Topeka Public Schools students, staff, and administrators celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 17, 2022 and took part in a variety of events to honor Dr. King's legacy.

Some of these events included the Center for Peace and Justice's 29th Annual Program and the Governor's March at the Capitol.

Dr. Beryl New, TPS Director of Certified Personnel and Equity and Chair of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission, spoke at the Governor's March about what we can all do to keep Dr. King's dream alive.

Additionally, in partnership with Living the Dream, Inc., Topeka Public Schools is hosting our annual district-wide food drive throughout the month of January!

Students and staff are encouraged to collect non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Topeka Public Schools Community Cupboard at Quinton Heights, which is open to all district families.

Students from across the district submitted artwork, poetry, and essays inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for the annual Living the Dream, Inc. competition.

Winners of the student poetry and essay competition were announced last week, and include students from Quincy Elementary, Chase Middle School, French Middle School, Highland Park High School, Topeka High School, and Hope Street Academy.

View a complete list of the 2022 Living the Dream, Inc. competition winners here.

Congratulations to the Chiefs on their first win in the playoffs! We are all so excited.

Throughout the playoffs, Chiefs Days will take place on Fridays and Mondays in Topeka Public Schools. Staff and students may wear their Chiefs gear and jeans.

The Chiefs are an inspiring example of overcoming challenges as a team. Go Chiefs! Go TPS!

Katie Murphy, a Topeka West High School Theatre and Language Arts teacher, was honored last week as Kansas Theatre Teacher of the Year by the Kansas Chapter of the Educational Theatre Association.

Ms. Murphy says she loves teaching theatre because there truly is something for everyone.

Topeka West students say Ms. Murphy "always has your back," and her leadership inspires them and their love of theatre.

Topeka Public Schools high schools are hosting mini graduation ceremonies on Thursday, January 27 for students who are eligible to graduate at mid-year.

Each school will hold socially-distanced ceremonies, which will also be streamed live on the respective high school's Facebook and Youtube pages.

Ceremony times are as follows:

• Topeka West High School: 8:00 AM
• Topeka High School: 9:00 AM
• Highland Park High School: 10:30 AM
• Hope Street Academy: Individual ceremonies throughout the school day

Additionally, Mid-Year Graduation Slideshows will premiere at 5:30 PM on Facebook, YouTube, and KTPS Channel 14.

A Topeka Public Schools high school student will have the opportunity to work for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Information Technology team as part of the first Kansas Youth Registered Apprenticeship!

Youth apprentices receive paid on-the-job training along with job-related technical instruction that also supports high school graduation requirements.

The apprentice will work at the KSDE building for two hours per day during school hours, with the opportunity to work full-time during the summer. The position pays $10 per hour and, upon high school graduation, the apprentice will also earn Youth Registered Apprenticeship certification.

Students who are at least age 16 with an interest in technology may apply online in the State of Kansas Careers Portal.

The Kansas African Studies Center, together with the Department of African and African-American Studies at the University of Kansas, will be offering Free Elementary and Intermediate Arabic, Kiswahili, and Wolof Classes to High school students this Summer.

Classes will be online and synchronous from June 7- July 29 and on completion the students will get 10 KU credits. Learn more and register here.

By taking this language class in high school, one becomes eligible to apply for the FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship) as soon as they join college. This fellowship provides up to $10,000 in Tuition and a $ 5,000 stipend annually. Application deadline is Monday, April 18, 2022.

If a student or staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 or had a COVID-19 exposure, please complete the TPS COVID-19 Self Reporting Form, and a district health official will contact you the next business day.

Your child should not return to school until given guidance from school health officials.

Due to the volume of exposure in our county, all student and staff COVID-19 exposures being reported to Topeka Public Schools are to be reported online at topekapublicschools.net. This process will allow us to address all COVID-19 concerns while nurses carry out their regular school duties and meet daily student needs.

To submit a report, please click on the button labeled Reporting a COVID-19 Exposure on our homepage. Based on the information families provide, an emailed response will be given informing you of the date your child can return to school and your child's school principal and nurse will be notified.

If you do not have the internet and need to report your exposure via phone, please call the TPS COVID-19 Help Line at 785-438-HELP (785-438-4357) and be prepared to provide:

• Your name, phone number, and email address (if you have one)
• Your child's name, birthdate, and the date of the COVID-19 positive exposure

If you have school-related questions regarding a COVID-19 exposure, please leave a message and a health professional will return your call within 2 business days. Messages are only checked once every afternoon, as our nurses are focused on students for the majority of the day.

Thank you for your continued patience and ongoing support as we ensure the safety of Topeka Public Schools students and staff.

Our mitigation strategies with cleaning will continue throughout the semester and the following steps are being taken at all schools and district buildings:

• Masks will continue to be worn while on Topeka Public Schools property
• Air purification systems have been installed in the HVAC systems at all schools
• Test to Learn, which was implemented last semester, will continue

For more information, please visit our Parent Resource Site. You can also learn more about the new air purification systems this feature from KSNT News.

TPS Service Center and Burnett Center staff who would like to have a COVID test completed are asked to call Misty Getsinger, Employee Wellness Nurse, at 785-295-3937 to set up an appointment prior to coming to the Service Center. If you call and leave a message, your call will be returned in the order received.

All other TPS employees who are in need of COVID-19 testing can do so at their respective schools.

Last week, the Topeka Public Schools family suffered an incredible loss, as one of our Jardine Elementary students passed away in a fire at his home.

Alexander Servantez was a second-grade student who attended Randolph before attending Jardine. He was a joyful young man and a wonderful scholar that staff and students adored. Alexander will be greatly missed by all.

Information regarding his memorial services can be found here.

Please keep Alexander's family and all who are directly impacted in your thoughts.

As we continue to experience winter weather, we want to remind families and staff of school closing notification procedures.

As we make decisions about closing school, a number of factors come into play, including safety of travel but also the safety of students who will be home during the day.

Should school be canceled, we will:

• Send a text/email message via SchoolMessenger
• Update the district social media pages
• Update the district website
• Contact our local media partners

To sign up for text message updates, text Y to 67587.

Topeka Public Schools is hiring substitute teachers, and we need you! The district is a diverse, well-rounded family of teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and more.

Substitutes can earn up to $130 for daily assignments, or up to $135 per day for long-term assignments. You can also earn a Premium Recruitment Incentive of up to $1333, paid in quarterly installments.

Anyone over 18 years-old with a high school diploma is now eligible to apply. Sign up for a virtual interview here or simply scan the QR code with your mobile device!

The 2021-2022 academic year district calendar is available at topekapublicschools.net. The calendar includes dates of parent-teacher conferences, no school days, and more.

Below are important dates for the remainder of January:

• January 27: Mid-Year Graduation
• January 29: Kansas Day

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• Board of Education Meeting Minutes & Agenda