TPS District Newsletter

Brenda Theriault-Regan
Superintendent

Do you love Wordle? Candy Crush? Connections? Did you know that when you play these games, you are growing your sequential problem solving skills and vocabulary at the same time?

If you love those type of challenges, take a look at the website First In Math!

Title I Massachusetts school districts have been provided access to First in Math until March 31, 2025. Through this access, districts in the state are competing against each other for bragging rights for improved creative problem solving and computational thinking skills. This software is available for use as an additional resource in classrooms and at home for every single person (students, families, staff, and friends). We are playing as the Tewksbury team (see below).

This is not your typical online skill practice site! The platform includes FUN activities and games that can extend math knowledge and practice for Kindergarten - early Algebra students. The site provides fun puzzles and games for fact fluency and automaticity, measurement, computational thinking, word problems, coding, and more.

Parents/Guardians: We are hoping you will allow your child(ren) at least 5 minutes a day (or whatever time you can in the week) to participate in this challenge. They can use the site on a computer or phone, and so can the rest of the family! Find your challenge and help Tewksbury win. Help our brains think better too! Let's beat Billerica, Wilmington, and all the towns around us in this friendly challenge!

There are no individual accounts, so we are playing as a district against other districts.

Website: http://www.FirstInMath.com

User ID: tewks

Password: lovemath

Team name: gleam42ma

Good luck! Let's bring home those bragging rights to Tewksbury!

One Call Now, our emergency alert system, will notify parents of school closures, cancellations, early dismissals or delays via phone call or text.

Every student parents/guardians' first two phone numbers in our student database, Aspen, are automatically enrolled for One Call Now phone calls. For the fastest possible notification, we highly recommend opting into text messaging. Text the word ALERT to 22300 via a contact number listed in Aspen to receive text messages.

Please see a full breakdown of opt in and opt out procedures, plus additional information on when calls and texts are utilized here.

During school closures, it is essential that students, families, and staff have access to mental health resources and crisis support services. Our district is committed to ensuring the well-being of our community and connecting individuals with the help they need.

Care Solace

Care Solace provides referral support to our students and families with mental health and substance concerns. The Care Solace care concierge team is available 24/7 to provide support in navigating the mental health care system, including:

• Finding available local providers
• Scheduling appointments
• Following up on services received
• To access Care Solace, visit www.caresolace.com/tewksbury or call 888-515-0595.

Vinfen

Vinfen is a leading human services organization dedicated to transforming lives by providing comprehensive mental health and behavioral health services. Vinfen offers crisis support and services for individuals of all ages, including:

• Mental health evaluations and referrals
• Crisis intervention and stabilization
• Ongoing care coordination

For immediate support, please contact Vinfen 24-hour Crisis Line at 866-388-2242 or visit Vinfen's website for a description of programs and services at https://vinfen.org/services/behavioral-health-clinics/

In Case of Emergency

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or is at risk of harm, please contact:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room

Your safety and mental health are our priorities. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support during this time.

We have been observing several Chromebook returns over this year. A majority of the issues are broken screens. The screens are not wearing out. In most instances, the screens are broken/cracked from holding or picking up the device by the screen.

To ensure the longevity and optimal performance of your Chromebook, please follow these Student Chromebook Handling Instructions:

By following these instructions, you help ensure that your Chromebook remains in good working condition for the duration of its use.

Parents / guardians of incoming Kindergarten students are welcomed to select a registration meeting date and time, which begins January 13, 2025. Prior to the appointment, families must complete the online registration documents and upload the supporting documents. Please be advised, an informational presentation will be available on the district's website and on the local cable access channel in early January.

Please view our Kindergarten flyer here or via the button above.

Our English Language Education department is pleased to announce three upcoming ELE Parent Advisory Council meetings that will directly support the parents of English Language Learners!

Coming Soon... Join Us for a special "Behind the Books" event at the Dewing, Heath Brook, CES and Ryan elementary schools! Discover how our innovative EL Education program is revolutionizing literacy instruction and empowering your child’s learning journey. This engaging event will include a hands-on lesson demonstration, insights into the curriculum, and practical tips for supporting your student's success. More information will be emailed soon directly from your child's school.

SAVE THE DATES

Dewing: Thursday January 9, 2025

Heath Brook: Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Ryan: Tuesday, January 28, 2025

CES: Thursday, January 30, 2025

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth is hosting both a poster and PSA contest for students surrounding the theme of COMMUNITY!

The poster contest is open to elementary, middle, and high school students with a submission deadline of January 24, 2025.

The PSA contest is open to middle and high school students with a submission deadline of April 25, 2025.

Click here for the full informational flyer

Each participant must complete the student application form signed by a parent/guardian consenting to the student's involvement in the Poster/PSA Project. The form is available to download below and can also be found on MPY’s website, along with upload instructions for entries. Please return these permission slips to school staff to be kept on file. When uploading a student’s project, please check the box acknowledging receipt of the signed permission slip.

We invite parents to review the 2024-2025 TMHS Student profile (via the button above) as well as the 8th Grade letter sent to all parents/guardians of Grade 8 students, both of which highlight the many academic and extracurricular offerings and achievements at Tewksbury Memorial High School.

But don't take our word for it--- Learn what makes the TMHS experience so special directly from our own students by watching the video below!

TMHS has many amazing opportunities for students during their high school years. TMHS continues to expand Early College Course Opportunities through Dual Enrollment (DE) and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Our partnerships with Southern New Hampshire University and Middlesex Community College allows TMHS to offer various college-level courses at a substantially reduced tuition rate. Students who elect to take dual enrollment courses can earn potential college credit from an accepting university, which can reduce the number of required college courses. Participation in Early College Courses strengthen a students high school transcript and provide the highest GPA course weighting. Our current list of dual enrollment courses include Accounting, Anatomy & Physiology, Applied Marketing, Biology, Calculus, International Relations, Introduction to Drawing, Introduction to Computer Programming, Statistics, French, Spanish, Senior English and US History. AP courses can also lead to college credit or course waivers, depending on students' performance on the AP exams administered in May. Exam fees are set by the College Board, and each university determines if and how AP credit will be awarded, as well as the required score range. Our AP course offerings include Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Calculus AB, Chemistry, Computer Science Principals, Economics, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, French, Spanish, Latin, Physics, Psychology, Statistics, Government and Law, World History, and US History.

For the past six years, TMHS has proudly held the Innovation Pathways designation in Engineering. This pathway provides a structured outline of essential courses for students to take throughout their high school journey. To further strengthen this program, TMHS partnered with Project Lead the Way (PLTW) offering the PLTW Engineering Design and Engineering Capstone. PLTW courses are highly regarded by industries and universities for their ability to not only build knowledge and skills in engineering, but also empowering students with essential competencies such as problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and perseverance. Students enrolled in the Capstone Class will have the opportunity to design and develop original solutions to well-defined and justified real-world problems. For more information on the Innovation Pathway Program please visit TMHS Innovation Pathways website.

Careers in Criminal Justice TMHS offers a variety of courses students interested in the criminal justice field build a foundation of knowledge. Partnering with Tewksbury Police Department, students participate in a hybrid course that combines online and in-person instruction. Introduction to Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security, is the online course offered at TMHS and is included in a student’s schedule listed under Edgenuity. Throughout the semester, students will have 15 meetings during their Edgenuity period with members of the TPD who provide instruction on the many facets of the job, including various areas of policing (Criminal Bureau, Drug Unit, K-9 Unit, Traffic/ Motor Unit, SWAT/RRT Team, Domestic Violence Unit, Mental Health Clinician Team, Crime Scene & Evidence, etc.) along with information on other criminal justice professions.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA Program) TMHS is thrilled to announce the return of our CNA course! This program offers students interested in nursing the essential skills and knowledge needed to begin a career in the field. In partnering with Sunny Acres Nursing & Rehabilitation, students will complete the required off-site, hands-on experience with patients as part of the certification requirements. The program will culminate with the certification exam offered at TMHS.

Ryan 5th graders became scientists! They used their knowledge from their matter unit to make lava lamps. Thank you Tewksbury parent Mrs. Lim, who works for Pfizer, for presenting this lab to these students.

Corning Foundation helped supported Cultivating Curiosity enrichment for Center School students in November. Thank you Corning for your continuous support of the Tewksbury Public School system.

On Thursday, December 12, TMHS students in Project Lead the Way's Capstone class participated in "Student Solved: A four-hour virtual design challenge for PLTW students." Students worked in groups with a mentor from Philips to come up with solutions to a problem. The day ended with learning about the US patent office.

The Office of Student and Family Support developed a comprehensive website designed to provide a wide range of resources aimed at supporting student and their families.

In addition, the Middlesex Partnership for Youth (MPY) has curated an outstanding resource library offering valuable tools and information to families at no cost. These resources cover topics such as mental health, wellness, and more. We encourage you to visit both sites to explore the support and information available to help your family thrive!

Consistent school attendance plays a crucial role in your child's academic and personal success. Regular school attendance allows students to keep up with lessons, participate in discussions, and complete assignments on time. Students who attend school regularly develop connections with their peers and staff, which assist in the development of teamwork skills and friendships. Frequent absences can create learning gaps and make it harder for your child to catch up, affecting their overall performance. Missing just two days per month can add up to chronic absenteeism, which can hold students back. Please reach out to your child's school if your child is experiencing difficulty with school attendance. Working together, we can help your child succeed!

TMHS has partnered with the Work Based Learning Alliance (WBLA,) which provides a limited amount of paid virtual internship opportunities for high school students ages 16 or older. Since this is a highly competitive opportunity, it is recommended that interested students apply early. For more information please review the WBLA informational flyer.

By offering the Seal of Biliteracy to our students, we aim to honor the bilingual students in our community and inspire more students to pursue world language proficiency. It's an asset that students can highlight in both college and job applications, and the journey toward this level of achievement can begin at any age or grade.

Tewksbury has reconvened the School Facilities Study Committee. The Committee will present a report on the feasibility and/or need of a new Elementary School or use of existing buildings to meet the future needs of the School Department. The report will include recommendations to the Select Board and School Committee based upon their review and evaluation of these reports and studies as well as review and consider information and data regarding current educational programming and enrollment. Please click the button above for more information.

If you or someone you know would like to make a difference in our students' lives by providing exceptional transportation service, Tewksbury Transit is hiring. You can find out more information via their website or give them a call at 978-851-9863.

Website: https://www.tewksbury.k12.ma.us/
Location: 139 Pleasant Street, Tewksbury, MA, USA
Phone: (978) 640-7800