Cottonwood Elementary

Wow! It’s hard to believe December is already here. Time flies, and the month of December always seems to go by in the blink of an eye. This month is packed with exciting activities, including holiday parties, theme days, Grandparents Bingo Night, assemblies, and we just wrapped up our 2nd-grade music program.

December is also a great time to revisit our expectations at home and school to ensure everyone enjoys these special events to the fullest. At Cottonwood, our core values—working hard and being nice—guide everything we do. We frequently remind our students of these expectations to help them navigate both daily routines and special activities successfully.

This time of year also marks mid-year testing. As your child participates in these assessments, please encourage them to give their best effort. These results are important, as they help us tailor instruction and set goals for the new year. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email at brennan_riffel@usd368.org Thank you for your continued support, and let’s make this December memorable!

Warm Regards,

Mr. Riffel

Parents, please mark it on your calendar that December 20th will be a 2-hour early release day. School will dismiss at 1:10 pm and our bus routes, walkers, daycare, and car pick-up will run normally that day Please make sure you have accounted for this change and plan accordingly. If your child has a different means of transportation on December 20th, please communicate it to your child's classroom teacher and office staff. Any transportation changes need to be made by 12:30 pm on December 20th.

*Please note: Cottonwood Christmas parties will be on December 19th from 2:00-2:30 pm right before dismissal. You will be able to check out your student from the classroom if you attend.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DjJLEv3BIGKxXEoE1QRcpnmoM900BzgEiMUlqu5ftBA/edit?usp=sharing

We will be having classroom parties on December 19th from 2:00-2:30. We are happy to invite parents into the building this year for these parties.

Holiday Parties Expectations- Each classroom teacher will send out information with their classroom specifics. All parties must have the following guidelines in place:

• It's preferred that all food items must be individually wrapped.
• All items should be sent to school with the student in the morning.
• Please refer to your child's classroom teacher for any questions regarding what is and what isn't allowed.
• Classroom teachers will send out additional information.
• PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN OUR DROP-OFF LINE OR BUS LOOP.

Parents,

As the weather is getting colder, we are seeing more parents utilize our car rider line at the end of the day. Just a reminder that our line moves the fastest if everyone knows their iDismiss number. Every student in the building was assigned a number at the start of the year and given a card to display on their window visor. Feel free to make your own signs for additional vehicles in your family. If you memorize your number, you can always tell our Cottonwood staff when your roll down the window. When our staff must look up numbers it slows the entire line down. Please remember that our office staff will only share numbers with family members who are listed as primary contacts in the infinite campus.

Just a reminder we do go outside for recess as long as the real feel is above 20 degrees. Please ensure your child has a coat/jacket, hat and gloves.

• December 4th- 20th: End of Semester Testing
• December 9th- Site Council Meeting 4:30
• December 9th- Board of Education Meeting 6:00 pm.
• December 17th: Grandparents' Bingo Night 4pm at Paola High School
• December 19th: Christmas Parties 2:00-2:30 pm
• December 20th: Early Release 1:10pm
• December 23th- January 6th: Winter Break
• January 7th: School Resumes

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me: brennan_riffel@usd368.org or call the school at 913-294-8050.

Email: brennan_riffel@usd368.org
Website: https://www.usd368.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Cottonwood%20Elementary
Location: 709 Hedge Ln, Paola, KS 66071, USA
Phone: 913-294-8050