There are still yearbooks available! If you haven't ordered one, make sure to go to https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1085305/Wanamaker-Elementary-School/ and order today!

Be part of the family fun, stories, art, music, games and of course the Summer Reading Challenge for all ages in June and July at Topeka and Shawnee County Library! Kids and teens get a prize for every 2 hours of reading up to 8 hours. Adults get a prize for reading 3 books and a prize for 6 books. Sign up for the Reading Challenge starting May 13 and start logging reading/books June 1. July 31 is the last day to log your reading.

https://tscpl.org/summer-reading

Dear Parents/Guardians,

On Monday, May 19, during the School Field Day, we are going to have a "Used Book Exchange" in the library.

Here's how it will work. During the week of May 12 each child may bring up to 3 gently used books from home. The Student Council will pick these books up from the classrooms and record the number of books each student brings, up to 3. More than 3 books can be brought to school, but they will be considered a donation to the fair, and greatly appreciated. We are especially on the look-out for higher level chapter books.

Parents, please check the books the children bring to school to see if they are age-appropriate, and are also ones that you are willing to exchange.

On May 19, each student who donates book(s) will pick out "New to Me" books. IF there are enough books, the exchange will then be opened up to other students.

Hopefully, this fair will promote summertime reading and will be another fun activity during Field Day. Thanks for your help with this.

Sincerely,

Alice Reinert and Jenny Armstrong

Register by clicking this link
https://forms.gle/3MjHuQfQAiVCThZBA

We have about 30 yearbooks still available! You must purchase them online. Please follow this link to purchase your yearbook. Get yours while there are still some left!

As a reminder, our last PTA meeting of the year is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6th at 5:45 in the library.
In addition to our regular agenda, we will have a transportation planner who has been hired to develop a Safe Routes to School Plan for Wanamaker students in attendance to share some information with families.
Lastly, we are looking for two additional board members to fill the Secretary and Vice President positions for the 2025-2026 school year. If you have questions regarding either position or are interested in joining our amazing team, feel free to reach out.

We look forward to seeing you! ☀️
Wanamaker PTA

INCOMING KINDERGARTEN PARENTS: Sign up now for Kindergarten Bootcamp! Bootcamp will be held from July 22-25. You can sign up for either a morning or afternoon session.

During bootcamp, students will engage in kindergarten readiness activities focusing on exploration, math and reasoning, art, reading, language development, and team building. The camps are led by some of our own kindergarten teachers!

You may sign your child up for Wanamaker Kindergarten Bootcamp at https://signup.com/go/KBcbQVA

Wanamaker students and their families raised $1100 with their Stuco-sponsored Bucks 4 Books campaign that ran in conjunction with the annual Book Fair this past February. For 2 weeks students generously brought pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar bills to school for this fundraiser. A portion of the money raised stayed in our own school, while the rest of it is being donated to Angel House Children's Home located in Tanzania, a country in East Africa.

Wanamaker 4th, 5th, and 6th graders became acquainted with Angel House Children's Home when Emmanuel Pius, a native African, an interpreter at Angel House, and a current medical student in Tanzania, visited them the last 2 years. Emmanual was introduced to WE by Janelle Wilke, a former WE interventionist and Angel House sponsorship coordinator.

In his presentation Emmanuel gave our students a unique look at parts of the African culture and educational system. Education is not free in Africa the same way that it is in America. Much perseverance and determination is needed to obtain an education in Africa.

Emmanuel's presentation included pictures of the kindergarten and secondary schools at Angel House Children's Home. Our funds will go towards starting to build a library for the students. Emmanuel, Mrs. Wilke, and the Angel House students expressed immense gratitude with the following Thank You note addressed to our school community.

Dear Students and Families, Teachers, and Staff of Wanamaker Elementary,

Wow! We are beyond grateful and truly amazed by your generosity and kindness. Thank you so much for raising over $1,000 to help start a new library for Angel House Elementary School! Your hard work, big hearts, and belief in the power of books and education will make a huge difference for so many children.

Because of you, students at Angel House will have access to books that will inspire their imaginations, fuel their dreams, and help them learn about the world-- just like you do at your own school. You are not just giving books; you are giving hope, knowledge, and a brighter future.

A special thank you to Ms. Alice Reinert for leading this effort and for allowing us to share with you all. Meeting you was such a joy, and we hope you know how much your kindness means.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Wanamaker Elementary! You are world-changers, and we can't wait to share with you the impact your generosity will have.

With gratitude,
Mrs. Wilke & Emmanual
Angel House Children's Home and School