DECEMBER 2023

Leawood Elementary School

Principal: Kevin Kolasa

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

REGISTRATION:

Registration for the 2024-2025 school year begins this month.  There's lots more information on the "From the School & Office" page of this newsletter. Please be sure you are aware of procedures and deadlines.

Whether you are new to Leawood, or plan to return, all current and new families MUST go through this Jeffco Enroll process to indicate your intentions for the 2024-25 school year.

We will be holding an interest night on Wednesday, December 6th for any incoming preschool or Kindergarten Families, or other families interested in choice enrolling for any grade level.  Join us at 5:30pm in our school library. 

If you're interested in a school tour, we will be offering them on December 14 @ 2:45 and January 10 @ 8am.  In order to minimize any instructional disruptions, we are offering slots for 6 people at a time. Please call Leah Lefevre @ 303-982-2069 to schedule a tour.

We have fantastic schools in the Columbine Area, and we know you have choices and decisions to make. You can't go wrong with any of them. 

MODIFIED ATTENDANCE DAY FOR TESTING: Friday, December 8, 2023

Jefferson County Schools allow 4 modified contact days each school year giving teachers additional time and attention for assessing individual students. Leawood schedules two of these days in August to assess where students come into their learning at the start of the school year. The other days are in December and one in May. Friday, December 8, is our next assessment day. 

On these days, teachers will be assessing reading skills and other assessments that they deem pertinent to guide the instruction for your child. Not all students will be tested this month. If you are new to Leawood and missed our beginning assessment days, you will likely be requested a time. We may also request a parent/teacher conference, either because we were not able to schedule one in October, or because we have further concerns we need to address. You will receive more information and the signup coming from your child's teacher. If not, reach out directly to your teacher with any questions. Thank you for allowing us this time getting to know more about the learning of your student.

Dear Leawood Families,


As we embrace the holiday season, we want to inform you of a change to our traditional classroom parties. In an effort to create a more inclusive and community-oriented celebration, we will not be hosting individual classroom parties this year. Instead, we are thrilled to announce a festive holiday choir assembly with songs from our choir and each grade level. There will also be a sing-along which we would love for you to join. Unfortunately, I will not be singing. My choir teacher in 3rd grade told me that some voices are better left at home. We will also be featuring a special performance by our talented Leawood cheerleaders. This new approach allows us to come together as a school community to celebrate the joy of the season while showcasing the talents of our students. We believe this collective gathering will foster a sense of unity and holiday spirit that extends beyond individual classrooms. We look forward to this joyful assembly and appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to enhance the overall experience for our students. 


Although I know that it is December, I truly can’t wrap my head around how fast this year is going. This month, our character trait/skill that we are focusing on is “Prioritizing”. As you are aware this skill has tremendous value to the personal and academic growth of all students as well as us as adults. Throughout this month, our students will engage in activities that center around the importance of setting priorities in their daily lives. Understanding the significance of prioritization helps instill valuable time management skills, goal-setting habits, and the ability to make thoughtful choices. We encourage families to reinforce this character trait at home, fostering a sense of responsibility and resilience in our students. Let's work together to empower our young learners with the skills they need to prioritize effectively, both in and out of the classroom.


Wishing you a warm and joyful holiday season! 



Sincerely,

Kevin Kolasa

Principal, Leawood Elementary

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