Wednesday Word
August 21, 2019
From the Principal
Hello Sunflower Families,
We had a successful first few days of school and scholars are already successfully jumping into routines and content! We have really been working hard on our school wide expectations and procedures in order to provide a safe and orderly environment so scholars can learn at high levels!
As part of our Ci3T plan (Comprehensive, Integrated ,Three-tiered Model of Prevention) all staff work to teach, monitor and reinforce our school wide expectations. Scholars are pre-corrected for expected behaviors throughout the building but especially when they transition to a new space. You may hear some common language, such as HALL (Hands at side, All eyes forward, Lips are zipped, Low speed), MEAL (Must remain seated, Eat quietly, Always use your manners and Listen for directions), Give me Five, etc. This common language insures all scholars are clear on what to do and how to do it. When they meet and exceed these expectations we reinforce with behavior specific praise and a BEST buck, which they can turn in for reinforcers such as the Sunflower 500 ( a run around the school held on Fridays at 9am). Below you will find an example of our school wide matrix of expected behaviors in all locations.
Our Boys and Girls Club program has the same expectations and we are working closely with them to insure that the excellent behavior we see all day in school continues after school.
I hope to see you all at Parent Information Night next Tuesday, August 27th!
As always, It is honor to serve as the principal of Sunflower Elementary.
Melissa Blevins
Lunchroom Monitor
Officer Frazier
From The Office
School Board Policy discourages bringing food from outside vendors into the cafeteria. If you choose to do so, make sure it is not in the original packaging. Please remember that students are not to bring soda pop with their lunch.
- Children are not able to share uneaten food, i.e. milk or sandwiches etc., in the cafeteria. They will only be allowed to eat the food on their tray or food they have brought from home. Thank you for helping us meet federal guidelines. The school will provide any food should a child present a need in order to manage food allergies and preferences.
- Marathon Club will begin soon, more information will follow.
Welcome New Staff
We have several new staff for the 2019-20 school year and hope you will join us in welcoming them into our Sunflower community.
1st Grade
Lensi Heller
Kendall Patterson
4th Grade
Cindy Riscoe
5th Grade
Kori Alvarado
Library Media Specialist
Amy Bones
Psychologist
Davison Symmonds
Gifted
Michelle King
Secretary
Zellesha Whitley
Lunch Supervision
Shannon Robbins
Resource ED
Crystal Fowler
Resource
Jennifer Allen
Tiffany Vidoli
Kim Yoder
Para
Nanice Basta
Elvira Chavira
Emily Cooper
Danielle Geronymo
Tia Guesby
Christina Tibit
Jennifer Welsch
Shay Wilson
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
The safety of children at Sunflower is a top priority for the school. To ensure the safety of our children at arrival and dismissal time requires cooperation between staff and parent/guardians. Please adhere to the traffic patterns, no parking zones and areas to drop off and pick up your children. Following these patterns will help eliminate some of the congestion problems around the school and keep Sunflower students safe.
Keep the circle drive operating as a single lane. Parents/guardians should pull their vehicles to the farthest available location closest to the curb and wait so students do not have to walk between cars. The outer lane is reserved for vehicles proceeding through the circle drive. For that reason, children should exit or enter cars on the passenger side of the vehicle.
As an operator of a moving vehicle, please be aware of what’s going on around you. Please refrain from using your cell phone while in the circle drive. Young children often forget to look both ways before crossing a street or will dart between cars.
The driver of any vehicle can expect a relatively short wait time while picking up children. The circle drive is usually cleared in 10-15 minutes. If your child is not able to enter or exit the car without your help or by themselves in a timely manner, please pull around out of the circle drive and park to keep from holding up the traffic flow. Patience and cooperation are essential to ensuring the safety of students, staff and motorists.
- For the safety of all Sunflower students, our doors will remain locked until 8:20 a.m., when teachers are on duty and ready to supervise students. At that time, we will welcome all students into the building. If you are unable to wait until 8:20 a.m. to bring your child to school, Boys & Girls Club offers before school care beginning at 7:00 a.m.
Dismissal:
Car Riders are ONLY students that are being picked up in a vehicle within the Sunflower circle drive. DO NOT park in the circular drive or block the traffic flow.
Walkers include ALL OTHER students that are NOT being picked up in the Sunflower circle drive & NOT attending B&G Club. This includes students who are walking home, walking with a parent/guardian, biking, riding a scooter, AND/OR being picked up by middle school sibling, parent/guardian, that is NOT in a vehicle within the Sunflower circle drive. All students considered WALKERS will go out the north doors for safety.
As another safety precaution we ask that you do not bring animals on property during either of these times unless it is a service animal. Thank you for understanding.
Upcoming Dates For Your Calendars
August 22 @ 5pm- Parent Information Night ( Mrs. Snook Students Only)
August 27 Parent Information Night & PTO Information Fair
@ 6pm (K-2) @ 6:45pm (3-5)
September 2- No School Labor Day
September 3 @ 6pm- Site Council
September 3 @ 7pm- PTO Meeting
Sunflower Elementary
Email: melissa.blevins@usd497.org
Website: https://www.usd497.org/sunflower
Location: 2521 Inverness Drive, Lawrence, KS, USA
Phone: (785)832-5870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunflowerElementaryLawrenceKS/