Dear CIS Families,

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful spring break, no matter how you are spending the week away from school!

We look forward to seeing all our students back on Tuesday, April 2 as we finish Term 4. The end of the year is an exciting and busy time, and we want to remind students to stay focused and engaged in these last months of school. As we approach the end of Term 4, it's important for students to remain committed to their academic goals and finish the school year strong. Many exciting events and activities are planned in the coming weeks, including field trips, assemblies, and end-of-year celebrations. Let's make the most of the time we have left together in the 2023-2024 school year!

Enjoy the remainder of your spring break, and we'll see you back at CIS on Tuesday, April 2nd!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ericka Bush, Principal

Central Intermediate School

ebush@central51.net

CIS News

5Essentials Survey

Please take a moment to complete the 5Essentials Survey. Responses from the survey help us identify areas for improvement, and the percentage of students, teachers, and families that take the survey impact the school's summative designation.

The 5Essentials survey closes Friday, March 29.

Click HERE to complete the survey for Central Intermediate School.

Link: https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/?target_name=parent

Class Requests

We are already busy planning for next school year, and one of our focus areas is scheduling for the following school year. Our staff considers several factors to provide a positive learning environment for all students. These factors include special education needs, classroom accommodations, reading and math needs, teacher instructional approaches, and student needs that contribute to learning.

While parents are welcome to provide information to help us plan for the next school year, we can not guarantee placement with any particular staff member for the upcoming school year. If you feel there is an extenuating circumstance that should be shared with us or have information you wish to share about your child that may assist with placement and schedules for the next school year, please submit that information via email to the building principal by Friday, April 19, 2024.

Hapara

Hapara, installed on all students’ school issued Chromebooks, allows school staff to monitor students’ online activity on their school issued Chromebooks and when students are logged into their school Google accounts on other devices.

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance communication and collaboration between home and school, we will be extending invitations for the Hapara Parent Portal to families of students in grades 3 through 8. Since these students have the privilege of taking their Chromebooks home, Hapara will serve as a valuable tool for you to stay connected and engaged in your child's online activities.

Currently, administrators and counselors are notified via email when online activities are of concern with wellness alerts. When parents/guardians opt in to the Hapara Parent Portal, families are also emailed with wellness alerts. Your active involvement in monitoring your student’s online activity plays a crucial role in promptly addressing any concerning behavior outside of school on your child’s device.

To ensure that you receive the Hapara Parent Portal invitation, we will utilize the student and family information listed in Skyward. Each family will receive an invitation from Hapara to sign up and subscribe. We hope that all families will take advantage of this opportunity to stay connected.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Your input is important to us as we strive to create the best possible experience for our students and families.

Solar Eclipse

We are excited to announce a special educational opportunity for our students: viewing the upcoming solar eclipse outside. On Monday, April 8, 2024, a rare celestial event will occur, providing a unique learning experience for our K-8 students.

To ensure the safety and well-being of students during this event, we will take necessary precautions and provide appropriate supervision. Prior to the event, staff will review the importance of the event and precautionary measures to ensure the safety of students during the event. The following information will be communicated with students:

Only the certified solar viewing glasses provided by the district are permitted.
Do not look at the sky without protective glasses. Doing so can cause temporary or permanent damage to eyes.
Stay with the classroom teacher and follow all directions given by staff.

Parent/guardian permission is required for participation in this event. Please return this permission slip to your child’s teacher by Wednesday, April 3, 2024. For those students unable to participate outside, we will do our best to have a live stream of the event inside for student viewing. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this event, please do not hesitate to contact us.

For more information on the glasses provided to your child, please visit the following links:

Solar Eclipse Permission Form

CIS Celebrates

eSports

Mr. Collins and three eSports players attended the Central District 51 Board of Education meeting on Thursday, March 14. Mr. Collins, the eSports sponsor, highlighted the program during the Board Spotlight portion, emphasizing its positive impact on CIS students in grades 5 to 8. Attendees learned about the benefits of eSports in our school community.

CIS Cheer Squad

Mrs. Demmel, Ms. Jaszarowski, and the CIS Cheer Team were recognized at the Central District 51 Board of Education meeting on Thursday, March 14. Their achievement of earning 2nd place in the IESA State Cheer Competition in February was acknowledged, highlighting their hard work and dedication.

Miss Illinois -Jessica Tilton

Miss Jessica Tilton, the 2023 Miss Illinois titleholder, paid a special visit to CIS on Friday, March 15. As a former Central student, she imparted valuable advice to students, encouraging them to stay true to themselves and pursue their aspirations. Miss Tilton also generously shared her journey through the Miss Illinois and Miss America pageants, as well as her experiences in medical school at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Villain School

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Villain School who performed Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16 on the Central Primary School stage. These talented actors and actresses, led by Mrs. Woolard and Mrs. Randolph put on a spectacular performance.

Student Council

Under the direction of Mrs. Houle and her student teacher, Miss Saienni, the Central Intermediate School band took the stage at the City Band Festival on Tuesday, March 19. The band was introduced by School Board President Mrs. Kim Blundy. The event showcased delightful performances not only by Central Intermediate School but also by St. Pat's, Washington Middle School, Beverly Manor, and WCHS, making it a memorable night filled with music.

Aware Assembly

CIS celebrated students recognized for the CENTRAL Code word, "Aware," on Thursday, March 21. Student Council planned fun Easter-themed games for students, and the assembly was a wonderful kick-off for spring break!

8th Grade Boys Volleyball

CIS hosted the annual 8th Grade Boys Volleyball game on Monday, March 18, at Central Gym. Teams from Washington Middle School and Beverly Manor joined us for an exciting tournament, where players, coaches, and fans enjoyed the spirited competition. Congratulations to Washington Middle School for securing trophy!

Special appreciation goes out to Mrs. Perko for her dedicated coaching efforts during the event, and to Mrs. Lowry for her organization of practices, ensuring the boys were well-prepared for the tournament.

Jennifer Nielsen Author Visit

Mrs. Sarah Heffta, CIS Librarian, arranged an author visit with Mrs. Jennifer Nielsen on Thursday, March 21. Students traveled to Five Points Washington to hear the author discuss her writing experiences. This event marked the end of CIS's One Book, One School program, where students enjoyed Jennifer Nielsen's book, Words on Fire.

Important Dates

Tuesday, April 2

Welcome Back!
National Assistant Principals
Spring Picture Day
4:00 pm Scholastic Bowl @ Beverly Manor

Wednesday, April 3

1:51 pm Early Dismissal
4:30pm Track & Field City Meet vs East Peoria & Germantown Hills @WCHS

Thursday, April 4

7:00 pm PTO Meeting @ CIS Library

Friday, April 5

4:30pm Track & Field City Meet @WCHS

Wednesday, April 10

1:51 pm Early Dismissal

Thursday, April 11

5:00 pm Washington Township Choir Festival @ Five Points
7:00 pm Board of Education Meeting @ CIS Library

Saturday, April 13

TBD Bowling IESA Sectionals

Monday, April 15

4:00pm Track & Field @ Dunlap Middle School

Wednesday, April 17

5:00pm 7th/8th Grade Band: Washington Township Band Festival @ Five Points

Friday, April 19

8:30-2:30pm 7th Grade Field Trip: CEFCU Arena & Eureka Lake Park
5:30 pm ROCK #2 - See more information coming soon.

Saturday, April 20

TBD Bowling IESA State Finals
9:00am Track & Field Tazwood Conference Meet @ Eureka High School

Sunday, April 21

TBD Bowling IESA State Finals

Monday, April 22

Spring Book Fair (4/22 to 4/26)

Tuesday, April 23

Spring Book Fair (4/22 to 4/26)
TBD Bradley University Bandoramapaloozafest

Wednesday, April 24

Administrative Professionals Day - Thank you, Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Bright, and Mrs. Schick!
1:51 pm Early Dismissal
TBD Scholastic Bowl Regional Tournament
Spring Book Fair (4/22 to 4/26)
4:30pm Track & Field Meet vs WMS @WCHS

Thursday, April 25

Spring Book Fair (4/22 to 4/26)

Friday, April 26

Spring Book Fair (4/22 to 4/26)
4:30pm Track & Field @WCHS

Saturday, April 27

9:00am 7th/8th Grade Band at ISU Festival
9:00am Track & Field: Hornet Invite @ Eureka High School

Monday, April 29

TBD Scholastic Bowl Sectional Tournament

Tuesday, April 30

7:00pm Spring Choir Concert & 5th Grade Art Show @ Holford Gym

Wednesday, May 1

Substitute Teacher Appreciation Day (Thanks to our amazing subs!)
1:51pm Early Dismissal
7:00pm Spring Band Concert @ Holford Gym

Thursday, May 2

7:00pm PTO Meeting @ CIS Library

Friday, May 3

School Lunch Hero Day (Thank you, Cafeteria Staff!)
TBD Scholastic Bowl State Tournament
2:00pm 4th Quarter Assembly

Monday, May 6:

Start of Teacher Appreciation Week (Thank you, Teachers and Staff!)
Spring STAR Benchmark Week

Tuesday, May 7

Teacher Appreciation Week (Thank you, Teachers and Staff!)
Spring STAR Benchmark Week

Wednesday, May 8

Teacher Appreciation Week (Thank you, Teachers and Staff!)
Spring STAR Benchmark Week
1:51 pm Early Dismissal

Thursday, May 9

Teacher Appreciation Week (Thank you, Teachers and Staff!)
Spring STAR Benchmark Week
8th Grade Township Picnic at Wenger Shelter: 11 - 12:30

Friday, May 10

Teacher Appreciation Week (Thank you, Teachers and Staff!)
Spring STAR Benchmark Week

Monday, May 13:

CIS Awards - More information coming soon!

Tuesday, May 14

5th & 8th Chief's Game

Wednesday, May 15

PTO Budget Meeting (7:00 p.m.)

Thursday, May 16

8th Grade Graduation @ WCHS at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 23

CIS Field Day

Friday, May 24

CIS Field Day Rain Date

Wednesday, May 29

Last Day of School - Half Day