Good evening, Warriors!

Just a quick reminder that this is a short week due to Thanksgiving break. We want to take a moment to express our gratitude for your continued support and partnership. Your involvement makes all the difference, and we truly appreciate the way you communicate and work with us to ensure your child receives the best education possible.

We absolutely love your child(ren) and are so thankful you chose us as their elementary school. Wishing you and your family a safe and joyful Thanksgiving break!

Below are the updates for the week. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Casey Brownsberger

·        December 1st -5th—PTA’s Santa Shop

·        December 4th—Santa Shop Open Late for families 4-6pm

·        December 2nd—Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting at 6pm

·        December 4th—PTA’s Santa Shop Open Late for Families to Shop from 4-6pm

·        December 5th—Attendance Awards

·        December 5th—BHMS Choir Performance at JWE

·        December 5th—Growth and Development for 5th graders

·        December 8th—PTA’s Skate Night at Rink Ratz 6-8pm

·        December 9th—BSSD’s Spelling Bee at 6pm

·        December 11th—5th Grade Performance at 7pm at JWE

·        December 18th—Student Holiday Luncheon

·        December 19th—End of 2nd Quarter

·        December 22nd-January 5th—No School

·        January 6th—Students Return

·        January 8th-District Reflections Showcase at Blue Springs High School from 5:30pm-7:00pm

As Thanksgiving break approaches, many families look forward to rest and relaxation. But for children, downtime can easily turn into hours of video games or scrolling on devices. While technology is part of modern life, research shows that excessive screen time can negatively impact children’s development in several ways.

I.                 Why Limit Screen Time?

Studies consistently link heavy screen use to challenges in attention, emotional regulation, and social skills. A recent meta-analysis of 117 studies found that increased screen time is associated with higher rates of anxiety, aggression, and lower self-confidence in children under 10. Similarly, prolonged exposure to screens can interfere with language development, as young children learn best through real-life conversations and interactive play—not passive viewing. [apa.org] [kids.uconn.edu]

Screens also affect physical health. Blue light from devices disrupts sleep by suppressing melatonin, which is critical for brain growth and memory formation. Poor sleep is linked to worsened ADHD symptoms and lower academic performance. [urmc.rochester.edu]

II.              What About Video Games?

Video games aren’t all bad—moderate play can improve problem-solving and visuospatial skills. However, excessive gaming often leads to social withdrawal and reduced physical activity. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one hour per day of high-quality screen time for ages 2–5, and two hours for older children, with parental involvement whenever possible. [psycnet.apa.org] [healthychildren.org]

III.            The Benefits of Screen-Free Activities

When kids unplug, they gain opportunities for:

IV.            Ideas for Thanksgiving Break

These activities don’t just keep kids busy—they nurture essential developmental skills that screens can’t replace.

·       Lynch Creek Farms Fundraiser… There is still time! Don’t forget to order these stunning wreaths and center pieces! Seriously they are the best! These wreaths make the perfect gift for those hard-to-shop-for family members and friends, and they’re ideal as hostess gifts too! Plus, you can schedule your delivery to arrive closer to the holidays or your next special event. Feel free to share this fundraiser with friends and family—every order helps! Don’t miss out on this festive opportunity to spread holiday cheer and give back. Click the link below to shop now, and thank you for your continued support! https://www.lynchcreekwreaths.com?campaign_id=4927304

·       Family Resource Assistance…Looking for additional support with school supplies, clothing, counseling, or community resources? We can help! Fill out this link and we will be reaching out soon. Fall 25-26 Resources for JWE Families – Fill out form

·       Holiday Shop Volunteer Opportunities-We are looking for volunteers to come in and be Shoppers Assistants! Your role would be to help kiddos as they make choices and follow any lists of who they are shopping for, while also ensuring they stay within their budgets. There are morning and afternoon time slots available, so you can choose a time that best fits your schedule. Please take a look at the calendar and sign up if you can. We need your help to make this a successful Christmas Shop for our school! Your support and enthusiasm will make a big difference in creating a memorable and joyful experience for the kids! Family Events: 2025 Christmas Shop

·       Difference Makers-Difference Makers is a Blue Springs School District mentoring initiative that connects K-5 students with caring adult volunteers. Difference Makers mentors are positive role models who give their time, energy, and talent to build positive relationships with students and to promote student literacy. If you are interested in being a Difference Maker at James Walker Elementary, please contact Lyda McMurray at lmcmurray@bssd.net or 816-874-3660.

·       Colder Weather…It is getting cold out! Please make sure you are sending your kiddos dressed for the weather (i.e. coats, hats, gloves, etc.). Please label your child’s items that way we can find their rightful owner. If the temperature feels warmer than 20 degrees and it is not precipitating, we are going out. Thanks for your help with this!

·       Lunch Accounts/Free and Reduced Lunch Applications- It is not too late! You an apply for this at any time. To enroll, you login to school café, click here https://www.schoolcafe.com/. The following link is a tutorial of how to enroll: https://vimeo.com/280726060/a627865334. Please remember to include everyone in your household, even if they are not students as this can impact the application being accepted.

Be sure you talk with your child before they go to school if they need to eat breakfast at school or not. 

To put money on your child's lunch account please visit: www.schoolcafe.com.

To apply for free or reduced meals, please complete the appropriate forms ASAP on www.schoolcafe.com. You can apply for this at any time.

The following link is a tutorial of how to enroll: https://vimeo.com/280726060/a627865334. Please remember to include everyone in your household, even if they are not students as this can impact the application being accepted. 

Elementary Breakfast        $1.85

Elementary Lunch             $2.95

Milk Price                           $0.70

*Reduced Breakfast           $0.00 (must qualify)

*Reduced Lunch                $0.40 (must qualify)

·      School hours are 9:15am - 4:05pm. Doors open at 9am. Please do not send/drop off your student any sooner since we do not have supervision outside until then. The earliest that you can drop off your student(s) is 9:00am. 

·      Attendance- Please make sure your child is on time to school each day. Attendance matters and is important! Check out this attached article on attendance and how you can help improve this.

·      Parent Pick Up and Drop Off-If you are a car rider, please make sure you are going through the car rider line. Student may not be dropped off on Sunnyside School Road. Lastly, please remember that we need you to mindful of our neighbors and please do not block their driveways. Thank you very much for your help with these.

·      Dismissal-If your plans change on your pick up procedures, please notify your child's teacher and the office prior to 3:30pm.

·      Walking to School…Love the wonderful weather outside and seeing so many families walking to school. Just a reminder that pets are not allowed on school grounds. We appreciate your help with this.

·      Parent Square… Be sure to download this app. It is the best way to receive communication from your child’s teacher and our school.

·      PTA…Be sure to join PTA! The PTA consists of parents and teachers working together to support and best serve all students, the needs of James Walker Elementary and our community. PTA is a team effort and we would love to have your involvement anytime! We also have business memberships available as well. To sign up, click on this link https://linktr.ee/jameswalkerpta

·        Water bottles: We highly encourage you to send your child with a water bottle filled with WATER only, every day. We have water filling stations to refill their water bottles as needed. 

·        Food Delivery: We cannot deliver food orders sent to students at our school (ex. Door Dash, Grub Hub, etc). So please do not order them and send them to school unless they are addressed to Mrs. Brownsberger.

·        Birthday Treats: If you would like to provide treats for your child’s birthday, this must be pre-arranged with your child’s teacher at least 24 hours in advance. Also, all treats must be store-bought, individual (not whole cakes), and packaged.

·        Volunteer/Background Check Information:  Each year we need an updated background check if you plan on volunteering up at school. The Blue Springs School District uses DataSource to enhance and strengthen our current background screening process for Volunteer Guests. It is FREE, SECURE, and SIMPLE to register. Please visit: https://bssd.quickapp.pro to fill out an application. Once there you will see all Blue Springs School District schools will be listed. Click on the building in which you are planning to volunteer. (If you have students attending multiple buildings, you will only need to complete one application. After completing the application, please contact the Building School Resource Officer for the school you applied at and let them know you have students at additional locations). Volunteer applications MUST be submitted at least five (5) days before the event for which you are volunteering. After submission, please wait for an email from DataSource. The email will let you know whether you have been approved or denied.

·       Lunch Visitors… To eat lunch with your child, you will need to complete a background check prior to coming. To complete a free background check click here: https://bssd.quickapp.pro. Then you will need to sign up for a day to be a lunch guest https://jwelunchvisitors.youcanbook.me/. We need at least 24 hours notice when signing up. That means you cannot sign up on the same day you want to eat lunch. We appreciate your help and planning with this.

·       Ronald McDonald House…Student Council is asking for your help! As part of a service project to help the families who belong to the Ronald McDonald House of Kansas City we are collecting pop tabs. These pop tabs support families with children in the hospital that stay at RMHC-KC or visit the Family Room. Advantage Metals, a local Kansas City recycler, buys the tabs at market rate and makes an additional charitable contribution to the Ronald McDonald House. They generously donate their pick-up and handling services, so the income from pop tabs is pure profit. Last year, this program brought in $20,000. We want to help them raise even more this year! WHAT CAN YOU DO? Collect pop tabs in zip-lock bags, cardboard boxes, coffee cans or plastic trash bags. Student Council will have a container set up in the office to collect the tabs. Your teacher will also have a collection “house” to keep the tabs collected. If you have a workplace that would be interested in collecting pop tabs for JWE’s Student Council please email Mrs. Hartstack at khartstack@bssd.net or Mrs. Horton ahorton@bssd.net and they will send some cardboard houses home with your child. Please do not use plastic soda bottles or milk jugs because they’re hard to empty! Thank you! 

Click on the link below to learn more about our school, available resources, and grade-level information. Inside, you'll find curriculum details that outline what your child will be learning this year, along with insights into their classroom experience. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher or contact our office at 816-874-3660. We’re here to support you and your child every step of the way!