Pine Ridge Prep Update

Dear Pine Ridge Prep Families,

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! We are so excited to welcome all of our new and returning Pine Ridge Prep Wolves!

I am privileged to be beginning my sixth year as principal at Pine Ridge Prep Preschool and Sheldon Head Start. Here at Pine Ridge Prep we are blessed with the best ~ the most passionate and dedicated teaching staff, incredible students, and rock star families! Working together, we will set the tone for your child's continued academic success!

You will receive a weekly newsletter from us 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 we communicate with all families. This newsletter will be sent via email, text, and posted on our Pine Ridge Prep 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

Welcome to the new school year! It is my pleasure to serve as the Building Leader Intern at Pine Ridge Prep for the third year! I am excited to be a part of the Pine Ridge Community to continue and grow our partnerships with the community. I have spent my teaching career in early childhood and early childhood special education and look forward to serving you and your family.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve and collaborate with the Pine Ridge community!

~Mrs. Kim Meyers-Lopez, Building Leader Intern

You know that place where all the missing socks disappear to when you're doing laundry? Well, that happens to us here too and student belongings sometimes disappear into the void! Help us help you by labeling the inside of your child's belongings with their first and last name.

August 12-18: Home Visits

August 19: Meet the Teacher Night @ 4:30-5:30

August 20: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!!

August 21: Board of Education Meeting @ 5:30

August 22: First Late Start Friday - Doors Open @ 9:20

August 27: Fire Drill

August 29: Lockdown Drill

Families should plan to attend "Meet the Teacher Night" on Tuesday, August 19th. 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 school.

Students at Pine Ridge Prep are dropped off and picked up from their classroom door. Beginning at

8:20 Monday-Thursday and 9:20 on Friday, school staff will be outside each classroom to greet

students. An adult is to walk the child up to school staff for them to be checked in. DO NOT drop

your child and pull away/walk away. It is important for safety that an adult have eyes on all children

at all times. At the end of the day, please walk up to pick up your child. The arrival process ends at 8:45. Any student arriving to school after 8:45 will need to check in at the office, located in building

1120. The dismissal process ends at 3:45. Any student not picked up will need to be checked out

at the office.

We have seen in the news recently about many children and caregivers not surviving car accidents because they were not properly restrained. Unintentional accidents are the leading cause of death among children. If you need a car seat, we have a great resource to obtain one. Also, please remember that the car seat needs to be properly restrained within the car as well and you must have the proper number of seatbelts per person in the car. Please move seats between cars as needed when changing vehicles with the children.

Topeka Public Schools will be using My School Bucks as a way for parents to track and pay student fines, fees and other costs online. Pine Ridge Prep students DO have an enrollment fee. This ranges from $21-$32. The lower rate is for those families who qualify for free or reduced lunch. See the pictures below (you can click on a picture to make it bigger) for instructions on how to set up your My School Bucks account and pay your fees for the 25-26 school year. Please reach out to the office with any questions.

As a state and district expectation, all preschool children must have the ASQ3 and ASQSE2 completed each year.

Please use the appropriate link below to complete both the ASQ and ASQ-SE screening forms. It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. When you click on the link, you will have the option of choosing to complete BOTH surveys.

English version: https://www.asqonline.com/family/ca822f

Spanish version: https://www.asqonline.com/family/54618c

If you need additional help completing the screener please use our step-by-step directions using the link below.

ASQ Parent Guide

SPANISH ASQ Parent Guide

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 or 1040 (first page of taxes)

The above documents can be submitted by uploading them into Synergy, scanning and emailing them to klopez@tps501.org, or delivering them to the Pine Ridge Prep office.

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

Monday-Thursday: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

• Arrival begins: 8:20 AM (drop off at classroom door)
• School starts: 8:30 AM
• Arrival ends: 8:30 AM (Students will be considered tardy after 8:30 AM. Students arriving after 8:30 AM will need to sign in at the main office )
• Dismissal begins: 3:30 PM (pick up at classroom door)
• Dismissal ends: 3:45 PM (all students must be picked up by 3:45 PM)

Late Start Fridays (every Friday): 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM

• Arrival begins: 9:20 AM (drop off at classroom door)
• School starts: 9:30 AM
• Arrival ends: 9:30 AM (Students will be considered tardy after 9:30 AM. Students arriving after 9:30 AM will need to sign in at the main office)
• Dismissal begins: 3:30 PM (pick up at classroom door)
• Dismissal ends: 3:45 PM (all students must be picked up by 3:45 PM)

Pine Ridge Prep follows the Topeka Public Schools Academic Calendar. The only exception is a later start date. The first day of school for Pine Ridge Prep students is Wednesday, August 20th.

We believe names are important and want to ensure we are pronouncing student names correctly. If your child has a more unique name, please consider going into Synergy and recording your child's name pronunciation.

At Pine Ridge Prep, we provide all school supplies. The only items we ask your child bring are two sets of weather appropriate clothes (socks, underwear, bottom, top) in case of an accident or getting messy throughout the day. Additionally, while a backpack is not required, most students do bring one. If you need assistance with providing a backpack for your student, please reach out!

If you haven't yet, please be sure you send TWO extra sets of clothes (bottom, top, underwear,

socks) with your student on the first day of school, in case of accidents or just because sometimes preschool can be messy! Make sure they are appropriate for the current weather.

We will be providing each student a water bottle to use throughout the day. There is no need to send one with your student.

Topeka Public Schools has a new site for school menus. Please use this link to access school menus. You will use the drop-down boxes to choose Pine Ridge Prep and then choose the breakfast or lunch menu you would like to view.

If your child takes medication at school, you will need to have your child's physician complete

and sign a Request to Administer Medication form, which will need to be returned to Ms.

Andrea in the clinic. Medication must be sent in the original packaging with the original label.

If your child needs meal modifications due to religious or medical restrictions, please complete and return the attached forms.

Our Pine Ridge Prep 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!

https://www.facebook.com/PineRidgePrep/

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 9:15 a.m, by calling (785) 329-7870. 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

The Pine Ridge Prep Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) is looking for family members to serve on PTO. More details to come!

If you are interested in being a part of Pine Ridge Prep's PTO, please reach out to Mrs. Meyers-Lopez at klopez@tps501.org.

Thank you for your consideration!

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

Email: klopez@tps501.org
Website: https://pineridgeprep.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 1120 Southeast Highland Avenue, Topeka, KS, USA
Phone: 785-329-7870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PineRidgePrep/
Twitter: @PinePrep