Sheldon Update

Dear Sheldon Families,

I hope you had a wonderful 3 day weekend! Don't forget - this week is COLOR WEEK!

Each week, you will receive a 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

Beginning this week and from now on, we will dismiss at our regular time of 3:45-4:00.

GraceMed will be at Sheldon on September 17th for a school-wide dental screening. Families who want to OPT OUT their student will need to call Nurse Andrea. Otherwise, all students will be screened.

There are 21 school days in September. To keep your child's attendance at 90% or higher, they cannot miss more than 2 full days of school. Missing 3 full days drops their attendance to 86%.

Please remember that arriving late (tardy) or leaving school early also affects your child's attendance percentage.

Thank you for helping your child be at school every day and on time!

Picture Day is coming up on Monday, September 21st! Retakes will be on October 28th. Paper order forms will be sent home soon. The flyer below provides details on the different packages that are available for order. If ordering photos, you may pay in the following ways:

• Pay by Cash: You must provide the EXACT amount. We will not be able to make change.
• Pay by Check: Make the check out to Strawbridge Studios
• Pay Online: This is the easiest! See the information in the flyer below.

We will collect orders and payments at the school beginning Tuesday, September 8th and ending on picture day, September 21st.

You can also use this link to sign up to receive updates via email regarding your child's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school (you can double check this in your Synergy ParentVue).

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: Wednesday, October 14th @ 10:00-12:30

Discovery Center: Monday, January 25th @ 10:00-12:00 (upstairs classrooms)

Discovery Center: Monday, February 1st @ 10:00-12:00 (downstairs classrooms)

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

Topeka Zoo: Tuesday, April 13th @ 10:00-12:00 (downstairs classrooms)

If your child is still working on potty training, please be sure they are coming to school in pull-ups NOT diapers.

Potty Training Resources

-The Right Age to Potty Train (English)

-The Right Age to Potty Train (Spanish)

-Toileting Independence in Preschool Age Children - Head Start Resource

-Help Children Use the Bathroom On Their Own (this includes songs, videos, and book ideas!)

Due to the new state law on social media communication, Topeka Public Schools is using 5 approved tools for family communication - including the new app Parent Square. Directions are below for how to download the app and log in to your account. This will be our primary communication tool at Sheldon, so please download the app and access your account as soon as possible. Let Mrs. Tanner know if you have any issues!

Parent Square Directions:

• Scan the QR Code. Or go straight to the App Store and download the app (a picture is on the flyer below).
• Scroll down past the long list to the bottom of the page and click on either the Download App from Apple Store or Download App from Android Store.
• Once the app has downloaded, sign-in using the same email and password you use for Synergy ParentVUE (this is how you enrolled your child in school this year). It will not tie you to our school if you try to use a different email.
• Once logged in, you should be on the Sheldon Home Page. If not, check to see if you received an invitation email from Parent Square to join Sheldon and click the link in that email.
• If you have children in multiple TPS schools, you will have a drop-down option at the top of your screen that lets you switch between schools.
• Email Mrs. Tanner if you are having any issues! gtanner@tps501.org

The Sheldon Policy Council meets monthly for 1 hour and asks for a one year commitment. More information will be shared at Home Visits.

Color Week is coming up! We will have a color "spirit week" to help us all learn our colors!

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.

Blood Pressure Screening

POLICY:

Each child will undergo a blood pressure screening within 30 days of enrollment as part of their

routine health screening at school.

PROCEDURE:

1. Physicians will be requested to conduct blood pressure screenings during physical exams. If not completed, the Health Coordinator at Sheldon will perform the screening within 30 days.
2. Normal blood pressure for preschool aged students is: Systolic (top number): 90 to 110 mm Hg. Diastolic (bottom number): 55 to 75 mm Hg
3. If a child’s reading exceeds 110/75, a re-screening will occur within two weeks. If still elevated, a referral will be made unless a physician deems it normal.
4. Screening dates and results will be recorded in the child’s health folder and entered into Synergy.
5. Parents/guardians will receive a copy of the Screening Result Sheet for onsite screenings.
6. Staff will monitor and track blood pressure screenings as part of routine medical exams.
7. Annual blood pressure screenings will be conducted for all children.

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)

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

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 19th. The last day of school for Sheldon students will be May 17th.

Topeka Public Schools utilizes the SchoolMessenger system for web services and to deliver text messages to families in the district. Alerts come straight to your mobile phone with important information about school events, school closings, and more.

Parents and guardians can participate in this free service by sending a text message of "Y" or "Yes" to the TPS short code number 67587. You can also opt-out of these messages at any time by simply replying "stop" to one of our messages.

View our communications document in English and Spanish to learn more about how Topeka Public Schools communicates with families throughout the school year.

Don't forget to follow us on social media! We're active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Regular school attendance is one of the most important factors that determine school success. The habit of attending school every single day begins with the preschool year(s).

Daily Absence Information

• Parents/guardians should notify the school each day a student is absent by 9:00 a.m, by calling (785) 438-4530. If leaving a voicemail, please provide the student's name, classroom teacher and reason for absence. If the parent/guardian fails to notify the school, the school will attempt to contact the parent/guardian. The communication can be in a variety of methods, such as electronic communication, telephone call or in person. Home visits will be conducted if there has been no contact made after two days.
• All absences, including those excused, will count against a student’s attendance.
• The school encourages parents to schedule doctor and dental appointments after school hours, or on days when school is not in session.
• Parents/guardians may be required to submit supporting documentation in order to excuse the absence of their student if student absenteeism is excessive.
• Preschool absences are recorded in Synergy, the district's student information system. The expectation is that students attend school at least 90% of the time. If the student falls below 90% (excused or unexcused) a letter will be sent home. If this issue does not improve an official attendance plan will be put into place and/or a meeting with the school principal will be scheduled.

The Kansas State law specifically says that a student is truant if they have missed 3 unexcused days in a row, 5 unexcused days in a semester, or 7 unexcused days in a school year. Truancy may result in a report being filed with DCF.

Examples of Excused Absences:

• Personal illness or medical appointment
• Illness of an immediate family member
• Death in the immediate family or other emergency beyond the control of the family
• Religious holidays of the student’s religious faith
• Participation in a district approved or school sponsored activity or event
• Required court appearance or subpoena by a law enforcement agency
• Family vacation/Out of town (that have been pre-approved by the school principal)

Examples of Unexcused Absences:

• No contact by parent/guardian
• Oversleeping
• Personal grooming appointments (hair, nails, etc)
• Shopping/errands
• Suspension from school
• Family vacation/ Out of town that have not been pre-approved
• Missing the bus/ride

Topeka Habitat for Humanity will be accepting homeowner applications from September 10th - 26th, 2026. During this special selection cycle, only households of four persons or less will be considered due to the size of our existing projects. We will be selecting for two homeownership opportunities: a fully renovated home in the Chesney Park Neighborhood and a newly constructed home in the Ward Meade Neighborhood.

Beginning Sept 10th, homeowner application packets can be picked up from the Topeka Habitat ReStore during regular business hours. The ReStore is located at at 121 NE Gordon St, and is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday from 10am - 4pm. Applications will also be available for download from our website. If you need to request other arrangements or accommodations please call our office at 785-234-4322 ext. 107 and we will be happy to assist you. The deadline to turn in application packets is Saturday, September 26th at 4pm!

We will host also three in-person information sessions to learn more about the program and application process. Attendance is not required to apply. More information on these sessions and a link to RSVP is below.

Join us at one of these sessions to learn more about the Topeka Habitat Homeownership program and how to apply. We will discuss how the Topeka Habitat Homebuyer program works, eligibility requirements, the application and selection process. Attendance at these meetings is not required to apply for a Topeka Habitat for Humanity home. More info at topekahabitat.org/homeownership. Topeka Habitat is an equal opportunity housing provider. REGISTER HERE

FREE English conversation instruction for people who speak other languages/English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Start Date: September 8, 2026

When: Tuesday and Thursday

Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Location: Washburn University, Main Campus near the Student Union

Living Learning Center, Reading Room (first floor)

1801 SW Jewell

Topeka, KS 66604

Contact Person: Anita Epps

Participants will fill out a simple application form when they first attend. No books are required.

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

English and Spanish

Website: https://sheldon.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 1155 SW Seabrook Ave.
Phone: 785-438-4530
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheldonChildDevelopmentCenterHeadStart