PRAIRIE POINT EXPRESS April 13, 2018 *School Picnic-4/27 *Yearbook Sales *Staff Appreciation Week *Field Day-5/18 *Volunteer Breakfast 5/16 *New Office Pioneer *MAP Testing *Letter to Parents *Gaining Life Skills *Summer School Enrollment *Kindergarten Enrollment *Sophie’s Run 5/5 *5th Grade Orientation *Free Sports Physicals *Plaza MS Orientation *PH Star Nominations *PTA Corner

All School Picnic April 27th Families are invited to join your child during their lunch time for the Spring All School Picnic on Friday, April 27th. The cost for the meal is $3.35 for an adult lunch and the menu will consist of a grilled hot dog on a bun or yogurt, Cheetos, apple slices or baby carrots and milk or juice. We ask that all parents/guardians and other family members who wish to attend, please RSVP by using the form that was sent home in Friday Folders on March 30th or by calling Mrs. Hedrick, Food Service Manager at 816.359.4386.

Yearbooks Still on Sale Staff Appreciation Week Staff Appreciation Week at Prairie Point will occur the week of May 7th.

Yearbooks are still on sale. You may purchase yearbooks for the cost of $15 by going to the website YBPay.lifetouch.com and enter yearbook code 1724718. Yearbooks are sold on a first come, first sold order, so don’t delay, order your yearbook today! Once yearbooks are sold out we will not have any additional yearbooks to sell.

Field Day Our annual Field Day will occur on Friday, May 18th. Grades K-3 will have their Field Day in the morning and grades 3-5 will have their Field Day in the afternoon. More details will come shortly, use the Sign-Up Genius link below if you would like to volunteer or you may contact Mr. Downey at 816-359.5795. In the event of inclement weather, the make-up date for Field Day is Monday, May 21st.

Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast May 16th If you have volunteered in any way at Prairie Point this school year such as being a WATCH D.O.G., classroom helper, office helper, student tutor, assisted with classroom parties, etc., you are invited to our Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast that will be held on Wednesday, May 16th starting at 7:45 AM in the library. We hope all of our wonderful volunteers can attend as a small token of the staff’s appreciation for all that you do!

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Please Let Us Know If Your Child Will Be Returning to Prairie Point Next Year As we prepare for the 2018-2019 school year, it is important that we know approximately how many students will be in the building next year. If you have not already done so, please complete the “Will You Be Returning?” form that was sent home in your child’s backpack several weeks ago. If you need an additional copy, you may go to the Prairie Point web page and print one from the E-Backpack.

New Executive Administrative Assistant Mrs. Rogers, our current Executive Administrative Assistant, will be moving to our district office in a new position. Our new Executive Administrative Assistant is a familiar face, Mrs. Becca Martin. Mrs. Martin was a lunchroom/playground supervisor at Prairie Point for several years, was an administrative assistant at Park Hill High School, and most recently was the Attendance Administrative Assistant at Hawthorn Elementary. Please welcome Mrs. Martin back to our school and if you do not know Mrs. Martin, please introduce yourself when you are in the office. 8101 NW Belvidere Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64152 parkhill.k12.mo.us/PrairiePointElementary

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MAP Testing Begins Monday MAP testing, our state assessment system, begins on Monday for students in grades 3-5. Thank you in advance for having your child to school on their testing days and on time. If your child is absent, they are required to make up the assessment and it is best for them to take the assessment in the comfort of their classroom. Below is the MAP testing schedule for Prairie Point:

8101 NW Belvidere Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64152 parkhill.k12.mo.us/PrairiePointElementary

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Letter to Parents Dear Prairie Point Families, Students across the country are planning a walkout on April 20, the date of the Columbine school shooting 19 years ago. We support the voice of all our students as they speak out on any side of the issues that matter to them. Our priority is to keep all our students safe and protect their learning environment. Planned Rally Off Campus: We know of a rally on April 20 in midtown Kansas City that some of our students are helping to plan with students from several other metro schools. We know that several Park Hill School District students plan to attend this rally. We will handle attendance as normal for this rally, so if parents check their students out, we will excuse their absences. If the parents do not check their children out, the students will be truant. If students’ parents check them out of school, they must leave our campus. Coordinated On-Campus Walkouts: We do not know of any activities that students are planning on our campuses on April 20. We are reaching out to students to discuss this. In addition, we ask students who wish to plan an event on campus to speak to their school administrators ahead of time and work together on a plan that will keep them safe and minimize disruption. Students who work with their administrators ahead of time and stick to this agreed-upon plan will be marked truant but will only receive a warning as part of a conversation with an administrator, as we have done in the past. Non-Coordinated On-Campus Walkouts: If students walk out of class without coordinating with their school administrators on a plan to keep them safe and minimize disruption, they face additional consequences, depending on their behavior, in accordance with our rules and policies. This message went out from all the principals in the Park Hill School District, so these procedures are consistent at each of our schools. Sincerely, Mr. Jay Niceswanger Principal

8101 NW Belvidere Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64152 parkhill.k12.mo.us/PrairiePointElementary

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Gaining Life Skills The older your youngster gets, the more he’ll be able to do himself. Teach him basic life skills with these ideas. Do Tasks Together Your child may be too young to cook dinner or clean the entire bathroom by himself, but he can move toward doing those jobs by helping you. Give him a task, such as stirring casserole ingredients and pouring the mixture into a baking dish-then you put it in the oven. Or you might scrub the shower while he wipes down the mirror and sink. Hand Over the Reins Decide what tasks your youngster may be ready for by thinking about what he can already do. If he knows how to make his bed, maybe teach him to change the sheets. Demonstrate putting on the fitted sheet, tucking in the top sheet, and replacing the pillowcase. The next time, let him try it by himself with you nearby for help. Eventually he’ll be ready to do it on his own.

Don’t Delay…Enroll Your Child In Summer School Today Enrollment for the Park Hill Summer School Program is now open. Due to some construction projects at Prairie Point this school year, Summer School for Pioneers will be held at Hawthorn Elementary. Summer School dates are from June 4th-July 3rd and the hours are from 8:40 AM until 3:40 PM. Bus transportation is provided. Summer School is a fun filled educational experience for our students and it is all FREE! Prairie Point students are encouraged to attend to keep academic skills sharp over the summer months. To enroll your child in Summer School, go to the Park Hill School District website and print the enrollment form and return it to the school office.

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Save the Date…Kindergarten Round Up Save the date, Monday, April 30, 2018 Enroll your kindergartner today, then mark your calendar for the Kindergarten Roundup event to be held on Monday, April 30th. Families with children entering kindergarten in the Park Hill School District in August 2018 may enroll now by visiting Prairie Point Elementary School between 7:45 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday on days when school is in session. Children who turn five on or before July 31 are eligible for kindergarten for the 2018-2019 school year. Parents will need to bring their children’s certified, state-issued birth certificate, immunization records and two proofs of residency to enroll. One proof of residency must be a current paid real estate tax receipt, a lease or mortgage agreement, or a new construction contract. The other should be an original and current gas, electric or water bill on which the name and address are provided. After you enroll, mark your calendar for the Kindergarten Roundup event at Prairie Point Elementary School on Monday, April 30. Our Kindergarten Roundup is an Open House format (5:30-7:30 p.m.). Parents and student will get a sneak peak of our school, tour the building, ask questions and get to know the staff.

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Support Sophie’s Run Sophie’s Run supports students in our building that are in need of technology devices.

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Fifth Grade Recognition We will celebrate our fifth graders and their transition to Plaza Middle School on Tuesday, May 29th at 2:00 PM in the gym during Fifth Grade Recognition. Families are invited to this event.

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Park Hill STAR Award…Nominate an Outstanding Prairie Point Staff Member Today! Nomination Form

Park Hill Star Award Our employees are the reason we are so successful here in the Park Hill School District, and we would like to recognize them for all they do for our students. That is why we present the Park Hill Star award once a month to a pre-K or elementary teacher, a secondary teacher and a support employee. Anyone can nominate an employee for this award by using the link posted above. It asks you to share how you nominee demonstrates our district values of continuous improvement, high expectations, integrity, visionary leadership and student focus. You can also share how your nominee supports the goals in our district’s strategic plan. Please nominate a Park Hill Star today!

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PTA Corner Bike Night: 4/18/18 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Please join us for a fun filled bike and safety night. We are looking for volunteers. Please follow this link to help us make this a great night for our students: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/8050445ABA729AA8-watch 2018-2019 Opening Positions: We have some open positions for the 2018-2019 school year. If you are interested in being a part of PTA please follow the link to sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050445aba729aa8-20162017

Prairie Point Mission: To create a safe and caring student centered environment, to empower students to be independent learners, problem solvers, and responsible citizens in the 21st Century. Prairie Point Vision: Prairie Point Elementary School provides all children with a safe, caring educational environment that focuses on high expectations and promotes lifelong learning. Prairie Point Values: Keep the focus on the student Continuous learning and professional growth Warm, caring, open-minded environment High expectations for all students and adults Teamwork and collaboration Empathetic approach with our actions These are posted on the bulletin board in the hall outside the front office.