Principal's Message...
Happy Friday before Thanksgiving Break. I wanted to thank you all for a terrific first 1/3 or so of our school year. Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year as it is a time of reflection and gratitude. Gratitude for the things we have in our life, family, school, health, and friendship. It seems like each day has brought new challenges and have caused us to refocus and reset countless times. I am so grateful to have the honor of leading our Tustin Connect family and be able to work with such wonderful teachers, staff, students, and families. We will all look back on 2020 with such an array of emotions no doubt. I am proud of the work our students are doing and look forward to greater things ahead. Thank you for your support! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out at (714) 430-2052 ext. 52103 or efineberg@tustin.k12.ca.us
Mr. Fineberg
Elementary Information
Reminder Regarding Camera Usage: While visiting some classes, I noticed many of our students were not turning on their cameras during class time. Although we know there can be a number of reasons why students do not turn on their cameras, I want to encourage you to work with your child to keep them on. It dramatically increases student engagement and in turn student learning. With virtual backgrounds and blur features, they can feel more comfortable keeping them on.
Middle School Information
Community: We have seen great things with our middle school students and strong bonds among many of them. When you feel comfortable, please know we welcome your student to attend in person. It fills the soul for many of our students. Kudos to our Mrs. Paulson and Mrs. Dove. Our 8th graders have already started their own Among Us group. It's great to see.
High School Information
College Applications: If you have not done so already, please be sure to schedule an appointment to speak with Mr. Moreno to solidify your plans for after graduation and insure your high school plan is in tact. You can call the office to schedule an appointment if you have not done so already. (714) 430-2052.
Great Study Hacks Video: Here's a link to a great video for studying for students. It's only 5 minutes and worth the time for sure. It gives great insight into an easy and quick way to improve students' success.
TUSD Virtual Magnet and Program Night
TUSD Virtual Magnet and Program Night
Thursday, December 3rd, 6:00-8:00 pm
The event will showcase the various schools and programs throughout TUSD in a self-selected, virtual format where families will receive an overview of the various programs in TUSD and then have the opportunity to visit up to 3 of the programs they are most intrigued by. Tustin Connect will of course be one of the schools presenting at the event. You can register by clicking here or visiting bit.ly/TUSDprogramsRSVP to receive the zoom links.
We Give Thanks Event Drive-Thru
Due to COVID restrictions, the We Give Thanks Event will be drive-thru (not able to handle walk in’s)
- Date: Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 9 am-noon.
- Location: Honda Center, Anaheim
- A turkey dinner will be supplied to enjoy in the safety of your own home
- http://www.wegivethanksinc.org/news-events/upcoming-events/
OC Food Bank plans to serve up to 7,000 families at this distribution.
Counselor Corner
Weekly TUSD Mental Health Newsletter: Take a look at our TUSD Mental Health Newsletter. It is filled with tremendous resources and useful tips for families.
Helping Your Child Keep Up With Assignments: You can make your own Schoology account to check on your child, or even easier, use their login. Go to the main screen (below) and you can see:
- Yellow box: grades for assignments and quizzes
- Red box: overdue work- they should take care of these right away
- Green box: upcoming work
K-12 Digital Books Resource
Tustin Unified is excited to offer students an additional collection of fun and engaging digital books and audiobooks through Sora. What’s great in Sora:
Popular titles, series, authors, and genres across all grade levels
Variety of materials including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and Spanish language items
Full-length audiobooks and read-along picture books
Enjoy on all major devices and tablets
Access & Login
Access Sora directly (https://soraapp.com/welcome) or as a link in Clever
Clever is available as an app on all TUSD student devices or through the Student Portal on the district webpage
Login to Sora through Clever.
Use your TUSD Google username (with @mytusd.org) and password.
Look for and select "Tustin Unified School District" as your school or use our setup code: TustinUSD.
Select "Sign in using Tustin Unified School District"
For more details, including helpful information, visit the TUSD Library Services eBooks & Audiobooks webpage.
Please check out this video in order to get started!
Grade 6-12: 24/7 Virtual Tutoring for all Tustin Connect Students
That's right, all TC students have access to this terrific resource. Take a moment to check it out! It's terrific.
Paper/Grade Slam: Don't forget to use this 24/7 free tutoring service! You can even use it for college essay review and SAT and ACT prep. Here are links to a few resources.
How Do Students Use PAPER's Essay Review?
TUSD's School Opening & Safety Plan
The health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority as they return to school. When the new school year begins, the on-campus school will look much different than previous years due to new health and safety measures.
Tustin Unified has created a School Opening and Safety Plan that addresses how schools will meet the needs of students in the coming school year. The plan to reopen schools is based on current guidance from public health officials, state agencies, as well as your valuable input from the recent parent survey, and will be updated as the situation evolves. As a result, TUSD has put together two options that will address social-distancing requirements to keep TUSD students and staff safe while also supporting student learning.
For the 2020-21 academic year, Tustin Unified will provide families a choice of two instructional options, including the hybrid model – a blend of in-person and remote learning, and Tustin Connect (K-12) – 100% online virtual school with optional in-person instruction.
The TUSD School Opening and Safety Plan (English linked, Spanish below) covers the many procedures and protocols that are being put in place for a successful and safe reopening. The plan can also be found on the TUSD website at https://www.tustin.k12.ca.us.
PLAN DE SEGURIDAD Y APERTURA DE ESCUELAS PARA EL AÑO ESCOLAR 2020-21
Our Mission
Email: efineberg@tustin.k12.ca.us
Website: www.tustinconnect.org
Location: (K-8) 14741 North B Street; (9-12) 1151 San Juan Street
Phone: (714) 430-2052
Twitter: @tustinconnect