News From RStar512
Week of January 28th - February 1st
Want to Recognize A Staff Member?!
Kindness Tunnel
I am reaching out to you because SMSD is participating in a Kindness Challenge Week from Jan. 28 - Feb. 1. During this week, schools across the district are celebrating acts of kindness, and the district is encouraging students, teachers, and staff to find ways to celebrate and promote kindness.
At Rising Star Elementary we are going to be celebrating Kindness Challenge Week through gratitude and kindness lessons in the library, photographing acts of kindness, creating a kindness tunnel, and much more—and we need your help with the kindness tunnel!
A kindness tunnel is a line of community members, parents, and staff giving high-fives and warm welcomes to students as they go to their classroom. This would be an excellent way to finish the week strong with highlighting how the community can show gratitude. An example of our kindness tunnel last year can be found here: https://youtu.be/YIpsIxDoN28
If you or your organization would like to help us make our kindness tunnel a reality, Rising Star will host this event on Friday, February 1 from 7:50 AM -8:15 AM. We will welcome students as they come through the hallway to the classroom and charge them up for a fantastic Friday! On that date and time, volunteers will enter through the office, and we will direct you to your positions at that time!
If you would like to attend this event, please RVSP here: https://goo.gl/forms/ud7iWbxJr3fXaA8p1 The more community members , families, and partners, the better! Please do not hesitate to contact Ryan Wilson atRyanWilson@smsd.org or Tammy Horn atTammyHorn@smsd.org if you have any questions about this event!
BINGO Bash & Silent Auction
Free Bingo, Prizes & Photo Booth
Dinner: Jason's Deli Dinner Box with our choice of Ham, Turkey, Chicken Salad or Vegetarian with chips, pickle and cookie for only $5! Make sure to RSVP here to guarantee your dinner. All other dinners are First come, first serve. Click Here to RSVP
Concessions: Candy, Soda Pop, Water & Popcorn
Silent Auction: Check out the Rising Star 2019 Silent Auction online NOW!!!
- More items are being uploaded every day!
- Choose which items you want to watch now, bidding begins on 1/25!
- Bidding will transition to Live Auction on February 1st. If you can't come to the event.
- Consider the Buy It Now Option!
- We are unable to ship gift baskets but can ship Gift Cards for bidders outside of Lenexa.
- See our Silent Auction Website here
How can you help?
Friday, Feb 1, 2019, 06:00 PM
Rising Star Elementary School, Candlelight Lane, Lenexa, KS, USA
Join Girls on the Run!
- What we do: Inspire girls to recognize their inner strength & celebrate what makes them one of a kind. Trained coaches lead girls through our curricula which includes discussions, activities & running games.
- Girls in 3rd-6th grade develop essential life skills over the course of 10 weeks. The program ends with girls completing a service project & being prepared to complete a 5k event.
- Online registration opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday, February 9 at www.gotrkc.org.
- Our season begins the week of February 25 and concludes on May 10. Mark your calendar for the celebratory Girls on the Run Spring 5K at Children's Mercy Park (home of Sporting KC) on Saturday, May 4.
- NEW! Register early for the opportunity to enroll in our 3-month payment plan! For details about our fall season, visit www.gotrkc.org. Financial assistance available upon request.
MVP Trainings NOW AVAILABLE at Rising Star!
Are you interested in becoming a My Volunteer Pal (MVP) at Rising Star? We are now offering training sessions at Rising Star that are flexible with your schedule! If you would like to schedule a training, please click here: https://goo.gl/forms/Lv7lJ8rLuFQmuONp2
The My Volunteer Pal (MVP) program is the volunteer program for all Shawnee Mission Schools. MVP connects adult volunteers with students ages Pre-kindergarten to age 18. Volunteer Pals choose from a range of in-school activities, including:
* School Field Trips
* Mentoring
* Serving as a Lunch or Recess Buddy
* Weekly or Monthly Classroom Volunteer
* Chat ‘n Chew
* After-School Program Volunteer
Volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, and all activities take place on school grounds during school hours, with the exception of field trips.
If you’re unsure if you need MVP training, or if you have further questions, please direct questions to RyanWilson@smsd.org for help!
No-Birthday Treat Guidelines Reminder
Our elementary school is implementing a “no birthday treats” guideline. This decision was made after much thought and discussion at the building and district level. There are a variety of reasons why we made this change, the main one being to coordinate with our district’s wellness policy on making healthy choices, in alignment with federal regulations.
Other rationale for restricting treats at school include the following concerns:
- Allergies: Due to the increasing number of students with food allergies, schools have had to be extremely careful with any food items entering the school building. It is a safety issue and something that we need to take very seriously.
- Promoting Healthy Lifestyle: The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in six school-age children are overweight; triple the proportion in 1980. The agency has projected that one in three children born in 2000 will eventually develop a form of diabetes linked to being overweight.
- Equity: Some parents are not able to provide treats for their child on birthdays or special days because of financial hardships.
The purpose of this change is to assure a school environment that promotes and protects students’ health, well- being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating, physical activity and healthy choices. This change brings together current research to create guidelines that help us with healthy choices for all of our students. If you are interested in reading the district’s policy on wellness, it is available on the District website.
Classroom teachers will continue to recognize and celebrate children on their special day in special ways.
Thanks in advance for your flexibility and for caring about the health of our students.
6th Grade Baby Photos
Each year, the Rising Star yearbook displays baby pictures of our graduating 6th grade students!
Please submit a baby photo of your child to risingstar.yearbook@gmail.com. Include your name and student name along with the picture.
High resolution, digital pictures are preferred.
If you need to send a hard copy of a photo, please send your photo to school in an envelope marked "6th grade baby photos". Please be sure contact information is included on the photo so it can be returned & please include your student's first & last name.
Please submit pictures by Friday, February 1st to be included in the yearbook. These photos may also be included in the 6th grade graduation in May. (Baby photos will be cropped so it will basically be a head/shoulders shot - if that helps you pick that "perfect" photo!)
Items & Support Needed!
The Rising Star Bingo Bash and Silent Auction is February 1st! This is the last fundraiser of 2019!
Want a fun way to support our school, please consider donating a Silent Auction Gift Basket. Need ideas - check Google or Pinterest for Silent Auction Ideas!
Click here to sign up!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4DACA729AA8-rising2
Own or have contacts to a local business that might consider donating a Basket or Gift Certificate? Please consider donating to this great cause.
All donations are Tax deductible, we can provide you with our IRS nonprofit info upon request.
Please contact us if you have any questions!
- Christina Middleton - middletonjs4@gmail.com
- Jen Hight - JHight503@gmail.com
Rising Star PTA Fundraising Team
Next Chat 'n Chew Dates
Chat & Chew Books & Dates
Books can be found in our Rising Star Library, in most teacher’s classrooms, at the Johnson County Library & of course on Amazon or in brick & mortar stores. If you choose to purchase the books for your student, please consider donating them at the end of the year so that we can have more copies available to lend out each year. Donated books can be given to Mr. Wilson in the library. Thank you!
*Chat & Chew Party: Those students who have read & attended at least 3 Chat & Chew book sessions are invited to bring their lunch & their favorite book to share with their peers.
(Chat & Chew is held in the classroom during the student’s lunch period)
Future Chat 'n Chew Dates
West is Best Scholarship Fund
Follow Us On Social Media
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Website: https://risingstar.smsd.org/
Location: 8600 Candlelight Lane, Lenexa, KS 66215
Phone: (913) 993-4500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RStar512/
Twitter: @RStar512