Topeka Collegiate families and friends,

We strive to create a vibrant and engaging learning environment for our students. Each year, we are able to go beyond the basics and provide “Beyond the Book” experiences to enrich the foundational education that children receive here. This Spring, the Kokari Foundation has awarded a generous grant to our Fine Arts department to facilitate interactive and complimentary learning experiences in music, architecture, and art.

The premise of the grant hopes to dispel the belief that “art does not solve problems but makes us aware of their existence.” The grant writers propose that “art education DOES solve problems. Years of research show that it is closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development. civic engagement, cognitive problem-solving skills, and equitable opportunity.”

As a result of this grant, our students will be able to experience the following:

• Immersive On-Campus Art Exhibits featuring Van Gogh, Michelangelo, and Gaudí
• Field trips to Kansas City to experience music and architecture
• Interactive art projects in the style of the artists studied, to demonstrate and deepen the learning experience of this initiative.

Topeka Collegiate is so grateful to partner with organizations such as the Kokari Foundation, who come with the purpose of enhancing and enriching the educational experiences of our students. Thank you, Kokari!

In addition to the Kokari grant's Beyond the Book experiences, we also want to highlight our 8th graders' upcoming Beyond the Book experience at SeaCamp on February 5-11. They will be traveling to Big Island Hawai'i to study the flora, fauna, history, topography, and geography of the state in addition to the focus of marine biology.  We wish them a successful and safe trip!

Going Beyond the Book describes more than just our educational experiences, but also our approach to better serving our community. We are excited about our Tuition ReImagined program that was rolled out in early December. Read on for more information about the tuition redesign.

Dr. Lyn. D. Rantz

Head of School

Topeka Collegiate is welcoming Lucas Ryan as our new Director of Communications. Lucas is coming from the State Treasurer's Office where he served as Communications Manager.

Lucas grew up in Topeka, and is eager to be joining the Leadership Team of an institution he has always respected. The son of a school counselor, he's most excited about letting the broader Topeka community know about the wonderful Beyond The Book experiences we provide our students with.

He is a graduate of Washburn University and started on January 17th. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Ryan!

“It is a pleasure to welcome Lucas as Director of Communications. He brings a strong skillset,

diverse experiences, and a commitment to excellence. These qualities are what we were

seeking to work towards our strategic goals,” said Dr. Lyn Rantz, Head of School. “He comes to

Collegiate at a momentous time with our Sustain Campaign which focuses on campus and

endowment investment. He will be an integral piece of our school’s growth and success. A

native of Topeka and mission-centric, we are thrilled to have Lucas join our school in our 40th

year.”

• January 28: TCL Basketball Game vs SM; 10:00 AM
• January 30: Middle School Quiz Bowl Competition at CTK; 4:15 PM- 6:00 PM
• January 30: TCL Basketball Game vs HF; 6:30 PM
• February 2: 2nd-5th Grade Music Program; 7:00 PM-8:00 PM
• February 3: Middle School Dance; 7:00 PM- 10:00 PM
• February 5-11: 8th Grade SeaCamp to Big Island Hawai'i
• February 6: TCL Basketball Game vs SM; 6:30 PM
• February 6: Collegiate at Culver’s Night; 4 PM- 10 PM
• February 9: Book Buddies- Critical Thinking
• February 10: 7th Grade Assembly; 8:30 AM
• February 11: Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Round-Up; 9:30 AM- 11:30 AM (Registration Required)
• February 13-17: Antoni Gaudi Immersive Art Exhibit
• February 14: 7th Grade Field Trip to the Federal Reserve Bank; 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM
• February 17: No School- Parent- Teacher Conferences
• February 20: No School- Presidents' Day
• February 22: Model UN Conference, 8th Grade; 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM
• February 23: Visitation Day for potential students (Registration Required)
• February 24: Kindergarten Assembly; 8:30 AM
• February 24: Middle School Regional Science Fair; 8:00 AM- 3:30 PM
• February 25: Middle School District National History Day; 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM
• February 28: 4th Grade Wax Museum; 2:15 PM- 3:00 PM

Special congratulations to our School-Wide Spelling Bee Champion, Kinley (4th), on her repeat victory, having won last year while in third grade. The other two finalists were Toby (3rd) and Tucker (6th), finishing in a tie for second place.

• Student auditions have taken place for our spring Topeka Collegiate musical. Directors, Mrs. Kay Siebert and Ms. Megan Hossain, have selected Frozen Jr., based on the 2018 Broadway musical which brings Elsa, Anna, and the magical land of Arendelle to life. Congratulations to all who tried out, as it takes courage to audition before a panel of judges, and good luck in rehearsal and performance. Click here to see the complete cast list and their primary roles!
• All faculty will be involved in the second semester Parent-Teacher Conferences, which are scheduled for Friday, February 17. Links have been sent out to parents to reserve their time with teachers. A general focus for this round of conferences with middle school students and parents will be the ERB Assessment results. Lower school conferences will include discussions regarding academic and social progress. Resource teachers are also available for meetings. It are a great time for parents and guardians to ask questions of and work in partnership with teachers for greater student achievement and success. We hope to see all parents and guardians there.

• In honor of our 40th year and the groundbreaking of our Sustain Campaign, we are increasing our referral incentive to $1,000. Refer a new student for our 2023-2024 school year and receive a $1,000 FACTS credit. To learn more about referral program and requirements, visit our website!
• Just a reminder that our School and Student Services (SaSS) deadline is coming up. We are using the information obtained from this process as the basis for your Family Individualized Tuition (FIT) rate evaluation. Don’t miss this opportunity if you would like your individual FIT rate determination to be based on your family's unique financial situation. Please reach out to our Director of Finance and Operations, Debra Ricks, if you have any questions or need any additional information concerning enrollment, your contract, and/or your FIT rate evaluation. 
• Monday, January 30: School and Student Services submission deadline
• Friday, February 17: Re-enrollment contracts will be emailed to current families.
• Friday, March 10: Re-enrollment contracts due; Early Eagle Credit of $100 applied to your FACTS account if returned by this date.
• We do our best to prioritize our current families during our enrollment/re-enrollment process. If you are interested in having a sibling (of current student) join us next year, their application process needs to be completed to align incentives and contracts. As a reminder, current students are never required to submit an application for their next grade. 2023-2024 Re-Enrollment Steps:
• Participate in our FIT evaluation process (optional).
• Sign and submit 2023-2024 Tuition Contracts.
• Complete and submit the annual enrollment packet.
• Parents and friends, you’ve saved the date for the auction (April 22) and now you’re wondering, “how can I get involved in this amazing event?”. Well, we’ve got some TIME, TALENT, and TREASURE ideas for you to get involved!

• Summer BLAST offers a wide variety of weekly camps throughout the summer with an emphasis on safety, convenience, and most of all, fun! Registration is open now! Your student's friends who attend other schools are welcome to join them at Summer Blast, our camps are open to the public.
• Book Talks with donuts and Dr. Rantz start next week! Be sure to check Friday folders for your student's invitation to the event!
• Monday, January 30 at 8:30 AM: The Sour Grape by Jory John and Pete Oswald
• Tuesday, January 31 at 8:30 AM: Animal Rescue Friends by Meika Hashimoto, Gina Loveless, and Genevieve Kote
• Thursday, February 2 at 8:30 AM: Just Harriet by Elana K. Arnold
• Friday, February 3 at 8:30 AM: All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds
• Parents! If you missed the opportunity to order a keepsake of your child's art through Original Works in November, and still would like to do so, click here for instructions!
• Our FEBRUARY volunteer of the month is Ellen Lamoreaux! Ellen helps out in our 1st and 2nd grade classrooms. Thank you, Ellen, for all you do for our students!
• Greetings from the 7th grade class and parents! We are officially on our way to raising money for their 8th grade SeaCamp Experience. It’s time to bring back events over the next year like Bingo Night (an all-time favorite), pancake feeds, and a possible carnival. In addition to these events, we have other fundraisers and we will keep you updated on the latest from 7th grade. Coming Up: 
• Burrito Sales! Online ordering now through February 10, pick-up on February 17. Click here to order now!

We were excited to ring in the New Year with the Topeka Chinese-American Association this past weekend! Hop on over to their social media to see more photos from the event!

Get involved with our 2023 Auction on April 22 with one of the ideas here!