The Eagle Soars
Sunflower Elementary - December 15, 2023
About Us
Upcoming Events
February 23rd: PTO Family Movie & Game Night- Elemental at 6:30pm
February 26th-March 1st: Read Across America Week
February 27th: Spring Pictures- Individual & Class Pictures
February 28th: Early Release Day- Dismiss at 1:55pm
March 4th: PTO Dine Out Fundraiser at Culver's 5:00-8:00pm.
March 5th: PTO Meeting at Sunflower Library 7:00pm
March 8th: No School- Teacher Plan Time
March 11th-15th: No School- Spring Break
March 20th: Early Release Day- Dismiss at 1:55pm
March 22nd: PTO Spirit Stick Sales 8:00-8:20am
PTO Bingo Night at 6:30-8:00pm
March 25th-29th: Book Fair
March 26th: 1st Grade Field Trip
Family Math Night 6:30-7:30pm
March 27th: Early Release Day- Dismiss at 1:55pm
March 28th: Kindergarten Goodies, Games, & GRANDS Event
PTO Family Movie & Game Night: February 23rd
Free for all families!
Students must be with an adult.
Popcorn, candy, & bottled water for $1 each.
Bring your blankets, pillows, & chairs.
Read Across America Week: February 26th- March 1st
Spring Picture Day: February 27th
Strawbridge Photos will be at Sunflower on February 27th for spring individual and class pictures!
You will be receiving a payment envelope for the class picture. This envelope will be coming home with your student when we return to school on Tuesday.
If you would like to purchase a class picture, please remember to either pay online or send cash/check in your payment envelope and give to your teacher on or before picture day.
You do not prepay for the individual pictures! You will be receiving a packet of photos within a couple of weeks following the picture day. At that time, you will pay for photos you keep and return the photos you don’t want to keep.
.
Message from the District Finance Department
Please start making payments towards any outstanding balance. Contact your child's school if you have any questions about fees still owed or if you would like to set up a payment plan.
All accounts must be paid in full by the last day of school!
To apply for benefits online, please use the Nutrition Services link https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application. If you have already completed the survey but have questions regarding your benefits, please email Nutrition Services at nutrition@usd231.com.
Attendance Matters Family Recognition Winners
Resource Fair
KCFC Cheerleading
Important Reminders & Information
Birthday Invitation Etiquette
Car Line Etiquette
Dress Your Child Warm
Doors Open at 8:00am
Inclement Weather Procedures
In the event USD 231 closes school due to inclement weather or other school-related closures, the information is communicated as soon as the decision is made in the following ways:
- Posted on our website - www.usd231.com
- Posted to social media https://www.facebook.com/gardneredgerton and https://twitter.com/gardneredgerton
- Local television stations (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC)* Please know we are at the mercy of these stations as to whether or not they relay the information. There have been instances when the district has provided information, and the news station did not get it posted.
- Thrillshare App ( Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apptegy.gardner&hl=en_US OR Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/usd-231-gardner-edgerton/id1446800227)
Our inclement weather procedures can be found here: https://www.usd231.com/o/district/page/inclement-weather-procedures
Sign up to volunteer with Watch D.O.G.S and Eagle M.O.M.S
Sign up online to be a role model at Sunflower! We promise you'll have the best day ever!
If you would like to order an official Watch D.O.G.S or Eagle M.O.M.S t-shirt, please fill out this form. Send cash or check to the Sunflower office. All shirts are $20.
Counselor's Corner
Back to school can be a stressful time for everyone. Mrs. Gabriel has lots of resources on her padlet. Click on the picture to see what is available!
World Wide Wednesday
Share Your Travels
Have you recently taken an amazing trip or have lived somewhere other than the Midwest? We would like to highlight the location on our new segments during announcements...World Wide Wednesday! Reach out to Mrs. Rains (rainsj@usd231.com) or Mr. Prall (prallg@usd231.com) with photos and we will do the rest.
Watch this video for our latest example. Share Your Travels Video
Sunflower School Calendar
On the Sunflower website, you will find a tab on the right side labeled "School Calendar." Click on the tab to find the most up to date school events happening at Sunflower!
Click the image below for direct access to our website!
In Case Of An Absence...
IF YOUR STUDENT...
...HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE due to illness, appointment, funeral or family emergency, please email the attendance line SEattendance@usd231.com as soon as possible. If we haven't heard from parents by 9:00 am, we will call to check on your child. You can also call in student absences to the absentee line at 913-856-3749.
...WILL BE LATE TO SCHOOL, please let our office know ahead of time (if possible). When your student arrives at school, they will need to stop by the office first, and the secretaries will give them a hall pass.
...WILL BE ABSENT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING OUT OF TOWN, this is considered an UNEXCUSED absence, unless preapproved by Dr. Jones. Please do not just tell the teacher! Please request approval in writing by emailing Dr. Jones at jonesja@usd231.com.
...NEEDS TO LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY, you can call to let us know you are on your way, but students will not be called out of class UNTIL a parent is present to sign them out. Please plan ahead for appointments, as we would like to minimize missed class time. You will need to come into the office to sign your student out. You won't be able to park outside and call us to send your student out to you.
...HAS DIFFERENT DISMISSAL INSTRUCTIONS, please call the office as soon as possible. If change of dismissal instructions are received after 3:00 pm, we can do our best to relay the message to your student.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST...
If you notify your student's teacher of an absence, please also let the office know. Everybody's lives are crazy and busy...everybody's human...everybody can forget to forward an email on to the appropriate person. So, if you send an email to your student's teacher about an absence, please "cc" Terra (dupreet@usd231.com) and Janet (mcconvillej@usd231.com). That way, at least one of us gets the email and gets it taken care of right away. Thank you!!
Site Council
The Sunflower Site Council will be meeting at 6 pm in the library on the following dates:
September 5, 2023, December 5, 2023, February 6, 2024, April 9, 2024
All meetings are open to the public.
A special meeting has been scheduled for March 5th to conduct a building needs assessment as part of the districts budgeting process for next school year.
Kansas schools are required to establish site councils composed of the principal, teachers and other school personnel, parents, business representatives, and other community groups.
Site councils have a responsibility to provide advice and counsel in the following areas: evaluating district and school performance goals and objectives, determining methods to meet those goals and objectives, and other areas as requested by the board of education.
Remember, the work of the site council is advisory only;
it makes recommendations, not decisions.
Sunflower Elementary PTO
We invite everyone to join the Sunflower PTO Facebook page. By searching "Gardner Sunflower PTO" under Pages, you will be able to join the group and receive updated PTO information.
Follow Us on Social Media!
Early Childhood Program
Guide For Addressing Concerns in USD 231
Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP)
The Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) provides qualifying parents and guardians with a $1,000 award per eligible student to pay for a variety of educational goods and services that promote learning and facilitate academic enrichment opportunities.
Why should families apply for KEEP?
- No fees to apply or participate in the program
- Multiple students per household can apply
- Online Education Marketplace with service providers that offer qualified goods and services
- Use awards on camps, classes, tutoring, and even school supplies and technology
NOMINATE A DESERVING STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE TODAY!!!
The GESD recognition program has been established to recognize students and employees who exceed expectations.
"Gardner Edgerton Students of Distinction" (GESD) nominees can be any current student in the Gardner Edgerton School District who exemplifies traits of outstanding character and serves as a positive influence on their peers and the community-at-large.
"Great Employees Serving the District" (GESD) nominees can be any certified or classified employee in the Gardner Edgerton School District who exemplifies traits of outstanding customer service and is a positive influence on students, parents, co-workers or members of the community. The award will be presented on a weekly basis.
Answers to a few questions you may have:
Nominations from previous years have been removed from the database.
Even if a student or staff member has been selected as a GESD in previous years, they are again eligible.
We will recognize our first student and staff member sometime in September. This will allow time for nominations to be submitted.
Nominate a deserving STUDENT by clicking HERE.
Nominate a deserving EMPLOYEE by clicking HERE.