Topeka Public Schools

TPS Leading Equity Conversations Nationally and Locally

Topeka Public Schools is proud to announce an Equity Series that encourages multiple organizations to partner with the district to join
the courageous conversations the district is holding. The district will be involved in three different series on equity nationally and locally.

Dr. Anderson has partnered with Discovery Education as part of their national conversation on race and equity in their Education Equity Talks. For more information or to register for free, click here. Locally, TPS is collaborating with KASB and USA Kansas to sponsor the equity talks virtually with the five African American superintendents that serve in Kansas. Additionally, Topeka is hosting Topeka Tuesdays, biweekly, and they will be having equity in education talks with students and staff as part of their ongoing courageous conversations to allow students and staff to share their voice and gain new ideas.

For more information on these series, visit our Equity Council page. Check out this news article to learn more.

Celebrate Juneteenth with Community Activities

Friday, June 19 is Juneteenth, a day celebrating the freedom of people formerly enslaved in the United States. Juneteenth celebrates the official end to slavery with the reading of General Order #3 in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. The order liberated enslaved people and a huge celebration followed. This celebration turned into a tradition that is widely celebrated across America. Check out the local opportunities to learn and celebrate with our community, click here.

HPHS Moves to the Kansas City-Atchison League

Topeka Public Schools is happy to announce that the Kansas City Kansas Atchison Conference voted unanimously on Tuesday to accept Highland Park High School into their league for the 2022-2023 school year. Highland Park becomes the third school this spring to announce that they will be leaving the Centennial League and joining the new league for the 2022-2023 school year. Congratulations Highland Park! Click here to read more from the Capital-Journal.

Congratulations to K-State/TPS Leadership Academy Graduates

Congratulations to Topeka Public Schools staff that graduated from the K-State/TPS Leadership Academy this May. The Leadership Academy, through a partnership with K-State, is a two-year program that allows TPS employees to further their studies in educational leadership to enable them to pursue leadership positions. For more information on this program contact Billie Wallace, Assistant Superintendent, at [email protected].

Every Kid Can Play Podcast Helps Students with Disabilities

A local teacher is making physical activity accessible and fun for all of his students. Matt Dunkin is an adaptive P.E. teacher in the USD 501 school district. He helps modify games during gym class for nearly 70 special needs students so that regardless of ability, everyone can play. During social distance learning, Dunkin created the Every Kid Can Play podcast where he has guests on to help educate the community about the importance of adaptive P.E. To read more about this story or listen to the podcast, click here.

Beat the Heat with New Hours for Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing

The Shawnee County Health Department, in partnership with Topeka Public Schools, has announced updated availability for the drive-through COVID-19 testing site at Highland Park High School due to the heat. The new hours will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 am to 11 am. Appointments will still be required and supplies and appointment times are limited. To make an appointment call SCHD at 785-251-4949.

Testing is only available for residents of Shawnee County who are experiencing two or more symptoms of the virus as stated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment guidelines. Click here to learn more about drive-through testing and symptoms of COVID-19.

Quincy Para Paints a Mural with a Strong Message

Following the tragic death of George Floyd in Minnesota, a local artist has found his own way to protest. Jordan E. Brooks, recently featured on KSNT News, is an artist at the NOTO Arts and Entertainment District and he is also a para at Quincy Elementary. Feeling inspired by the movement and protests, he painted a mural of George Floyd which is displayed downtown by the Amused Art Gallery. To see other ways members of our TPS family are peacefully protesting in the community, click here.

Enroll Now in Traditional or Virtual School for 2020-2021

Hey parents! It's never too early to start thinking about the next school year. Online enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year is currently open on our district website. Topeka Public Schools offers endless opportunities for students, pre-school through twelfth grade. Topeka Public Schools also offers a virtual education program. Homeschool parents can register to enroll in the virtual school. This program includes students (grades 4-12) and adults with both virtual and onsite learning opportunities. For more information about virtual learning opportunities feel free to contact us at [email protected]. On the TPS website, there are instructions on how to enroll new students and returning students, as well as resources for families.

It's Not Too Late to Enroll for Preschool Online

Our preschool application is still open for the 2020-2021 school year! If you have a young scholar that is ready to begin preschool in the fall, please visit our website and click on the pencil icon in the top right corner of the site to start the application process. When registering your child, you will need to provide the following documents: the child's immunization records, birth certificate, medical insurance card, and current physical exam. You must also provide the parent's 2019 tax returns and driver's license. For more information on how to register your new preschooler online, click here.

Your Census Response Matters to the Next Generation

A kindergartener counted in the 2020 Census this spring will be starting high school when the next census comes around in 2030: that’s 10 years of school supplies, teachers, school lunches, and so much more. This is your opportunity to help ensure they have a bright future.

Students are learning that the 2020 Census is a count of every person who lives in the United States and its territories. Responding to the census helps your community get its fair share of funding. Census data guides how more than $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to states and communities each year for schools, health care facilities, roads, transportation, recreation centers, social services, and more.

The 2020 Census is happening now. You can complete your questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail when your invitation arrives. For questions about responding to the 2020 Census, you can visit my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020.

2020-2021 District Calendar

The 2020-2021 district calendar is available and can be found by clicking here. The calendar includes dates of parent-teacher conferences, no school days and semester sessions.

TPS Foundation Golf Tournament a Success

A special thank you to all the players and sponsors that participated in the 2020 Win Tidwell Benefit Golf Tournament! This year's tournament, which benefits the Topeka Public Schools Foundation, was a tee time only event because of COVID-19 restrictions. There was no onsite registration or awards ceremony, and social distancing was practiced. Masks, gloves, and sanitizer were also available to all attendees and TPS Food Services provided a delicious lunch. Despite the restrictions, an ample number of players participated, and TPSF was able to raise a great deal of money for TPS grants and several players ended up with team prizes! Security Benefit Group was the underwriting sponsor for the tournament. For a list of the winning players and their team names, click here.

Another Way To Support TPSF
Turn your Father's Day shopping into a force for good. Shop at smile.amazon.com select the Topeka Public Schools Foundation as your charity of choice and Amazon donates to the TPS Foundation.