EDW BRAVE BULLETIN

What a great week, Braves! We hope everyone has a fun and relaxing long weekend ahead. Before you head out, here are a few important reminders:

📚 No School Monday, September 7th or Tuesday, September 8th!
Enjoy the extra time with your family, get some rest, and maybe enjoy a little extra fun! We’ll be ready to see all of our Braves back at school on Wednesday, September 9th!

🎶 Calling All Choir Braves!
A reminder for our choir students—Choir begins Thursday, September 10th! We can’t wait to hear those voices!

Have a wonderful long weekend, and we’ll see everyone back on Wednesday! 🧡🖤Enjoy the break, Braves!

🍎 Did you know your student can enjoy a FREE breakfast at school? 🥞✨

Starting the day with a good breakfast helps our students feel ready to learn, grow, and take on the day! Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity. 💪📚

💰 Don’t forget to check your student’s lunch account! Please add money to their account as needed so they’re ready to grab lunch when they need it.

👵👴 Grandparents Day is coming! 💕

Just a friendly reminder that Grandparents Day slips and money are due by Friday, September 11th!

Please make sure to turn in your slip by the deadline, as walk-ins will not be permitted. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 💕

Stay tuned, Braves! 🧡🖤

Sept 7th: Labor Day- No School

Sept 8th: No School

Sept 14th - Sept 18th: Grandparents Day! More information to come soon!

Sept 16th: Fall Picture Day

Sept 21st - Oct 2nd: Trash Bag Sales

Sept 25th: Community Meeting 8:40am

Oct 1st: Pj & Hat Day

Oct 5th - 9th: Bully Prevention Week

Oct 7th - 16th: Book Fair

Oct 13th: Last Day of 1st Qt

Oct 14th: No School - Parent Teacher Conferences

Oct 15th: No School - Parent Teacher Conferences

Oct 16th: No School

Oct 21st: Kona Day

Welcome back, Braves! As we settle into a new school year, our counseling focus for September is empathy.

Empathy means trying to understand how someone else might be feeling or what they might be experiencing. It helps us build friendships, solve problems, and create a school where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

This month, students will be learning how to:

• Notice how others may be feeling

• Listen to others with care

• Think about situations from another person’s point of view

• Show kindness and understanding

💭Try It at Home

You can build empathy during everyday moments! When reading a book, watching a show, or talking about something that happened during the day, try asking:

“How do you think they are feeling? What makes you think that?”

“How would you feel if that happened to you?”

“What could you do to help?”

These simple conversations help children practice looking beyond their own experiences and considering how others may feel.

📚Book of the Month: The Rabbit Listened

Consider reading The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld with your child this month. This sweet story is a wonderful way to talk about being there for someone, listening, and showing empathy when a friend is having a hard time.

After reading, ask:
“What did the rabbit do that showed empathy?”

🔆A Little Empathy Goes a Long Way!

Remind your child that empathy doesn't mean we have to agree with someone or feel exactly the same way they do. It means we can pause, listen, and try to understand.

Thank you for helping us build a school community where every Brave feels supported, respected, and included!

Janai Johnson, Ed.S.
School Counselor | Edwardsville Elementary

Contact Me: johnsonja@usd204.net

P: 913-422-4036

We know the first few weeks of school come with a little extra traffic, a little extra chaos, and everyone getting used to their new morning routines. We’ve been understanding of later-than-normal drop-offs during these first few days, but at this point, we are getting settled into our routines, too!

Beginning Monday, August 31, our morning car line doors will close promptly at 8:30 AM. If you arrive at or after 8:30 AM, you will need to continue around to the front of the building, where you will buzz in and bring your child inside. Your child will receive a tardy slip before heading to class, and a parent/guardian must come inside with the child.

We also want to share why the 8:30 AM cutoff is so important. The staff members working the morning car line have other responsibilities and assignments inside the building. They must be back inside and at their stations, ready to begin their workday no later than 8:30 AM. This means that when the clock hits 8:30, our car line staff will need to leave the car line and head inside, they will not be able to wait for the remaining cars to unload.

So, if you are still in the car line at 8:30 AM, please continue around to the front entrance rather than waiting for the car line doors to reopen.

If your family tends to be part of the “we can make it…we can make it…RUN!” morning crew 😄, we encourage you to try heading out of the driveway just a few minutes earlier. Those extra few minutes can make the difference between an easy car-line drop-off and needing to park and walk your child inside. 🏁🧡🖤

Last year, District 204 implemented the Centegix Visitor Management System as part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment. This system remains in place and is required for all visitors who will be entering the building.

How the System Works

When visiting our school, the check-in process is quick and simple:

• Bring a valid photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID)
• Report to the main office and proceed to the visitor kiosk
• Select the appropriate badge type on the screen
• Scan your ID using the optical scanner
• Have your photo taken
• Receive your visitor badge instantly
• Wear your badge at all times while in the building
• Upon leaving, check out by scanning your badge or selecting your name on the screen

The system performs an instant security screening, including a sexual offender registry check, to help ensure that all visitors in our buildings are authorized to be present. The process typically takes less than a minute and is designed to be efficient while enhancing campus security.

Important Reminders

• Please bring a valid photo ID each time you visit.
• All visitors, including parents, guardians, volunteers, contractors, and guests, are required to use this system.
• Visitor information is kept secure and confidential.
• Office staff are available to assist if you need help using the kiosk.

Our celebrations have always been special opportunities for students to enjoy time together and for families to be part of those moments. We are always looking for ways to perfect and ensure the safest and most positive environment for all children.

With this in mind, and to stay consistent with procedures already in place throughout the district, we will be moving to a new celebration model that focuses on student safety, staff support, and building-wide consistency.

Classroom celebrations will follow these guidelines:

• Each classroom may have two (2) adult volunteers at each celebration

• Teachers will select their volunteers using a method that best fits their classroom needs (interest surveys, rotation, etc.).

• Volunteer names will be shared with the office ahead of time to help with smooth check-in.

• Families who are not attending are still welcome to contribute by sending treats (following allergy guidelines), supplies, or activity ideas that support the celebration.

We understand these changes may feel different, and we truly appreciate your understanding and flexibility. Our goal is always to make school events safe, enjoyable, and memorable for students.

For the safety and accountability of each student, only legal guardians are authorized to sign out a student from school. We cannot release a student to a grandparent, sibling, boyfriend, girlfriend, other family members, or friends without prior phone approval from a legal guardian.

Please note that even if someone is listed as an emergency contact in Skyward, they are not considered a legal guardian. We still require a call from the legal guardian before releasing a student to an emergency contact.

Legal guardians include biological parents listed on the birth certificate, foster or adoptive parents, or individuals with court documentation stating they are guardians. This policy is in effect every day, including during parties, celebrations, and assemblies.

Thank you for helping us ensure the safety of all our students!

President: Amanda Burns

Secretary: Julie Thomas

Treasurer: Ashley Shepard

Volunteer/Event Coordinator: Tiffany Manglos & Heather Soliz-Higbee

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONTACT INFORMATION:

edwpto204@gmail.com

COMMUNICATION:

www.facebook.com/edwpto

To help families know the best way to get answers quickly and effectively, our school follows a communication matrix flow. This matrix outlines who to reach out to first with different types of questions or concerns, whether it’s about classroom learning, attendance, technology, or school-wide events.

The goal is to connect you directly with the person who can best support your child and provide accurate information right away. By following the communication flow, families experience fewer delays, staff can respond more efficiently, and everyone stays on the same page.

Good attendance is essential for student success. Please call or email (edwsec@usd204.net) between 8:00 AM–3:00 PM on the day of an absence (or send a note within one day of returning) for it to be excused.

👉 Please note: Excused absences have changed — students now have 14 excused absences for the entire school year. They do not reset at semester like before. After 14, a doctor’s note will be required.

• Tardy: Arrivals between 8:30–9:00 AM or leaving after 3:15 PM = tardy (5 tardies = 1 unexcused absence).

• Truancy: 3 consecutive unexcused days, 5 in a semester, or 7 in a year.

For early release, a parent/guardian must come to the office to sign the student out — students may not wait outside.

Private dining is available in the Makerspace (right across from the office) for families who would like to have lunch with their child.

The Makerspace is also used for district employees who may need to hold special meetings with families or staff, so all private dining must be reserved in advance. If the room is not available on your requested day, we’ll be happy to help you choose another day, or you are welcome to sign your child out for lunch and return in time for their next class.

Once you have a reservation scheduled, you are still welcome to bring outside food if you choose.

For safety reasons, and to ensure we can properly monitor and accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions, friends are not permitted to join for lunch. This policy helps us maintain a safe and controlled environment for all students.

At the conclusion of lunch (and lots of hugs), your child will return to class with their teacher, and you will depart from the Makerspace. Before leaving the building, please stop by the office to sign out so we can keep our visitor log accurate.

We love celebrating birthdays at school, and we’re excited to welcome parents back to join in the fun! To keep learning on track, all birthdays celebrations will take place at the very end of the day. Store bought treats should be brought in by 3:10 PM or later. This ensures celebrations do not disrupt the school day. As always, you are also welcome to just send the treats in with your child.

📞 Planning Ahead: Please communicate with your child’s teacher or the front office before bringing treats, so we can be ready for visitors and adjust the end-of-day routine as needed.

🎈 Birthday Invitations: If you’d like to distribute invitations at school, please provide one for every student in the class. Otherwise, invitations should be shared outside of school.

As we navigate the changing seasons, We want to remind everyone of our recess guidelines and the importance of ensuring students come to school dressed appropriately for the weather.

• Winter Guidelines:

  • If the outside temperature or wind chill is 25-31 degrees, outdoor recess will be limited to 5-10 minutes.
  • If the temperature or wind chill is 24 degrees or below, recess will be held indoors.
  • Recess will also be held indoors during falling precipitation (snow, sleet, rain, etc.).

• Summer Guidelines:

  • Outdoor recess may take place as long as there is no heat index warning in effect.

We appreciate your help in preparing your child with weather-appropriate clothing, such as coats, hats, gloves, or lighter attire as needed for the season. These measures ensure all students can enjoy recess comfortably and safely.

To stay connected, we’re continuing to use Rooms, our two-way communication tool with teachers and staff. The best way to access Rooms is through the USD 204 app, available in the App Store and Google Play. Just search USD 204. You can also access Rooms via a web browser at https://id.thrillshare.com.

• New to the district? You should have received an invitation by text or email to set up your account. If not, submit an account request HERE.

• Returning families: Your login hasn’t changed. Use your email or phone number, or reset your password with “Forgot my password.” If you’re unable to log in or see issues, submit a support request HERE.

• Already have the app? Be sure you’re on the latest version—open your app store, search USD 204, and update if needed.

• Don’t see a class yet? Please be patient—teachers are in the process of publishing their Rooms, and classes will appear as they are set up.

What’s new this year?

SMS Notifications: Receive a text whenever a new message or announcement is sent, with a direct link to view it in your browser or the app. Learn how to set your notification preferences HERE.

• Upgraded Messaging: A single inbox now shows all your messages across all children, with the ability to read, reply, or start new conversations. See additional details HERE.
  

Check out this overview of the new experience or watch this short video to learn more.

Thank you for your patience as we work through any issues together—we’re excited for another great school year!

Administration / Counselor

Andi Stipe, Principal: stipea@usd204.net

Cassity Wooten, Asst. Principal: wootenc@usd204.net

Janai Johnson, Counselor: johnsonja@usd204.net

Front Office Staff:

Attendance & Transportation Email: EDWSec@usd204.net

Kelli Wille, Registrar/Secretary: willek@usd204.net

Jenny VanWinkle, Bookkeeper/Secretary: vanwinklej@usd204.net

Cherie Coffman, Nurse: coffmanc@usd204.net

(doors open at 8:15am for arrival, tardy bell will ring promptly at 8:30am)

Office #- 913-422-4036

Fax#- 913-298-5190

Transportation #- 913-441-2493