Community News

As we enter the final weeks of school, there have been numerous scholarship events for seniors, prom season is underway, and academic and fine arts celebrations are being held across the district.

Pictured above are Ross Elementary Principal, Dr. Gardner, and students who enjoyed the school carnival on April 13. I have enjoyed visiting with so many families at school events this month.

A special graduation edition of the Community News and photos from the 2024 Distinguished Staff Awards will be published the first week of May, and we look forward to celebrating all of our TPS staff members during Staff Appreciation Week on May 6-10.

We appreciate the support from all of our staff and families, and we look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming graduation ceremonies.

Dr. Tiffany Anderson

Superintendent

As a reminder, there is no school on Friday, April 19. Additionally, there will be no school for students on Monday, April 29 as staff will be engaged in professional development sessions.

View the 2023-2024 academic calendar or the district Google Calendar to learn more.

As our families plan for the upcoming year, Topeka Public Schools has also released the 2024-2025 academic calendar, which is available on the Communications Department website.

Online registration for the 2024-2025 school year is now open for students in grades PreK-12! Returning TPS families may register their students at this link or through the ParentVue app on a mobile device.

Families NEW to Topeka Public Schools will create a new account and register by following these instructions.

Families can view important dates for the 2024-2025 school year, a school supply list, and more at topekapublicschools.net on the Online Registration page.

On April 8, students and staff across the district came together to watch a special event: a solar eclipse!

Equipped with special protective glasses, they gathered to observe as the moon traversed in front of the sun, casting an awe-inspiring shadow across the sky.

Teachers used the opportunity as a hands-on learning experience about space and why eclipses happen, which got students excited about science and sparked their curiosity about the universe around them.

View photos from the solar eclipse on Flickr.

Throughout the month of April, Topeka Public Schools is celebrating National School Library Month!

We appreciate all of our dedicated media specialists for creating out-of-this-world experiences for students through reading, technology, hands-on learning, and more. Learn more in this highlight video.

We also give special thanks to our Coordinator of Media Services, Ms. Tiffanie Beasley, for overseeing school libraries across the district. Learn more about National School Library Month in this segment from the KSNT Morning Show.

As we approach the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board, we would like to honor and memorialize the plaintiffs in the case and other trailblazers who have paved the way as the district's first African-American educators and leaders at the Burnett building.

Topeka Public Schools has partnered with Ms. Pamela Johnson-Betts and the TPS Foundation to host a Commemorative Reception on Thursday, May 16 from 4:30-6:00 PM at the Burnett Administrative Center, which will include historical information and a celebration to honor these courageous leaders.

TPS staff and educators across Kansas are invited to join award-winning education researcher and best-selling author, Professor John Hattie, at Bishop Professional Development Center on June 3, where we will move beyond Visible Learning and unpack the latest findings from the Visible Learning database to engage, prepare, & inspire students for a lifetime of learning.

Breakout sessions include learning from Corwin authors and educators Karen Flories and Dr. Tiffany Anderson on Visible Learning instructional strategies to support educators and parents in the classroom and throughout the community.

Learn more and view the schedule of events in this flyer. Register for the event by completing this form. The event is free to attend for TPS staff or only $300 to attend for non-district educators.

Topeka Public Schools is excited to welcome Dr. Michael Berry and Ms. Johnnie Sanders to the Human Resources Department at Central Office from McClure Elementary!

Dr. Berry, currently Assistant Principal at McClure, will become Director of Certified Personnel, while Ms. Sanders, who serves as the Instructional Coach, will now serve as Recruitment & Retention Manager.

Dr. Berry brings 28 years of global educational experience, including teaching and administration in various countries, and also serves as an adjunct professor at Wilkes University. His wife is also an educator and teaches at Scott Dual Language Magnet.

Ms. Sanders, with four degrees and 21 years of experience in education, is known as a positive force across the district. She works to enhance school communities through her leadership, kindness, optimism.

As Topeka Public Schools works to expand our bilingual staff across the district, we are recruiting teachers from within the US and in Puerto Rico to join our team!

If you or someone you know is interested in a position, please complete this interest form and a member of our team will follow up with you for an interview.

Join us in thanking Mr. Larry Robbins for his service to students, families, and staff and wish him well in his upcoming retirement!

Mr. Robbins, who serves as the district's Deputy Superintendent of Operations, has impacted the lives of countless students and staff in his 15 years with Topeka Public Schools.

If you would like to share memories, send words of encouragement, or include a video shoutout to Mr. Robbins, please send them to TPS Communications by completing this form.

Join us in celebrating Mr. Dale Noll, Principal of Hope Street Academy, and Mr. Vic Williams, Principal of McEachron Elementary School, as we thank them for their decades of service to staff, students, and families across Topeka!

A Retirement Celebration for Mr. Noll will be held at Hope Street Academy on Friday, April 26 from 3:00 - 5:00 PM. If you would like to share memories, send words of encouragement, or include a video shoutout to Mr. Noll, please complete this form.

A Retirement Celebration for Mr. Williams will be held at McEachron Elementary School on Thursday, May 9 from 4:30 - 6:30 PM. If you would like to share memories, send words of encouragement, or include a video shoutout to Mr. Williams, please complete this form.

Mr. Noll and Mr. Williams have impacted the lives of countless students as leaders, mentors, and educators. Both principals have been with Topeka Public Schools for nearly 30 years, all of which have been at their respective schools.

On April 25, we look forward to celebrating the 2024 Distinguished Staff Award (DSA) honorees during an invitation-only reception and ceremony at Bishop Professional Development Center.

These 13 staff members have positively impacted thousands of Topeka Public Schools students and families! Watch the event livestream at 5:30 PM on the Topeka Public Schools YouTube channel.

ShareFest is an event created with the belief that churches and organizations can do more together than any one group could do separately. The event brings together citizens from all over Topeka to improve our community!

Topeka Public Schools is among the organizations to benefit from this year's ShareFest, which will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

Volunteers will spend the day landscaping, painting, and cleaning up the grounds of Eisenhower Middle, Landon Middle, Lowman Hill Elementary, Meadows Elementary, Pine Ridge Prep Preschool, Ross Elementary, and Topeka West High School.

This event is only possible with the help of volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering, please visit sharefesttopeka.com.

Attention parents of 5th-graders! Join us at your child's future middle school to learn more about the exciting transition from elementary to middle school for the 2024-2025 school year.

Events will be held at each middle school in the district on Tuesday, April 23 from 5:30 - 6:30 PM.

For additional information, please contact your building principal.

Topeka Public Schools will celebrate its staff members with 25 years of service to the district on Thursday, May 2.

We will also honor staff members retiring from the district during a celebration at Bishop Professional Development Center at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, May 14.

Additional information will be provided in the coming weeks.

Check out our new College Connections Newsletter on Smore!

With an easy to navigate Table of Contents, it's now simpler than ever for high school students and families to find helpful information on college and career readiness.

This month's newsletter covers the following topics:

• Applying for Federal Student Aid
• The Kansas Promise Act
• College registration/admissions process & deadlines
• Scholarships
• ACT/SAT testing dates
• Job opportunities for students
• Topeka Center for Advanced Learning & Careers - TCALC (watch video)

Topeka Public Schools is excited to honor the class of 2024 on Saturday, May 18 at the Stormont Vail Events Center (1 Expocentre Dr, Topeka, KS 66612). Each commencement ceremony will also be live-streamed on the Topeka Public Schools YouTube channel.

Graduation times are listed below:

• Topeka West High School: 9:00 AM
• Highland Park High School: 11:30 AM
• Topeka High School: 2:00 PM

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please review the Event Day Guide and bag size/clear bag policy from the Stormont Vail Events Center prior to attending graduation. Please note that any bags, clutches, or wallets must be smaller than 9x5" or must be clear in order to enter the facility.

Hope Street Academy's graduation ceremony will take take place in the school gymnasium on Wednesday, May 15, at 10:00 AM.

In July, the Kansas Turnpike will convert to cashless tolling for safety and efficiency. All customers will keep moving through toll plazas.

DriveKS, a new toll payment system, will support billing and payment whether customers are identified by KTAG or license plate. Compatible transponder customers from other states will continue using their existing account.

Customers identified by KTAG will pay the lowest toll. To start saving money now, customers are encouraged to get a KTAG at myktag.com. Learn more about cashless tolling and the new payment system at driveks.com.

Topeka Public Schools utilizes the SchoolMessenger system for web services and to deliver text messages to families in the district. Alerts come straight to your mobile phone with important information about school events, school closings, and more.

Parents and guardians can participate in this free service by sending a text message of "Y" or "Yes" to the TPS short code number 67587. You can also opt-out of these messages at any time by simply replying "stop" to one of our messages.

View our communications document in English and Spanish to learn more about how Topeka Public Schools communicates with families throughout the school year.

Don't forget to follow us on social media! We're active on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

This week, we will celebrate the life and legacy of Ms. Ashleigh Boyd, a second-grade teacher who passed away in a car accident on April 11. An obituary is available here.

Ms. Boyd was beloved in Topeka Public Schools and adored by all of her students at Lowman Hill Elementary. Her enthusiasm for teaching was felt by staff across the district. She leaves behind a young daughter, Ellie.

Those who want to extend support may contribute to the Education Fund in support of Ellie through Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, in lieu of flowers.

All checks may be made out to Eleanor Manzano - UTMA and mailed to:

Kevin Brennan Funeral Home

c/o Eleanor Manzano - UTMA

2801 SW Urish Rd

Topeka, KS 66614

Please keep Ms. Boyd's family and all of those impacted by her passing uplifted in your thoughts and prayers. Information on memorial services is included below:

Visitation: Friday, April 19, 5:00-7:00 PM at Kevin Brennan Funeral Home

Funeral: Saturday, April 20, 1:00 PM at Carbondale Junior High School, graveside funeral at the Carbondale Cemetery following the funeral.

View the 2023-2024 academic calendar or the district Google Calendar to plan ahead for parent-teacher conferences, no school days, and more.

Please note that there is no school on Friday, April 19. There is also no school for students on Monday, April 29 as staff will be engaged in professional development.

As our families plan for the upcoming year, Topeka Public Schools has also released the 2024-2025 academic calendar, which is available on the Communications Department menu.

Stay up-to-date with everything you need to know about the 2024 Kansas Legislative Session on the Current Events page at kslegislature.org.

• Topeka Public Schools Blog
  
• Topeka Public Schools YouTube Channel
  
• Board of Education Meeting Minutes & Agenda

The Topeka Public Schools, Unified School District No. 501 is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunity. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin or ancestry be denied lawful access to any appropriate educational service, program or activity provided by the school district. For students, the Title VI, Title IX and Section 504 compliance coordinator compliance coordinator is the General Counsel for the district. For employment, the EEO/AA and Title VII compliance officer is the general director of human resources. Compliance coordinators may be contacted at 624 S.W. 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294, (785) 295-3000.The clerk of the Board of Education has been designated to receive and redirect or handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, regulations and procedures. The clerk may be contacted by calling (785) 295-3059 or by writing to 624 S.W. 24th Street, Topeka, Kansas 66611-1294.

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