
Meadows Family News
May 2025
Dear Families,
Here it is, another end-of-the-year newsletter. There is so much to say! I will begin by sharing how blessed I am to be able to work with your children. Each day, I learn so much from them and view it as a great honor to spend hours with them here at Meadows.
We have such wonderful, supportive families, volunteers, and community members that make this not just work but a joy!
Our Spring Fling was amazing! So many families showed up for a good time of play, food, and dancing It was great to see you all!
Dancing in the Gym has been enjoyed by students and staff! Every Monday your students have another great reason for attending school and being on time! Again, the dancing starts as students arrive at 8:20 am but only lasts a little while so make sure to get your student here on time.
Bus Tickets have started as an incentive for safe/responsible behavior while on the school bus. Please review the Bus Expectations with your student to improve their chances at collecting tickets for our prize drawings this month!
Thank you for helping your student get a good night sleep, a healthy breakfast and encouraging them to do well on the Kansas State Assessments! They took them seriously and showed off by giving it their best. We will have results in Fall.
We are finishing up our Building and District assessments for Fastbridge and MAPS to check student growth. We know they have been working so hard and paying attention in class so we expect great gains!
We have lots of good things going on every month and this is the final one of this school year! Look for promotion events, programs, and updates below and mark your calendar so you dont' miss the wonderful things happening here at Meadows!
As always, thank you for your continued support. You are an integral part of our team and we could not do this without you. Here's to another month of growth and success!
If you have further questions after reading this, please do not hesitate to reach out! We are here to serve you and your children.
"We can. We will. Watch Us!"
Kyna Croft, Assistant Principal
(785) 235-7150
IMPORTANT DATES
- May 6, 2025: Adaptive PE Field Day, Hummer
- May 15: Character Awards Assemblies, 9:30-PreK-2 and 1:30-3-5
- May 16: Student Talent Show, 1-3pm
- May 23: PIP Promotion @ 2:00 pm
- May 26: No School, Memorial Day
- May 27: Last day of PIP
- May 28: 5th Grade Promotion- 1:45 pm
- May 29: Last 1/2 day of School for students
School Day Hours
Please do NOT drop your students off before arrival times. We will not have staff on duty to supervise before the times listed.
- Arrival begins: 8:20 a.m.
- School starts: 8:40 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 8:40 a.m.)
- Dismissal begins: at 3:40 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. unless enrolled in after-school childcare)
Late Start Fridays (every Friday)- 9:30 a.m.-3:40 p.m.
- Arrival begins: 9:15 a.m.
- School starts: 9:30 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 9:30 a.m.)
- Dismissal begins: at 3:40 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. unless enrolled in after-school childcare)
Drop Off and Pick Up
PLEASE READ and FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES:
STUDENTS WHO ARE CAR RIDERS MUST BE DROPPED OFF AT THIER SPECIFIC POD # between 8:20-8:40am, 9:15-9:30am on late start Fridays.
After these times, you must bring them to the front door to check in and obtain a tardy slip.
- ONLY DROP OFF ON THE SIDE NEAREST THE BUILDING!
- DO NOT ALLOW students exit vehicles on the opposite side of the street and dart through traffic. PLEASE HELP US KEEP YOUR STUDENTS SAFE!
- Pull forward as far as you can between PODs. We will be directing you forward.
- REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLE- Staff will assist in getting your student(s)
- Remain in ONE line and move as the line moves.
- Do NOT cut in or out of the drop-off line. The line will move quickly and this will prevent accidents.
Also, the front drive will be for Buses only in the mornings until 8:40am and afternoons until 3:50pm unless otherwise instructed.
Thank you for your cooperation in this process!
Parent Updates & Events
Reminder: No School on Monday, May 26
Important End of Year Dates for TPS Staff & Families
As families plan for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year, here are some important dates to keep in mind:
Tuesday, May 20: Last Day of School for Sheldon Head Start
Friday, May 23: PIP Preschool Promotions at 2:00 PM
Monday, May 26: No School / Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 27: Preschool Promotions
- Pine Ride Prep at 1:30 PM
- Shaner Early Learning Academy at 1:45 PM
- State PreK Programs at 2:00 PM
Tuesday, May 27: Last Day of School for PIP Programs
Wednesday, May 28: 5th Grade Promotions
- HP Strand (HPC, Ross, Williams, State Street, Quincy): 1:30 PM
- THigh Strand (LH, Meadows, Randolph, Scott, Jardine): 1:45 PM
- TWest Strand (McCarter, McClure, McEachron, Whitson): 2:00 PM
Wednesday, May 28: Last Day of School for Grades 6-7
Thursday, May 29: 8th Grade Promotions at 8:00 AM
Thursday, May 29: Last Day of School for All Students PreK-12 (Half Day)
Enroll Now for the 2025-2026 School Year!
Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is now open at topekapublicschools.net! Families are encouraged to register early, as we anticipate classes filling up quickly again this year.
Information regarding enrollment, school supply lists, and other items for families to prepare for next year is available at topekapublicschools.net. View the 2025-2026 Academic Calendar here.
As a reminder, returning families will register their students through the Synergy Student Information System and by logging in to ParentVue. Families new to Topeka Public Schools will follow the steps to create a new account and register.
For questions about online registration or your ParentVue account, please email SISHelp@tps501.org or call 785-438-4750 between 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM for assistance.
Pay School Fees Online Using My School Bucks
As of July 2024, Topeka Public Schools is using My School Bucks as a way for families to track and pay student fees and other costs online. If you have not yet paid your fees for the 2024-2025 school year, please create your free My School Bucks account to conveniently and securely pay your student's school fees online or with the mobile app.
To access My School Bucks, please log in to ParentVue and create a secure login. Once your secure login has been created, you will log in to My School Bucks to access your account. View step-by-step instructions to create an account here.
If you need assistance with your account, you can find helpful how-to videos and answers to commonly asked questions by visiting myschoolbucks.com or by calling 855-832-5226.
Washburn Football Youth Camp
We’re excited to invite your students to the Washburn Football Youth Camp, held June 9th–11th at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility. This camp is designed for young athletes, ages 5–12, and focuses on teaching the fundamentals of football in a fun, safe, and engaging environment.
Campers will receive one-on-one instruction from Washburn’s experienced coaching staff and current players, covering both offensive and defensive basics.
SIGN UP: Washburn Football Camps - Washburn University Athletics
Camp Details:
Dates: June 9–11, 2025
Times:
Morning Session: 9:00 AM – Noon
Afternoon Session: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility
Cost: $85 per camper/per session or $145 for both sessions
(Includes a camp t-shirt)
Ages: 5–12 year olds
What to Bring: Athletic clothing, cleats or tennis shoes, and a water bottle
Note: Lunch will not be provided for those attending both sessions. Campers should bring a packed lunch. Coaches will supervise during lunch.
This is a great opportunity for kids to build skills, meet new friends, and be mentored by local college athletes.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact Coach Dane Simoneau at dane.simoneau@washburn.edu
Transportation
Dear TPS Staff & Families:
Bus routes are available to families in your Synergy ParentVue account.
Below are detailed instructions to view the route in ParentVue.
Please login at our district's new SynergyParentVue portal from an internet browser (Chrome, Safari, etc.) on your computer or mobile device. THIS INFORMATION CAN NOT BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE PARENTVUE APP AT THIS TIME. If you are in need of assistance logging in to your ParentVue account, please contact Information Technology at 785-438-4750 or sishelp@tps501.org.
Once you have logged in, if you are on a computer, click on the ParentVue tab at the top of your screen. If you are on a mobile device, click on the Home tab at the top of your screen.
Click on the Student Info button from your computer or mobile device.
If bussing information is available for your student, it will be listed under the Bus Information heading at the bottom of the Student Information page.
Routes are currently posted for many families, and additional routes will be posted to Synergy over the weekend for families who have new routing information or signed up after the first day of school. Please note that students must be at least 1.75 miles from their home school address to receive free transportation. The eligibility for bus services is determined by the student's home address, not a relative or a daycare provider.
If you have any additional questions on transportation and bus routes, please contact our Transportation Call Center at 785-295-3928, 785-295-3979, or 785-295-3904.
If your student receives transportation through the district and not Kansas Central, you will receive a separate email from TPS Transportation if and when changes occur.
Here Comes the Bus APP
Give Meadows Your 5 Star Rating!
Employment Opportunities
Family Resources
The TPS mobile app, TPS Engage, gives students, families, staff, and the community a more convenient way to stay informed about what’s happening in our schools. This free app gives you access to news, social media feeds (no social media accounts needed), district and school calendars, notifications, staff contact information, and more.
Raising Successful Kids
What successful parents do differently~
Parents who raise the strongest and most resilient kids create an environment that allows them to make mistakes and not fear failure.
You can still love the person, but you don’t love the action. When we’re able to clearly separate the two, a child doesn’t link their worth to their behavior, whether “good” or “bad.”
This doesn’t mean you can’t have expectations about your child’s behavior. You just have to be mindful about how you express those concerns. When a kid acts in ways that are inconsistent with our values or hopes, we still need to signal warmth even while expressing disappointment.
*taken from The No.1 thing successful parents who raise the strongest and most resilient kids do differently by Jennifer Breheny Wallace
District Resources
Topeka Public Schools Publications
Contact Us
Email: kcroft@tps501.org
Website: https://meadows.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 201 Southwest Clay Street, Topeka, KS, USA
Phone: 785-235-7150