Email: dupreet@usd231.com
Website: https://www.usd231.com/o/sunflower
Location: 775 North Center Street, Gardner, KS, USA
Phone: 913-856-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sunflower-Elementary-2134875270174250/
Twitter: @SEEagles231
Free lunch will be offered to all students ages 1-18 at Wheatridge Middle School & Grand Star Elementary from 11:00 am-1:00 pm, Mondays through Thursdays.
Meals will be provided June 3 - July 25 (no service June 19 or July 1-5).
Breakfast will also be offered at Grand Star Elementary from 8:30 AM-9:00 AM.
We will continue our partnership with Gardner Parks & Rec to offer meals at special summer events including two-night swim events at the aquatic center and the mother/daughter camp out!
The lunch menu will be posted on the Nutrition Services Website near the end of May
We would love to hear from your family. What are your points of pride regarding our school, staff, and students? This information will be given to Dr. Wright (Sunflower's new principal) and to new families. Please fill out by Thursday, May 23rd.
Dear Sunflower Students and Families,
I am writing to inform you I have accepted the role of Coordinator of Curriculum, Professional Development, and Mentoring for USD 231. While this decision aligns with my professional aspirations, I want to acknowledge the emotional challenges it brought, given my connection to the Sunflower community. I cannot adequately express how proud and fulfilled I have felt to be part of such a supportive learning community the past seven years. The culture of our school, rooted in collaboration and relationships, is something I hold in high regard. I am confident the strong sense of belonging our school is known for will continue under Dr. Wright’s leadership.
I will deeply miss the students, who have always been the driving force behind my passion for education. Their infectious smiles, playful banter, boundless energy, and unique personalities have left a lasting impression on my heart. As I embark on this new journey as a district coordinator, I carry with me cherished memories of my time at Sunflower. Please know I am committed to working closely with Dr. Wright to ensure a smooth transition for everyone before my departure.
In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the invaluable experiences and countless relationships Sunflower has offered me. Sunflower Elementary will always have a special place in my heart!
With Respect and Gratitude,
Dr. Jason Jones
Principal
Dear Sunflower Elementary School Families,
I am very excited for the opportunity to serve as the principal of Sunflower Elementary School this coming school year and beyond. When I met a few of the staff members during the interview process, it was readily apparent that the school is loaded with child-centered, dedicated and talented educators. I am looking forward to meeting the rest of the staff very soon.
I spoke with Dr. Jones on the phone earlier this week, and it appears that I will be able to make a visit to the school on the afternoon of Monday, May 13. That afternoon will consist of me meeting with Dr. Jones, getting a tour of the school, meeting staff members, seeing the students and being available to meet families for a period of time after school hours. Until then, I'll take this opportunity to introduce myself through e-mail until we can meet officially in person. So, here goes...
My name is Andy Wright. I have served as an elementary school principal for 20 years along with several years of teaching 3rd and 4th grade. In 2015, I was honored to be one of twelve principals in the state to be named a Missouri Distinguished Principal. While that is an award that I received individually, it is truly a product of all members of the school community (staff, students and families) working cooperatively toward common goals. I retired from the Missouri Public School Retirement System (PSRS) in June of 2023, but my passion to serve students, support educators and assist families continues.
The 2023-24 school year has been a year of growth for me as I took on two different professional endeavors. First, as the principal of a school that serves students with severe disabilities (Maple Valley State School) and then as the Student Success Liaison at Basehor-Linwood Middle School. Both of these experiences required me to deepen my expertise and develop many new skills as I collaborated with fellow educators to meet the needs of at-risk and medically fragile students.
Outside of my career, I enjoy spending time with family, cheering for the Chiefs and Royals, reading and being outdoors. I have three daughters (Caroline - 22; Rebecca - 20; Lauren - 18). My daughters have grown up fast. I am grateful to report that they have enjoyed wonderful educational experiences and healthy relationships with educators throughout their childhoods. In thinking about my daughters and how quickly the time has flown, it has affirmed some of the priorities that I have held over time.
Now that my daughters have moved on from their K-12 educational careers, I find myself even more intent on providing the students we serve with positive, uplifting experiences. Being visible throughout the building, reading with students in classrooms, demonstrating an optimistic nature and celebrating successes (large and small) are some of the ways that I try to provide that. I suppose it is my way of giving back for all the great, dedicated educators that have supported and encouraged my daughters through their educational journeys.
I could go on and on, but I will wrap up this initial e-mail. Please know that I am very excited to join the vibrant, caring school community at Sunflower Elementary. You can count on me to support you, be available to listen to concerns, communicate proactively, and administer to the needs of our school.
I will be at school for my first official day on July 8. However, I will be in the school and school district many days throughout the months of May and June to attend professional development trainings, meet with staff members and get acclimated to my new position as principal of Sunflower Elementary School. At this time, I do not have an email account set up through the school district, but I will send contact information to you very soon. I am so excited and honored to be the next principal at Sunflower Elementary School.
Sincerely,
Dr. Andy Wright
If you are planning on your child attending a different school or district next fall, please contact the office at 913-856-3700 or use this link to fill out a survey. This will greatly assist us in making classroom & staffing decisions for the 2023-24 school year.
(Current 4th Grade parents do not need to complete the survey.)
The staff and I are beginning to plan for next school year and will be developing classes based on our best estimate of the enrollment projections for next year. We are planning to finalize the list by August so that class assignments can be sent home prior to Meet the Teacher Night. About this time of year, we begin to hear from parents requesting a specific teacher for next year. They want the “best teacher” for their child, and believe they know who that is based on what they have seen or heard.
As the principal, I visit classrooms and observe teaching and student learning. I know the instructional skills of every teacher and I could not, in all honesty, tell you who the very best teacher on the faculty is, because no one teacher is the best at everything.
When we assign classes, we try to make them heterogeneous. The other factors we consider are: the student’s achievement level, learning style, social-emotional needs, and citizenship. We group children for instructional purposes and placing them in classes based on other factors would defeat that purpose. The key ingredient in this process is trust. Please trust us to make the best decisions for your student’s educational placement.
Dr. Jason Jones, Principal
All accounts for K-7 and 9-11 students must be paid in full by the last day of school. Fees for Peer Model, 8th graders and seniors are due by May 1. Now is the time to make plans to pay these fees before the deadline. Please contact Janet at 913-856-3700 if you have any questions about fees still owed or if you need to set up a payment plan.
Application deadline for benefits with Nutrition Services is the last day of the 23-24 school year. To apply for benefits online, please use the Nutrition Services link http://www.myschoolapps.com/Application. If you have already completed the survey but have questions regarding your benefits, please email Nutrition Services at nutrition@usd231.com.
IF YOUR STUDENT...
...HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE due to illness, appointment, funeral or family emergency, please email the attendance line SEattendance@usd231.com as soon as possible. If we haven't heard from parents by 9:00 am, we will call to check on your child. You can also call in student absences to the absentee line at 913-856-3749.
...WILL BE LATE TO SCHOOL, please let our office know ahead of time (if possible). When your student arrives at school, they will need to stop by the office first, and the secretaries will give them a hall pass.
...WILL BE ABSENT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING OUT OF TOWN, this is considered an UNEXCUSED absence, unless preapproved by Dr. Jones. Please do not just tell the teacher! Please request approval in writing by emailing Dr. Jones at jonesja@usd231.com.
...NEEDS TO LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY, you can call to let us know you are on your way, but students will not be called out of class UNTIL a parent is present to sign them out. Please plan ahead for appointments, as we would like to minimize missed class time. You will need to come into the office to sign your student out. You won't be able to park outside and call us to send your student out to you.
...HAS DIFFERENT DISMISSAL INSTRUCTIONS, please call the office as soon as possible. If change of dismissal instructions are received after 3:00 pm, we can do our best to relay the message to your student.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST...
If you notify your student's teacher of an absence, please also let the office know. Everybody's lives are crazy and busy...everybody's human...everybody can forget to forward an email on to the appropriate person. So, if you send an email to your student's teacher about an absence, please "cc" Terra (dupreet@usd231.com) and Janet (mcconvillej@usd231.com). That way, at least one of us gets the email and gets it taken care of right away. Thank you!!
The Sunflower Site Council will be meeting at 6 pm in the library on the following dates:
September 5, 2023, December 5, 2023, February 6, 2024, April 9, 2024
All meetings are open to the public.
A special meeting has been scheduled for March 5th to conduct a building needs assessment as part of the districts budgeting process for next school year.
Kansas schools are required to establish site councils composed of the principal, teachers and other school personnel, parents, business representatives, and other community groups.
Site councils have a responsibility to provide advice and counsel in the following areas: evaluating district and school performance goals and objectives, determining methods to meet those goals and objectives, and other areas as requested by the board of education.
Remember, the work of the site council is advisory only;
it makes recommendations, not decisions.
We invite everyone to join the Sunflower PTO Facebook page. By searching "Gardner Sunflower PTO" under Pages, you will be able to join the group and receive updated PTO information.
