Prior to the meeting, the school board prepares a budget for the following year as well as a list of willing candidates to serve on the school board. During the association meeting, the budget is voted on as well as four new board members. Information from the school board and administrators that recaps the current year is shared with the association. New initiatives for the future school year are also presented.

5th through 8th graders participate in band/choir/orchestra.

Band, choir, or orchestra is required for all 5th grade students and is an option for 6th through 8th grade students.

Yes, participation in the band/choir concerts is mandatory for all band/choir students. This is part of the music curriculum.

Every spring, the school board accepts nominations from the association for new board members. An announcement will be made in News & Notes recruiting interested candidates. Parents can come forward themselves or nominate an association member that they recommend for board consideration.

Career Day is a day coordinated by Parents’ Club. On this day, students have an opportunity to learn about various careers by attending informative mini sessions conducted by professionals of various industries.

We are always looking for individuals to participate in Career Day. Therefore, any parent that would like to be a Career Day participant, please email Julie Hanks at purduegrad01@yahoo.com.

All-school chapel services include: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Patriotic Chapel (May).

Yes, parents and friends are welcome to attend all-school chapels. Announcements are made in the News & Notes (weekly newsletter email) with specific dates and times.

Participation includes 5th-8th grade students plus any orchestra students in lower grades.

Formal performance attire is required for all performance groups: black slacks/pants, white buttoned-down/collared/long-sleeved shirt, black socks, and black shoes. Bow ties and cummerbunds are provided by Music Boosters for all 6th -8th grade performance groups.

Donuts for Dudes is a chance for the dads of CPCS students to come to the school and spend time with their child(ren). Donuts are provided and served by Parents’ Club as a thank you to all the wonderful dads!

If a dad cannot attend Donuts for Dudes, any special friend (grandfather, uncle, neighbor, etc.) is more than welcome to accompany the student.

All students (Pre-K through 7th grade) participate in Field Day. 8th graders are usually away on a trip that day (i.e., Great America).

A water bottle, sunscreen, and a great attitude are good things to bring to field day! Students are also asked to wear their Winter Jubilee t-shirts or gym t-shirts on Field Day.

The Fine Arts Festival is the combined effort of the Music, Language Arts, and Visual Arts programs at CPCS. It is held in the spring each school year. In Visual Arts, our talented students in grades PreK-5th grade are each represented with one or more pieces of original artwork completed during the current year. Middle school participation is voluntary. Submissions by students in grades 6-8 may be from one or more categories comprising of the creative arts programs at CPCS. Each submission is judged and awards are given in each category, including “Best of Show.” On the evening of the event all the artwork is displayed in the gym for viewing. Students may register to present musical pieces, poetry, and prose during the evening. Refreshments are served.

All students in Pre-K through 5th grade are represented with at least one piece of original artwork. Middle school participation is voluntary.

The auction is CPCS’s largest fundraiser each year and is held in the spring (in the evening on a Saturday in March). CPCS receives large and small donations from individuals and businesses to auction off for the school’s profit. There are many ways to help out with the auction: auction committee member, volunteer coordinator, classroom project coordinator, IT, donation coordinator, auction prep (2-hour shifts the week of the auction; duties include: assembling large donations, staging donations, and general auction set-up), night of auction volunteer (2-hour shifts the night of the auction; duties include: cashiering, check-out room, food court, bid recorder, and clean up). More information can be accessed online at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/supportcpcs/auction-2/

For the 2019-2020 school year, the “Discount Cards” will be sold for $10 each. They will have discounts and coupons on the back, which can be used for an entire year.

The Fellowship Dinner is held every October at a banquet hall for adults only. This annual night out offers great food and an opportunity to grow community all while supporting the children of CPCS. More information can be accessed online at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/support-cpcs/fellowship-dinner/

Every June, CPCS hosts the much anticipated golf outing to benefit the school and the children whose lives are touched by Christian education. This is a day of great fellowship with supporters of CPCS. You can always expect an excellent day planned for all participants including breakfast, lunch, and prizes. More information can be accessed online at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/support-cpcs/golf-outing

Grandparents’ Day is typically held the first Friday in May each year. Check the school calendar and Gold Note for more information in the spring.

If a grandparent cannot attend Grandparent’s Day, a special friend is more than welcome to attend!

ILEARN tests are given to 3rd-8th graders. This test compares our students to other students in our school as well as to other students across the nation.

Parents can help prepare their children for ISTEP+ testing in the following ways: make sure your child gets an adequate amount of sleep each night; eats a healthy breakfast; and has a calm morning on the day of testing. In addition, encourage your child to do his/her best and offer ways to celebrate if test scores improve from the previous year.

Yes! Each class has library in conjunction with their computer time. Library time is once a week for approximately thirty minutes.

CPCS does not currently have a penalty for a late book. Students are able to keep the books they check out for two weeks; therefore, fines are generally not an issue. However, if at the end of the school year a book has not been returned, the family will be asked to pay for the cost of the book.

The CPCS library sponsors a “Birthday Book Program” which provides an opportunity for students, staff, parents and grandparents to make a birthday special by donating a book to the CPCS library. There is a $5.00 category and a $10.00 category. Books are chosen from a display in the library. A special commemorative label is printed and attached to the inside cover. Each year we add many high quality books to our library through this special opportunity. Please contact our librarian, Mrs. Craig, at vcraig@crownpointchristian.org if you are interested in purchasing a book.

If a parent has an issue with a book, please email or speak directly to our librarian, Mrs.Craig (see email address above). She will then be able to bring the book to the attention of the administration for further review.

The schedule for lunchtime will be communicated to you by the classroom teachers.

Twice a week, students in grades 3-8 eat lunch in the atrium with their friends from other classes in their grade levels. Students in grades 1-2 eat lunch in the atrium once a week.

Hot Lunch is offered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday when school is in session. Hot Lunch must be ordered in advance online in order to receive it at school. Emails are sent out by the CPCS office staff that alert families as to when each session for ordering Hot Lunch begins and ends.

Hot Lunch must be ordered and paid for online through RenWeb. Directions for how to order and pay for Hot Lunch can be accessed at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/community/hot-lunch-info/

• CPCS offers a 1-to-1 laptop program for its Middle School students. What this means is that each Middle School student is provided with a laptop to supplement his or her educational experience. The laptops are preloaded with all of the software and tools that the students need to complete their studies at their level. In addition, the laptops are configured to keep students safe while online both at school and at home using a system hosted at the school. All student web traffic is filtered through this device, even when they are away from the building.
• For many subject areas, students can access textbooks and other related curriculum online. Some classes even have their activities and deliverables integrated into the textbook publisher’s online portal making completion and submission of assignments seamless and effortless.
• The integration of technology into the curriculum at CPCS (Pre-K through 8th Grade) is designed to promote responsible, creative authorship amongst students while engaging them in their study of God’s creation. Utilization of technology in the classroom and at home must be second nature for our students as they gain the skills they need to be productive, qualified leaders for their generation; and so our goal is to seamlessly integrate technology education into their studies so as to make it a tool for creative expression and content production from the earliest of ages. The Middle School laptop program is simply an extension of that philosophy. By putting the technology resources into the hands of students and making it available to them 24/7, our students feel a greater sense of ownership and empowerment than at any other time.

• Prayer groups
• SALT team (Student Accountability Leadership Team)
• Student-led devotions
• Worship nights throughout the year
• 8th grade spiritual retreat
• Mentor opportunities

The News & Notes is CPCS’s weekly newsletter. It is emailed to all parents every Thursday afternoon. The News & Notes highlights important dates to remember, upcoming events, activities going on in various classrooms, prayer requests/praise reports, SCRIP information, Second Life Resale Shoppe information, announcements, etc. Please take the time to read this weekly newsletter, as it will answer many questions throughout the school year.

Parents’ Club was formed to help fund and manage many of the special needs within the school. We raise funds throughout the year by hosting three main fundraisers. This year we are doing a discount card fundraiser, a Fannie May Fundraiser, and a Spring Fundraiser. We are still deliberating on the product for the Spring Fundraiser. Parents’ Club uses the funds raised by these fundraisers to host Donuts for Dudes, Career Day, and Grandparents’ Day. We also purchase lunch/gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week, all staffs’ birthday and Christmas gifts, and anything else that may come along where we are needed throughout the year. We then take the remainder of our funds and make special purchases related to school needs. (I.e. playground equipment, tablets, cameras, piano, tables, smart boards, etc.)

To get involved in Parents’ Club, talk to a committee member towards the end of the school year as we are always looking for members for the following year. It is possible to earn up to 48 hours during the entire school year as a Parents’ Club member. You can contact the Parents’ Club president, Renee Rietveld, for more information at jrrietveld15@aol.com.

• Report Cards are issued electronically via email the Friday following the end of each quarter. CPCS staff members generate emails through RenWeb to the parents of CPCS students in grades 1 through 8. The email will contain a link to the Report Card, which is good for two weeks. Parents can retrieve the Report Card by clicking directly on the link; there is no need to sign in. Therefore, the email can be forwarded to others (grandparents, for example) who can also retrieve the Report Card until that link expires.
• RenWeb reports are best viewed from Internet Explorer with “Compatibility View” turned on. See the following article on Compatibility View for RenWeb: https://www.renweb.com/rwlogin/Internet-Explorer-11.aspx
• Pre-K and Kindergarten have handwritten Report Cards that are sent home at the end of each quarter via backpack.

Report cards are available online for two weeks after receiving the email.

Any parent or legal guardian who is interested in assisting a teacher with classroom projects, organizing the classroom parties and the teacher’s birthday party, purchasing teacher gifts, and setting up a room supervision schedule for teacher luncheon dates can sign up at the CPCS Open House each fall (at the Parent’s Club table). The earlier you Page10 get there, the more likely you will get to be a room parent! (Please note, you are only allowed to be a room parent for one classroom per school year.)

Yes. Sign in at the office each time you volunteer.

Information regarding the Service Credits Program is available online at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/support-cpcs/volunteering

Each family is required to earn 36 credits from May 1 – April 30. In regard to new parents of CPCS, the service credit requirement will be pro-rated to the month that the enrollment application was accepted by the school board. Information regarding the Service Credits Program is available online at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/supportcpcs/volunteering/

Any incomplete service credits as of May 1st will incur a service fee assessment of $15 per incomplete credit. This assessment will be added to the final tuition statement for the school year. Information regarding the Service Credits Program is available online at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/support-cpcs/volunteering/

• Fall Sports: co-ed soccer; co-ed cross country; 7th & 8th grade girls volleyball
• Winter Sports: cheerleading; 6th, 7th, & 8th grade boys and girls basketball
• Spring Sports: 7th & 8th grade boys volleyball; track and field
• Sports open to all middle school grade levels: soccer; cross country; track and field

• 6th: basketball
• 7th & 8th: volleyball; basketball; cheerleading
• All middle school grades: soccer; cross country; track and field

Athletes are always encouraged by coaches to do their best and develop their God-given abilities.

We try to stress involvement over competition at the appropriate ages (for example: “B” soccer team is developmental and learning in nature whereas “A” soccer stresses excellence in soccer while competing for a league championship). 6th and 7th boys and girls basketball are very developmental in nature, competing to the best of our ability but stressing play for all and teamwork. 8th Boys and Girls Basketball are intended to prepare kids for high school competitive basketball and develop an excellent team competing for a league championship.

Coaches are always strongly encouraged to incorporate Christ into all of our team practices and games. Devotions and prayer are always a part of our team time and the way we play and the spirit through which we teach about winning and losing helps our kids see Christ in us. Our program will never be about winning over developing kids spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and socially.

Teacher Appreciation Week is a week long celebration in the United States observed the first full week in May.

Parents’ Club does a luncheon/special gifts for the teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. The money raised from fundraisers pays for everything during the week. Any extra note that the parents wants to give the teacher that week is more than welcomed.

• There are currently two ways families can save on tuition: 1) Scrip and 2) the Indiana Choice voucher program. See below for more details.
• Scrip: Scrip is a tuition reduction program at Crown Point Christian School. Scrip gift cards or certificates are ordered online or from the order sheet (provided from the Finance Manager, Mrs. Schaap) at face value. The school purchases these gift cards at a discount (amount of discount for each retailer is noted online or on the order form). The difference between what you pay and what the school pays is the profit. We split the profit: ¾ of it is credited to your tuition account and the remaining ¼ goes to the school to pay the expenses of running this program, along with a small amount of profit. Tuition accounts are credited 3 times per year, at which time it will show on your tuition statement as a credit. More information can be accessed online at https://www.crownpointchristian.org/community/scrip/
• Indiana Choice Voucher Program: Crown Point Christian School is a registered participant in the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program. Indiana is committed to providing all children access to quality educational opportunities. Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program, commonly referred to as the voucher program, provides scholarships to eligible Indiana students to offset tuition costs at participating schools. Students must satisfy both household income requirements and student eligibility criteria to qualify. Participating schools and interested parents work together to enroll students and to submit Choice Scholarship applications to the Indiana Department of Education.

• Winter Jubilee is an annual school performance (Pre-K through 4 th grade). The dress code is as follows: Colored t-shirts (provided by CPCS) are to be worn by all Pre-K through 4th grade students for both Winter Jubilee performances (as well as other school events in the spring).
• The date and time of the Winter Jubilee for the 2019-2020 school year is: Friday, January 31st (1:30 PM and 7:00 PM). All students PreK – Fourth grade must participate in all performances; attendance is mandatory.

The 8th grade banquet is a formal dinner for graduates and their parents.

Only parents are welcome to accompany their 8th grade children to the banquet.

The 8th grade banquet is usually held in the middle of May.

The suggested attire is casual dressy – girls’ dresses must have straps of some type; boys wear shirts and ties.

The 8th grade graduation ceremony typically takes place on the evening before the last day of school. A local pastor gives the address; the Valedictorian and Salutatorian are announced; and citizenship awards/academic honors are announced. Graduates receive a Bible from the school as well as a diploma.

All families purchase robes for their children to be worn over clothing. Girls wear a nice dress and boys wear dress pants and a tie. Dressy shoes for both boys and girls are required.

Everyone is welcome at the graduation ceremony.