Jag News

Email: HeartlandElementary@bluevalleyk12.org
Website: www.bluevalleyk12.org/HRT
Location: 12775 Goodman Street, Overland Park, KS, United States
Phone: (913) 239-6300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heartland-Elementary/1560823470802598
Twitter: @HRTJaguars

11/21-11/25: No School, Thanksgiving Break

11/28: NEW DATE: School Picture Re-takes & Make-ups

11/30: Heartland Chess Club - must sign up here to attend

11/30: Red Bag items due to front office

12/1: Heartland Spelling Bee (grades 3, 4, 5)

12/1: PTO Dine-out @ Panera Bread

12/7: Heartland Chess Club - must sign up here to attend

12/13: Kindergarten field trip to Wilderness Science Center

12/14: 2nd, 3rd, 4th grade field trip to KC Ballet

12/14: Heartland Chess Club - must sign up here to attend

12/16: Spirit Day! Wear silly sweaters and festive accessories

12/20: Classroom Winter Parties

12/20: End of 1st Semester, Early Dismissal at 11:45am

12/21-1/3: Winter Break, no school

1/4: School Resumes, Beginning of 2nd Semester

We are really excited to kick off our annual "Red Bag" community service project where Heartland has an opportunity to be part of the Kansas City area Red Bag organization and help children this coming holiday season. With your help 20 children that we are sponsoring will receive holiday gifts and much needed items.

How to participate:

-Sign Up Genius is now active and ready for families to select gifts.

-Once you choose gift(s) return UNWRAPPED item with coordinating letter and number (example M6 or P2)and name of child attached to gift.

-Drop off item at front office of Heartland by November 30.

-If possible include gift receipt

Thank you for your support and generosity- your contributions are greatly appreciated!

Please contact Tarra Sigg with any questions (tlsigg01@yahoo.com)

The peak of the cold and flu season is upon us. To prevent widespread flu in the school, we recommend that your child stay home from school if experiencing flu or cold symptoms. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines:

Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:

• Very stuffy or runny nose and/or cough
• Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
• Headache
• Stomachache

Definitely keep your child at home for treatment and observation if he or she has any of these symptoms:

• Fever (greater than 100 degrees and your child may return to school only after his or her temperature has been consistently below 100 degrees, by mouth, for a minimum of 24 hours)
• Vomiting (even once)
• Diarrhea
• Chills
• General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches
• Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough

To help prevent the flu and other colds, teach your children good hygiene habits:

• Wash hands frequently
• Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Colds are the most contagious during the first 48 hours. A child who has a fever should remain at home until "fever free " for a minimum of 24 hours without fever reducing medicine. Often when a child awakens with vague complaints (the way colds and flu begin) it is wise to observe your child at home for an hour or two before deciding whether or not to bring to school. Your child should be physically able to participate in all school activities on return to school. Keeping a sick child at home will minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom.

Thank you so much for your help to keep HRT safe,

Nurse Jill and Nurse Tracie

All registered Blue Valley voters will have an opportunity to vote in a no tax rate increase bond election in January 2023. Bond projects include investments in facilities, safety and technology that will benefit staff and students for years to come.

Here are a few ways to learn more about Bond 2023.

• Listen to a podcast: Take time to listen to two 15-minute podcasts about Bond 2023 & Facilities and Bond 2023 & Safety.

• Watch a video: Watch a short video that breaks down how bond funds can be used. Want to learn more? Watch an informational video that highlights the opportunity to invest in facilities, safety and technology projects through Bond 2023.

• Review the Bond 2023 website: The Bond 2023 website includes information about voting, answers to frequently asked questions and more.

Register to vote: All registered Blue Valley voters will automatically receive a mail ballot around January 11. Not a registered voter? Register online.

Our Heartland yearbook chairs are collecting photos for the 22-23 school year. You can upload your Heartland memories right here all year long. The yearbook chairs are also looking for a photo enthusiast (or 2) that would like to take over as yearbook committee leaders next year. Chairs for the 23-24 school year would shadow with our chairs this year to learn the ropes. If you're interested, please contact hrt.pto@gmail.com

Click here for a list of local babysitting options. Click here to add to the list.

Click here for a list of Heartland Family Owned Businesses. Click here to add to the list.

Thank you to all families who donated to Heartland Library’s Birthday Book Club. Your donation helps to library to purchase new library books for all students to read and enjoy. Not familiar with our program? Read below for more information.

Students at Heartland have a wonderful way to have their special day recognized for years to come. Our library’s Birthday Book Club is available to students in all grades. By donating $15 to the Library Media Center, your child will be able to choose a special book to be placed in our library collection and be the first student to read the new book.

Here’s how it works. Prior to your child’s birthday, he/she can come to the library and select a Birthday Book from our cart of brand new books in all different genres. A nameplate will be placed in the front of the book and your child’s picture will be taken and displayed with the book in the library. This program is optional but it does provide our library with exciting new titles throughout the school year. The average cost of a library bound book is $17.30!

You can make your donation anytime during the year by paying through this Heartland link: https://bvpo.bluevalleyk12.org or send in a check made payable to Heartland Elementary to the front office.

Daily Snacks: Thank you for your support of our nut-safer snack plan at HRT. As a reminder: we ask that ALL daily snacks (i.e. snack time) for ALL students must come from the nut-safer food list as we have a significant number of students with life-threatening nut allergies. (click below for the link) If a student’s snack is not from this approved list, it will be sent home (and an alternate snack will be provided the first time) so we can help increase the safety for our students as a whole. Our continued focus this year, as an entire school, is to remain consistent on the daily snacks for student snack time in the classrooms—following the nut-safer list.

Please click HERE to access the Nut-Safer food list.

Heartland Elementary’s policy for birthday treats prohibits students and parents from bringing birthdays treats from home—edible or non-edible. This is due to several factors including health, safety, and the preservation of instructional time. Birthdays are a special time for each child and as such, the school will provide recognition throughout the day and throughout the school through announcements, birthday book club from the library, classroom celebration routines, and more. If birthday treats are sent to school during the 2022-23 school year, they will not be distributed and will be sent home. Also, if you send it invitations to birthday parties, please include all students in the class, or they will not be distributed. Thank you for understanding and complying to this policy.

Thank you for volunteering and taking the time to record your volunteer hours. Please don't enter hours volunteered in WHRT, Safety Patrol, or Heartland Helpers. Those hours will be entered by the school. In addition, though we appreciate all hours parents volunteer, only students are eligible for awards and therefore, their hours are the only ones needed to be entered here.

Once again, thank you. The time that you have given is appreciated. Click here to record student hours. Students will be recognized in May 2023.

• Call the HRT office at 913-239-6300
• Email HeartlandElementary@bluevalleyk12.org