Sheldon Update

Dear Sheldon Families,

We hope you had a great 3 day weekend!

You will receive a weekly newsletter from me highlighting all upcoming dates and events. The weekly newsletter will also include reminders and important information. Please make sure to read the newsletter each week so you stay informed! This is the number one way I communicate with all families. This newsletter will be sent via email, text, and posted on our Sheldon Facebook page. Speaking of, haven't followed us yet on social media? Please do! We love to share pictures of all the fun we are having!

If you have further questions after reading, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Thank you for the privilege of serving you ~

Mrs. Gabrielle Tanner, Principal

The Policy Council is made up of Head Start parents and community members who help guide and make decisions for the program. Members are elected by parents of children currently enrolled. Please take a moment to cast your vote for all of this year’s candidates. Thank you!

Each year our generous partners at Advisors Excel host a Coat & Shoe Event at Sheldon. It is

one of our favorite events of the school year because it brings so much joy to students, staff,

and the volunteers! AE staff will set up our multi-purpose room like a store. Each student will

get paired with a volunteer and be able to "shop" for a brand new winter coat, shoes, hat and

gloves. These items will all come home that day. Join me in thanking Advisors Excel for their

continued love and generosity for our Sheldon school family!

Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on October 22nd from 4:00-8:00 and October 23rd

from 8:00-8:00. There will be NO SCHOOL for students on October 23rd & 24th. Expect to hear from your child's teacher soon to sign up for a time frame that works best within your schedule. Teachers will then use that information to create a finalized schedule. Once that has been done, your student's teacher will send a confirmation of the date and time for your conference. These conferences will be held in person in your child's classroom. We look forward to meeting with you and sharing your child's progress!

We are excited to be heading to the Pumpkin Patch for our first field trip of the school year! All

classrooms will be going on Monday, October 20th. Permission slips for this trip will be sent

home. These must be returned by the day before your child is scheduled to go. Those students

without signed forms the day of the trip will not be allowed to attend. It is critical all students

arrive on time to school as buses will leave as scheduled.

Brave Talk provides engaging prevention education for elementary students, from PreK through 6th grade, equipping them with essential tools to stay safe and make confident decisions. A parent tip sheet and opt-out form (both pictured below) will be sent home prior to these lessons.

Our program covers:

• Body Safety: Teaching about safe and unsafe touches and empowering children to set boundaries as the boss of their bodies.
• Identifying Safe Adults: Helping kids recognize trusted individuals they can turn to for support.
• Technology Safety: Guiding students on how to navigate the internet and social media safely and responsibly.

Brave Talk’s curriculum is designed to meet children at their grade level, using age-appropriate

language and activities to engage young learners. We aim to build awareness, confidence, and

critical thinking, empowering kids to protect themselves and thrive in a digital and real-world

environment.

We will go on several field trips this year. Dates and locations are listed below. Parents are welcome to attend field trips BUT must provide their own transportation and their own entry fee. Siblings are welcome to attend, with parents providing transportation and entry fee, EXCEPT for the Discovery Center field trip as they are closed to the public on the day we visit and children outside of Sheldon will not be able to attend. We will pay all fees for Sheldon students. Even if their family attends, students are to stay with their school group. Finally, we require a signed permission slip before every field trip. Teachers will provide these. These MUST be completed in order for students to attend.

Lil Munchkins Pumpkin Patch: Monday, October 20th @ 10:00-12:00

Discovery Center: Monday, February 16th @ 10:00-12:00 (upstairs classrooms)

Discovery Center: Monday, February 23rd @ 10:00-12:00 (downstairs classrooms)

Topeka Zoo: Monday, April 6th @ 10:00-12:00 (upstairs classrooms)

Topeka Zoo: Tuesday, April 7th @ 10:00-12:00 (downstairs classrooms)

New this year! Please use this form (save to your bookmarks!) to report your student's absence from school. This helps us keep accurate attendance records and ensure student safety.

Submit one form per student. If your child will be absent for more than one day, please complete a separate form for each day they will be out.

If you have any urgent concerns, please contact the school office directly, (785) 438-4530. A QR code to this form is included below. We will also be providing all families with a fridge magnet with the QR code at the start of the school year.

As a federal Head Start program, Sheldon implements policies & procedures to ensure a safe and effective program. Each week, one will be posted here for review. This quarter our focus is on Health & Safety and Nutrition.

Dental Exams

POLICY:

Program staff will assist families in completing a dental exam within 90 calendar days of enrollment.

PROCEDURE:

1. At enrollment, staff will inform parents of health requirements and request they schedule a dental exam. If the family lacks insurance, staff will provide referrals.
2. The program will coordinate with local dentists to provide services to children without dental care, including on-site clinics.
3. All children will receive a dental exam within 90 days of enrollment. Parents will have the option of opting out of this free service but it is strongly encouraged.
4. Dentists will complete a treatment plan during the exam.
5. The Health Coordinator will share exam results and recommend follow-up treatment within 10 days.
6. Records of the exam and follow-up will be maintained in the child’s file and Synergy.
7. Re-examinations are recommended every 6 months but must occur within one year unless there are concerns or the dentist suggests more frequent visits.
8. Staff will monitor the timely provision of dental services throughout the year.
9. After school staff have exhausted all efforts, a family's refusal to comply will be documented, if there is still no dental on file after 90 days.

Monday-Thursday: 9:15 AM - 4:00 PM

• Arrival begins: 9:00 AM (drop off through car line)
• School starts: 9:15 AM
• Arrival ends: 9:15 AM (Students will be considered tardy after 9:15 AM. Students arriving after 9:15 AM will need to sign in at the main office)
• Dismissal begins: 3:45 PM (pick up in the car line)
• Dismissal ends: 4:00 PM (all students must be picked up by 4:00 PM)

Late Start Fridays (every Friday): 10:15 AM - 4:00 PM

• Arrival begins: 10:15 AM (drop off through car line)
• School starts: 10:15 AM
• Arrival ends: 10:30 AM (Students will be considered tardy after 10:30 AM. Students arriving after 10:30 AM will need to sign in at the main office)
• Dismissal begins: 3:45 PM (pick up in the car line)
• Dismissal ends: 4:00 PM (all students must be picked up by 4:00 PM)

Sheldon Head Start follows the Topeka Public Schools Academic Calendar. The only exceptions are a later start date and earlier end date. The first day of school for Sheldon students is Wednesday, August 20th. The last day of school for Sheldon students will be May 18th.

Our Sheldon Head Start Facebook page is active! We use this as a way to communicate with families and share many pictures. Please follow the page to stay updated!

@SheldonChildDevelopmentCenterHeadStart

Take a look at the Topeka Resources Checklist. This is very helpful for planning! This is a list of possible resources to help you stretch your dollars and avoid economic emergencies. Place a check beside the ones you are using or have used.

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.

If in need of resources, you can also contact the United Way by dialing 211.

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