwhelmed with the tragedy, limit their TV exposure of the event. Instead, check in periodically with the news, and focus on finding ways to distract your children with other activities. Be extra comforting. Even if they don’t seem to be alarmed, children who are aware of disastrous events can absorb the trauma and be quietly disturbed. Make extra time for quiet activities with your children, such as reading or taking a walk; and give them plenty of hugs. Watch for behavior changes. Children often don’t talk about being afraid, but their behavior can be a clue that they’re scared. Young children might have a hard time sleeping or might wake up from a bad nightmare. Sometimes, they adopt behaviors, like thumb sucking, bedwetting, or baby talk. Others get irrationally angry or sad, and many withdraw and stop socializing. If you see any of these behaviors after a traumatic event, it means your child needs extra help and comfort. Make sure they know that there are people in charge who are helping. Children need to know that things will eventually be okay again and that there are adults in charge who are helping to make it right. Talk to your children about the people who are helping resolve the consequences of the disaster, and share your admiration with them about the great work these people are doing. Do something for others. One way to help children cope in the aftermath of a disaster is to find a way, through your community, to help those affected. Schools, churches, temples, synagogues, and organizations like the Red Cross are great places to go to find out how you and your children can help. Talking to Children About Violence National Association of School Psychologists High profile acts of violence, particularly in schools, can confuse and frighten children who may feel in danger or worry that their friends or loved-ones are at risk. They will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Parents and school personnel can help children feel safe by establishing a sense of normalcy and security and talking with them about their fears. Below are some tips from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). 1. Reassure children that they are safe. Emphasize that schools are very safe. Validate their feelings. Explain that all feelings are okay when a tragedy occurs. Let children talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.
2. Make time to talk. Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide. Be patient. Children and youth do not always talk about their feelings readily. Watch for clues that they may want to talk, such as hovering around while you do the dishes or yard work. Some children prefer writing, playing music, or doing an art project as an outlet. Young children may need concrete activities (such as drawing, looking at picture books, or imaginative play) to help them identify and express their feelings. 3. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate.
4. Review safety procedures. This should include procedures and safeguards at school and at home. Help children identify at least one adult at school and in the community to whom they go if they feel threatened or at risk.
5. Observe children’s emotional state. Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns can indicate a child’s level of anxiety or discomfort. In most children, these symptoms will ease with reassurance and time. However, some children may be at risk for more intense reactions. Children who have had a past traumatic experience or personal loss, suffer from depression or other mental illness, or with special needs may be at greater risk for severe reactions than others. Seek the help of mental health professional if you are at all concerned.
6. Limit television viewing of these events. Limit television viewing and be aware if the television is on in common areas. Developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children. Adults also need to be mindful of the content of conversations that they have with each other in front of children, even teenagers, and limit their exposure to vengeful, hateful, and angry comments that might be misunderstood. 7. Maintain a normal routine. Keeping to a regular schedule can be reassuring and promote physical health. Ensure that children get plenty of sleep, regular meals, and exercise. Encourage them to keep up with their schoolwork and extracurricular activities but don’t push them if they seem overwhelmed.
Suggested Points to Emphasize When Talking to Children
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