2023 Fall-Winter Newsletter
November 2023
Fort Leavenworth Families,
Welcome to the latest edition of the USD 207 Newsletter! We are thrilled to have this opportunity to keep you informed and engaged in the exciting happenings within our school district. Included are some highlights, along with a few important announcements and a sneak peek into upcoming events.
Remember, we're just an email away if you have any questions or need further support!
USD 207 Building Hours
- District Office/Elementary Office Hours, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
- Junior High Office Hours, 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
USD 207 Building Contacts
- USD 207 District Office: 913-651-7373
- Bradley Elementary: 913-651-6915
- Eisenhower Elementary: 913-651-6663
- MacArthur Elementary: 913-651-6517
- Patton Junior High: 913-651-7371
Dates to Remember
- Wednesday, November 8: USD 207 Project Family Night at Patton
- Thursday, November 9: USD 207 Project Family Nights at Bradley, Eisenhower, and MacArthur
- Friday, November 10: No School - Veterans Day
- Thursday, November 16: Thanksgiving Lunches
- Wednesday, November 22 - Friday, November 24: No School - Thanksgiving Break
- Friday, December 15: Half Day of School, No School for Pre-School
Thanksgiving Break
- All school buildings will be closed from Wednesday, November 22 - Friday, November 24, 2023.
- The District Office will be closed from Wednesday, November 22 - Friday, November 24, 2023.
- Beginning Monday, November 27, 2023, the front office of each school building, as well as, the District Office will resume daily operations.
Students return from Thanksgiving Break on Monday, November 27, 2023.
Winter Break
- All school buildings will be closed from Monday, December 18, 2023 - Monday, January 1, 2024.
- The District Office will be closed from Wednesday, December 20, 2023 - Monday, January 1, 2024.
- Beginning Tuesday, January 2, 2024, the front office of each school building, as well as, the District Office will resume daily operations.
Students return from Winter Break on January 3, 2024.
Message from the USD 207 Board of Education
Fort Leavenworth School District Families,
What a great start to our school year, and it’s all because of the support of our community, our parents, our teachers and staff, and our students. At USD 207, it’s truly a team effort to grow our students, to ensure our teachers and staff are the most highly qualified in the state and nation, and to continue to strengthen our relationships with the Garrison and the Leavenworth community.
That teamwork was on full display already this year. From the way our student-athletes have competed on the sports field, not just the scores but, more importantly, their sportsmanship, to the way our students have turned out to participate in extra-curricular activities at all four of our schools. That teamwork continues with our parents, partnering together with each other and our teachers and staff to ensure the learning environment for each student is productive and that our teachers and staff feel supported and appreciated. The partnership between our District leaders and our community leaders continues to be visible throughout our District activities and the continued fight for better educational opportunities for our students and teachers and staff.
As we keep our eye on the end of 2023, stay focused on all the positive, taking those lessons we’ve learned from our Character Strong curriculum (ask your student about the Student Dare from Character Strong) and continue to stay plugged in, with your students, with your teachers and staff, with the District because teamwork looks good on us all year long.
Mrs. Jackie Williams
Member, Board of Education
USD 207
USD 207 - Project Family Night
Get ready to mark your calendars! We have an exciting, hands-on experience just around the corner that you won't want to miss.
As shared in our previous district newsletter, USD 207 is fortunate to be a recipient of multiple grants as part of the DoDEA Education Partnership Grant Program, which awards funds to school districts with military-connected populations to support future-ready success.
We invite families to join us for an engaging evening, highlighting sustained programs supported by the following grant awards.:
2022 - Project WIN: Well-Defined Individualized Novel Interventions (Current)
2021 - Project ARMIES: Anchoring Reading and Math In Exercise (Health) Sciences (Current)
2019 - Project PLTW: Project Lead The Way (Current)
2017 - Project READ: Reading and Writing Effective Across All Disciplines
2016 - Project LEADSS: Leadership, Education, and Development of Social Skills
2015 - Project PRIME: Response to Intervention (RTI) in Mathematics
Federal Impact Aid
USD 207 has a high enrollment of federally connected students, making us a heavily impacted school district. Once a year, we are required by law to report each federally connected student to the Impact Aid Program of the US Department of Education in Washington, DC in order to receive federal funding. Impact Aid was designed to assist local school districts offset the loss of property tax revenue for those on Federal property with tax exempt status.
Impact Aid Parent-Pupil Electronic Survey Forms have been sent through your Skyward Family Access account. Please take a moment to complete and submit as soon as you are able.
If you are having trouble logging into Skyward Family Access, please reach out to us for support!
Message from Melissa Hurley, Director of Food Service
Thanksgiving Lunches
The Food Services Department is excited to bring our school community together for a special Thanksgiving Lunch. Our students cordially invite parents and siblings to join them on Thursday, November 16, 2023!
Guest meals are $2.90 each. Your lunch WILL be charged to your student's account - NO CASH PLEASE!
*Patton Junior High will offer an additional fruit and vegetable choice.
VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers will be needed to help prep, serve, and clean up (9:00 am - 1:30 pm). Please indicate on your response if you are interested in volunteering and include the timeframe you are available. All volunteers need to complete the USD 207 Volunteer Application.
Use the buttons below to respond by November 14! See you there!
Food Service Payments can be completed through Skyward Family Access AND RevTrak.
Message from Amanda Nonnemaker, Director of Military Support
International Day Celebration
Many photos in this newsletter showcase student engagement from grades 1-9 as they rotated through vivid cultural displays from 16 countries, while marking their postcards and reflecting on learning.
Transition Support
Transitioning in a military family can be challenging, and having a dedicated team to provide support, foster a sense of belonging, and connect with community resources can make a significant difference. If you have any specific questions or if there's anything else we can assist you with, please feel free to reach out. We would love to help!
Inclement Weather Policy
Inclement weather can be a cause for concern, especially for parents and guardians whose children attend school. USD 207's Inclement Weather Policy is in place to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
In the event schools are closed for the day, USD 207 will make a determination for closing by 6:00 AM. Following the determination, notice will be provided to households via Skylert message. Additional notifications will be provided to all major television stations in the KC area, as well as, the Installation Operations Center (IOC) Office.
USD 207 will not dismiss school early or participate in delayed entry. Once the school day starts, we will remain open until normal dismissal and will be open as usual unless closed for the day.
Families may choose to keep their children home or pick-up early due to inclement weather conditions. These absences will be excused and work missed may be made up without penalty.
Click here to view the USD 207 Inclement Weather Policy in entirety.
Fort Leavenworth has a separate decision authority for operations. Click here for Fort Leavenworth post operations status and road conditions.
Special Services
USD 207 provides special education services in the least restrictive environment, to the maximum extent appropriate, based on a student's individual needs. In Kansas, gifted services are provided through Special Education and, therefore, follow Special Education eligibility processes and procedures.
913-758-6044
Military and Family Counselors
School Safety
The safety of our students, staff, and families is a priority. While we currently have multiple layers of security in place, the additional safety/security features below have been implemented this school year.
Visitor Aware
Visitor Aware is a visitor and volunteer management system utilized to increase the accountability of individuals granted access to our buildings. Within each secure vestibule, visitors and volunteers will be screened prior to entry by scanning a valid driver’s license (military IDs are not accepted by the software). If approved, a visitor or volunteer badge will print. These badges must be visible at all times while in our buildings.
Centegix
The Centegix CrisisAlert system is an internal support for student and staff safety. Each staff member is assigned an individual alert badge that communicates with beacons located throughout our facilities when activated. CrisisAlert then notifies key personnel with clear and critical information necessary to promptly respond to emergencies.
Ballistic Film
A ballistic film has been approved for installation on all ground level-accessible windows/doors and all school building vestibules/entryways. The film functions to mitigate hazards from shattered glass and delay intruder attempts.
Bike Rider and Walker Safety
Last year, families requested information regarding bicycle and walker safety. Please share relevant information with your students to help us maintain safety in our community. Awareness is key!
LTC Cronkhite, Director & Provost Marshall, DES, shares the following bullets during Newcomers Briefings. These important reminders are based on DES observations and are applicable to children and adults.
Policy References
The Fort Leavenworth Safety Office provided the following references that support bicycle and walker safety.
- Fort Leavenworth Command Policy Memo: Individual runners/walkers must run/walk on sidewalks when available. If no sidewalk exists, the road shoulder may be used. Running/walking in the street will be the last resort.
- CAC & FTLVN Reg 190-5 - Motor Vehicle Traffic Supervision
PARENTS AS TEACHERS
The Fort Leavenworth School District (USD 207) partners with Leavenworth/Fort Leavenworth Parents as Teachers (PAT), a free parent education program. This program offers information, support, and encouragement to parents with the goal of fostering optimal child development during early years of life. Residents of the Leavenworth (USD 453) or Fort Leavenworth (USD 207) School Districts who are pregnant or have a child under 3 years of age are eligible for enrollment.
Services include:
- Personal visits
- Group connections
- Playgroups
- Screenings
- Links with other community resources