Bear Facts

Email: fleminge@usd231.com
Website: https://www.usd231.com/o/madison
Location: 800 W Madison St, Gardner, KS, United States
Phone: (913) 856-0400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadisonElementaryBears/
Twitter: @MDEBears

Welcome to Madison Elementary!

On behalf of the staff, let me welcome you to the 2023-2024 school year. We are energized and deeply committed to making a positive difference in the lives of your children. Madison staff will accomplish this by setting high academic and behavioral expectations for all students and providing tiers of student support to ensure they are met. We promote the development of thinking and problem solving skills, as well as critical social and emotional skills. Madison staff will strive to make sure that our students become respectful and resilient learners with a firm foundation of integrity and compassion. We recognize that none of these things are possible without a positive and collaborative school culture. So we welcome family participation and partnership!

Our staff has been busy preparing for the start of school next week for our K-4 students and the following week for our EC students. Class lists will be emailed later this afternoon to families who have completed the registration and enrollment process. Preparing classroom rosters is a collaborative effort amongst all staff members and administrators in the building. This process begins in the spring and can take several weeks, or go well into the summer.

There are many contributing factors that go into creating a classroom roster: the personality of the student and teacher, how many students are receiving exceptional services, the number of students who are being pulled out for small group instruction, how many boys and girls are in the class, and the academic levels of the students to balance classroom learning environments, which students had a tough time getting along with specific students the previous year, and at times, which kids socialize more when they're around specific students. Again, this process can take several weeks to complete. Our common goal is to make the school experience the best it can possibly be for every child. The Gardner Edgerton School District is fortunate to have excellent teachers who put children first. We all pledge to you that we will do all that we can to make your child’s education enjoyable, exciting, fun, meaningful, and productive.

The first day of school for K-4 students is Thursday, August 10. Families are welcome to walk their children to the classroom on the 10th and 11th beginning at 8:05 am. The first day of school for our early childhood students is Monday, August 14th.

We are looking forward to a wonderful year of inquiry and learning at Madison Elementary.

All the Best,

Emily Fleming

Principal

Please help me welcome the following staff members to our Madison Elementary Learning Community!

Stephanie Bridwell- IR Teacher

Cierra Casimir- 1st Grade Teacher

Lisa Cawley- Reading Interventionist

Briana Lopez- 1st Grade Teacher

Hunter Perkins- PE

Aimee Probasco- IR Teacher

Megan Sleeper- Counselor

Amber Whisler- IR Teacher

On Tuesday, August 8, Madison Elementary will host a “Meet the Teacher Night” between 5:00 and 6:00 pm for all students—pre-kindergarten through 4th grade. Students will have the opportunity to see the classroom, drop off school supplies, and meet the teachers in an open-house-style event..

We are excited to see all of our Bears at Madison Elementary!

On Wednesday, August 16, the Madison Elementary staff will host our families for School Information Night as we prepare for the 2023-24 school year. Adults are encouraged to attend either at 5:00 or 5:40 p.m. Each classroom teacher will share personal introductions, provide an overview of the grade-level curriculum, share classroom expectations, highlight behavior plans/incentives, and discuss other essentials for a successful school year. Both sessions will share the same information so feel free to come to the session that works best for you and your family’s schedule.

The following are Gardner Edgerton USD 231’s policies with respect to the publication of student photographs and personal work in print, broadcast, and district Website venues.

Publication of Photographs and Student Work

During the course of a school year, a student’s name, photograph, personal artwork and writing, awards received, and/or information about the student’s participation in school-related activities may be submitted for publication in such venues as:

• Gardner Edgerton School District Horizon Newsletter and District E-Newsletter

• School yearbooks

• Gardner Edgerton School District informational/promotional/marketing material

• Media outlets including local newspapers, radio and television stations

• The District Website, www.usd231.com

Student Appearance in School District Produced or Authorized Videos

Schools may photograph/videotape students for segments on the school morning news. From time to time, the school district may authorize outside organizations to produce videos in which district students appear. This includes school announcements placed on the Internet for viewing.

Personal Interviews with Students

With respect to certain awards, activities, and or events (for example Science Fair winners) a member of USD 231 district staff may request to personally interview your child for the purpose of compiling information to submit to one or more of the above reference venues. If an interview is deemed necessary, the school district will:

• Notify the parent or guardian for permission to obtain an interview

• Invite the parent or guardian to be present at the interview, or at the request of the parent or guardian, allow the parent or guardian to review the completed article prior to submission for accuracy and appropriateness.

News Media – Gardner Edgerton USD231 is not responsible for the independent actions of news media organizations in gathering information or seeking to interview students.

Compensation – Gardner Edgerton USD231 will not provide compensation to a student or their families for use of a student’s photograph, artwork, writing, or other information in any of the above-referenced venues.

Note: Gardner Edgerton USD 231 will not submit a student’s home street address or telephone number with any personal student work submitted for publication.

To opt-out, please contact the Madison Elementary office.

By opting out, your student will not appear in the yearbook. *If you would like to opt-out from media and opt-in for the yearbook please notify your school office of this preference.

8:05 am Students may enter the building and report directly to the classrooms

8:20 am School Officially Begins

3:25 pm School Evening Dismissal Process

Supervision of students begins at 8:05 am. Please do not drop off students before then as we do not have staff members assigned to supervise prior to 8:05 a.m. If a student needs to eat breakfast, he or she may eat breakfast upon entering Madison Elementary. Car riders and walkers should be dropped off in the car rider lane at the front entrance (see the map below). Students arriving after 8:20 am will be counted as tardy or have a partial day absence and will need to report to the office. Likewise, students leaving early will be marked with a partial absence.

Students who will be car riders every day will be considered “everyday car riders”. During dismissal, these students will be escorted to the primary pod. Staff members will supervise the car riders as they are dismissed to meet their ride. We request that parents remain in cars and form a pick-up line in the front circle area by the main entrance. When entering off of Madison Street, please form two lines that will merge as cars make a left turn. Cars will then form two lines again before merging as they turn right to finish the car rider line. Please pull forward and follow the path to expedite the process and keep our students safe. Each family will also have a car rider placard. This placard will notify the staff who is authorized to pick up students. Each family will receive two placards each year and can distribute these placards to whoever will pick up the students in the car rider loop. Teachers in the parking lot will radio teachers inside the building for children to come outside when their ride arrives. In order to eliminate congestion in the office and keep students safe, we ask that you wait in the “car rider” line in your car and do not come into Madison Elementary to pick up your child unless it is an emergency situation.

Students riding bikes or walking home will exit from the front doors. Any student needing to cross Madison or Waverly Street must walk to the intersection and follow the cross guard’s direction. Students are asked to “walk their bike” on school grounds.

Madison families should have received an email detailing bus information including stop location, time, and bus number. If you have questions regarding bus transportation or do not receive an email, please contact First Student at 913-856-5650 .

Change of Transportation: Please let your child’s teacher know how your child will be leaving school. If you need to make a change, contact the office with a note or phone call no later than 2:50 PM. A child will not be allowed to go home in a different manner unless they have a change of transportation form.

Thanks to our PTA, every student will receive a t-shirt on Meet the Teacher Night. We have another opportunity, though, to expand your MDE spirit wear even more!

Back-to-School Sale Info

• Dates: August 15th - September 14th
• Offer: 30% off all merchandise and free shipping over $75

New Additions
There are some exciting additions coming soon for your store, including...

• Youth and women's polos
• Ringer tees
• Pajama pants in a wide range of colors
• Camelbak water bottles
• Over 40 new designs!

To visit this store, please visit this link.

The Madison Elementary health room is available if your child becomes ill or injured while at school. Please familiarize yourself with the USD 231 Parent Handbook with details of our Health Services guidelines and procedures. Kansas law requires all students to have on file evidence of required immunizations prior to attending school. The Medication Authorization Form must be completed and signed by the parent or guardian for all medications given at school. It is recommended that medication NOT be sent to school with children. Parents should bring the medication to the health room (8:15 am to 3:45 pm).

A student will be sent home from school with any of the following:

• Temperature 100 degrees or greater, or with incidents of vomiting and/or diarrhea.
• Symptoms related to a possible communicable disease.
• Excessive drainage from eyes, ears, persistent earache, constant cough, or painful sore throat with enlarged lymph nodes.
• Students with acute infectious disease or parasite

Mrs. Angie Serrano, Madison Elementary’s Health Room Nurse, is available to answer any additional questions you might have and you may contact her directly at 856-0450.

Our staff is continuously preparing for the safety of the Madison community. There are guidelines in place in USD 231 to ensure all schools have emergency plans in place. It is our goal at Madison Elementary that all students, parents, and staff feel safe. This school year we will conduct various safety, fire, and severe weather drills. Our staff has been trained and will be discussing emergency procedures for all drills in the classrooms. Giving students and staff the knowledge and confidence of knowing safe procedures in the event of emergency situations is the purpose of these annual drills.

As USD 231 is committed to maintaining safe and secure academic environments for our students and staff, we want to make you aware of safety features to every school building. With this enhancement in safety, we need your help with our protocols in place. Controlled entrances to all USD 231 school buildings have been implemented. All visitors and parents must now alert office staff of their arrival and identify themselves prior to entering the building. School doors will be unlocked as students arrive to school. After school begins, access to the building will be controlled by an external buzzer that rings into the main office. A video monitor will be used to identify the visitor and view the visitor’s photo identification. Once given permission to enter, the door will be unlocked and the visitor may enter the building. As always, all visitors must sign in at the main office and obtain a visitors badge using your driver's license.

We understand this may be an inconvenience to some of our visitors, but the District’s responsibility to keep every student and staff member safe in our buildings is a top priority. We also believe our commitment to safety and security are integral in providing the most optimal learning experiences. As always, our buildings welcome parents and visitors to Madison.

The schools have extensive safety policies which the district reviews regularly. Every staff member is trained in safety procedures and expectations, and students participate in safety drills at each school throughout the year. We appreciate your understanding and patience in this added safety feature in our schools. Should you have any questions regarding this protocol, please contact Mrs. Fleming.

When is the first day of school?

Students in grades K-4 will begin on Thursday, August 10th.

This first day is an early dismissal (11:25). Pre-K students will begin on Monday, August 15th.

How do I connect and stay up to date with information regarding Madison Elementary?

You can find information on our school website, our Twitter account, and our Facebook page. Be sure to use the #MDEBears in your posts!

Do you have other questions?

If you have other questions not answered above, please contact the school office at 913-856-0400. We look forward to working with you to ensure a successful school year for all!

The Madison Elementary PTA Executive Board is excited about the upcoming 2023-24 school year! PTA works to enhance student experience throughout the school year including supplementing the funding for Field Day, Assemblies, Musical Refreshments, Teacher Appreciation, and purchasing additional resources to enhance the learning environment for our students. Get involved to make your child's elementary school years extra special! Joining the Madison Elementary PTA will ensure you are up to date on school events and helps you get involved in Madison Elementary activities. Check out the PTA link under Parent Info on the Madison Elementary website for more information.

Madison Elementary PTA Executive Board Officers

President: Leah Bates

Vice-President: Jessica Grimes

Treasurer: Heather Musselman

Secretary: Andrea Satterfield

Membership Chair: Trisha Perkins

Madison Elementary PTA Meeting Dates 9/11, 10/2, 11/13, 12/11, 1/22, 2/12, 3/18, 4/8, and 5/13. All meetings will occur in the Madison cafeteria at 7 p.m.

Email us at: Madisonbearpta@gmail.com Like us on Facebook "Madison Elementary PTA Gardner, KS"

Interested in the Madison PTA Happenings? Stay in the know!

We invite everyone to join the Madison PTA Facebook page. By searching Madison Elementary PTA Gardner, KS under Pages, you will be able to join the group and receive updated PTA information.

If you are interested in joining the PTA, please see the membership form.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter - @MDEBears and on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MadisonElementaryBears. We will use our twitter and facebook accounts to share information, pictures, and classroom happenings throughout the school year so you can have a window into the classrooms and experience the learning with your bear.