Monday Morning Memo

Curriculum Night for our Middle School students is this Thursday night.  It begins at 6:00 for eighth grade parents only.  This is all about the YMCA Camp of the Ozarks (aka Potosi) trip on which the eighth graders will embark on Sept. 11.  Then at 6:30, we hope that all parents of Middle School students will come to hear about the plans for their child’s school year.

This Friday is our first Spirit Day of the new school year!  Faculty and students are encouraged to wear their St. Paul’s spirit clothes to school.  We hope our students will enjoy this opportunity – one that we share as a school once a month but are always happy to see the students proudly wearing St. Paul’s gear any day!

Friday is also “Feed the Need Friday” in all-school chapel.  Once a month, usually on our Spirit Day, we encourage those who are willing to bring food for the church’s pantry to help feed the hungry in our neighborhood.  Any non-perishable goods are welcome and the particular food item theme for this month is pasta.  So please send in food items, if you are so inclined to help.  Thank you.  Our school families are a very valuable asset to the food pantry.

We will be closed on Monday, Sept. 3, for the Labor Day Holiday.

Stay up to date on the latest happenings with our school calendar. Bookmark the calendar page on our website and check back often to see what is going on at St. Paul's.

From time to time, I will be sharing articles that I hope will be of interest to you as parents.  You can find links to the articles in the right margin of the MMM blog. One of you sent to us the article from The New Yorker that you will find accompanying this blog.  It is called “Spoiled Rotten”.  We all have different parenting styles and work, as often as we can, from our instincts, but sometimes we can appreciate the perspective of others, as it is too difficult to be objective with our own children! 

Please remember that you must register your child no later than September 4 to receive the advance registration rates for Lunch Bunch, A-Team, and Extended Day.   After that deadline passes, you will be billed at the drop-in rate for any of these services. Drop-in care is available for everything except A-Team.  If you choose to use extended day or lunch bunch on a drop-in basis because it suits your needs better, please know that is an option but that the rate is higher.  If you know your child will need care for 1 – 5 days/week, it is advantageous for you to sign up for those days now at the reduced rate.   (You must register for A-Team; no drop-ins are available this year.)  Regrettably, our MWF toddler Lunch Bunch is already at capacity, so we will be unable to take drop-ins for this group.  The Extended Day registration is online, here: https://go.speds.org/pages/extendeddayregistration.  The A-Team/Lunch Bunch registration form can be printed out from here:  http://www.speds.org/current-parents-and-students/inside-st-pauls/student-forms/ (at the bottom of the page) Please return the completed form to Linda van Thullenar. We want to provide the best care possible for your children, and this helps us to better plan for their needs. Thank you for helping us do that.

UMKC's Academy of Music and Dance is currently enrolling for their three youth choirs: Roo Singers (K-2), Kansas City Children's Choir (3 – 8) and for Canta Filia (high school girls).

Auditions for KCCC are next Tuesday. (Roos do not need to audition; they simply call the office 816.235.2741 to register). To audition, call directly (816.809.6389), or attend walk-in auditions starting at 4:15 on Tuesday, Aug. 28.  Auditions are held at the annex of UMKC at 301 E. 51st Street, Room 207. http://conservatory.umkc.edu/cmda/cmda-content.cfm?L1ID=1

Monday Morning Memo

The sounds of playground balls hitting my office windows and the peals of  laughter at recess are welcome signs of the return of the children to school!   As usual, your children have come in to their new classrooms and appeared, even by 10:00 on Thursday morning, to have adjusted beautifully to their new settings.  Our toddlers were busy exploring their new environment and enjoying a snack by my 9:30 rounds.  The teachers get full credit for their work in making this happen, but we also appreciate your guidance and support in making it so.  Here at St. Paul’s, all’s right with the world!

When you call into the office early in the morning, you will hear new voices.  We are moving Steve Darnell’s schedule to begin at 9:00 and end at 6:00.  In that way, our extended day program is covered by front office personnel until it closes for the day.   In his place, Colette Rousey will man the desk from 7:30 – 8:05, and will then assist Olivia Sambursky (MTW) and Allison Peck (ThF)  until 9:00.  Ms. Sambursky and Ms. Peck will be in our early room from 7:15 – 8:05, and Ms. Sambursky also teaches middle school French.

Our carpool system improves as people understand the system and the students learn their numbers and positions.  We ask for your patience as we assist your children learn the system – or remember it again!  We also need to ask for your patience and care in driving during carpool.  Please:

-         Do not talk on your cell phone or text while the carpool line is moving

-         Do not park and walk your children across the street, much less allow them to cross alone, as the 41^st St. and Walnut intersections are so blind and dangerous

-         Do follow the directions of the security guards and teachers as they are trying to protect you and your children

-         And be kind to others waiting in line and do not cut in.

Following these guidelines will make the carpool experience safer for everyone.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Early Childhood (toddler through kindergarten) Curriculum Night is this Thursday, Aug. 23!  The program begins at 6:00 in the multipurpose room on the second floor.  Parents will go to the classrooms after a brief overview of the ECC program by Mrs. Abio.  This is an important event where teachers explain their plans for the work of your children this year and the special events; opportunities for volunteer work will be discussed; and you can meet the parents of the other children in your child’s class.  This is an adults-only event, as the rooms will be crowded with the adults and the content will be geared toward you as parents.

This Friday is our first Eucharist service for students in grades 3 – 8 in the church.  Our ECC through second grade students will have their service in the ECC commons, as we feel they are still a bit young for the longer Eucharist service and may not understand it.  Third grade students and other students who are new to this service will get more information about the Eucharist and teachers will post information on their blogs.  

MONDAY MORNING MEMO
August 13, 2012

My apologies but our system would not allow me to send this out yesterday, so it’s a Tuesday Afternoon Memo! 

Welcome to or back to St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School!  We look forward to welcoming you at Open House on Wednesday, August 15, between the hours of 10:00 and 12:00 to meet your child’s teacher for this year, get and put away your school supplies, and to find out all about the summer activities of new and old friends!  It’s a happy reunion time and we hope you are planning to join us.  Then classes begin on Thursday and our new year will officially begin!

Did you complete the statement and paperwork that we made available to you electronically this year?  We sent them in June and have been receiving good responses to date, but want to make sure everyone has been able to access the forms that need to be completed.  Included in this paperwork are your electronic statements.  If you have not received your statement, have forgotten your password, need help accessing the forms, or would prefer to receive and fill out paper forms, please contact Ryann Schubert, our Technology Director, so she can assist you.

If you have questions about specific areas of school life, we wanted to remind you of some key names and phone extensions:
    Catherine Kuhls – nurse and attendance, ext. 148
    Christina Cutcliffe – billing questions, ext. 130
    Karen McDonald – before and after-school care, ext. 136
    Linda van Thullenar – admissions inquiries and/or lunch bunch for ECC, ext. 132
    Steve Darnell or Linda van Thullenar – general questions, ext. 111 and 132, respectively
Division Heads are:
    Sheila Abio – Early childhood (toddler through kindergarten), ext. 143
    Gingie Watt – Lower school (grades 1 – 5), ext. 149
    Ted van Thullenar – Middle school (grades 6 – 8), ext. 152
Head of School (and author of the Monday Morning Memo):
    Liz Barnes, ext. 139.

Miriam Zavagnin, our Admissions Director, is on maternity leave and we are pleased to announce that Josephine Mae Zavagnin (“Josie”) was born on July 9 and mom and baby are doing well. New families are encouraged to contact any of us, if you have questions that you might have directed to Miriam.  We’d be glad to help.

New Parent Orientation is Tuesday night, August 14, at 6:00 in the north wing multipurpose room.  This evening is meant primarily to answer questions that you might have and to describe carpool and the church/school link, and to introduce some key people at the school. 

Our nurse, Catherine Kuhls, has some important information to share with all families here at the beginning of the year:
Greetings from the Health Office!  My name is Catherine Kuhls and this will be my second year to serve as your school nurse.  I would like to thank the entire community for cooperating with the changes in our health program and the warm welcome this past year. 

I am pleased to announce that my hours have been extended from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm every day that school is in session. With my increased hours, I will be facilitating record keeping for immunizations and assisting the front office with attendance.  I encourage you to familiarize yourself with some changes in our attendance policy and reporting absences. The procedure for reporting absences reads as follows:

If a child is to be absent, parents or guardians must notify the school daily by phone before 8:30 am.  A parent must call every day of  a student’s absence; otherwise the school office will contact the parent or guardian to make sure the child is safe at home.   You may also choose to email this information, but a phone call is required. 

For those of you who are new to the school, there are two designated health offices.  One is located in the south building near Steve Darnell’s desk and a second in the ECC building located near Ms. Van’s desk.  It is best to communicate with me via e-mail as I am often circulating throughout the buildings.  My e-mail address is ckuhls@speds.org.   I will also be available at the Open House to answer any questions or concerns that you might have about your student and the upcoming school year. 

Regarding the medication policy at St. Paul’s, the State of Missouri and nursing standards of care require the following:
•    All medications must be labeled.  Prescription medications must be in a pharmacy labeled bottle and over-the-counter medications must be in their original containers. (Please, no baggies or zip-lock bags.)  All medications must be kept in the Health Office.
•    The consent to administer over-the-counter medications was an option you could choose on one of the forms made available to you electronically this summer.  It is an option and, without your consent to do so, we must contact you before giving your child ibuprofen or any other medication. 
•    Epi Pens prescribed for the treatment of potentially life-threatening allergic reactions must be on the property the first day of school with a current Health Action plan signed by the prescribing physician. 
•    Inhalers:  please read this carefully!  Ten percent of school-age children have a history of wheezing, reactive airway disease or asthma.  If your child has been prescribed a rescue inhaler for wheezing, an inhaler labeled (with the prescription labeled box) should be kept in the Health Office. 
        - Students may carry their rescue inhaler after a review and return demonstration of the proper use of an inhaler and the written consent for a parent.  You can discuss this with me at the Open House or during the first week of school.  We must keep all inhalers in the Health Office until consent for carrying aninhaler has been clarified. 
        - The Health Office offers a nebulizer for students who have been prescribed medication to be given as a nebulizer treatment.  As with all prescription medications, this type of treatment requires the medication be sent to the school with the original pharmacy label.  Please let the nurse know if your child has received a nebulizer treatment prior to the beginning of the school day.

Last, but certainly not least:  Head Injuries.  Head Injuries often require observation for symptoms.  Please notify the Health Office if your child has sustained a head injury outside of school.  You will be notified if your child sustains a head injury during the school day.
I look forward to another safe and healthy school year!

Michelle Johnson, our new part-time Diversity Coordinator, would also like to introduce herself:
My name is Michelle T. Johnson and I am excited to introduce myself as the school’s new part-time Diversity Coordinator. As many of you know, it’s a new position which means that my first and most important task involves getting to know as many of you as possible so that I can be the greatest possible resource on any and all issues involving diversity and inclusion that touches your children and your experiences with St. Paul’s.

I’m a fourth-generation Kansan who has freely crossed the state line between Missouri and Kansas all my life. I attended private schools in Kansas City, Missouri, including graduating from St. Teresa’s Academy; I graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Journalism; I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and practiced law as an employment attorney in Kansas City, Missouri for more than eight years; and I am currently back home in Wyandotte County. Since 2003, I’ve had three books on the issue of workplace diversity published, have traveled the country speaking, advising and presenting workshops to colleges, organizations and companies on the importance of diversity. Additionally, since 2008 I have a column in the Business section of the Kansas City Star called “Diversity Diva” where I address topics of workplace diversity.

My view of my role here at St. Paul’s is to enhance and support education in ways that are obvious and in ways that, frankly, I cannot yet anticipate. The most important thing I’ll ever do is to make sure that no child who walks through the doors of St. Paul’s faces an impediment to his/her success or is made to feel as if his/her individuality doesn’t have a chance to shine because of race, gender, socio-economic status, talents, interests, physical issues, learning styles or any other differences that shape and impact his/her experiences.

While my position here is part-time, my commitment is 100 percent and I look forward to talking to any teacher, parent or student about whatever concerns them. My email address here is MJohnson@speds.org. My school telephone number is 816-286-6564 and my office is located directly across from Finance Director Daniel Pennington.

I look forward to being a positive factor in the blossoming of students who attend St. Paul’s!

A future Olympian?  Reece J., a sixth grade student here, just finished his best track season ever, winning all of his regional events in the 3000m and 1500m races! At the national level, Reece competed in the USATF Youth National Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a 3rd place in the 3000m and 4th place in the 1500m. He wrapped up the season at the USATF National Jr. Olympics with an 8th place in the 3000m and a 12th place in the 1500m. Reece also met one of his personal goals of running a sub five-minute 1500m by hitting a time of 4:50.52. With his best time in the 3000m of 10:22.81, Reece has been listed as a National Elite Youth All-American.  Congratulations, Reece!  We’re very proud of your hard work and accomplishments.

Finally, for those of you new to the community, the Monday Morning Memo is a weekly missive that seeks to keep you informed about dates, times, changes, and student and adult achievements in our community.  It is not quality journalism but I hope you’ll sign up to receive it each week so you can follow all that’s happening here.  Welcome aboard the 2012-13 school year!