Full swing!

The beginning of the year has been dominated by new curricula. This past year, the district committed to investing in High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) across content areas and grade levels. I've spent much of the last two weeks getting into classrooms to see specifically how our new elementary reading program is going. Into Reading is a literacy program steeped in research and best practices. It is a robust program and all the classes have allocated 90 minutes daily for this instruction. Teachers have been trained and have begun the implementation. A new program like this is not an easy lift but I have been impressed by all our teachers as they work through it. The kids have been doing great with the adjustment and I can't wait to see what it looks like as everyone gets into the flow. It's a strong commitment by our district and our teachers to make sure we are giving all our students the best materials and instruction for success! 

An update on our beautiful garden behind the building. Come out back, outside of school hours, to see the updated and relocated Lisa's Pollinator Garden. The beautiful flowers and hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, bees, flower flies, and beetles are here to greet you! Ask your student how many flowers they know by name or how many pollinators they can name. Draw or write what they see and leave your work at the TPS Pollinator Posterboard by our front office. Volunteers are putting together a TPS Pollinator Book! 

I'd like to welcome Christine Rayner who will be joining our TPS team next week. She is our new Adjustment Counselor and will be popping in and out of classrooms. Christine joins us after several years as an adjustment counselor in Gardener. I'm not sure anyone is happier to have her here than me!

A shout out to our wonderful PTA that started our week off right with a visit from Flying High Dogs on Monday morning. The interactive program incorporated students and  staff but the dogs stole the show and our hearts. They zipped around the field catching frisbees and doing assorted tricks. Thank you TPS PTA! 

You should have received an email from the district today in regarding our 3rd through 5th grade SEL survey (Panorama). Starting in October, students in these grades will complete a short survey to inform our school about students' perceptions of their competencies, perceptions of SEL supports, and their environment. The survey is widely used across the nation.  If you'd like to review or learn more about this survey you can find the information here. If you'd like to opt your child out of this survey please do so by 5:00 pm on September 27th through this link. Any additional questions can be directed to Maria Letasz (Director of Student Support) at maria_letasz@wrsd.net or (508) 829-1670 ext. 253.  

The Electronic Folder

The Week Ahead: 

• Saturday (9/14) 
• Touch a Truck at Krashes Field
• Monday (9/16) Day A
• Tuesday (9/17) Day B
• Wednesday (9/18) Day C
• Cross Country Meet at Home
• Thursday (9/19) Day D
• Field Hockey at Chocksett
• Friday (9/20) Day A
• Cross Country Meet at Home

September has arrived!

The news this week coming out of Georgia has been somber. Hearing of this type of event always makes me reflect on our practices and whether we are doing enough to keep our building and our students safe. For those of you who are new to TPS, we have made several upgrades over the past few years. The town has graciously updated many of our classroom doors and also set aside enough money that we have new security (access control and cameras) throughout the building. Internally, we have updated our security practices and annually complete ALICE drills in conjunction with the Princeton Police and Fire Departments. This includes our School Resource Officer Doyle (AKA, Cruiser's handler). We are fortunate to have a strong working relationship with both groups and today we completed an onsite review with members of Homeland Security to address potential weaknesses in our systems. This was scheduled long before the most recent event. Safety is our top priority and we are constantly looking at practices and remaining vigilant. It's a shame that we have to, but it is something we do. If you have any questions or concerns, please never hesitate to reach out to me. 

I have been getting questions about Open House and was hesitant to share specifics until we coordinated our efforts as a district. We will host our annual Open House on Thursday, September 26th. This is an opportunity for you to come to see the building your child spends six and a half hours each day. Go by their classrooms, meet their teachers, introduce yourself to the specialists, and get a feel for the building. This is not a time for one-to-one conferences, those will be on October 9th and 10th with more information to come soon. Meanwhile, because of parking and families with students in different grade levels, we try to spread out the open house. Please see the schedule below for specific timings but know parking will still be at a premium so plan accordingly:  

• K/3 - 5:00-6:00
• 1st/2nd/6th - 5:30-6:30
• 4th/5th - 6:00-7:00
• 7th/8th - 6:30-7:30 (to start in the cafeteria) 
• Specials/Special Education 5:45-6:45

We need you! We are constantly looking for substitutes and substitute nurses. If you are interested in subbing or have questions, please shoot me an email. I've recently discovered that if you reply to this mass email it won't get to me. So you'll need to email me at ace_thompson@wrsd.net. If you are a trained nurse and would like to help out in the nurse's office, there is more information here. Don't be afraid to tell them you only want to work at TPS :) 

Electronic Folder

The Week Ahead: 

• Monday (9/9) Day D
• Dog Flying Assembly 
• Tuesday (9/10) Day A
• Wednesday (9/11) Day B
• Staff Meeting
• Thursday (9/12) Day C
• Friday (9/13) Day D 
• Saturday (9/14) 
• Touch a Truck at Krashes Field 

Happy First Friday!

It was a great week to be back at school! It feels like we have already gotten into the flow of things. The first day in particular was a highlight. We are really lucky to be in such a nice community where everyone values the work we do here and we are able to work collaboratively with the community. This was highlighted by our special police and fire escorts on the first day of school. Cortland F won a ride in the cruiser with Cruiser thanks to a fundraiser. Harlow P won a fire truck ride to school via the library reading competition. I think next year, the Principal should get a ride in! I digress. It was great to start the year and the day off with representatives of our safety teams and our town library all on school grounds! I can already tell it is going to be a great year! 

I want to remind everyone that TPS is on Instagram! If you don't want to wait for a Friday email from me but would like to guide some dinner conversations, our Instagram is a great way to stay on top of the comings and goings of the school. You can follow us at @tpswarriors. 

I wanted to share some unfortunate news. Our adjustment counselor, Alina Budrys, resigned suddenly last week. We have identified a new Adjustment Councilor and are working to determine a start date so stay tuned for more information. Meanwhile, staff are being very supportive and students in need have been coming to see me. I did have a semester of work towards an MSW before I went in the direction of education. 

Electronic Folder 

NEW: Touch a Truck

The Week Ahead: 

• 
  Monday (9/2) No School - Labor Day 
• Tuesday (9/3) No School - PD day 
• Wednesday (9/4) Day A
• Thursday (9/5) Day B
• Picture Day 
• 8th grade Panorama Picture
• Friday (9/6) Day C

One Week Countdown

Just over a week to go and I wanted to get this on the top of everyone's emails! A few notes below, a link to the last communication with full details, and here is the link for 5th-8th grade music sign-ups. 

Come join us on Friday for Popsicles on the Playground from 4:00-6:00! The weather just might cooperate this year!

Library volunteers: Our TPS Library volunteer crew is getting ready to open the library on the first day of school! Beginning on Day 1, children who arrive between 8:00 and 8:30 are invited to spend time in the Library checking out books, playing games, or hanging out with friends. We can't wait to see them! We are also welcoming new volunteers to our library crew! Our volunteers read to classes when they visit the library, help students check books out, and keep our library organized and beautiful. Volunteer when your child visits, or come at any other time of the day for behind-the scenes tasks. Younger siblings are welcome to join you! If you'd like to learn more, email Jessie at jessie.trowbridge@gmail.com.

A note from Ms. Santello about the Bangrazi courtyard: 

Dear Thomas Prince Families and Friends,

The new school year is almost here and we have a volunteer opportunity coming up! Please join us for a Summer Cleanup of the Bangrazi Courtyard!

Thursday, August 22nd is our Bangrazi Courtyard Summer Cleanup and Set-up Date! (Open hours 10-2)

Come help us clean up raised garden beds, check the trails, and do a few more weeding/removal jobs left from the spring, so the courtyard is ready for Fall! Our incredible spring volunteers accomplished wonders. Drop by and lend a hand in weeding if you have time!  Sign-up is optionally here - thank you! Snacks and coffee provided :)

Email Elaine Santello at elaine_santello@wrsd.net with questions or for more information. Thank you! 

Special thanks to alumni Sam Peoples and Alex Gonzalez for an early cleanup and Dot Odgren for arranging it. 

Electronic Folder: Includes Letter Day Calendar

Looking ahead: 

• Tuesday (8/27) Day A 
• First Day of School 1st through 8th
• Wednesday (8/28) Day B
• First Day of Kindergarten
• Thursday (8/29) Day C
• Friday (8/30) Day D
• TPS Friday! Wear your TPS gear or Red/Black 

Mid Summer!

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer! We are excited to have the kids back...just not yet. We still have some work to do. However, I wanted to put several things on your radars. 

We have scheduled our annual Popsicles on the Playground for August 23rd from 4:00-6:00. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the weather cooperates and we can actually have the event on the playground. I'm 0 for 2 so far in my tenure here! This event is hosted by the PTA and is an opportunity for all students to get reacclimated to the building and new students to get some nerves out and possibly make some new friends. This is also an opportunity to pick up new t-shirts. Use this link and order by August 14th to get them in time. I'd encourage everyone to consider joining the PTA team!  

Updated School Supply lists can be found on our website here. Our goal is always to keep costs for families down, however, if the list proves to be too much for you please reach out and let me know. We have different mechanisms in place to support families with these costs. 

Once again, TPS will have a School Council consisting of parents, staff, and a student or two. The group discusses the School Improvement Plan, Budget, the Handbook, and advises the Principal (that's me) on different decisions. If you are interested in serving on this committee or would like more information please let me know. If we have more interest than we do seats, there will be an election process. 

Girls on the run! TPS is excited to offer Girls on the Run this fall! This program was created for girls in 3rd through 5th grades. GOTR is a program designed to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates movement. TPS staff, Elizabeth Budness, Alina Budrys, and Melissa Finkler have participated in training and will be the coaches at TPS. More information can be found here. 

New Staff Member: Lindsay May will be joining us as our new MS special educator. She joins us from Chocksett Middle School where she was a MS civics teacher for several years. She's already hard at work reading IEPs and getting ready for this new adventure. 

Extended-day sign-ups are here! Please check this link if you want to access the program this year. We do not intend to set a cap for attendance but will look to add staff if the number of students requiring the program outpaces the staffing currently in place. You are required to pick specific days, though so that we can plan appropriately. Mrs. Nourse has been hard at work this summer and the program is now able to accept electronic payment! There is also a program handbook that can be found here. 

Music in grades 5 through 8 will continue to be a choice between band or chorus. It is required that families make this determination prior to the first day of school using this form. We will collect the names of students can still participating in strings at a later date.

Cross Country season is nearly upon us. We are looking forward to another great season! Sign-ups for students in grades 5 through 8 can be found here and there is a hard deadline of August 28th. We will not accept registrations after this date as we require the time to make sure physicals are all up to date. I know students have been disappointed to miss the deadline in the past so I'd encourage everyone to sign up sooner rather than later and risk missing out. If you know Coach, you know his passion for the program. Here is a link to his call for athletes to join the team!

Every year, a group of 8th-grade parents work together to raise money to offset the cost of our 8th-grade students' celebrations. These celebrations can take many forms, and I always seek feedback from the students themselves to make sure the celebration matches their wants. This past year's 8th-grade class chose to have a semi-formal dance and go on a trip to Six Flags. If you are interested in fundraising, please reach out to me and I will help facilitate the creation of a committee.

Arrival and Dismissal- Drop off and pick up are always tricky at every school the first week back from

the summer. We will be continuing the process from years past. The school day starts at 8:25 and ends at 2:55. Buses will continue to drop off and pick up at the front of the building. Parent drop-off (starting at 8:05) will occur along the side (near the main office entrance). Before the doors open, we ask that cars stop by the fence before turning to pull up against the building. Once we open the doors, cars will loop around the "island" and can start dropping off at the crosswalk. If you are stopped at any point along the sidewalk, please ask your child to exit the vehicle so we can keep the line moving. After a group of cars pull away, the next car with children should pull up all the way to the crosswalk. Children should be able to open the door, grab their things, and exit the car quickly. I know many parents have their kids start to prepare their belongings ahead of time and strategically place backpacks where they are easily accessible. If they cannot do this independently or they have things in the trunk, parents should pull up to an empty spot along the "island" after the crosswalk and park to help their little ones. This is a great area to pull into also if they (or you) need that last squeeze after a hectic morning. We leave those spots open just for you and there is no rush there. Using these also shows respect for other people who are trying to get places and may be running late. I also appreciate everyone's patience, especially during these first few days, while everyone is getting back in the flow.

The end of the day will follow a similar procedure with the only difference being, that cars will form two lines side by side. A staff member will signal the drivers when each group is loaded and can go. 

Everyone: School Dismissal Manager - After our inaugural year with School Dismissal Manager we are moving forward with it as veteran users. You will receive an email from the program inviting you to set your student(s)' default dismissal. Please remember that despite the name of the program, this is one-stop shopping. In addition to dismissal changes, you should enter all attendance-related notifications here. This includes tardies, absences, and early dismissals. 

Transportation- Routes have been published on PowerSchool under "Forms". 

Go here if you want to do any of the following you can do that here: 

• Add to your list of people approved to get your student off the bus. 
• Give permission for the driver to let your student off the bus without an adult if you want them to and they are under 4th grade. 
• Request a different bus route than the one that corresponds with your home address.   
• Make a request to maintain an alternate route previously agreed upon. These are required to be requested annually. 

1st Day Goals- On the first day of school we will jump right into the day. We will help all students off the bus or out of cars to get right down to their classroom. This is a great time to start building routines from day 1. I generally have 4 goals for the first day of school. 1: Get all the kids in the building. 2: Make sure they all eat. 3: Get them all home safely. 4: Have as much fun as possible. 

Kindergarten: Come meet the teachers! While the rest of the building starts on the 27th, Kindergarten
will start on the 28th. However, we invite all kindergarteners to come in on the 27th for Orientation and to meet their teacher. 

On August 27th from 9:30-10:15, we invite you to come and see the classroom! Caregivers and kindergarten students may come (we will gather in the cafeteria), and walk together to the kindergarten classroom. Once there, we will have a quick scavenger hunt to complete together, and then access table toys while the teachers go over a few last-minute things for the school year! This is also a great opportunity to bring student supplies in, in a labeled bag. It will save them from having to carry the extra weight on their first day. Afterward, students are invited to go outside and enjoy the playground with their new friends. We ask that all families head to their cars by 10:15 so the playground can be used for recess. 

Lunch- Lunches continue to be free to all students who would like them. They still charge the principal! What people might not realize is that filling out the free and reduced lunch paperwork supports the district in recouping the costs of meals. You can find the necessary paperwork here. I hope the students enjoy the new tables the district was able to purchase through grant funds! This is the first time in a long time we haven't been using "hand me down" tables! Thank you to Margaret Barton (Supervisor of Nutrition) for all she does to support the TPS cafeteria! \

Electronic Folder

Looking ahead: 

• Tuesday (8/27) Day A 
• First Day of School 1st through 8th
• Wednesday (8/28) Day B
• First Day of Kindergarten
• Thursday (8/29) Day C
• Friday (8/30) Day D
• TPS Friday! Wear your TPS gear or Red/Black 

Celebrations and Goodbyes

This week was full of celebrations and the start of goodbyes. However, it was dominated by our farewell celebrations for our 8th graders! Regardless of whether the student has been with us for 6 months or 9 years, they have become family. On Wednesday, we celebrated with a Commencement at the High School. A special thank you to the parent volunteers who decorated and to the PTA for a banner that will surely become a staple at events to come. There were awards, certificates, and a ton of smiles. We followed it up on Thursday by "clapping out" our 8th graders before they attended their semi-formal dance at Harrington Farms. Again, this was made possible by the 8th-grade parent planning committee and their fundraising. And finally, today, the 8th graders attended Six Flags! What a week! This class will definitely be missed! 

It wasn't all about 8th grade though. On Wednesday, we also said goodbye for the summer to our youngest learners, the kindergarten. We sent them off in style thanks to Mrs. McDonald's efforts in planning and implementing a super fun field day that had something for everyone. This is no small feat for a K-8 school. Thanks also, to our 6th graders who created and managed our field games, and our student volunteers who painted faces. I cannot forget to thank the parents who came out and supported the fun as well. The bounce house was epic! And I think we may have started a new tradition with our Mario Kart tricycle race. I can't wait until next year's field day! 

A note from Nurse Karina: 

With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, here are some reminders from the Health Office:

• All medications must be picked up by an adult at the end of the school year. If possible, please let me know if you will be coming prior to picking up the medication(s) so that I can have everything prepared.

• All medication orders must be renewed each school year. New Medication orders and medication should be brought in the day before or on the first day of school. Students are not allowed to transport medications to school with the exception of EpiPens or rescue inhalers that a student carries in their backpack.  Nurses must be notified of any self-carry medications. Medication order forms can be downloaded off the school website using the Health Services tab.

• ALL medications administered at school must have a physician's order and parental permission. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medications. Please see the medication policy on the school website.        

• All students must be fully immunized by the first day of school.  The only exceptions are written documentation from a doctor for medical exemptions or a written document stating that due to religious beliefs, your child has not been vaccinated. The exemption forms must be renewed at the beginning of each school year. 

• Students entering the 4th grade and 7th grade must have an updated physical and immunization record on file in the health office.  Please send these updated documents in as soon as they become available to you.

Please call or e-mail me with any questions or concerns. (978)464-5507 karina_abbascia@wrsd.net

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 SUBMERGED, which focuses on the ocean. 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. 

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

First Lego League Introduction Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=FZsvSVz673g

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 $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 at the end of June, if your child wishes to participate please let her know by June 18th.

The electronic folder

New: Potential Biatholon exploration, 

The Day and a Half Ahead: 

• Monday (6/17) Day C
• Grade 4 Celebration of Learning - students only
• Tuesday (6/18) Day D
• Last Day of School 11:55 Dismissal - Step-Up Day

 

6.5!

The highlight of our week was definitely our "Drop Everything and STEAM Day" followed by our equally exciting "STEAM Night!" It was a great celebration of STEAM and community. The kids did a wonderful job on their projects, it was great to see so many families come out, and the representation of STEAM in the community was inspiring. Thank you to the STEAM night planning committee and to Mrs. Chapalonis for chairing the committee! 

Congratulations to our Basket winners! 

• 
  K Basket - Pam Grimaldi 
  
• 1st grade - Jules Moynihan 
• 2nd grade - Crystal Courville
• 3rd grade - Mike Lynch 
• 4th grade - Betsy Chase
• 5th grade - The Burwell family
• 6th grade - Jake Roczniak
• 7th/8th grade - Dan Hollis
• Staff basket - Kelsey Riberio
• Cruiser ride with cruiser - Melissa Finkler

I want to remind everyone that Tuesday the 11th is the town meeting. I would never dream of telling

people how they should vote, but, in case you aren't a fan of long school committee meetings or budget presentations, I thought I could share some cliff notes. This year's budget is really driven by state funding (aka chapter 70). While in the past, the district has received millions, this coming year we are only earmarked for a few hundred thousand. This puts a large strain on towns to finance the schools. Given this information, the district has worked to maintain what I would call a "level service" budget (no new costs, additional staff, etc.) but there is still a significant impact on the towns' tax rates. Heading into Princeton town meeting, all but one town has voted to approve the budget and the district needs a 4/5 success rate to move forward. Any changes to the budget would require cuts and require a step back from the progress made last year. It may never be more important for informed families to be at town meetings. I am also being told that we will have National Honors students from WRHS coming down to provide babysitting services if you could use the help. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

A note from the Running Clinic

"Dear TPS families,

Summer is just around the corner, and we would love for you to join us for our 3rd annual, 4-week running clinic from June 20th through July 12th. It will occur in the backfield at TPS 1-2 times a week. There is no charge, and children of all abilities who are rising from 1st through 6th grade are welcome, even if you can't make it to all of our sessions. We hope you can join us!"

Update from the cafeteria regarding alternative lunches

• Monday - Bagel Meal
• Tuesday - Cereal Meal
• Wednesday - Pizza
• Thursday - Hamburger on a bun
• Friday - Chicken Enchilada Empanada 

Week of June17

• Monday- Cereal Meal

Extended day: Registration for the extended day for the '24-25 school year has not opened yet. Once registration becomes available this summer, notification will be sent home. For your planning purposes, there is no change planned for the fee structures and we will create space for any families that require the service.  

Congratulations to our Girl's Track State Champions! 

Also, congratulations to the students in Select Strings who brought home gold 

in the Great East Music Festival! 

Electronic Folder

Princeton Arts Academy, June Reading Challenge, 

The Week Ahead: 

• Monday (6/10) Day B
• Tuesday (6/11) Day C
• Town Meeting
• Grade 6 Egypt Museum
• 4th grade Field Trip (this is the rescheduled date)
• Wednesday (6/12) Day D
• Last day for Kindergarten
• Field Day
• 8th Grade Graduation 6:00
• Thursday (6/13) Day A
• New Kindergarten Open House
• 8th Grade Dance
• Friday (6/14) Day B
• 8th Grade Six Flags Trip  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Monday (6/17) Day C
• Grade 4 Celebration of Learning - students only
• Tuesday (6/18) Day D
• Last Day of School 11:55 Dismissal - Step-Up Day

WRHS New Student Orientation Save the Date August 15th