The Talbot Sunday Update

• Early Release on Wednesdays - Students Dismissed at 1:10

• Veterans' Day-November 11th-No School

• Student Conferences-November 21st and 22nd

Students and families had a blast painting pumpkins, making bracelets, playing games, enjoying the bounce house obstacle course, and sharing in community together. Thank you to the Talbot PTO for sponsoring such a wonderful family event.

This year, with much support from Alissa Bourque our community school coordinator, Talbot received over $20,000 from the Foundation for Portland Public Schools for some exciting programming! Thank you to all Talbot staff who were integral in suggesting projects, writing grants, and executing these exciting ideas that are sure to support student and family learning, appeal to student interests, and infuse JOY at Talbot. Examples of some of the grant projects:

• A trip for the PreK students to the Wabanaki Exhibit at the Children's Museum
• The Children's Museum & Theater of Maine will visit Talbot with their performance Elephant & Piggie's "We are in a Play".
• Parkour for Kids
• Talbot Odyssey of the Mind Team

School Staff Will...

• Provide positive, challenging, high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment.

• Keep caregivers informed of their student’s progress, updates on what is happening at school, and provide reasonable access to school staff.

• Provide opportunities for caregivers to learn how to support their student’s learning at home.

• Provide caregivers with opportunities to volunteer and participate in their children’s education.

• Model behavior that is expected from our students. Help students understand what it means to be safe, respectful, responsible and cooperative.

Caregivers/Families Will...

Dear Talbot Families and Community,

As Halloween approaches, I wanted to take a moment to address the district’s stance on this holiday and provide some context behind our decision not to celebrate Halloween during school hours.

At Talbot, we pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive community where every student and family feels respected, valued, and safe. While Halloween is a popular tradition for many, we also recognize that it is not celebrated by everyone. Some families may not observe the holiday for personal, cultural, or religious reasons, and we want to ensure that our school remains a welcoming environment for all. We also believe that our primary focus should remain on learning and growth, and as such, we strive to maintain a classroom environment that is focused on education.

This decision was made thoughtfully with input from staff, families, and community members. It aligns with our commitment to fostering an inclusive atmosphere where every student feels they belong. We want to ensure that no student feels left out or uncomfortable, and that our schools continue to be spaces where all students can thrive.

While we won’t be celebrating Halloween during the school day, we encourage students and families who wish to participate in Halloween festivities to do so in ways that align with their traditions outside of school. We will, of course, continue to celebrate the many other school-wide events and activities that bring our community together throughout the year.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to create an environment where all of our students can feel safe, respected, and included.

It's really important that we have updated information about four family! If you have not already done so, please complete the annual parent/guardian portal update on Infinite Campus as soon as possible.

Online updates include changes to phone numbers, email addresses, emergency contacts, addresses, media release forms, walking permission slips and much more. To access the portal update, please go to:

https://ic.portlandschools.org/campus/portal/parents/portland.jsp

Avoid keeping children at home unless they are too sick to participate in regular activities. If your child has a compromised immune system or is at high risk for complications from common illnesses, please talk to your school (school nurse if available) about developing a plan with you and your child's health-care provider to keep your child healthy and safe while attending school.

Some of the normal conditions children may experience, but don't usually require them to stay home from school might include:

• a mild cold with runny nose or occasional cough
• a mild upset stomach with no other complications
• a mild rash with no other symptoms
• treated head lice
• mild eye irritation without fever
• pain or eyelid redness
• menstrual cramps and/or other symptoms
• mild anxiety or sadness
• fever has gone away and they are not taking fever reducing medicine

If you are worried that your child may be suffering from anxiety, talk with your teacher, the school nurse, social worker or other school staff and/or the child's health care provider to discuss the challenge and identify what support or intervention might help your child stay in school.

This document is not meant to take the place of CDC/DOE/School Department guidance about illnesses such as Covid-19 and flu.

(Document Attached Below)