Community News

Earlier this month, we held the first-annual Steps for Stegman 5K in support of Dr. Bridget Stegman, an instructional coach at Jardine Elementary. We look forward to hosting the walk again next year. Pictured above is the entire Stegman family.

Next week begins our summer program and we are excited about the variety of opportunities.

As we ended the school year and celebrated our graduates, we were all deeply impacted as we learned about the many families who would be attending funerals instead of promotional ceremonies after the horrific tragedy in Uvalde, Texas.

As we promote safety, Topeka Moms Demand Action will be distributing gun safety locks for families again this year during the first days of summer school at Topeka High School and TCALC.

As a reminder, safety measures in our schools include locked doors, cameras, a buzzer system, in addition to our own police department. We also partner with the Topeka Police Department, who has been providing our staff with school shooter training.

If you have any questions about safety measures, please contact your respective principal.

Thank you for your continued support as we address safety and security across Topeka Public Schools.

Dr. Tiffany Anderson

Superintendent

The celebration of life service for Vincent “Tony” DiGennaro Jr, a Jardine Middle School student who passed away last week, was held on Thursday, June 2 at Fellowship Bible Church.

Tony's parents have continued to share gratitude for any support the community can offer, as they planned for services unexpectedly. The funeral home or church can be contacted for those who want to offer support.

Vincent "Tony" DiGennaro’s obituary can be found at this link. We will continue to keep the family uplifted in our thoughts and prayers.

Topeka Public Schools is once again offering a variety of summer enrichment opportunities for students in grades PreK-12, many of which will be underway next week!

The district is keeping our scholars engaged through Summer Enrichment Camps, Extended School Year, the Summer Music Program, Native American Summer Program, and much more.

Summer Enrichment Camps include arts, academics, cooking, robotics, games, and athletics.

To learn more about summer learning opportunities, visit topekapublicschools.net.

Throughout the summer months, our Topeka Public Schools Food Service staff members are dedicated to serving students and families!

Any child in Shawnee County aged 1-18 can receive breakfast and lunch at congregate meal locations across the city. These meals are served free of charge Monday through Friday until July 29.

In addition, families also have the option to pick up Grab and Go meals each Friday, which provide 7 days worth of nutritious breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. Families will receive an orange card the first time they visit, which will then be used to pick up Grab and Go meals in the future.

Visit our website to see a full listing of sites, offerings, and schedules.

Looking for family-friendly fun this summer?

The Kansas Children's Discovery Center has compiled a list of 50+ FREE activities to do in Topeka!

Keep your young scholars engaged through various events, attractions, parks, and education programs across the city.

View the list and learn more at kansasdiscovery.org.

A new documentary featuring Topeka Public Schools and Whitson Elementary School explores the effects of childhood trauma on learning, behavior, and developing relationships.

“Becoming Trauma Responsive,” which initially premiered on PBS-KTWU on February 21, the district’s all-staff Mental Health Day, highlights the work of trauma experts and educators.

The documentary will be distributed nationally by American Public Television this fall. Learn more and watch the documentary here.

Next week, as the district kicks off its Summer Enrichment Camps, volunteers from Topeka Moms Demand Action will distribute gun safety locks to families:

Tuesday, June 7

7:30 - 8:30 AM & 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Topeka High School

800 SW 10th St

Wednesday, June 8

7:30 - 8:30 AM & 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

TCALC

500 SW Tuffy Kellogg Dr

The motto #BeSMART encourages parents and adults to normalize conversations about gun safety and take responsible actions that can prevent child gun deaths and injuries.

The BeSMART framework is:

• Secure all guns in your home and vehicles
• Model responsible behavior around guns
• Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes
• Recognize the role of guns in suicide
• Tell your peers to be SMART

After winning the Regional Championship on May 18, the Topeka High School girls softball team advanced to 2022 State Championship.

The Lady Trojans won the State Championship in last year, and defended their title on May 26 at the Shawnee Mission Softball Complex.

After a tough game against Washburn Rural with a final score of 2-1, Topeka High is still the reigning 6A State Softball Champion.

We are so proud of our outstanding Topeka High scholars and athletes!

On Saturday, May 29, two students from Highland Park High School won state titles at the 5A State Track Championships.

Tre Richardson, a junior, placed 1st in the 200m event. Tre took home 3 medals overall, placing 2nd in the Triple Jump (school record 46’9) and 5th in the Long Jump.

In addition, Victoria Reed, a sophomore, placed first in the 400m dash. She took home 2 medals overall, also placing 6th in the 200m event.

Congratulations to Tre, Victoria, and the many high school athletes who competed this weekend! We are so proud of you. Learn more in this article from the Topeka Capital-Journal.

Is your young scholar ready to begin preschool this fall? Preschool registration is available online at topekapublicschools.net!

In-person registration will be available by appointment only from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM on Wednesday, July 6 at Sheldon Head Start (1155 SW Seabrook). To schedule an appointment, please call 785-438-6899.

When registering your child, you will need to provide the following documents:

• child's immunization records
• child's legal birth certificate
• current physical exam
• parent's 2021 tax return/W-2

In order to receive your first choice of school, register early for the 2022-2023 school year as classes are filling up! Online registration, a school supply list, and the 2022-2023 academic calendar are now available at topekapublicschools.net.

Topeka Public Schools offers endless opportunities for students in preschool through twelfth grade! Learn more about our national award winning PreK-12 Dual Language Program in this video highlighting Scott Dual Language Magnet School.

The district also offers a virtual education program. Homeschool families can register to enroll in the virtual school, which provides students (grades K-12) and adults with both virtual and on-site learning opportunities.

On the last two days of school, Topeka Public Schools celebrated its 5th grade and 8th grade scholars as they took the next step in their education journey.

Promotion ceremonies were held at each elementary and middle school in the district to honor this important milestone.

View photos from the 5th grade and 8th grade promotion ceremonies on Flickr. Congratulations to all of our scholars!

Due to a rain delay, the 29th annual Topeka Public Schools Foundation Benefit Golf Tournament date has been set for Wednesday, June 8 at the GreatLife Shawnee Country Club Golf Course (913 SE 29th St).

The event will begin at 11:00 AM with registration and lunch, followed by an 11:30 AM shotgun start.

Proceeds from the tournament go to the TPS Foundation to support various TPS student and staff services and programs, including scholarships and educational grants.

Learn more about this event on the TPS Foundation website.

The Topeka Public Schools Foundation auction fundraiser is underway!

Items to be auctioned off include a dinner at White Linen, signed sports paraphernalia, a Chiefs helmet from Tyreek Hill, and much more.

All proceeds from the auction benefit Topeka Public Schools programs and services, such as educator grants and student scholarships.

The auction runs now through Monday, June 6 at 8:00 PM. Visit YourCharityAuction.com/TPSFoundation to start bidding!

As you enjoy your summer and begin preparing for next year, please be sure to check out the 2022-2023 academic calendar at topekapublicschools.net.

Below are important dates for June 2022:

• June 6: Summer Enrichment Programs Begin
  View Schedules & Learn More
  
• June 8: TPS Foundation Benefit Golf Tournament
  11:00 AM | GreatLife Shawnee Country Club
• June 13: KAPP Preschool Summer Program Begins
  8:00 AM | Williams Science & Fine Arts Magnet School
• June 16: Board of Education Meeting
  5:30 PM | Burnett Center
• June 19: Juneteenth
• June 30: Board of Education Meeting
  12:00 PM | Burnett Center

• Topeka Public Schools Blog
  
  
• Topeka Public Schools YouTube Channel
  
  
• Board of Education Meeting Minutes & Agenda

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.

Copyright © 2018, All rights reserved.