The Eagle Soars

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

November 17: PTO Fall Carnival 5:00-8:00pm

November 20-24: No School

November 27: Christmas in the Park 7:00pm

November 28: Kindergarten Field Trip

November 29: Early Release Day 1:55pm

November 30: 3rd Grade Goodies, Games, & GRANDS Event

3rd Grade Musical 7:00pm

December 1: PTO Family Movie/Game Night

December 4: PTO Dine Out Fundraiser at Papa Johns

December 5: Site Council Meeting 6:00pm

PTO Meeting 7:00pm

December 6: Early Release Day 1:55pm

December 8: 3rd & 4th Grade Spelling Bee at 1:30pm

December 14: Polar Express Day & Winter Class Parties

December 15- January 3: Winter Break

January 4: Classes Resume

All grades K-4 will have their own dedicated Goodies, Games, and G.R.A.N.D.s event. Our next event is scheduled for our third graders on November 30th. Your help is needed to make this experience a memorable one for our third grade students and their guests. If your schedule permits, please sign up for one of the following volunteer opportunities. https://signup.com/go/rfdZijS

Due to the Third Grade's Goodies, Games, and G.R.A.N.D. event scheduled for Thursday, November 30, we can not accommodate guests for lunch because students will be eating in their classrooms. Thanks for your understanding.

This semester's presentation of Sunflower's Got Talent will take place "live" during grade-level specials time on Wednesday, December 13th for Kdg through 4th grades.

Sign-ups are currently being accepted by completing the Google Form linked below. A parent signature is required to signify the talent to be displayed has been observed and deemed appropriate for school (including ALL lyrics).

https://forms.gle/qir8tK6xNky64QEB6

Sign up online to be a role model at Sunflower! We promise you'll have the best day ever!

https://signup.com/go/KJyFjtu

If you would like to order an official Watch D.O.G.S or Eagle M.O.M.S t-shirt, please fill out this form. Send cash or check to the Sunflower office. All shirts are $20.

https://forms.gle/y3P12WFMxKBL7RMD6

On the Sunflower website, you will find a tab on the right side labeled "School Calendar." Click on the tab to find the most up to date school events happening at Sunflower!

Click the image below for direct access to our website!

Back to school can be a stressful time for everyone. Mrs. Gabriel has lots of resources on her padlet. Click on the picture to see what is available!

Have you recently taken an amazing trip or have lived somewhere other than the Midwest? We would like to highlight the location on our new segments during announcements...World Wide Wednesday! Reach out to Mrs. Rains (rainsj@usd231.com) or Mr. Prall (prallg@usd231.com) with photos and we will do the rest.

Watch this video for our latest example. Share Your Travels Video

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.

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.

Our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has been an integral part of Sunflower Elementary for many years. Through fundraisers and fun events, they are able to provide funds to teachers, classrooms, and the school.

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.

https://sites.google.com/view/gardnersunflowerpto/home

Great news! Due to funding from KSDE, USD 231 will again be able to provide At-Risk Preschool for 3 and 4 year olds (the program was slated to end but we received word last week our district would be able to qualify).

USD 231 will be providing At-Risk Preschool for 3 and 4 year olds during the 2023-24 school year. The program will be held at Moonlight, there will be an AM and PM section, and students will attend M, T, Th, F with transportation provided. We will be able to have 10 students in the morning and 10 students in the afternoon.

If families are interested, please contact Angie Plank at 856-2030.

Students need to meet one of the following criteria:

1. Poverty (Preschool-Aged At-Risk) Qualifies for free meals under the National School Lunch Program /KSDE Household Economic Survey on September 20, 2021.

2. Single parent families; Custodial parent is unmarried on the first day of school.

3. Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) referral

4. Teen parents - one parent was a teenager when the child was born.

5. Either parent is lacking a high school diploma or GED

6. Limited English Proficiency

7. Lower than expected developmental progress in at least one of the following areas: cognitive development; physical development; communication/literacy; social emotional/behavior; adaptive behavior/self-help skills

8. Child qualifying for migrant status

9. Child experiencing homelessness

The Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) provides qualifying parents and guardians with a $1,000 award per eligible student to pay for a variety of educational goods and services that promote learning and facilitate academic enrichment opportunities.
Why should families apply for KEEP?

• No fees to apply or participate in the program
• Multiple students per household can apply
• Online Education Marketplace with service providers that offer qualified goods and services
• Use awards on camps, classes, tutoring, and even school supplies and technology

Download and share our flyers in English and Spanish!

The GESD recognition program has been established to recognize students and employees who exceed expectations.

"Gardner Edgerton Students of Distinction" (GESD) nominees can be any current student in the Gardner Edgerton School District who exemplifies traits of outstanding character and serves as a positive influence on their peers and the community-at-large.

"Great Employees Serving the District" (GESD) nominees can be any certified or classified employee in the Gardner Edgerton School District who exemplifies traits of outstanding customer service and is a positive influence on students, parents, co-workers or members of the community. The award will be presented on a weekly basis.

Answers to a few questions you may have:

• Nominations from previous years have been removed from the database.

• Even if a student or staff member has been selected as a GESD in previous years, they are again eligible.

  
  

We will recognize our first student and staff member sometime in September. This will allow time for nominations to be submitted.

Nominate a deserving STUDENT by clicking HERE.

Nominate a deserving EMPLOYEE by clicking HERE.