Waterville Elementary is off to a great start! It is so wonderful seeing all the smiling faces around the halls! Staff and students are working on learning the routines, procedures, and expectations for the school year.

Don't forget these important reminders to help this be a successful school year:

• Join your child's class on Bloomz. This will be the teachers primary mode of communication. Class codes were given at back to school night or open house. Call the office if you need the code again.
• Preschool and Kinderprep will begin on Tuesday, August 22nd. Doors open at 7:55 at the preschool and class begins at 8:05. The morning session ends at 11:15. The afternoon session doors open at 12:10 and class begins at 12:20. Students are dismissed at 3:30.
• Change in dismissal-Call our office for any change in dismissal plans. The Waterville phone number is 785-363-2530.
• Lunch balances need to remain positive. Call our office if you need help accessing online payments.
• Excessive Heat: This week is going to be extremely hot. We will ensure students stay hydrated and will not keep them outside for too long at a time. Please remind your child to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Thank you for sharing your children with us!

Mrs. deBoer

Each morning all students and staff start the day together in the gym. We call this "Jumpstart", and at the end of each Jumpstart we do the Colts cheer!

The school year is off to a GREAT start at Blue Rapids Elementary. The teachers, staff and I were so excited to see the students back in the building. Here are a few announcements from the Blue Rapids building.

• Be sure to have money on your student's lunch account if they are going to eat hot lunch at school.
• Safety of students is our top priority. Pick up and drop off time can be hectic, be sure that students use sidewalks and crosswalks during this busy time.
• Make sure that you sign up for your student's class on Bloomz. This is the teacher's primary way of communicating with parents. Class codes were given at back to school night or open house. If you lost your code, contact your teacher and they can get it to you.
• If your child has to miss school for some reason, be sure to call your student in excused first thing in the morning.
• We have hot weather coming up this week, be sure your student hydrates outside of school and brings a water bottle to school. School appropriate shorts and t-shirts help students stay cool as well. We will keep an eye on things at school and adjust activities if needed.

Thank you parents for your support and all you have done to help make the start of this school year a success. As always if you need anything do not hesitate to call me or come in and visit.

-Mr. Staples

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Each day in the elementary schools, we teach our students how to have purposeful interactions and goals. We believe that having a common purpose will promote the academic and social emotional well-being of each student. We teach students the VHS model:

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which is a free program, provides one book per month for children ages birth to five years old. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity by signing up today! https://kschildrenscabinet.org/imaginationlibrary/

Are you 55 years or older and love working with children? Do you know someone who would do a great job helping in our schools? The AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program may be the program for you! This is a volunteer program that does offer a small stipend and is organized by AmeriCorps. Here are the benefits of volunteering with the Foster Grandparent Program:

• Health and wellness. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers experience decreased anxiety, depression, and loneliness. 84% of volunteer report stable or improving health after one year of service.

• Self-improvement. See the daily impact of your service as you build on the skills you already have and develop new ones.

• Stipend. Some programs offer a modest stipend to qualified, low-income volunteers.

• Community. Connect with others and be part of something bigger. 88% of volunteers who felt a lack of companionship reported fewer feelings of isolation after becoming an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer.

• New skills. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers often tap their wealth of experience and wisdom and channel it in new directions.

• Insurance. Most programs offer accident, personal liability, and excess automobile liability insurance.

Click here for more information.

Colts Round-Up is an after-school enrichment program that runs Monday through Thursday from 3:30—5:30.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS BE PICKED UP ON TIME EACH DAY.

There will be transportation provided at the end of CRU for students back to BR. There is no rural transportation.

Blue Rapids students need to be picked up at the bus stop by 5:40.

There will be NO FEE for Colts Round-Up at this time however this form is crucial to keeping a record of the number of students we serve for grant money.

The impact of an afterschool program is vital. Colts Round-Up provides a safe, nurturing place with opportunities to reinforce learning from school, teach social skills, encourage good citizenship, and allow parents peace of mind while they finish their workdays.

As a community and school district, we are blessed to have fantastic staff & families. Colts Round-Up supplies a healthy snack, enrichment activities, social interaction with their peers as well as opportunities to enhance the lives of others through community service. We will continue to emphasize character-building and physical activity.

This year, Colts Round-Up will again offer programming for the KP-6 grades. We hope that this can have a positive impact on the families and students in our community.

Click the link to register today!

CRU Registration Link

FIRST DAY: September 5

Days there will not be CRU:

September: 25

October: 3, 4, 16 & 31

November: 13, 22 & 23

December: 6 & 7
LAST DAY OF FIRST SEMESTER: December 19

SECOND SEMESTER FIRST DAY: January 8

Days there will not be CRU:

January: 15

February: 13, 15, 19

March: 11-15(spring break)

April: 15

LAST DAY: May 9

This school year we will be affected by the replacement of the bridge over Fawn Creek between Blue Rapids and Waterville on US 77. The work will last the entire school year and will slow things down going to and from school and activities. Traffic will be monitored by a stop light and reduced to one lane. We will maintain our leave times in the mornings at 7:35 am. Please leave early so you have your student(s) at the bus stop on time to ensure that we run on schedule.

Registration forms will be going home with students today to sign up for soccer, flag football, and volleyball. Forms and payment are due on Friday, August 25th.

Sunday: Mustang Spirit Night 6:00-7:30

Monday: Board of Education Meeting at 6:00

Tuesday: Preschool & KinderPrep 1st Day

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a one-to-one mentorship between a trusting adult and a student in the Waterville Elementary School. Bigs (Adults), apply to the program and go through an extensive interview process and background check to ensure the safety for all students. Littles (Students), are referred by their teachers, or parents can request their child participate in the program. This mentorship takes place at the school, usually during lunch and recess times or at Colts RoundUp. If you would like to be a Big and volunteer to make a difference in the life of a child, contact us at 785-363-2530. If you are a parent wanting to refer your child to our program, please let our office or classroom teacher know and we will help walk you through the process! Here is a link to the Big Brother Big Sisters website for more information!

Email: judeboer@valleyheights.org tstaples@valleyheights.org sspoonts@valleyheights.org
Website: www.valleyheights.org