Prairie Point Express
Family Newsletter
January 22, 2021
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
Friday, January 22
- 2nd Quarter Report Cards Available
Friday, January 29
- NWEA Winter Window Closes
Wednesday, February 3
- K-2 Families - Greg Tang Family Night - 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Thursday, February 4
- 3-5 Families - Greg Tang Family Night - 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Monday, February 8
- Show your love spirit week - favorite sports team day
Tuesday, February 9
- Show your love spirit week - comfy clothing
- PTA Meeting - 6:30 pm via Zoom
Wednesday, February 10
- Show your love spirit week - hat day
Thursday, February 11
- Show your love spirit week - PJ day
Friday, February 12
- Show your love spirit week - wear red, white, or pink
- Friendship Class Parties - 1:30 -3:00 pm
A Welcome Note From Your Student Support Team
Welcome to the Second Semester of the 2020/2021 School Year! We are excited to continue to work with our Pioneer students and families!
Your student’s needs are important to us. Ally Swisher, School Counselor, is here to meet the social/emotional, and academic needs of all students. If you feel your child needs to meet with the counselor, you may complete a Parent Referral, call her at (816)359-6289 or email her at swishera@parkhill.k12.mo.us
We know situations at home change, please contact Marla Anderson, School Social worker if you are in need of resources at this time. You may reach Marla by completing this Confidential Resource Checklist, calling her at 816-359-6379 or emailing her at andersonmar@parkhill.k12.mo.us.
Specials Spotlight with Library Media Specialist, Mrs. Easley
Third and fourth grade learned about how scientists can use 3D printers to make prosthetic parts for injured animals. Then they chose an animal to research and write a realistic fiction story about how that animal might get injured. Finally, they designed a prosthetic to help the animal with the injury using the 3D modeling website Tinkercad. We are in the process of printing their designs. The image shows a narwhal horn, elephant foot, horse leg, and goose wing.
Changes to our Spring Semester Calendar
The Board approved changes to our current academic calendar. These changes include . . .
· No school for students or teachers on President's Day, February 15.
· No school for students on Friday, March 26. This will be a workday for teachers.
· Depending on inclement weather days, the last day of school will be Friday, May 28. It will be a half-day for students and a full day for teachers.
Order Your Yearbook
If your child is new to Prairie Point, spring photos will be on February 18, 2021.
Show Your Love Spirit Week
Hey Pioneers! Let’s partner with the Prairie Point PTA to Show Our Love for Prairie Point and Mimi’s Pantry with a combined Spirit Week/Book Drive! From February 8-12th, we will be Showing Our Love of Prairie Point with Spirit Days! Please participate in as many of the Spirit Day themes as you feel comfortable with (jeans are more than acceptable!) We will also be collecting ANY books, children’s through adult, to be donated to Mimi’s Pantry! Mimi’s Pantry is located in Riverside and provides food assistance and other goods and resources to families in need. There will be a space out front of the library for donated books to be dropped off each day. Please encourage your students to bring books to be donated (Mrs. McQuinn may even streak her hair pink on February 12th to celebrate!). Clean out those bookshelves!
Friendship Party Information
Greg Tang Family Event
- Kindergarten-2nd Grade Families: Wednesday, February 3, 6:00-7:00 PM
- 3rd-5th Grade Families: Thursday, February 4, 6:00-7:00 PM
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.
Attention Bus Riders - Accessing Your Parent Portal
Does your student ride the bus to and/or from school? FirstView is a parent application to check the status of your student's bus. Please see the below documents to download the app.
Need Help Explaining COVID to Your Child?
Updates from the District from 12-22-2020
CDC Guidelines
Recently, the CDC announced changes to its guidance for the length of quarantines for people who have no COVID-19 symptoms.
We are working with the Platte County and Kansas City health departments, who determined that we will use the 10-day option. This means that if someone has no symptoms, they may end their quarantine after 10 days, but they must wear their mask and monitor symptoms for the entire 14 days. Our local health departments decided not to use the CDC’s seven-day option, which would require a test. They said this is due to the high community prevalence and the additional strain on community testing.
We will start this new protocol in Park Hill with any direct exposures that occur on or after December 23.
Antigen Testing
Starting on January 4, we will start offering antigen testing to students who have COVID-19 symptoms. We already offer this to staff members. If a student has symptoms, their family may work with the school nurse to request and schedule a test. Consent forms are available on our website.
Vaccines
As COVID-19 vaccines start to become available, we will continue to monitor guidance from the CDC and work with our local health departments. If we find out anything that will impact our school community, we will notify you.
January Habit
January Curriculum Connections
Here are your Curriculum Connections for January!
ELA Curriculum Connection- January
Register for the Spelling Bee
The Park Hill District spelling bee will be a two-part online assessment this year with the winner advancing directly to the Scripps National Spelling Bee held near Washington, DC., June 1 - 3. Awards will be presented to the top ten finishers.
All current Park Hill 5th-8th graders are eligible, but students must sign up by February 1st. For more information, and to register, please use the link below or visit the Park Hill website under “Family Resources”, “Spelling Bee”.
https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/family_resources/spelling_bee
Repeat: 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.
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: 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.