Dear families,

It is hard to believe we are already  in October! We have a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks!

School Safety

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for all students and staff, we are excited to inform you about our participation in the "I Love You Guys" Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). This program focuses on school safety and emergency preparedness, equipping students and staff with clear, actionable protocols during a crisis.

Students reviewed these safety protocols with their teachers earlier in the school year and will revisit them in the coming weeks. On Wednesday, October 16, students and staff will participate in our second Active Intruder Drill of the school year. We aim to continue practicing the Standard Response Protocol to promote quick, effective responses to various emergencies, including lockdowns, evacuations, and more.

We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of these drills and safety protocols. Open conversations can help ease any anxiety and reinforce the value of being prepared. For helpful tips on how to have these conversations, you can visit THIS LINK.

We believe it’s essential that families know the steps we’re taking to prioritize the well-being of their children. You can learn more about the "I Love You Guys" Foundation and its Standard Response Protocols by visiting their website at www.iloveuguys.org.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to make our school a safe place for learning and growth. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Trojan Trot

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the entire Central District 51 PTO, and especially to the Trojan Trot Committee, for organizing yet another incredibly successful PTO fundraiser. The dedication and hard work that this committee puts in over several months each year is truly remarkable. Their commitment to making the Trojan Trot such a success year after year is a testament to the strength of our community.

As a principal, it has been a joy to watch the Trojan Trot grow from an idea into a significant event that brings us together. This fundraiser not only supports our students and school programs but also fills me with hope for the future of Central. We couldn’t be more proud of the committee's efforts and the incredible impact they’ve had.

DESSA

As part of our ongoing commitment to understanding and supporting our student's academic and social-emotional development, Central District 51 administers the DESSA Mini for each student each year. The Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) Mini is a brief, eight-question, standardized tool teachers use to screen students for social and emotional competencies. This process helps us to identify children who may benefit from additional instructional or behavioral support and enables educators to design targeted interventions accordingly. Teachers completed DESSA Minis during the week of September 23.

DESSA assesses eight social-emotional competencies including: Self-Management, Relationship Skills, Self-Awareness, Optimistic Thinking, Personal Responsibility, Social Awareness, Decision Making, and Goal-Directed Behavior. 

The Central Intermediate School CENTRAL Code is aligned to these social-emotional competencies:

C - Capable (Self-Management)

• A student who controls their emotions and behaviors

• A student who completes tasks in new or challenging situations

E - Empathetic (Relationship Skills)

• A student who displays socially acceptable actions 

• A student who maintains positive connections with others

N - Noble (Self-Awareness)

• A student with a realistic understanding of their strengths and limitations.

• A student with a consistent desire for improvement.

T - Thoughtful (Optimistic Thinking)

• A student who is confident, hopeful, and positive regarding themself and their life situations in the past, present, and future.

R - Responsible (Personal Responsibility)

• A student who is careful and reliable in their actions.

• A student who contributes to group efforts.

A - Aware (Social Awareness & Decision Making)

• A student who recognizes her/his impact on self and others

• A student who uses cooperation and tolerance in social situations

• A student who problem-solves by learning from others and previous experiences.

• A student who uses their values to guide actions

• A student who accepts responsibility for his/her decisions

L - Lead (Goal Directed Behavior)

• A student who takes initiative of tasks of varying levels.

• A student who is persistent in completing tasks of varying levels.

If you have any questions about the DESSA Mini or social-emotional learning, please contact me! 

Semester 1 Term Dates

The end of Quarter 1 is approaching quickly! Please see the Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 dates below for your convenience:

• Friday, October 18: End of Quarter 1

• Friday, October 25: Reports Published @ 4:00 PM 

• Monday, October 21: Beginning of Term 2

• Friday, November 15: Term 2 Midterm

• Friday, December 20: End of Quarter 2

• Friday, January 10: Term 2 Reports Cards Published 

ROCK!

The first ROCK event of the 2024-2025 school year is happening on Friday, October 25, and we are excited to kick it off! Students with no detentions or suspensions will receive an invitation to ROCK via email.

If you are unsure whether your student has received a detention or suspension, please log in to Skyward Family Access and check the Discipline tab. For further questions, feel free to contact the CIS Office at (309) 444-3943.

Halloween

CIS will celebrate Halloween with the help of PTO on Thursday, October 31! All students will have the opportunity to visit Trojan Treats in the CIS Library. Be on the lookout for an email from PTO with more information! 

Communication

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns! 

Email: ebush@central51.net

Office Phone: (309)444-3943 ext. 2402