Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! I am so excited to welcome all of our new and returning Shaner Stars!

I am eager to begin my third year as principal at Shaner Early Learning Academy. It is a wonderful school with incredible staff who are passionate about Early Childhood Education. Together, home and school are creating the educational foundation that will set the precedent for many academic years to come!

Once school starts, 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 edition of the newsletter contains important information you need to know leading up to the first day of school. I hope this newsletter helps answer many of your questions.

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

"Laugh often. Dream big. Reach for the STARS!" I look forward to seeing you and your scholar soon.

Shaner Proud,

Mrs. Baxter, Principal

mbaxter@tps501.org

(785) 235-7290

Shaner Early Learning Academy follows the Topeka Public Schools Academic Calendar.

The only exception is a later start date for the first day of school. See Shaner start dates below.

Preschool Classrooms:

3 and 4 year olds who are enrolled in a Shaner preschool classroom

• First day of School: Thursday, August 17th

Daycare Classroom:

2 year olds who are enrolled in the KDHE licensed daycare classroom with Ms. Shelley

• First day: Thursday, August 3rd

Monday through Thursday- 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

• Arrival begins: 8:20 a.m.
• School starts: 8:30 a.m.
• Arrival ends: 8:45 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 8:45 a.m.)
• Dismissal begins: 3:30 p.m.
• Dismissal ends: 3:45 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. unless enrolled in after school childcare)

Late Start Fridays (every Friday)- 9:20 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

• Arrival begins: 9:10 a.m.
• School starts: 9:20 a.m.
• Arrival ends: 9:35 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 9:35 a.m.)
• Dismissal begins: 3:30 p.m.
• Dismissal ends: 3:45 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. unless enrolled in after school childcare)

Before the first day of school, you will receive a newsletter that explains the arrival and dismissal carline procedures.

Class lists will be finalized by Monday, August 7th.

You will find out your child's teacher that week when your child's teacher reaches out to you and schedules a home visit to occur before the first day of school. At Shaner, we complete a home visit before school starts so your child can meet his or her teacher team in a familiar environment. This allows the staff to learn about your child and begin building a relationship in a setting that your child is comfortable with. We love meeting students at the home visit because then the child has already met the teachers. This results in a much smoother "Meet the Teacher Night" and "First Day of School."

We look forward to setting up home visits with each family.

Families should attend "Meet the Teacher Night" on Wednesday, August 16th. This event is from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and is a come and go event. Bring your child, see your child's classroom and deliver his/her school supplies.

*Daycare Families: "Meet the Teacher Night" will be on Wednesday, August 2nd at 4:30 p.m. Ms. Shelley will communicate more information!

Please bring these items with you to Meet the Teacher Night so you and your student do not have to bring them the first day of school.

This year, the before and after school childcare program at Shaner will be supervised and run by Shaner staff. We are excited for this opportunity!

Administrator: Mrs. Baxter, Principal at Shaner

Shaner Childcare Coordinator: Ms. Prekopy

Location: Shaner Indoor Playroom

Before School Care:

• Monday through Thursday- 7:00-8:20 a.m.
• Late Start Fridays- 7:00-9:10 a.m.

After School Care:

• Monday through Friday- 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Cost:

• $25 per week for before school care ONLY
• $25 per week for after school care ONLY
• $50 per week for before AND after school care

Registration for before and after school childcare will be sent to all Shaner enrolled families via email on Monday, July 17th. Please watch your email for the registration google form. Registration is on a first come, first serve basis. There are 30 available spots in the childcare program with approximately 185 total students enrolled at Shaner.

More information will be communicated as part of the registration form. Watch for it on Monday!

Thank you to the families who have delivered, sent or uploaded the required preschool documents!

If you have not done so, please submit your child's:

• birth certificate
• immunization records
• your W2 forms

The above documents can be submitted by uploading them into Synergy, scanning and emailing them to preschool@tps501.org, or delivering them to the Shaner main office

We must have the required documents before the first day of school.

The child nutrition form is a required form that all enrolled families need to complete. The district was awarded a grant that results in all students in Topeka Public Schools receiving free meals this school year. By filling out this form, you will NOT be charged any amount for meals this school year. This form benefits the TPS district because it helps us receive funding for many programs and technology to ensure student success. Please take time NOW to complete the form.

This form is for your whole family, so if you have multiple children at several schools, you only have to complete one form.

Topeka Public Schools Homepage

Click on "Free/Reduced Meal Application." This will take you to a Horizon Software page that indicates Topeka Public USD #501 at the top. Read through the "Welcome" page and click on "Start Application" at the bottom.

Our Shaner Early Learning Academy 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!

@ShanerEarlyLearningAcademy

This handbook includes important information about Shaner including our mission and vision, policies and procedures.

Please take time to review this handbook.

It is important that your child attend school each day to have a consistent educational program. Of course, illness or other family emergencies can cause absences. If your child will be absent please let us know by contacting the office at 785-235-7290.

The Topeka Public School Procedures are as follows:

1. Absences are excused for student illness or family emergencies. If your child is going to be absent, you should call the office before 9:30 a.m. It is each parent’s responsibility to be sure the office has been notified of the reason for absence. Advanced notice is appreciated.

2. A phone call attempt will be made on every child that does not arrive at school by 9:30am.

3. After 2 days of unexcused absences, staff will conduct a home visit or make other direct contact with child’s family, determine what assistance is needed to remedy the problem.

4. Unexcused absences can result in a truancy report being filed.

5. Each absence after 10 excused absences may result in the need for a doctor’s release note to be considered an excused absence.

6. Although Kansas law does not require students to be in school prior to the age of 7, ANY child enrolled in public school does fall into the state truancy policies. Truancy reports will be made to the district truancy officer for any student with excessive absences and/or tardies.

The Shaner Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) is looking for family members to serve on PTO. Throughout the year, PTO organizes fundraisers and uses the money to meet the needs of both students and staff. PTO also organizes the Shaner PTO Annual Picnic in April.

The Shaner PTO meets monthly on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

If you are interested in serving on Shaner's PTO, please reach out to shanerelapto@gmail.com or notify Ms. Mindy Darling, mdarling@tps501.org.

Thank you for your consideration!

Community Resources

• Community Resources Council Resource Directory- This directory provides contact information for a variety of community resources.

Food Resources

• Food Pantry List- See the following links for Food Pantry resources available to families. English and Spanish

Do you have a question or need more information? Please do not hesitate to reach out so we can get your questions answered!

Email: mbaxter@tps501.org
Website: https://shanerela.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 1600 SW 34th St, Topeka, KS 66611, USA
Phone: (785) 235-7290
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShanerEarlyLearningAcademy