The Eagle Soars
Sunflower Elementary - August 23, 2019
Mark your calendars!
Saturday, August 24 1st Annual Color Fun Run!!!! 5 pm
Wednesday, August 28 MOD Pizza PTO Dining Night (more information below)
Thursday, August 29 Watch D.O.G.S. & Eagle M.O.M.S. Kickoff 6 pm
Monday, September 2 Labor Day - No School
View our online calendar (select individual events for more details):
for all sunflower families!!!
MOD Pizza PTO Dining Night - Wednesday, Aug. 28
News from the se lit lab!
Welcome to a new school year in the Sunflower Elementary Lit Lab! We have received some new books this summer so I am thrilled to be able to share those with students during their upcoming visits to the library. Below you will find some general information about the Media Center. Be sure to check with your child or their teacher to find out their library schedule.
Students will come to the Library Media Center on a weekly basis for library skills, literature appreciation, STEM activities and checkout. Preschool and Kindergarten students will checkout one book every week. 1st-4th graders can checkout two books per week.
All books have a one-week checkout period. Classes that come to the library twice a week will checkout first library day of the week. Every week, it is expected that students will either return or renew their library books. A student with overdue materials will not be allowed to checkout any more items until the overdue materials are returned or paid for. Students are encouraged to visit the Lit Lab between scheduled Library classes if they finish their books early (or return them late) so that they may select new reading material. This type of checkout would be with teacher’s permission.
We are working hard to keep our library collection in excellent shape.
Please help your child remember the following things so they can do their part in this process:
Remind your child to have clean hands when reading books, to use a bookmark, and to turn the page from the top upper right-hand corner.
Help your child find a safe place for his/her library books which is out of reach of pets or younger siblings. I recommend storing them in their backpack when not reading.
Remind your child to return books on time.
I am excited to work with your child’s classroom teacher to create a passion of reading, writing and learning for your children.
Sincerely ~ Julie Rains Sunflower Elementary Library Media Specialist
CLASSROOM SCENES FROM OUR FIRST FULL WEEK!
Mrs. Wells' AM Preschool class dunked their numbers and letters in a water tank during Water Day.
Mrs. Wells' PM Preschool class took a popsicle break during their Water Day.
Mrs. Culbertson's 1st grade class built Math Mountains.
Mrs. Culbertson's 1st grade class researched bats and found out all kinds of creepy & crawly facts.
Mrs. Barney's 1st grade class wrote their own Bat Book.
Math Manipulatives everywhere in Mrs. Barney's 1st grade class!
Ms. Beverage's 4th grade class used their Chromebooks to research a marine animal of their choice.
Ms. Beverage's 4th grade class set up campaign headquarters for Stuco elections.
Ms. Beverage's 4th grade class "dug deeper" into their text during their ELA time.
Watch D.O.G.S. and Eagle M.O.M.S. kickoff (repeat)
Attention All Moms & Dads!
What: Information Meeting
When: August 29, 2019 at 6:00 pm
Where: Sunflower Elementary
We will be having an information meeting for adults only about our Watch D.O.G.S. and Eagle M.O.M.S. programs for the 2019-20 school year. Childcare will not be provided.
Watch D.O.G.S. is an innovative program being used by schools across America that helps students to be positively impacted by the committed involvement of fathers and father-figures in their student’s life.
Eagle M.O.M.S. is a program that we have implemented here at Sunflower. We want our moms to also be an active part of our school. The specific goal of this initiative is to enhance our students’ educational success.
Mark your calendar for Thursday, August 29th from 6:00-7:00 pm. Official Watch D.O.G.S. and Eagle M.O.M.S. t-shirts will be available to order.
Girls on the Run is Back at Sunflower!!! (Repeat)
Online registration is currently open at www.gotrkc.org. Our season begins September 9. Our GOTR team will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays after school.
If you are interested in helping coach our GOTR team, please email Mrs. Engemann at engemannc@usd231.com or contact the Sunflower office. To be an official coach, there is a free training scheduled for August 20th (there is a later training scheduled in KCMO).
Dalaena Karlin, mom of 3rd grader Emily Karlin and assistant GOTR coach, says "Any family member of a girl in Girls on the Run can also register to run the 5K with their student. The 5K is a celebratory fun run they can walk, skip, dance, or run. It's not a race!"
For more information, please download the flyer below.
young rembrandts art class registration (repeat)
Young Rembrandts is back with new and fun drawing lessons! If your kids are new to art or seasoned pros they will love these classes that teach drawing and coloring techniques as well as art history. Classes begin August 19th and are open to kids 1st - 4th grade. Sessions will be held on Mondays from 3:35 to 4:35 pm.
Birthday Treats (repeat)
Parents/Guardians should coordinate with classroom teachers in advance. Please drop off treats and all necessary supplies (e.g. napkins, serving utensil, etc.) in the office. Teachers will retrieve and distribute treats at a suitable time to limit instructional disruptions. As an alternative, families are encouraged to celebrate in non-food oriented ways including the purchase of small tokens such as pencils and stickers, or, donate a book or a game.
SCHOOL SAFETY (repeat)
You will need to present your ID each and every time you enter Sunflower. And even though you may are our next door neighbor, we will still ask you to hold your ID up to the camera. (I like to tell parents that I would still have to ask my very own husband to show me his driver's license!)
If you need to drop off something for your student, for example, their lunch, there will be a table available for parents to drop it off each time as well. Just make sure to notify the front office who the item(s) are for.
GEYCP Events Coming Up (repeat)
Gardner Edgerton Youth & Community Programs has some fun events and activities to start the school year!
- Middle School Kickball Tournament
- Jr. Blazerettes Dance Team (Grades 5-8)
- Theater Production of Once Upon A Mattress (Grades 5-8)
- Building Blazers Volleyball Skills Academy (Grades 2-6)
- Youth Experience Volleyball (Ages 4-6)
Registration can be found at www.usd231.com/o/ycp.
Little Blazer Cheer Clinic (repeat)
Each year the Gardner Edgerton High School Cheerleaders host a cheer camp for individuals in grades K-6. We are proud to say that GEHS cheerleaders have been hosting this camp and "Building Blazers" for over twenty years!
This program is divided into two parts: a clinic and a game.
On Wednesday, September 18th, we will host the clinic at GEHS from 5:30 pm-8:00 pm. Check In will be from 5:00 pm-5:30 pm in the Auxiliary Gym at GEHS. The cheerleaders will teach our Little Blazers chants, cheers and safe stunting.
On Friday, September 20th, the Little Blazers will attend the home football game versus Lawrence High School. They will be cheering on the track with the high school cheerleaders during the first quarter of the game. If the game on Friday, September 20th should be rained out, the make-up game will take place on Friday, October 4th.
The cost is $40 which includes a cheer t-shirt, bow and poms to be used/worn at the game. One adult will be admitted for free the night of the game.
Early registration deadline to enroll is Friday, September 6th. GEYCP is helping with enrollments and will only be taking online registrations.
Registration and information can be found here: http://bit.ly/2ORNN30.
site council
The Sunflower Site Council will be meeting at 6 pm in the library on the following dates: 9/17/19, 11/12/19, 2/11/20, 4/14/20.
All meetings are open to the public.
Kansas schools are required to establish site councils composed of the principal, teachers and other school personnel, parents, business representatives, and other community groups.
Site councils have a responsibility to provide advice and counsel in the following areas: evaluating district and school performance goals and objectives, determining methods to meet those goals and objectives, and other areas as requested by the board of education.
Remember, the work of the site council is advisory only; it makes recommendations, not decisions.
Sunflower PTO
We invite everyone to join the Sunflower PTO Facebook page. By searching "Gardner Sunflower PTO" under Pages, you will be able to join the group and receive updated PTO information.