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Principal's Pen
April 2024: Volume 7 , Issue 8
Gale Elementary School
Home of the Tigers!
An 'A' Rated School
Website: https://galees.tusd1.org
Location: 678 South Gollob Road, Tucson, AZ, USA
Phone: 520-731-4500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GaleTigersTUSD
Greetings Tiger Families,
We hope you enjoyed Spring Break! Thank you so much to those of you that were able to support and or attend our Spring Fling. It was a huge success! We have several fun family events this month such as Bahama Buck’s Night, our Fine Arts Gallery Walk, and classroom events.
Summer school is by invitation only this year. If your student qualifies for the program, you will be contacted to register. If you have any questions, reach out to Mrs. Jennifer Nguyen who will be our
coordinator again this year. She can be reached at Jennifer.nguyen@tusd1.org. As we enter fourth quarter, I want to personally thank you for your partnership in the success of your child and ask that you continue to remind them to always do their Tiger best!
In partnership,
520-731-4504
State Testing Schedule
Third through fifth grade families,
AASA testing (Arizona Academic Standards Assessment) begins on
Monday, April 1st and will continue through April 26th. Please do not schedule any appointments during school hours. Teachers will makegrade-level testing schedules available to you so you can plan around specific grade-level testing days. Thank you so much for ensuring that your child gets plenty of sleep, eats a good breakfast, and arrives on time, especially their testing days!
TAX CREDIT
Please remember to make a tax credit contribution to Gale Elementary School. Contributions can be made at TUSD Tax Credit website or by clicking the button below! Donations for 2023 can be made until April 15, 2024.Thank you for your continued support and generosity. You ROAR!
DATES to REMEMBER
🌸April
April 1-26 AASA Testing
April 2 Bahama Bucks
April 17 Professional Learning Day- No School
April 19 PTC Committee Meeting
April 26 Scholastic Book Fair
🔅May
May 1 Art Walk Through
May 6-10 Staff Appreciation Week
May 7 Peter Piper Pizza
May 10 Talent Show
May 17 PTC Committee Meeting
May 20 Kindergarten Celebration
May 21 5th Grade Promotion
OPEN ENROLLMENT & 5th GRADE FAMILIES
Students cannot be assigned teachers until they are registered for the 24-25 school year. This is especially important for our 6th Grade Expansion as slots filled will determine how many teachers are assigned to Gale.
6th Grade Expansion Update
Dear 5th Grade Parents and Guardians,
We have some important updates regarding our 6th-grade model that we want to share with you.
Currently, we have just enough students to form one 6th-grade class. In light of this, we're pleased to announce that Mrs. Rogers, who brings with her extensive middle school experience, will be leading this class. Mrs. Rogers is enthusiastic about this opportunity and is committed to preparing our students for their transition to middle school.
As part of her approach, Mrs. Rogers will be implementing a comprehensive curriculum that combines sustained rigor with elective classes. These electives will include opportunities for students to refine their leadership skills, engage in community service projects, and explore their interests in music and visual arts. We believe that this well-rounded approach will not only support academic growth but also foster personal development and a love for learning.
We understand that choosing the right educational path for your child is a significant decision. Whether you opt for a comprehensive program at a middle school or choose to have your child remain here at Gale for 6th grade, your decision plays a crucial role in our planning process.
To facilitate our planning efforts and ensure a smooth transition for your child into the next academic year, we kindly ask that you register promptly. Your cooperation and proactive approach are immensely valuable as we strive to provide the best possible educational experience for your child.
Should you have any questions or require assistance with the registration process, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Your input and feedback are invaluable to us, and we're here to support you every step of the way.
Family Engagement
Please reach out to our School Community Liaison , Chrissy Van Cleve for event information, student support, or community resources by email or 520-731-4500. Our upcoming family engagement focus group provides vital information and parent perspective which helps drive Gale’s future family engagement goals. Chrissy will be reaching out to parents regarding participation in the two hour process soon.
Email: chris.langston@tusd1.org
Phone: 520-731-4500
CHARACTER STRONG & TIGER TRAITS
Character Strong and Tiger Traits are basically character traits we teach and encourage children to use in order to help them be more successful students and members of our society.
You can support our efforts by discussing the meaning of each trait and the role it plays in your child’s life. It is important for you to notice and recognize your child as s/he practices using their traits even at home.
Every week we highlight a different trait. This month's Tiger Traits are Sense of Humor, Flexibility, Patience and Initiative.
Counselor's Corner with Ms. Meraz
Happy Spring Tiger Families,
In April, we will focus on Test-Taking Strategies for 3rd—5th graders to help them review, share, and practice testing strategies so they can feel confident during AASA. For K-2 graders, we will continue to focus on Self-Control through literature, worksheets, and creating a booklet to demonstrate self-control in the classroom, cafeteria, during specials, recess/lunch recess, and at home. And, of course, integrate Character Strong in the counseling lessons.
Parent Tips: How to help your child prepare for Standardized Tests:
Please remind your child to get adequate rest, eat breakfast, come to school prepared (pencils, erasers, paper), and remain positive! Staying calm will help your child stay calm. If she gets nervous about the test or is likely to experience anxiety during it, help her practice some relaxation techniques that she can try once she's taking it; please reach out if you need additional relaxation techniques.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Thank you,
GM
(P): (520) 355-5388 (Google Voice)
SPIRIT FRIDAYS
Classes with the highest percentage of students wearing Gale t-shirts get to display our coveted Spirit Sticks for a week. Ms. Osollo delivers the sticks to winning classrooms immediately following our Tiger Assemblies.