Subject: Reading at home, conferences, and fall break
Families,
Recently I spent some time in the library with our first graders and the joy in that room was hard to miss. One of them let me read a book with them and it was the highlight of my day.
That is the kind of moment we want happening at home too. Here are a few free websites our teachers are looking at this year. None of them cost anything and none require you to create an account.
For third graders, PassIREAD (https://passiread.lovable.app) has short stories with questions in the same style as IREAD-3, the reading test Indiana third graders take in the spring. Ten or fifteen minutes reading a passage together and talking through the answers goes a long way. When the site asks for a name please have your child type only their first name.
For younger readers, Upshift Learning’s Basic Reading page (https://hub.upshiftlearning.com/reading) has printable practice pages for each phonics skill from first letter sounds up through longer words. Your child’s teacher can tell you which skill they are working on right now so you can print the matching page.
For 4th and 5th graders, the same Upshift page has a Word Roots section with pages on Latin roots like port, meaning to carry, and struct, meaning to build. Once a child knows a handful of roots, words like transport and construction stop being scary. Syllable Practice (https://spackman-chris.neocities.org/basic-reading/syllable-practice) is also a good fit at this age. It breaks long words into chunks so your child can read each part and put it back together.
Parent teacher conferences are next Wednesday, October 14, from noon to 6:00 p.m. To set up a time please contact your child’s teacher or the office. Fall Break is the week of October 19, which makes it a good week to try one of these or just curl up with a book together.
Aaron Meyer
Acting Principal, Winslow Elementary
Families,
Recently I spent some time in the library with our first graders and the joy in that room was hard to miss. One of them let me read a book with them and it was the highlight of my day.
That is the kind of moment we want happening at home too. Here are a few free websites our teachers are looking at this year. None of them cost anything and none require you to create an account.
For third graders, PassIREAD (https://passiread.lovable.app) has short stories with questions in the same style as IREAD-3, the reading test Indiana third graders take in the spring. Ten or fifteen minutes reading a passage together and talking through the answers goes a long way. When the site asks for a name please have your child type only their first name.
For younger readers, Upshift Learning’s Basic Reading page (https://hub.upshiftlearning.com/reading) has printable practice pages for each phonics skill from first letter sounds up through longer words. Your child’s teacher can tell you which skill they are working on right now so you can print the matching page.
For 4th and 5th graders, the same Upshift page has a Word Roots section with pages on Latin roots like port, meaning to carry, and struct, meaning to build. Once a child knows a handful of roots, words like transport and construction stop being scary. Syllable Practice (https://spackman-chris.neocities.org/basic-reading/syllable-practice) is also a good fit at this age. It breaks long words into chunks so your child can read each part and put it back together.
Parent teacher conferences are next Wednesday, October 14, from noon to 6:00 p.m. To set up a time please contact your child’s teacher or the office. Fall Break is the week of October 19, which makes it a good week to try one of these or just curl up with a book together.
Aaron Meyer
Acting Principal, Winslow Elementary
Open Gym for boys basketball is coming!
Below is a link to the released recommendations from Indiana Department of Health, Immunization Division for the 25/26 school year. The immunizations will affect the incoming Kindergarten, 6th, and 12th grade students. Vaccination appointments can be made with the Pike County Health Department or with your healthcare provider. If you would like to schedule with Pike County Health Department, you may call (812)354-8797 to make an appointment. Medical exemptions can be completed by your healthcare provider, and religious exemption paperwork will be available at each school. Thank you and have a GREAT and SAFE summer!
ISDH 2025/2026 Required and Recommended School Immunizations
https://www.in.gov/health/files/2025-26-School-Immunization-Requirements.pdf
WES students have been busy helping to design end of the year awards for students throughout the corporation!
PSA to everyone. There are phishing emails coming from government agencies. Many of these are about unpaid tolls and they warn that failure to pay may result in penalties or licenses suspended. We initially received them from the Indiana Department of Education(or so they say), but I have heard reports of others throughout the State receiving them from other state agencies. The email says it comes from one of the agencies, but the email address is not legit. If you receive any emails that seem suspicious, call the person(or department) directly. DO NOT click on the link or reply to the email. This has nothing to do with Pike County School Corporation, but we just want everyone to be safe. Please share with others so they do not get phished. Below is a screenshot of one of these emails.
Our Mobile Dentist day has been rescheduled!
IMPORTANT UPDATE! (Spring Music Program)
Due to the potential for severe weather and in the interest of safety, tonight's Spring Music Program will not be taking place. We understand that it is not an ideal situation but the well-being of our students and their families is of the utmost importance and must take priority.
Welcome Back! Inside the Igloo Parent Newsletter
https://youtu.be/tEgSJ60KNpA?feature=shared
Below is a link to the released recommendations for the State Board of Indiana Department of Health, Immunization Division for the 24/25 school year. The immunizations will affect the incoming Kindergarten, sixth, and twelfth grade students. Vaccination appointments can be made with the Pike County Health Department or with your healthcare provider. Call (812)354-8797 to make an appointment. Medical exemptions can be completed by your healthcare provider, and religious exemption paperwork will be available at each school. Please contact the Pike County Health Department or a school nurse with any questions. Thank you and we can’t wait to see our students next week!
https://www.in.gov/health/files/2024-25-School-Immunization-Requirements.pdf
Below is a link to the released recommendations for the State Board of Indiana Department of Health, Immunization Division for the 24/25 school year. The immunizations will affect the incoming Kindergarten, sixth, and twelfth grade students. Vaccination appointments can be made with the Pike County Health Department or with your healthcare provider. Call (812)354-8797 to make an appointment. Medical exemptions can be completed by your healthcare provider, and religious exemption paperwork will be available at each school. Thank you and have a GREAT and SAFE summer!
https://www.in.gov/health/files/2024-25-School-Immunization-Requirements.pdf
Let's all EMPOWER our youth to protect themselves from tobacco! Here are a few facts about the dangers of tobacco products.
We are giving a shout-out to our amazing custodial staff this week, for Custodian Appreciation Day. While there is only one national day to honor them, their hard work is appreciated every single day! THANK YOU to the Eskimos pictured here: Dixie, Bud, and Jackie, who are standing in front of posters made by our students for our custodians; Missy, with her WES grandchildren; and Jim, who recently retired but deserves recognition for his years of hard work and dedication to WES!
LINQ (TITAN) Family Portal--Online Payment Instructions.
There was a recent update to our online payment program. To pay textbook rental/summer school fees/fees for damaged or lost textbooks please follow the steps below:
Register for a LINQ Connect account or Login if you have already registered. Once you login, add your child/children by clicking on the + in the top right hand corner. Our district is "Pike County School Corporation (IN)". After you've added your child/children you will then click on the 3 horizontal lines in the top left hand corner. Choose "Store" and then "Pike County School Corporation (IN)". Then choose your child's school. On the school page, you will be able to choose your child's name and enter the amount to be paid. In the "Notes" box, please type TBR. If the "Notes" box is left blank, you will be unable to add the amount to be paid to the cart. The "Add To Cart" button will turn blue. Once you add to cart, you can choose another school/another child, if paying for more than one. When you are finished adding everything to the cart, you will click on the cart in the top right hand corner. Choose "Go To Checkout". On the checkout page you will enter your billing address and payment method. Finally, you will click on "Confirm & Pay".
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Jenn Deffendoll. jdeffendoll@pcsc.k12.in.us
812-354-8478 Ext. 309.
Below is a link to the recently released recommendations for the State of Indiana Department of Health, Immunization Division for the 23-24 school year.
https://5il.co/1ts3n
Did you know that our very own Mr. Aaron Meyer, principal at Winslow, is the co-host of the 19Nine podcast? This is a popular podcast that focuses on colloge basketball. Check it out sometime at shorturl.at/rAFKT. Let him know what you think.
Did you know that our very own Mr. Aaron Meyer, principal at Winslow, is the co-host of the 19Nine podcast? This is a popular podcast that focuses on colloge basketball. Check it out sometime at shorturl.at/rAFKT. Let him know what you think.
The Pike Central Student Government will be hosting a Trunk or Treat and haunted hallways on October 3oth. The trunk or treat will be in front of the cafeteria doors from 5-6 pm. The haunted hallway will be held from 6-8 pm. There will be a small charge for the haunted hallway and all proceeds will be going to Riley's Hospital for Children.
Check out what is going on at the Pike County Public Library!
Effective Monday, Aug 30, masks will be required at all schools in the Pike County School Corporation for the next two weeks. This applies to all staff, students, and visitors regardless of vaccination or immunity status. Face shields, gators or masks are acceptable as they were last year. Masks will not be worn when students are physically active, such as during recess, PE or athletic practices or events.
By issuing the mask requirement, this will also allow us to conduct contact tracing at 3 ft during times that masks are worn. When masks are not worn, contact tracing will remain at a distance of 6 ft. This adjustment should reduce the number of individuals that will be quarantined and increase the number of students able to remain in the classroom.
PCHS and PCMS will resume a regular schedule on Monday, Aug 30th.
We will continue to monitor our data and review options that will best serve our students and staff during the coming weeks.
Effective Monday, Aug 30, masks will be required at all schools in the Pike County School Corporation for the next two weeks. This applies to all staff, students, and visitors regardless of vaccination or immunity status. Face shields, gators or masks are acceptable as they were last year. Masks will not be worn when students are physically active, such as during recess, PE or athletic practices or events.
By issuing the mask requirement, this will also allow us to conduct contact tracing at 3 ft during times that masks are worn. When masks are not worn, contact tracing will remain at a distance of 6 ft. This adjustment should reduce the number of individuals that will be quarantined and increase the number of students able to remain in the classroom.
We will continue to monitor our data and review options that will best serve our students and staff during the coming weeks.