FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR STUDENT....

In order to ensure the safety and well being of STA students and to maintain the good relationships with our neighbors, we are once again asking parents and visitors to review and adhere to the following pick-up and drop off procedures.  We have had multiple recent complaints from concerned neighbors and parents regarding various safety issues and parking violations.

Stratford Street and 11^th Street:

• Stratford street is utilized for quick pick-up and drop off ONLY.  Please do not exit your vehicle.  If you need to go into school, please use the main parking lot off the plaza.
• Cars are NOT TO PARK along the east side of STRATFORD STREET.
• If students need to cross the street, students and parents must use the crosswalk at the corner of 11^th and Stratford.
• Students are not to enter or exit vehicles from the middle of the street.
• Vehicles should not be parked so close to the patrol stations as to hinder the view for patrol members

Main Parking Lot:

• The main parking lot is shut down from 3:30 – 3:40 each day.  This is to allow students safe access to their vehicle.
• If you arrive after the parking lot is shut down, you may still enter off of 13^th.  The safety patrol members will direct you where to park – PLEASE FOLLOW THEIR DIRECTIONS!
• Vehicles should not be moving around in the lot until the siren sounds (3:40).  Once the siren sounds, you are free to leave the parking lot.

Playground Parking & Apartment Lot:

• The parking along the playground is for quick pick up after school.
• You are free to leave onto 11^thStreet once you have picked up your child.
• Vehicles are not to block either of the alleyways in the parking lot north of the Apartment Complex.  There are NO PARKING signs posted along the wall just north of the apartments. Please heed these signs.

ALL DRIVERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO USE A MARKED PARKING STALL EITHER NEAR THE PLAYGROUND OR IN THE MAIN PARKING LOT WHEN PICKING UP STUDENTS AFTER SCHOOL!

Drivers need to be mindful and courteous of other vehicles and students.  During peak drop-off and pick up times, we have hundreds of students and dozens of vehicles moving about.

The Wichita Police Department has been notified and will once again begin monitoring the areas and ticketing violators. It is our understanding that they will be watching for the following:  illegal parking, parking too close to the crosswalk, not using the crosswalk, cars that are blocking residential driveways and cars that pick up or drop off students in the middle of the street.

Once again, we ask that you help us ensure the safety and well being of our students by observing the normal traffic rules and regulations and utilizing the main parking lot in the back of school.  We ask that if you are having someone drop off or pick up your students who may not be familiar with these procedures that you inform them.  Please see the "flow of traffic diagram", under documents at right.

Thank you for your help with this matter.

Even though the temperature on the outside thermometer does not indicate it, Summer 2010 is winding down and soon the students will be starting school.  This year we will open our doors and welcome over 720 students from preschool to 8^th grade.  Here is some important information and dates to mark on your calendar:

Preschoolers:  Our youngest Raiders … yet, some of the biggest smiles!  Your parents have received a letter in which your teacher has introduced herself and told you which day and time to start so as to attend a “get-to-know-STA-preschool-session”.  Parents and students should both come.

Kindergartners:  What a big year for you!  Uniforms and school lunches …. Yeah!  Your parents received a small golden note at registration that tells them which of the first two days you come.  You only come one of the two days (YOU get an extra day of summer vacation) so that you and your teacher can get to know each other better.  On Friday, August 20^th, your whole class will attend so you can meet ALL of your classmates and make new friends.

First grade to Sixth grade:  We have missed you and cannot wait to see you on Wednesday, August 18.  You may get on the STA website beginning Friday, August 13 (psst! …. Look under the School Tab (top left tab) and in School Forms if you are having trouble finding it.  ALL lists NOW available (1st grade and MS TA's were added mid-morning) and see which dynamic teacher/TA you will have and what great friends are in your class/TA.  If you do not have a chance to check online, we will have class lists posted throughout the building.

Seventh and Eighth graders:  You are the upperclassmen that all of the younger students will look to for leadership and experience!  This is a big year for you and, as such, you deserve an extra day of summer vacation so you do not start until Thursday, August 19^th.  You may come on Wednesday, August 18^th, at 2:45 PM to get your schedule and put your locker together.  If you come, you may wear shorts and t-shirts.

Just as school starts it is also time to kick-off the annual trash bag sale!  How ‘bout a Spirit Jeans Day and an all-school assembly to kick it off in style?  That’s right …. Friday, August 20^th is a spirit jeans day.  Put on your favorite STA spirit shirt and blue jeans and come ready to hear all about this year’s trash bag sale!  The spirit squad will perform and the energy will be intense …. as we aim to make this year’s sale beat last year’s profits of $37,000!

Back-to-school nights dot the calendar the first full week of school:

Kindergarten Back-to-School Night:   Monday, August 23       6:30 PM              Parents ONLY

Grades 1-5 Back-to-School Night:      Tuesday, August 24       6:30 PM              Parents ONLY

Grades 6-8 Back-to-School Night       Thursday, August 26     6:30 PM              Parents ONLY

These are such important meetings; please make a concerted effort to attend.  The meetings provide a great foundation on which to build a successful school year.  I truly hope to see ALL parents there!

From Mr. Landwehr, myself and the entire STA faculty and staff …. Welcome and here’s to a great school year!

Ms. Mary Sweet

Principal

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School recently received a $15,000 grant from the K.T. Wiedemann Foundation.  The Foundation was established in 1959 by Mr. Karl T. Wiedemann, a native of El Dorado.  Mr. Wiedemann, who had business interests in the oil and gas and ranching industries, eventually settled in Wichita, after living in Minnesota, with his wife, Gladys.  Although the Wiedemanns passed away in 1961 and 1991, respectively, they still have family ties to the area.   In fact, St. Thomas Aquinas is proud to be the parish home of their niece, Mrs. Harriet Blakemore!  The gracious gift from the Foundation will be used to fund school projects that have been postponed due to budgetary restrictions.  Thanks to the K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School will be able to continue to provide a progressive academic environment for all students!