Sheldon Update

Dear Sheldon Families,

Have a great week!

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 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

Please be sure your child has two extra full sets of clothes at school (including underwear) and pull-ups, if they use them.

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.

Discovery Center: Monday, February 16th @ 10:00-12:00 (upstairs classrooms)

Discovery Center: Monday, February 23rd @ 10:00-12:00 (downstairs classrooms)

Topeka Zoo: Monday, April 6th @ 10:00-12:00 (upstairs classrooms)

Topeka Zoo: Tuesday, April 7th @ 10:00-12:00 (downstairs classrooms)

Let Mrs. Tanner know if you need a printed copy of the Christmas Bureau sign-up forms to complete!

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 Mental Health and Child Development & Education Services.

Child Assessment Process

POLICY:

Staff will use a variety of developmentally appropriate early childhood education strategies to promote and support children’s educational progress based on observations and on-going assessment of each child.

PROCEDURE:

Initial Screenings:

• All newly enrolled children will receive a developmental and behavioral screening within 45 calendar days of their first day of attendance, using the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE tools.

Ongoing Assessment:

• All children will be assessed continuously using Benchmark Ready to Advance as the primary assessment tool.
• Formative assessments on MasteryConnect will be used monthly, and myIGDIs will be administered three times per year to monitor academic progress.

Curriculum & Observation:

• Teachers will plan and implement curriculum activities designed to support assessment through observation.
• Quarterly assessment checkpoints will be established at the start of each program year.

Family Engagement:

• Assessment results will be shared with families during home visits and parent-teacher conferences.
• Observations and updates will be completed prior to these meetings.

Developmental Areas Assessed:

Children will be assessed across the following domains, aligned with the Head Start Early Learning

Outcomes Framework.

• Approaches to Learning
• Social and Emotional Development
• Language and Communication
• Literacy
• Mathematics Development
• Scientific Reasoning
• Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development

Documentation of Progress:

• Education staff will regularly collect and document observations and work samples (e.g., notes, videos, photos, written work).
• All progress documentation must be updated in time for parent-teacher conferences and home visits.

Data Analysis:

• The Education & Disabilities Coordinator will generate and review assessment reports regularly to support data-driven instruction and child outcomes.

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)

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 20th. The last day of school for Sheldon students will be May 18th.

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

Check out this link for Kansas Food Source. This link provides a map of all of the KS counties and indicates what food resources are available in each county.

Take a look at the Topeka Resources Checklist. This is very helpful for planning! This is a list of possible resources to help you stretch your dollars and avoid economic emergencies. Place a check beside the ones you are using or have used.

You can find the link to the 2021 Community Resources Council Resource Directory here. This directory provides contact information for a variety of community resources.

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

See the following links for Food Pantry resources available to families.

English and Spanish

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