THE BUZZ 2024 2025

Dear Sunshine Families,

We have had a GREAT start to the year! Thank you for sharing your students with US! It is our goal to be your partner and have the best year ever.

What time does school start?

Students can be dropped off at 7:00. Please be aware we will not open the doors until 7:00 due to supervision needs.

School officially starts at 7:20. Please be sure your child arrives on time to be inside his/her classroom by 7:20.

Class dismisses at 2:20.

What about arrival and dismissal?

Arrival:

Students coming on buses will be dropped off at the front of our building and will walk to class after picking up a breakfast.

Students who are being dropped off by car will be dropped off on the east side of our building. Please follow the traffic arrows and loop all the way around the playground. It is best if your child departs the driver side of the car for safety. Children will enter the gym and then walk to class. Adults do not get out of the car, please.

Dismissal:

Students will be dismissed to the car line from the east gymnasium door. If you are walking up to pick up your student/s, you may only use the sidewalk and display your family tag from that spot. Please do not walk up to the building.

• Parents must display their student's car tag at dismissal. Please continue to do this ALL YEAR.
• If an older sibling is responsible for a younger student, the older student will meet the younger child at the exit doors.
• Staff members will not allow any students to cross the street at any location other than the designated crosswalk at the intersection.
• Students are not allowed to go home/call home to get permission to go home with another student without prior knowledge and a note or phone call from parents.
• Students are not allowed to call home to request a different method of transportation at the end of the day.

• If your child has a change in pick-up procedures, please send a note to his/her classroom teacher AND call the office. This will reduce end-of-day confusion. The office is very busy at the end of the day and at times last-minute messages are very difficult to forward. Please alert the office no later than 1:30 PM. You must call the office. Tell the teacher is not enough, teachers miss messages AND can be absent.
• Students that do not ride the bus are not allowed to go home on the bus with another student. Students are not allowed to trade back and forth between buses. They must get on and off the bus at their designated pick-up and drop-off spot. Please call the Transportation Office if you have any questions at 523-0514.
• With parent permission, students in grades 3-5 are allowed to ride their bikes to school. Please wear helmets. Bike riders must walk bikes on/off school grounds and have a way to lock their bikes to the racks near the parking lot during the school day. Scooters, skates, or skateboards are not allowed on school property. Due to safety concerns, students in grades K-2 are not allowed to ride their bikes to school.

• Students attending YMCA will be dismissed to the YMCA Director/Staff Member at the end of the day.

How can I get involved?

Join PTA! PTA will have a table at SPSU- Sunshine Open Houset. ALL are welcome to join. You can sign up as a member that night. As a member you are NOT required to attend meetings, so please don't let that stop you!

How can I follow you on social media?

1. Sunshine Elementary Bees on Facebook

2. @SunshineBees on Twitter

NOTE:

Update your information in eSchool. We NEED your current numbers and email. I will use eSchool to push out email and texts. This is also the platform the district uses to push out information. To update please call or email Lorna. 417-523-5200 or lgberger@spsmail.org

Thank you,

Tracy Daniels, Ed.D.

Sunshine Principal

421 E. Sunshine St.

Springfield, MO 65807

PH: 417-523-5200

Safety-Success-Service

#ownyourshine

Here is information from Mrs. J Roe: CLICK

I am excited to be the Student Access Champion for Sunshine. As described on the SPS Access and Opportunity page, “Each site has a dedicated Student Access Champion to lead and drive strategic initiatives for students and staff. Some initiatives include professional learning opportunities, cultural and inclusive programming and field experiences focused on cultural and academic enrichment.” Throughout the year I will be sharing cultural heritage months, such as Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The SPS Student Access and Opportunity department provides these resources to ensure all SPS students and staff receive vetted, factual and respectful information. Sharing this information provides opportunities for schools to celebrate the rich histories, contributions, and cultures of various communities. These observances not only educate students about different cultures but also promote respect and understanding among the entire school community.

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15, is a valuable time for students to explore the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. Given Springfield's strong Hispanic community, I am excited to share resources from our Access and Opportunity Department to support our Hispanic learners at Sunshine Elementary. By doing so, we can promote respect and understanding throughout our entire school community.

Mrs. Eldred

It takes a TEAM to help students be as successful as possible. 3 items that might help you as your navigate getting back into the school routine are:

1. The Student Handbook.

2. Our Behavior Flowchart.

3. An Attendance Goal.

The student handbook has been sent home. Please take the time to read and become familiar. It is a nice resource to understand expectations. Here is a link: CLICK

Our Behavior Flowchart is a "quick guide" as to how we approach undesirable behavior. It might help as you talk with your child when/if they have a day with poor choices. (picture below)

The attendance chart is a great reminder of how quickly time adds up over the year. With our day starting and ending early it is nice when you can make appointments at 2:30 or later and your student can miss very little school. We know things happen and students get sick, but it is our goal to have everyone (even our staff) at school 95% of the time. Attendance MATTERS. (picture below)

You can miss 9 days over the year and have 95% attendance. When you think of 9 days over 9 months, it seems totally attainable.

Please use the our school calendar to plan:

CLICK ALSO, picture below.

Try to click and enlarge. You can also request a copy from your teacher.

Families! We need YOU to use our car tags for safety and for speed! Please write the LAST name of the child in orange in LARGE black letters. Dr. D has trouble seeing that far and in the event we have someone else calling names, the bigger the letters- the better! Write first name in the white area.

Jade is our school therapy animal. She is a trained and certified "good citizen" dog. Jade will not come to school until we have had a chance to explain her role with all students, have our nurse check in with all families about allergies and ensure we do not have students with fear of dogs. Jade helps promote reading and attendance at Sunshine. #success #service

Sept 10th: Sunshine SPS U - Open House 4:00-5:30

Oct 11th: Picture Day (Dec 10 is retake)

Oct 17th: FALL FEST- more info comingl- SAVE THE DATE

Oct 21st: Conference week

Oct 21st: Book Fair week