Wednesday Word
October 30th 2019
From The Principal
We are looking forward to seeing all of you next week at parent-teacher conferences! During conferences we will be dispersing more information regarding our new dismissal procedure which we plan on executing on Tuesday, November 19th. During our back to school events, I shared my safety concerns regarding our current practices. During the next couple of weeks we will work to get all staff and students trained on the new procedures and make sure families have time to get used to the new procedures and expectations. More information will continue to be shared as we get closer to the date. We appreciate your support and understanding that safety for our scholars is our number one priority.
I continue to be surprised at how many coats, sweatshirts, hats, gloves and more are in our lost and found without being claimed. During morning community I have reviewed with our scholars that our first BEST expectation is "Be Responsible". I have explained that they should be responsible for the items they bring to school and make sure they take them home each day. I continue to bring the lost and found buckets to morning community and encourage students at dismissal to take a look. We will not be able to house all of the items left and will be making regular monthly donations with items left behind.
Finally, we have a lot of fun events coming up so make sure you check the calendar below. Just a friendly reminder that our fundraiser items pick up is scheduled for Monday, November 4th. Please plan on picking up your items that day. Our book fair starts on Tuesday and of course our Halloween parade and parties are tomorrow starting at 2:45.
As always it is an honor to serve as the principal of Sunflower Elementary!
Melissa Blevins
From The Office
Apples For Students/ Dollars 4 Scholars
Save all Checkers and Hy-Vee from your Halloween treats and send them with your students!
- Participating Checkers store is located at - 2300 Louisiana Street
- Participating Hy-vee stores -Clinton Parkway or 6th Street
Lawrence parents can help guide planning for safe walking, biking routes to school.
Parents have an opportunity in coming weeks to help a group of community partners identify ways to improve walking and biking routes to school for elementary and middle school students. Please find the link here to take an online survey, it is available in English, Spanish and Arabic.
As the second opportunity for engagement in the process, the Be Active Safe Routes open house will be 6:00 pm, Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Flory Building of the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St. in Lawrence. The survey information will guide discussion at the open house and be utilized in the City of Lawrence’s citywide Safe Routes to School Plan to set priorities for implementation.
Halloween Parade
The Halloween parade will take place at 2:45 tomorrow, October 31st. Parents will be allowed back to classrooms at 2:30 to help with costumes and to set up for parties. The Circle Drive will be blocked off at 2:00 to prepare for the parade.
- Do not wear costumes to school!
- Siblings, younger and older, are discouraged from attending, but if they do attend they must be with a parent at all times due to safety issues.
- All costumes/ mask must be in good taste
- Costumes and/or actions of violent nature will not be allowed. For example: guns, knives, blood and/or gore.
- Students who choose to wear costumes considered to be violent or not in good taste will be asked to remove the costume.
- If you do not want your child to participate in the Halloween parade and party please notify the office. Students will participate in a different activity or parents may pick them up.
Inclement Weather Procedures
Recess is held indoors if the windchill falls below 15 degrees. Children should always wear appropriate clothing, including winter coats, hats, gloves or mittens. If there is snow on the ground students without boots will be asked to stay on the blacktop.
Conference Week!
Parent/Teacher conferences will be held November 6th and 7th.
If you would like to bring food for the conference days for teachers, please use the link to sign up! Wednesday evening we will be doing appetizers and dips, easy grab and go food, drop off before 3:00pm. On Thursday, it is soup day, drop off before 11:00am.
The teachers love having yummy things to eat! If you have any questions, please contact Beth Gill at maypeaches@yahoo.com or Emily Garvin at emmers121500@hotmail.com .
From The Counselor
Friendly Smiles
Great News! Sunflower Elementary has partnered (again!) with the Friendly Smiles Program through the Douglas County Dental Clinic to offer FREE in-school dental care.
If your child does not see a dentist regularly or you are looking for a new dentist, simply fill out a consent form. New forms must be completed each school year. Friendly Smiles accepts Medicaid, Commercial Insurance, and the uninsured. There is NO COST to you even if your child is uninsured or not fully covered through commercial insurance. Uninsured students must qualify for free and reduced lunch to participate in our program. Direct dental services provided to your child while in school is completely FREE.
Simply fill out the attached Friendly Smiles consent form and return it to Sunflower Elementary (Julie Heatwole) by November 1 st , 2019. You may also access the form through our online secure forms by clicking the links below. The secure forms will be sent directly to Hannah Sheridan-Duque, the Friendly Smiles Outreach Coordinator. Forms are available at the school as well. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Hannah at 785.312.7770, ext. 206
Scholastic Book Fair
Book Fair is just one week away. Our lowest price books will be around $4.99 so if you are sending money with kids please know there is also tax on purchases.
It will be held in the Sunflower Library and below are the Open Hours:
Tuesday, November 5th from 10am-5:00pm
Wednesday, November 6th from 8am-7pm (during school and conference hours)
Thursday, November 7th from 8am-7pm (during conference hours)
We still have many shifts available to work – here is the sign-up genius where you can volunteer to help.
Fall Fundraiser
Friendly reminder the Fundraiser pick-up is on Monday, November 4th from 3:45-6:00 p.m. in the Sunflower Cafeteria.
5th Grade Parent Announcements!
Recognition Leaders
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49adac2ba4fb6-5thgrade2
Ice Cream Social
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49adac2ba4fb6-icecream3
Congratulations Sunflower BGC
Upcoming Events
October Calendar
- 31- Halloween Parade - 2:45 pm
November Calendar
- 1- No School
- 4- Fundraiser Pickup - 3:50 pm
- 5- Food Pantry - 3:15-4:45 pm
- 5- Site Council Meeting - 6:00 pm
- 5- PTO Meeting - 7:00 pm
- 5-7 Scholastic Book Fair
- 6-7 Parent/Teacher Conferences
- 7- No School
- 8- No School
- 14- ESL Women's Group - 4:15 pm
- 14- 2nd Grade Music Program - 6:00 pm/ Ice cream social to follow
- 14- 3rd Grade Music Program - 7:15 pm/ Ice cream social to follow
- 19- Food Pantry - 3:15-4:45 pm
- 19- Friendly Smiles
- 26- Kindergarten Fall Feast - 2:45-3:30 pm
- 27-29 Fall Break
December Calendar
- 3- Food Pantry - 3:15-4:45 pm
- 3- PTO Meeting -7:00 pm
- 5- ESL Women's Group - 4:15 pm
- 10- Fifth Grade Choir to Crown Center - Performance 10:45 am
- 12- Fourth Grade Choir Caroling Tour
- 17- Food Pantry - 3:15-4:45 pm
- 17- First Grade Music Program - 6:00 pm/ Ice cream social to follow
- 17 - Choir Program - 7:15/ Ice cream social to follow
- 20- Winter Parties - 11:15 am
- 20- NOON DISMAL/ NO afternoon Boys and Girls Club
- 23-1/7 Winter Break