Sheldon Update

Dear Sheldon Families,

Welcome back to the 2021-2022 school year! Staff reported back last week and we have been busy preparing for students to arrive! As a reminder, the first day of school is August 19th. We open the doors at 9:10 and will begin our dismissal at 3:30 for the first week or so, working up to our normal dismissal time of 3:40.

This is the first of our weekly parent newsletters for this year. I try to make this very comprehensive and include school and district information that you need, as well as community resources. Please read carefully each week as this is the major form of communication you will receive. I send this out via email and post it on our website and Facebook page.

Click the link to access the 2021-2022 Family Handbook.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me!

Thank you for the privilege of serving you ~

Mrs. Gabrielle Tanner, Principal

Teachers have begun calling families to schedule porch visits prior to the first day of school. If you haven't heard from your teacher by the end of this week, please reach out!

We will be hosting a Meet the Teacher Night on August 18 from 4:30-5:30. While you will have already met your teacher through home visits, this is an opportunity to see your child's school and classroom and ask any last minute questions you may have.

*Masks are required for anyone entering the building*

The first day of school for students is Thursday, August 19. Arrival is 9:10 and we will begin dismissal at 3:30. We will be serving breakfast and lunch. The car line and bus transportation will run as usual. We will share updated bus routing information for this school year as those routes are finalized.

At home visits, teachers provided families with a labeled bus harness if they are a bus rider OR a labeled lanyard for students who are OT (Other Transportation - car line/walker). Please make sure your student is ready for the bus with their harness on under any jacket they may be wearing. OT students need to have their lanyard around their neck as they exit the vehicle in the car line. This will help us transition students to their classrooms quickly and more importantly, safely!

If your child takes medication at school, you will need to have your child's physician complete and sign a Request to Administer Medication form, which will need to be returned to Ms. Andrea in the clinic. Medication must be sent in the original packaging with the original label. If your child needs meal modifications due to religious or medical restrictions, please complete and return the attached forms.

Please be sure you send an extra set of clothes (bottom, top, underwear, socks) with your student on the first day of school, in case of accidents. Make sure they are appropriate for the current weather.

Sheldon will be using a car line for arrival/dismissal again this year. It will take us a few days to get it down, but if you give us grace during that time, I ensure that we will be a well-oiled machine by the end of the second week of school! Our highest priority is student safety so we will take our time to ensure the safety of all. The number one thing I have learned over the years is that when everyone follows the rules, the system works, and works quickly!

The maps below highlight the traffic flow for the car line and for families who walk up. Please remember that we are located in a fairly compact neighborhood. We want to ensure we are respectful of all Sheldon's neighbors by following speed limit and other traffic signs and by not blocking driveways.

The car line will begin at 9:10 (10:10 on Fridays). Any student arriving after 9:30 will need to check in at the main office as the car line will have ended. The dismissal car line will begin at 3:40. Any adult arriving to pick up a child after 4:00 will need to check them out at the main office as the car line will have ended.

The picture above shows the proper way to enter the neighborhood to join the car line. If headed northbound on Gage, please turn left onto Sena St., continue toward Sheldon, and turn right into the parking lot on Sena St., just past Seabrook. If headed southbound on Gage, please turn right onto Munson Ave., continue toward Sheldon, turn left onto Seabrook, wait for a break in traffic to turn right onto Sena, and then turn right into the parking lot. All traffic must turn right out of the parking lot onto Sena St. and then proceed on the most convenient path.

When approaching the parking lot on Sena, just past Seabrook, vehicles will turn RIGHT into the parking lot and follow the painted arrows to loop through the parking lot. Adults will not exit their vehicle. Staff will greet students at the vehicle, ensure they have a mask, and then escort them into the building where additional staff members will escort them to their classrooms. Once the student exits, the vehicle may continue to follow the painted arrows to complete the loop through the parking lot. Vehicles will make a RIGHT turn out of the parking lot onto Sena St. If you have a situation that requires you stop to exit the vehicle or you need to have a conversation with a staff member, please pull to the right out of the car line so that it can continue to flow smoothly.

Families who are walking up will not walk up to the front entrance. Instead, please enter school grounds through the small gate located in front of the school, on the south end of Seabrook. Proceed up the ramp, down the stairs and through the small gate into the parking lot. Follow along the perimeter of the building (stay out of car traffic!) until you reach the door. Staff will do a mask check and sign in the student. Students will then be escorted to their classrooms. Adults are asked to follow the same path to exit school grounds.

The Topeka Public Schools Board of Education voted on August 5th to follow the CDC Universal masking guidelines to start the school year. This means that masks will be required indoors for all staff, students, and visitors regardless of vaccination status. Masks will not be required during outside times. Please be sure you send your student to school with a clean face mask each day. This is part of their required dress code and we appreciate your assistance with ensuring we are providing a safe environment for our students! We will also be continuing with frequent handwashing/sanitation, disinfection protocols, and maintaining a social distance of 3 feet. Follow this link to view the entire "TPS Safe to Return to School Plan".

Late Start has moved back to FRIDAYS for this school year and the arival time will be at 10:10. The first late start of the year will be our second day of school, August 20th.

You can find the 2021-2022 Academic Calendar HERE.

The Sheldon Food & Clothing Bank is still up and running! If your family has any needs, reach out to your Family Advocate or call 438-4538.

You can find the link to the 2021 Community Resources Council Resource Directory here. This directory provides contact information for a variety of community resources.

See the following links for Food Pantry resources available to families.

English and Spanish

Website: https://sheldon.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 1155 SW Seabrook Ave.
Phone: 785-438-4530
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheldonChildDevelopmentCenterHeadStart