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Terrapin News
October 2023
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Hello Terrapin Families,
Relationships are how people connect to one another in our schools, our communities, and our world. We focus on the importance of relationships during the month of October knowing the positive outcomes these relationships have on our students when they experience those deep meaningful connections. Children who experience strong relationships are more likely to feel safe to learn, grow, and develop not only academically but socially and emotionally as well. Through relationships, children learn how to think, understand, communicate, behave, express emotions, and develop social skills. In Sun Prairie we prioritize social-emotional development and learning on a daily basis. Establishing and maintaining positive relationships: respect for others, practice social skills, make responsible choices and connect to the community is one of our adopted SEL standards. Research has shown a strong link between social-emotional development to cognitive areas such as information processing, language, perception, and much more.
Ways that families can support and develop deep meaningful relationships with their children:
Say “I love you” often - everyday no matter their age.
Set boundaries, rules and expectations - Children need structure and guidance as they grow and learn about the world around them.
Listen and empathize - Connection starts with listening. Acknowledge your child’s feelings, show them you understand, and reassure them that you are there to help with whatever they need.
Play Together - Play is so important to a child’s development. It is the tool through which children develop language skills, express emotions, foster creativity, and learn about social skills.
Be available and distraction-free - Setting aside just 10 minutes a day to talk with your child, without distractions, can make a big difference in establishing good communication habits.
Eat meals together - Eating together as a family can often lead to great conversation and bonding time with your child.
Create parent-child rituals - One-on-one time with your child can strengthen the parent-child bond, build up your child’s self-esteem, and lets them know that they are special and valued.
Happy October!
Michael Marincic, Principal
608-478-5101
October is Bullying Prevention Month!
Please click here for more on Token Springs Bullying Prevention
No School
Monday, October 2
SCOTS Meeting
Tuesday, October 10
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Click here to access the Zoom link
Caregiver Conferences
Thursday, October 19 from 4:00-8:00 p.m.
Friday, October 20
*watch for an email from your student(s) teachers to sign up
No School
Friday, October 20
SCOTS Cassoulet Share Event
Tuesday, October 24 and Wednesday, October 25
School Picture Retake Day
Wednesday, October 25
(during school hours)
SCOTS Spooktacular Family Event
Friday, October 27
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Helpful Links
- Please visit the Token Springs website for 2023-2024 Recess & Lunch Schedules
- For further details about days off this school year, please visit the School Year Calendar At a Glance 2023-2024
- SPASD Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Stay Connected with the SPASD App
This app allows students, staff and caregivers to access information quickly and easily. It provides access to school blackboard connect notifications, school menus, calendar, District news, Peachjar flyers and more. Students and caregivers can also access Infinite Campus via the app, which provides information regarding attendance, grades and more. To download the app, visit either the iPhone App Store or the Google Play Store.
Picture Retake Day - October 25th
Need your school picture retaken? Absent on school picture day? Please let your student(s) teacher know that you would like to participate in picture retake day!
For details on ordering your school photos, please see the Empire Photography Picture Day flyer.
Bullying Prevention Week
Bullying Prevention Week is a week where our Terrapins will unite for kindness, acceptance and inclusion to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying. Bullying Prevention Week will take place during the week of October 16th with Unity Day on Wednesday October 18th. To learn more about Unity Day, click here.
Please take a moment to review our Terrapins activities and Spirit Days prior to Bullying Prevention Week on October 16th.
School Clubs 2023 - 2024
Club information will soon be available on our Clubs & Activities page. This page is in progress...please check back often!
Winter is On the Way!
With colder weather soon to come, please make sure your student(s) are dressed appropriately for outside recess!
- Hats
- Gloves or Mittens
- Fall/Winter Coat
- Boots (don't forget a change of shoes for afterwards)
**We get A LOT of lost and found items! Please make sure your student's name is on any clothing or items that may get misplaced**
SPASD Winter Guidelines for Recess
Students will stay indoors during inclement weather or when the air or wind chill temperature is at or below 0°F. The school principal will check local weather websites for temperature and wind chill factors.
Token Springs Reminders
Door Buzzer
When visiting the school, please continue to use our door buzzer system (located at the far right of the main entrance with a red sign). This is a district-wide protocol that will continue to help ensure the right people are in our building for the right reasons. Thank you for helping to keep our students safe!
Wellness Policy
Baked goods that are served or provided in the classrooms must be purchased, not homemade, and be in a wrapper which contains nutrition information and expiration date. For more information on the Sun Prairie Area School District's wellness policy, please click on the following links: Policy JHK, JHK-R
Planning on Chaperoning or Volunteering?
Are you planning on chaperoning field trips or volunteering at Token Springs this year? Criminal background checks are now completed online. If you have not had a criminal background check completed in the last 3 years, please take a moment to fill out the online criminal background check.
It can take up to two weeks for your background check to be approved. If you are planning on chaperoning any upcoming field trips or volunteering in the school, please take a moment to fill out the online criminal background check so that you are ready to go when these events occur.
Volunteer Terrapin Program
We are excited to bring back our highly successful Volunteer Terrapin program for the 2023-24 school year! Our educators will continue to populate opportunities as they settle into the school year, in the meantime, take a look at our sign-up and check out our current volunteering opportunities starting Monday, September 11th. You must have an approved criminal background check on file prior to being a volunteer terrapin.
Terrapin Trot 2023
What a great day at the terrapin trot! A special thank you to SCOTS for organizing this fun event!
As the new school year begins, our Health Office is looking for some donations including:
- Boys new underwear sizes small, medium or sizes 4, 6
- Girls socks/booties
- Gently used shirts (boys and girls)
Donations can be turned in at the front office. Thank you for your continued support!
Barb deVenecia, School Nurse
October is Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying is mean, unwanted, and/or hurtful behavior that keeps happening over a period of time. It is unfair and one-sided and involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be verbal, physical and social as well as electronic which is known as cyber-bullying. Bullying affects all students and the effects of bullying can be seen into adulthood.
There are several roles that children fall into when it comes to bullying. The roles include the following: the person doing the bullying, the person being bullied, the bystander and/or the upstander. It is important to understand the roles kids play in order to effectively prevent and respond to bullying. Labeling a child(ren) into a certain role, specifically the “bully” may have unintended consequences; such as failing to recognize that the child’s behavior can be changed. Instead of labeling the child, focus on the behavior; thus, referring back to the several roles a child may fall into when it comes to bullying.
Solutions to bullying are not simple. Educators, families and other caring adults can help prevent bullying by:
Helping kids understand bullying.
Keeping the lines of communication open.
Encouraging kids to do what they love.
Modeling how to treat others with kindness and respect.
If you are interested in learning more about bullying prevention, Stopbullying.gov is a great place to start! Lastly, if your child(ren) is experiencing bullying at Token Springs, please encourage them to report the bullying behavior to a trusted adult within the building.
Mrs. Zweifel, School Counselor
What is SCOTS?
SCOTS or the School Community Organization of Token Springs is the Parent Group here at Token Springs. PTA... PTO... SCO... Same thing. Parents coming together to build a sense of community around our school. We organize events for afterschool, help show our appreciation to our dedicated staff, and can help facilitate things the school can't (like connecting parents via a voluntary directory).
We are a 501(3)(c) non profit. We are run by volunteers. We have a 5 member board this year (most in Sun Prairie, woot woot!), we have amazing volunteers that run Book Fairs, design Spirit Wear, create haunted houses, organize a Terrapin Trot, put together the Yearbook and so much more.
So if you have an event idea, email us at tokenspringssco@gmail.com and we will help make it happen. A Ga Ga Ball Tournament? A sidewalk chalk contest? A snowball fight? Bring the idea and we'll bring the resources and manpower to make the event happen. Our meetings happen the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 at Token Springs AND via zoom. You can also check out our SCOTS linktree for upcoming events and links.
2023-2024 Officers
President - Amy Knock
Vice President - Kayla Degnan
Treasurer - Corine Friday
Secretary - Christy Tubbs
Parent Liaison - Tiffany Black
SCOTS Meeting - October 10th
Tuesday, October 10th from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
This meeting will be held in person in the LGI as well virtually via Token Springs/Zoom
Cassoulet Share Event - October 24th & 25th
Give yourself the gift of time and delicious food while you help Token Springs SCOTS! Check out our Cassoulet Share Event flyer happening this October.
Spooktacular - October 27th
Friday, October 27 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Watch your email for more information!
Do you have a passion for planning?
We are looking for some extra volunteers to help with Spooktacular!
Specifically:
-Trunk or Treat
-Outdoor Activities
-Indoor Activities
-Haunter House
Email us if you would like to make our Spooktacular, spectacular!
Token Springs FUNdraiser
By participating in this fundraiser, you eliminate the need for multiple fundraising efforts throughout the year and the associated donation requests. We're streamlining our fundraising efforts to make it more convenient for our families.
Fundraising Goal
Our goal this year is to raise $10,000 in funding for Token Springs. If we surpass this amount, we would be delighted to extend this support to our larger community. Building on the experience and feedback from last year's fundraiser, we are confident that with your support, we can achieve and possibly exceed this goal. This will enable us to continue providing fantastic events for our whole community.
Online Pledge Platform
To make your contribution and support these valuable initiatives, please click here: http://fundly.com/token-springs-fundraiser to access the online pledge platform.
The Sun Prairie Neighborhood Navigators program serves as a connector in the community, ensuring that all members of the Sun Prairie Community have a support system, have a voice for change and have access to resources. Click here to learn more!
Check out the October 2023 Cafeteria Connection which includes:
- National School Lunch Week
- the Great Apple Crunch
- Free/Reduced School Lunch Application
- Checking for Allergens
- How to Pay for Food Service Accounts
Token Springs Elementary School
Website: https://www.sunprairieschools.org/token-springs-home
Location: 1435 North Thompson Road, Sun Prairie, WI, USA
Phone: (608) 478-5100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TokenSpringsElementary/
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION
No student may be unlawfully discriminated against in any school programs, activities or in facilities usage because of the student’s sex (gender identity, gender expressions, and non-conformity to gender role stereotypes), color, religion, profession, or demonstration of belief or non-belief, race, national origin (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, homelessness status, sexual orientation, age, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. Harassment is a form of discrimination and shall not be tolerated in the District. It is the responsibility of administrators, staff members and all students to ensure that student discrimination or harassment does not occur.
(SPASD District Policy JB
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Spanish, please contact us at 608-834-6620. Si un estudiante, padre ó guardian prefiere tener esta información traducida en Español, por favor contactenos en el 608-834-6620.
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Hmong, please contact us at 608-834-6630. Yog tus me nyuam lub xiv los yog niam thiab txiv/tus neeg muaj cai saib xyuas tus me nyuam xav tau qhov ntawv ntawm no ua lus Hmoob, thov hais rau peb paub rau ntawm 608-834-6630.
NEW NOTICE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES ON SEX DISCRIMINATION, THE DISTRICT’S TITLE IX COORDINATOR, AND PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING OR FILING A COMPLAINT OF SEX DISCRIMINATION
The Sun Prairie Area School District (“District”) does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that the District operates. Title IX’s requirement not to discriminate in any education program or activity extends to cover, but is not limited to, District students, certain admissions processes, and District employment. To access the relevant policy and procedures you can go to the District’s website. For inquiries regarding how Title IX and the federal Title IX regulations apply to the District please contact the District’s Title IX Coordinator, (the Director of Student Policy & School Operations, 501 S. Bird Street, Sun Prairie, WI 53590, 608-834-6624 or by email at titleixcoordinator@sunprairieschools.org.)