Wednesday Word
January 22, 2020
From the Principal
We are excited to announce our new BEST Staff awards to recognize outstanding Sunflower staff members. This aligns with Lawrence Public School's Strategic Plan of providing a positive and supportive work environment for all employees. We will be recognizing one certified and classified staff member each month and we want input from all our stakeholders, students, staff and families.
About the third week of the month a link to a nomination survey will be sent out via the Wednesday Word and our social media. There will be a survey link for classified staff members and one for certified staff members. We ask that you take the time each month to nominate someone at Sunflower who has gone above and beyond. Our leadership team will choose one classified staff member and one certified staff member to be recognized from those who have been nominated.
We are so excited to get started! Please use the links below to nominate someone today. We will choose our winners tomorrow after school at our leadership team meeting! Thank you for taking the time to help us recognize outstanding performance!
Certified Staff Nomination Form
Classified Staff Nomination Form
As always it is an honor to serve as the principal of Sunflower Elementary.
Melissa Blevins
From The Office
One Dream MLK Celebration Program:
Please review the program for the annual ONE DREAM MLK Celebration event and plan to join us tomorrow, January 23 at Billy Mills Middle School (5:30 p.m. Gallery Opens/6:30 p.m. Program Begins). Please come support as one of our students, 5th grade Jenna Nguyen will be giving a tribute during the program!
Safe Routes to School:
Help our students improve in having safe a travel to school. Provide your feedback by clicking the link below. Please complete the survey by 1/25/2020.
Principal of the Month!
From The Counselor
Positive Action Lessons (Social Curriculum) for the Months of January & February:
Classroom teachers and the counselor will be teaching the Unit about Getting Along with Others Using Social/Emotional Positive Actions. Everyone wants to be liked. Positive Action gives students a way to think about social acceptance. The simple key for them is to treat people the way they would like to be treated. When students learn to treat people positively - as they like to be treated - they feel the positive behaviors bouncing back to them. Students will learn specific positive ways of dealing with others, which include the following main topics...
Friendship: caring between people who choose to be together.
Love: a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection.
Empathy: to think how others feel.
Respect: to show special care for people.
Kindness & Fairness: to care for others and take thoughtful actions while treating them with justice.
Cooperation: to work with others for a common purpose.
In addition to the Positive Action lessons, Sunflower Elementary will be celebrating GREAT KINDNESS CHALLENGE WEEK (Jan 27th-31st). PLUS, during our KINDNESS-GIVING WEEK (Feb 17th-19th), all students will engage in a giving project to show our compassion for our Lawrence community! More specific information will be coming your way soon!
Please contact Julie Heatwole (school counselor), if you have any questions or concerns at #785-330-4860 or jheatwol@usd497.org
BOOKS FOR POSITIVE ACTIONS:
From PTO
Ice Cream Social:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49adac2ba4fb6-icecream6
Sunflower Science and Engineering Fair is January 28th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 pm. Make the experience more fun; find a friend and do a project together! Entry forms can be picked up from the office or can be printed from the attachments below. Students of all grades may do a project and should follow the guidelines presented in the informational packet. Happy experimenting! Please contact Marci Leuschen if you have any questions at leuschen@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
January Calendar
- 24 - Family Fairy Tale Day in Mrs. Grimes class 12:15 - 1:15
- 28 - Science Fair from 6:30 - 8:00 pm
- 29 - 1st to Lied Center
- 30 - K & 2nd to Lied Center
- 30 - 4th Day at the Farm
February Calendar
- 4 - PTO Meeting at 7:00 pm
- 4 - Food Pantry 3:15 - 4:45 pm
- 6 - ESL Women's Group from 4:15 - 5:15 pm
- 6 - 4th Music Program at 6:00 pm
- 6 - 5th Music Program at 7:15 pm
- 11 - Friendly Smiles Dental Clinic
- 12 - Bank Day
- 13 - Valentine's Parties at 3:00
- 14 - No School
- 18 - Food Pantry 3:15 - 4:45 pm
- 19 - Parent Teacher Conferences from 4:00 - 7:00 pm
- 20 - No School Parent Teacher Conferences from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
- 21 - No School
- 28 - 5th to KU School of Economics