TPS District Newsletter

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.

Dear K-4 Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to share some updates to the Standards-Based Report Card (SBRC) for students in Grades K-4. Based on feedback from parents, teachers and other school representatives, we have streamlined the standards in English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Habits of Character that will appear on the report card. These changes are designed to provide clearer, more meaningful insights into your child’s academic and social progress.

What’s Changing? While the number of standards shown on the report card has been reduced, please rest assured that all standards are still taught and assessed in the classroom. The standards displayed are those that best highlight your child’s growth and achievements.

Starting in Term 1 These updates will be reflected in the Term 1 report card, which you’ll receive as usual. We believe these improvements will make it easier to understand your child’s learning journey and areas of growth. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. We are here to support you and provide any additional information you may need.

Thank you for your partnership and for your role in supporting your child’s learning!

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.

The TPS School Committee is holding regular listening sessions about once a month. At each session, community members are invited to meet with two School Committee members to discuss topics or share ideas related to our schools. The next session will be December 12, 2024.

Please join Greg Tang for the “Tang Math Parent [Virtual] Workshop”. As many of you may know, Tang Math is one of the resources the district has to support the TPS Math Curriculum, K - 5. Your students may be familiar with Mr. Tang and his strategies. If you have ever wondered how to help your student(s) or wanted to learn a little more about Tang Math, this virtual event would be a great place to start! There will not be a recording of this event, so we hope you are able to join the live session at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, November 19. Greg has also asked that anyone attending have a paper and pen/pencil ready to go. You can join this even via Zoom or Vimeo. Please use the appropriate log in credentials for the platform you will be using, which can be found here or via the button above.

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.

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.

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!

Our eighth grade students toured TMHS on Monday, November 4th. Students learned about different course offerings and club opportunities like TV production, forensics, drama, sound engineering, ceramics, early childhood education, e-sports, and more!

Tewksbury students recognized Veterans Days in several ways this month, including special ceremonies and hundreds cards sent to veterans via Local VFW 8164. Thank you to the veterans in our community!

Tewksbury's Public Schools English Language Education Department hosted an ELE Cultural Potluck. Families and Tewksbury School Nutrition provided food to share with others. Thank you for all that came to celebrate Tewksbury's diversity.

This fall at the Ryan, 5th and 6th graders explored coding using CoSpaces EDU in their STEM classes. Specifically, they used block coding to build habitats for animals. In 8th grade during DLCS class, students coded Ozobot robots. First, they used the robots sensors to follow a colored line of code. Then they wrote a script to get the robot through their mazes.

As with any TMHS sponsored event, whether in Tewksbury or on the road, the school code of conduct as outlined in Student Handbooks applies to all students. In addition:

• Students who are not in high school (grades 9-12) are required to be accompanied by an adult.
• Adults who are accompanying children are required to supervise them before, during, and after the game.
• The playground area next to the Center School will be closed during games.
• Outside food and/or beverages may not be brought into the stadium.
• Smoking, vaping, and/or consumption of alcohol is not allowed anywhere on school property.
• Upon entry, all bags are subject to be searched.
• There will be no re-entry into the stadium upon leaving the event.
• For the rest of the season and playoffs, all fans must pay an entrance fee, even those students wearing Tewksbury Youth Football jerseys. The only exceptions are senior citizens.

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.

The FNS team is proud to support sustainability by partnering with Black Earth Compost. Through composting all food scraps in our back of the house kitchen operations, we are ensuring that food waste is repurposed responsibly and rejuvenate our local soil. This not only helps reduce waste, but also contributes to enriching the soil and promoting healthier plant growth.

As part of our ongoing effort to celebrate diverse culinary traditions, we are excited to share authentic family recipes that not only nourish but also broaden our students’ palates.

The FNS team is thrilled to introduce a new and traditional recipe from Sri Lanka, crafted by our very own talented TMHS kitchen staff member, Sugarna. We will be serving Chana Masala, a flavorful and hearty dish, to our students this November. This delicious recipe is a wonderful blend of spices, offering a taste of Sri Lankan cuisine.

Stay tuned for Lisa’s Portuguese Soup in December!

Thank you to Captain Kenneth Sandberg of the Tewksbury Fire Department for his invaluable training to all the Food & Nutrition Services staff on CPR and AED. The support, expertise and dedication of the Tewksbury Fire Department ensuring the safety of our staff, students, and the community is truly appreciated.

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!

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.

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