Raider Update

Randolph Families:

Welcome back! We are excited to begin the new academic year and invite you to join us on this journey of learning and growth.

Our mission at Randolph is to provide a safe, inclusive environment where students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Our dedicated educators have been preparing to deliver an engaging curriculum that challenges and empowers our students.

Throughout the summer, we have worked to enhance our facilities and programs to ensure a top-notch educational experience. We value your involvement and encourage you to engage with our school community. Stay informed through our school's website and social media platforms.

We appreciate your trust and partnership as we embark on another exciting year. We look forward to meeting you at our open house on Tuesday, August 7th from 4:30 -5:30 pm.

Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for choosing Randolph Elementary. Together, we will make a difference in our students' lives.

Sincerely,

Dr. Aarion L. Gray

Have you enrolled your student(s) for the 23-24 school year? If you are needing help we are offering an in-person enrollment day. It will be Thursday, July 20, 2023. Hours will be 8:00 - 5:00 with appointments after 5:00. Families who have completed the enrollment process online do not need to attend this in-person event.

We are excited to see our Randolph families!

Mrs. Heather Garcia is starting her twentieth year in education. She is a product of Topeka Public Schools, attending Lowman Hill, Robinson and Topeka High. She earned her bachelors in Elementary Education from Washburn University and furthered her education by earning a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Fort Hays State University. Mrs. Garcia was excited to return to Topeka Public Schools to start her career in education. She has served in the role of classroom teacher, instructional coach and dean of students providing her with a diverse background. Mrs. Garcia is a passionate educator who is dedicated to ensuring all students receive a high-quality education and enjoys spending time with her family.

As our families and staff plan for the upcoming year, view the 2023-2024 academic calendar.

Please note that school begins on Tuesday, August 8 for students in grades Kindergarten, 6, and 9. We look forward to meeting our new Kindergarten students and families on their first day. As we all know, Kindergarten forms the foundational academic skills needed as your child progress through the years. Please find time to read this informational article.

Why Kindergarten Attendance Matters for the Whole School

School will begin on Wednesday, August 9 for all students in grades K-12; and Thursday, August 17 for preschool.

Class lists will be available on the doors of Randolph and in Synergy at 5:00 PM on Friday, August 4, 2023.

On Monday, August 7th from 4:30-5:30 PM Randolph will be open to welcome our new students in to see their classroom and meet their teacher! This is also the very best way to drop off your school supplies before that first day of school on August 8th. Please join us by arriving through the front doors of the school on the north side of Randolph under the pillars. We look forward to seeing you!

Mr. Allen Lake is a dedicated educator from Topeka, KS. He holds a Bachelor of Education Degree in Special Education from Washburn University and a Master of Science in High-Incidence Special Education from Emporia State University. Currently pursuing a Master of Educational Leadership from Kansas State University, Mr. Lake has eight years of experience working with Topeka Public Schools, teaching various subjects such as Special Education, 3rd Grade, and 5th Grade at McEachron Elementary. He actively participates in the District Summer Academic Learning Program and serves on several committees, including the Building Leadership Team, Ci3T Team, Math Curriculum and Assessment Team, and the Innovation Academy. During the Covid-pandemic, he contributed to the District Video Team, creating instructional materials for 3rd Grade Reading and online activities for math and reading district-wide. Mr. Lake's commitment to education has been recognized, as he was nominated as the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year for Elementary for Region 2. Prior to joining Topeka Public Schools, he worked as a bus driver and paraprofessional at Seaman USD 345 and was actively involved in his children's elementary school PTO for five years.

Our school start time is 8:40am, but if your student would like to eat breakfast at school, doors will open at 8:20AM. Students should not arrive before 8:20 AM as there will be no staff supervision and doors will be locked before this time.

Doors will open at 9:10 AM on Late Start Fridays. Late Start will begin on Friday, August 18.

We know that the first couple of days you may want to come in the school and walk your child in. We will allow parents to do this the first week of school on August 8, 9, 10, and 11. After that, we ask that you join us in keeping our school safe and drop your child off and say goodbyes outside of the school. If you need to meet with a teacher or speak to someone inside the school, please call ahead and set up a time with them. This will allow us to know who is in our building and where they are. We appreciate your support in this effort to ensure school safety!

Please call the office if you have any questions. 785-438-4480.

View, download, or print the School Supply List for the 2023-2024 school year.

PLEASE NOTE THAT STUDENTS MAY BEGIN ARRIVING AT 8:20AM!

***Due to construction on Randolph Street we may be adjusting these procedures. Stay tuned for additional updates.

On school days, please only enter Randolph through the front doors on the north side of the school. You will enter the main door and be greeted through the window by our secretary, Ms. Sandy. All other doors will not be opened for visitors and should not be attempted for use.

Bus: If your student rides the bus, the bus will drop kids off on the west side of the building (Randolph Street) where they will be greeted and let in by staff.

Car: If you are driving your student to school and dropping them off, please pull up along the Medford side of the building, stay in your car, and have your student exit out the passenger side of the vehicle onto the sidewalk. Staff will be there to greet your child and let them in the building.

Walker: If your student is walking to school they will enter at the front door of the school on the north side of the building. (this is also the door you will use if coming late from an appointment or if you are walking your child up to talk to Ms. Sandy, etc.)

There are three ways students get home from Randolph:

Bus: If your student is a bus rider, school staff will walk them to the bus to go home. The bus loads on the west side of the school and parents and caregivers should not park along that side of the school to allow room for our bus and preschool riders.

Walker: If your student has permission to walk home from school, please communicate this with your child's teacher. Walkers will exit the school through the front doors and then leave the property using the east side gate to begin their walk home. This should give us more staff in one area and allow our students to go either north or south and have a crosswalk to use.

• If you walk with your child, please be inside the gate to meet them when classes dismiss. They will not be allowed to walk out into the parking lots or wait up by the school.
• Walkers will immediately leave the school grounds to begin their walk home.
• If you give permission for your child to walk home, your child will be supervised until they are off school property.
• If a child normally walks home with someone and they are not outside when we dismiss, we will ask the child to go to the car rider line with the other students where the student can be picked up in the car rider line, or a parent can walk up to the office to have the student called out to them. Please do not walk up to the Medford doors as we are actively working our car rider line from that area.

Car Rider: Students who are car riders will meet in the Medford Foyer. Our car rider line is on the Medford side of the building. When you pull onto Medford you will see 2 lines of traffic facing south. (This street is a one-way street for dismissal.) Please choose one lane and stay in that lane for the entire time. Please have your car number visible!

(These numbers are radioed inside so that we can have your student ready and waiting for you when you pull up to the curb.)

1. Please help your child memorize their car number- this makes the inside process go much faster! Please also remind them to follow the expectations of waiting on the curb safely until all cars have pulled up and stopped.

2. Please pull all the way up! The more cars we can fill, the quicker the line moves. If you are the first car to pull up, you should be all the way to the front of the curb.

3. Please do not get out of your car. Staff will assist your child with getting into the car.

4. Once the car in front of you pulls away, then you will follow them out. Please do not try to pull out and around the car in front of you.

Our priority is always the safety of your children! Thank you in advance for your cooperation and for helping to ensure traffic moves smoothly!

Randolph offers a before and after day care program run by the wonderful Randolph staff. We offer mornings from 7:30 AM to 8:20 AM. Students are fed breakfast at 8:20 AM, then are off to start their day. After school begins at 3:40 PM with final pick up at 5:30 PM. Students are provided a snack and then picked up by staff. Parent Letter

If you are interested please contact Ms. Sayers asayers@tps501.org or Ms. Sandy sdoblin@tps501.org.

You can also sign up using this google form: https://forms.gle/Wf6nQjvqmcgtoid19

• August 5th - United for a Successful School Year Supply Drive (Highland Park High)
• August 7th - Meet the Teacher Night -4:30-5:30 PM (Randolph Elementary)

• August 8th - First Day of School for Grades (K, 6 & 9)
• August 9th - First Day of School for all Students (K-12)
• August 14th - PTO Meeting 5:30 - 6:30 PM

• August 17th - First Day of Classes for Preschool
• August 18th - First Late Start Friday 9:30 AM
• September 4th - Labor Day (No School)
• September 11th - Site Council Meeting 4:30 PM / PTO Meeting 5:30 PM
• September 14th - Social Emotional Family Night
• September 20th - Family Fitness Fun Night 5:30-7:00 PM (Hummer Sports Park)
• September 27th - Randolph Fall Pictures

Please visit our website for a full view of the calendar. https://randolph.topekapublicschools.net/