The Sunny Times

Monday, Aug 31 (D)

• SS Family Restaurant night at Panda Express

Tuesday, September 1 (A)

• Math Wings (8:15)- Cancelled
• 5th grade Parent Planning Committee Meeting (6:15pm-7pm)

Wednesday, September 2 (B)

Thursday, September 3 (C)

• Sunrunners
• Color Spirit Day: Yellow
• Pajamas, Pages, and Pals (8:35-8:45)

Friday, September 4 (D)

• Walking on Sunshine (WOS) Kick off assembly (3:15)

Monday, September 7

• Labor Day- No School

Tuesday, September 8 (A)

• Building Rentals start
• Math Wings (8:15)
• Room Parent Meeting (5:30-6)
• PTO (6-7)

Wednesday, September 9 (B)

Thursday, September 10 (C)

• Color Spirit Day: Green
• SunRunners

Friday, September 11 (D)

• Remembrance Day
• Sunnyside Singers Begin (8:15)

Saturday, September 12

• Old Settlers Parade

Monday, September 14 (A)

• Noah's Bandage Kick Off
• Chiefs Home Opener (Wear Red)
• Flight Crew (9:15) *this is a change in time
• Sunnyside Singers (8:15)
• SS Family Night at Papa Johns

Tuesday, September 15 (B)

• Math Wings
• 2nd grade DOT Day
• SS Family Night Papa Johns
• FB: areading
• Site Council at SS (6pm)

Wednesday, September 16 (C)

• BUZZ BOOST (practice targeted common area)

Thursday, September 17 (D)

• SunRunners
• Color Spirit Day: Purple
• FB: aMath
• Constitution Day

Friday, September 18 (A)

• Sunnyside Singers

Monday, September 21 (B)

• Sunnyside Singers
• 4th grade to Ernie Miller (9:30-2)

Tuesday, September 22 (C)

• Math Wings

Wednesday, September 23 (D)

• BUZZ BOOST

Thursday, September 24 (A)

• Color Spirit Day: Pink
• First Grade to red Barn Farm
• Hives (3:15))
• KDG ABC Night (6-7)

Friday, September 25 (B)

• Sunnyside Singers
• Picture Day

Monday, September 28 (C)

• Sunnyside Singers
• September Birthday Celebrations

Tuesday, September 29 (D)

• Math Wings
• SS Family Night at Freddys

Wednesday, September 30 (A)

• BUZZ BOOST

Thursday, October 1 (B)

• Color Spirit Day: White
• SunRunners

Friday, October 2 (C)

• Sunnyside Singers
• Pumpkin Run registration due
• Custodial Worker Day

This spring the Facility Alignment Task Force, made up of one staff member and one parent from each school, met three times to review district finances, enrollment projections and building capacity to inform Olathe Public Schools' school consolidation planning.

At the June Board of Education Meeting, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jim McMullen presented an overview of the Task Force’s work and recommendations. View the full presentation on the district’s YouTube Channel.

Survey results showed unanimous support for reducing the district's elementary footprint. Most participants recommended closing at least three or four elementary schools and at least one middle school. High schools are not expected to be affected.

Current Work

So far this summer, the Facility Alignment Steering Committee (a smaller subgroup of the Task Force) has met three of four times to evaluate the task force's recommendations and review data for each school. The committee will recommend specific schools for consolidation after its final meeting before the start of the school year.

Next Steps

A recommendation on specific school consolidations will be presented to the Board of Education at its September meeting, with boundary recommendations to follow. Please note that your school may be affected even if it is not recommended for consolidation, as attendance boundaries may be adjusted to accommodate students from consolidated schools.

Information will be shared in school and district communications throughout the next several months. Community members interested in following the process can learn more, including answers to frequently asked questions and view all districtwide and school-based communication so far on the district website. Our commitment to transparency throughout this process is intentional, so our community feels informed every step of the way.

The Sunnyside health room is looking for gently used donations of boys and girls shorts and pants size small and medium (elastic waist only, no jeans please). Thank you!!

Nurse Amy

All school lunch accounts will run through SchoolCafe. Please visit https://www.schoolcafe.com/Olathe to set up an account and place money on your student's meal account, check menus, and more! Families in need of assistance with free and reduced lunch can apply on SchoolCafe. Families must apply each year for free or reduced food service and student registration fees.

What Is PBIS?

At Sunnyside Elementary, we believe that all students can learn, grow, and be successful when they feel safe, supported, and connected to their school community. PBIS helps us make that belief a reality.

PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. It is a schoolwide approach that focuses on teaching students the behaviors we expect, recognizing students when they demonstrate those behaviors, and providing additional support when students need it.

What does PBIS look like at Sunnyside?

Rather than assuming students automatically know how to behave in every situation, we teach and practice our expectations. Students learn what it means to be responsible, respectful, and safe, in different settings such as classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria, playground, and bus.

We then recognize students for making positive choices. This might include verbal praise, positive notes or calls home, BUZZ recognitions, BUZZ Store opportunities, class celebrations, or other schoolwide incentives.

Why do we recognize positive behavior?

Recognition is not about bribing students to behave. It is about noticing and reinforcing the behaviors we want to see more often. Just as we celebrate students for academic accomplishments, we want to celebrate students for demonstrating kindness, responsibility, perseverance, and good decision-making.

What happens when students make mistakes?

PBIS does not mean that students never experience consequences. Students are still held accountable when expectations are not met. The difference is that we view behavior as something that can be taught, practiced, and improved.

When a student struggles with a behavior, we work to understand what happened, reteach the expected behavior, provide appropriate support, and help the student make a better choice next time. For students who need additional support, we may develop individualized strategies and interventions.

How can families help?

Families are an important part of PBIS! You can help by:

• Asking your child what the school expectations are.
• Using the same language and expectations at home when possible.
• Celebrating your child's positive choices.
• Talking with your child about how their choices affect others.
• Encouraging your child to reflect, learn from mistakes, and try again.

At Sunnyside, PBIS is about building a positive school community where students know what is expected, feel valued when they make good choices, and receive the support they need to be successful.

We are proud to be Yellow Jackets, and we believe that when we work together, we can help every Yellow Jacket thrive!

This past week, every K–5 class participated in an overview of the Student Code of Conduct with Mrs. Hercules. Together, we explored the power of our choices and learned that consequences are not simply about what happens after a mistake—they are opportunities to reflect, grow, and make a more positive choice in the future.

Learning to recognize mistakes, take responsibility, repair any harm caused, and try a different approach next time is an important part of every child’s development. We know these skills grow strongest when families and schools work together with patience, consistency, and care.

Thank you for partnering with your child’s teacher by talking about school expectations at home and supporting the learning process when unexpected behaviors occur. We are grateful for our incredible Sunnyside community and the partnership we share in helping every child grow.

sswatchdog@gmail.com

When you’re out shopping, don’t forget Box Tops! It’s fast, easy, and every Box Top helps earn money for Sunnyside!

📱 Download the Box Tops for Education app

🏫 Select Sunnyside Elementary as your school

🧾 Scan your receipts with your phone camera in the app — or upload screenshots of digital receipts!

Box Tops can be earned from everyday shopping at grocery stores, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart, and more! Some stores let you link your account directly so eligible purchases can be deposited automatically!

🛍️💙 Shop. Scan. Earn for SS!

I’m reaching out as we get ready for the 2nd Annual Ryan Whitney Memorial Wiffle Ball Tournament on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, at Homefield Baseball Complex.

As you may know, Ryan was a student in your school community, and this tournament is incredibly special to our family. It is a day created in his memory to bring kids, families, and our community together while raising awareness for teen mental health and supporting Fight Club, a local nonprofit providing peer support for teens.

This year we have 51 teams registered, and we could really use some additional volunteers! I was hoping you might be willing to share our volunteer opportunity with staff, families, students who need service hours, or anyone in your school community who may want to help.

Our biggest need right now is umpires and scorekeepers, and I promise—you do not have to be a real umpire!

⚾ Umpires
Our Wiffle Ball umpiring is about as low-pressure as it gets. Players call their own outs, and the umpire only steps in if they can't agree. If the umpire isn't sure either, the dispute is settled with one round of Rock, Paper, Scissors! There are also no walks because teams pitch to their own players.

📋 Scorekeepers
This is easy too! Scorekeepers simply:

• Keep track of the score
• Let the umpire know when a team reaches the 10-run limit per inning
• Text the final score to our schedule manager when the game is over

There are also other volunteer opportunities available for anyone who would prefer to help in another way.

Volunteer Sign-Up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AA8A722A2FCC16-64034078-ryan

More information about the event can be found at: https://onecau.se/ryanswiffleball2026

High school students are welcome to volunteer, and I am happy to sign or provide documentation for volunteer/service hours.

Every person who gives a few hours helps us make this day possible and allows us to continue honoring Ryan in a way that brings kids together, lets them just be kids, and reminds them that No One Fights Alone.

Thank you so much for your continued support of our family and for helping us spread the word.

Tiffany Whitney
Ryan Whitney Memorial Wiffle Ball Tournament
💙 No One Fights Alone

Email: aehercules@olatheschools.org
Website: https://www.olatheschools.org/sunnyside
Location: 16025 South Lindenwood Drive, Olathe, KS, USA
Phone: 913-780-7680
Facebook: facebook.com/SunnysideelementaryPTO
Twitter: @ssyellowjackets