SUMMER UPDATE #3 Saturday, August 3

We hope to see you at our Open House on Tuesday, from 5-6p. This will be a great opportunity to meet teachers, greet friends, and drop off any school supplies. Please keep in mind two things: 1) our open house will be 1 hour from start to finish, to give teachers a time to finish prepping, and everyone a chance to get home; 2) parking for whole-school events can be a challenge. Give yourself time to find parking. Click here for various options.

Please remember to not park in neighborhood residential or business lots, so that we can continue to be great neighbors!

We want to make sure that every kiddo gets to where they need to go after the conclusion of school every day! During the open house, please let teachers know your child’s regular dismissal plans (and please discuss it with your kiddos, as well!). If you are unable to attend the open house, you can also let them know on the first day of classes. We’ll quickly come to understand your typical dismissal protocol. If you ever need to share alternative plans, you’ll utilize the attendance form (read below for all the news on using this form!). Providing this info to your classroom teacher is the best way to facilitate a smooth daily dismissal!

TPS uses an Absence & Alternate Dismissal Form for families to alert us to the following things:

(1) Full-day school absence

(2) Mid-day appointments

(3) Late arrival or early pick-up

(4) Temporary change to a typical dismissal

The form is easy to use, and will prompt you to provide the needed information, depending on which option you select.

Please make sure to use this form whenever you need to share this information with the school, understanding that this is the very best way to make sure that it is shared with all of the adults who need to know.

Please note that you will need to complete the form for each instance of an absence, appointment, change to typical dismissal plan, etc. Additional instructions can be found within the form.

Remember, you can access the form easily from a smartphone device if you have downloaded the TPS app (read below!). We highly recommend it.

This year’s Violin Program will include a class for beginning learners, as well as a class for our continuing learners. Violin is open to all 5th-8th grade students, and there is no cost for participation. There is a cost for the book and for violin rental or purchase, but we also provide options for reducing or eliminating these expenses for families in need. We do not want cost to be an obstacle for anyone's participation! Click here to read more about the program, and to find the sign-up form. Ms. Kit has set an August 21 registration deadline, and classes will begin right after Labor Day. Questions about After School Violin? Contact Ms. Kit – she'll be eager to hear from you!

For parents and guardians who utilize smart phones, we have a free app that puts lots of important TPS information at your fingertips. By downloading the app, you can access our absence reporting form (so helpful for last minute health challenges!), updated calendar, lunch menu, directory, announcements, family communication archive, and more. We highly recommend downloading it through the Apple App Store, Google Play, or wherever you are able to download a smartphone app.

Don’t have a smartphone or prefer to not use the app? That’s totally ok! All information on the app can also be found on our website.

During the school year, we send monthly brief surveys to solicit constructive feedback from our families. These come by text and email from a company called Possip. Possip surveys consist each time of 2-4 questions, and shouldn’t ever take more than about 2 minutes to complete (complete either by text or email, but not both – you get to choose!).

You can respond to the surveys some of the time, all of the time, or none of the time. Family feedback is so important, and we do hope you’ll choose to give us your insights as we move through the school year. Be on the lookout for our first Possip survey toward the end of August or beginning of September!

TPS partners with Community Kitchen, a local nonprofit that supports individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. One of their signature programs is "Backpack Buddies." This program consists of weekly deliveries of food to schools, for distribution to families in need. The bags include food items (fresh and non-perishable) to supplement a family's meals. Any TPS family who feels this would be helpful for them to overcome food insecurity is welcome to sign up. If you'd like to participate in this year's program, please complete this quick form. We will contact participating families when the program is ready to begin, and will let them know the weekday when food will be sent home. Questions? Contact Alex!