The Twain Tiger Times

Hello Tiger Family,

This is our final BIG newsletter for the 24-25 school year. It has been a fantastic year at Twain! We appreciate all the support you give to our Twain Tigers throughout the school year and beyond. We couldn't do it without each and every one of you.

Theresa's Tidbits:

1. Registration for the 25-26 School Year is Open: We're excited to share that registration for the 2025-2026 school year is open! All families are required to register their students each year in Infinite Campus. Be sure to select the "25-26" school year when completing the process. We would appreciate all families registering for the next school year as soon as possible as it helps with our staffing decisions. You may click here to start the registration process: Registration instructions for returning families to the District

If you need help, please feel free to visit us in the Twain Elementary Office! Thanks so much for getting this completed for next year! We are so happy to have you back!

2. 5th Celebration Ceremony: On Tuesday, June 3rd we will celebrate our 5th graders at Twain Elementary. The ceremony will be held in the Gym @ 2:00 p.m. All families are invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served afterwards. The doors to the school will open 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. We hope you can join us to celebrate our Tigers!

3. Last Days of School:

• The last day of school for PK is Wednesday, June 4th.
• The last day of school for K-5 students is Friday, June 5th. We will dismiss @ 12:55 that day. (Please note the 2 hour early dismissal.)

4. No early out on Thursday, June 5th: Because we need to make up one hour of instruction due to inclement weather days, we will NOT dismiss early on Thursday, June 5th.

5. Need some Twain Swag: There is an online store open and accepting orders for Twain t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, etc. Orders are due by May 13th at midnight! Please click HERE to order.

6. Circle Drive Reminders: Please remember you are not to leave your car unattended in the circle drive at any time during the day. If you have to come into the building, please park in the parking lot or on the street.

As Tigers, we will bring the light and love to all we do! We are all in for ALL Tigers! Make it a great summer!

Tigers together🧡 🖤,

Theresa Kirkman

Twain Elementary Principal

Thursday, May 1:

• Early Out @ 1:55 p.m.
• Twain PTO @ 5:30 in the Library

Friday, May 2:

Monday, May 5:

• 5th Grade Band Concert @ City High, 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 6:

Wednesday, May 7:

Thursday, May 8:

• Early Out @ 1:55 p.m.

Friday, May 9:

Monday, May 12:

Tuesday, May 13:

Wednesday, May 14:

• 4th and 5th Grade Track and Field Day

Thursday, May 15:

• Early Out @ 1:55 p.m.

Friday, May 16:

• 5th Graders to Tour SEMS

Monday, May 19:

Tuesday, May 20:

Wednesday, May 21:

Thursday, May 22:

• Early Out @ 1:55 p.m.
• 5th Grade Orchestra Concert @ City High, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, May 23:

Monday, May 26: No School, Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 27:

Wednesday, May 28:

Thursday, May 29:

• Early Out @ 1:55 p.m.
• City High Graduate Walk

Friday, May 30:

Monday, June 2:

Tuesday, June 3:

• 5th Grade Celebration @ 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, June 4: Last Day of PK

Thursday, June 5:

• NO Early Out today! Dismissal is at 2:55 p.m.
• PTO @ 5:30 p.m.
• No Preschool

Friday, June 6: Last Day of School, Two hour early dismissal

• Dismissal @ 12:55 pm
• No Preschool

With recent changes to federal immigration policies and practices, we want to assure you of the measures we have in place within our schools.

Our Safeguards:

• Requests from immigration officials to access information or communicate with a student will be immediately referred to the Superintendent’s Office. We will work closely with legal counsel to ensure compliance with the law while safeguarding students' privacy and rights.

• Any law enforcement action involving our schools must comply with proper legal authority.

• While following the law, we will prioritize protecting students' constitutional and legal rights. We will not share student information or grant law enforcement building access unless legally required to do so.

Important note: Please review and update your contact information in Infinite Campus to ensure we can communicate effectively with you. Accurate information helps us maintain our comprehensive school safety plans. Please take a moment to verify the following:

• Personal contact details (phone numbers and email addresses).

• Emergency contact information.

• Approved individuals who can pick up your child from school.

Please visit our Supports for Immigrant Students and Families webpage for more information.

Do you have a little one turning 5 years old on or before September 15, 2025? Then it’s time for Kindergarten Registration! If you have not already registered your child for Kindergarten for the 2025/26 school year, please contact our school office to get started.

Preschool registration for the 2025-26 school year is open.

Do you have a child who will be turning 4 years of age on or before September 15, 2025? If so, please stop in at any elementary school or visit the website to register your child.

All of our preschool teachers are certified in both general and special education, and we offer free half-day programming for 4-year-olds in all of our elementary schools with full-day tuition options also available in all locations.

Feel free to bring registration documents with you, including your child’s immunization records, birth certificate, and health physical. Don’t worry; if you don’t have the records available, we can still get your child registered!

We look forward to welcoming your little one to our preschool family! For more information, visit www.IowaCitySchools.org/Preschool.

1.The last PTO meeting of the year will be held Thursday, June 5th @ 5:30 pm. This meeting will be held at Big Grove.

2. Keep bringing in Hy-Vee receipts! Ms. Janet will take them in the office.

3. To kick off Staff Appreciation Week, PTO will be hosting a "Chalk the Walk." We will decorate the sidewalks and show our appreciation and love for our staff! Join us on Sunday, May 4th at 4:00 p.m.!

Follow PTO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/109614672461941

Searching for a summer day camp for your little ones? Look no further! Join us at Daisy Day Camp designed for incoming kindergartners and first graders this June!

Enjoy a free Girl Scout membership and earn four fun badges while making new friends and building a community!

Don’t miss out on the adventure!

https://my.cheddarup.com/c/2025-daisy-day-camp-86869/barriers/visitor-report?cart&linkedItemId=undefined

Imagine a summer filled with exciting sports, fascinating encounters, creative art projects, and enriching fieldtrip opportunities. Each day brings a new adventure, with fresh destinations and activities to explore. Plus, there's plenty of time for free play, learning new games, and making new friends. It's the perfect blend of fun and discovery!

NCJC Summer Camp Registration Now Open!!! For youth who have completed Kindergarten to fifth grade

Locations:

Alexander Elementary - 3571 Sycamore St. Iowa City, IA

Mark Twain Elementary - 1355 Deforest Drive Iowa City, IA

Tuition: $260/week - tuition includes all meals and activities

Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:30pm

Dates:

Week 1: June 16 - June 20

Week 2: June 23 - June 27

Week 3 - July 7 - July 11

Week 4 - July 14 - July 18

Week 5 - July 21 - July 25

Week 6 - July 28 - August 1

Week 7- August 4- August 8

We CAN'T WAIT to see YOU there!!! Come join the fun!!

Interested in the Iowa City Public Library summer reading program?

Color Our World starts May 27th!

Visit icpl.org/summer for more information!

Twain Elementary will be hosting the ICPL Bookmobile on Thursdays from 2:15 - 2:45 p.m. in the Circle Drive. It will run Monday, January 6 through Friday, May 30, 2025 this Winter/Spring. Please visit the following link for more information about dates and any updates. https://www.icpl.org/services/bookmobile

The Mark Twain Lucas Farms Food Pantry is hosted the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Faith UCC, 1609 Deforest Avenue, Iowa City. This is open to all Twain Families needing assistance with food.

In order to make the food pantry a success, the pantry is always looking for volunteers to assist in picking up, organizing and handing out food. If you are interested in volunteering to help, please contact a_satterly@msn.com. Your help would be greatly appreciated!

It's okay to ask for help! Our District has proudly partnered with CareSolace for 24/7/365 mental health care for students, staff, and their families. For more information, head to: https://www.caresolace.com/site/iccsd

The ICCSD's main goal is for students to be in school daily and to confirm their safety with a parent or guardian if they are absent. While we understand absences may occur for reasons like illness, family activities, or appointments, the State of Iowa requires us to track the number of days missed, regardless of the reason.

Reporting Absences:
If your child will be absent, please notify your school’s attendance office before the start of the school day. You can do this by creating an Absence Request in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or by calling the school attendance office. If we do not hear from you, the school will reach out to confirm your student’s safety and ensure you are aware of their absence.

State Attendance Requirements:
The Iowa Department of Education has implemented strict guidance that requires schools to address absenteeism. As part of this, schools will send notifications to guardians when a student has missed a certain number of days each grading period.

• First Letter: A written notification that your child has missed a certain number of days.
• Second Letter: A certified letter sharing that your child has reached 10% absenteeism in a grading period and that the district was required to inform the county attorney.
• Third Letter: If your child reaches 15% absenteeism, a School Engagement meeting will be scheduled, and an Absenteeism Prevention Plan will be created. If these steps are not followed, the county attorney may initiate legal proceedings.

Additional information about the State’s attendance requirements and absence exemptions, as well as district guidance, is available on the updated Attendance Page of our District website.

Regular school attendance is crucial for your child's success, both academically and socially. Thank you for your partnership in making this a successful year for all our students.

Janet Abejo-Parker, Ombuds, Iowa City Community School District

The Ombuds Office plays an important part in the District's efforts to raise awareness of concerns, promote a civil, equitable, and inclusive organization, and improve organizational culture.

The Ombuds serves as an informal concern and conflict resolution resource regarding school and district-related matters. For example, if you don’t know who to talk to or what to do, the Ombuds provides a safe space to discuss options for resolving your concern or conflict.

Ombuds Guiding Principles

• Independence: Operates independently of other District departments.
• Impartiality: Does not take sides. Works collaboratively with all parties involved.
• Confidentiality: Communications with Ombuds are confidential to the extent permitted by law.
• Informality: A voluntary, supplemental resource; does not participate in formal processes, investigations, or complaints.

You may contact the Ombuds by phone at (319) 688-1312 or by email at ombuds@iowacityschools.org. For more information on the Ombuds role, please visit www.iowacityschools.org/Ombuds.

7:30 a.m.: Students eating breakfast/bus riders arrive

7:40 a.m.: Doors open for students not eating breakfast to go to classrooms

• If your student isn't eating breakfast, please plan to drop them off after 7:40 a.m.

7:55 a.m. Tardy Bell (students should be in the building by this time)

2:55 p.m.: Dismissal (Mon. Tues., Wed. and Fri.) 1:55 pm. (Thurs)

Looking for information on Securly, our web filtering tool? Find all the information here www.IowaCitySchools.org/Securly.

Email: kirkman.theresa@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/Page/2438
Location: 1355 Deforest Avenue, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: 319-688-1165
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/109614672461941