
Cottonwood News
May 2025
A Note from our Principal
Happy May Day and welcome to the busiest month of the school year!
We like to celebrate a successful school year by having all of our field trips, field days, special days, letter days, programs and concerts in a span of three weeks! I’m kidding - but also very aware of how full our calendar is, so please carefully read your child’s weekly newsletter and the school’s webpage to stay caught up with the comings and goings here at CES! We are also wrapping up year-end testing with Fast Bridge and I-Ready, continuing with our final units in ELA and math, and wrapping up art projects. We know a change in routine can be hard for some students, so we will do our best to stick to our schedules when we can and prep students (and parents!) when things look different.
A few final things -
- Please check lost and found before the last day.
- We’ll continue to remind the students to look, too. I will donate all remaining items on May 23
- Also, please make sure your child has enough lunch money to finish out the year.
- Money that is left over is rolled into the fall.
- Mr. Johnson will head to ACMS
- Mrs. Schwartzbeck to PCES
- Mrs. Chambers to a new role
- Mrs. McKinney will stay home with her son next year
We wish them all the best!
As for those 5th graders, we will celebrate them with a day in the park later this month. I’m glad I got to lead this group for a couple of years and feel so good about their next chapter. They’re ready! Thank you for sharing these last days, weeks, and years with us as we worked together to make their elementary school years fun, rewarding, productive, educational, and just what they needed.
As always, please reach out to Miss Tope, Mrs. Osborne, Mrs. Faust, or myself if you have questions or concerns about ending the year, starting summer, or fall enrollment. We want all of those transitions to be good ones for you and your family!
With education at heart,
Dr. Michelle Adler
Please Join Us!
Thursday, May 8, 6:15 pm
New Student Registration for 2025-26
Do you have a NEW student who will attend Cottonwood Elementary for the first time in August 2025?
If so, please click here to complete a 2025-26 Intent to Register form.
Note: This form does NOT need to be completed for students already in the Andover Public Schools.
The Andover School District requires the following items in order to register your child for school:
- Copy of state issued birth certificate
- Copy of housing contract or signed lease and a utility bill (water, gas or electric)
- Copy of current immunization records
These documents can be uploaded on the Intent to Register form or emailed to Erin at topee@usd385.org.
Registration for current Andover District students will open on July 15, 2025.
May Counselor Time Theme is Bullying.
In Fifth Grade, we will also be working on preparing for Middle School. We will be taking tours of AMS for all attending.
To my fabulous fifth graders,
I wish you all the best at middle school. I know you are all ready and will do an incredible job there next fall. We wish you all the best!
Parents, let me know if you need support for the summer. I have some names of tutors. If your child needs therapeutic services over the summer, I can help with that as well. If you need any other summer ideas please let me know.
I want to wish you a wonderful summer. Enjoy your time off - Get outside and enjoy a new adventure! I look forward to seeing you all again in the fall.
Have amazing adventures!!
Marcie Faust-LCPC/NBCC
Cottonwood Counselor
316-218-4620 ext. 2
Attention Future Andover Middle School 6th Graders
To all Cottonwood families, have a safe, healthy and fun summer.
As we wind down the school year, letters have been sent home with students that have over-the-counter medication and prescription medications in our health office. All emergency and OTC medications must be picked up by a parent in the health office before the last day of school on 5/22/25. Any medication left in our office after school is out will be disposed of.
Additional letters were mailed out notifying you if there are any missing documents/immunizations from your student’s health office file and need to be addressed over the summer before school resumes. If you received a letter and have any questions, please call the health office 313-218-4620 ext 3 or email me at rebeld@usd385.org.
As you clean out closets and find clothing that no longer fits, the health office is always in need of clean, gently used underwear, shorts and pants for both boys and girls.
Have a safe, healthy and fun summer!
Dennis Rebel, School Nurse
Emily Graber, Health Clerk
Library
All books are due the week of May 12th. Please check under beds, in cars, and in home libraries for missing/lost books.
Opportunities for students to earn prizes for summer reading are all around!
- Our Andover Public Library begins their summer programming on May 30th. This is a great chance to check out local resources and put some fun activities on your family calendar!
- The Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program is an easy way for kiddos to earn a free book.
- Watermark Books & Cafe has Storytime each Saturday at 10am and is also doing Summer Bingo.
Lost and Found
If your child is missing items, please check out the lost and found, next to the nurse's office. These are current pictures of all that is Lost. Items that are left at the end of the school year will be donated to Goodwill.
It's Not Goodbye..
We say a fond 'see you later', and wish these 2024-2025 CES members well as they continue on their journey...
Mrs. Chambers - K Teacher
Mr. Johnson - 5th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Schwartzbeck - 5th Grade Teacher
Mrs. McKinney - Speech Language Pathologist
Dates to Remember
May 1 - 5th Grade Orientation, AMS, 6 pm
May 2 - No School for Kindergarten; 25-26 Kinder Visitation Day
May 2 - 3rd Grade Andover Kids Fitness Day
May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 8 - PTO Summer Send Off, 6:15 pm, CES Playground
May 12 - 5th Grade Orchestra Concert @ AMS, 5 pm
May 12 - 5th Grade Band Concert @ AMS, 6:30 pm
May 13 - 1st Grade Plays, 10:30 am and 3 pm
May 14 - Cottonwood Talent Show, 9 am
May 15 - 4th Grade Field Trip to Exploration Place, 2nd Grade Tanganyika
May 16 - CES Field Day (Sack Lunches)
May 19 - AMS Math Day
May 20 - 1st Grade Author's Tea, 3 pm
May 21 - 5th Grade Celebration @ 13th Street Park
May 22 - Last Day of School (Dismissed at 1:45 pm)
Need more current information? The Cottonwood website is updated weekly.
Communication is Key
School website: http://cottonwood.usd385.org/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CottonwoodElementary
PTO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cottonwoodelementarypto/
Andover Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndoverSchools
Peachjar
Peachjar is an “electronic backpack” system where schools post calendars, activity information from enrichment providers, and school letters. This system is used exclusively for distribution of school-approved fliers. Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose.
Cottonwood Elementary
Email: adlerm@usd385.org
Website: http://cottonwood.usd385.org/
Location: 1747 N Andover Rd, Andover, KS, United States
Phone: 316-218-4620
Facebook: facebook.com/CottonwoodElementary/
Twitter: @CottonwoodElem