Sheldon Update
Sheldon's Weekly Family Newsletter - 1.16.24
Welcome from Mrs. Tanner
Dear Sheldon Families,
Well, January weather sure has kept life exciting! We hope you are all staying safe and warm. We are excited to welcome students back tomorrow. With the city's water boil order in effect, we will be taking several measures to ensure safety:
- Students will be provided bottled water.
- Hand sanitizer will be available.
- Food service has been adjusted to ensure preparation with clean water and safe handling.
Click here to access the 2023-2024 Family Handbook.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me!
Thank you for the privilege of serving you ~
Mrs. Gabrielle Tanner, Principal
New Proposed Head Start Performance Standards - Comment Period Open
The Office of Head Start is proposing changes to the Head Start Performance Standards, which are the set of regulations that programs are held accountable to. On November 20, 2023, the proposed standards were released and are open for public comment for 60 days. The comment period closes on January 19, 2024 and a determination on whether to implement these changes will be made after that date. You may click this link to read the proposed standards and access several items, including documents and webinars, that make these changes clear.
Upcoming Events
January Events
January 18: Board of Education Meeting @ 5:30
January 23: Dinner with Dudes @ 5:30-6:30
January 25: Fire Safety Lesson
January 29: Kansas Day
January 30: TSCPL StoryTime
School Information
FCC Grant for Chromebook
Does your family have a need for a computer in order for you student to continue learning activities or engage with the school? USD501 has Chromebooks available for families through a grant with the FCC. If you are interested, please reach out to Mrs. Tanner.
Sheldon Shirts
All students should have received their blue Sheldon Sharks t-shirt. We encourage students to join us in wearing their Sheldon shirt EVERY FRIDAY of the school year!
School Day Hours
Monday through Thursday: 9:15 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Arrival begins: 9:15 a.m.
Arrival ends: 9:30 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 9:35 a.m.)
Dismissal begins: 3:45 p.m.
Dismissal ends: 4:00 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 4:00 p.m.)
Late Start Fridays (every Friday): 10:15 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Arrival begins: 10:15 a.m.
Arrival ends: 10:30 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 10:35 a.m.)
Dismissal begins: 3:45 p.m.
Dismissal ends: 4:00 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 4:00 p.m.)
Time to Eat!
Important Information
TPS Weather Notifications
As the weather begins to cool, we want to remind families and staff of school closing notification procedures. When making 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
To sign up for text message updates, text Y to 67587. To learn more about school delays and closures, please review our How We Communicate With Families document.
TPS 2023-2024 Academic Calendar
Sheldon Head Start follows the Topeka Public Schools Academic Calendar.
Policy & Procedure Review
Each week the Sheldon staff reviews one of our Head Start Policies & Procedures and felt it was important that families stay up to date on these as well. This quarter our focus is on Family Service and Parent Involvement. If you ever have any questions regarding our policies and procedures, please reach out!
**At this time, we are conducting a review and update of all Sheldon Head Start Policies & Procedures. We will resume including these in the weekly newsletter when all updates are complete and approved by the Policy Council and Board of Education.
Community Resources
LIEAP
The Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is a Federally funded program that helps eligible households pay a portion of their home energy costs by providing a one-time per year benefit.
The 2024 LIEAP application period will begin December 18, 2023 and will continue until the close of business on Friday, March 29, 2024. Once the application period begins, you can apply online by clicking on "Apply for Services" at the top of this page. If you would rather receive a paper application or if you have questions about an application you've submitted, you can call 1.888.369.4777. Click here for more information and the application.
Topeka Resources Checklist
Community Resources Council Directory
If in need of resources, you can also contact the United Way by dialing 211.
Sheldon Head Start Child Development Center
Website: https://sheldon.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 1155 SW Seabrook Ave.
Phone: 785-438-4530
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheldonChildDevelopmentCenterHeadStart