Prairie Point Express
Family Newsletter
December 18, 2020
School Address: 8101 NW Belvidere Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64152
School Hours: 8:15 am - 3:05 pm
School Phone: 816-359-4380
Principal: Dr. Danny Todtfeld
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Sarah McQuinn
Counselor: Mrs. Ally Swisher
Upcoming Dates
Monday, December 21
- Ugly Sweater Spirit Day
Tuesday, December 22
- Winter Classroom Parties Sponsored and Planned by Prairie Point PTA
- PJ Spirit Day
Wednesday, December 23 - Sunday, January 3
- NO SCHOOL, Winter Vacation
Thursday, December 31
- Deadline to Order Yearbooks (information below)
Monday, January 4
- Back to School!
Monday, January 11
- Letters mailed to parents regarding 2nd-semester placements
Friday, January 15
- End of 2nd quarter (1st semester) celebrations
Monday, January 18
- No school
Tuesday, January 19
- Beginning of 3rd quarter (2nd semester) - new placements start
Second Semester Updates
At the Park Hill Board of Education meeting on December 10, there was an important presentation about 2nd semester, which starts on January 19. Families were invited to share feedback with Dr. Todtfeld regarding any thoughts/concerns regarding possible movement second semester. This feedback is being taken into consideration throughout this process. Families will be notified on January 11 if their child's teacher will change for second semester. If you did not get a chance to watch the board meeting, you can view the presentation below.
Also, below are highlights from Nicole Kirby's email to the community on 12-9-20.
Elementary:
We have students moving from in-person to online and vice-versa. To accommodate these requests, we must move staff around, so some students will get new teachers for second semester, even if they did not switch their learning mode. This is unusual for our elementary grades, so we will celebrate the end of the first semester just like we would at the end of a normal school year, and we will provide relationship-building and culture-building welcoming activities at the start of the second semester.
Park Hill Online for Elementary:
First semester, Park Hill Online was school-based, with most students connected with the school in whose attendance area they live. Second semester, Park Hill Online will be district-based, so more students might have a teacher from another building. The changes will allow us to balance and optimize class sizes, get rid of multi-grade classes and address our needs with our current staff.
Timeline:
Teachers will find out their placements no later than December 18, so they can prepare, and families will find out their children’s placements by January 11, after we finalize the schedules.
Prairie Point Star Awards
Prairie Point Spotlight - Watch our Video Below
Recess Reminders
The cold weather is upon us! Just a friendly reminder that students are expected to go out for recess each day. Appropriate clothing and shoes should be worn for outside activities. On days when the temperature and/or wind chill is above 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the playground is cleared of snow and ice, there will be outdoor recess.
Please put your child's name on their winter clothing (coats, gloves, hats, etc..). This will help us return your child's lost clothing to them quickly! Due to COVID-19, we will not let our Lost and Found closet fill up as much as we have in the past which means we will make more frequent donations to the Park Hill Clothing Center.
Specials Spotlight with Physical Education Teacher Mr. Downey
In December, our Kindergartners are working on their Physical Fitness Unit by working on Fitness stations.
They are working on improving their upper body strength and learning about the biceps, triceps, and pectoral muscles. The students are climbing the rock wall and learning all of the rules that apply to using the apparatus. We are learning all of the safety tips which include only climbing when an adult (Mr. Downey) is present, keeping feet below the safety line, keeping three points of contact with the wall at all times and avoiding swinging or hanging from the wall, removing all jewelry and lanyards, climbing (stepping) down off of the wall, and proper spacing. Mr. Downey has been impressed with how great the students are doing and how focused they are on following all the safety rules.
One station is racing other students during a shuttle run. At this station, we are learning about improving our agility and focusing on speed and quickness and changing directions. The students run down to pick up a bean bag and run it back to the starting line, then they repeat the process and when they are finished see what their fastest time was and try to improve it.
Another station deals with improving their cardiovascular endurance by working with step boxes. The students are learning about the muscles that make up our lower body strength, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
The final station is the pull-up bar station. The students try to improve their upper body strength by doing as many pull-ups as they can, or by timing how long they can do a flexed arm hang above the bar or both.
The Kindergarten students are working on the following learning goals:
1. Identify behaviors that keep a person healthy (e.g., physical activity, sleep, good nutrition, hygiene).
2. Identify major body parts (e.g., head, neck, arm, shoulders, elbow, legs, knee, hip, feet, back, fingers, toes).
3. Tell why people have muscles (e.g., biceps, triceps, pectoral, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves).
4. Tell about the health-related fitness components: aerobic capacity, cardiovascular endurance, body composition, muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility, upper body strength, lower body strength, core strength.
Great job Pioneers!
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits
Even though meals are free this year, this form also helps us get needed funding for district services for students. And if you are signed up this year, you won't have a gap in services at the beginning of the next school year.
If you qualify for free or reduced-price meals, you are eligible for additional discounts on things like health care, college application fees, athletics, AP class fees, and fees for the SAT and ACT tests. For more information, click here.
December Habit of the Month
December Curriculum Connections
The Arc of a Tantrum
Here are three great resources and a picture of some of her findings:
Notes from our PTA
Repeat: Do You Know A Park Hill Star?
The Park Hill Star recognition program was started in 2015 to celebrate support staff and teachers whose work is especially noteworthy.
The following is an overview of the Park Hill Star Program:
Our employees are the reason we are so successful here in the Park Hill School District, and we would like to recognize them for all they do for our students.
That is why we present the Park Hill Star award once a month to a pre-K or elementary teacher, a secondary teacher and a support employee.
REPEAT: Yearbook Orders
To Order Your Yearbook:
- Visit: ybpay.lifetouch.com
- Enter Yearbook ID Code: 1724721
- School Name: Prairie Point Elem School
REPEAT: E-Backpack (Electronic Fliers)
Currently in the E-Backpack:
- Fliers for Online Clubs hosted by Community Education
- Party Flier (Ordering Birthday Treats through Food Service)
- Yearbook Order Form
- Directory Invite to Families
Repeat: Technology Use at Home
Here are some general guidelines and best practices for laptop use at home.
Thank you for your support. If you have any technology issues or questions, please contact the Help Desk Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 816-359-5000.
Our 5 Pillars of Prevention
Please take some time to learn about Prairie Point's Health and Safety Precautions. Click here to access our matrix and other health information.
Prairie Point Mission
Our Vision
Prairie Point Elementary School provides all children with a safe, caring educational environment that focuses on high expectations and promotes lifelong learning.
Our Mission
To create a safe and caring student centered environment, to empower students to be independent learners, problem solver, and responsible citizens in the 21st Century.
At Prairie Point School, we value:
- Keeping the focus on the student
- Continuous learning and professional growth
- Warm, caring, open-minded environment
- High expectations for all students and adults
- Team work and collaboration
- Empathetic approach with our actions.