Piper Prairie Friday Parent Blast
January 15th, 2021
Important Dates in January
- January 18th - NO SCHOOL / Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
- January 20th - Inauguration Day!
Martin Luther King, Jr Weekend 2021 in Kansas City!
Parades, Concerts, & Things To Do On Martin Luther King Day In Kansas City
Celebrating the life of the American Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King Jr. It is a massive celebration of the life and achievements of this influential personality. There are so many things to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day 2021 in Kansas City.
You could be a part of the parade or enjoy a concert to make merry on the auspicious occasion of the MLK Day. You can even celebrate this day by volunteering at the community service. Since, this holiday is also a lot about the MLK Day Of Service. Walking tours, annual tribute to Martin Luther King Jr, community building workshops and a lot more. Click on the link above to see how you and your family would like to honor this day.
News From the Principal!
Greetings, Piper Prairie Families,
We wanted to take a moment to share some important information with you about our approach and commitment to teaching and student learning during these last several months. There have been a variety of conversations and reports on the news and through social media about student “learning loss.” This idea of halted learning or even a decline in learning has also been referred to as the “COVID Slide.”
We are definitely aware that not having all students fully attend school each day is not ideal and can present some challenges when it comes to teaching and student learning. Because of this, we wanted to share with you what we have been doing and what we will continue to do to maximize student learning.
Our team of teachers, administrators, and support staff have been continuously analyzing and evaluating what students need most during this time. Below are our continued priorities when it comes to designing and delivering instruction on a daily basis with your students, whether they are in-person or remote:
Social Emotional Supports: We start our days and classes with opportunities to truly connect and get to know each other. Establishing and continuing to strengthen trusting relationships with students is a critical and foundational step to maximizing student learning.
Curriculum: This is the “what” of teaching and student learning. We have followed and will continue to follow Kansas Standards for all subject areas as our guide. We also have the ability locally to determine which standards are the most essential for our students to know and apply. Our teachers plan instruction for each subject area using these selected or essential standards.
Instruction: This is the “how” of teaching and student learning. We have experienced the most growth in our profession during these last several months as our traditional method of delivering instruction has varied and may continue to vary in the future. Our teachers receive professional development and have opportunities to practice these new skills and techniques to use with students.
Assessment: We constantly gather data and information from students through observations, questioning techniques, discussions, and more traditional assessments or tests. Combined, this information tells us if students are growing and achieving. If they are, we continue to the next concepts or work to deepen their understanding. If they are not, we go back re-teach concepts and provide additional opportunities to practice and master the concepts.
In partnership with families, we know that the items below are critical to your student’s success, and we stand ready to help you with any questions you may have:
Attendance: When a student does not attend school, there is the potential that he or she could end up behind his or her peers. Whether we are in person or remote, you can help by helping make sure your child is on time and remains in school throughout the day.
Engagement: Asking your child questions about his or her day is a great way to stay engaged in what is going on with each class or subject.
Communication: Please be sure to let us know if you have questions, concerns, or notice anything about your child that you would like to discuss.
On behalf of our school, thank you for your continued support, patience, and dedication to your child’s success!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Grable
Remote Learners in Kindergarten & 1st Grade Please Sign Up for Fastbridge Testing Today!
Choose your time for your remote learner to be assessed on January 26th and 28th!
We can't wait to see their progress!
2021 PreK-5th Grade New Executive Order Follow Up from Dr. Dain
I do apologize that in our excitement, we did not iron out those details. Additionally, I am sorry in advance for any heartburn this causes for families, but our continued focus is keeping our stakeholders safe.
Thank you for your grace and understanding.
~Dr. Dain
Piper USD 203 PreK - 12th Portrait of a Graduate
BIRTHDAY TREATS
Birthday treats from outside the school may not be brought into the building. However, our OPAA staff can make cupcakes, cookies, etc. for your child’s birthday treats! Click below on Birthday Treats to find the form for ordering.
Remote Learning Norms
- Daily school attendance will be taken in the morning and afternoon for remote students.
- If your child has an appointment or is ill and cannot participate in their scheduled Zoom, please send an email to your child's teacher and Mrs. Kendra, our office secretary, to avoid an unexcused absence.
- Daily completion of assignments is expected, not optional.
- If a parent or caregiver has questions during the Zoom, please respect the teaching and learning time and email your child's teacher. They will get back with you when they are not teaching in the classroom.
- Only the student should be active on a Zoom. Parents, siblings, or pets should not be on the call.
- Teachers provide content and instruction. Parents of remote students are expected to provide guidance and direction for students.
- Remote students are expected to follow the daily class schedule.
- If you have questions, teachers are expected to respond within 24 hours.
Nurse Chelsea's Corner...
When to keep household members home:
● Sibling or household member has a fever or is out sick getting Covid tested
● All family stay home until diagnosis of sick family member or Covid test result is received
● Follow up with school nurse
Negative test result with symptoms (no exposure): may return to school
● If symptoms are gone
● If fever free for 72 hours (when fever applies to a situation)
Attendance: Please give a reason to why your student is out sick when calling the attendance line. Follow up phone calls will be made if more information is needed.
We know that this is a very difficult time, but our goal is to keep students and staff healthy.
Thank you for all of your patience and support through all of this.
Chelsea Fletchall RN, BSN
Piper Prairie Elementary School
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM OUR FRONT OFFICE!
- School Hours are 8:35am - 3:45pm (5 minutes has been added to our school day)
- Students may enter the building @ 8:25am
- Students need to be in their classrooms by 8:40am to avoid a tardy slip. We will start dismissal at 3:35pm.
- Students arriving after 9:15am will be counted as 1/2 day absent.
- Students leaving before 3:35 pm will be counted as 1/2 day absent.
- Tardy Policy: 5 Tardies = 1 unexcused absence
- All transportation changes MUST be made by 2:30pm on the day the change is requested to ensure that the teacher is notified in time and your child arrives home safely.
- Student Half Days: Transportation changes will need to be called in by 10:30am.
- Students Arriving Late: If your child has an appointment of any kind that causes him/her to arrive late to school, please call the office. Once you arrive at the school, please call the office and an office staff member will walk out to your car, take your child's temperature and let them into school. Pleas have a doctor's note for the absence to be excused.
- Students Leaving Early: If your child has an appointment of any kind that causes him/her to leave early from school, please call the office when you arrive. After you arrive, we will call your child's classroom and walk them out to your car.
- Please call and let the office know if your child is absent or will be late coming to school. Our office will call and verify that your child is safely at home if we have not received notification from you. The office number is: 913-721-1243
Technology Support
Want to log into your child’s Canvas account? Your student can’t remember how to log into Skyward? Just need some technology help? Please check out Under the Parent Tab a page on called “Technology Tips and Support” that can help parents! See Link Here: https://www.piperschools.com/Page/530
If you need help with Clever or Canvas, email Ms. Heather at aheather@piperschools.us.
If you need help with SeeSaw, email Mrs. Martin at rmartin@piperschools.us.
Here are some videos to make sure you can get on your child's canvas account through clever and to sync your account with an observer.
Google Chrome Clever and Canvas (Pairing In Canvas is also in this Video)
iPad Clever App and Canvas App
Sign up for Canvas Account as Parent
TECHNOLOGY Support & Tips from the district. Click HERE
- How to Get Support
- Student Usernames for Google/Chromebooks
- Parent Login for Canvas
If you are still needing a device for your child, our district is working hard to get them in your child's hands. We will reach out to you and let you know when they have been delivered to our building and ready to distribute.
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES?
Are you having problems with your Chromebook or iPad?
If you need immediate support for your student(s) device or any services offered by the District, you can call our technology support company K12itc at 816.382.4840.
OPAA FOOD NEWS!
Wednesday Meal Pick-Up
Our Food Service Department is working hard to make meal pick-up for our remote families as easy as possible. With hybrid students in session at the Middle School on Wednesdays, the staff has had to make some slight adjustments to the pick-up location to keep traffic flowing for both meal pick-ups and the middle school dropoff line. On Wednesdays only, meal pick-ups at Piper Middle School will be moved further up the sidewalk toward the former East Elementary. Staff will be outside distributing meals with a sign showing you that you're in the right spot.
FOR HYBRID STUDENTS ONLY… To follow state guidelines to help students stay safe, lunch and breakfast will be eaten in the students’ classrooms. The OPAA! Staff will be delivering breakfast to the classrooms each morning for students who order breakfast items. To order breakfast for your child, you must fill out this form during the week prior. Each week, breakfast ordering is due Friday at 11:59 pm for the following week. You may, if you like, order for more than one week at a time.
Birthday treats from outside the school may not be brought into the building. However, our OPAA! staff will have an order form and be able to make cupcakes, cookies, etc. for your child’s birthday treat! The birthday treat order form will be available before school starts.
KSDE recently announced that ALL Kansas students can receive breakfast and lunch each school day through June 30, 2021. USDA covers the cost of these meals. Click here for more information about the free meal program.
Bus Transportation
YCare!
Piper Prairie Dismissal Procedure
K/1 Cars EXIT RIGHT ONLY onto Leavenworth Road to alleviate congestion