Dear Centerville ES Families,

Thank you to all the parents who came out to receive a produce box and a bag of household essentials! We appreciate your participation and support.

A special thanks goes to Gwinnett County's Department of Community Services for providing fresh produce and to Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity for the household essentials. Their partnership with Centerville Elementary School has made a significant impact, and we are truly grateful for their generosity.

We are thankful for our wonderful partners and our amazing parents who help make our community stronger.

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season!

Warm regards,
Mrs. Garner
Parent Instructional Coordinator

Dear Centerville ES Families and Staff,

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out and supported our International Night! Your participation made the evening a truly memorable celebration of our diverse community.

The delicious foods representing various cultures were a treat for everyone, and the engaging activities brought so much joy to the event. The beautiful garments worn by both children and parents added a vibrant touch of culture and pride that made the evening even more special.

The children's concert was absolutely amazing and showcased their incredible talents. We are so proud of our students and grateful for the support of our families in making this event a success.

Thank you again for your contributions and for celebrating the richness of our community with us.

CES Team

December 11- Play 2 Learn

December 12- 2nd Grade Field Trip To Shiloh High

December 12-Winter Concert

December 13-Student Principal Of The Day

December 13-Early Learning Field Trip

December 16-5 Days Of Winter fun For Students

December 18-Play 2 Learn Field Trip Centerville Library

December 19-Winter Class Parties

December 20-Cookie Decorating

December 23- Winter Break

December 25 thru 29-Thanksgiving Break

Ready By 5 (RB5) is a FREE 8-week program designed for families with children from birth to age 5. This program offers a unique chance for parents and children to learn together in a fun and engaging way, supporting families in being their child’s first and best teachers.

Welcome to the Front Lobby.....

Ms. Rainge welcomes you to our school!

She asks that you be patient and understanding as we continue to offer a safe environment for everyone.

We are using the Raptor technology system to check-in subs, contractors, visiting family members, and other visitors who enter the building beyond the front lobby. An official photo ID will be inserted and scanned, in order to receive a picture temporary pass.

In addition, those students who are tardy (after 8:15a.m.) or check out prior to dismissal (before 2:15), will do so electronically at the front desk. This will assist in a timely and accurate record of the student's time and attendance on any given day. To avoid this additional delay in the day, we encourage car riders to arrive before the tardy bell.

An official photo ID must be presented for student checkout. In addition, a student will not be released to anyone not authorized in the student's file. Please update your student's file accordingly BEFORE the need arises.

Please remember "Early Checkout" ends at 2:15pm. Your child is learning from the beginning of the school day until the close of the day. We encourage you to allow your child to complete the full school day, so no instruction time is missed. Picking up after 2:25pm in the bus lane also interferes with bus arrival and preparations for dismissal.

Changes in your student's transportation mode ( from bus to car or car to bus), will be REQUIRED IN WRITING AND SIGNED by parent/guardian of record. We cannot accept a change request by phone. This is for the safety of your child

School Hours 7:45am - 2:45pm

Car riders can arrive and enter the building at 7:45am

Car rider lane closes at 8:10

Parents must drop students off in front of school after this time.

***Please make sure your student comes to school with a book bag EVERY DAY. This guarantees a safe and secure travel home.***

It is very important that students are in school before 8:10 to begin their academic day.

PLEASE NOTE.... Breakfast ends at 8:10.

**Students arriving after 8:10 - parent MUST come into the building to check them in**

Make sure that individuals authorized to check your student out of school are listed on the student registration form and remind them to have their photo identification.

Students cannot be checked out after 2:15pm.

Dismissal begins at 2:45pm.

Car riders 2:45 - 3:10 after this time you must come inside to pick up your child.

Office Hours 7:45am - 3:30pm

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Gwinnett County Public Schools utilizes MyPaymentsPlus as a convenient, all-in-one platform for school payments and important documentation. Once registered, you can use the site to:

• Pay for school lunches and field trips
• Review and sign important documents related to your child’s school experience.

To streamline the payment process for field trips and school activities, we highly recommend that all payments be made through MyPaymentsPlus. This platform provides a secure, convenient way to manage school-related expenses, ensuring timely and accurate processing.

To help you get started, we have two helpful videos:

1. How to Register for MyPaymentsPlus: [https://vimeo.com/345028817]
2. How to Review and Sign Documents: [https://vimeo.com/345054468]

Please take a moment to create your account if you haven’t already done so. This will ensure you have a seamless experience with future school transactions.

Thank you for your cooperation in making school processes efficient and accessible.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Garner
Parent Instructional Coordinator

Dear Parents,

Happy new school year! We hope you and your children are as excited as we are for another fantastic year at Centerville Elementary.

To help us maintain a focused and inclusive environment in the cafeteria, please note that outside food from restaurants (such as Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Zaxby’s, etc.) is not permitted. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure a smooth and enjoyable transition back to school for everyone.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation as we begin this journey together. We look forward to a wonderful year filled with growth, learning, and success for our students!

Warm regards,
Centerville Elementary School

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Children need healthy meals to learn. Gwinnett County Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. The application for free or reduced-price meal benefits and a set of detailed instructions are included in the link below.

http://gwinnett.schoollunchapp.com/

WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS?

• All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP or TANF are eligible for free
• Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free
• Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free
  
• Children may receive free or reduced-price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility scale. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on household chart.

BREAKFAST - ALL students will receive breakfast at NO CHARGE.

LUNCH - ALL students will be charged for lunch based on their current eligibility status (Free, Reduced, Full Pay)

Meal prices for lunch are as follows:

REDUCED: $0.40 (will receive FREE lunch this school year)

FULL PRICE: $2.50

The online SY24 Free and Reduced application is available.

5 Reasons for Completing Free & Reduced Applications

One Meal Application Affects Many Areas

1. Free or reduced meal prices for healthy, nutritious student meals.

2. Additional funding for technology and internet access.

3. Discounts for fees associated with the college application process.

4. Discounted fees for SAT, ACT, and AP exams along with scholarship opportunities.

5. Increased funding to support student education.

If you have other questions or need this information in other languages, please call the School Nutrition Office at 678-301-6307 for assistance.

Smart Snacks Cart -- Ala Carte Pricing:

CES School cafeteria now offers snacks during lunch at an additional charge. These items can be purchased using CASH ONLY. Money cannot be taken from school meals account to purchase these items. Please do not send your child with bills larger than $5.00. Please direct any questions to our Cafeteria Manager, Mrs. Irene Adesina at 770-972-2220 or Irene.Adesina@gcpsk12.org

Drinks:

Dasani Water - $1.50

Envy Sparkling Juice - $1.50

Snacks:

Baked Chips - $1.00

Cookie - $0.50

Doritos - $1.00

Fruit Snacks - $1.00

Rice Krispie Treats - $1.00

MyPaymentsPlus.com

We are asking all families to make sure to register on MyPaymentsPlus. All fees associated with CES and your child will be paid via this portal. This includes: Lunch, field trips, lost textbooks or library books, extracurricular activities, etc. This is also the location for all school documents you need to read and sign off on.

https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/welcome

We are excited to announce that our school district has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools. The integrated translation feature enables automatic translations for multilingual families, helping you stay effortlessly connected with school, students and families.

ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:

• Weather-related closings & delays
• School and class information
• Share pictures and files
• See calendar items
• Upcoming class activities

Please make sure you have downloaded this app and created an account. This is our way of keeping you informed. Class Dojo will not be used for messages between teacher and parent.

ParentSquare Tips for Parents and Guardians

Option 1:

Parents with a Parent Portal account can activate via Parent Portal.

1. Once logged into the Parent Portal, open ParentVUE.

2. Once ParentVUE has opened, select the ParentSquare tab in the left-hand toolbar and select Open ParentSquare.

3. When you click on the Open ParentSquare link the first time, you will receive a message to confirm your account.

Option 2:

Parents with a Parent Portal account can activate via ParentSquare directly.

1. Parents can go directly to ParentSquare.com (or via the app) and enter a phone number or email address. If an email address is entered, the following message will appear.

An email has been sent with password reset instructions. Remember to check your spam folder too. If you don't receive the email, it is likely that your email is not in our system or not being sent to ParentSquare from your school . Please contact your school to add this email.

2. Within the email, you will be prompted to reset your password. Select the Reset Password button.

3. Enter your desired password and select Update Password.

Please note: Parents will not receive an email from ParentSquare if the email address they entered is not the same address they use for the Parent Portal at the time of Online Registration. You will need to contact your local school to update the email address they have on record. Any changes will appear in ParentSquare the next day.

Option 3:

Parents without a Parent Portal account can activate via ParentSquare directly.

1. Parents can go directly to ParentSquare.com (or via the app) and enter a phone number or email address. If an email address is entered, the following message will appear.

2. If the email address is a valid email address loaded into ParentSquare from our student information system, you will receive the following email.

An email has been sent with password reset instructions. Remember to check your spam folder too. If you don't receive the email, it is likely that your email is not in our system or not being sent to ParentSquare from your school . Please contact your school to add this email.

3. Within the email, select the Activate your account button. A new window will open for you to create a new account.

Please note: Parents will not receive an email from ParentSquare if the email address they entered is not the same address they use for the Parent Portal at the time of Online Registration. You will need to contact your local school to update the email address they have on record. Any changes will appear in ParentSquare the next day.

Download the GCPS Mobile App

Students, families, and staff can download the free GCPS Mobile app to stay on top of the latest news, calendar events, and emergency information. You can enable notifications and choose your preferred language.

Why download the app?

• Receive alerts for school closures or delays and important districtwide information.
• Check school and district events calendars.
• Access your school’s lunch menu and add money to your student's account..
• Access districtwide digital resources.
• Read the latest district news.

Search for Gwinnett County Public Schools in the App Store or Google Play to download our app for

Only 48% of children in our community start school prepared to learn. Early brain development is a key factor in making sure children in Gwinnett County are ready to thrive in kindergarten and beyond!

A parent is a child's first teacher. Gwinnett Building Babies’ Brains focuses on building awareness around early learning opportunities for families of children ages birth through five.

Children exposed to positive early learning experiences—like reading, singing, and talking with caregivers—are less likely to have academic and behavioral problems in school. They are more likely to be strong readers by 3rd grade and graduate from high school.

This early learning initiative is vital to our community's success, Building Babies' Brains Gwinnett offers a toolkit with resources and opportunities to help enhance brain development in children under the age of 5.

Gwinnett Building Babies’ Brains encourages parents to follow them on social media and check out their website using the information below.

Website: https://buildingbabiesbrains.com/

Facebook: Building Babies’ Brains Gwinnett

Instagram: buildingbabiesbrains.gwinnett

Twitter: @B3_Gwinnett

Play 2 Learn

REGISTERING STUDENTS NOW....

It is a FREE program offered at all Gwinnett elementary schools.

Looking for children ages birth to 5 years to be a part of our Play 2 Learn program. Class is comprised of 20 students enrolled. Please see Mrs. Garner (Family Engagement Center) to register your child.

Our main goal of this program:

• Build the capacity in parents to be their child's first teacher
• Expose children to a high quality school environment
• Provide social opportunities for children
• Increase access to books and resources for children and parents

We meet Wednesday mornings 9:30am - 11:00am

(an adult must stay with child during the class).

Must provide:

• copy of birth certificate
• must reside in Gwinnett County
• two proofs of residency
• identification of enrolling parent
• P2L enrollment form completed

These items must be submitted before your child can start the program.

Our Play 2 Learn@home website is filled with exciting read-alouds, easy ideas for activities at home, and important early learning resources.

Please complete the Georgia Parent Survey

The Georgia Parent Survey is designed to give parents an opportunity to share input about their child's school. The information parents provide by completing the survey will be used as part of the calculation of the school's School Climate Star Rating with the state. Individual data results from the Georgia Parent Survey will not be available to personnel of Gwinnett County Public Schools and will not be posted online.

Parents may complete the survey using a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet. Parents that do not have access to the Internet may contact Brookwood Elementary to arrange to complete the Georgia Parent Survey at the school.

Please click here to complete the survey. We appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey!

Parents, please see important information about the Think First and Stay Safe/ Child Lures lessons taught by our school counselors below:

What is Empathy?

Empathy is our character trait this month. Have you heard that word before? Do you know what it might mean?

Empathy is when we try to know what someone else is feeling and we might even feel it with them. Have you ever seen a friend who is sad, and you feel sad with them? That’s Empathy!

Gather students and play the Empathy music video https://youtu.be/KnKnSpusO94. Invite students to stand up and sing along. You might play it twice for students to learn it.

Empathy is when we try to know what someone else is feeling and we might even feel it with them. Have you ever seen a friend who is sad, and you feel sad with them? That’s Empathy!

Reflection

• What did you learn about Empathy from the song?
• What is 1 way we can practice Empathy?
• Can you think of a time you showed Empathy to someone?

Bio

I am thrilled to introduce myself as your Parent Instructional Coordinator here at Centerville Elementary School. My name is Emily Garner, and I am deeply committed to supporting you and your family in your educational journey. I currently live in the Snellville area. I received my BS degree in Community Health Education from Morris Brown College. I received my MA degree in Early Childhood Education from Central Michigan University. I have worked in Gwinnett County Schools for 16 years. I joined the Centerville family in 2017 as a Special Education Teacher.

As the Parent Instructional Coordinator, my primary goal is to serve as a bridge between our school and our wonderful parent community. I am here to facilitate communication, provide resources, and create opportunities for collaboration that will enhance your child's educational experience.

As your Parent Instructional Coordinator, my goal is to create a welcoming and supportive environment where parents and guardians are empowered to motivate their children in our ever-changing world of learning. I am here to support you; through the resources we have in the Family Engagement Center.

I bring with me a passion for family engagement and a strong belief in the power of partnership between parents, educators, and students. Together, we can create a nurturing and enriching environment where every child can thrive.

I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you, listening to your ideas and concerns, and working together to make our school community even stronger. Please feel free to reach out to me at 678.639.3721 with any questions, suggestions, or if you simply want to connect.

Let us embark on this exciting journey together, dedicated to the success and well-being of our children. I cannot wait to meet you all and build a supportive and collaborative relationship.

Emily Garner

Parent Instructional Coordinator