August 2019

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AUGUST 2019
Introducing the e-Communicator

New this year, Seaman families will be emailed an e-Communicator at the beginning of each month. This new publication was created after reviewing parent feedback from our communication survey, last year. We thank you very much for your insight and we hope you'll find this monthly electronic newsletter helpful. The printed Communicator will continue to be printed and distributed to Seaman families on a quarterly basis. 

You can always view current and past e-Communicators by visiting https://www.seamanschools.org/departments/communications/publications/e_communicator. 

Important Dates

August 2 (please note change in date)
SHS Yearbook Signing Party at SHS (7:00-8:30 pm)

August 5
Last day to enroll for busing on the first day of school

August 6
Returning 9-12 graders can check out laptops in the SHS Writing Center (8:00-11:30 am & 12:30-3:00 pm)

August 7
Returning 9-12 graders can check out laptops in the SHS Writing Center (8:00-11:30 am & 12:30-3:00 pm)

August 8
SMS 7th Grade & New Student Orientation at SMS (6:30 pm)

Returning 9-12 graders can check out laptops in the SHS Writing Center (8:00-11:30 am)

August 9
 Returning 9-12 graders can check out laptops in the SHS Writing Center (12:30-3:00 pm & 12:30-3:00 pm)

August 13
Elementary Sneak Peek Nights (5:30-6:30 pm)

Freshman & New SHS Student Orientation (6:30 pm)

August 14
First day of school for K-10

Seaman Elementary Band and Orchestra (SEBO) online enrollment opens www.seamanschools.org/sebo (6th graders only)

August 15
First day of school for 11-12

First day of school for Pleasant Hill Learning Campus

August 19
Mathes Early Learning Center (MELC) Sneak Peek (3:00-5:00 pm)

SMS Parent Info Night (6:00 pm)

August 20
First day of school for MELC preschool

Elmont Parent Night - 1st-3rd (5:45 or 6:30 pm); 4th-6th (6:30 or 7:15 pm)

Northern Hills Parent Night - K (5:45 pm), 1st (6:15 pm), 2nd (6:45 pm), 3rd (7:15 pm)

North Fairview Parent Night  - 1st-6th: (6:00 pm)

Logan Parent Night - K-3rd: (6:30 pm)

August 21
Elmont Parent Night - Kindergarten (5:30 pm)

August 22
SEBO Parent Info Meeting at SMS (6:00-7:30 pm)

North Fairview Parent Night - Kindergarten (6:00 pm)

August 26
West Indianola Parent Night - Kindergarten (6:00 pm)

August 27
SMS Picture Day

Logan Parent Night - 4th-6th (6:30 pm)

West Indianola Parent Night - 1st-6th (6:00 pm)

MELC Parent Night (5:30 or 6:00 pm)

Northern Hills Parent Night - 4th (5:45 pm), 5th (6:15 pm), 6th (6:45 pm)

August 28
District Wellness Council Meeting at North Fairview (4:15 pm)

August 30
SEBO online enrollment closes

September 2
No School - Labor Day
Back-to-School Info
Back to School
Looking for school supplies, calendars, and other important information to get ready for the school year? Click here for back-to-school information.

2019-20 District Wall Calendar
2019-20 Calendar
The 2019-20 district wall calendars have been distributed via USPS to households residing in the Seaman School District. If you didn’t get one or live outside the district, stop by the Seaman Education Center (SEC) to pick yours up!

SEC (901 NW Lyman Rd) is open, M-F, 8:00 am-4:00 pm

Click here to view a digital copy.

New Website Launch
We’re proud to officially announce the launch of our new website with refreshed content and new features. Each website has an online resource center full of important and useful information.

Website Screenshot

While you can still get to each school by visiting www.seamanschools.org, each school now has its own URL. 

Elmont: el.seamanschools.org/
Logan: lo.seamanschools.org/
MELC: melc.seamanschools.org/
North Fairview: nf.seamanschools.org/
Northern Hills: nh.seamanschools.org/
Pleasant Hill: phlc.seamanschools.org/
Seaman High: shs.seamanschools.org/
Seaman Middle: sms.seamanschools.org/
West Indianola: wi.seamanschools.org/

The new website was designed to help the district provide our current and potential families, staff, and students with easy-to-find information, valuable content, and a better understanding of Seaman School District. We'll continue to update and improve user experience so please, jump online and visit us often. 
Chad Uhler named SMS Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
Chad Uhler
We're excited to announce the selection of Mr. Chad Uhler as our new Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Seaman Middle School. Chad Uhler has been a teacher in the Seaman School District for 21 years. Mr. Uhler has coached football, bowling and track and was instrumental in adding activities to Seaman Middle School during the transition to one building.
Board Digest
National History Day State Champs
Following each board of education meeting, the Director of Communications recaps the board meeting in the Board Digest. Click here to review the latest board meeting. 
Stuff the Bus
Stuff the Bus
There's just something exciting about starting the year with new school supplies and we want to help provide that excitement to our families! The Seaman Transportation Department will be stationed at the North Topeka Walmart from 9am to 2pm on August 1-5, collecting donations, at their annual Stuff the Bus school supply donation drive. The district will use these supplies to help families in need with school supplies throughout the year. 
Breakfast Now Served at ALL School Buildings
Seaman Nutrition Services is excited to now offer breakfast to ALL STUDENTS by adding breakfast service to Elmont, North Fairview, and West Indianola from 8:30 to 8:50 am. The breakfast offered at these new locations is planned be quick service with milk, fruits, and grain bread items (cereal bars, wrapped whole grain items for example) to make a reimbursable meal as per USDA/KSDE, Child Nutrition & Wellness requirements. All other breakfasts will continue as normal. Click here to view breakfast menus.

Breakfast Times
 Elementary Schools: 8:30-8:50 am
SMS: 7:30-7:50 am, Second Chance: 9:26-9:31 am
SHS: 7:30-7:50 am, Second Chance: Between the 1st and 2nd period
100 Years at Seaman High School
100 Year Calendar Cover
This is an exciting year and time in history for our Seaman community as we celebrate our 100th graduating class at Seaman High School. Click here to stay up-to-date on events and celebrations throughout the year. 
Seaman Elementary Band and Orchestra (SEBO)
www.seamanschools.org/SEBO

Enrollment for 6th Grade band and orchestra will open on the first day of school. The enrollment window will be open until September 6th. Detailed information can be found on the enrollment page but here are the highlights:

• 6th grade band & orchestra meet for class every day. The band practices at SMS and the orchestra practices at NH elementary. Class time is 7:45-8:20am.

• Students who ride the bus to school may get a bus ride to band/orchestra via the secondary buses. Car riders may be dropped off at SMS/NH. All students will receive a bus ride to their home school when rehearsals are finished each morning at approx. 8:30am.

• Band & orchestra classes begin on Sept. 20 with a dry-run (no instruments). Rehearsals with instruments begin on Sept. 23.

There will be an optional walk-in event at Seaman Middle School from 6-7:30pm on Thursday, August 22 for families that would like to get questions answered by the music staff. Computers will be available for online enrollment and new string players can get sized for their instruments as well. This is an optional event, feel free to email with questions if you cannot attend.

If you would like information about renting an instrument from the school district or if you have other questions please email:

Mr. Simpson (BAND) - [email protected]
Ms. Sterbenz (STRINGS) – [email protected]

NOTE: Information for current 5th graders about starting band and strings next year will be made available in the spring!
August Lunch Menu
Click here to view a PDF of this month's lunch menu.

Elementary Lunch: $2.65
Secondary Lunch: $2.90
Adult Lunch: $3.90
Breakfast K-12: $1.85
Adult Breakfast: $2.35
Extra Milk: $0.55

School lunch calendars can be added to your calendar feed using this URL: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/usd345.com_bu02c6o8qdtcfqsoqo9p8q9lks%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
Free & Reduced Lunch Applications
The 2019-20 Free & Reduced Price Meal Application is now available online. A new application and Consent for Disclosure must be filled out each year. To qualify for Free or Reduced Price School Fees, a Consent for Disclosure MUST be included with the completed application. If a household is qualified for free meals with Direct Certification from the State of Kansas (household receives food stamps), a Consent for Disclosure must be completed and returned to the Food Service Office at 901 NW Lyman Rd. Topeka, KS 66608 to reduce school fees.
The Cost of a MacBook
As we move into the fourth year of our 1-to-1 MacBook deployment for grades 7-12, we wanted to update you on how damaged laptops are handled. Fees to replace or fix parts are determined at the time of damage. Here are a few examples of common incidents we have seen in our schools and an estimated cost for repair.
Kids on Computers
Entire Unit/Full Replacement (loss/damage beyond repair) - $450 for 2019-20 school year
Screen - $169
Keyboard - $129
Charger - $31
Logic Board - up to $399
Battery - $125

With the exception of the charger which is always 100% the responsibility of the student, students pay 20% of the first repair, 50% of the second, 80% of the third, and 100% after that in a given school year.

The district made the decision to collect annual technology fees before students are issued their laptop as a way to insure the devices, in the instances of loss and damage. The money collected from these fees ensures that we're able to continue to maintain our existing MacBooks and provide replacements as needed. Students who have not paid technology fees will be issued a MacBook on a check-in and check-out during the school day.

If you have not already paid your technology fees for this school year, <a <meta="" name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> href="https://usd345.revtrak.net/school-fees" target="_blank" title="opens in a new window">click here to make a payment online or pay using cash or check at your child's school.
Parking Passes Online
Parking Lot
As an added convenience to our students and parents, the SHS parking permit purchase process will be moved from a walk-in/first-come-first-serve format, to an online format. SHS drivers (grades 10-12) can visit https://www.greateventseats.com/SeamanHS/ where they will be redirected to a site which will allow them to choose and pay for parking permits. This will trigger a document that will need to be printed, filled out, and turned in to the SHS security office in order to complete the process and receive permits. Officer McKay is stationed at Seaman High School for students who would like to finish paperwork and pick up passes before school begins.
Scrappers Baseball
There will be a Scrappers Baseball tryout for the summer of 2020 for incoming Seaman freshman on Sunday, August 4 & Tuesday, August 6 at 6:00pm at Seaman baseball field. If you have any questions, you can email Steve Bushnell at [email protected].
We’re hiring!
We are always looking for qualified substitutes, bus drivers and various support positions. Take a look at our current job openings, and help spread the word!