Friday, May 30, 2025

Bravo TPS Warriors!

🌟I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Brais and Mrs. LeMay for an awesome day of music today.  I absolutely love seeing our students perform and demonstrate their strengths and passions for music.  I don't know about you, but my face hurts from smiling. It was a great day - even if a wasp visit changed the plans just a bit this afternoon.  Bravo TPS Warriors!  I'll be uploading pictures and videos on the TPS Instagram later today. 




👕Another reminder that Field Day is coming on June 4th! Are you interested in helping out?  Please check out the Volunteer Sign Up Link! Can you sense the desperation? LOL

👉A reminder to TPS families that you are all cordially invited to attend our Annual STEAM Night, happening next Thursday, June 5th, from 5:30-7:30p.m. Come "swim" the halls of TPS and check out all of the STEAM activities we've been working on throughout our school year! Be sure to check out the delicious food trucks that will be joining us, as well as the many community organizers, too! Lastly, be sure to check out the raffle baskets in the gymnasium, offering a variety of themed baskets! Some include riding to school on a fire truck on the last day of school, riding with Cruiser and Officer Holly to school on the first day of school next year, Dollars around the District, A Day at the Beach and more! All money raised from the raffle baskets help fund STEAM activities throughout the year, including STEAM grants, supplies for our school-wide "Stop and STEAM" activities throughout the year, and all things STEAM at TPS! Ticket purchases for the raffles are cash only.

😊Next week we will hold our last spirit week. This time around we are holding days to celebrate ourselves and what makes us unique!  Check out the days below and/or the flyer in the Electronic Blue Folder. Grade level colors are as follows: 

K- Yellow 

1- Red

2- Navy/Dark Blue

3- Green

4- Pink 

5- Light Blue

6- Orange

7- White

8- Black




🍴Mrs. Preston in the cafeteria has asked me to share the alternate meals for June, as there are some changes to the menu as the use up their inventory.
Alternate Meals:
June 2nd-Bagel Meal
June 3rd - Rib-B-Que sandwich
June 4th- Chicken Patty on Bun
June 5th - Burger/Cheeseburger on Bun
June 5th- Cereal Meal

June 9th- Bagel Meal
June 10th- Pizza
June 11th- Grilled Cheese sandwich
June 12th- Corn Dog
June 13th- Cereal Meal
No Breakfast or Lunch will be served the last day of school June 16th



Have a great weekend!

                                                            


Looking Ahead: 

  • Monday (6/2) D Day
    • Rainbow Day
    • Graduates/Senior Walk 
  • Tuesday (6/3) A Day
    • Superhero Day
    • 6th Grade Field Trip to the Christa McAuliffe Center
    • 8th Grade Civics Fair @ 2:00 
  • Wednesday (6/4) B Day
    • Color Wars spirit day
    • Field Day!
  • Thursday (6/5) C Day
    • Crazy Sock Day
    • STEAM Night! 5:30-7:30
  • Friday (6/6)  D Day
    • "Me Day"
    • 2nd Grade Field Trip to Davis Farmland
    • Coach Larry's Retirement Celebration @ 4:00
  • Saturday (6/7) Track State Championship

Friday, May 23, 2025

Three Day Weekend Loading...

💝I know I can speak for the staff when I say thank you. Thank you so much for the gestures of appreciation all week!  From delicious treats, coffee, school supplies, snacks and slushies, we are all feeling so appreciated!  We are so grateful for the generosity and thoughtfulness of our TPS families and PTA!

🎵Exciting reminder! Don't forget that May 30th is our concert day!  Grades 5-8 will peform for us at 9:00 in the TPS gym.  At 1:00, grades k-4 will be performing their Musical Showcase in the TPS gym! We hope you can join us to see (and hear) what your student has been learning and working on this spring!  More information is in the Electronic Blue Folder! 

🎂Just a kind reminder regarding birthday invitations.  If invitations are to be handed out at school, please only do so if the entire class is invited, otherwise we encourage you to send them outside of the school day. Thank you for understanding. 

👕Field Day is coming on June 4th! Are you interested in helping out?  Please check out the Volunteer Sign Up Link!  Also, please send in a white t-shirt with your child next week so they can participate in the tie dye portion of the day! Be sure to write their name on the tag so we know who each shirt belongs to! 

🎓Eighth grade graduation will be held on 6/10 at 6:00 in the WRHS Auditorium!  There is no limit on the number of guests that are allowed.  More details will come in the weeks ahead! If you did not see the email about the Harrington Farm dance that I sent earlier this week, let me know!

🎭TPS is hosting a middle school talent show on the evening of 5/30 at 6PM in the TPS Cafeteria!  A bigger version of the flyer below is linked in the Electronic Blue Folder. 


 📅ELPAC has it's last meeting on June 3rd at 9:30 in the Curriculum Center at the Jefferson School/Central Office!  I have added a flyer with more information in the Electronic Blue Folder.

⚑The Princeton Memorial Day Planning Chair asked me to share that this weekend the First Congregational Church will be hosting a light luncheon from noon to 1pm if anyone would like to grab a bite to eat before the parade and observances.  She also asked that I include a flyer about this weekend's festivities, which can be found in the Electronic Blue Folder. 

Have a wonderful three day weekend!

                                                              


Looking Ahead: 

  • Sunday 5/25 - Princeton Memorial Day Parade - Chorus Singing (meet at 12:45)
  • Monday (5/26) - NO SCHOOL (MEMORIAL DAY)
  • Tuesday (5/27) B Day
  • Wednesday (5/28) C Day
  • Thursday (5/29) D Day
  • Friday (5/30)  A Day
    • Spring Concert for 5-8 at 9:00 
    • Spring Concert for k-4 at 1:00 
    • Talent Show @ 6:00 in the TPS Cafe

Friday, May 16, 2025

TGIF!

Happy Friday TPS Families!  

 🚒 This morning we ran a routine fire drill.  The staff and students did an amazing job exciting the building quickly, quietly and safely! We were supported by our Princeton Fire Department and Officer Holly and Cruiser (who may have helped a little with the drill)! 


👚STEAM Night t-shirts are now on sale!  TPS students entered an in-school constest to be the winning designer of this year's t-shirt!  Lauren Jones' design won! Congratulations Lauren! The t-shirt is going to be adorable!  If you'd like more information, check out the electronic blue folder.  If you'd like to order a shirt, here is the link!  T-shirts will arrive in time for STEAM Night on 6/5! Sales end on 5/22 so be sure to get your orders in if you'd like one!


🗪 Exciting news from the middle school Spanish classroom!  

Congratulations to Dr. Loughlin's Spanish students for placing TENTH in the world in the ImmerseMe Games and SECOND in their category (based on enrolled students). Dr. Loughlin won the Innovative Educator Award thanks to her students and all their hard work acquiring Spanish through the VR Goggles and ImmerseMe. Special recognition and congratulations to both Amelia Oles and Josiah Corpuz for earning the Bronze Independence Award by scoring in the top 16% of participants worldwide and dominating the Thomas Prince leaderboard. TPS competed against 264 other schools and over 19,000 students from around the world. Visit here to see TPS on the winners list. The top 10 students on the TPS leaderboard are as follows: Amelia Oles, Josiah Corpuz, Cameron Reding, Carter Chabot, Ryan O'Connor, Cailyn Kindorf, Jayce Gedman, Taryn Devlin, Dexter Stevens, and Annie Wheeler. Thanks to all of the students for trying their hardest and working so hard!  

🤖Lego League is back! Here is the info below (with a flyer in the Electronic Blue Folder):

The FIRST Lego League Challenge program is being run for students entering grades 5th through 8th this coming fall. It introduces kids to STEM using legos and lego robotics. The program focuses on creativity, fun and teamwork. Each year there is a theme. This year's theme is UNEARTHED, which focuses on archaeology. The program is multi-faceted and has three main components: the Robot Challenge, the Innovation Project and demonstration of FIRST Core values.

In the FIRST Lego League Challenge program the kids will;
  • Build and program Lego Spike Prime robots to complete autonomous missions.
  • Select a real world problem related to the yearly theme, do research on it, design a solution to the problem, prototype the solution and create a presentation. 
  • At the end of the program they will attend a local tournament, where they will present the research project and compete with other teams on the robot missions. 

Here is a great video that shows a sampling of the robots, projects and core values of the program. 

The program is not just about building and programming robots although it is a significant part. The team benefits when the members have a diverse set of skills and interests. The project component draws heavily on being creative and artistic. Teamwork relies on good communication and leadership. The team needs a variety of talents to be successful. 

The program runs two days a week from after school to 5:00 starting the first week in September to mid December. The program cost is a $160 which includes registration, tournament fees, tee shirts, project materials, incentive prizes and snacks. If this poses a financial hardship let me know, the fee can be waived or reduced. 

Jennifer Stander will be coaching the Lego League teams. She is an Electrical Engineer working in the field of Robotics and also an Adjunct Professor at WPI teaching electrical and computer design courses. To help the students reach their goals, it is important to have additional volunteers to help at the meetings. If you are interested in registering your child for the program and/or volunteering, feel free to email Jennifer at legofirst@js.mxpark.com

Team selection will be done starting at the end of June, if your child wishes to be considered for the team please let her know by June 14th.



⭐A Note from the Nurse: 

Dear Parents/Guardians,

TPS will be conducting the annual Postural Screening for grades 5-8 during gym classes the week of 5/27-5/30. If a make-up day is required on any screening day, the postural screening will be held in gym class the following week. 

The purpose of this screening is to detect early signs of possible spinal problems in children. It is not a diagnostic service but a program to identify young people who should have a further medical evaluation. If your child has any unusual findings, a notice will be sent home asking you to bring your child to a physician as a precaution. If nothing unusual is found, you will not be contacted.

Preparation: Students may wear a two-piece swimsuit or halter top/sports bra underneath their regular clothing on the day of the screening. This type of clothing permits more accurate observation of the back. 

Opt-Out of the Screening Program: If you wish to exclude your child from the postural screening, please provide documentation that your child was screened by their physician and email the nurse asking for your child to be opted out of the screening at karina_abbascia@wrsd.net.

🍎This year, we "rescheduled" Staff Appreciation Week to 5/19-5/23. The PTA has some fun things planned for the staff! Thank you to the PTA for organizing this for the staff and to the families for helping too! TPS has an amazing staff and we are so very grateful for everything they do day in and day out for all of our Warriors!  

🎵TPS Chorus: Don't forget that on Sunday 5/25 you will be singing "God Bless America" at the beginning of the Princeton Memorial Day Parade.  After the parade loop, you will be signing "America!" on the lower common. Please arrive at 12: 45PM. There's more info in the Electronic Blue Folder.


                                                             


Looking Ahead: 

  • Monday (5/19) A Day
  • Tuesday (5/20) B Day
    • Civics MCAS gr. 8
    • 4th Grade Field Trip - Tower Hill
  • Wednesday (5/21) C Day
    • Civics MCAS gr. 8
  • Thursday (5/22) D Day
  • Friday (5/23)  A Day
    • TPS Spirit Day - Wear your TPS Warriors gear or wear red!
  • Sunday 5/25 - Princeton Memorial Day Parade - Chorus Singing (meet at 12:45)
  • Monday 5/26  - NO SCHOOL (MEMORIAL DAY)

Friday, May 9, 2025

Looking Ahead!

👉Just a reminder that 5/14 is a half day!  Dismissal begins at 11:55! Make sure to update School Dismissal Manager!

📆Save the date for TPS STEAM Night on 6/5! The event will run from 5:30-7:30! The STEAM Committee has been working hard planning a fun-filled night for both kids and families! It will be great to see you there! Check out the Electronic Blue Folder for the entire STEAM Night flyer with more details! 


⭐This is the busy time of year, and with that said, I thought I would share some reminders of important dates coming up so you could get them on your calendar! 

  • 5/13 Town Meeting @ 7: 00 - Childcare starts at 6:50
  • 5/14 Half Day - Dismissal at 11:55
  • 5/20 Grade 8 Civics MCAS
  • 5/21 Grade 8 Civics MCAS
  • 5/25 Chorus signing at Memorial Day @ 1:00 (see the Electronic Blue Folder for details)
  • 5/30 Band/Chorus concert in the TPS gym @ 9:00
  • 5/30 k-4 Music Concert @ 1:00
  • 6/4 Field Day
  • 6/5 STEAM Night - 5:30-7:30
  • 6/6 Coach Pistrang Retirement Celebration @ 4:00-6:00 on TPS Playground
  • 6/9 Field Day Rain Date
  • 6/9 Last Day of Kindergarten
  • 6/10 8th Grade Graduation at 6:00 @ WRHS
  • 6/12 8th Grade Dance
  • 6/16 Last Day of School - Dismissal at 11:55

🎊Coach Pistrang is retiring at the end of this season. As you may know, Larry has been the coach of our TPS Cross Country and Track and Field teams, as well as basketball for the last 25 years. Please see the following note from his daughter, as we plan his retirement celebration! 

My name is Molly Pistrang, and I am one of Coach Larry Pistrang's daughters. I am writing because Coach Pistrang is retiring after 25 years of coaching basketball, track, and cross-country at Thomas Prince School. A few parents of current athletes have planned a celebration to honor Coach Pistrang (Thank you, Justins). This will be held at Thomas Prince on Friday, June 6 from 4-6PM. We would love for as many current/former athletes, families, and coaches to attend as possible, so please spread the word. 

We are creating a digital scrapbook and I am trying to compile as many former and current athlete, parent/guardian, and colleague/coach perspectives as I can. You have been part of my father's coaching journey and I know it would mean a lot to see a message from you. Please fill out this form to RSVP and share anecdotes for the digital scrapbook.  Please send or share this with anyone else who you think might want to share about their experience with Coach Pistrang over the years.

🏃Clara Robinson will be offering a running clinic,  Summer Striders, on the dates below.  Check out the website for more information! There is also a flyer in the Electronic Blue Folder.

  • Thursday 6/19: 9-10 AM
  • Tuesday 6/24: 9-10 AM
  • Friday 6/27: 9-10 AM
  • Tuesday 7/1: 9-10 AM
  • Thursday 7/3: 9-10 AM
📱On Thursday afternoon, the Central Office sent out a communication about dangerous social media trends.  In case you didn't get it, I wanted to share it with you here.  These are trends that are in fact occurring, so please chat with your student(s) about it.  I appreciate it!

Dear Families,

We want to make you aware of two recent social media trends that are encouraging dangerous and damaging behavior.

One “challenge” involves inserting various metallic objects into electrical outlets.  It goes without saying that this could lead to significant injury.  We sincerely hope that none of our students make the mistake of attempting this.

Another popular “challenge” persuades students to insert metal objects into the ports on their school-issued Chromebooks.  In many school districts, including ours, this has already led to significant equipment damage, usually caused by overheating and even fire.  Beyond concerns about damaging school property, this is also a serious safety risk.

We ask for your partnership in preventing these actions. Please speak with your children about avoiding electrical hazards and respecting school property.  Please also remind them that intentionally damaging school equipment is a serious matter that can carry disciplinary and financial consequences.

As always, we appreciate your support in helping students use technology safely and responsibly.


Have a great weekend! Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms, Grandmothers, and Guardians!🎕

                                                                  


Looking Ahead: 

  • Monday (5/12) B Day
  • Tuesday (5/13) C Day
    • Science MCAS gr. 5 & 8
  • Wednesday (5/14) D Day
    • HALF DAY - Dismissal at 11:55
  • Thursday (5/15) A Day
    • Science MCAS gr. 5 & 8
  • Friday (5/16)  B Day
    • TPS Spirit Day - Wear your TPS Warriors gear or wear red!
    • Kindergarten Hike @ 12:45

Friday, May 2, 2025

Welcome Back!

👏Welcome Back! I hope everyone had a wonderful break.  We really lucked out with how gorgeous it was!  It's crazy to think we are already in the homestretch.  

🎤At this week's School Committee Meeting, our Project 351 Ambassador, Jude Hebb, was introduced.  Jude did a great job sharing her favorite parts of the program with the committee and attendees! To hear her speech, check out the TPS Instagram account @tpswarriors !  We are so proud of Jude for representing TPS and for her efforts within the organization! 

 



🗣I always love to share the awesome things happening in our classrooms. If you follow the TPS Instagram, I'm sure you have seen them. This week, I asked Dr. Emily Loughlin to share a super cool initiative in her middle school Spanish classroom: 

Spanish Students Dive into Virtual Reality!

This month, our 7th and 8th grade Spanish students have taken language learning to the next level—virtually! Thanks to a generous loan of VR headsets from Nichols College, where Doctora Loughlin also works part-time, students are exploring Spanish-speaking environments through ImmerseMe, an immersive language learning platform. With headsets on, they're chatting with native Spanish speakers in realistic scenarios—all from the classroom! As part of this exciting experience, we're also participating in a research project studying how students perceive using VR in education. Even more exciting—we’re currently competing in the ImmerseMe Games, a global contest that adds a fun, competitive twist to language learning. ¡Buena suerte to our students and gracias to Nichols College for loaning us these amazing devices!





⭐As you know, Town Meeting is scheduled for 5/13 at 7:00 at TPS.  I wanted to let you know that I am working with the high school and student council to organize childcare.  Childcare will be held in the TPS Extended Day room, where the children can play games or watch a movie. You can drop your child off starting at 6:50.  

🚲 A Note from Brent Fisk about the Princeton Police Department's Annual Bike Safety Class! HERE is the form to register. 

Spring is HERE and Summer is right behind it!

Want to make sure your child's bike is ready for riding and learn about how to be safe riding this summer?

Princeton Police Department is hosting their Annual Bike Safety Class RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL on Wednesday, May 14th. School early release is at 11:55 AM, and the safety class will start at 12:00. 

Please feel free to either meet your student after school with their bike or drop off their bike at the TPS Bike rack. If you are planning on bringing them directly (meeting them after school) please make sure to note their dismissal in School Dismissal Manager with Thomas Prince School. 

The event will last approximately 1 hour and then they will be free to ride around and play on the playground. 

As a special incentive this year, kids who participate in the bike safety program will also be allowed to participate in Princeton's Annual Memorial Day Parade! During the Parade and Observances at 1PM on Sunday May 25th! During the Parade, they will be allowed to WALK their bikes in the parade as a sign of respect for our Armed Forces service members who gave their lives in service to our Country. They will also be invited to ride at the end of the parade as part of the Remembrance Ride in which each rider will ride in honor of one of Princeton's thirty-three fallen veterans with a police escort around the town common.

Please register each participating student individually!


Have a great weekend!

                                                                  


Looking Ahead: 

  • Monday (5/5) A Day
  • Tuesday (5/6) B Day
    • Math MCAS gr. 3-8
  • Wednesday (5/7) C Day
    • Math MCAS gr. 3-8
    • School Nurse Day
  • Thursday (5/8) D Day
    • PTA Meeting @ 6:00
  • Friday (5/9) A Day
    • Celtics Spirit Day - Let's support our hometown team during the playoffs! Wear your Cetlics gear, green or your favorite basketball team gear!
    • 3rd Grade Mother's Day Celebration @ 9:00

It's Almost Time!

😎Can you believe it's almost the first day of school? Man, this summer has flown by.  I sure hope that you have found the time to relax...