TIGER TIMES
May 2014
Tomahawk Elementary School 6301 West 78th Street Overland Park, KS 66204
913-993-5500 (T) ▪ 913-993-5599 (F) ▪ www.smsd/schools/tomahawk
Principal: Mr. David Conrady ▪ Secretary: Kim Bernardin
PTA President: Anita Menke ([email protected]) ▪ www.tomahawkpta.com
May is a busy time of year at Tomahawk. There are many fun and exciting
learning opportunities for the students. We will have parties, baby chicks
hatching, field trips, concerts, field day, assemblies and the list goes on and on.
It is easy to say that summer is here, but we still have three weeks left in the
school year. We all need to stay focused and continue to maintain focus on the
TJ Way; that is, being safe, respectful, and responsible through the end of May.
With all the exciting activities, students often get off track and get caught up in
the excitement of the approaching summer. We will continue to emphasize the
school expectations. I ask that parents speak with your children about staying
focused at school and finishing the school year out on a positive note. For
parents, it is important for us to keep our kids on a regular morning and
evening schedule.
Next Friday is Carnival! Please come and enjoy the festivities. A special thanks
the committee that is helping organize and run our carnival which includes
many current and past parent volunteers for their efforts. Believe it or not,
but planning for this carnival started literally the week after the last one.
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As everyone may or may not be aware, Tomahawk has three
teachers retiring this year – Michael Monaghan, Carol Korsten
and Robin Ludwig. We will have a reception for their years of
service on May 15 after school in the Library. I can also report
that we have three wonderful teachers assigned to Tomahawk.
They are:
▪ Mrs. Sherry Shahan will be teaching kindergarten.
Mrs. Shahan is coming from the Shawnee Mission
Instructional Support Center where she has been teaching
Pre-K.
▪ Jennifer Puttenney will be teaching 1st Grade. Ms. Puttenney
is coming to Tomahawk from the Turner School District where
she has taught fourth and first grades.
▪ Mrs. Melissa Troutman will be teaching 5th Grade.
Mrs. Troutman is coming to Tomahawk from the Mission
Valley School District in Eskridge, Kansas where she currently
teaches 6th Grade.
Student Council,
3:10 to 4 PM
▪ Walk-to-School Day
▪ Kona Ice, 3:10 to 4 PM,
Back parking lot
Bike Rodeo,
10 AM to 12 PM
Teacher Appreciation
Week
It is hard to believe that the end of the year is almost here and
we are already planning for next year. Thank you for all of the
support of making this another great year for students at
Tomahawk. Remember, It’s always a great day to be a
Tomahawk Tiger!
Family Food Night,
Sonic
Have a great May,
Carnival, 5:30 to 9 PM
David Conrady
David Conrady, Ed.D
Carnival Set-up
Field Day
▪ 9 to 11 AM
(Grades K - 2nd)
▪ 1 to 3 PM
(Grades 3 - 5)
▪ Skating Party,
6 to 8 PM, Skate City
▪ Last Day of School for
Kindergaten
Last Day of School:
Early Dismissal,
Grades 1 - 6
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Congrats to Tomahawk Students for being selected with top entries in the Money Smart
Poster Contest sponsored by American Century Investments, Price Waterhouse Coopers,
and Junior Achievement. These three students were honored at this week’s PBIS
Assembly and also at an event being held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
Congrats on the accomplishments of 4th grader, Brechen Caruso (1st place), and
5th graders, Sydney Williams (1st place) and Ellie Stratman (3rd place).
Pictured left to right: Brechen Caruso, Sydney Williams and Ellie Stratman
Choir news
▪
We had an amazing performance by the 5th and 6th grade choir students on April 3rd.
The musical “Dig It” was a huge success! The students looked and sounded great.
Many thanks to Jacey Sautter, Brenda Morris and Trudy Williams for all their help.
Hope to see many more 5th and 6th grade students next year!
Ms. DePaepe
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Thank you to all of the parents who have helped in the classrooms and around the
school this year! Parental involvement is key to our students' success, below are
just a few ways parents were involved this year:
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Volunteering in classrooms
Mystery readers
Chat N Chew volunteers
Donating classroom items
Going on field trips
Providing items for classroom baskets
Volunteering at the carnival
And, so much more!!!
A special thank you to all of the Room Parents for making the classroom parties
great, for organizing the monthly staff luncheons, and helping to get volunteers
and basket items for the carnival; it has been a pleasure volunteering with you all.
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
Catrina Engle, Melissa Haley, and Ginny Wells
Sarah Shaw, Dawn Gale, Sara Jahnke, and Amanda Clayton
Nicole Porter and Jeni Byrd
LeAnne Belmont, Kelly Ackman, and Jenn Coon
Becky Welch, Jamie Lomshek, and Nicole Porter
Melissa Reed, Jennifer Faulk, and Niki Coleman
Brenda Morris, Hilarie Divine, and Tangela Welch
Have a great summer!
Whitney Johnson
Room Parent Chair
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Walk to school the first Friday of the Month!
Friday, May 2
WEAR ORANGE
Walk Sites / Leave promptly at 7:50 AM
80th and Colonial  Tomahawk and Dearborn  77th Terrace and Lamar
79th and Dearborn | Parent volunteers at each site. | Surprise at the walk site.
Try a veggie or fruit in front of the school with Nurse Knight.
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The Kona Ice Truck will be in the
back parking lot
on Friday, May 2  3:10 to 4 PM and
Friday, May 23 (last day of school), 12:30 PM
Cups are $3, $4, or $5
depending on what size you want.
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Tomahawk’s
Bike Rodeo
Date: May 3, 2014
Time: 10 am -12 pm
Place: Tomahawk Elementary
6301 W. 78th St.
Please come join us for our first annual bike rodeo.
Children will have the opportunity to receive a free
helmet, helmet fitting, and bike safety information
provided to you by Safe Kids. (Up to the first 50
children)
Sponsored by
Tomahawk Elementary
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The week of May 5th - 9th is Teacher's Appreciation Week. This week is set aside
to show our teachers and staff how much we value and appreciate them. Please
cut out some time to tell the teachers what they mean to you and your child.
Here is what we have planned for our teachers:
Monday, 5/5:
Rainbow loom bracelets in each of the homeroom teacher's
college colors
Tuesday, 5/6:
Make your own ice cream sundae for the staff meeting
Wednesday, 5/7 Bagels / pastries and coffee provided by Dr. Conrady
Thursday, 5/8
Sweet treats and a special thank you from the kiddos of each
home room teacher
Friday, 5/9
Staff lunch from the PTA board
Also, the teachers love handmade thank you notes and cards from the children,
feel free to have your child make cards and bring them any day they'd like.
Anyone who wants to donate ingredients for the make your own ice cream sundaes,
who can help set up or clean up, or who would like to assist with the staff luncheon
please contact Whitney Johnson at [email protected].
Thank you!
Whitney Johnson
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Tuesday, May 6 ► 5 to 9PM
Sonic, 8905 Santa Fe Drive (near Antioch)
For more information contact Tom Clevenger at tomclevenger@sbcglobalnet.
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Monday, May 12
Interested in volunteering? Please contact
[email protected] / 913-488-3689
Please remember to send your child
in tennis shoes, comfortable clothes and sunscreen.
We will be serving Snow Cones!
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SKATING PARTY
Thursday, May 22
6 to 8 PM
Skate City Overland Park
10440 Mastin Street, Overland Park, KS 66212
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Tomahawk Junior Girl Scout Troop #177
Front row | Ella Coon, Sydney Bounds, Sydney Williams, Mackenzie Clevenger, Emily Liljegren and Ava Walton
Second row | Ellie Sinsel and Olivia Olson (home schooled) and Troop Leaders: Maureen Liljegren and Chris Clevenger
For the 2013 - 2014 school year the Tomahawk 5th grade Junior Girl Scout Troop
#177 has been working on the highest award that a Junior scout can earn. The
Bronze Award. Together with the 5th grade troop from Corinth Elementary they
planned, organized, and executed a Service Unit Campout for Kindergarten through
3rd grade that ended up being attended by 214 people from 7 different elementary
schools. They taught the younger scouts songs, fire safety, fishing, hiking, arts and
crafts, and camp fire cooking. The camp was held April 12 - 13. Even during a major
thunderstorm the scouts kept their cool and set a wonderful example for the
younger girls. The girls are the youngest scouts to completely plan and lead a
Service Unit camp. Congratulations girls on an amazing achievement!
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April and May are busy months for scouting. Many Tomahawk Cub Scouts cheered on the Royals in
their game against the White Sox at the Scout Day at the K in April. Pack 3488 also volunteered help
in cleaning up a section of a local stream and hosted Operation Wildlife during the monthly pack
meeting. During the wildlife program cub scouts learned a lot about raptors, particularly local
raptors like owls and hawks and three live birds were part of the program.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Blue and Gold Awards Night
Tomahawk Bike Rodeo
Scouting 500 at KS Speedway
May 2, 7 PM
May 3, 10 AM to Noon
May 17 all day
If you are interested in learning more about cub scouting contact Matt Jenkinson [email protected]