

Weekly Wrap-Up #18: 01/10/2025
Wrapping up This Week + News for the Weeks to Come
From the Principal's Mind...
Dear families,
I hope you returned refreshed from the break. However, I know that this week felt kind of weird with the Wednesday start. Kids were asking me what day of the week it was all week long and I had to consciously keep track myself!
At our Friday Wrap-Up today, we continued to celebrate our classes showing Grizzly PRIDE, our super readers, and our student birthdays. However, we also celebrated first semester success with Middle of Year Growth in i-Ready Reading and Math as well as honoring students with a certificate who have attended school 98% or more. Our excellent attendance names were put into a drawing for a new bike, helmet, and bike lock. The two winners drawn at Wrap Up were Noah Johnson from 1B and Airiana Stout from 1B. We concluded with a reminder that we are working on the character trait of Perseverance this month.
We took a few moments to revisit all of our Positive Behavior Promises:
- P - I promise to be a positive person
- R - I promise to be responsible for my own learning and behavior
- I - I promise to do my individual best
- D - I promise to demonstrate honesty.
- E - I promise to include everyone.
Learning resumed everywhere and I was reminded of the critical role our families and homes play in school success, particularly reading. The pictograph below summarizes research that is old but STILL just as true and reinforced with every current study. If you're already reading nightly with your child or they are reading on their own, big high 5 to you. You are setting them up for success that stays with them throughout life. A more recent study showed that the single significant factor between those reading above the 90th percentile (top 10 out of 100 readers) and the 10th percentile (lowest 10 out of 100 readers) by 5th grade was 20 minutes a day of outside reading and it can be a fun and relaxing bedtime routine... For all readers, the positive impacts are there for adults reading TO kids and talking about the reading.
A resource that TSD provides that supports early reading and at home reading is with Sora. Supersonic Phonics and Decodables collections in Sora are leveled collections containing early readers for students that help them practice their early literacy skills! All of the books are available in simultaneous use access so students don’t have to worry about placing holds. Share this informational flyer with families and check out a new book in Sora today!
32% of our students attended 95% or more of first semester (Medical absenced do NOT count against attendance).
THIS PAST WEEK
2025 CLASS HONORS FOR SHOWING PRIDE
DECEMBER CLASS SPECIALS AWARD WINNER: 3A
SUPER READERS HONORED 01/10/2025
WE ROCKED IT! GOAL SET (white): CHALLENGE MET (yellow)
TSD ART & WRITING CONTEST WINNERS from GES
EXCELLENCE: Certificates: 68 students with 95%+ attendance
Raffle Drawing for 2 bikes: Students with 98% or better Attendance
Some of the Fun and Honorees
THIS WEEK: JANUARY 13th-17th
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14th:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Personal Portrait Collage in the Art Room
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15th: Late Start Wednesday
- 8:50 am. Doors Open
- 9:00 am. School Begins
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy-Pet Palooza for 3rd-5th Graders in Ms. Speidel's room.
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Personal Portrait Collage in the Art Room
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16th: Correct Date for MLK Celebration of Art & Writing.
- 6:00 pm. TSD's MLK Celebration at MVHS. This year's theme: A More Excellent Way of Love” and will feature PreK-12 TSD student art and writing creations that exemplify it. Special Guest Speaker Dr. Olivia Gillespie, LEMS Principal.
- GES student winners being honored:
- Zhi Magdaleno - 5th Grade
- Abbie Hawkins - 5th Grade
- Charlie. Hamilton-Benjestorf - Kindergarten
- Aubrey Maddox - Kindergarten
- Aria Viney - Kindergarten
- Winners should arrive at 5:00 pm for orientation and Training
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17th:
- 7:45 am. Friday Wrap Up in the gym honoring K,1, & 2
COMING UP: JANUARY 20th-FEBRUARY 9th
MONDAY, JANUARY 20th: NO SCHOOL: MLK, Jr. Day
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21st:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Personal Portrait Collage in the Art Room
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22nd: Late Start Wednesday
- 8:50 am. Doors Open
- 9:00 am. School Begins
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy-Pet Palooza for 3rd-5th Graders in Ms. Speidel's room
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Personal Portrait Collage in the Art Room
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23rd:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. 2nd/3rd grade Drama Club in the Mosaic Room
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24th:
- 7:45 am. Friday Wrap Up in the gym honoring 3, 4 & 5
MONDAY, JANUARY 27th:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Ukulele in the Mosaic Room
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28th:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy-Pet Palooza for K-2nd Graders in Ms. Speidel's room
- 5:30-7:30 pm. DAC Meeting at TSD Boardroom
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29th: Late Start Wednesday
- 8:50 am. Doors Open
- 9:00 am. School Begins
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30th:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy-Pet Palooza for K-2nd Graders in Ms. Speidel's room
- 3:15-4:15 pm. 2nd/3rd grade Drama Club in the Mosaic Room
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31st:
- 7:45 am. Friday Wrap Up Raffle in the gym for Game Day (with adult guest). Hosted by Jeff Thomas. Game Day is scheduled for 2/5/2025 at 2:05-3:05 pm.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Ukulele in the Mosaic Room
TUESDAY, FEBURARY 4th:
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Mosaic Marvels in the Art room
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5th: Late Start Wednesday
- 8:50 am. Doors Open
- 9:00 am. School Begins
- 2:05-3:05 pm. Raffle Reward: Games Day in the gym with Jeff Thomas
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Break Dancing in the Gym
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Jewelry Making in the Art Room
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6th:
- 3:15-4:00 pm. Student Leadership in Kellie Weihman's room
- 3:15-4:15 pm. 2nd/3rd grade Drama Club in the Mosaic Room
- 3:15-4:15 pm. Arts Academy: Mosaic Marvels in the Art room
- 5:30-6:00 pm. 3rd Quarter PIE Night in the library. Agenda: Defining Staffing Priorities for 2025-26
- 6:00-7:00 pm. PTA Meeting in the library. All are welcome at both PTA & PIE. What grade level will be joining PTA this month?
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7th: Deadline for Leadership Agenda Items
- 7:45 am. Friday Wrap Up honoring K & 1
NOMINATIONS FOR EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR DUE 02/09/2025
Thompson Education Foundation recognizes exceptional educators in Thompson School District each year with the TEF Educator of the Year awards. Nominations for the 2025 awards are now OPEN!
Coworkers, supervisors, parents, students and community members are welcome to nominate in the following categories:
- Elementary Teacher of the Year (early childhood - fifth grade)
- Secondary Teacher of the Year (sixth grade-twelfth grade)
- Principal of the Year
- TSD Staff Member of the Year (secretaries, district administrative staff, counselors, paras, custodians, transportation, etc.)
- Rookie Teacher of the year (any educator new to the profession and with TSD for 18 months or less)
- NEW THIS YEAR - Student Choice Award
Students can nominate their favorite educator using a student-only nomination form.
Both the general and student nomination forms can be found HERE.
All nominations must be submitted by Sunday, February 9, 2025 for consideration. The Educator of the Year awards will be announced at Trailblazing Thompson - A Salute to Excellence on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Embassy Suites from 5:00-7:15pm. In addition to the Educator of the year awards, the event will celebrate and honor TSD staff with recognition of the Awards of Excellence and Top of Thompson recipients and retiring TSD staff members.
JANUARY: NATIONAL POVERTY IN AMERICAN AWARENESS
Hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion, disabilities, restricted access to participation in the democratic process. These are just some of the many manifestations of poverty.
The Thompson School District's McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program works with homeless families to arrange transportation to and from a child’s school of origin, ensures that homeless students receive services, and identifies and eliminates barriers to school enrollment and attendance. TSD currently serves 505 students in the McKinney-Vento program. For more information, contact McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison, erica.wooldridge@tsd.org.
TSD COMMUNITY NEWS
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES: WEEK OF 1/13/2025
Updates: Weather permitting, work activities are Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm.
- There will be continued potholing and utility identification going on.
- Large diameter stormsewer pipe will continue to be installed on Roosevelt between 7th and 8th Street.
- A large underground water quality vault will be installed (via a crane) on Roosevelt south of 8th Street.
GARFIELD IS Loveland's Integrated School of the Arts (LISA)
LOOKING FOR GARFIELD SPIRIT WEAR?
This informational site is designed to provide factual data and statistics to the public. The website section includes a link to a database where residents can see statistical information about each school as well as the total proposed needs. The site also contains a tool that visitors can use to calculate estimated tax impacts.
Kathy Sather Principal
Email: kathy.sather@tsd.org
Website: tsd.org/schools/elementary/garfield
Location: 720 North Colorado Avenue, Loveland, CO, USA
Phone: 970-613-6000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gesgrizzlies/
Twitter: @KathySather11