December Family Newsletter

A Message From...Mrs. Kuruzar

Dear Emma Donnan Families,

We are nearing the midpoint of the 2024-2025 school year! We are proud of the achievements of our scholars and staff thus far in the school year.

• In the first quarter, we celebrated the achievement of 107 scholars who made the A/B honor roll, along with 12 exceptional scholars who earned a spot on the Principal's List by receiving straight A's.

• We have seen remarkable progress in our daily attendance! To date, our school-wide attendance rate stands at an impressive 94%! A special acknowledgment goes out to the following homerooms for their exceptional attendance rates: 

Florida - 3rd Grade - 97% 

Miami - Kindergarten - 96% 

Purdue - 5th Grade - 96% 

TSU - 4th Grade - 96% 

As temperatures drop and illnesses rise, please ensure that your scholar remains healthy and attends school every day.

• We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our Athletics Program! We recently hosted our inaugural K-3 basketball clinic, which welcomed 25 enthusiastic scholars. This achievement was made possible thanks to the invaluable support of our middle school scholars and dedicated parent volunteers. Additionally, we launched our first Lacrosse Club and Futsal team this school year! We eagerly anticipate further growth in our athletics program in the coming year and beyond!

A few updates/reminders for this month:

• The temperature is dropping! Please ensure that your scholars are dressed suitably for the weather. If you require hats, gloves, and/or winter coats, kindly fill out our assistance form, and we will do our best to support you.

• To ensure that dismissal procedures run smoothly and safely, it is essential for parents/guardians to inform the front office of any transportation changes by 1:30 PM. Making last-minute changes during our dismissal window from 2:20 to 2:30 PM can disrupt the process as scholars are moved to different locations. For added convenience, you can also update their dismissal through the School Pass app.

• Our art teacher, Mx. Denny, has been collaborating with our K-8 scholars to craft masterpieces for our Art to Remember Fundraiser! In February, you will have the opportunity to purchase keepsakes featuring your scholar's artwork. Stay tuned for more details on how to place your order!

• We are eager to partner with families on fostering Healthy Digital Habits related to student technology use. We invite families to share their needs and insights on how to promote healthy technology habits at home with their children. Kindly take a few moments to complete the survey below.



Onward,

Mrs. Kuruzar

Director of Engagement

K-5 Winter Concert and Celebration

December 12th, 5:30 - 7PM

We are filled with excitement as we look forward to our Winter Concert and Celebration! Our K-5 grade students will take the stage in the winter concert, showcasing their talents by singing and playing instruments to winter melodies. After our concert, we warmly invite families to join us for our winter social! Enjoy delicious cookies, warm hot chocolate, a delightful stroll through our enchanting Gingerbread house village, and take advantage of some fantastic Christmas and winter photo opportunities.

Doors will open at 5PM. All scholars must arrive by 5:15 PM. Please enter through Door 10.

Family Satisfaction Survey 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the families who participated in our Family Satisfaction Survey! Your experiences with our school are invaluable to us, and your feedback plays a vital role in ensuring we meet your needs effectively.

During December, our leadership team will thoroughly evaluate the data and map out the next steps to improve our services. In our January newsletter, we will provide you with the complete results. As a sneak peek, for the fifth consecutive year, we have surpassed our goal for overall family satisfaction with our school, achieving an impressive 94% satisfaction rate this year. Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education.

Onward to High School

We are dedicated to assisting our scholars in identifying local high schools that align with their interests for the 2025-2026 school year. Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in a Shadow Day at one of our local high schools on either December 13th or January 14th. During the Shadow Day, a group of Emma Donnan scholars will visit a designated high school and "shadow" a student with similar interests.

• Here is a list of schools that scholars can visit: 
• Herron High School 
• Providence Cristo Rey 
• Christel House 
• Victory College Prep 
• Purdue Polytechnic 
• Shortridge 
• BELIEVE 
• Matchbook Learning 

This is a reminder that it is essential for families to complete the Enroll Indy OneMatch application in the first round, by January 24th. Submitting the application during this initial phase increases the likelihood of your scholar securing a seat at their preferred school. If you require help with the application process, please don't hesitate to contact our front office.

Penguin Patch Holiday Shop

December 2nd - December 6th - During school hours

We are excited to introduce a NEW program this year: Jenny's Penguin Patch Holiday Shop! Scholars will have the chance to choose gifts for their loved ones, wrap them, and receive their selections just in time for the holidays. We will provide 100 different gifts starting at just 25 cents.

During the week of 12/2-12/6, scholar's that are able will be able to shop at the Penguin Shop. Items will come home wrapped and ready for the holiday.

Our objective is to keep you informed about the topics that teachers are focusing on in the classroom and how you can support their learning journey at home. Be sure to check our What's Happening section each month for the latest updates!

Visit our website for academic resources to support your scholar at home!