Cougar Connection

The winter holidays are here! I know that this is a busy time for many families, and I hope that everyone has an opportunity to enjoy some time off. Middle schoolers can use the time to recharge for a great start to the new year. We are more than halfway through the second marking period and I am confident that all of our students will finish the marking period off strong.

May the coming year bring joy, success, and good health to each of you. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making our school community a wonderful place to learn and grow. Looking forward to a wonderful 2025- Happy New Year!

Check out some other highlights from this month:

• Sixth graders at TEMS have started to build their SWPS Portrait of a Graduate website portfolios. This is where students will highlight artifacts to show how they are empowered, engaged, resilient and socially conscious. Around the building we are excited to share that teachers are connecting learning to these attributes as we build these attributes into our core values.
• Winter athletics are underway. Our girls basketball team started off strong with big wins over Ellington and Tolland this week and our boys took the W over Tolland in their first game last night.
• We hosted families and friends for the first winter concert of the season on December 16th. Our Jazz combo and grade level bands are full of talented young musicians, and we are so proud of them all. Our choral concert is scheduled for January 9th and our Orchestra concert is scheduled on January 16th.
• We are at the tail end of our schoolwide spirit week. I appreciate all the participation and TEMS has been transformed to a winter wonderland with the door decorating in each homeroom. Check out the pictures below of some outstanding creativity or you can see the gallery of all the doors here!
• Entertainers, the TEMS musical production, is off and running. Our performers, stage crew, and technicians are already working hard. You can all look forward to more information about Moana Jr. in next month's newsletter, but mark your calendars for the performances scheduled on March 6th, 7th, and 8th.
• Out of the Blue is ready to kick off 2025 strong! Join the club for writers and artists for the first meeting of 2025 on Monday January 6 in room 222 with Ms. Olsen. Out of the Blue is our schools nationally award winning literary magazine that celebrates the written and artistic talent of our whole school.

We aim to keep everyone "in-the-know" about important school events and activities. You can reference the school event's calendar found on our website, or follow TEMS on Facebook, Twitter, and Threads. You can also reference the monthly calendar that I share each month below. The most up-to-date information is always shared on TETV News.

The daily TETV Morning News serve as our primary vehicle for communicating important information to students each day. This is where students can learn about upcoming events, tryouts, clubs and activities, and current events. In addition to playing during homeroom each day you can access the daily news on our school website.

• South Windsor Public Library Teen Events
• Hartford Public Library Teen Events
• 2024-2025 School Calendar
• 2025-2026 School Calendar (Just Posted)

I am so exited that our winter sports season has begun, and I love that we have stduenst fans in attendance each game to cheer the Cougars on. In order to attend the games, students must register. The registration google form will be posted on the TE website the night before the game starting at 6pm. There are a limited number of seats available for each game. This allows us to plan adequate supervision for students between dismissal and the game start. Any student who stays after school needs to register and report to the cafeteria after dismissal to meet the game supervisors. The only exception to sign ups is if a student goes home at dismissal and then comes back for the start of the game with a guardian.

One the game begins our students can make us proud by cheering our players on and promoting good sportsmanship. Thanks for everyone's support.

Grade 8 parents and guardians are invited to SWHS School Counseling's Grade 8 Parent/Guardian Night, which will take place on Tuesday, January 7th, at 6:30 p.m. in the SWHS Auditorium.

This program is designed to provide valuable insights as you and your child prepare for the transition to high school. During the evening, SWHS School Counselors Ms. Dina Keleher and Ms. Krista Iuliano will cover topics including:

• Preparing for the transition to high school

• Key differences between middle school and high school

• SWHS culture, expectations, and policies

• An overview of the Grade 9 course selection process

• How to navigate the SWHS Course Catalog

• And much more!

Please note that Grade 8 students will receive this information through a classroom lesson at TEMS during the following week. While students are not required to attend this evening program, they are welcome to join.

The session will include plenty of opportunities for parents and guardians to ask questions. We hope you can join us for this important and informative event.

Choral Visits to Classrooms and Lunch Waves

We're excited to be bringing back the TEMS Writing Center. Students can come to our student run writing center for help with a research paper, essay, or any other writing assignment.

CLICK HERE to visit our website and schedule an appointment.

Resilience can be broadly defined as the capacity to bounce back from challenges, adapt to adversity, and endure difficult situations without being overwhelmed. In the classroom, this translates to helping students develop the skills and mindset necessary to face academic pressures, social challenges, and personal setbacks with confidence and poise.

However, fostering resilience is not about shielding students from difficulties but rather exposing them to manageable challenges accompanied by the support needed to overcome these obstacles. It’s about teaching them to view failures not as defeats but as learning experiences.

At TEMS, we believe that the true focus of education is on learning, growth, and developing skills—not just achieving a grade. Every step forward, no matter how small, is an important part of the journey. Let’s continue to support our students in embracing challenges, taking risks, and learning from mistakes, knowing that this is how real progress happens. We also believe in balance- often when students worry too much about the grade over learning, we see increased anxiety. Let's foster a love for learning by modeling and celebrating what a student can show what they know more than the number or letter grade associated with it.

The next meeting is scheduled for January 23rd at 6:30 and will be virtual. Go to the TEMS PTO Website to stay up to date on news and activities. Here is the link to join the meeting.

The PTO is looking for more volunteers to support the planning of Teacher Appreciation Week. Email teptopres@gmail.com for more information or to volunteer.

The PTO is also asking for student feedback about what types of engagement events they'd like to see planned. Click here to submit your response.

Key PTO Events:

• PTO Fundraiser (Burrito Bowl Place) January 4th from 4:00-8:00
• PTO Meeting January 23rd

TEMS is planning a STEM Night being scheduled for March 14th. We are looking for community members that can share their passion with our students. If you are interested in volunteering please reach out to SWHS student Rithika Rajasekaran by emailing rithika.kirithika@gmail.com. You can talk about what you do, lead engaging demonstrations, answer questions from families. Thank you for considering!

Outdoor Club Trip to the Ice Arena

If a student device is not functioning correctly, please refer to the Troubleshooting Common Chromebook Issues Document.

If a student device is broken or not working correctly, please have the student visit the Chromebook Help desk at school in room 376. The updated hours for the help desk are 7:45am-12:00pm daily.

For additional resources, please visit the EdTech Resources for Students website.

Tuesday's at the Teen Center are back! These are special hours just for Timothy Edwards Middle School students. If your child is looking for something fun to do and hang out with friends, the South Windsor Teen Center has got what they need. They even provide transportation if you need it. Students have to fill out this form to attend. Any questions please call the Teen Center at 860-648-6360. Hope to see your middle schooler here!