PRE Newsletter
January 13, 2023
Important Dates
January 16 No School--MLK Jr. Day
January 17 PTO Restaurant Fundraiser (see flyer below)
January 18 Chess Club Session 2 @ 8:00 AM
January 20 PTO Bingo Night (see flyer below)
January 25 Chess Club Session 1 @ 8:00 AM
January 26 Skate Party
January 31 Deadline to Order PRE Spiritwear
February 1 Chess Club Session 2
February 7 Community Service Event (more information coming soon!)
February 8 Chess Club Session 1
February 15 Half day with dismissal @ 12:10 PM, NO CHESS CLUB
February 15-16 Parent/Teacher Conferences
February 16-17 No School Due to Parent/Teacher Conferences
February 20 No School Presidents' Day
February 22 Chess Club Session 2
February 23 2nd Grade Music Program @ 6:30 PM
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place February 15th-16th, 2023. Conferences are in person. If you are unable to attend your student's conference in person, please contact their classroom teacher via email. Sign ups will close 48 hours before conferences start to minimize last minute changes for the teacher. Contact the school office if you have any questions 913-667-1800.
The following link is for conference sign-ups: Spring Conference Signups
If you have questions, please reach out. We look forward to discussing your child’s progress with you.
Making a Difference Award
Please join us in congratulating Christina Russell, a gifted facilitator for USD 232, for being recognized as the USD 232 Making a Difference Award winner for the month December.
A fellow staff member, who valued her recent efforts in working proactively with the community to improve the gifted educational program, nominated her for this award and shared this in their submission:
“Chrissy coordinated an academic triathlon for all students identified as gifted in a three-district area. Her work in putting this on was tireless, and the students who benefitted were paired with those they didn't know and on their same cognitive level -- so it was challenging! Even high school students throughout the USD232 district identified as gifted, who chose to, participated as judges and worked to promote student engagement.”
The USD 232 Education Foundation is currently accepting nominations for the Making a Difference Award for the month of January. Submit your nomination of any USD 232 staff member today! > https://bit.ly/USD232MAD
USD 232 Preschool Enrollment for the 2023-2024 School Year!
USD 232 offers high quality preschool programs for children, ages 3 to 5, that are not yet kindergarten eligible. All programs are half-day, hold low student to adult ratios and use research-based curriculums tied to the Kansas Early Learning Standards. Preschool programs are located in the NEW Cedar Trails Exploration Center at the corner of Mize Blvd & 83rd St., next to Mill Creek Middle School. Grant funded (FREE) preschool spots are available for students who qualify. Transportation (busing) will also be available for grant funded spots and special education services (as determined by IEP team).
Preschool Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year begins on February 13, 2023. On that date, an online application will be available on the USD 232 Early Childhood website at https://www.usd232.org/Page/9209. Paper applications are also available within Cedar Trails Exploration Center (Lenexa, KS) and Starside Elementary (De Soto, KS) offices. All applications must be submitted to the Cedar Trails Office by March 3, 2023 at 4pm, to be considered within the first round of enrollment.
For more information, please visit https://www.usd232.org/Page/8960
Contact the Cedar Trails Office at 913-667-1820 with questions.

Community Service
A HUGE THANKS to the community service leadership students (Ethan Bauer, Bryn Brueggemann, Isabel Carroll, Ella Repp, Wyatt Crowe, Harper Wichmann, Ryleigh Bonewitz, Addi Fulps, Genevieve Sams, Bennett Gower, Ella Schwarz) for organizing the first half of the year with some really impactful work in our community! We have served the following organizations so far: KC Pet Project, Sunflower House, and Shawnee Community Services
We are looking forward to the activities they will be planning for us in Feb, March, and April as well.
On Monday January 16th we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. We encourage families to find a way to serve together. It can be as simple as a helping a neighbor or cleaning a park.
Here are a few sites to help you find a way to give back in your community.
MLK Day celebrations, service events around Kansas City 2023 | The Kansas City Star
Volunteer on MLK Day at the Y | Kansas City YMCA
Bingo Night
Please RSVP for PRE PTO's FREE BINGO NIGHT. By RSVPing you'll help us get a better count for pizza, drinks, and prizes. Thank you!
Pizza will be $1.00 per slice
Pop will be $1.00 per can
Water will be 50¢ per bottle
RSVP Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E4DAFA828AA8-20231

BINGO NIGHT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Please sign up to help at Prairie Ridge PTO Bingo Night on Friday, January 20th. We are looking for help with set-up, during the event and clean up.
We also need a lot of goodies. Equal opportunity sweets... store-bought or homemade are great! PEANUT/NUT FREE cookies, brownies and bars. Disposable containers are preferred. Please label anything you'd like back and deliver to PRE by Friday, January 20th at 4:30 PM.
Volunteer Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e4dafa828aa8-2023#/

Kindergarten Round-up
PRE Spiritwear

First Student Is Hiring!

Double Diamond
The Double Diamond Award is given out every Friday to two classes (one K-2 and one 3-5) that have exemplified specific expectations during their specials classes. Specials teachers 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. Goodman's 1st grade class and Ms. Maybell's 5th grade class won the Double Diamond Award this week. Congratulations!!!
Students of the Week
Linley Beggs
Camila Fuentes
Crew Depperschmidt
Addison Clyne
Josie Brown
Ellie Tavis
Maya Svitak
Maci Devine
William Sollars
Aniston O'Donnell
Maren Gower
Amelia Easter
Klaus Stephensen
Stueve Bullard
Hadley Prater
Lyla Janak
Parker Krier
Ben Hoover
Alex Lloyd
Austin Taylor
Eve Sams
Santana Dickerson
Harrison McWilliams
Cleanest Classroom Golden Broom Winners
K- Robertson rm303
1st- Allison rm405
2nd- Vaughan rm401
3rd- Grayson rm604
4th- Sudac rm605
5th- Vest rm702
Congratulations!

Interested in clinics/camps/extra-curricular activities? Check out our electronic flyer web page!