Flynn Park Family Pride
10/26/25
Greetings Flynn Park Family,
Happy Sunday! We hope that you have had an amazing weekend. We are in the early stages of the 2nd quarter, and want to celebrate the great things that are happening around our school and district. Last weekend, our UCHS football team won their homecoming with an astounding 80-0 victory. It was an amazing game to attend, as I had only heard about the greatness of our football team, but seeing it up close and personal was an entirely different experience. At Flynn Park we are in the midst of our 2nd year participating in the Million Cans contest, and with the amount of cans that continue to pour in, we are all but sure to win. Please continue to send any empty aluminum cans to Flynn Park to help us secure the victory this year. Thank you for your continued support in helping make Flynn Park a safe, fun, and engaging place for your children to grow and learn.
This week we are celebrating Red Ribbon Week, with schools all across the country. The purpose of Red Ribbon Week is to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use, and to prevent violence, promoting a drug-free lifestyle through community and individual commitment. Please see the calendar below, of themed days for students and staff to participate in to show their support of Red Ribbon Week.
We appreciate your positive feedback and teacher and staff shout outs. Your messages of positivity go a long way toward filling our staffs' "buckets". Please continue to send them in to Mr. Murdock at damurdock@ucityschools.org. They will be shared with the staff as they are received.
Thank you in advance for partnering with us and supporting our school community this year. Please check your email inbox weekly for the Flynn Park Family Pride Newsletter for important updates about all things related to our school community. Have a great evening!
IMPORTANT DISMISSAL UPDATE - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
Due to the overlapping of 5th grade recess and our dismissal process, we are asking that all families who are picking up students at dismissal please stay off of the playground and blacktop until 3:45pm. Please wait outside of the gates until our dismissal process has started, so that our students can have recess safely and without interruption. Members of the staff will open the gates once recess has ended, indicating that it is ok to join us on the blacktop to pick your student learner. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us to keep our students and our school community safe! We appreciate you!
Elementary Basketball Forms - Calling All Coaches and Players
Greetings Flynn Park basketball players and coaches. The time is now to fill out the interest surveys if you would like to coach or play basketball for our University City elementary basketball rec league. Please complete the links below to register to play or coach. The links will close at 5pm on November 9th.
The Importance of Proper Rest and Age Appropriate Bedtimes for Students
Getting enough sleep is essential for children’s health, behavior, and academic success. Children who follow consistent, age-appropriate bedtimes tend to have better focus, improved mood, and stronger memory—all key for learning and growth.
Here are some recommended bedtime guidelines based on age, assuming a wake-up time around 6:30–7:00 AM for school:
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Ages 5–6 (Kindergarten–1st grade):
⏰ Bedtime between 7:00–7:30 PM -
Ages 7–8 (2nd–3rd grade):
⏰ Bedtime between 7:30–8:00 PM -
Ages 9–10 (4th grade):
⏰ Bedtime between 8:00–8:30 PM -
Ages 11–12 (5th grade):
⏰ Bedtime between 8:30–9:00 PM
A calming bedtime routine—like reading a book, turning off screens 30 minutes to an hour before bed, and keeping a consistent schedule—can make a big difference.
Thank you for helping your child come to school ready to learn and thrive!
Supporting Learning At Home
Learning doesn’t stop when the school day ends! Here are a few easy ways you can support your child’s learning at home:
✅ Create a homework-friendly space – A quiet, well-lit spot helps kids stay focused and organized.
✅ Establish a routine – Set aside regular time each day for reading, reviewing classwork, or completing homework.
✅ Encourage reading – Read with your child daily, or set aside time for independent reading. It builds vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of learning.
✅ Talk about school – Ask open-ended questions like, “What did you learn today?” or “What was the best part of your day?”
✅ Practice real-world learning – Involve your child in cooking, shopping, or measuring—these everyday tasks build math, reading, and thinking skills!
✅ Celebrate effort – Praise your child’s hard work and persistence, not just the outcome.
Small, consistent actions at home can make a big difference in your child’s confidence and success in school!
Healthy Snacks and Drinks for Growing Learners
Good nutrition helps fuel our students’ brains and bodies for a full day of learning and play! When packing snacks or lunches, try choosing healthy, energy-boosting options that keep kids focused and feeling their best.
Here are some great snack ideas:
✅ Fresh fruit (apple slices, grapes, berries)
✅ Veggies with hummus or dip (carrot sticks, cucumber, bell peppers)
✅ Whole grain crackers or granola bars (low in sugar)
✅ Cheese sticks or yogurt (watch for added sugars)
✅ Dried fruit
And don’t forget about drinks! The best choice is always:
💧 Water – keeps kids hydrated and ready to learn
🥛 Milk – provides calcium and protein
🚫 Please avoid sending sugary drinks like soda. Juice is ok , but please consider the amount of sugar in artificial juice drinks, and consider switching to real juice like apple juice, grape juice, or cranberry juice. Artificial juice drinks with too much added sugar can lead to energy crashes and poor focus.
Thank you for helping us keep our students healthy, energized, and ready to learn!
School Wide Expectations
At Flynn Park we are building and growing a safe and inclusive environment for all students. This means that we take care of each other's physical well being, as well as our emotional well being. We want all students to feel loved, valued, respected, and safe.
As a school community, we expect all of our learners to meet the following expectations.
1. We keep our hands and feet to ourselves. We do not solve problems by using physical violence. If and when a learner makes physical contact with another student, we ask that the person harmed tell an adult so that the adult can keep them safe and report it to the principal to be handled. We ask that parents reinforce this value at home.
2. We use kind words. If we do not have anything kind to say to another student learner or adult, it is ok (and actually preferred) to not say anything at all. It is never ok to use unkind words.
3. We use walking feet when traveling throughout the building. It is never ok for students to run or be unsafe with their body while they are transitioning in or outside of the building.
4. We respect others. This includes adults and peers. We respect each other's personal space. We respect each other's personal belongings (we don't take anything that doesn't belong to us), and we respect each other's feelings. We don't always have to agree, but we always have to remain respectful.
5. We make amends when we hurt others. Flynn Park is a restorative practices school. When issues arise, restorative conversations conducted by a member of our SEL team are a foundational aspect of "building and growing together."
6. We take accountability. It is human to make mistakes. We understand that members of our school community will make mistakes. It is important that when we make mistakes, that we hold ourselves accountable, work to repair the harm that was done, and make efforts not to make the same mistake again.
We ask that our families review the expectations with students, and reinforce the messages included above as often as you can. Thank you in advance for your help in making our school community a great place to "building and grow together."
Every Minute Matters - Student Attendance
We want to remind all families that it is vitally important that our students attend school every day that they are healthy enough to do so. If your student learner is sick, please keep him or her at home until they feel better. Please note that when students attend school, they are expected to attend school for the full instructional day (8:30am - 3:40pm).
When students arrive late and are picked up early, it is disruptive to their learning experience, as well as that of the rest of the students in the classroom. It is also very detrimental to students' attendance. The Missouri Department of Education (DESE) tracks the number of minutes that students attend each day. When students arrive late and leave early, those minutes are counted up and totaled for the week, and it negatively impacts their attendance status.
For example, if a student arrives 20 minutes late and is picked up 40 minutes early each day, the state calculates the number of minutes missed for the day, and totals the number of minutes missed per week/month, etc. So if a student has a consistent late arrival and early pick up (as outlined above) that student would miss 5 hours of instruction per week, and 20 hours of instruction (2.5 days) of instruction per month.
Please reserve late arrivals and early pick ups for doctor's and dentist appointments, and note that proper documentation will be required. Help us to help our students by making sure that they are here on time and attend for the full instructional day! Thank you in advance!
Inclement Weather Dismissal Plan For Car Riders and Walkers
Please be reminded that our inclement weather plan for car riders and walkers was shared last week via school messenger, but we wanted to provide it again for any families that may have missed it.
Our Inclement Weather Dismissal Plan for car riders and walkers is as follows:
Kindergarten will dismiss from the Kindergarten hallway. One staff member from Kindergarten will be at the designated door to assist parents as they arrive.
1st Grade will dismiss from the cafeteria using the glass doors to dismiss students. Students should be lined up, waiting for their parents to pick them up. A member of the first grade team will at the designated door to assist parents as they arrive.
2nd and 3rd grade will dismiss from the gym, using the exterior doors between the PE storage and the breezeway (double glass doors that we use for recess). A member of the 2nd and 3rd grade team will at the designated door to assist parents as they arrive.
4th and 5th grade will dismiss from the gym, using the exterior doors near the stage (opposite end of the gym from where 2nd and 3rd will dismiss from). A member of the 4th and 5th grade team will be will at the designated door to assist parents as they arrive.
Please note that this will only be followed if/when we experience inclement weather that impacts dismissal. For regular dismissal, all car riders and walkers will dismiss from the blacktop and there will be cones to designate where each grade level should stand and wait for families to arrive.
Please Help to Keep Our Students Safe - Food Allergy Alert
At Flynn Park, we prioritize safety and overall well being for our students and staff. This year, we have a number of students and staff with allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and a host of other allergens. We ask that you refrain from sending ANY food products that may contain peanuts and tree nuts of any kind. This includes food items that may be part of a home packed breakfast, lunch, or snack. As we compile a more comprehensive list of our students’ and staff allergens, we will provide it to all families.
Reporting Absences and Late Arrivals
Parents needing to report an absence of any kind, must call the school at 314-290-4420, to report their child’s absence or tardiness from school as soon as possible. If you know in advance that your student learner will be absent for a doctor's appointment or dental visit, please notify your child's teacher, and our office coordinator, Ms. Brandi Rivers at brivers@ucityschools.org via email. Please provide corresponding medical/dental letters/documentation to the main office upon your student learner's return to school.
Please share your Pictures with Us
This year, we'd love to incorporate family friendly pictures from our school community, giving us a view into your world, your vacations from this summer, or cool and interesting things you are doing around the community. Please send any pictures you'd like to share to fppics@ucityschools.org . Please note that by sending them, you give us permission to share the pictures in our newsletters and/or Brightsigns (tv displays) in our building.
October 23 - 31 - RED RIBBON WEEK
October 29 - Safari Dental Van @ Flynn Park
October 31 - Fall Festival
November 3 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher Plan Day
November 4 - NO SCHOOL - District Professional Development
November 7 - Flynn Park Movie Night
November 10 - State of the District/Community Strategic Planning Meeting
November 14 - Turkey Trot @ Flynn Park
November 24-28 - NO SCHOOL - FALL BREAK
Always Remember...
We truly appreciate you for all that you do for our students and our school community. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful school community of families and teachers. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at damurdock@ucityschools.org. Looking forward to seeing you soon! Until next time, please remember the following…
U MATTER!
U MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
U ARE WELCOME HERE!
U ARE VALUED!
U BELONG!
U ARE LOVED!
Warmly,
Darion Murdock, Ed.S
Principal
Flynn Park School