Prairie Point Express
Family Newsletter
January 29, 2021
School Address: 8101 NW Belvidere Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64152
School Hours: 8:15 am - 3:05 pm
School Phone: 816-359-4380
Principal: Dr. Danny Todtfeld
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Sarah McQuinn
Counselor: Mrs. Ally Swisher
Upcoming Dates
Monday, February 1
- #RunItBack Spirit Week - Mahomes Monday
Tuesday, February 2
- #RunItBack Spirit Week - Travis Tuesday
Wednesday, February 3
- #RunItBack Spirit Week - Andy Reid WinsDay
- K-2 Families - Greg Tang Family Night - 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Thursday, February 4
- #RunItBack Spirit Week - Tailgate Thursday
- 3-5 Families - Greg Tang Family Night - 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Friday, February 5
- #RunItBack Spirit Week - Championship Friday
Monday, February 8
- Show your love spirit week - favorite sports team day
Tuesday, February 9
- Show your love spirit week - comfy clothing
- PTA Meeting - 6:30 pm via Zoom
Wednesday, February 10
- Show your love spirit week - hat day
Thursday, February 11
- Show your love spirit week - PJ day
Friday, February 12
- Show your love spirit week - wear red, white, or pink
- Friendship Class Parties - 1:30 -3:00 pm
Did you know your teachers are artists?
Virtual Family Math Night with Greg Tang
Join other Pioneer family members to learn how we are making students more effective learners! We are hosting a family math night with Greg Tang.
Kindergarten through second-grade families can attend the math night at 6 p.m. on February 3. Third, through fifth-grade families can attend the math night at 6 p.m. on February 4.
Greg Tang, New York Times best-selling author of eight math picture books, leader of thousands of teacher workshops, and Harvard University scholar, will help us understand how our classrooms are teaching math strategies to students. Learning this way can add flexibility for those who struggle with math and make all students more fluent in math concepts.
If you've ever wondered about how your child is learning math, this is your opportunity to understand why these teaching strategies work so well.
Sign up below and a Zoom link will be sent to you on the day of the event.
Families who have students in Kindergarten, 1st Grade, or 2nd Grade - Click here to sign up
Families who have students in 3rd, 4th, or 5th Grade - Click here to sign up
Specials Spotlight with Mr. Downey, PE Teacher
Fourth graders in P.E. are working on the sports skills and strategies unit of floor hockey. One of the learning goals during this unit is to demonstrate the ability to follow rules, cooperate with teammates and apply a simple strategy in a variety of sport-specific lead-up games. They have focused on the correct way to hold the floor hockey stick, puck handling, passing, shooting, and teamwork. Mr. Downey has been very impressed with their ability to get everyone involved in the games and to be great team players. The students have also done an exceptional job of spacing on the floor and playing great man-to-man defense, which has created a great flow to the games and made the competition fun and exciting.
Congratulations to our Park Hill Star Nominees! Ms. Pierick and Mrs. Catlett
Would you like to nominate a Prairie Point Staff Member for the Park Hill Star Award? If so, click here!
Changes to our Spring Semester Calendar
The Board approved changes to our current academic calendar. These changes include . . .
· No school for students or teachers on President's Day, February 15.
· No school for students on Friday, March 26. This will be a workday for teachers.
· Depending on inclement weather days, the last day of school will be Friday, May 28. It will be a half-day for students and a full day for teachers.
Order Your Yearbook
If your child is new to Prairie Point, spring photos will be on February 18, 2021.
Show Your Love Spirit Week
Hey Pioneers! Let’s partner with the Prairie Point PTA to Show Our Love for Prairie Point and Mimi’s Pantry with a combined Spirit Week/Book Drive! From February 8-12th, we will be Showing Our Love of Prairie Point with Spirit Days! Please participate in as many of the Spirit Day themes as you feel comfortable with (jeans are more than acceptable!) We will also be collecting ANY books, children’s through adult, to be donated to Mimi’s Pantry! Mimi’s Pantry is located in Riverside and provides food assistance and other goods and resources to families in need. There will be a space out front of the library for donated books to be dropped off each day. Please encourage your students to bring books to be donated (Mrs. McQuinn may even streak her hair pink on February 12th to celebrate!). Clean out those bookshelves!
Friendship Party Information
- Students do NOT need to bring Valentine's or Valentine's boxes. PTA will provide both!
- Students will decorate bags, eat a snack, participate in some exercises, and do a craft.
- Online students will be able to pick up their party treat, craft, and bags to decorate on February 12. Please see your email communication from your teacher for more information!
Reading, Reading, Reading EXTRAVAGANZA
Recess Reminders
The cold weather is upon us! Just a friendly reminder that students are expected to go out for recess each day. Appropriate clothing and shoes should be worn for outside activities. On days when the temperature and/or wind chill is above 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the playground is cleared of snow and ice, there will be outdoor recess.
Please put your child's name on their winter clothing (coats, gloves, hats, etc..). This will help us return your child's lost clothing to them quickly! Due to COVID-19, we will not let our Lost and Found closet fill up as much as we have in the past which means we will make more frequent donations to the Park Hill Clothing Center.
Birthday Treat Reminders
Attention Bus Riders - Accessing Your Parent Portal
Does your student ride the bus to and/or from school? FirstView is a parent application to check the status of your student's bus. Please see the below documents to download the app.
Need Help Explaining COVID to Your Child?
February Habit
Register for the Spelling Bee
The Park Hill District spelling bee will be a two-part online assessment this year with the winner advancing directly to the Scripps National Spelling Bee held near Washington, DC., June 1 - 3. Awards will be presented to the top ten finishers.
All current Park Hill 5th-8th graders are eligible, but students must sign up by February 1st. For more information, and to register, please use the link below or visit the Park Hill website under “Family Resources”, “Spelling Bee”.
https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/family_resources/spelling_bee
Repeat: Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits
Even though meals are free this year, this form also helps us get needed funding for district services for students. And if you are signed up this year, you won't have a gap in services at the beginning of the next school year.
If you qualify for free or reduced-price meals, you are eligible for additional discounts on things like health care, college application fees, athletics, AP class fees, and fees for the SAT and ACT tests. For more information, click here.
Repeat: Do You Know A Park Hill Star?
The Park Hill Star recognition program was started in 2015 to celebrate support staff and teachers whose work is especially noteworthy.
The following is an overview of the Park Hill Star Program:
Our employees are the reason we are so successful here in the Park Hill School District, and we would like to recognize them for all they do for our students.
That is why we present the Park Hill Star award once a month to a pre-K or elementary teacher, a secondary teacher and a support employee.
REPEAT: E-Backpack (Electronic Fliers)
Currently in the E-Backpack:
- Fliers for Online Clubs hosted by Community Education
- Party Flier (Ordering Birthday Treats through Food Service)
- Yearbook Order Form
- Directory Invite to Families
Repeat: Technology Use at Home
Here are some general guidelines and best practices for laptop use at home.
Thank you for your support. If you have any technology issues or questions, please contact the Help Desk Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 816-359-5000.
Our 5 Pillars of Prevention
Please take some time to learn about Prairie Point's Health and Safety Precautions. Click here to access our matrix and other health information.
Prairie Point Mission
Our Vision
Prairie Point Elementary School provides all children with a safe, caring educational environment that focuses on high expectations and promotes lifelong learning.
Our Mission
To create a safe and caring student centered environment, to empower students to be independent learners, problem solver, and responsible citizens in the 21st Century.
At Prairie Point School, we value:
- Keeping the focus on the student
- Continuous learning and professional growth
- Warm, caring, open-minded environment
- High expectations for all students and adults
- Team work and collaboration
- Empathetic approach with our actions.