September 2023 Sunflower Patch
Headlines & Happenings at Sunflower Elementary
September Dates to Remember
September
1 - School Store (during lunch)*
1- PTO Tailgate in the Sunflower Parking Lot (5-7pm)-Click HERE to see the PTO Newsletter and find out more information on the events they have planned for this year.
4 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
11 - Girls on the Run - practices begin
15-Dot Day-Wear your polka dots in honor of Dot Day. Students will be doing a special project in art this week.
19 - 4th Grade Ag Day (Students need a sack lunch unless they signed up for a school sack lunch.)
22 - Homecoming Parade & Pep Rally**
*School Store is the first Friday of every month during lunch. We are looking for a parent or two to help run the store each month. If you are interested, please reach out to Staci Wokutch at staci_wokutch@usd368.org.
**Each year the elementary classes from CW and SES create little red wagon floats for the Paola Homecoming Parade. We would love to have parent volunteers help with making the floats. We could provide all of the materials, you would just need to help organize a group of students to create the float. Click HERE to volunteer.
Game On! Grab A Book!
Welcome to the Sunflower library. Students will check out books from the library on A, B and C days. They may check out three books for a two week period. During Library, students learned the importance of taking good care of the books and being responsible for returning them.
This year our reading incentive program is Game On! Grab a Book!
The goal is to encourage independent reading to practice the skills being taught in the classroom. Students can earn brag tags for reading books from eight different genres. The program was explained during library lessons this week. The program is optional.
Students will bring home permission slips on Friday, September 1. If your child would like to participate, please read and sign the permission slip and return it to Mrs. Armbruster in the library or Ms. Whitaker in the office. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email Mrs. Armbruster at cassandra_armbruster@usd368.org
Attendance
It’s been exciting to have kids back in school! With a couple of weeks of the new school year under our belts, we thought this would be a good time to remind parents of the importance of calling the school the morning your child is absent if your child will be not be in school that day. Here are some important tips and reminders:
- If your child is going to be absent from school, please notify the school before 8:30 am THAT SAME DAY. This will prevent the school from having to mark them as an unexcused absence.
- It is best practice to notify the school via email. Please email your child's teacher along with the attendance clerks in the front office ( sunflower-office-attendance@usd368.org ) to let them know your child will be gone and how the absence should be marked (ill, out of town, etc...) To avoid a call from the attendance-dialer, be sure to include the office-attendance in your correspondence. When you use the above email address for attendance, the office attendance clerk and Mrs. Kinaman, our school nurse receive the email. Please note the new email address for attendance.
- When you contact the school, if you anticipate an extended absence, please note length of the absence then be sure to send a doctor’s note upon your child returning.
- If you are not able to email, please call the school at 913-294-8040.
Your partnership in notifying the school the day your child is absent, will help the school prepare for your child’s absence in organizing their missed work. It will also help families avoid unnecessarily receiving an unexcused absence letter from the school outlining state truancy laws. (Although, state truancy laws are important for families to know: An unexcused absence in Kansas is when a parent does not notify the school of their child’s absence that same day. When a child has 3 consecutive unexcused absences, 5 total unexcused absences in a semester or 7 total unexcused absences in a school year, the child is considered truant by Kansas state law and the school is required to report them as such).
Thank you so much for your continued partnership in making this a great school year!
We still need a few SITE Team Members-Can you help?
The Sunflower Elementary SITE Council is seeking individuals interested in volunteering for this advisory group.
The goal is to work with administration and staff as a committee to provide input and insight from a parent perspective in regard to school improvement.
The Site Council will meet from 5:00-5:45 on the following dates:
October 9, December 11, February 12, April 8.
If interested, please submit your information. A Site Council member will contact you in regard to participating.
Birthdays!
- Please work with your child's classroom teacher on the best time to have treats in the classroom.
- Birthday party invitations should NOT be handed out at school. This includes the classroom, class mailboxes, or on the playground.
Mindsets Matter!
Mindsets Matter (At Home too!)
I am Ms. Finson, the school counselor! Each month we will focus on one of the 7 Mindsets! September's Mindset is We Are Connected! In class, your students are learning the four critical components of We Are Connected. Each week will focus on a different component. We are learning to embrace everyone, maximize positive relationships, build our dream teams, and lead with value!
My challenge for you is to help your student(s) build their Dream Team. Our Dream Teams are made up of the people that can help us live our dreams. This activity will allow each of us to recognize the important role others play in our lives and further develop those relationships we need to be successful!
Arrival & Dismissal!
Morning Drop Off
1-8 Drop Off Spots
School Breakfast
iDismiss Numbers
Dismissal Changes
Stay in Vehicle
Giving the Basics
NEEDING HELP? Giving the Basics (www.givingthebasics.org) is a free program available to USD #368 students that provides the necessities of life, not covered by government assistance programs, that most people take for granted such as laundry soap, shampoo, deodorant and other personal care hygiene products.
Giving the Basics distributes products to more than 140 organizations and 350 schools, including USD 368, making the basics accessible to 250,000 people monthly.
We also have resources available to help families with school supplies, school clothes or food items.
Giving the Basics/Harvesters Form
https://forms.gle/QtrwBr1nzaFxmb1x7
If you need assistance, please fill out this form and Ms. Finson, our Sunflower School Counselor, will reach out as soon as possible!
913-294-8040
WELCOME BACK TO SUNFLOWER ELEMENTARY – LET’S STAY CONNECTED
The faculty and staff look forward to a positive and productive year at SUNFLOWER ELEMENTARY!
There are many ways to stay connected at Sunflower Elementary. It is important that you connect in all three ways if possible.
· Infinite Campus (Web Browser & App)
· Panther Alerts
Information on each of these communication tools can be found below.
The success of any educational institution depends on the support and cooperation between parents, teachers, and students. All of us must work together as a team to provide the best education program for our students. We look forward to working with you and your child this year.
INFINITE CAMPUS (IC) App
There are 2 versions of the IC App available for download in the iTunes App Store and Google Play. They are Campus Parent and Campus Student. To use the Campus Student or Campus Parent apps, mobile devices must be on an Android version of 4.4 or later and iOS devices must be on a version of 9.0 or later.
Parents - Sign up for IC to receive emails & texts from your child’s teacher & school.
NEW account? Trouble logging in? Email josie_erives@usd368.org (put IC in the subject line). If you signed up at Cottonwood, you will use the same account for Sunflower.
Students & parents have different login pages.
1. Click the INFINITE CAMPUS box above.
2. Choose Campus Parent or Student.
3. Enter Username & Password provided by your school.
4. Click LOG IN
NEW account? Trouble logging in? Email josie_erives@usd368.org (put IC in subject line). If you signed up at CW, you will use the same account for Sunflower.
About Us
Email: staci_wokutch@usd368.org
Website: www.usd368.org
Location: 1401 East 303rd Street, Paola, KS, USA
Phone: 913-294-8040
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sunflower-Elementary-School-146247655404324/?ref=bookmarks