Community News
Topeka Public Schools | 12/5/2022
Message from the Superintendent
Dear Topeka Public Schools Staff and Families:
I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I am so very grateful for our incredible staff and families. As we approach the holiday season, I have been reminded countless times of the overflowing love, generosity, and support in Topeka. Our community is amazing!
Our students and staff have been spreading joy throughout the community through family events, musicals, fine arts activities, and through our participation in the Miracle on Kansas Avenue Parade. We have enjoyed seeing many of our families at these events.
Thank you for supporting our holiday family adoption process, which has given us opportunities to donate gifts to families in need. We greatly appreciate our incredible staff and students.
Over the past week, we truly saw love in action through the generosity of our community partners at Advisors Excel, who adopted numerous students at every school for the holiday season. This is a season of caring and sharing, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to experience the holiday with our Topeka family.
As we prepare for Winter Break, please remember inclement weather days that require schools to be closed will be traditional snow days with no remote learning. We are hopeful that the beautiful weather continues.
Happy holidays from my family to yours!
Dr. Tiffany Anderson
Superintendent
Advisors Excel Partners With TPS to Take Students on Holiday Shopping Spree
Students spend several hours paired with Advisors Excel employees, who help them pick out new toys, clothes, shoes, and more, as they were given free rein to pick out anything they wanted. Our elementary students even received a special visit from Mrs. Claus (also known as Dr. Anderson)!
The district extends special thanks to Advisors Excel for their continued support of our students and community! View highlights from the event on Facebook and Flickr.
Jardine Middle School Student Leads Miracle on Kansas Avenue Parade
Lorenzo Perez, an eighth-grader at Jardine Middle School, served as the parade's Junior Grand Marshal! Dr. Jerry Farley, who recently retired after 25 years of service to Washburn University, served as Grand Marshal.
Lorenzo is an outstanding scholar who is active in band, fitness clubs, improv, and basketball, and after school, he has achieved a Star rank in his Boy Scouts of America Troop.
We enjoyed celebrating the start of the holiday season with so many families from across Topeka!
TPS Announces 2022 Holiday Card Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our 2022 Topeka Public Schools Holiday Card Contest!
- Daryea Flag: Quincy Elementary, 4th Grade
- Camille Clark: Jardine Elementary, 5th Grade
The winning designs will be featured by the district as we send virtual and print cards this holiday season! In addition, each winning school and family will receive print copies.
You can view each of the winners and even send their beautiful artwork as an e-card at topekapublicschools.net. The winners will be highlighted throughout this month on Facebook, Twitter, and the district TV station.
TPS Music Teacher Honored With 2022 Outstanding Young Band Educator Award
Garrett Jones, an instrumental music instructor at Meadows Elementary, Robinson Middle School, and Topeka High School, has been selected as the winner of the 2022 Northeast Kansas Music Educators Association Outstanding Young Band Educator Award.
Mr. Jones was recognized and presented with a plaque at the District Mini-Convention Band Concert on Saturday, December 3 at Seaman High School.
We congratulate Mr. Jones on this well-deserved recognition! He is an innovative and dedicated music teacher who is loved by the students and staff at all of the schools he serves.
Shawnee County Farm Bureau Donates to Pay Off Student Meal Accounts
As part of the Shawnee County Farm Bureau Ending Hunger Campaign, the generous donation of $1,750 will be applied to student accounts who have a negative meal balance to assist families in need.
Students who receive a donation to help pay down or pay off their meal balance will receive a letter identifying the Shawnee County Farm Bureau as the donor.
We are so grateful to our community partners at the Shawnee County Farm Bureau for their investment in Topeka Public Schools students and families!
TPS Celebrates American Education Week & Hosts Community Leaders as Principal for a Day
This year's special guests included state legislators, Sen. Brenda Dietrich, Rep. Fred Patton, and Rep. Virgil Weigel, elected representatives Dr. Kirk Haskins and Pastor Tobias Schlingensiepen, as well as Mayor Mike Padilla, City Manager Steve Wade, and many other community leaders.
Melissa Brunner, an anchor with over 25 years of service to WIBW, took viewers on a behind the scenes tour of what it's like to be the principal of Topeka High School, where she visited with Sean Dixon, the Executive Director of Visit Topeka.
Topeka Public Schools extends special thanks to all our community partners for their ongoing support of our students! View photos from each school on Flickr.
TPS Students Showcase Their Coding & Robotics Skills
On Saturday, Topeka Public Schools students from across the district competed in the fall Lego Robotics competition at TCALC.
Middle school teams kicked off the event with the Robot Games, followed by the elementary grade 4-5 teams. Students used robots they'd built along with their coding skills to complete challenges within the time limit.
Elementary students in grades 2-3 then presented wind energy projects they completed in Lego League throughout the semester to the judges.
Our TPS school board President, Lalo Muñoz, and Vice President, Sue Bolley, also took part in the event, where they observed these students teaching and learning new skills with one another.
View highlights from these exciting events on Facebook and Flickr.
Eisenhower Middle School Boys Soccer Team Wins First City Championship
On November 21, the Eisenhower Middle School boys soccer team earned a historic win, their first city championship!
The Eagles defeated the Landon Lancers in the City Championship game 2-0. Both teams showed fantastic skill and sportsmanship, and we are so proud of all of our Eisenhower and Landon scholars.
Earlier this year, the Eisenhower Lady Eagles volleyball team also secured their 1st city championship. It has truly been a historic year for athletics at Eisenhower Middle School!
TPS Hosts College Fine Arts Fair for Juniors & Seniors at TCALC
On November 18, Topeka Public Schools hosted its annual College Fine Arts Fair at the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning & Careers (TCALC).
Students had the opportunity to learn about pursuing, continuing, or participating in fine arts during college. Faculty members and admissions counselors were on-site for auditions, portfolio reviews, and to answer questions.
The fair featured over 30 different colleges and universities from as far away as Wisconsin. Learn more and view highlights in this segment from WIBW.
Join Us on December 27 for Kwanzaa at the Capitol Celebration
Families are invited to join us at the Kansas Statehouse at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, December 27 for Kwanzaa at the Capitol! Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration that honors African heritage in African-American culture.
The Historic St. Mark’s AME Church will host the fourth annual Kwanzaa Service, featuring remarks from Gov. Laura Kelly, TPS Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Anderson, and the Director of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission.
The service will also feature a candle-lighting service to honor the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa: Unity, Self-Determination, Responsibility, Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.
TPS to Celebrate Mid-Year Graduates in January 2023
Topeka Public Schools high schools are hosting mid-year graduation ceremonies on Thursday, January 26 for students who are eligible to graduate at mid-year.
Each school will hold its own ceremony, which will also be streamed live on the respective high school's Youtube page. Schools will reach out to graduates and families with more information in the coming weeks.
Ceremony times are as follows:
- Topeka West High School: 8:30 AM
- Topeka High School: 9:30 AM
- Highland Park High School: 5:00 PM
TPS Weather Notifications
As we make decisions about closing school, a number of factors come into play, including the safety of travel but also the safety of students who will be home during the day.
Should school be canceled, we will:
- Send a text, email, and/or phone call via SchoolMessenger
- Update the district social media pages
- Update the district website
- Contact our local media partners
Stay Updated on Transportation With the Here Comes the Bus App
Parents can stay updated on transportation by downloading the Here Comes the Bus app!
- View the real-time location of your child’s bus.
- Access the app from your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
- Receive push notifications or email alerts.
- Send your child to the bus stop at just the right time.
How to get started:
- Download the Here Comes the Bus app or visit herecomesthebus.com
- Sign Up by visiting the Here Comes the Bus website.
- Enter school code 29036 and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
- Complete the “User Profile” box
- Under “My Students,” click “Add" then enter your child’s last name and student ID number
- Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus!
COVID-19 Self-Reporting Form Available on TPS Website
If your student has tested positive for COVID-19 or had a COVID exposure, please complete the TPS COVID-19 Self-Reporting form at topekapublicschools.net by clicking the "Report a COVID-19 Exposure" button on our homepage.
Once you have completed the form, TPS Nursing Services will contact you with more information, including a return to school date and information on Test to Learn options.
During Winter Break, if you have self-reported using the form and your student needs to remain at home instead of returning on January 5, you will receive communication from TPS Nursing Services.
Your child should not return to school until given guidance from school health officials.
TPS Moving to Synergy Student Information System in 2023
Beginning July 1, 2023, Topeka Public Schools is moving to a new fully integrated Student Information System, Synergy by Edupoint.
This one system will replace the district's current student information system into one platform that will host and manage student data in an efficient and user-friendly manner.
Synergy will provide access to both parents and students, just like our current system. However, with Synergy, Parents/Guardians will use a single sign-on to access all of their children’s information regardless of school.
As part of the seamless Synergy Education Platform, Synergy SIS enables schools and districts to easily extend functionality to include online registration, CI3T, assessment, analytics, and special education management in a single platform.
More information will be shared with families in the coming months.
District School Surplus Auction to be Held on December 10
Learn more about available items by viewing the event flyer. For more information, please contact Lucy Nixon at 785-295-3912.
District Calendar & Upcoming Events
Please note that schools will be closed from December 19, 2022 - January 4, 2023 for Winter Break. We hope our students have a terrific end of the semester and holiday season! View the full 2022-2023 academic calendar at topekapublicschools.net.
- December 15: Board of Education Meeting
12:00 PM | Burnett Center - December 19 - January 4: Winter Break
No School | School Resumes on January 5
TPS Tip Line
- 785-GET-HELP
- 785-438-4357
TPS In The News
TPS Parent Resource Site
View information and health alerts from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on our Parent Resource Site.
The Topeka Public Schools, Unified School District No. 501 is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunity. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin or ancestry be denied lawful access to any appropriate educational service, program or activity provided by the school district. For students, the Title VI, Title IX and Section 504 compliance coordinator compliance coordinator is the General Counsel for the district. For employment, the EEO/AA and Title VII compliance officer is the general director of human resources. Compliance coordinators may be contacted at 624 S.W. 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294, (785) 295-3000.The clerk of the Board of Education has been designated to receive and redirect or handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, regulations and procedures. The clerk may be contacted by calling (785) 295-3059 or by writing to 624 S.W. 24th Street, Topeka, Kansas 66611-1294.
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