Happy Spring Break!

April 14, 2023

Last weekend, we had some amazing volunteers join us in the courtyard for our spring clean-up. That final winter storm really did a number on the trees and there was still work to be done from the fall. It is amazing to watch so many hands make the work go quickly. The Benghazi courtyard is now a far more inviting space for teachers and students just as the weather has become nice. A special thank you to Mrs. Santello for organizing the whole thing. Thank you too, to all our volunteers. And a final thank you to Mrs. Finkler and her art classes for the kindness rocks that now adorn one of our beds.

Speaking of thanks and of volunteers, I would be remiss if I didn't thank our volunteer Jennifer Standerwho brought Lego League to TPS. This winter she organized three different groups of students to complete projects, learn together, and of course, play with Legos. This past week, the participating elementary students presented the fruits of their efforts to their families and will be showing classmates in the coming weeks. We're hopeful that we will be able to continue to grow the program and eventually form teams that will compete with others from around the state in challenges. None of this would be possible without Mrs. Stander's efforts!

This week also marked our annual Trail Day. Earlier in the year, volunteers and naturalists guided many of our middle schoolers through the nature trails behind the school teaching them about the natural surroundings. On Thursday, this learning came full circle, as our Trail Guides (Middle Schoolers) were able to lead our elementary students through the trials and impart some of their learning to them. We were fortunate to have a beautiful day filled with smiles and learning! Thank you to our volunteers, our Middle School Trail Guides, and Mrs. St. Pierre for organizing the whole thing.

Last week I shared a note regarding class placement for next year. The linked form had some setting issues so I wanted to reshare the whole paragraph here to make sure no one missed out: We will be starting the placement process in the elementary school soon. As is the district policy and best practice, we solicit information from parents in the process. I must remind you though that we are not always able to honor requests as our goal is to develop balanced classrooms and we have limited rooms to place kids. This year, we are accepting feedback on the placement process through this form. We will close the form on April 28th.

The PTA Corner:

The Friday we return from break is our rescheduled presentation by Peg Dawson, executive functioning guru. Remember that the venue has moved to here at TPS but the time has stayed the same (6:00). All are welcome and the content of the talk should be relevant to parents/guardians of all ages.
The PTA is sponsoring a Braveheart night this year! Come out and see the chorus do the National Anthem and our cub scouts doing the color guard. The game is on May 26th and tickets are only $10 each! It promises to be a fun evening! More information can be found in the electronic folder or here.
Keep an eye out for information about our spring Spirit Wear coming after the break!