Hello Mustang Community!

I can not believe that it is already May!!! WOW! Time really flies when you are having fun. It has been a great first year for me here at Meadow Lane, with many many more ahead of us! I want to personally say thank you for all that you have done, advocated for, volunteered in, and just been a part of this amazing journey.

It is Teacher Appreciation Week this week May 6-10, so please make sure that you see the flyer below on how we are going to honor our great staff members this week! I can't thank all of them enough for the fantastic work that they do every day to provide a safe, clean, nurturing enviroment to provide a high-quality education. Please make sure you thank all the staff members you see this week for the wonderful effort they go through every day, night, weekend, and summers to make sure they are delivering the material in a way that helps every child master the objective. Thank those staff that also ensure that our students are fed every day, or that the environment is kept clean and sanitized (ever had to clean up vomit on your hands and knees out of the school carpet when our machine is broken? It ain't pretty). I appreciate these individuals, for the building wouldn't be what it is without them.

Please enjoy this musical background in honor of National Music Week! 🎵

As we look forward to what I'm sure will be a blur of the month of May, please make sure that you bookmark and/or download the May Calendar to stay in the know. We also sent a copy of the May calendar home with your student with the lunch menu on the back. Thank you to all students for continuing to show the PBIS Meadow Lane Expectations that we are:

• Respectful
• Safe
• Engaged

I appreciate you all, and I am only a phone call or email away if you need anything. Remember, it is always a great day to be a Mustang! 🐴

Thank you for all that you do,

Casey Welch, Principal

We have had 22 students already this year cut my tie! I have listed below the most recent 7 since April's newsletter. Students' pictures have been taken (as seen below) and will be placed along with my half of the cut tie (the students get to keep the half that they cut) on the bulletin board in the main hallway past the front lobby for all to see!

If your student will be absent, is going to be late, needs to be picked up early, or is taking a different form of transportation home, please click on the linked title above to report it. Once the link is open, call the school line listed or you can email us. Just click on the "email us" link and send a quick note to Heather Little and Jennifer Stry (if you use this link it automatically goes to both of them).

*if you are navigating from the Meadow Lane Webpage, follow the steps below:

1. Click on the Parent Tab at the top.
2. Under Parent Resources on the left, click on Report an Absence.

We appreciate your cooperation! 🙂

April: National Youth Sports Safety Month/Autism Awareness Month/Occupational Therapy Month/Poetry Month/School Library Month

May 1:

• 1st Grade Field Trip to Zoo 9:15 am - 1:45 pm.

• ML Staff mtg in library 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

May 2:

• 4th Grade Field Trip To Optomotrist: Insight Vision

• SFT Transition day - SER: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

May 3:

• PRT Orchestra Tour 8:40 am Assembly @ ML.

May 6: 5th Grade Field Tip to School of Economics 8:35 am - 1:30 pm.

May 7: National Teacher Appreciation Day.

May 8:

• School Nurse Appreciation Day

• Bike To School Day

• SER: Day at the K 9:00 am – 2:30 pm

May 9:

• Safety Patrol: Girls Pizza Party 11:15 am - 1:00 pm @ Pizza Shoppe

May 10:

• Muffins In The Morning: 7:30 am - 8:20 am

• Restaurant Night: Betty Rae’s 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

May 12: Mother's Day

May 13: Safety Patrol: Boys Pizza Party 11:15 am - 1:00 pm @ Pizza Shoppe

May 14:

• Special Chorus Field Trip: 9:30 am - 2:15 pm

• 1st Grade Stuffed Animal Zoo 9:00 am - 10:00 am

• End of the Year SPED mtg: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

May 15: Student Government Pizza Party 11:15 am - 1:00 pm @ Pizza Shoppe

May 16: ML TALENT SHOWS

• Grades 3-5 @ 8:45 am

• Grades 1-2 @ 1:15 pm

May 16: FIELD DAY!

• 9:00 am - 2:15 pm Grades K-5

May 17: SER Field Trip to Main Event 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

May 21:

• 5th Grade Celebration Breakfast and Farewell @ 7:45 am - 9:30 am in MPR

• Awards Assembly @ 10:00 am in Gym

May 22:

• Last Day of School! Grades K-5 12:00 Noon Dismissal (half day 8:20 am - 12:00 pm)

• 5th Grade vs. Staff Game @ 9:00 am

• 5th Grade Farewell Walk @ 11:45 am

• End of 4th QTR: Report Cards Distributed to students to take home.

🛝 Please see all the information below for the most recent playground updates. 🛝

MOST RECENT UPDATE

The rainy weather has set back all playground finishing dates including ours. Once the wather allows, they will be running two crews to try and catch back up. Right now, our date for the pour and play surface will be May 13th, but this could chage due to weather.

The pour and play surface will take approximately two weeks, weather and cure time permitting. Once pour and play has cured out, OSC will inform school when playground can be used as there still could be more work that needs done for example restoration, asphalt, and or concrete.

I was hoping that we would have the playground done before the end of the school year, but I don't think that will happen unfortunately. However, we will still have our Field Day and work around it, making it as fun as possible for all! 😊

Thank you for your patience with us during this project. We know there will be a slight inconvenience for our students and staff, but once all the work is complete it will be worth the wait!

UPDATED PLAYGROUND PICS

PLAYGROUND CONCEPT

(PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION)

Every parent is a member of our PTO! Are you interested in learning more about the PTO, or want to get involved? Have any questions? Reach out to Emily Eaton at emilylovesadoption@gmail.com

A Message From Our PTO

From the PTO President:

I am writing this update with the biggest smile on my face! I just got back home from the Carnival and WOW it was incredible! Meadow Lane shows up, and that is the truth! Plus, close to $12,000 was raised for our PTO! Just incredible.

To everyone who contributed time, money, donations, resources, food, etc… toward the carnival, thank you! As always, the kids loved the event! Being one of the year's biggest events requires hours upon hours of time, so I’d especially like to thank the Carnival Committee for all you have done! Rockstars! Thank you to all of the other committees that had a presence in April as well!

In PTO Board news, big congrats to our new Board Members beginning this summer: Erica Colgan as Treasurer and Dana Peterzalek as Secretary. We are excited to have you!

To Alison & Kaylan: THANK YOU is an understatement! Your guidance and leadership have been an incredible resource for us all. The success we achieved as a PTO wouldn’t have been possible without you. Truly we appreciate you and all you’ve selflessly given to our incredible elementary school!

Muffins in the morning is on May 10th, and so is our last restaurant night of the year at Betty Rae’s. Truly can’t believe how quickly this has all gone!

May 17th is field day: and if you are new to Meadow Lane, it’s such a fun day for both parents AND the kids! If you have the availability to volunteer, we’d love to have you! Follow this link for more information. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044AA8A82FA02-meadow4

School Tool Box (Pre-made school supply boxes) for the fall are a convenient way to get highly-rated school supplies at a great price. Check out the attachment for more information. Ordering ends May 19th.

In case you missed it in last month’s update: Skate City has a wonderful opportunity for our families this summer! They are selling School Summer Membership Passes that work all summer long for discounted rates. Plus, it’s also an easy fundraiser for our PTO. Scan the QR code and be sure to enter Meadow Lane as your school so we can receive credit! Flyers should be sent home with students within the next week, but there’s a digital version online.

While we are preparing to say goodbye to this current school year, please know there are still so many ways that you can help our PTO! There will still be plenty of volunteer opportunities this fall.

I can’t believe our current 5th-grade class is about to head to Middle School! Especially since my oldest is a Freshman at ONW-I can confidently say that these elementary years go by so quickly. Congrats to all of you parents and guardians of our 5th graders. Onward we go!

Per usual, there’s always a place for YOU in our PTO! Happy Summer to all!

Emily Eaton

Thank you to all of those that dontaed to make the 2024 PTO Carnival such a great success! We appreciate you and your generosity 😊

Hey Parents, do you not feel like going out to shop for all those school supplies before next school year? Well, we have an option for you! You can order for next school year from School Tool Box.

School Tool Box (Pre-made school supply boxes) for the fall are a convenient way to get highly-rated school supplies at a great price. Check out the flyer below for more information. Ordering ends May 19th.

10470 S RIDGEVIEW RD OLATHE KS 66061

Hello Mustangs!

Our names are Kiera O’Boyle and Kennedy Meyer, and we are family and consumer science teachers at Olathe Northwest. We will be hosting a FACS Summer Camp, teaching baking and sewing skills, for 3rd-8th grade students at Olathe Northwest June 10th-13th.

Each day campers will split half of their camp time whipping up a variety of exciting recipes while learning proper safety cooking techniques. The other half of their day will be spent learning to sew by creating multiple sewing projects.

Please click on the flyer below or the button to register.

*No Sewing experience required

Any questions contact: keoboyle@olatheschools.org OR kameyer@olathschools.org

Thank you,

Kiera O'Boyle and Kennedy Meyer

Olathe Northwest FACS Teachers

4.26.24

KDG Olander: Will Megaris

KDG Williams: Caden Wixson

1-Herrig: Kennedy Whaley

1-Stegeman: Annabelle Blauwiekel

1-Thomas: Cameron Knueven

2-Hopfinger: Beckham Gower

2-Puppe: Mia Ramsey

2-Stroup: Jett Helling

3-Ehlers: Maylee Unick

3-Harding: Leen Eltigani

3-Payton: Everett Greer & Aarav Madaiah

4-Thomas: Dylan Lynn & Aidan Thumbi

4-Wallace: Tristan Swanson & Hyrum Martinez

4-Wolf: Owen Schultz & Minsa Khan

5-Chapman: Everly Brenneman

5-McCubbins: Shaun Alexander

5-Menner: Vera Carroll

5.3.24

KDG Olander: Eva Enslinger

KDG Williams: Mason Houghland & Ameer Hayes

1-Herrig: Alisha Bancroft

1-Stegeman: Harlow Welch

1-Thomas: Jameson Wheatley

2-Hopfinger: Bennett Greer

2-Puppe: Braylan Webb

2-Stroup: Mia Ripma

3-Ehlers: Spencer Puppe & Olive Hirstein

3-Harding: Thomas Whaley

3-Payton: Charli Andra & Samantha Lee

4-Thomas: Kallan Maratea

4-Wallace: Tatum Welborn & Brigham Wrecke

4-Wolf: Jackson Reese

5-Chapman: Oivia Schamberger

5-McCubbins: Samira Collins

5-Menner: Cael Knueven

Please utilize the link below (orange button, or please click on the picture) to turn in your students reading days. For more information on the Meadow Lane Reading Program, there is a PDF below. We started September 1st! The goal of the reading program is to encourage students to read more outside of school and recognize the importance and pleasure of reading. Take a few minutes to look over the information, and to view the video! 💯

Celebrate your child and help build Meadow Lane's library collection, which comes with a birthday inventive!

Want your child to stay connected academically this summer? Take advantage of the following resources provided by the Olathe Public Schools:

• Check out the Level Up Your Learning website! This website is chock full of enriching activities in the areas of reading, math, science, social studies, fitness, and fine arts. Activities are “leveled.” Information about the levels may be found on the adult information page. To access both student and adult sites, click here: https://www.olatheschools.org/domain/3238
• Utilize the Summer Connections calendar! The PK-8 grade level calendars include 30 do-at-home activities. Students should use the grade level calendar for the grade they will be entering in fall 2024. To access the calendars, click here: https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/12213

Looking to make an impact? Want your voice to be heard? Do you have a passion for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging? Apply today to join the OPS Diversity and Engagement Advisory Council. Spaces are open for the 2024-2026 school years (two-year term) for students (high school juniors), certified, classified staff members, administration, parents, local community organization members, business representatives, and ONEA representatives. Applications are due by Friday, May 10. Anyone with questions should email Director of Culture & Belonging Kathleen Smith.

Have you heard the big news?! Olathe Public Schools is embarking on a journey to update the district brand and they want to hear from YOU! Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager kicked off this process, with a personal message inviting all to share their insights and ideas through this process focused on refreshing our district's identity to better reflect our vibrant community (video linked here).

We need your creative input. Think about the symbols, colors, and words that best represent our school and share your ideas. Here’s how you can contribute:

Social Media: Post your ideas using #OPSRebrand.

Community Gallery: Submit your thoughts on our rebranding webpage by completing the survey (www.olatheschools.org/rebrand).

Also, we’re involving our students in this creative venture! Classroom activity sheets are available on the rebrand website, offering a fun way for students to engage with this project.

Your participation is key in shaping a brand that truly reflects the Olathe spirit. Your voice in this project is not just welcomed, it’s essential. The collective input from our Mustang community will ensure that our new brand resonates with those at the heart of our district – you and our students. Let's make this a collective success!

https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/12356

• Community Conversations - Word Doc format (includes English & Spanish)
• Community Conversations - PDF format (includes English & Spanish)
• Community Conversations - JPG Format (English / Spanish)

The Imagination Library of Kansas is coming statewide. What is the Imagination Library? Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is open to any child in Kansas from birth to their 5th birthday. Children receive free, age-appropriate books mailed directly to their home every month. Our goal is for every Kansas child to nurture a love for reading that will continue to enrich their lives throughout school and beyond! You can learn more about it here. Information will be coming soon from the district as to how we will support enrollment in this program.

Please see the attached document for the Olathe Public Schools Department of Athletics and Activities regarding elementary students attending middle and high school activities and athletic events.

As a reminder, we will see a few changes in the new year and next school year.

Open Enrollment Beginning in 2024 for 24-25 School Year

Kansas House Bill 2567 states all public-school districts must allow non-resident students who reside in Kansas to enroll in and attend any school if the district has the capacity and this takes effect in the 2024-25 school year. Our policy includes an in-district transfer period starting Jan. 4, followed by a district employee transfer period starting March 1. District enrollment capacity must be determined by May 1 and posted on the district website by June 1. Non-resident applications would be accepted June 1-30, followed by a non-resident lottery selection process July 1-15. For more information, click here.

Start and End Times Beginning in 2024-25 School Year

The following start and end time schedule will begin in August 2024.

• High schools and Prairie Learning Center, 7:40 a.m.-2:40 p.m.
• Middle schools and Heartland Early Childhood Center, 8:20 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
• Elementary schools and Harmony Early Childhood Center, 8:55 a.m.-3:55 p.m.

The district understands this change will impact every family differently. Please be on the lookout for more information on solutions impacting each level and the transportation restrictions in place for this year that will be removed. The Board of Education approval of this new schedule during their December meeting gave the district, families and staff a full semester and summer to make necessary plans and adjustments before school starts in August 2024. For more information, click here.

Casey Welch: Principal

WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS HOW TO BEHAVE BY WHAT WE ALLOW, WHAT WE STOP, WHAT WE IGNORE, AND WHAT WE REINFORCE.

Email: crwelch@olatheschools.org
Website: https://www.olatheschools.org/meadowlane/
Location: 21880 College Boulevard, Olathe, KS, USA
Phone: (913) 780-7553

August 2023: https://www.smore.com/cn8yk

September 2023: https://www.smore.com/zt6du

October 2023: https://www.smore.com/e79fk

November 2023: https://www.smore.com/sg7xa

December 2023: https://www.smore.com/bg76r

January 2024: https://www.smore.com/qrewy

February 2024: https://www.smore.com/n/b73g68

March 2024: https://www.smore.com/n/axm8t

April 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/p7n2u