Timberwolf Times

Tiffany Ridge Elementary School

School Hours: 9:10-4:10

School Phone: 816-359-4400

Principal: Sasha Kalis Assistant Principal: Laura Coughlin

Counselor: Alisha Brunk Social Worker: Gayle Laney

Office Staff: Robin Meyers and Andrea Berka

Nurse: Nicole Snodgrass

We hope you are enjoying an amazing summer with family and friends. Our theme this year at Tiffany Ridge, is "Celebrating our Superpowers." We want to recognize all the superpowers that make our students and staff unique!

You can expect an email from the school each week called the “Timberwolf Times.” This newsletter will be filled with important reminders and information about events at Tiffany Ridge. Please take a few minutes each week to read the email for important announcements.

Our school also has the following sites to provide information to our families!

• Tiffany Ridge Website
• Tiffany Ridge Facebook

School begins Monday, August 19th! Arrival time is between 8:50 and 9:10, with dismissal at 4:10. On behalf of the entire TR staff, we look forward to working with all of our Tiffany Ridge Timberwolves! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

I am so excited for another amazing year at Tiffany Ridge! As a Tiffany Ridge parent myself, I know first hand how dedicated and incredible the staff at Tiffany Ridge are, and I'm looking forward to continuing the partnership that makes Tiffany Ridge an amazing community.

This will be my 21st year in education and and my second year at TIffany Ridge! I was previously a principal at Renner Elementary for four years and an assistant principal at both Hawthorn Elementary and Renner Elementary for seven years. Prior to being an administrator, I taught 3rd grade and 4th grade. I love working and living in the Park Hill School District. It's been a great place for my husband (Ryan) and I to raise our three children: Haley (20), Drew (17), and Parker (9).

If you are brand new to Tiffany Ridge, I want to personally welcome you to a school and district that embraces diversity and encourages all parents to be actively involved. We operate with the vision of “Challenging Today’s Learners to be Tomorrow’s Leaders.” Our mission is that Tiffany Ridge will provide a caring environment dedicated to helping students feel safe, take risks, solve problems, and reach their highest potential.

If you need anything before school starts or during the school year, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at KalisS@parkhill.k12.mo.us or 816-359-5603.

Sasha Kalis, Principal

August 12: Class Placements Emailed (end of day)

August 14: Kindergarten Back to School Night, 5:30-6:30pm

August 15: 1st-5th Grade Back to School Night, 5:30-7:00pm

August 19: First Day of School, 9:10-4:10pm

September 2: NO SCHOOL, Labor Day

September 6: PTA Pastries with Your Pack, 8:15-8:50am (gym)

September 6: VIrtual Parent Orientation (videos format)

September 13: Fall Picture Day

September 17: PTA Meeting, 6:00-7:30pm (library)

Prior to the first day, we invite families to Back to School Night to visit the building, meet teachers, and drop off school supplies.

Kindergarten Back to School Night: Wednesday, August 14th from 5:30-6:30pm

1st-5th Grades Back to School Night: Thursday, August 15th from 5:30-7:00pm

(Families who have not completed the online enrollment process will not be given their child's classroom placement.)

Kindergarten Students

• Students in kindergarten will spend the first few days of school in Camp Kindergarten where they will be placed in a "Campsite." The Campsite will be the homeroom for students, where they will start/end their day, as well as have specials and lunch together.
• Campsite placements will be emailed to families on Monday, August 12.
• Final classroom placements will be shared with families on Thursday, August 21.
• Please see the email Mrs. Kalis sent on July 31 for more information.

1st-5th Grade Students

• Classroom placements will be emailed at the end of the day on Monday, August 12.
• Parent requests for changes will not be accepted.

Welcome New Staff

• Olivia Adams - 1st Grade
• Ellie Neprud - 1st Grade
• Erin Farr - 2nd Grade
• Katie Buzard - 3rd Grade
• Kylie McMillan - 4th Grade
• Jamie Theasmeyer - 5th Grade
• Amber Nieznajko-Frankenfield - Bridges (gifted)
• Lyndsay Beaver - PE
• Claire Giefer - OT
• Kristen Schade - 0.5 ELD
• Rachel Netherton - Specialized TA
• Erin Hamner - Specialized TA
• Olga Lang - Title I TA
• Christine Carlson - Title I TA
• Rodney Nance - Technology Support Specialist
• Jocelyn Cameron - Nutrition Services Assistant Manager
• Harry Gutshall - Crossing Guard
  

For the safety of all our Timberwolves, communication is the key! During Back to School Night, please be sure that you communicate with your child’s teacher the details of your child’s mode of dismissal transportation. Families must establish their child as one of the following:

Bus Riders (must be within bus boundaries)

• In early August, our bus company, First Student, will be sending an email with your student’s bus information if you live within the bus boundaries. Our recommendation is for you to contact First Student if you have any concerns regarding your student’s stop. First Student can be reached at 816-359-4560.
• A sticker with their bus number will be placed on the back of the badge on the first day of school. Please confirm your child's bus number with his/her teacher, if applicable.

Car Riders (Loop A-Front Doors/Loop B-Playground Side)

• All families with car rider students will receive a car name tag to place in the front car window to assist teachers assisting with student pick-up.

Walkers or Bike Riders

• A permission form will be provided at Back to School Night.
• Parents may not pick up walkers or bike riders with a vehicle on property.

Adventure Club

• For families who have already registered.

Adventure Club

• Drop-off begins at 6:30am and parents must check in their child through the lower level entrance. Students must be enrolled in Adventure Club to participate.

Walkers

• Students may enter the building starting at 8:50am. We have two entry points; the main entrance or the lower level entrance.

Bus Riders

• Students will be released from the buses as soon as they arrive at Tiffany Ridge and will either report to the cafeteria for breakfast or go directly to their classrooms.

Car Riders

• Drop-off begins at 8:50am.
• Students will report for breakfast in the cafeteria or go to their classrooms. Outside food may not be brought in for breakfast.
• If your child is late, arriving after 9:10, please escort them to the office to sign them in using our check-in system.

Adventure Club

• Pick-up begins at 4:15pm through the lower level entrance.

Bus Riders

• Students riding buses will be escorted by their classroom teacher to their bus starting at 4:05pm.

Walkers

• Students will be escorted by staff until they are off property.
• Parents cannot park in the parking lot to pickup walkers. All walkers must walk.

Car Riders

• Pick-up begins at 4:10pm. Cars will begin to line up in Loop A and Loop B along the curb. Loop A is a double lane in the afternoon.
  
• You MUST have a car placard that was provided by Tiffany Ridge in your windshield. Car placards will be provided at Back to School Night. Please keep your placard in your windshild until your child(ren) is in your vehicle.
  
• If you do not have your placard, you will have to show photo identification, which slows down the car rider line.

School attendance is vital for student success and academic growth. Please help your student(s) be successful by arriving to school on time each day. We also ask for your help in this area by attempting to schedule any necessary appointments either after school hours or on non-attendance days. Please remember that the arrival time for Tiffany Ridge is 8:50. Prior to that time, there is no adult supervision for students. Students are tardy if they arrive after 9:10. If your child will be absent, please contact the school office by 9:00am.

AVID Elementary teaches students academic skills at an age-appropriate level that will help them succeed at each level of their education. AVID Elementary professional learning provides teaching strategies and best practices that are utilized in each class across the grade level. Students learn note-taking, organization, and collaboration skills - and are able to start thinking about their educational path to college.

AVID Components at TR

• AVID folder or binder to organize school work
• Goal setting and data tracking
• Daily planner
• Organized desk materials, locker, and backpack
• Collaboration with peers
• Visual class schedules

Breakfast: Students need to eat breakfast at home or order school breakfast. If students bring in outside (restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations) food or beverages, they will be sent to the cafeteria to finish it. If school has already started, students will finish it in the office before going to class. These items will not be allowed in classrooms.

Classroom Treats: To protect the health and safety of our students, homemade treats will not be distributed to students in the Park Hill School District. Due to allergies and other food intolerances, only birthday favors listed below are allowed.

Birthday Favors: Students may bring a birthday treat or favor to school to share with their classmates, as long as they come from our list of treats that contain none of the eight (8) major allergens - milk, wheat, egg, soy, peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish.

Thank you for understanding that all classroom treats must come from this list, because we do not have the staff capacity to check for allergens that could threaten the health of some students. Please bring birthday treats ahead of time (two hours after the start of school, at the latest).

• Stickers

• Erasers

• Pencils

• Crazy straws

• Blow Pops

• Juice boxes

• Popcorn

• Smarties

• Dum Dum lollipops

• Jelly Belly

• Nerds

• Ring Pops

• Skittles

• Sour Patch Kids

• Starburst

• Swedish Fish

• Life Saver Gummies

Immunizations: All students need to be up to date on immunizations BEFORE starting school on August 19. Documentation of immunizations must be turned into the health room. No exceptions will be made.

Medication: Our health room is available if your child becomes ill or injured while at school. All non-prescription, over-the-counter medication must be sent in the original container with a written request by the parent or physician. If for any reason your child is on medication, before it can be administered, the medication must be in a prescription labeled bottle accompanied by a doctor’s note. The medication is kept in the health room. The medication authorization form must be completed and signed by the parent or guardian for all medications given at school. It is recommended that medication NOT be sent to school with the children. Parents should bring the medication to the health room. Please feel free to stop by and visit with Nurse Snodgrass in our Health Room any time.

Park Hill School District uses Infinite Campus as our student information system. With Infinite Campus, you can access the following for your elementary child:

• Attendance
• Grades
• Bus Information
• Technology Fees

To be able to access your child’s information, you must set up an account. You will need to log-in and enter the Activation Key, followed by setting up your own username and password.

Infinite Campus organizes students by household, so you can access your family in just one account. If you have questions, need technical support, or have misplace your unique access key code, feel free to call us at 816-359-4400.

Students may bring their lunch from home or purchase a school lunch from the cafeteria. Students also have the option to purchase a breakfast upon arrival to school.

All enrolled students have an active school meal account in Park Hill. Parents are encouraged to register for a SchoolCafe account (attaching all students in the household to the account) to monitor meal account balances, set low balance notifications, set ala carte/snack restrictions, apply for family meal benefits, and make payments to student(s) meal account(s).

When registering for a SchoolCafe account, parents will need their student’s ID (“S”) number (5-digit number), minus the “S”. This number can be found on Infinite Campus.

Prices

Breakfast: $1.75

Lunch: $2.95

Milk: $0.70

Juice: $0.40

School-wide Positive Behavior Intervention & Support (SWPBIS) is a systems approach to establishing the whole-school social culture and intensive individual behavior supports needed for school to achieve social and academic gains while minimizing problem behavior for all students.

SWPBS is NOT a specific curriculum, intervention or practice, but a decision making framework that guides selection, integration and implementation of scientifically-based academic and behavioral practices for improving academic and behavior outcomes for all students. A central feature of SWPBS is implementation of behavioral practices throughout the entire school. SWPBS defines practices that all students experience in all parts of the school and at all times of day.

BENEFITS:

• Fewer behavior problems
• Improved school climate
• Reduction in discipline referrals
• Consistency in staff responses
• Safer schools
  
• More time spend on instruction and less on discipline

Tiffany Ridge has an amazing PTA that supports students, staff and TR families. We are asking for your support, with no volunteering/meetings required! Your membership fees will help fund school needs, assemblies, field trips, and fun school events so sign up today!

Join PTA HERE

2024-2025 PTA Board Members

• President: Kristin Kuhn
• Vice President of Membership: Kim Taylor
• Vice President of Fundraising: Amy Gallawa
• Secretary: Jennifer Duckworth
• Treasurer: Meghan Kudrna

Tiffany Ridge is implementing Restorative Practices this school year. We are excited to be a part of the cohort 1 schools in Park Hill. Restorative Practices help strengthen relationships between individuals and build community among students, staff, and families. This year, we will be focusing on proactive circles. More information can be found HERE.

Call Box at Front Entrance: All schools in Park Hill have a Call Box at the locked Front Entrance Doors. Front entrance doors will be locked when school is in session. Office staff will ask for your name and the reason for your visit before the door is unlocked. Each time a parent or a family member visits Tiffany Ridge, a photo ID is required to check out a student or enter Tiffany RIdge beyond the school office area.

Student Check Out Process: Please be prepared to show a photo ID when picking up your child early from Tiffany Ridge. Students will not be allowed to leave with siblings or other family members unless the sibling or family member is listed on the child’s authorized pick-up list or verbal permission is granted by the parent by phone. A picture ID is required when picking up students.

Visiting Tiffany Ridge: Please be prepared to show a photo ID when visiting Tiffany Ridge during the school day or attending events during the school day, including class parties.

More information can be found in the Park Hill Parent and Student Handbook

As you probably know, teachers like candy and snacks! We have created a Tiffany Ridge Amazon Wish List with goodies that we can have on hand at meetings. We'd appreaciate any donations!

ALL students at Tiffany Ridge Elementary will receive a photo badge and lanyard which they will use each day to access their lunch account, check out library books, access print jobs and ride the bus. Students will be responsible for bringing their ID badge and lanyard to and from school each day. Students will wear badges all day. If a student is unable to find their badge, there will be a $5.00 replacement fee. Your help with this process is very much appreciated.

Visitors: Visitors are welcome at Tiffany Ridge! Visits should be prearranged with the appropriate Tiffany Ridge Staff member at least one day in advance of the visit. All visitors must check in at the office, identify the purpose of the visit, and will receive an ID sticker to wear during the visit.

Lunch Visits: Parents are welcome to join their students for lunch at school. Lunch visitors must check in at the office. We have a designated area for students with lunch guests to accommodate space for visitors. Lunch visitors may only have lunch with their own children. Any visitors who are not listed as a contact for the student will require advanced permission from the student's parent or guardian. Please contact the office to schedule lunch visits with students.

Volunteers: We welcome all volunteers into our schools and classrooms, with prior arrangements made with Tiffany Ridge staff. All volunteers who work with our students or attend field trips need to complete background screening by Park Hill. Forms for the screening are available in the Tiffany Ridge office. Volunteers must check in at the office and wear an ID sticker.

Parents can purchase additional insurance protection for accidents that may occur during school classes and while students are away from school, at home, during weekends and vacation periods, including the summer months. For information regarding this optional coverage, visit www.kidguardinsurance.com for additional benefit and on-line enrollment information.

Families who think they qualify for the Free/Reduced Lunch Program will need to apply after August 1, 2024. This is a program you must reapply for each school year. If your child is eligible for free or reduced meal benefits, you can also receive additional benefits at Park Hill High School such as fee waivers, activity passes, free screenings and more.

Click HERE for more information.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school social worker, Gayle Laney, 816-359-5747 or erikson-laneyg@parkhill.k12.mo.us.

If you need the application translated, please use this link. https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/translated-applications

Miles of Smiles, a program of LevelUp Kids, provides free dental care to children in the Northland who do not have access to oral health services. The dental care will be provided to students at TIFFANY RIDGE during the school day August 21 – September 9, 2024! All care is provided by a licensed dentist and assistants and all patients receive a comprehensive exam, cleaning and x-rays.

Please register your student NOW so that we can provide care at the beginning of school. We highly encourage online registration, which is quick, easy and convenient! You can register right from your phone!

• https://practisforms.com/milesofsmilesinc/forms/milesofsmilesinc-registration-form
• https://practisforms.com/milesofsmilesinc/forms/milesofsmilesinc-formulario-de-inscripcion
• https://levelupkidsinc.org/

Paper forms are also available. We will have hard copies at Back to School Night and will be sending forms home the first day of school…so keep an eye out!

Please contact Karen Schaff (816-359-6175) or Gayle Erickson-Laney (816-359-5747) if you have any questions or need help registering your student.

The PTA of the Park Hill School District runs a clothing center that provides free, gently used clothing and new socks and underwear to district students.

The PTA Clothing Center serves all Park Hill School District students from Kindergarten through 12th grade, and the PTA asks you to bring some proof that you are enrolled in a Park Hill school. This could be a student ID, bus pass, dated letter from a principal or social worker, class schedule or enrollment form.

Donations are welcome at the Clothing Center. Please make sure your donations are clean, in good condition and bagged in kitchen-sized bags that the volunteers can lift.

2024-2025 Park Hill PTA Clothing Center Shopping Dates

• August 20, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm

• September 3 & 17, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm

• October 1 & 15, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm

• November 5 & 19, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm

• December 3 & 17, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm

• January 7 & 21, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm
• February 4 & 18, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm
• March 4 & 18, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm
• April 1 & 15, 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm
• May 6, 4pm-6pm

Website: Tiffany Ridge Website

Facebook: Tiffany Ridge Facebook

Email: TiffanyRidgeAdministrativeAssistants@parkhill.k12.mo.us
Address: 5301 NW Tiffany Springs Road, KCMO, MO, United States
Phone: (816) 359-4400