The Siegrist Star

In music this month, we have been immersing ourselves in all things The Nutcracker! Each grade has participated in a variety of engaging activities to explore this timeless masterpiece. These activities have included dancing, parachute games, crafting nutcrackers, making books, solving word searches and crossword puzzles, and, for the 5th grade, culminating in an exciting escape room challenge. We have thoroughly enjoyed learning about this iconic composition and its cultural significance.

Keep your ears open, as you just might hear The Nutcracker during the holiday season—on the radio, in TV commercials, holiday movies, or even in shopping centers! If you hear it, ask your child who wrote it. They should proudly tell you that Peter Tchaikovsky, one of the most famous and beloved composers of all time, is the genius behind this beautiful work. Born in Russia in 1840, Tchaikovsky’s music continues to captivate audiences around the world over a century later!

The Polar Express tradition continues to be a beloved event for our 1st graders!

Yesterday, the 1st-grade hallway was magically transformed into the Polar Express, setting the stage for an unforgettable experience. Today, students arrived dressed in their cozy pajamas, ready to board the POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN! The day was filled with a variety of engaging activities inspired by the cherished story.

The festivities began with students listening to the story of The Polar Express before rotating through several exciting stations:

• Station 1: Students made reindeer food, mixing together magical ingredients to guide Santa's reindeer.

• Station 2: Students designed and built sleighs, which they then raced down ramps to test their creations.

• Station 3: Students crafted colorful trains out of paper, showcasing their creativity.

• Station 4: Students drew and colored a jingle bell, capturing the spirit of the story.

Adding to the enchantment, the Conductor stopped by each station to punch the students' tickets before they began their activities. A big shout-out goes to our wonderful volunteer Conductor, whose enthusiasm and dedication helped make the day truly magical for everyone involved.

Thank you to all the teachers, volunteers, and families who helped bring this Polar Express tradition to life. It’s moments like these that create lasting memories for our students!

Pancakes in pajamas make for such a fun and memorable day. What a great way to mix comfort and excitement for the kiddos! Mrs. Wright's class enjoying their delightful breakfast treat!

Students had a fantastic time at their winter party on Monday in the gym! Several fun stations were set up, and they enjoyed rotating through each one. The stack boxes game seemed to be the favorite, along with other exciting indoor activities.

A huge thank-you to our wonderful PTA and all the volunteers who made this event so special for the kids!

Most of the pictures from the Winter Parties were captured by our talented student-led yearbook team. We’re so proud of their hard work and creativity! 📸✨

• December 20: 3-Hour Early Dismissal 12:35pm
• December 23-January 6: No School, Winter Break
• January 6: NO SCHOOL - PLD DAY
• January 7: School Resumes
• January 9: 5th Grade Field Trip-Blue Springs School of Economics
• January 17: Reports Cards Emailed Home
• January 17: PTA Bingo Night (Time TBA)
• January 20: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Day
• January 27: PTA Meeting @ Siegrist 6:00pm
  

Click here to view the full Siegrist Elementary calendar on our website.

We’re excited that yearbooks are now available for pre-order online! Starting on November 4th, you can order through the parent portal using the step-by-step instructions provided on the informational flyer. Each yearbook is $25, created by the Student Yearbook Innovation team with assistance from Coach Stapleton and Tracy Itao.

To secure a copy, make sure to place your order by March 21, 2025. If online purchasing isn’t an option for you, you can email itao.tracy@pcr3schools.org to request an envelope for a cash or check payment. Don’t miss out—there will be only a limited number of extra copies available after distribution!

Positive Environment Student Leadership Group

The goal of our Positive Environment Student Leadership Group is to ensure all students feel cared for at Siegrist. This month the students created the holiday banner, shown in above picture, and a couple students created animated holiday greetings for both students and staff to enjoy - Click HERE for staff card and Click HERE for student card. Our students are so talented! We ended the year with a pizza celebration of our work and planning for 2025.

MOCSA 2nd Grade Presentation Rescheduled for January 13th

Second grade students were to have received their Project Aware educational program, that teaches children about different ways to keep their body safe, on December 10th, however the presenter was unable to make it. The presentation has been rescheduled for January 13, 2025. More information was shared in the December 19th, 2024, Second Grade newsletter.

Siegrist Attendance Rate (as of Dec. 17, 2024)

562 out of 637 of Siegrist students are attending school 90% (or greater) of the time. That’s 88.23% of our students….WAY-TO-GO! The state of Missouri, along with our district, strives for children to achieve this high rate of attendance as we want all students to be successful in school. Being at school leads to higher rates of educational success. Thank you parents for partnering with Siegrist staff to help students be at school.

Counseling Lessons for January

We will be continuing our monthly counseling lessons, in the library, in January, 2025. The grade level lessons are scheduled for the week of January 14-21 and lesson topics will be shared in January.

Click here for information on school cancellations/modifications due to inclement weather, how the District will notify parents, as well as information on recess, Y Club, and Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days. For the 2024-25 school year, PCR-3 will implement Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days for the first five canceled school days. These days will not need to be made up. Any additional canceled school days may be waived, or may need to be made up (added to the academic calendar).

Additional Reminders:

Clothing and Recess

Please make sure that your children come to school dressed for the weather – winter coats, hats, gloves when necessary. There will be no outdoor recess when the "feels like" temperature is at 20 degrees or below. During times of year that temperatures can be unpredictable, dressing in layers is preferable.

Cancellation/Notification

In the event of school cancellation or delay, we will get that information to you as early as possible through automated phone calls and text messages, our District website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the District Hotline (816-858-2752), and local media. The message will identify what type of Inclement Weather Plan we will be implementing:

• Plan A (Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Day)
• Plan B (Two-Hour Delayed Start)
• Plan C (No School and No Remote Learning)
• Plan D (No School, No Y-Club, No Remote Learning)

Y Club

If we cancel school, our school-age child care programs generally will remain open for those families that are already signed up through YMCA (www.kansascityymca.org). School sites where child care is offered are consolidated to one or two locations. Mention of Y Club program cancellation or consolidation will be included in the District’s communication.

Joining the Box Tops program is an easy and impactful way to support Siegrist Elementary! If you'd like to help out, download the Box Tops app and use Ariel Kittling’s (one of PTA's school coordinators) referral code XMKD7Q0D to get 50 bonus Box Tops after your first scan (offer valid through 10/31/2024).

Here’s how it works:

1. Download the Box Tops app and sign up.
2. Shop for products with the Box Tops logo, and within 14 days of purchase, use the app to scan your receipt.
3. Every qualifying item adds cash directly to Siegrist's account!

With the app, you’ll get real-time updates and even bonus cash offers, so each receipt makes a difference. Thank you for supporting your school!

Dear Platte County Families,

It's time to "pull" together for a great cause! The Siegrist Student Lighthouse team is collecting pop tabs donations to support the Kansas City Ronald McDonald House. We invite you to collect aluminum tabs from any cans, place them in a ziplock bag, and send them to school with your child.

Our students will handle the rest!

We appreciate your support as we work towards our goal of collecting 100 pounds of pop tabs by the end of May. Let’s pull together and make a difference for families in need!

Thank you for your generosity!

Visitors to the building: you will always need to bring your ID with you when you come into the building. We will scan your ID into our safety system Platte County uses to ensure the safety and security of our students.

Birthday Celebrations-Here is the district policy:

"We believe it is important for the school to recognize our students on their birthday and other special days. However, for several reasons including increased food allergies, preservation of the instructional day, and student equality, students are not allowed to bring treats from home or have flowers/balloons or other items delivered to the classroom for birthdays, going-away parties, or other personal events. Each classroom teacher will recognize the student in a special way to celebrate his or her birthday. (See Snacks for more information about opportunities to share snacks in the classroom) If a student receives a delivery at school, the student will be notified to come to the office to view the item. Parents will be responsible for transporting the item home. Birthday party invitations may only be distributed if invitations are given to every student in the class."

Transportation:

If your child has a transportation change for the day, please call the office before 2:00 PM. This ensures we can process the change in time before dismissal. You may also send a note with your child or email Anne Klopp at klopp.annemarie@pcr3schools.org.

If we do not receive a call, note, or email regarding transportation changes, we will follow the information already in our system to send your child home.

For any permanent transportation changes, please refer to the "Important Links" section below.

Additionally, please click on the "Transportation Expectations" button below to review important bus and car rider guidelines with your child.

Student Illness/Injury:

If you're unsure whether to send your child to school due to illness, please click the button below. Our nurse has provided important information on her Siegrist webpage about when to keep a sick child at home. There is also guidance on what happens if your child is injured while at school.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Heather Guzman at guzman.heather@pcr3schools.org.

The PCR-3 Treasure Chest is a stocked resource center providing food, milk, and toiletries for PCR-3students and families in need. Qualifying families will receive a weekly form via email to sign up or can call 816-858-7001 for assistance.

Families will receive an email with approval to come to the Treasure Chest on Wednesdays from 4-6pm at the new Treasure Chest site (south side of Paxton building).

Siegrist Library Facebook Page

Lunch Schedule and Visitor Lunch Sign Up and Letter Day

School Closing Notification/Winter Weather Information

Linq Connect for Lunch Account Payments

Before & After School Club Programs sponsored by Northland Career Center (NCC)

Substitute Opportunities

Watch D.O.G.S. Sign Up
Join Girl Scouts
YClub Before & After School Information
PowerSchool Parent Portal
Winter Weather Information
Permanent Transportation Changes

Now accepting applications for teaching positions for the 2024-25 school year.

Come join our community, our team, our family, our tradition! We have several current opportunities available and are now accepting applications for teaching positions for the 2023-24 school year. Check out this video from our staff, sharing what makes Platte County School District special and what a new staff member will love about PCR-3, then visit ➡️
www.plattecountyschooldistrict.com/careers/currentopenings to apply! #PCR3Proud 🧡🖤

Make sure you check out the “Business & Community” tab on the Platte County R3 School District webpage. There you will find an option called “Community Event/Flyers” where you can access flyers with information regarding various events and opportunities within our community!

Here are some opportunities our families might be interested in!

Please like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

You can always contact us at anytime by phone or Email. If you have a specific question for administration, please email us at sutton.johna@pcr3school.org ( Mrs. Johna Sutton, Principal) or powers.michael@pcr3schools.org (Mr. Michael Powers, Assistant Principal)

Email: itao.tracy@pcr3schools.org(Administration Assistant)
Website: http://plattecountyschooldistrict.com/siegrist
Location: 1701 Branch Street, Platte City, MO, United States
Phone: (816)858-5977
Facebook: facebook.com/SiegristElementary/
Twitter: @Siegristelem

⏲️ School Hours of Operation

• Office is open from 8:15AM - 4:30PM
• Students can enter the building- 8:30 a.m.
• Official start of school- 8:50 a.m.
• Dismissal- Car Riders, Walkers and Y-Club-3:35 p.m.
• Dismissal-Bus Riders- 3:50 p.m.