Grand Star Elementary
November 2 - November 6

Upcoming Events
11/2 Dental Clinic (see information below)
11/3 - 11/6 Food Drive benefitting Hope Market (see information below)
11/5 3rd Grade Field Trip
11/6 Kona Ice Day!
11/9 - 11/11 Tattoo-a-Teacher Holiday Wars
11/12 Cultural Fair- CANCELLED
11/13 Color the School! Wear your favorite color loud and proud!
11/13 2nd Grade Field Trip
11/14 Fall Fest Craft Fair @ GSE 9:00am - 3:00pm
📄 GSE Must Know Info
Students who arrive after 8:20 a.m. should check in at the office and pick up a tardy slip to give to their teacher.
If your student’s dismissal plans change, please call the office at 913-856-3750. All changes, including car rider/walker status or who is picking up your student, must come directly from a parent or guardian.
If you email your student’s teacher about a dismissal change, please include our school secretaries: Amy Comstock: comstocka@usd231.com
Jessica Cortright: cortrightj@usd231.com
🥫 GSE Food Drive! The class with the most donations wins a popcorn party!
🎄 Tattoo-a-Teacher Holiday Wars 🦃
Every year, GSE teachers face off in a friendly holiday battle: Team Turkey believes Christmas decorations should wait until Thanksgiving, while Team Christmas is ready to decorate as soon as Halloween is over! This year, we’re letting students in on the fun by purchasing Thanksgiving or Christmas themed temporary tattoos for staff. Students can support their teacher’s team or stir up a little holiday trouble by choosing the opposite!
Each purchase benefits the GSE PTA, and the staff member with the most tattoos purchased for them wins a prize!
🍁 Fall Fest Craft Fair
💙 Future PTA Meeting Dates
🍧 Kona Ice Day
🌷 Counselor Corner with Mrs. Taylor
If there’s something going on that may be affecting your child’s school day, please reach out. I’m here to help, and staying connected allows us to support your child together!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever have questions, concerns, or need support. You can contact me by phone at 913-856-3775, by email at taylorle@usd231.com, or by text at 913-228-3010.
Second Step SEL (Social-Emotional Learning)
Each week, we share a summary of your student’s Second Step social-emotional learning (SEL) lesson, along with a simple way to practice the skill at home.
🎶 Grade Level Musicals
📱 Attendance Updates
If your student is going to be absent please call 913-856-3799 and leave a detailed message with your name, your student's name, and the reason for the absence. You may also send an email to gseattendance@usd231.com.
🔍 Lost and Found- Your stuff misses you!
Please write your child's name on coats, jackets, backpacks, lunch boxes, and other items! If you notice your student is missing an item, please encourage them to visit our Lost and Found, located right outside the gym by the cafeteria.
Do these items belong to your student?
⛅ Recess Information
As we head into fall, please remember that the weather can be unpredictable. We encourage you to send a jacket or sweatshirt with your student and please label it with their name, grade, or initials.
🍴 Elementary Breakfast and Lunch
GSE Lunch Schedule:
10:45am - 11:15am First Grade
11:15am - 11:45am Fourth Grade
11:45am - 12:15pm Kindergarten
12:15pm - 12:45pm Third Grade
12:45pm - 1:15pm Second Grade
👕 Grand Star Spirit Wear
Rock your Grand Star spirit in some cool new duds!
Click here to shop spirit wear from Simply Me Shirts & Transfers.
💜 Parents as Teachers
🦷 Dental Clinic- November 2nd!
🩺 A Note from Nurse Erika
📆 A B C D Day
⭐ Family Resources ⭐
Johnson County Emergency Assistance Guide
Looking for extra support? The Johnson County Emergency Assistance Guide includes local resources for food, housing, utilities, healthcare, transportation, and more. Find support and resources here.
Laundry Love at Legendary Laundry
Laundry Love is a community program that helps families with the cost of doing laundry. During Laundry Love sessions at Legendary Laundry, up to 3 loads per individual or 5 loads per family are covered, and detergent is provided.
Joco Mental Health Center
Behavior Checker is a free online resource from Johnson County Mental Health Center with practical strategies for common childhood behaviors. Simply choose a behavior or browse by category to find teaching strategies you can try at home.
From bedtime struggles and sibling conflict to tantrums, lying and more, Behavior Checker gives parents and caregivers another tool for navigating the everyday challenges of raising kids.
Explore Behavior Checker: jcmhc.behaviorchecker.org
Resources are also available in Spanish.
Is Your Child Riding Safely?
Kansas law requires children to use an appropriate car seat, booster seat, or seat belt based on their age, size, and development.
The Gardner Police Department has several trained Child Passenger Safety Technicians who can help families make sure their child’s car seat is appropriate and properly installed.
📧 To schedule an appointment, please email: carseat@gardnerkansas.gov
A few minutes spent checking your child’s car seat can make a lifesaving difference. Buckle up correctly—every child, every ride!