Originally delivered on 2/7/2025 4:13 pm

SUBJECT: February 2025 Newsletter

February 7, 2025

Hello Thunderbrids!

What a SUPER fun month we have in front of us!  We are gearing up for our primary fundraiser of the year-Trivia Night on Saturday, February 22nd.  We are so excited and hope that you can join us!  This fundraiser alone helps fund over 50 PTA activities each year.  And speaking of PTA activities, wasn't Family Fun Science Night fun??? It is one of the many events that we are able to h bold because of the fundraising and generosity of our community.


Looking at this month, get ready for Valentine's Day parties, Spring Flight Time, and Spring Picture Day.  Lastly, please join us on Thursday, February 13th after drop off in the band room for our next General PTA Meeting.  Come hear an update from Mr. Lawrence and our 6th Grade StuCo Officers.  I hope to see you there!


Go Chiefs!

Lori Tritsch

Upcoming Important Dates

2/6: Parent Teacher Conferences

2/7: Parent Teacher Conferences/No School

2/13: General PTA Meeting

2/14: Valentine's Day Parties 2-3

2/17: No School/President's Day

2/18: No School/Professional Development Day

2/20: First Spring Flight Time

2/21: Spring Pictures

2/22: TRIVIA NIGHT 6-10

2/27: Flight Time

2/28: Class Pictures

3/6: Flight Time

3/7: Movie Night

3/13: General PTA Meeting/Flight Time

3/14: No School

3/17-3/21: Spring Break

3/27: Flight Time

Trivia Night!


Please purchase your tickets by Monday, February 17th!!!

Saturday, February 22nd, 6-10 at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center


Get ready for THE biggest PTA fundraiser of the year-Trailwood PTA Trivia Night!  Join us for a night of fun, friendly competition, and fundraising, all to support our amazing students, staff, teachers, and families at Trailwood Elementary.  


This is an adults-only event, so grab your thinking caps (and maybe a themed outfit?!) and come test your TV knowledge with KC Trivia Geeks.  Your ticket includes: admission to Happy Hour and Trivia, 2 beverage tickets, delicious appetizers, a souvenir beverage cup, and a whole lotta fun with fellow Thunderbird parents and guardians. 


How to join a team: Flying solo?  No worries!  We will match you with an awesome grade-level team.  Got a few friends? Sign up with your partial team, and we'll fill in the rest.  Full team of 8? You're ready to compete!  Sign up now and let's make this the best trivia night yet!!!  Please register by February 17th!!!


Unable to attend, but you still want to support the cause?  No problem!  You will be able to purchase kid and parent parties as well as bid on teacher experiences, classroom art, and grade-level baskets.  We have a new online auction site-Auction Frogs (sister company to Membership Toolkit) that we will be rolling out very soon!


Trailwood Elementary PTA - Login


Trivia Night Volunteers Needed

We are looking for some volunteers to help with set up of Trivia Night.  Saturday, February 22nd, join us at 9 for as long or as little as you can at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center.  We need help unloading cars (classroom art, grade level baskets, centerpieces, and other miscellaneous items) as well as setting up our balloon arch photo drop.  Fun time to meet other Trailwood parents and get excited for the night!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49ACAC28AAF58-54997409-trivia

Citizenship Writing Contest

The Trailwood PTA is pleased to announce the 2024-2025 Trailwood Citizenship Writing Contest Winner:

  • Award of Excellence: Ellie Stewart, 5th grade, for her poetry entry: Little Things We Can Do to Help the Community


This year's Citizenship Writing Contest theme was "Small Things I Can Do to Impact My Community" and Ellie demonstrated that very thoughtfully in her poem. Her entry has advanced to the district level for judging. Way to go Ellie! Thank you for sharing your poetry with us!

Legislative Update Feb. 2025

State Level Education Issues- 

Last week the Senate Committee on Education held a hearing on SB75 -- a proposal to give families who want to enroll their children into private schools a refundable tax credit. Two other voucher bills, SB87 and HB2136, were also introduced. These identical bills expand the tax credit for low income students scholarship program; however, doesn’t require that students ever previously attended a public school. The bills have not yet received a vote in committee.  These 3 bills are very concerning because they divert public education funding to private schools.  

  • Public tax dollars should remain with our public schools that accept and educate all children and that provide oversight for our tax dollars.
  • Public tax dollars should be used to strengthen our public schools that serve all kids. Private schools can elect not to accept all children, including those with disabilities who are usually served by public schools.
  •  Instead of providing tax credits to fund private schools, the legislature should be using those tax dollars to fully fund special education (failure to do so costs our district millions each year).

Take action in 3 easy steps!    

  1. Save contact info for your legislator now!  

Redistricting may have shifted who represents you so double check here.  Scroll down to “Kansas” and save the information so you’ll be ready on short notice!  

 

  1. Follow Trailwood PTA and/or SMAC PTA now!

Follow TW or SMAC PTA now so you’ll see action alerts for contacting your legislator!


The bills in committee this week were vouchers/educational savings programs (above) and special education funding. (Links for more info, but deadline to submit testimony has passed).  Yet to come will be overall education funding. If revenue cuts threaten the ability to fund public education, you may see action alerts on revenue bills like tax cuts.  

 

  1. Take Action-SOON! Once the bills are moving out of committee to a full floor vote, we’ll post action alerts on TW and SMAC PTA Facebook pages. All you have to do is call or email your legislator!

Federal level- Federal Department of Education and federal funding

There is so much happening at the federal level right now, but we can focus, and we can take action on those things that impact our children’s education! At this time, the best action step is to contact your federal legislators and let them know that you support continued federal funding for public education programs for students with disabilities and for at risk students. 

Learn more about Kansas PTA’s response to the freezing of federal funding for public education (since unfrozen), and how these federal funds impact our schools in Kansas.  To understand better the role of the federal Department of Education in our schools, check out this great overview.

 

Purchase PTA Memberships, Yearbooks and Student Activity Fees

It's not too late to purchase a PTA membership, yearbook or student activity fee! By purchasing these items, you help ensure we have a strong and active PTA.

Becoming a member doesn't obligate you to attend meetings or volunteer, but your membership dues help fund so many fun Trailwood activities--the Popsicle Pop-In, Donuts With Grownups, staff appreciation events, the carnival and so much more. If it's a fun school event, chances are it's a PTA event!

Make your purchases here: https://www.trailwoodpta.com/form/m/297027

Can't remember if you already purchased? Log in to your account, and click "previous orders" under "my account."


Directory Reminder

If you choose not to become a member, please still remember to log in and update your information in the directory. Doing so allows us to communicate with you throughout the school year and gives you access to the online directory. *For others to be able to see your information, you must select that you want your information published in the directory.

Tip: Download the Membership Toolkit app to easily access the directory and make PTA purchases.


Questions? Contact PTA Membership Chair Jen McDonald at jenschmidt3@gmail.com

Join us for Spring Flight Time!

Flight Time is a series of after-school clubs hosted by Trailwood teachers and staff and organized by our PTA. Registration opens at http://www.trailwoodpta.com on Saturday, February 8th, at noon. Check out the attached flyer, as well as the club descriptions, for all the details. We have some amazing clubs for all to enjoy!


Clubs meet every Thursday from 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm on the following dates: 2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/27 and 4/3. The clubs cost $60 per student, with $50 per student going directly to the hosting teacher. Scholarships are available! Please reach out to Mrs. North (shereennorth@smsd.org) in the office if you are interested.


Please note that once a club is full, you will no longer be able to sign up for it. In addition, if clubs do not meet their minimum enrollment numbers, they may be cancelled. Students will then be given the opportunity to enroll in another club, if interested.  


Detailed descriptions of each can be found here.


Questions? Please contact Cara Peterson at caraelizabeth1@yahoo.com.

Hello Room parents! Thank you for all you have done planning parties and collecting for teacher gifts, you’ve all been doing an amazing job! Our next party is Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14 from 2-3pm.  As a reminder this is the party food policy: Classroom teachers are responsible for knowing their students’ food allergies and can make the best decisions on party foods that are safe for their class. To assist teachers with this responsibility, we ask that you submit food ingredient labels at least two school days in advance of classroom parties. Any food that is not approved in advance by the teacher will be sent home with the student.  


Below is general guidance for classroom parties:                                                                            

- we encourage fruits and vegetables as much as possible                                                                                  

- soda and energy drinks are not allowed        

- any non-fruit or vegetable food that is brought in must be prepackaged and include an ingredient label (no homemade goods)                          

- classroom teachers need at least two days notice to review ingredient labels before party days

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