Sneaking into Thanksgiving week!

It was a joyous day at TPS today! We kicked off the day with our TPS Thanksgiving parade. Led by Cruiser, the parade meandered through the halls. 8th grade followed behind Cruiser and passed out notes of gratitude. 3rd grade was right behind them with Balloons over Broadway. And finally, the 6th grade came through with capstone projects around their learning so far this year. The route was lined with students sharing signs of gratitude and parents with big smiles. 

Several other grades completed parade float STEAM projects. Notably, 2nd graders coded robots to run a short route without bumping into things. Also, 5th grade had an opportunity to participate in the Third Annual Balloons Over Broadway experience! Students had the chance to create a parade balloon, write a descriptive writing piece from the point of view of said balloon, and lastly, participate in a cooperative learning STEAM activity. Students were tasked with trying to keep their balloon afloat using various items to weigh it down. Teamwork, communication, and creativity helped students find success! 

After this morning's parade, grades 5-8 participated in the first TPS Turkey Trot, racing through the Meadow trail in pursuit of the elusive 8th-grade turkey (seen here up a tree)! 

A note from Mrs. Finkler: "Last chance, it's not too late. The order deadline is quickly approaching. Act now to support your school and celebrate your child's creativity. Order Here: Online: www.SquarelArt.com/Shop Need to find your child's art online? Use our art search. Together, we can help support the school and create lasting keepsake memories of your child's art to enjoy for years!"

Save the date: The PTA Holiday Shop will run from December 5th through the 8th. Students will have an opportunity (or two!) to shop during their school day. We will have small gift items under $10 available for the students to purchase. 

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I feel like Thanksgiving came really quickly this year! Please remember that we do not have school Wednesday through Friday next week. I hope you all find time to celebrate the week with family and friends. With only two days next week, I will be sure to cover the following week in the "Look Ahead" 

The district office has asked me to let all of you know....we are hiring subs! Public education is severely lacking in this area these days and WRSD is no different. This flyer explains what they are looking for and I am always happy to talk to anyone about the possibility. Especially if you'll agree to sub at TPS! 

A note from the Library: 

"The TPS Library is hoping that our overdue library books will come home!  If your child has overdue books, you have some options to return the book, or if it is very lost, pay the replacement cost or buy us a new copy.  As an alternative, your child can also bring in a non-perishable food item that we will donate to a local food pantry.  Please help us to keep our collection healthy and ready to share with more readers!

If you would also like to purchase a new book for the library from our Amazon Wish List, you can do so here.  We are always adding new titles (and looking for suggestions for new titles!) so check back often!"

Our Lego League team is preparing for their tournament in December and we are all very excited about it! We are also starting to prepare for our Explore program which begins in January. This program is for students in 1st through 5th grades. Learn more about the program through this flyer or the short video below. It is a really exciting and engaging program. 

Chocksett Middle School is inviting any girls interested in playing basketball season to join them by signing up here. 

Electronic Folder

New: Lego Explore, Lights in Common

The Weeks Ahead: 

• Monday (11/20) Day D 
• Tuesday (11/21) Day A 
• TPS Thanksgiving Parade
• Wednesday through Friday: No School - Thanksgiving Break
• Monday (11/27) Day B
• Boys Basketball starts
• Tuesday (11/28) Day C
• Wednesday (11/29) Day D
• Thursday (11/30) Day A
• Monty Tech VIP
• PTA Meeting
• Friday (12/1) Day B

And way ahead: 

•  Week of 12/4 - The PTA Holiday Shop

Long Weekend!

After the ALICE drill, I had some conversations around student safety. This drill, specifically dealt with physical safety, but we are equally concerned about social emotional and all aspects of student safety. I wanted to share some of what we do here. Every year, we ask students to identify a safe adult in the building that they can talk to. Every year, we train staff on being mandated reporters. If we ever suspect a student is unsafe, we are required by law to contact DCF. If we suspect or get reports of bullying, we initiate an investigation and implement a safety plan while investigating. You can learn more about this process on our website. If there is ever a concern about sexual harassment, we follow the Title IX requirements. More information about this can be found here. And please know, if a student ever reports not feeling safe, we take their concerns seriously and work with them. Last year, we incorporated Restorative practices in many situations to support students. Safety is always a top priority at TPS!  

A note from Mrs. Finkler: 

"Hello Family,

Coming home to you soon will be your child's custom catalog for the Square 1 Art fundraiser. Get a head start, and start ordering keepsakes and gifts featuring your child's art online NOW, if you like!

Simply search for your child's art using Art Search, and enter the state, school name, and your student's name. Your student's art and code will appear, and you may order!

Order by:  11/28/2023

Upload additional art if you like, using Art Upload!

If you have questions or need anything at all, contact customer care online .

Thank you for supporting our school!"

Today at lunch, we were lucky to be joined by Sargent Jo Falco. Sgt. Falco served in the army during the Vietnam War and spent lunch talking to our students about Veteran's Day. I have to say, that our students were appropriately respectful and engaged in his talk. Thank you to the PTA for arranging this. And thank you to Sgt. Falco and all of our Veteran's for their service. This weekend and every day, we honor them. 

Electronic Folder

The Week Ahead: 

• Monday (11/13) Day C
• PTA Mini Grants close
• School Council
• Tuesday (11/14) Day D
• MS Basketball sign ups close
• Wednesday (11/15) Day A
• Thursday (11/16) Day B
• SEPAC
• Friday (11/17) Day C

Happy Friday!

This morning we completed our first ALICE (violent intruder) drill of the school year. The safety of this building and everyone in it is a primary concern. We must do these to allow students and staff to develop muscle memory and practice making important decisions in the moment. Everyone did an amazing job! Rooms that evacuated did so quickly and quietly. Rooms that went into lockdown did an amazing job as well. We are so appreciative of the Princeton Police and Fire Departments and their support. The students and staff did a great job in the drill. I continue to schedule these with the hope that we never need to use them for real.    

Middle School Families: We have enough interest that it seems we will be able to have a boys' basketball team once again. Sign-ups are online and will remain up until midnight on Tuesday, 11/14. The team will practice daily from 3:00-5:00 with tryouts/practices beginning when we return from Thanksgiving (11/27). Payment is not required until the team is made. Any girls interested in playing basketball this year can sign up to join Chocksett in Sterling here once it is posted. Last year, we had a few girls join the team there and they won the district championship! 

"We still need volunteers in the TPS Library! Our slots with the greatest need are any day of the week between 10:30 and 12:40, and we can often accommodate parents who want (or don't want) to help out in their child's class. Contact Jessie (jessie.trowbridge@gmail.com) to learn more about getting started!"

Last call for PTA Poinsettias! 

REMINDER: Veteran's Day Photo Collage, deadline extended

With Veteran's Day coming up soon, we would like to celebrate all of the veteran service members that have connections to the TPS community. If you have a photo that you would like included in the photo collage, we are extending the deadline to MONDAY!

We are changing the format this year and WILL return copies (only if you specify), or you can email a digital copy to us and we will print it for you! Email tpsprincetonpta@gmail.com. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to show your Veteran’s Day pride at TPS!

School Dismissal Manager Reminders! 

• Please remember that we have a 1:00 cutoff for changes to dismissal. 
• If your child has been in Cross Country, remember to cancel the exception. 

Electronic Folder 

November Letter Day Calendar, Toys for Tots, 911 updates

The week ahead: 

• Sunday (11/5) 
• End of Daylight Savings Time
• Monday (11/6) Day C
• Tuesday (11/7) Day D
• Election Day
• Wednesday (11/8) Day A
• 8th grade Band Trip
• Thursday (11/9) Day B
• Friday (11/10) 
• No School - Veteran's Day Observance

We've got Spirit, How bout you?

Every year, a program called Project 351 pulls one 8th grader from every Middle School in the state to join together in leadership and service. Project  351 celebrates students who are quiet leaders in their schools. The TPS teachers tried to select someone who leads with an open heart and is kind, compassionate, and humble.  They looked for someone who demonstrates respect for others, works as a team, and has a desire to help others. This year, the Middle School teachers nominated Nick Brady. Nick fits the bill on all of these characteristics and we recognized him at lunch this week. I know he will represent TPS well! You can learn more about the program here. 

Looking ahead, we are planning on having another "violent intruder" drill next week. I prefer to refer to

them as ALICE drills. We had one of these in the Spring last year and learned a lot through the process. Our goal in these drills is to create motor memory for students and empower staff to make responsible decisions. We are so fortunate to have a wonderful working relationship with the Princeton Police Department and the Fire Department. This was scheduled a few weeks ago, prior to the awful violence that occurred in Lewiston this week. My heart goes out to all of those affected. That incident stands as a reminder of why we unfortunately have to run these drills. It is better to be prepared and not need it than to be unprepared when something happens. 

This week, Spirit Week was a blast! Kids and staff seemed to have a blast dressing in different ways and the week culminated with an epic costume parade! Follow our Instagram account (@tpswarriors) to see pictures and videos from the week.  

Congratulations to our student-athletes! Our Cross Country teams beat out the other middle schools this week to capture the District Championship for both boys and girls cross country. This is the first time since 2019 that both groups shared the honor. Prior to that, it was 2007. Bring on states! 

And finally, I am very happy to announce we are officially fully staffed at TPS! Rachel Petith will be joining us to complete our Cafeteria team. We're excited to have her join the team! 

Electronic Folder

The Week Ahead: 

• Monday (10/30) Day B
• 6th Grade Sleepy Hollow Trail Walk
• Tuesday (10/31) Day C
• Wednesday (11/1) Day D
• Half Day - 11:55 Dismissal 
• K-2 Conferences
• Thursday (11/2) Day A
• Friday (11/3) Day B
• ALICE Drill
• PTA Poinsettia orders due

Fall is in the air!

It was great to greet the students on Monday with a cleaned-up Bengrazi courtyard! Over last weekend, we had numerous waves of volunteers come through under the direction of Ms. Santello. It's amazing how the rain helped the weeds grow this summer. It is now mostly weed-free and is ready for the winter. We normally try to get a picture of all the volunteers but everyone came at different times we just weren't able to capture everyone. However, please know if you swung by on Saturday, it was noticed and appreciated. A big thank you to Ms. Santello, not only for organizing the day but also for giving up her entire Saturday to guide our work and get our hands dirty. 

A note from our 6th Grade: 

"As a culminating activity for our study of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", the students will be decorating pumpkins to resemble a character from the story. On Monday, October 30th, families are invited to attend a nature trail walk of “The Sleepy Hollow Woods”, where the pumpkins will be out on display throughout the Laurel Trail starting at 1:45 PM. In the event of inclement weather, the pumpkins will be on display in rooms 406 and 408. If you plan to dismiss your child after this event, please make sure to mark this in SDM for your sixth grader and any siblings you may be dismissing."

Next week is shaping up to be a fun week! Student Council has requested to have a Spirit Week and I thought it was a great week for it. There is an image below with specific day's themes and I'll include it in the "Look Ahead" portion as well. You'll notice that the week ends with a costume day. Given their request for this day, it seemed to make sense to adjust the parade to Friday morning. Apologies to anyone who may have planned ahead for a parade on the 31st. Students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade will be led around the building by our Middle School marching band starting at 9:00. If your student has beliefs that inhibit participation in this event, please let me know and we will plan an alternate activity for them or excuse an absence. The parade will begin at the bus lobby doors and take a right to circle the building before reentering at the same doors. I know the band is working on some musical accompaniment so I can't wait to hear what they have in store for us!  

A reminder about costumes. We are a K to 8 school. To this end, what is cool in 8th grade may be scary in Kindergarten. Students should not have costumes with gore. Nor are simulated weapons allowed. We should also be able to recognize students so face masks are not allowed. Inflatable costumes will be a struggle in the classroom so we ask that these be left at home as well unless a student plans to only wear it for the parade. And finally, let's have some fun with this! 

A note from our 8th-grade parents:

"It’s that time of year!! This year's 8th-grade graduating class is having a HUGE raffle with tons of prizes, gift cards to local restaurants, breweries, specialty gift baskets, and much much more!!  All proceeds go to eighth-grade fundraising for events like semi-formal, field trips, etc.

Don’t miss out on your chance to help the eighth grade and to WIN a HUGE prize!!!

Venmo at @TPS8thGrade-2024

1 ticket/chance to win $5.  

Or 5 tickets/chances to win $20.

Checks can be made out to Thomas Prince School "

A note from our awesome art teacher, Mrs. Finkler:

"Hi families

Your artists have been hard at work making beautiful art pieces.  We are doing the Square 1 fundraiser this year and you will be able to purchase your child's work on all different types of keepsakes.  We will have order forms going home in mid-November.  Please reach out if you have any questions." melissa_finkler@wrsd.net

  

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Look Ahead: 

• Monday (10/23) Day A
• Dress Up / Dress Down Day
• Monty Tech Tour 
• Tuesday (10/24) Day B
• Crazy Hat/Hair Day
• Wednesday (10/25) Day C
• Dress like a Celebrity
• Thursday (10/26) Day D
• Dress like a book character
• Friday (10/27) Day A
• Wear a costume to school (*see restrictions above) 
• Costume Parade at 9:00
• Monty Tech application Meet & Greet
• OT Appreciation Day

Long weekend = short week

Saturday will be our courtyard and trail clean-up from 8:00 to 2:00. Come help us weed, clean up, and winterize raised garden beds, install weed-blocking landscaping fabric, divide and replant our native plants, and do a few more little jobs that make a big difference all around campus! Our incredible spring volunteers accomplished wonders, come join us this Saturday! Sign up here or stop by to help out any time between 8 and 2!

I can't believe it has taken me until October to remind folks that we have a school Instagram account! We (mostly Mrs. DiFonso actually) work to regularly share the great work our staff and students are doing. It is a great way to start a dinner conversation too! "I saw on Instagram today that you were..." Follow us at @tpswarriors.

The PTA is seeking your input! They love to have families' voices involved in their decision-making and are already planning ahead to the '24-25 school year. Please take this BRIEF survey to provide your input regarding next year's major fall fundraising initiative. Your input is genuinely appreciated! 

A note from your PTA

So many things are happening in the PTA world right now! 

-If you're wanting to get FREE shipping on Spirit Wear, orders are due by midnight on Sunday, October 15th. Don't miss out on this deal and get new spirit wear that can be used for holiday gifts! Just send us an email at TPSprincetonPTA@gmail.com if you want us to keep your order a secret from your student.

-Wanting to spruce up your home or get ahead of the game with holiday gifting for friends and family? Our Poinsettia Sale is happening now. Head on over to our website to order yours today.

-We are still looking for two Class Captains for grades 6, 7, and 8. We are also looking to add one more Captain to grades K, 2, and 4. If you have any interest in helping us with this, please reach out. 

-Ready to start creating those holiday cards to send out? We have partnered with the company Minted to give you all a discount on your purchases. Use the code FUNDRAISETHOMASPRINCE to get 20% off of our order, PLUS 15% of that order comes back to the PTA to help us support enrichment, staff grants, and other initiatives.

-Finally, we are still accepting new members for the 2023-24 school year. Not sure that volunteering or running a committee is for you? Don't fret! Membership is whatever you choose to make it. But there are so many reasons to join. We love meeting new members of the TPS community, and a larger membership also gets us recognized by the State and National PTA. Did you know that last year our TPS PTA was recognized by the MA State PTA at their annual convention because we had so much growth in membership? Let's get our membership to be even more robust this year! Head on over to our website and become a member today. 

This has been a rough week around the world with sad and scary news coming from the Middle East. Our hearts go out to all those affected. If your child is hearing about these events, seeing the images on social media, and asking questions, Maria Letasz, our director of Student Services has created a list of resources for parents: 

• News and Children - Tips on minimizing the negative effects children may experience from watching the news (AACAP)
• How to Talk with Kids about Tragedies & Other Traumatic News Events - Tips for talking with kids (AAP)
• Help Kids Cope – This app helps parents and caregivers talk with children about disasters; know what to do before, during, and after 10 disaster types; and know what to say “in the moment” to support your kids of all ages. (NCTSN)
• Coping with Grief after Community Violence handout (SAMHSA)
• Terrorism and War: How to Talk to Children (AACAP)
• Helping Children Cope with Terrorism: Tips for Families and Educators (NASP)
• Talking to Children about War  - Factsheet (NCTSN)

A Note from Mrs. DiFonso

We need your help! 

The Lego League is off and running and the students are enjoying getting creative with legos, but also finding ways to apply their creativity to help solve/address real-world problems!  The group's focus is to create tutorials to help people learn how to ski safely!  This is where we need the TPS Community's help!  The Lego Coach was hoping to have a coach, ski instructor, or sports psychologist (but anyone who was or is considered an expert in skiing or snowboarding would also fit the bill) come in to talk with the group!  If you fit the description or know someone who would be willing, please reach out to Mrs. DiFonso (bethanne_difonso@wrsd.net) and let her know!   

Electronic Folder

New: Kids Hike, PTA Flyers,

 The Week Ahead: 

• Saturday (10/14) 
• Courtyard clean-up! 
• Monday (10/16) Day D
• School Council
• Tuesday (10/17) Day A
  
• Picture Retakes
• Wednesday (10/18) Day B
• Cross Country Meet
• Thursday (10/19) Day C
• Friday (10/20) Day D

Much to celebrate!

I can't believe I am typing this, but we are now midway through the first quarter (how did that happen) and so much has already gone on. Middle School parents may want to review PowerSchool to gauge their student's performance at TPS so far this year. In this short period of time, routines have been created, expectations set, and a ton of learning has already occurred. The PTA has raised over $20,000 for our school and we've also had a ton of fun! To prove that Mrs. DiFonso and I are principals of our word, I include for you here photographic evidence of our duct taping and chicken dancing. 

I don't normally put too much stock in outside group's rating and ranking of schools, however, every once in a while, it is really nice to be recognized. This year, US News has once again ranked TPS as the #1 Middle School in the state. The rankings seem to be largely influenced by testing scores. But I view this as a testament to the work of all our teachers (K through 8), support staff, and of course the effort of our students. I feel lucky to work at such an exceptional place! 

I'd also like to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate our middle schoolers who, eager to take on leadership roles in our school, decided to run for Student Council. Many gave speeches to their peers during lunch, a nerve-wracking feat. We had a tremendous showing and unfortunately, could not take all of the students. Don't worry, we'll still find opportunities for them to lead. I was and continue to be proud of them for putting themselves out there. Congratulations to our new student leaders: 6th grade - Maddox, Brynn, Carrie, Chloe, and Ivan; 7th grade - Jude, Cam, Aurora, Aidan, and Braylon; 8th grade - Lindsey, Erik, Hero, Quinn, Aidan, and Kylie! 

A Message From the Health Office:

Height/Weight, Hearing, and Vision Screenings are scheduled for 10/10 and 10/11 at TPS. Please note what screenings will be conducted for your child's grade level below:

• Gr. K, 2, 3 - vision, hearing, and weight
• Grades 1 - vision, hearing, height, and weight for BMI
• Grade 4 - vision, height, and weight for BMI
• Grade 5 - vision, weight
• Grade 7 - vision, hearing height, and weight for BMI

You have the right to opt out of the BMI screening. To opt out, please complete the opt-out form or communicate with the school nurse at

karina_abbascia@wrsd.net or (978)464-5507. Thank you!

Thomas Prince School PTA, in partnership with Hubbard’s Farm, wants to help you eliminate those holiday decorating and gift worries! Support Thomas Prince School by purchasing some beautiful, greenhouse-grown poinsettias this holiday season.

• 6” Pots $15
• 8” Pots $27
• 10” pots $40

Available in Red and White

To order, visit our online store here. There is a flyer in the electronic folder as well. 

Electronic Folder

Looking Ahead: 

• Monday (10/9) 
• No School - Indigenous Peoples Day / Columbus Day
• Tuesday (10/10) Day D
• Election Day
• Day 1 of Screenings 
• Cross Country Meet
• Wednesday (10/11) Day A
• Day 2 of Screenings
• Thursday (10/12) Day B
• Friday (10/13) Day C
• Saturday (10/14) 
• Courtyard clean-up! 

Way Ahead: 

• Tuesday (10/31) We do anticipate having a costume parade led by the TPS marching band that morning. Spectators are welcome. More details to follow.