April was busy with state testing for 3rd-5th grade. Each student set goals for themselves and we are so proud of how hard they all worked to achieve those goals! We can't wait to see the results and share with them how they did! We know that their hard work (and that of all the staff) will pay off!
We also got to have our Kindergarten and 1st grade music program, which was adorable! The pet show theme was so cute and their dance moves were perfect! It has been so wonderful to see programs be able to return this year - they could NOT have happened without Mrs. Dunavan! Thank you everyone for packing the auditorium each time and supporting our Warriors!
We ended the month with our annual Warrior Run and Carnival, which was so much fun! Thank you to everyone who volunteered, donated items, and came out to support! We raised ____ that will be used to support students and staff next year and in years to come! It would not be what it is without you!
We have so many fun activities planned for May: 5th grade promotion, Pre-K promotion, our 4th Quarter Warrior Way party, school awards, talent show, field day, and so much more! Look out for one more newsletter this school year at the end of this month to share these last highlights and key information!
Kindergarten Orientation
We had 49 future Warriors come to Kindergarten Orientation with their families in April! They got to have so much fun learning about all things Whitson! They took pictures in a fun photo booth, got to play rhythm sticks, do some coloring and building, and show us what they already know academically! We hope they are as WILD about Whitson as we are!
Thank you to everyone who came and all the staff members who helped it run so smoothly! It was a great night!
3rd and 4th Grade Field Trips
3rd and 4th grade have had so much fun at the Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy earlier this week!
Junior Achievement
Each grade level has gotten to participate in Junior Achievement over the past month or so. A community member comes into the classroom for a week and teaches students lessons about money and the community. It is such a wonderful experience for our students and we are so grateful to all of the volunteers that help make it happen!
Thank you, Jefferson's!
WHITSON staff, would like to shout out Jefferson's Topeka, KS on Wanamaker! They dropped by some delicious wings and chips and salsa to celebrate our staff in thanks for all we do! How truly amazing and selfless
Thank you Ryan for reaching out!
Appreciation Week
Staff felt the love this week for Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you to everyone that participated and helped our teachers feel how valued they truly are by our community!
We also got to celebrate Mrs. Pierce for National Principal's Day and Mrs. Gleason for Instructional Coaches Day!
Topeka Public Schools Foundation Donation
Two of our very own were the recipients of a generous donation from the Topeka Public Schools Foundation in honor of their mother, Ms. Vicki Groves. They received money that they will use in their classrooms at Whitson! Thank you to the Alexander family for making this possible!
May 3
Band and Strings Concert, 6:00-7:00 PM
Come join us for the final Band and Strings Concert for our 5th graders this year! They've been working hard!
May 19
Preschool Promotion, 2:00 PM
Celebrate our littlest Warriors as they head on to Kindergarten next year!
All Upcoming Events
- May 1-5: Teacher Appreciation Week
- May 1: School Principal Day
- May 3: Band and Strings Concert, 6-7 PM
- May 4: Papa John's Night
- May 9: 5th Grade Middle School Visits
- May 10: 5th Grade Middle School Visits
- May 11: Field Day
- May 12: Talent Show, 1-3 PM
- May 15-19: Spirit Week
- May 18: School Awards
- May 19: Preschool Promotion, 2-2:30 PM
- May 23: 5th Grade Promotion, 2-2:30 PM
- May 24: Last Day of School, Dismissal at 11:30 AM
Want all of these dates easily accessible and to be able to check if anything changes? Access our school calendar on the Whitson website! There, you can add the calendar to your own or even sign up for email alerts if something changes using the menu with the < sign above Saturday!
FREE SCHOOL MEALS - STARTING NEXT YEAR!
Topeka Public Schools is excited to announce that through the Community Eligibility Program, we are the first district in the state of Kansas to provide free meals to all students!
The program will provide free meals beginning at the start of the 2023-2024 school year, and continue for the next four years, impacting the lives of countless Topeka Public Schools students and families.
We are so grateful to our food service staff for their hard work to secure this funding in support of TPS students and families. Learn more in this article from WIBW.
Enroll Now for the 2023-2024 School Year
Online registration for the 2023-2024 school year is now open for students in grades PreK-12!
Returning families have received an email to register their students from Synergy Student Information System. Please refer to the email to register.
Families NEW to Topeka Public Schools will create a new account and register online.
Families can view important dates, a school supply list, and more at topekapublicschools.net on the Online Registration page.
Academic/Enrichment Summer Camps
Enrollment is now open for 2023 Academic/Enrichment Summer Camps! Visit our homepage to enroll your child in some amazing courses offered this summer like coding/robotics or even cooking
https://tl.topekapublicschools.net/directory/summer_programs
Safe Routes to School Parent/Caregiver Elementary School Survey
To improve safety, health, transportation choices, and access to schools, the City of Topeka, the Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization (MTPO), and Topeka Public Schools are partnering on Safe Routes to School (SRTS) assessments at all 14 elementary schools in the district.
This will include a site visit by consultants between April 18-May 4 to observe school arrival and dismissal and assess existing walking and bicycling infrastructure within your elementary school’s walk zone. The team will make safety recommendations.
To help with this assessment, please complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey (http://bit.ly/3U5CfY1) about how your elementary school students get to school and why they choose the method they use. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete.
Please complete this survey by May 12. The survey may be completed in English or Spanish. For more information about the SRTS assessments, please contact topekasrts@tooledesign.com.
Synergy
Attention Parents! Beginning later this year, Topeka Public Schools is moving to a new, fully integrated Student Information System, Synergy by Edupoint.
This one system will replace the district's current student information system into one platform that will host and manage student data in an efficient and user-friendly manner.
Synergy will provide access to both parents and students, just like our current system. However, with Synergy, Parents/Guardians will use a single sign-on to access all of their children’s information regardless of school.
As part of the seamless Synergy Education Platform, Synergy SIS enables schools and districts to easily extend functionality to include online registration, CI3T, assessment, analytics, and special education management in a single platform.
Family Service and Guidance Center Services
KEEP Program - Qualifying Families Can Now Apply for $1000/Student for Learning Recovery
The Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) is open to applications from qualifying parents and guardians of Kansas students. KEEP provides a $1,000 award per student to pay for various educational goods and services that promote learning recovery and facilitate academic enrichment opportunities.
KEEP funds may be used on various enrichment and educational activities, including:
- Day and overnight camps with academic-related curriculum such as music, arts, science, technology, agriculture, mathematics, and engineering
- Curriculum and educational materials, including certain technological devices
- Language classes
- Musical instruments and lessons
- Tutoring
Eligibility for KEEP funds is determined by financial need, and funds will be distributed to actively enrolled K-12 Kansas students between the ages of 5-18. Students whose household income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible.
Families can learn if they qualify, apply for the program, read the full handbook of rules and instructions, and browse the marketplace of qualified service providers at www.keep.ks.gov. Program participants will have access to a web and mobile app for using their awarded funds.
For more information, please visit this news release.
Discovery Education Resources - Use at home!
Creatively Engage Students During Testing Review: SOS Instructional Strategies are the perfect way to keep students engaged while reviewing key content from the school year. With categories in summarizing, identifying key ideas and details, sequencing, and more, combining these strategies with DE resources adds some fun to learning and review. Educators can also find our recommended strategies for a variety of subjects and skills if they need help getting started.
Keep the Learning Momentum Going Over Spring Break and This Summer: Whether you're looking for curriculum support, at-home activities for students, or professional learning resources, we’ll help you make this summer one to remember! Check out our revamped Summer of Learning Channel and be sure to share the Learning at Home Channel with families.
Have you noticed the new yellow bin right by our parking lot?! VIDEO!!!
Planet Aid works with schools and community organizations to raise environmental awareness and inspire our youth to help make a difference in the world. Whitson now hosts a bright yellow Planet Aid recycling bin, which not only makes it easy to reduce waste but also serves as a humble reminder of the good that can be done in the world.
Drop off your gently used clothing, linens, and shoes to our Planet Aid bin to 1) help the environment and 2) get money back for our school!
Arrival and Dismissal 🚗
Thank you to everyone that has helped make pick-up and drop-off go more smoothly by staying in your cars and only parking along the curb next to the school. Please be reminded that if you park and get out of your car during arrival and dismissal, you are subject to a fine as it is a no parking zone. Additionally, the cones on Arnold at dismissal are to mark that the curb opposite the school is NO PARKING and that the street is a one-way at that time.
Rate and Review Whitson
To complete the review:
- Go to greatschools.org
- Locate the school through the search bar
- Click on the review icon.
Thank you for helping promote the many positives in our schools.
Whitson PTO
Dear Parents,
We would like to invite all of the parents of Whitson students to attend our PTO meetings. These meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the library. We believe that the partnership between school and home is critical to student success and truly believe that YOU can make a difference. Please consider joining us!
PTO helps raise funds for many school projects such as PE and recess equipment, classroom libraries, and field trips! Come to a meeting or contact us to see what options are available for extra help.
Please e-mail us with questions! ptowhitson@gmail.com
Thank you,
Whitson PTO
President: Julie Phillips
Vice President: Chelsea Douglas
Secretary: Jennifer Phelps-Roper
Treasurer: Helen Swan
Topeka Public Schools App
This dynamic resource will take advantage of leading technology resources to connect with parents, students, and other community members. Using existing tools, streamlining access to information, allowing parents and the community to customize the information they receive and engage users with timely and responsive news and conversation about our schools and students.
The TPS Mobile App is free and available for both Apple and Android devices. Just search for Topeka Public Schools in the App Store or Google Play, or click on the convenient links below to go directly to the app download.
Here Comes the Bus App
This App is free and available for both Apple and Android devices. Just search for Here Comes the Bus in the App Store or Google Play, or click on the convenient links below to access the app download site.
More information regarding this service will be mailed to you along with you bus route information the first full week of August.
How to get signed up:
1. Visit www.herecomesthebus.com or download the app to your smart phone or table from the Apple Store or Google Play.
2. Click the 'sign up' button.
3. Enter school code 29036 and click 'Next' followed by 'Confirm.'
4. Complete the 'User Profile' box.
5. Under 'My Students,' click 'Add.' Enter your child's last name and student ID number. If you do not know your student's ID number, please call Ms. Perkins in the office.
6. Once you confirm your information, you're ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus!
Email: kpierce@tps501.org
Website: https://whitson.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 1725 Southwest Arnold Avenue, Topeka, KS, USA
Phone: 785-438-4570
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitsontps