The Eagle Soars
Sunflower Elementary - December 7, 2018
About Us
Email: jacobsc@usd231.com
Website: www.usd231.com/se
Location: 775 North Center Street, Gardner, KS, USA
Phone: 913-856-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sunflower-Elementary-2134875270174250/
Twitter: @SEEagles231
Things to Put on Your Calendar!
Monday, December 10
PTO Dining Night at Planet Sub 4:00 - 10:00 pm
Shining Star Recognition of James "Red" Ingle at Board of Education Mtg 6:00 pm
Wednesday, December 12
4th Grade Choir Caroling at Leisure Homes
Thursday, December 13
Happy Bear presentation for Kdg and 1st Grade
Building Junkbots 3:30 - 4:30 pm (see below for registration information)
Friday, December 14
Sunflower's Got Talent (during grade level specials)
PTO Parents' Night Out 6:00 - 9:00 pm
View our online calendar (select individual events for more details):
SHINING STAR
Congratulations to James (Red) Ingle, Evening Custodian at Sunflower Elementary, for being selected as one of second quarter Shining Stars for USD231!
Red will be recognized at the Board of Education meeting at 6 pm on Monday, December 10, for his outstanding service to USD 231 students and staff.
If your schedule allows, join us at the meeting and show your support for Red and his strong work ethic. Way to go, Red!
ISO RECYCLED MATERIALS
Building Junkbots (Robots from Recycled Materials)
To celebrate Computer Science Education Week, USD 231 is offering a FREE after school "Maker" session!
Join Dr. Tracy Platt, USD 231 Technology Integration Specialist, for after school fun for one night only! In this FREE session, students will be working with "Building Junkbots" -- Robots from Recycled Materials.
Grade Level: Grades 3-4
Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: Sunflower Library
Cost: FREE
Date: December 13
**You may only attend at your home school**
**20 students max per session**
**You must arrange to pick up your child at 4:30 pm**
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FREE AFTER SCHOOL SESSION FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK
Happy Bear Presentation for Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Happy Bear is part of P.S. It's My Body! which is a child abuse prevention program at Sunflower House, a center that serves Wyandotte and Johnson Counties. Sunflower House has performed the Happy Bear play for more than 34 years in area elementary schools and preschools. A trained Sunflower House staff member will present the program, which will discuss recognizing welcome and unwelcome touches. The play incorporates humor and audience participation to allow children to teach Happy Bear about personal safety.
By talking with our young children about these important safety issues, we will create a safer community for all children. If you have further questions about the Happy Bear program, please refer to the Happy Bear section of this website: http://www.sunflowerhouse.org/education/p-s-happy-bear.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION IF YOU ARE GOING OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS
It's 3rd Grade's Turn for a Family Fun Fitness Night!
Cold Weather and Recess Policy
There will be no outside recess when:
- The temperature is 20 degrees or below,
- The wind chill index is 20 degrees or below, and/or
- There is significant precipitation.
Teachers may take their class out briefly for fresh air at their discretion. Students should be prepared for sudden changes in Kansas weather. Dress appropriately!
Holiday Assistance
Nurse's Notes
Park and Walk Parking Lot
If you are using the crosswalk to safely escort your child to the building, the "Park & Walk" lot is available for this purpose. This is used for the same purpose in the afternoon during dismissal.
A Note from the District Office
A change in the student use of microwaves in Sunflower’s cafeteria will be taking place beginning January 7, 2019. The microwaves currently accessible to students will no longer be available. No other elementary school in USD 231 has microwaves available for student use. There are several reasons for the removal of Sunflower’s microwaves. Chief among them is student safety. A microwave can pose potential risks for children. The most common microwave injury is burns. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children can be burned by removing dishes from the microwave, spilling hot foods or liquids, opening containers, and eating food that is cooked unevenly or has hot spots. Secondly, Sunflower has seen an increase in the number of students needing to use microwaves at all grade levels. This has resulted in longer wait times and a decrease in the amount of time students have to eat their food. Finally, time spent assisting students with pre-packaged meals limits the active supervision adults can provide to all students.
It is recommended foods prepared at home be transported in insulated containers so they are ready to eat with no further heating or preparation needed. USD 231 Nutrition staff are not able to re-heat foods brought from home in the Sunflower kitchen.
I appreciate your support as we make this change at Sunflower Elementary School.
Christi Whitter
Director of Elementary Education
Enroll Now for the Next Session of Young Rembrandts!
Join the USD231 Team
Sunflower Site Council Meetings 2018-2019
The Sunflower Site Council will be meeting at 6 pm in the library on the following dates: 9/11/18, 11/13/18, 2/5/19, 4/9/19.
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.