APRIL 2021
View current and past e-Communicators by visiting www.seamanschools.org/eCommunicator.
Important Dates
April 2 - No School (Snow Day Make Up)
April 5 - No School (Snow Day Make Up)
April 19 - Board of Education Meeting - 6:00 pm
April 22 - Kindergarten Orientation - 5:30 pm
District Namesake Advisory Committee
USD 345 School Community:
In March, our USD 345 Board of Education gave me the directive to assemble an advisory committee, with the assistance of the Kansas Leadership Center, to help resolve the district namesake question. This advisory group will decide the overall timeline for the namesake initiative and will guide opportunities for the community to engage productively in an efficient and healthy process. The work of the committee is not to decide or recommend a decision to the board, but to guide and engage the community in a healthy process of discernment and learning so that the BOE can make the best decision possible.
I am excited to announce the 10 volunteers who will help our school community through this process. It is my hope that every walk of life in our community will see themselves, or viewpoints reflected in the various members of this committee. While there are different perspectives represented within this committee, all members have one thing in common--they are all Seaman High School alumni who care deeply about our school community. I believe we have a well-balanced group of individuals who have graciously committed to put in the time and effort necessary to guide and engage our community in a strong, healthy, and efficient process.
District Namesake Advisory Committee
Amy Calhoun, Class of 2004
R.D. Cogswell, Class of 1988
Eric Curls, Class of 1985
Corey Dehn, Class of 1995
Yvonne Etzel, Class of 2001
Paula Frey, Class of 1988
Stephanie Konrade, Class of 1983
Curt Lewis, Class of 1975
Olivia Oliva, Class of 2022
Michelle Stubblefield, Class of 1984
Throughout this process, everyone in our school community will have an opportunity to engage. All updates and information will be available on the district website under the Board of Education tab. Please check
this page as it will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
Thank you again to our volunteers and our school community. I know we all care deeply about USD 345 and I believe we will come out a stronger community as a result of this process.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steve Noble
Superintendent
2021-22 Kindergarten Orientation
Mark your calendars for April 22, 5:30 - 7:30 pm!
If you have a child who will be five years old on or before August 31, 2021 and you live in the Seaman School District, please register for Kindergarten Orientation.
To be sure everyone is pre-registered and ready to enroll in July, we are asking that you complete the New Student Information sheet and supply us with your Proof of Residency.
Proof of Residency:
- A copy of a current lease with your name and address
- A home purchase document with your name and address
- A current utility bill with your name and address on it (if you just moved, an email from a utility stating that service will starting at a Seaman address.)
Please email these documents to
[email protected]. If you do not have the ability to scan and email, taking a CLEAR picture on your cell phone and emailing the picture.
You can also mail the documents to Theresa Dunham, Seaman Education Center, 901 NW Lyman Rd., Topeka, KS 66608.
If neither of these options will work for you, please contact your elementary school to arrange a time to come fill out the
New Student Information sheet and provide Proof of Residency.
Elmont: 785-286-8450
Logan: 785-575-8700
North Fairview: 785-286-8500
Northern Hills: 785-286-2992
West Indianola: 785-286-8550
The other documents (Birth Certificates, immunization record, and health assessment) can be brought to kindergarten orientation.
Registration Links Below
View our Boundary Map: www.seamanschools.org/map
ELMONT ELEMENTARY
785-286-8450
6432 NW Elmont Rd. 66618
Registration Link
LOGAN ELEMENTARY
785-575-8700
1124 NW Lyman Rd. 66608
Registration Link
NORTH FAIRVIEW ELEMENTARY
785-286-8500
1941 NE 39th St. 66617
Registration Link
NORTHERN HILLS ELEMENTARY
785-286-2992
5620 NW Topeka Blvd. 66617
Registration Link
WEST INDIANOLA ELEMENTARY
785-286-8550
4201 NW Brickyard Rd. 66618
Registration Link
2021-22 MELC Preschool Registration
Please complete our registration form for your child to be considered to attend Mathes Early Learning Center (MELC) for the 2021-2022 school year.
MELC serves an inclusive model of 3- and 4-year-old students, in high-quality, half-day preschool classrooms. All information on the form must be complete to be considered for placement. Families will be contacted for a screening date. Once a child is selected from this registration process, the family will be contacted to complete paperwork for school and to determine eligibility. Slots are limited and all preschool students in the Seaman School District receive priority preference. Go Little Vikes!
Morning Class: 8:30 am – 11:30 am
Afternoon Class: 12:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Fees: $52.50 Annually (Free & Reduced Rates Available)
The completion of this registration form does NOT guarantee your child a placement into the school.
Out-of-District Transfers
Parents of both in-district and out-of-district transfer students must fill out a new request each year. Applications are accepted through July 31. You will be notified in writing of the decision at the end of May.
If you have questions about the transfer process, contact Theresa Dunham at the Seaman Education Center at 785-575-8600.
Click here to download the application.
Summer Camps
Summer Camps are now online! A variety of summer camps are held through the Seaman School District every year. Click the link below to view all of the fun and educational summer opportunities for your kids. If the registration form is not active, please check back. We will continue to add registration forms as they become available.
Click here to view the 2021 summer camps.
Weekly COVID Report/Impact
This district report includes detailed information on the impact of COVID in the Seaman School District. This can be accessed from any school website and is updated every Monday with data from the week prior.
Click here to view the report.
2020-21 Elem, SMS, & SHS School Calendar
Please note the following calendar items approved at the March board meeting.
- Elementary Early Release Fridays have expired. Elementary school will be in session for a full day on Fridays.
- Snow day make-up days have been moved from March 31 and April 28 to April 2 and April 5. School will now be in session on March 31 and April 28 and will not be in session on April 2 and April 5.
A link to the updated calendars can be found on the
district calendar page.
Drivers Ed Enrollment
Drivers Ed enrollment will start April 1st and run through May 6th. Enrollment will be online and can be found on the high school and district website. The cost is $175 and information on the course will be available. Once enrolled you will be added to the Drivers Ed Schoology group. Contact Mr. Tinsley if you have any questions.
Click here to enroll for 2021 drivers education.
2021-22 School Calendar (NEXT School Year)
2021-22 School Year Calendar
Free Breakfast and Lunch
Students are encouraged to take advantage of FREE breakfast and lunch until the end of school year 2020-21 at Seaman. School meals include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk, and other nutrient dense foods to help keep students ready to learn. Students do not need to be qualified for free or reduced price meals to receive meals at this time at no charge. Free meals are available to every student.
We encourage all families to consider, review, and complete the free and reduced application process. Eligibility determination will be made according to the established guidelines of this program, and if your family qualifies for free or reduced school meals, we will notify you.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, all students have been eligible to receive free meals, and this will continue through the end of this school year. To ensure that these benefits carryover for 30 days into the 2021-2022 school year, households that have not completed an application yet should strongly consider completing an application for free or reduced-price meals. A few additional reasons for this consideration include:
- There is the potential for continued eligibility for Pandemic-EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) through the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF).
- There are other school district benefits for families that qualify, such as reduced school fees).
- If families do not complete the application, State funding for our school district may be reduced.
To receive a school meal benefit application, please contact our district’s School Food Authority’s (SFA) office using the contact information below. USD#345 has an online application available to households with this link:
https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/DistrictRedirect/SEAMANUSD_KS?langid=1
Laura Terrel, Child Nutrition Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
(785)575-8650
If you prefer, you may also submit this information by mail or return it in person at your child’s school. If you decide to send your documents by mail, please send them to the address below.
Thank you for your consideration of this important process.
Lunch Menu
Click here to view the K-6 on-site lunch menu. You can also subscribe to calendar feed for quick access as you're planning for your day.
Mobile Food Pantry
We have new dates, times, and location for Harvesters thanks to a partnership with IBEW Local Union 226. USD 345 will have the Harvesters Mobile Distribution at IBEW 1620 NW Gage (this is off Lower Silver Lake Road). We will continue having the Mobile Distribution at this location and time on the second Monday of the month. Future dates are as follows.
April 12
May 10
Seaman High School Museum News
We have exciting news to share on how the Seaman community will soon have the opportunity to interact and engage with the history of the district. The Seaman High School Museum and Archives is now managed by students in the Museum Studies class at Seaman High School after many years of hard work from dedicated volunteer community members. Students in this class are learning how to preserve and archive district artifacts while sharing information and experiences with others.
From homecoming queens to sports teams, their exhibits have already impacted current students and faculty. Their goal is to continue creating engaging exhibits to further the historical knowledge of the district by providing even more access to the Seaman community in new and different ways. Currently, the class is working to revitalize the museum through the digitization of archival material onto a website, frequent creation of exhibits, and modernization of the space to enhance the museum experience. The students have had a successful beginning and a positive outlook for its future, however they need your support.
The museum is relocating to the high school to become part of the educational experience while also increasing community access during the school day and at school events. As part of this move, the class would like to invest in an open storage concept to expand the existing space with more shelving for storage, exhibits, and research space while simultaneously protecting and displaying district collections.
The museum studies class is diligently working to digitize every artifact within the museum to allow for convenient virtual viewing. With your generous donations, these students can preserve materials virtually and physically through the purchase of archival storage materials. Your support will help students create: traveling trunks, mobile museum exhibits, and teaching materials. These funds will assist in preserving, displaying, discovering, and retelling the history of the Seaman community! Previous funds from museum memberships and donations have been rolled over to cover future student scholarships.
How can you support the Seaman High School Museum and Archives?
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Donation Opportunities: The SHS Museum and Archives gratefully accepts monetary donations of any level. Please send your tax deductible donation payable to: SHS Museum and Archives: 4850 NW Rochester Rd., Topeka, KS 66617
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Exhibit and Archival Storage Sponsorship Opportunities: Sponsoring an exhibit or archival storage will assist in preserving our community’s vital history. For an annual sponsorship of $250, your family, business, or organization will receive recognition on the SHS Museum and Archives website and a plaque on each exhibit sponsored. Sponsorship levels can be viewed below. To become a sponsor contact us TODAY!
Patron Level: 1 Exhibit $250
Historian Level: 2 Exhibits $500
Archivist Level: 3 exhibits $750
Viking Level: 4 exhibits $1,000
Centennial Level: 5+ exhibits $1,250+
For more information, contact:
Nathan McAlister
Phone: 785-286-8300
Email: [email protected]
Technology Support
Please call the USD 345 Technology Department Help Desk on Monday-Friday between 7:00 am-4:00 pm at 785-286-8483 for help with your district-issued device.
Student Technology Support
Parent Technology Support
Board Digest
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.
The Seaman USD #345 Board of Education will meet on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 PM with the exception of March and April, which will be held on the third Monday, and any regular scheduled meeting may be adjourned to another time and place when necessary.
Regular meetings remaining for the 2020-21 school year:
April 19, 2021
May 10, 2021
June 14, 2021
July 12, 2021
Parents and other community members frequently request help in knowing the best way to communicate with the school. The communication guideline chart below will serve as a helpful resource. By contacting the following people in the prescribed order, questions will be answered more efficiently and effectively.
Click here to view the Concern Chain of Command.
We’re hiring!
We are always looking for qualified substitutes, bus drivers, food service workers, and various support positions.
Take a look at our current job openings, and help spread the word!
Sharefest
SHAREFEST is an event that was created with the belief that churches and organizations can do more together than any one group could do separately to reach out to its community. This year SHAREFEST will serve Seaman School District, by landscaping, painting, constructing, and cleaning up the grounds of area schools and buildings. All work will be done outdoors this year at the sites.
Sharefest is Saturday, April 24th from 8:00am to 12:00pm.
Volunteers can sign up to work at either Logan Elementary or North Fairview Elementary. Registration closes on April 23rd. If you need a t-shirt please register by 9:00am April 12th. Please wear your t-shirt from last year if you already have one.
USD 345 staff and families can sign up here.
SMS Play
Come see the goofy and strange play performance at Seaman Middle School of EGGPLANTS AND VAMPIRES. Performance is on the SMS Theaterworks stage April 8-9 at 7:00 p.m.
The agricultural town of Gulch Valley, California is the self-proclaimed tomato capital of the world, so it only makes sense that the Tomato Jam Cafe is the hub of activity in town. Famous romance writer Sallie Means, a former resident of Gulch Valley, returns home and sets up her office in the cafe, hoping to overcome her writer’s block and crank out her next bestseller. Walt, who runs the cafe, takes care of more than just his customers? Unbeknownst to anyone else in town, he’s also a friend to vampires, providing them with a safe place to stay when they’re being hunted by vampire hunters and other obsessed citizens. Luckily, their ’special drink’ that Walt keeps for them looks an awful lot like tomato juice! But when the biggest employer in town is bought out by a mega corporation, the new management (more like mis-management!) sends the next crop of tomato plants to Miami and ships eggplants instead. Eggplants instead of tomatoes?! How will the town — and the vampires! — survive on eggplants? The intertwining storylines come fast and funny in this hilarious production of zany characters and off beat performance.
Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for seniors and children.
Battle of the Bands
Key Club is hosting Battle of the Bands to benefit North Topeka Outreach. Featured bands include Crybaby Greenbeans, Untamed Mustangz, 10 Feet Tall, and Blinker Fluid. Fun begins Thursday, April 22 at 7:00 (doors open at 6:30.) Admission is $3 in advance and $5 at the door. Get your tickets now as seating is limited to the first 500 people.
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Royals Vouchers
Seaman Baseball team is selling Royals vouchers. The sale of these vouchers in support of our baseball team and also gives us the opportunity to play at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday, April 6th at 4:00 PM vs Hayden High School.
MLB has announced that spectators will be allowed this summer, so this would be a great opportunity to watch the Royals after missing out on that experience last summer and support Seaman Baseball at the same time! There are 2 different locations of vouchers, Field Plaza and View Reserved. The price of the vouchers are $25 for the Field Plaza (Lower level) and $15 for the View Reserved (Upper level). Please contact Trent Oliva if you would like to purchase a voucher or know of anyone else that would be interested.
SEAF Golf Tourney
Save the Date! The 2021 Seaman Education Advantage Foundation Golf Tournament is scheduled for June 11, with a rain date of June 25. Registration will be online and will be posted once it is up and ready.
Interact Club Car Show
Click here to register your vehicle for the annual SHS Interact Club Car Show.
Annual SHS Drive Out Hunger Car Show
Hosted by: Seaman High School Interact Club
Date: Saturday, May 1, 2021
Time: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. (Gates open at 12:30 p.m.)
Location: Seaman High School South Parking Lot
4850 NW Rochester Rd. Topeka, KS
Cost: Pre-Registration $15 ($20 Registration - Day of Show)
Benefits Meals on Wheels of Shawnee & Jefferson Counties
Cars-Cycles-Trucks
Car Show for the whole family
**Free to the General Public**
Multiple Contests!
Trophies & Plaques Designed & Created by SHS Students
Vehicle Awards at 2:45 p.m.
Location: Seaman High School South Parking Lot, 4850 NW Rochester Rd. Topeka, KS
