PRE Newsletter
September 27, 2019
A BIG thank-you to our PTO. They provided two wonderful meals to our teachers during conferences, and the book fair was a BIG hit! Thank you!
I hope that you all enjoy the weekend! It is hard to believe that it will be October next week!
Kristel Fulcher
PRE Principal
Important Dates
September 30-October 4 Spirit Week--See info below!
October 2 Walk to School Day, Chess Club Session 2 @ 8:00 A.M.
October 4 Author Visit
October 8 Picture Day!
October 9 Chess Club Session 1 @ 8:00 A.M.
October 10 End of 1st Quarter, Last Day for Book Drive!
October 11 No School, Building Professional Development
October 14 No School, District Professional Development
October 16 Chess Club Session 2 @ 8:00 A.M.
October 18 Grades Posted Via Skyward
October 22 Community Service Activity
October 23 Chess Club Session 1 @ 8:00 A.M.
October 30 Chess Club Session 2 @ 8:00 A.M.
October 31 Fall Parade and Parties @ 2:30
PTO Book Drive
Kansas Teacher of the Year Program
The De Soto School District has been an important and strong participant in the Kansas Teacher of the Year Program for many years. De Soto has had fourteen state finalists and twelve semi-finalists represented in the program since 2000. Two of our very own teachers were chosen as The Kansas Teacher of the Year; Keil Hileman in 2004 and Jeri Powers in 2008. This is truly unprecedented! Matt Bradford (DHS) and Emily Valdez (SE) will be representing our district in the 2020 Kansas Teacher of the Year program. The 2020 Kansas Teacher of the Year will be announced in November in Wichita.
We would like for you to nominate any teacher whom you consider to be an outstanding and effective educator and whom you or your child has had as a teacher. This person must be a tenured employee of USD 232. If there is a De Soto educator whom you believe to be outstanding and deserving of special recognition, please fill out the form below. This form needs to be returned to your building principal by noon on October 4, 2019.
Spirit Week
Monday--PJ Day
Tuesday--Crazy Sock Day
Wednesday--Walk to School Day--Athletic Wear
Thursday--Vacation Day--Wear a Shirt from a Favorite Vacation
Friday--KC Pride Day--Chiefs, Royals, etc.
Some Changes at PRE
Amy Augustine will be moving over a desk to fill the position of Lead Secretary, and we welcome Melissa Jackson to the office team as she will be our new Building Secretary. Melissa has worked at PRE before and knows the PRE community very well.
Double Diamond Award
Mrs. Bockhoff's 4th grade class won the Double Diamond Award last week. This award will be given out every Friday to a class that has exemplified specific expectations during their specials classes. Specials teachers and I have explained what students need to do in order to earn this award.
•Listen AND follow teacher directions
•Only talking during appropriate times
•Use an inside voice when working
•Show RESPECT to everyone and to property
•Enter and Exit the classroom appropriately
•Give YOUR personal best effort during class
Mrs. Goetsch's kindergarten class won the award last Friday. Congratulations!!!
PRE Site Council
Did you know that Prairie Ridge Elementary has what is called a Site Council? Do you know who serves on the council, how often they meet, and what they do?
Here is the definition of a Building Site Council according to the Kansas Department of Education:
Representing the school’s parents, neighborhood, community, and business/industry, the Building Site Council (BSC) provides input during every step of the growth process. The BSC reviews and provides input/feedback on the work of the Building Leadership Team (BLT). This includes needs assessment, goal area selection, goal and action plan development, evidence/data, and analysis of growth.
Since 1992, Kansas statute has required every school seeking accreditation have a building site council (BSC). KESA regulations will require participation of the building site council in the district's accreditation process.
Building Site Councils are required to meet four times/year. Our Site Council is a valuable part of our building as they give important feedback concerning our building goals, and they have great outside insight into changes that we make and the feedback that they hear from other parents. They also help us analyze the results from the spring parent survey and help brainstorm ideas to help make PRE the best place for student learning.
What would you like to know about PRE? Please reach out and let us know!
Jeff Boor, parent
Jennifer Long, parent
Melissa Martin, community rep
Laura LeRoy, parent
Amy Stapp, parent
Renee Weatherman, parent
Lisa Oshinski, business rep
Amanda Simpson, teacher
Denise Reinoehl, School Improvement Specialist
Kristel Fulcher, Principal
Fall Parties
Fall parties are scheduled for Thursday, October 31. The parade will begin at 2:30 with the party following. All families/parents will view the parade outside.
SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR:
We know that parking is limited at PRE, so the back will be open for parking. Any parents parked out back will be asked to move their cars at 3:30 so that we can have car loop.
You can help us to keep our fall celebration days safely on track by following these easy guidelines!
First, please remember that although students are invited to wear costumes to the fall parties, those costumes should be designed to be entertaining, not actually scary for our littlest cougars and bigger cougars (and Mrs. Fulcher). No blood, no guts, no gore, no weapons and no violence, please.
All students need to bring costumes to school in their backpacks or bag marked with their name. Time will be given for students to change from 2:15-2:30.
Please save some excitement for evening trick-or-treating by leaving hair and face paint at home with extra costume parts like swords and daggers. Masks are fine as long as kids can see well enough to walk safely during the parade which will start at 2:30 P.M.
Classroom parties are from 2:50-3:30 in the classrooms. Thank you to our many parent volunteers who help to make this event happen! Volunteers may go to the classrooms beginning at 2:15. We will be maintaining our normal daily schedule until then, so disruptions to the classroom will be kept at a minimum with your help. Thank you!
As safety is always important, please remember that the parties are intended for Prairie Ridge Elementary students of attendance only. We do not have babysitting services during parties, so please make other arrangements for siblings if you intend to attend. All ages would be more than welcome to join us for the parade, but please do not plan to take younger or older (non-PRE students) children down to the classrooms.
All visitors must enter through the front doors and sign-in and out...even on party days! Thank you!
USD 232 is looking for School Nurse Subs
Hourly rate: $20.00/hour