Landon Middle School

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Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! The office staff has been working hard to prepare for the start of the year. Staff return on August 5 and we will be ready to “Make Magic in the Middle School”. Our building theme this year is Becoming and Belonging in Middle School. Our commitment to our school community is to be responsive, challenging, empowering, equitable and engaging. Each of us will advocate for students and help them wrestle with the big ideas and the ups and downs of life. I invite everyone to join us in imagining what is possible for our students, our school community, and the world that surrounds us.

• August 12: 1st day for 6th graders
• August 13: 1st day for 7th & 8th graders
• August 18: Fall sports practice begins
• August 20: Meet the Teacher Night (6pm)/8th Grade Parent Meeting (5:30pm)
• August 22: School Picture Day

• Ms. Jemima Aray, Dual Language Spanish Enrichment Teacher – Ms. Aray completed her student teaching at Topeka High School and we have been lucky enough to bring her to Landon for our newly added course to help enhance our dual language program. Ms. Aray is excited to build strong relationships and challenge students to think critically.
• Mr. Kyle Becerra, School Social Worker – Mr. Becerra joins us with years of experience supporting students socially, emotionally, and academically. He’s looking forward to connecting with students and families.
• Ms. Yareli Blanco, Special Education Para -- Ms. Blanco is returning to us after serving as a dual language para in our math classrooms last year. She is excited to be back at Landon to help support all students.
• Ms. Michelle Gustafson, Special Education Teacher – Ms. Gustafson joins us from one of our feeder elementary schools, where she built strong relationships with students and families and developed a reputation for her compassionate, student-centered approach. Her transition to our middle school allows her to continue supporting some of the same students as they take their next big step. With her deep understanding of individualized support and dedication to helping every learner succeed, Ms. Gustafson is a valuable addition to our team!
• Mr. Marlon Familleza, Special Education Teacher – With a heart for advocacy and years of experience supporting diverse learners, Mr. Familleza is committed to helping every student succeed through personalized instruction, patience, and strong collaboration with families.
• Ms. Klasee Reed, Special Education Teacher -- Ms. Reed brings a deep passion for inclusive learning and a strong belief that every student deserves the support they need to thrive. With a background in individualized instruction and collaboration with families, she is eager to build strong relationships and help all students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. She looks forward to partnering with you this year!
• Ms. Anastasia Dillon, Family and Consumer Science (FACS) & Yearbook Teacher -- Ms. Dillon brings creativity, real-world knowledge, and a passion for helping students gain essential life skills. She’s excited to lead hands-on, engaging lessons that prepare students for life beyond the classroom. Ms. Dillon is looking forward to building strong connections with students and bringing fresh energy to our FACS program!
• Ms. Kaitlyn Dick, 7th grade math teacher -- A recent graduate with a degree in Mathematics Education, Ms. Dick is excited to begin her teaching journey with our school community. Her enthusiasm for math is matched by her commitment to making learning meaningful, engaging, and accessible for all students. Ms. Dick believes in building strong classroom relationships and helping every student feel confident and capable in math. She can’t wait to get started and grow alongside her students this year!
• Mr. Samuel Mazas, Band Teacher -- Mr. Mazas is not only a passionate music educator, but also a proud graduate of Landon Middle School! As a former student, he knows firsthand the impact a strong music program can have—and he’s eager to continue that tradition with a fresh perspective. A recent graduate in Music Education, Mr. Mazas brings energy, talent, and a deep connection to our community. He looks forward to inspiring students, building confidence through performance, and bringing the band room to life with music, pride, and school spirit.
• Mr. David Parkison, Building Operator -- Mr. Parkison brings valuable experience in facilities maintenance and takes great pride in creating a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for students and staff. Whether it's fixing a leak, troubleshooting various issues, or just lending a helping hand, he is here to support our school community every day. Be sure to say hello when you see him around the building!
• Ms. Amy Thompson, 8th grade math teacher- We’re happy to welcome Ms. Thompson back to our team as our new 8th Grade Math Teacher! Ms. Thompson is no stranger to our school—she previously taught here and is excited to return to the classroom, this time with a focus on helping 8th graders build strong math foundations and prepare for high school success. With a student-centered approach and a love for making math meaningful, Ms. Thompson is ready to jump back in and reconnect with the school community she knows and loves. We’re so glad to have her back!
• Ms. Thelma Galvez, Dual Language ELA Teacher -- We are excited to welcome Ms. Galvez to our teaching staff this year as our new Dual Language ELA Teacher! Ms. Galvez brings a unique perspective to the classroom, having served as our Assistant Principal the last few years. Her deep commitment to student success and her strong leadership experience make her a wonderful asset in this new role. Passionate about bilingual education, Ms. Galvez is eager to support students in developing language skills, cultural awareness, and academic confidence. We’re thrilled to have her continue her journey with us in this new capacity!
• Ms. Eli Kiru, Special Education Teacher & Consulting Teacher -- New to our building, she brings a strong background in supporting diverse learners through individualized instruction and a caring approach. Ms. Kiru is passionate about helping students build skills and confidence to succeed academically and socially. Ms. Kiru will also serve as our new Consulting Teacher for Special Education. With extensive experience in special education services and collaboration, Ms. Kiru will work closely with teachers, families, and students to ensure tailored support and resources are in place.
• Mr. Eric Rodriguez, Assistant Principal -- As mentioned in our end-of-year newsletter, we are excited to officially welcome Mr. Rodriguez in his first year as our Assistant Principal! Mr. Rodriguez is a passionate leader who brings fresh energy, a student-focused mindset, and strong communication skills to our school. In addition to his leadership experience, he is bilingual, which allows him to connect with and support our diverse community even more effectively. We are thrilled to have Mr. Rodriguez as part of our leadership team and look forward to a successful year ahead!
• Officer Ashlee Schulz, School Resource Officer -- We’re excited to welcome Officer Schulz, our new School Resource Officer! With a strong background in community policing and a passion for working with students, Officer Schulz brings both experience and approachability to our school. As a bilingual officer, she is committed to building strong relationships with all families and ensuring every student feels safe, supported, and heard.

Our newest team members are already hard at work preparing to support your children and contribute to our positive, safe, and engaging school environment. We’re confident they will be a great fit for our school family.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to a great year of learning, growth, and partnership!

The first day of school is August 12 for 6th grade students only. This is a day devoted to our new Lancers as they get to know the building, staff and their peers. All hands on deck this day with all Landon staff assisting them with navigating lockers, schedules, procedures while building connections with new staff and peers.

The first day of school for 7th and 8th grade students (and the second day for 6th graders) is August 13. This will be a day filled with reacquainting our returning 7th and 8th graders with our staff and procedures as well as our new 7th and 8th grade students with the Landon ways.

If your student will be riding the bus, please check Synergy a few days prior to the start of the school year for bus information. Be sure students are at the bus stop early so they do not miss the bus. They will arrive at school by 7:20am and come inside. Those that want to eat breakfast will be given the opportunity while all others will report to the gym and sit with their grade level in the designated area. At the end of the day, students will head out to their bus for home. Be sure to download the “Here Comes the Bus” app to keep informed and updated on bus times.

If your student will be a car rider, walker or ride their bike to school, our front doors will open at 7:30am. Please be mindful of walkers and bike riders as they travel to and from school and be sure to utilize the marked cross walks. As you arrive for drop off or pick up, please follow the traffic pattern to enter the parking lot on the north side of the building. You will make a large loop around the north side of the lot (closet to the motel) and then loop around the side of the building, eventually to the front of the building. It is critical to follow this flow to avoid backups on Fairlawn. The church across from Landon (Fairlawn Church of the Nazarene) and the skating rink south of Landon have allowed parents park there for pickup. Let your student know if that is where you will wait for them and they will use the sidewalk and crosswalk along Fairlawn to meet you there.

Reminder that the front doors do not open until 7:30am, so be sure your student is dress accordingly throughout the year.

Students will be required to keep their cell phones in their lockers from 7:45am-2:45pm. Should this policy be violated, the following will be the consequences:

First Occurrence

The student will be asked to put their device away and the incident will be noted. This helps us track patterns and support positive habits.

Second Occurrence

If the behavior continues, the device will be secured by school staff until the end of the school day, and an administrator will be notified. Our goal is to partner with the student in making better choices.

Third Occurrence

If there is a third incident, a parent or guardian will be asked to pick up the device from the school office. We believe collaboration with families is important to help reinforce expectations.

Fourth Occurrence

If the behavior continues, we will schedule a meeting with the parent/guardian to talk through next steps. At this point, additional consequences may apply, such as loss of device privileges at school. In some cases, more serious disciplinary action may be necessary.

***The principal, depending on the situation, may determine that a different response is necessary, which may not follow the above sequence of steps.

• Buses drop off in the long drive on the south side of the building. Students enter through doors in the back courtyard.
• Cars drop off at the front of the school. Doors open at 7:30. Students enter the building through the front door and proceed to gym or breakfast.
• NO CARS ALLOWED down the south drive in the morning.

• Buses pick up along the south side of the building.
• Cars pick up at the front of the school, across the street in the church parking lot, or in Sk8 Away's parking lot.
• Parking next door at University of Kansas Health System is NOT ALLOWED.

We continue to revise student schedules as we have more students enrolling or moving from Landon. Many things are considered when scheduling a student and due to constraints on class times, certain classes must be scheduled at specific times of the day. Due to this, we will not honor any schedule changes regarding a different teacher, a different hour for a class or different related arts classes. If a student is not scheduled in a specific class (band, orchestra, Algebra) those changes will be made. We ask that you relay this information to your student so they are aware that requests for changes cannot be made. We make every attempt to place students in the best classes. Thank you for your support. Student schedules should be released after August 7 but keep in mind, changes may still occur.

This looks very different at the middle school level. Each teacher may request different supplies so there is not a universal list. To begin with, students should bring plenty of pencils, a notebook and at least one 3-ring binder. Classroom teachers will communicate anything additional needed. There is not a required uniform for PE classes. Students just need appropriate shoes to participate and perhaps a change of clothes if needed.

Students will not be allowed to carry backpacks, fanny packs, sling bags, purses, binders with shoulder straps. Those items will remain in their lockers. Students must use the school issued lock for their lockers.

We invite all families to attend our upcoming Meet the Teacher Night on August 20th.

• 5:30 PM – 8th Grade Meeting
• This session is specifically for 8th grade students and their families and will include important information regarding the upcoming school year.
• 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM – All Grades
• Classroom visits and teacher introductions will be open to all students and families during this time.

We encourage you to take this opportunity to meet our staff, learn about academic expectations, and begin building strong partnerships for a successful school year. We look forward to welcoming you to our campus.

Medications

1. Pick up a medication form from the nurse's office or print one from home.

https://www.topekapublicschools.net/cms/One.aspx?portalId=8252843&pageId=12167570

2. Make sure medication is age appropriate. The exception is if there is a doctor's note with different directions.

3. Bring medication into the nurse's office in the original container from the store. Medication can not be administered if it is expired.

Please contact Nurse Tina if you have any questions or concerns.

Immunizations

All children attending classes must receive appropriate immunizations in all required series or be in the process of receiving the required series unless there is a medical or religious exemption. Students are given 30 school days to complete the required immunizations. Letters are being sent home to notify families if we do not have current records. If you are wondering if your student is up to date with their immunizations either reach out to Nurse Tina or contact your health care provider.

Immunization requirements:

https://www.topekapublicschools.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_8252759/File/2025-2026%20School-Immunization-Requirements%20(1).pdf

or

https://www.topekapublicschools.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_8252759/File/SPANISH%202025-2026%20School%20Year%20Immunization%20Requirements.pdf

Emergency Contacts

Please make sure your student has at least one emergency contact listed in Synergy. There are times when someone at the school could need to get a hold of someone regarding your student. This is difficult when only one person is listed as a contact. Thank you for helping us keep your student safe.

The Topeka Public Schools, Unified School District No. 501 is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunity. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin or ancestry be denied lawful access to any appropriate educational service, program or activity provided by the school district. The Title VI and Title IX compliance coordinator is the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching/Learning/Administration. The Section 504/Title II compliance coordinator is the Coordinator of College and Career Ready Services. For employment, the EEO/AA officer is the General Director of Human Resources. All compliance coordinators may be contacted at 624 SW 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294, (785) 295-3000. The clerk of the Board of Education has been designated to receive and redirect or handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, regulations and procedures. The clerk may be contacted by calling (785) 295-3045 or by writing to 624 SW 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294.

Landon Middle School

Email: awagner@tps501.org

Website: https://landon.topekapublicschools.net/

Location: 731 SW Fairlawn -Topeka, KS 66606

Phone: 785-438-4220

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LandonLancers