McEachron Newsletter

McEachron Families-

We hope everyone is enjoying their summer! We cannot believe that the school year is almost here and are beyond excited to welcome our new and returning Mustangs!

On Friday, August 7th at 4PM, class lists will be posted on the Synergy ParentVue app, as well as outside on the front doors. Meet the Teacher Night will take place for all students on Monday, August 10th from 4:30-5:30 PM. During this hour, you will have the opportunity to meet your child's teacher, drop off supplies, and take a tour of the building. During Meet the Teacher night, Kona Ice will be parked in the front parking lot, and is available for purchase from 4-6PM. We do ask that you enjoy your snow cone outside. We look forward to seeing you soon!

As we prepare for the first day of school, our staff has been working hard to get everything ready for an amazing year. We can't wait to partner with you this year! As a reminder kindergarten begins on August 11th and all students return on August 12th.

If you have further questions after reading, please do not hesitate to reach out.

I am looking forward to the upcoming school year!

Mrs. Kylie DesJardins, Principal

kdesjardins@tps501.org

• August 7th- 4:00 PM Class Lists Released and posted on the front doors
• August 10th- Meet the Teacher 4:30-5:30 PM (Kona Ice will be here from 4-6 PM; fundraiser profits will benefit the staff activity account)
• August 10, 2026: PK Meet the Teacher Night, Elementary Schools
• August 10th- August 25th: Penny Wars- Bring Change to vote for our PTO movie night movie!
• August 11th- Kindergarten 1st Day

• August 12th- 1st-5th grade 1st day
• August 19th- PRESCHOOL/PIP first day of school
• August 21st- Late Start Begins (doors open at 9:10 AM)
• August 28th- PTO Movie Night at McEachron 5:30 PM
• September 7th- No School- Labor Day
• September 8th- PTO Meeting 5:30
• September 23, 2026: Family Fitness Fun Night, Hummer, 5:30-7:00
• September 25th- Fall Picture Day
• September 25th- STAR Assembly- 9:50-10:20AM
• October 12- No school
• October 13- No school
• October 21- Conferences 4-8 PM
• October 22- No School- Conferences 8AM-8PM
• October 23- No school
• September 30, 2026: Rainout Date Family Fitness Fun Night, Hummer, 5:30-7:00

We understand that mornings and afternoons can be busy, but your cooperation in following these procedures will significantly contribute to the overall safety of our school community. We appreciate your partnership in keeping our school safe, and we are confident that, together, we can provide the best possible environment for our students. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your understanding and support.

The district has updated the school supply list for next school year. Click HERE to access the elementary list.

Please click this link to view the preschool supply list.

On August 11th- Kindergarten will celebrate their 1st day of school!

We are excited to introduce a new event this year, Pastries with Parents, beginning at 9:00 AM! Kindergarten families are invited to join our administrative team in the cafeteria/library for a warm and welcoming gathering. During this time, we will share important information about arrival and dismissal procedures, review school expectations, provide an overview of the school day, hear from our PTO, and create opportunities for families to connect with one another.

We look forward to building strong partnerships and celebrating the start of a wonderful school year together!

We are excited to kick off High-Five Fridays this school year and would love to welcome families, community members, local businesses, and other supporters to help us cheer on our Mustangs as they start the day!

If you have connections with a local business, organization, or individual who might enjoy participating, please help us spread the word or encourage them to sign up. Please see the flyer below for more information. If you have any questions or would like to participate, don't hesitate to reach out!

Students are encouraged to bring change, beginning August 10th and ending August 25th. This will be a change challenge to vote on our family movie night. The PTO movie night will take place on August 28th. The funds raised will support our student activity fund.

Families of incoming preschool/kindergarten students will be asked to complete the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 surveys. These questionnaires provide valuable information about your child's development and school readiness and are required by the state of Kansas.

Clickable links posted below:

Surveys in English: https://www.asqonline.com/family/fa3dbd

Surveys in Spanish: https://www.asqonline.com/family/1ec674

Thank you for helping us prepare for a successful start to the school year!

Please join us in welcoming all of our staff members that are new to McEachron. We are excited to have them join our community!

• Nicholas Hofmeier- Counselor
• Jennifer Arradaza- IIC Teacher
• Lisa Giullian- Counselor
• Rachel Ward- 5th Grade Teacher
• Kelly Fyler- Instructional Coach
• Julie Deters- Student Academic Support Teacher
• Adrienne Neely-Paraprofessional
• Adriana Garcia- Paraprofessional
• Rachelle Badger- Paraprofessional
• Michelle Calhoun- Building Operator
• Kylie DesJardins- Principal

Please fill out the link below and tell us about staff that has had an impact on your student/family and why! During out staff meetings, we will share these with our staff and recognize them. Thank you for supporting our McEachron staff and community!

Mission: Stock the Station

As we prepare to welcome our students and staff, we’ve put together an Amazon Wish List with regulation tools for our Regulation Room, rewards and items for our school store, and snacks for both students and staff. If you’d like to help, we’d be so grateful for your support. Every item, big or small, will go directly toward students and staff!

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3GK6P7FX525MT...

The annual movie night will be on Friday, August 28th. The school will be hosting the penny wars from August 10th-August 25th to vote on the movie. All funds raised will go back into our student activity fund.

• There will be a PTO Carnival Planning Meeting on August 23rd.
• The first PTO Meeting will be September 8th. at 5:30 PM in the library
• The PTO Carnival will be on October 3rd from 11-2! Save the date, we hope you can join us!

As we get ready for an exciting school year and the many events ahead, our PTO would like to share wish lists and sign-up opportunities. These donations and volunteer efforts help support events and activities such as our school carnival, prize room, and staff breakfasts during parent-teacher conferences. Thank you for your generosity and for helping make McEachron a wonderful place for our students, families, and staff. We truly appreciate your support of our McEachron community! 💚💛

Carnival Wish List-https://tinyurl.com/McEachron-Carnival

October Conference Breakfast Sign Up- https://tinyurl.com/FallPTC26

February Conference Breakfast Sign Up-https://tinyurl.com/SpringPTC27

August Breakfast & Lunch Menus Coming Soon!

The school lunch menus are available electronically on the Topeka Public Schools website, under the Child Nutrition section. The platform that can be found at the link below.

TPS School Lunch Menus

After you click the link above, you will be asked to select the school: McEachron Elementary and then select the correct menu: 2026-2027 Elementary Breakfast OR Lunch Menu

This new website allows you to see the menus, ingredients and nutrition facts for every item being served.

Track Your Child's School Bus with the NEW My Stop App!

We're excited to introduce a new and improved transportation tool for Topeka Public Schools families! This school year, families of eligible riders can stay informed with the Versatrans My Stop™ mobile app, making it easier than ever to track your child's school bus.

The free app allows families to:

• Securely view their student's assigned bus
• Track the bus location in real time
• Receive estimated arrival times at their bus stop
• Opt in to notifications when a bus is delayed by more than 20 minutes

Getting Started is Easy:

1. Download Versatrans My Stop™ from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
2. Select Topeka Public Schools as your school district.
3. Log in using your student's Student ID as the username and their 8-digit date of birth (MMDDYYYY) as the initial password.

The app is free for families of students who qualify for transportation and provides a convenient way to stay connected to your child's daily bus route. If you need assistance, please contact Kansas Central School Bus at 785-233-2009 during business hours.

We are excited to offer this new tool to help make transportation information more accessible and provide families with greater peace of mind throughout the school year!

The District's Academic Calendar provides a quick-glance overview of important dates for parents to be aware of. This calendar includes days school is not in session, parent-teacher conferences, and start and end dates for the 2026-2027 school year.

It is important that your child attend school each day to have a consistent educational program. Of course, illness or other family emergencies can cause absences. If your child will be absent please let us know by contacting the office at 785-438-4430.

Research shows that the single greatest factor contributing to student achievement is school attendance. School hours are 8:40 AM – 3:40 PM (M-Th) and 9:30 AM – 3:40 PM (On late start Fridays). Doors will open at 8:10AM Monday-Thursdays, and 9:00 on Fridays. Students will enter the classrooms at 8:30 M-Th and 9:20 on late start Fridays.

Absences/Tardies

Monday – Thursday, if a student arrives after 9:00 AM, they will be counted absent for one full period. Students who arrive after 8:40 AM are tardy. On late start Fridays, if a student arrives after 9:50 AM, they will be counted absent for one full period. On Late Start Fridays, students who arrive after 9:30 AM are tardy.

The Topeka Public School Procedures are as follows:

1. Absences are excused for student illness or family emergencies. If your child is going to be absent, you should call the office before 9:30 a.m. It is each parent’s responsibility to be sure the office has been notified of the reason for absence. Advanced notice is appreciated.

2. A phone call attempt will be made on every child that does not arrive at school by 9:30am.

3. After 2 days of unexcused absences, staff will conduct a home visit or make other direct contact with the child's family, determine what assistance is needed to remedy the problem.

4. Unexcused absences can result in a truancy report being filed.

5. Each absence after 10 excused absences will result in the need for a doctor’s release note to be considered an excused absence.

6. Although Kansas law does not require students to be in school prior to the age of 7, ANY child enrolled in public school does fall into the state truancy policies. Truancy reports will be made to the district truancy officer for any student with excessive absences and/or tardies.

It is important that your child attend school each day to have a consistent educational program. Of course, illness or other family emergencies can cause absences. If your child will be absent please let us know by contacting the office at 785-438-4430.

Research shows that the single greatest factor contributing to student achievement is school attendance. School hours are 8:40 AM – 3:40 PM (M-Th) and 9:30 AM – 3:40 PM (On late start Fridays). Doors will open at 8:20AM Monday-Thursdays, and 9:10 on Fridays. Students will enter the classrooms at 8:30 M-Th and 9:20 on late start Fridays.

Absences/Tardies

Monday – Thursday, if a student arrives after 9:00 AM, they will be counted absent for one full period. Students who arrive after 8:40 AM are tardy. On late start Fridays, if a student arrives after 9:50 AM, they will be counted absent for one full period. On Late Start Fridays, students who arrive after 9:30 AM are tardy.

The Topeka Public School Procedures are as follows:

1. Absences are excused for student illness or family emergencies. If your child is going to be absent, you should call the office before 9:30 a.m. It is each parent’s responsibility to be sure the office has been notified of the reason for absence. Advanced notice is appreciated.

2. A phone call attempt will be made on every child that does not arrive at school by 9:30am.

3. After 2 days of unexcused absences, staff will conduct a home visit or make other direct contact with the child's family, determine what assistance is needed to remedy the problem.

4. Unexcused absences can result in a truancy report being filed.

5. Each absence after 10 excused absences will result in the need for a doctor’s release note to be considered an excused absence.

6. Although Kansas law does not require students to be in school prior to the age of 7, ANY child enrolled in public school does fall into the state truancy policies. Truancy reports will be made to the district truancy officer for any student with excessive absences and/or tardies.

In an effort to ensure families are well-informed about our recently adopted cell phone policy, the district has outlined clear expectations that are now posted on both the district and school websites. A copy of the updated policy can be found at this link: Device Expectations

In summary, personal technology devices (cell phones, smart watches, earbuds, etc.) must be kept in backpacks or classroom storage areas. Cell phone use or personal electronic devices are not allowed during the scheduled school day from the beginning start time to the end of school, for early childhood through fifth-grade students.

Here’s what families need to know:

• Phones must be off and out of sight. Beginning this school year, students may not use personal electronic communication devices, including cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and similar devices, during the school day. Devices must be turned off and securely stored from the first bell until dismissal.

• Need to contact your child? Please call the school office. Our staff will ensure messages are delivered quickly and students stay connected with their families when necessary.
  

• In an emergency, students may use the office phone to contact a parent or guardian. Students may also use school-issued devices for instructional and school-related purposes under staff supervision.

Email: kdesjardins@tps501.org
Website: https://mceachron.topekapublicschools.net/
Location: 4433 SW 29th Terrace, Topeka, KS 66614
Phone: (785) 438-4430
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100040277689785&sk=about