Bear Facts
Madison Elementary Newsletter April 5th
Madison Elementary School
Email: fleminge@usd231.com
Website: https://www.usd231.com/o/madison
Location: 800 W Madison St, Gardner, KS, United States
Phone: (913) 856-0400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadisonElementaryBears/
Twitter: @MDEBears
News from Mrs. Fleming
Bear Family,
The 2nd grade performance of "Lemonade" was such a treat! Those kids put on an amazing show. And, of course, there is still so much more to come as we close out the 23-24 school year.
I want to point out that there will be a PTA meeting on Monday evening here at Madison. Our PTA is absolutely instrumental in bringing fun to Madison staff and students. Board elections for PTA will be held and we are looking for some wonderful volunteers to help keep our PTA strong! If you'd like to read the notes from last month's PTA meeting, there is a section devoted to PTA at the bottom of the newsletter.
Thank you for all of the ways that you support our Bears!
Have a safe and happy weekend!
Take care!
Emily Fleming
Principal
Upcoming Events:
4/8- PTA Meeting
4/8- Solar Eclipse Viewing
4/10- Madison Night at Papa John's
4/11- 1st Grade Musical
4/12- We are Crazy for Kindness!
4/15 - 2nd grade field trip to Mahafie
4/18- Family Literacy Night
4/29-5/3- Spring Book Fair
4/29- Book Fair Family Night
5/2- 4th grade musical
5/2- Respect the Rhythm in You Assembly
5/3- 1st grade field trip
5/6-5/10- Teacher Appreciation Week!
5/7- 3rd grade field trip
5/8- Kindergarten field trip
5/10- 4th grade Ma Spa
5/10- Madison Movie on the Lawn
5/13- Variety shows during specials
5/14- 4th grade field trip
5/14- EC Picnic in the Courtyard
5/16- 2nd grade field trip to Kauffman Center for Performing Arts
5/17- Field Day!
5/22- Last Day of School! Early Dismissal Day
Things to remember next week:
Monday, April 8th
- Solar Eclipse
- PTA Meeting 7:00pm
Tuesday, April 9th
Wednesday, April 10th
- Early Release Day - 1:55 Dismissal
- Papa John's Night 4:00-9:00
Thursday, April 11th
- 1st Grade Musical 6:00pm
Friday, April 12th
- Kindness Friday - Wear Crazy Socks & Crazy Hair
Specials Schedule 4/8- 4/12
Tuesday- Day 2
Wednesday- Day 3
Thursday- Day 4
Friday- Day 5
Bear P.A.W. Ticket Winners
Congrats to our Bear P.A.W. ticket winners this week! To earn a Bear P.A.W., kids must go above and beyond to show adults in the building a Positive attitude, Act of kindness, or Work ethic. When we catch students working hard, helping others, and staying positive, they can be awarded with a ticket. At the end of each week, a ticket is drawn in each classroom. The students who get their ticket pulled, get to come to Mrs. Fleming's office, get a gumball, and write their name on the map in our front hallway...because these kids are going to change the world and put their mark on the map!
Nuts!
1st Grade Musical
“Incoming! Incoming! Look Out Below! It’s that time of year again … The big old oak trees are shedding their acorns all over the forest floor. That’s what oak trees do. But why? And what happens to the acorns? … [Find out] when a host of comical nuts and animals take center stage, complete with festive Brazil nuts, ‘Sneezing’ Cashews, macadamia nuts in grass skirts, ‘muscular’ chestnuts and much more!”
Who: All 1st graders
What: 1st grade musical
When: April 11th 2024, 6:00 PM. Doors open at 5:30 and students can go directly to their classrooms. Families can join us in the gym.
Where: MDE Gym
2024 Solar Eclipse
A unique experience will occur on April 8th as a total solar eclipse will cross North America. It is noteworthy that Kansas City will experience a partial solar eclipse. At its peak the sun will be about 90% covered by the moon close to 2 p.m. Staff members throughout the Gardner Edgerton School District are preparing for the April 8th solar eclipse with an emphasis on both learning and safety. Principals and teachers will determine the level of eclipse participation for their students based on grade level. Students viewing the eclipse will be provided special eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewers.
More information related to the eclipse can be accessed by visiting the following websites:
https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/
https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/
https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/10-solar-eclipse-activities-for-kids/
https://thriftyinthirdgrade.com/fun-solar-eclipse-activities/
Madison's Got Talent
Hosting a talent/variety show is a great way to bring students, teachers, and parents together for a time of entertainment!! We will hold this year's show on Monday, May 13th. Each grade level will have their own show during their specials time. Please fill out this form by April 22nd to sign your child up to participate.
Note: acts must be 3 minutes or less; acts must be school appropriate and are subject to administrative approval
Lost & Found
Our lost & found is overflowing! Please encourage your students to stop by and grab any of their missing belongings.
2024-2025 School Year Planning
The vision for Madison Elementary is to create learning experiences for every learner, every day, in every way. It is essential to establish a learning environment that promotes the academic success, personal growth, and general well-being of each and every child. As such, it is important we spend time ensuring that every child is placed in a classroom where he/she can thrive to his/her maximum potential. I will begin working closely with classroom, special education, and specialist teachers as we begin to focus upon classroom placement for the 2024-25 school year.
Parent/Guardian input is certainly welcome if you would like to share information about their child to support the placement process. The class placement input form has been designed for this purpose. Parents/Guardians are reminded that a request for a specific teacher by name cannot be accepted. Forms that request a teacher by name will not be considered. There are several reasons for this. For example, we could encounter a situation where the team feels two or more students should not be in the same class, yet their parents/guardians have requested the same teacher. Furthermore, there may be other reasons which prevent requested placement including confidential factors concerning other students. Additionally, with a growing student population, last-minute staff changes may occur which might prevent placing a student in a specific classroom. Parents/Guardians who complete the optional input form will need to have the form completed no later than Friday, April 12th, 2024.
**Additionally, in order to plan effectively for the number of students, teachers, and classrooms for 2024-25 school year, we would appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey by April 12, 2024.
2023-24 School Year Fees
Please settle all outstanding balances before the end of the 2023-2024 school year. You can contact the Madison office for any questions you may have about fees still owed or if you would like to set up a payment plan.
All accounts must be paid in full by the last day of school!
To apply for benefits online, please use the Nutrition Services link https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application. The application deadline for benefits with Nutrition Services is the last day of the 23-24 school year. If you have already completed the survey but have questions regarding your benefits, please email Nutrition Services at nutrition@usd231.com.
Thank you to all who donated to our recent Hope Market item drive!
Notes from Nurse Angie
A student will be sent home from school with any of the following:
- Temperature 100 degrees or greater, or with incidents of vomiting and/or diarrhea.
- Symptoms related to a possible communicable disease.
- Excessive drainage from eyes, ears, persistent earache, constant cough, or painful sore throat with enlarged lymph nodes.
- Students with acute infectious disease or parasite
Mrs. Angie Serrano, Madison Elementary’s Health Room Nurse, is available to answer any additional questions you might have and you may contact her directly at 856-0450.
A Message From Mrs. Sleeper
We know many families are experiencing financial challenges so we wanted to make sure everyone is aware of some of the awesome resources in our community! Please contact Mrs. Sleeper, school counselor, if you would like additional resources, more information, or to utilize any of these resources.
Joy Closet-
975 E. Lincoln Lane, Gardner
Hours: Mon 10-7, Tues 10-7, Wed 10-4, Thurs 10-7, Sat 10-2
This is a low cost thrift store in Gardner and they have generously provided us with vouchers for FREE clothing, shoes, linens, books, and small household items. Each voucher is good for 20 items of clothes, shoes, and bedding PLUS 10 books per household! If you would like a voucher, please email Mrs. Sleeper, at sleeperm@usd231.com.
BackSnacks-
Harvesters’ BackSnack program provides a weekly sack filled with nutritious, child-friendly food for school children to take home over the weekend throughout the school year. Mrs. Sleeper will deliver these to students at the end of the day on Fridays, putting them straight in their backpacks. We will start this in October so please sign up your children by emailing Mrs. Sleeper at sleeperm@usd231.com.
Hope Market-
This is an awesome food pantry in Gardner!
611 E Main St., Gardner
Hours: Tuesdays 5pm-8pm; Thursdays 9am-11am; Saturdays 9am-12pm
They don’t have any requirements other than to have a need for food.
See additional USD 231 Family Resources
Feb. 29th online
starting Feb. 28th, weekly in Gardner! Free meal every week!
starting Feb. 12th weekly online
ADDRESSING CONCERNS
Nutrition Services-How to Add Lunch Money
We are excited to inform you about the convenient way to add money to your student's lunch account (Available now!). All funds can be added through My School Bucks, which is available via Power School.
For step-by-step instructions on adding money to your students lunch account, please refer to the attached guide: How to Add Lunch Money
Additionally, you can set up a low balance alert at your preferred minimum balance amount or automatically fund accounts when balance reaches a desired amount.
USD 231 Nutrition Services
Students & Employees of Distinction Award
We are writing to remind you of our employee and student recognition programs.
- The "Gardner Edgerton Students of Distinction" (GESD) program is designed to recognize students throughout the school year (approximately 3 to 4 employees a month - 30 or more a year).
- The "Great Employees Serving the District" (GESD) program is designed to recognize employees throughout the school year (approximately 3 to 4 employees a month - 30 or more a year).
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.
- To learn more about the GESD - Students program, click HERE.
- To learn more about the GESD - Employees program, click HERE.
Please see the attached for more information and start nominating!!! We will recognize our first student and staff member sometime in September. This will allow time for nominations to be submitted.
Madison PTA
Hello Madison Families!
We are in need of new Board Officers for next school year. All positions are up for election. The election will be held during our next PTA meeting on April 8th at 7pm. We want to keep our PTA going strong so please consider running for a position.
PTA works to enhance student experience throughout the school year including supplementing the funding for Field Day, Assemblies, Musical Refreshments, Teacher Appreciation, and purchasing additional resources to enhance the learning environment for our students. Get involved to make your child's elementary school years extra special! Joining the Madison Elementary PTA will ensure you are up to date on school events and helps you get involved in Madison Elementary activities. Check out the PTA link under Parent Info on the Madison Elementary website for more information.
Madison Elementary PTA Executive Board Officers
President: Leah Bates
Vice-President: Jessica Grimes
Treasurer: Heather Musselman
Secretary: Andrea Satterfield
Membership Chair: Trisha Perkins
Madison Elementary PTA Meeting Dates 9/11, 10/2, 11/13, 12/11, 1/22, 2/12, 3/18, 4/8, and 5/13. All meetings will occur in the Madison cafeteria at 7 p.m.
Email us at: Madisonbearpta@gmail.com Like us on Facebook "Madison Elementary PTA Gardner, KS"
Interested in the Madison PTA Happenings? Stay in the know!
We invite everyone to join the Madison PTA Facebook page. By searching Madison Elementary PTA Gardner, KS under Pages, you will be able to join the group and receive updated PTA information.
If you are interested in joining the PTA, please see the membership form.
Gardner Edgerton Youth Theatre Academy
Gardner Gold Special Olympics Fundraiser
GEHS Football Camps
GEHS Baseball Spirit Wear
Support the GEHS Baseball Team by purchasing some GEHS Spirit Wear . Orders will be shipped directly to the customer's house. Some items have the GE logo only. There are many items that have different color options. Go Blazers!
FAFSA Community Information Meeting
If you are an adult or current student that has an interest in attending Johnson County Community College, USD 231 is hosting an informational meeting for anyone in the community!
A representative from JCCC will be available on April 4th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Board of Education office- 231 E. Madison. The topics included will be admissions, enrollment, degree and certification opportunities and information regarding the FAFSA. If you have questions, please contact Melissa McIntire at mcintirem@usd231.com
Register a team or become a sponsor for the Gardner Edgerton Schools Foundation/Gardner Chamber annual golf tournament on April 15th at Prairie Highlands Golf Course. Scan the QR code or click the link to get all the details. Enjoy a round of golf. Entertain your clients. Embrace the spring weather. Have fun! If you have any questions, contact Tim Brady at bradyt@usd231.com.