Meadows Family News

Happy April! It’s hard to believe we are entering the final stretch of the school year. The days are flying by, and we are excited to make the most of every moment with your children.

This month, our students will be participating in state testing. We encourage all students to do their very best and to come to school each day well-rested and ready to focus. Your support at home—ensuring a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast—makes a big difference.

April is also full of fun and memorable events! We are looking forward to our Field Day, where students can enjoy outdoor activities and friendly competition. Our Spring Fling will be another highlight, bringing our school community together for a time of celebration and connection.

In addition, our music concerts and programs are coming up soon. These performances are a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their hard work and talents. We hope to see many of you there supporting our young performers!

As we move through April, we are reminded that there are only a short number of school days left this year. We remain committed to making each day meaningful, engaging, and productive for all students.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are helping our students finish the year strong!

Our Family Newsletter, featuring important dates and upcoming events, will continue to be shared with you each month. Please take a few moments to read it carefully for helpful reminders and key information to keep you informed and connected.

"We can. We will. Watch Us!"

Kyna Croft, Assistant Principal

kcroft@tps501.org

(785) 235-7150

• April 3: No School, Personal Development Day
• April 5: Easter Sunday
• April 6-10: Assistant Principal's Week
• April 9, 2026: Kindergarten Orientation, 5:30-6:30pm
• April 10: Wear Blue Day for Autism Awarness
• April 17: Volunteer Breakfast
• April 20: PTO Meeting 6pm, MKPR
• April 22 Administrative Assistant's Day
• April 22: Earth Day
• April 24: Spring Fling, 5-7:30
• April 27: No School
• April 28: Bus Driver Appreciation Day/Super Hero Day
• April 28: Sk8Away Skating Party, 6pm
• April 29: Middle School Parent Orientation Night, 5:30-6:30
• April 30: Middle School visits
• April 30: TPS Retirement Celebration, 5pm

• Arrival begins: 8:20 a.m.
• School starts: 8:40 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 8:40 a.m.)
• Dismissal begins: at 3:40 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. unless enrolled in after-school childcare)

Late Start Fridays (every Friday)- 9:30 a.m.-3:40 p.m.

• Arrival begins: 9:15 a.m.
• School starts: 9:30 a.m. (students will be considered tardy after 9:30 a.m.)
• Dismissal begins: at 3:40 p.m. (all students must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. unless enrolled in after-school childcare)

Please do not pull into the front circle drive from 3:15-3:50 p.m. Buses are loading and cars will be blocked in.

2026/2027 School Supply Lists

Save the date! Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year will open online in April 2026. Families are encouraged to register early, as we anticipate classes filling up quickly again this year.

Information regarding enrollment, school supply lists, and other items for families to prepare for next year will be available in April at topekapublicschools.net. View the 2026-2027 Academic Calendar here.

As a reminder, returning families will receive an email to register their students from Synergy Student Information System and enroll through ParentVue. Families new to Topeka Public Schools will create a new account and register online.

The program for the current hot spots that the district has been distributing to students and families in need over the past couple of years is coming to an end. The service on the devices will stop in October 2026. T-Mobile does not want the devices back and they can be recycled or disposed of in a responsible manner. There are currently over 2,000 hot spots that have been issued out, so the loss of service is a concern. We are identifying alternative solutions at this time and hope to have more information out shortly.

The KU Baseball team would like to invite Meadows Elementary school to our upcoming Education Appreciation Day as the Kansas Jayhawks take the field on Friday, April 10th against the UCF Knights at 6:00pm! Education Appreciation Day is an honor of local staff, faculty, and families from local schools.

With this invitation comes a link to discounted tickets for the game as well: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Meadowselementary6

KU Baseball cannot wait to see members of the Madison Place Community out to the ballpark on April 10th!

Hello parents/guardians,

We seem to be having trouble with the QR code for our summer academy.

If you would like to put in an application for your student, please use this link.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeShMKntkPMWvaDZEE2APanRQDrpTU1uklz7716Z_ROR_NMTA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=113948018622697744705

Please remember we will be supporting around 60 students, so the sooner the better.

Thanks

Alisa Kahre

akahre@tps501.org

As the weather begins to cool, we want to remind families and staff of school closing notification procedures. When making decisions about closing school, a number of factors come into play, including the safety of travel but also the safety of students who will be home during the day.

Should school be canceled, we will:

• Send a text, email, and/or phone call via SchoolMessenger
• Update the district social media pages
• Update the district website
• Contact our local media partners

To sign up for text message updates, text Y to 67587. To learn more about school delays and closures, please review our How We Communicate With Families document.

Topeka Public Schools has new interactive menus for each school, making it easier to see what’s being served each day and explore the many new menu items our Child Nutrition Services team has introduced. We thank families for their patience as adjustments are made to these new menus to best meet the needs of our students.

To explore the interactive menus and learn more about our meal programs, visit the Child Nutrition Services page.

Topeka Public Schools is using My School Bucks as a way for families to track and pay student fees and other costs online. If you have not yet paid your fees for the 2025-2026 school year, please create your free My School Bucks account to conveniently and securely pay your student's school fees online or with the mobile app.

To access My School Bucks, please log in to ParentVue and create a secure login. Once your secure login has been created, you will log in to My School Bucks to access your account. View step-by-step instructions to create an account here.

If you need assistance with your account, you can find helpful how-to videos and answers to commonly asked questions by visiting myschoolbucks.com or by calling 855-832-5226.

MORNING DROP OFF

Buses and Families will line up beginning at 2nd street. The line will wrap around our building. Please do NOT jump into the line. Wait your turn, the line will move quickly. Buses and Families will drop off per POD, working their way around the building to POD 4 last.

Do not stop and get out. If you need to, park on a side street, use the crosswalks, and walk your student up. If you have items to drop off, please park in the front of our building and enter the office.

***At or after 8:40 am, when our bells ring, staff will be closing the doors to go to other duties. If you are near this time, please pull around to the front office to drop students off.

AFTERNOON PICK UP

Parents will pick up at PODs. Please have your student's name tag posted in the front window. Staff will identify your tag and call students. Staff will bring the students out to their vehicle. Do not stop or get out.

Buses pull into the Circle Drive Parking Area at the front of the school. Students will be sent out in the order the buses arrived so they may all pull off in order as well.

Parents: Please DO NOT ENTER THE CIRCLE DRIVE AFTER 3:15 pm. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE UNTIL 3:55PM.

View information and health alerts from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on our Parent Resource Site.

• Topeka Public Schools Blog
  
• Topeka Public Schools YouTube Channel
  
• Board of Education Meeting Minutes & Agenda

Email: kcroft@tps501.org
Website: https://meadows.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 201 Southwest Clay Street, Topeka, KS, USA
Phone: 785-235-7150