Community News

We have enjoyed a wonderful start to the fall season. Over the past two weeks, we celebrated Homecoming at Highland Park and Topeka High, and another celebration is just around the corner, as Topeka West will host its Homecoming activities on Friday, October 11.

In September, I met many of our students and families at Homecoming events, Family Fitness Fun Night, and the county marching band exhibition. It has been wonderful seeing so many families attending these events.

Last week, our preschool students at Sheldon Head Start enjoyed a day of shopping for winter attire, courtesy of Advisors Excel. We are so grateful to our community partners for investing in the lives of TPS students.

Throughout October, we are celebrating National Principals Month, National Audiology Awareness Month, National Physical Therapy Month, National Custodial Worker Appreciation Day, National School Lunch Week, and National School Bus Safety Week. Please join us in thanking our incredible school staff as we highlight these individuals on social media.

As a reminder, there will be no school for students on October 14-15 as our staff will be engaged in professional learning. Additionally, Parent Conferences will be held on October 23-24, with no school for students on Thursday or Friday that week. Information on scheduling your conference will be sent by your child's school in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your continued support.

Dr. Tiffany Anderson

Superintendent

As a reminder, there will be no school for students on Monday, October 14 and Tuesday, October 15. During this time, our staff will engage in professional learning activities designed to enhance their teaching strategies in the classroom.

Additionally, please mark your calendars for Parent Conferences on Wednesday, October 23 and Thursday, October 24, and there will be no school for students on Thursday or Friday (October 24-25). Each school will be sending out information on how to schedule your conference.

This is a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and build stronger connections between our families and educators, and we look forward to engaging with you during conferences!

Over the past two weeks, we enjoyed celebrating Homecoming at Highland Park High School and Topeka High School. Each school held a royalty assembly and parade to showcase their school spirit and highlight the Homecoming candidates.

Hoy Hoy! Mighty Troy!

On October 4, Topeka High students, staff, and alumni filled the streets of downtown Topeka with Trojan pride in celebration of the school's 153rd Homecoming. During the Homecoming football game, Alejandra Valera Lopez-Pintor was crowned as Homecoming Queen, and Javion Akins and Detrick "DJ" Johnson tied for Homecoming King, the first tie in the school's history.

At half-time, the Topeka High Trojan Band & Drumline put on a spectacular performance, featuring many alumni and former band members. Learn more in this article from the Topeka Capital-Journal, and view photos in this Flickr album.

It's Great to Be a Scot!

On September 27, Highland Park students, staff, and alumni showcased Scot pride with a parade through the community. That evening, the Homecoming football game at Hummer Sports Park was a shutout, and the Scots have achieved an impressive 4-1 record so far this season. At half-time, Jamon Wilson and Yuridia Garcia Hernandez were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Learn more in this article from the Topeka Capital-Journal, and view photos in this Flickr album.

Upcoming Homecoming Events

We look forward to celebrating our final Homecoming of the season at Topeka West on Friday, October 11 with a Royalty Assembly at 2:00 PM, immediately followed by the parade, then the football game at 7:00 PM at Hummer Sports Park. Go Chargers!

This week, volunteers from Advisors Excel served at Sheldon Head Start, bringing countless smiles to our preschool scholars!

Each year, Advisors Excel adopts Sheldon Head Start and Pine Ridge Prep, and allows each preschooler to choose a new coat, pair of shoes, socks, and winter attire such as hats and gloves.

The shopping day for the preschoolers is set up and facilitated by Advisors Excel staff, filling the school with smiles, laughter, and joy. View photos from the event on Flickr.

The district extends a special thank you to all at Advisors Excel for the generous donation and for their ongoing support of Topeka Public Schools students.

Last week, national best-selling children's author Angela Cervantes, a Topeka native and Highland Park High School alumni, visited several elementary schools, including Scott Dual Language Magnet, as part of their Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.

Students in Scott’s book club read Angela’s most recent book, The Cursed Moon, a spooky story that highlights the experiences of Hispanic characters.

Each student received a copy of the book from their school librarian, and were able to ask thoughtful questions to the author about her work. She then signed each student's copy!

View photos from the event on Flickr.

This week, Topeka Public Schools was excited to announce that Mrs. Lauren Westhoff, who leads the Animal Science Pathway at TCALC, has been awarded a $1,000 "Cash for Classrooms" grant from Charlie's Car Wash.

This grant will provide additional hands-on learning opportunities for students in the pathway, as they dive deeper into the practical aspects of animal care and management.

We thank Charlie's Car Wash for supporting the future leaders of animal science in our community! For more information or to nominate a classroom for future grants, please visit Charlie's Car Wash Classroom Fund.

This week and next, 4th-grade students from across the district are exploring life science during the annual Kanza Science Days field trips!

This enriching experience, hosted in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health & Environment and the Kansas Energy Program at Kanza Education & Science Park, is designed to enhance students' understanding of the natural world.

Additionally, high school students from the Teaching as a Profession Pathway at TCALC have used the field trips as an opportunity for hands-on learning, working the stations to teach the younger students about various subjects on science and technology.

View highlights from some of the field trips in this segment from WIBW.

On October 2, Highland Park High School was buzzing with excitement as students and families took part in a Cultural Teaching & Tasting Fair in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

The event featured music and dancing, education information, and an array of delicious cuisines from various Latin American and South American countries, offering a flavorful journey through Hispanic culture.

We send a special thank you to Highland Park staff members Ms. Irma Labrador and Ms. Tanyea Bingham for supporting students in organizing this event! View photos on Facebook.

October is National Principals Month! While we celebrate educators throughout the year, we will be highlighting principals across the district throughout the month. Learn more about National Principal Month at principalsmonth.org.

Principals and other school leaders will be recognized during the Topeka Public Schools Board of Education meetings on October 3 and 17.

Please take time to let your principal know how very special they are to all of us! Follow us on Facebook to join in the celebration.

Topeka Public Schools would like to recognize our amazing community partners at the United Way of Kaw Valley (UWKV) for their incredible volunteer work during the annual Nancy Perry Day of Caring!

Volunteers at Robinson Middle School built emergency bags for classrooms, and Pine Ridge Parents as Teachers created homemade toys for young children.

We send a special thank you to Mrs. Marie Carter, the district's UWKV Ambassador, as well as Mrs. Stephanie Ford, the UWKV Ambassador who oversees all school district campaigns in Shawnee County. Thanks to their leadership and the efforts of the volunteers, this year’s Day of Giving, which took place on September 19-20, was a great success!

With the help of UWKV funds, local organizations are able to provide essential resources, safety measures, and support to local students and the broader community. We greatly appreciate the continuous support provided to our students and families.

As we celebrate the fall season, families are invited to a free children's costume giveaway, hosted by SENT Topeka, on Saturday, October 12 from 9:00-11:00 AM.

The giveaway will take place at the SENT office at 455 SE Golf Park Blvd and is first-come, first-served - so be there early to secure your favorite look!

This special event will promote children's mental health, offer flu vaccinations, and allow families to shop at The Southside Filling Station, a low-barrier, client-choice food pantry.

Kids can explore fun activities that promote mental wellness, and families can connect with essential community resources — all in one place! Learn more at senttopeka.com.

On Tuesday, October 29, Topeka Public Schools will host the Warm Little Ones Winter Coat Giveaway at Quinton Heights Education Center (2331 SW Topeka Blvd).

Stop by Quinton Heights from 5:00 - 7:00 PM to pick up a free winter coat, hat, gloves, socks, and more for your student! Leading up to this event, Quinton Heights will be accepting donations of new or gently used winter coats that will be donated during the event.

For questions or additional details, please contact Fred Willer at fwiller@tps501.org.

To ensure the continued health and safety of our community, starting September 30, the Campus Care Clinic located at Topeka High School shifted exclusively to providing telemedicine services. The clinic is committed to maintaining high-quality care for all TPS students, staff, and families through virtual appointments.

Scheduling a Virtual Appointment: To arrange your virtual consultation, please call the clinic at 785-295-3256 and leave a voicemail, or send an email to THSCampusCare@KUMC.edu. All messages will be promptly returned. Additionally, ensure all required registration forms are completed online here.

Flu Vaccinations Update: Please note, we will not be administering flu vaccinations for the 2024-2025 season. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we adapt to these new arrangements to continue serving you safely and effectively.

As our families plan for the 2024-2025 school year, view the academic calendar, which is available on the Communications Department menu.

Below are important dates for October 2024:

• September 15 - October 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
• October 1-30: National Principals Month
• October 1-30: National Audiology Awareness Month
  
• October 1-30: National Physical Therapy Month
• October 2: National Custodial Workers Appreciation Day
• October 2: National Walk to School Day
• October 3: Board of Education Meeting
  5:30 PM | Burnett Center
• October 14-18: National School Lunch Week
• October 14-15: NO SCHOOL
  Staff Development Days
• October 16: Boss's Day
• October 17: Board of Education Meeting
  5:30 PM | Burnett Center
• October 21-25: National School Bus Safety Week
• October 23: Kansas School Transportation Appreciation Day
• October 23-31: Red Ribbon Week
• October 23-24: Parent Teacher Conferences
  Look for scheduling information from your child's teacher
• October 24-25: NO SCHOOL
  School Not in Session
• October 31: Fall Festivities

Stay up-to-date with everything you need to know about the 2024 Kansas Legislative Session on the Current Events page at kslegislature.org.

• 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.