January Newsletter

Jan 18, 2023

A Message from...Mr. Gammons

Happy New Year Emma Donnan Families! 


I was excited to see scholars back in the building last week! They were energized and ready to dive into our second semester. We are looking forward to having a productive second semester!


Thank you to all of the 8th grade families who came out and registered their 8th graders for high school at our High School event! We have over 60% of our scholars registered! If you were unable to attend the event and need helping selecting the best fit high school for your scholar, we can help you! Mr. Rooney has provided some additional information in this newsletter for families.


As we head into the 2nd semester in the middle school, we are making some shifts that I want to ensure you are aware of. We know that it takes a strong school-to-home connection to help our scholars be successful.


  • Starting January 23rd, middle school scholars will be assigned homework Monday-Thursday that they will need to complete and turn in the following day.


If you have any questions for me about our programming in the middle school for second semester, please don't hesitate to reach out.


Mr. Gammons

Middle School Principal Fellow

Mark your Calendars!


  • January 20th -
  • SmileMobile at Emma Donnan
  • 100th Day of School!
  • January 23rd - Girls Basketball Game @ Global Prep 44 @ 7PM
  • January 25th - Girls Basketball Game @ Global Prep 44 @ 7PM
  • February  1st
  • Refer -a - Scholar Program Starts
  • Girls Basketball Game @ William Penn 49 @ 6PM
  • February 4th - Girls Basketball Game @ TC Howe @ 12PM and 2PM
  • February 6th - Girls Basketball Game @ HOME @ 6PM
  • February 8th -
  • Girls Basketball Game @ HOME @ 7PM
  • Quarter 3 Progress Reports Go Home 
  • February 12th - Girls Basketball Game @ Christel House Manual @ 10 AM and 12 PM
  • February 15th - Girls Basketball Game @ HOME @ 7PM
  • February 20th - No School - Presidents Day
  • February 22nd - Girls Basketball Game @ HOME @ 6PM
  • February 23rd - Muffins in the Morning : A Black History Month Art Showcase
School Calendar

Operation Onward - SAVE YOUR SCHOLAR'S SEAT FOR THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

Operation Onward is our re-enrollment campaign for the 2023-2024 school year. The campaign includes:


  1. Families must reserved their scholar's seat with us for the 23-24 school year. If a family does not reserve their scholar's seat, we cannot guarantee we will have a seat for them next school year.
  2. We are here to provide families with the best school and the best experience. Provide us with feedback from your experience this year to help us create the school experience you are looking for.


Complete this survey and your scholar will get a FREE t-shirt! All surveys are due by January 27, 2023.

Save Your Scholar's Spot!

Attention 8th Grade Families: High School Enrollment

Your scholar MUST be enrolled in high school on EnrollIndy.org by January 25th. If you do not enroll your scholar by this date, your child will miss the opportunity to go to the high school of their choice. Spots in quality high schools fill up quickly. Do not miss this deadline. Please reach out to Mr. Rooney at mrooney@adelanteschools.org if have any questions or need support.


Attention 7th and 8 Grade Families: 21st Century Scholarship

The deadline for you to apply your scholar for the 21st century scholarship is quickly approaching!!! This scholarship provides free tuition to any public 2-year or 4-year college or university in Indiana. You can register online at track.che.in.gov OR email Mr. Rooney at mrooney@adelanteschools.org for a paper application!

FAMILY & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Community Spotlight


Indy's Winter Farmer Market

Support our small businesses in Indy by visiting the farmers market! Open on Saturdays until April from 9AM to 12 PM. Located at The Amp Marketplace at 16 Tech (1220 Waterway Blvd). SNAP/EBT are accepted at the market. They even offer the Tripe-SNAP Match program!


Energy Assistance Programs

AES Indiana and Citizens Energy Group understand that utility bills during the winter months can be a financial challenge for customers. If you are concerned with paying your bills, there are federal and local assistance programs available to help. 


Check out the programs happening at Garfield Park Library!

  • FREE Spanish Conversation Circles for Kids (ages 8-12). Wednesdays at 4:05. Registration required.
  • Young Scientists Program. Learn about topics in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math through fun interactive activities. Ages 6-10. Thursdays at 4:30pm. Registration required.


University of Indianapolis  - FREE tickets

Our partners at UINDY are providing our families with complimentary tickets to their annual Pack-the House event for the women's and men's basketball game on January 21st at 1:00pm. If you are interest in attending, please complete the form below by January 18th at 4pm.


UINDY Basketball Game Tickets

Family Spotlight


Spread the word!

Emma Donnan wants to reward our families for promoting our school to their family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues.

Refer a new Scholar and be entered into a random drawing for Emma Donnan swag and more! Applicants should contact the front office with the name of the current ED family and their email after they complete their Enroll Indy and IPS applications. Drawings will happen monthly and a BIG win drawing will happen at the start of the new school year!


Muffins in the Morning: A Black History Month Art Showcase

Mark your calendars for an upcoming event! We are inviting all families to join us on February 23rd from 6:45AM to 7:15PM for muffins and art gallery from our scholars that honors Black History Month.


Spring After-School Clubs

Our new session of after-schools club will start on February 27th. Be on the lookout for sign-up information the week of January 23rd. Spots are limited! Club participation will be on a first come first serve basis. We are excited to bring on several new clubs and be able to offer some of our favorites from the fall session.


Love Your School? Share Your Experience!

Help us revamp our Google reviews for Emma Donnan! All of our current reviews are old and from when Adelante was not operating Emma Donnan. Complete a Google review to spread the word about what you love about your school.


Leave a Google Review

Our January Pictures

Stronger Together, Field Days, & Promotion are going to be here soon!

May Family Newsletter

By Leah Kuruzar • 01 May, 2024
A Message from Mr. Gammons...  Hello EDEMS families! As we enter the final month of the 2023-2024 school year, it's incredible to see how time has flown by. Despite being near the end of this academic year, our scholars continue to engage in the daily pursuit of learning. During the first week of May, scholars will complete their ILEARN testing. We extend our gratitude for their unwavering commitment and dedication to attendance and active participation throughout the testing period. Scholars were honored with special lunches and rewards for their dedication to excellence during the assessments. In this month, scholars will partake in extra celebrations linked to ILEARN. A select group of scholars will experience an in-house visit with Sub Zero Ice Cream and/or enjoy a movie screening at the nearby AMC theater. Permission slips will be sent home soon! Additionally, as part of the ILEARN testing process, preliminary results will be communicated to the school in May. There will be a designated period where families and schools can request a rescore for scholars who are on the verge of passing. Mr. Rooney will be making personal contact with families who fall under this category within the initial weeks of May. Families can anticipate receiving their scholars' final scores during the summer. This month's newsletter is packed with details about the numerous events happening in May. Please thoroughly peruse it to stay updated on all the upcoming activities. We look forward to having you join us at one of our events. Onward, Mr. Gammons

April Family Newsletter

By Leah Kuruzar • 03 Apr, 2024
Embrace the Spirit of Spring: A Season Blooming with Exciting Events

March Family Newsletter

By Leah Kuruzar • 05 Mar, 2024
Feedback from families put into action.
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