Volume 5 Issue 31
The highlight of this week had to be the eclipse. Anything that only happens once every 18 years should certainly be celebrated. On top of the eclipse, our high school students had a BBQ this week and many of your were able to attend the Spring Pathways to Success program at Tustin High School for our middle and high school students.
This week's background features our staff and some of our students checking out the eclipse on campus Monday. It was pretty awesome!
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or compliments, please reach out to Mr. Fineberg, our principal, at efineberg@tustin.k12.ca.us.
Principal's Message...
Beginning this week, 8th and 11th grade students are beginning CAASPP testing. This testing is incredibly valuable to our staff as a benchmark for how our students are performing compared to other schools in the state as well as a great way for families to see their student's growth over time. Please know, as in all things Tustin Connect, we will do our best to create the best possible testing environment and keep any pressure to a minimum. Our scores are reported as a school 3-12 and no individual scores are shared beyond a family and teacher. Additionally, the school receives the lowest possible score for any students below 95% participation rate by the state. When we are below the 95% participation rate, our school's scores appear much lower than they are and in turn do not reflect the true learning that occurs. With that being said, we understand and respect each parents choice and wanted to provide a little context for all.
It certainly sounds like a broken record, but if you have not done so already, please take a moment to complete the Student Enrollment Family Survey for the 24/25 school year. If you haven't responded already, Mrs. Berkheimer started contacting families to complete the survey. This is not only critical for our enrollment, but also a major source of feedback for our school program. Your commitment will allow us to ensure your student's enrollment position is reserved and our school is staffed appropriately.
As always, if you have any questions, compliments, ideas, and/or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out at (714) 430-2052 ext. 52103 or efineberg@tustin.k12.ca.us. Have a great Spring Break.
We will see you on Tuesday, March 26th for the home stretch.
Mr. Fineberg
✍️ Elementary Information ✍️
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CAASPP State Testing: State testing is coming soon. Students in grades 3-5 will participate between April 22- May 2. Students will test on their class days (in-person only). All 5th graders, will also be testing on 4/25 and 5/2, as they have additional assessments and will need more time. There will be a modified schedule from 4/22 to 5/3.
Assessments Include:
- ELA CAT (Computer Adaptive Test): Multiple choice, short answer, and other questions based on reading passages.
- ELA PT (Performance Task): Combination of short answer and multi-paragraph essay response based on reading passages.
- Math CAT: Multiple choice, short answer, etc. math questions.
- Math PT: In-depth word problem with multiple steps, requiring students to explain how they solved.
- 5th grade CAST (California Science Test)
- 5th grade PFT (Physical Fitness Test)
- 5th grade: Star Math and Star Reading (for placement in middle school classes)
K-6 Awards and 5th grade promotion: Please save the date on 5/22 for the awards ceremony and promotion!
School Readiness Parent Education Opportunities: Our School Readiness Department offers monthly meetings for parents on topics specific to our younger students. Please check out the flyers for topics that may be of interest to you or your family each month. English Spanish April 18th is the next meeting on Reading to Your Child.
😃Middle School Information😃
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CAASPP: April 22nd- May 2nd will be our state testing weeks. We will have a modified schedule that week and require two days of in-person class each week to complete our required testing. All students are expected to participate in testing, and we hope to have plenty of snacks and treats to keep our 8th graders fueled and stress-free for our testing days below:
8th grade
- THURS. 4/18 In-Person Testing 8:30-12:30 (SCIENCE)
- TUES. 4/23 In-Person Testing 9-11 AM (ELA)
- THURS. 4/25 In-Person Testing 9-12 PM (ELA)
- TUES. 4/30 In-Person Testing 9-11 AM (MATH)
- THURS. 5/2 In-Person Testing 9-12 PM (MATH)
7th grade
- MON. 4/22 In-Person Testing 9-11 AM
- WED. 4/24 In-Person Testing 9-12 PM
- MON. 4/29 In-Person Testing 9-11 AM
- WED. 5/1 In-Person Testing 9-12 PM
8th Grade Parents: We tallied the feedback from the promotion survey. The votes are in and Knott's Berry Farm has been chosen for our 8th grade promotion event on May 30th. The cost for the event is $40. Please stay tuned for more details regarding required forms and payments. Our 8th grade promotion team lead is Amber Weiser and her email is ambermweiser@gmail.com.
👍 High School Information 👍
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ATTENTION SENIOR Parents: LAST CHANCE to purchase your student's Cap and Gown for graduation. Contact the office for additional information. We had our first Graduation Meeting and am looking forward to providing students with the best Graduation experience. Parents, please take a moment to complete a parent survey and let us know your thoughts about the celebratoin.
Great Opportunity for Summer ROP Courses: There are a number of great virtual course offerings available to our high school students this summer. Please take a moment to check them out. They will fill up quickly. Please see the flyer regarding course offerings. For those interested, here are the steps to register.
Irvine Valley College (IVC) Preview Night: Attention Juniors and Seniors! All high school students and their families are invited for an exciting evening at Irvine Valley College's Preview Night on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 (4pm-8pm)! Discover why IVC is #1 in transfers to the UC System in Orange County, including UCLA and UCI! Experience the vibrant campus atmosphere as you engage with IVC professors and staff. Explore 60 booths at the outdoor resource fair featuring academic degree programs, student support services, and in-demand career education programs. The main presentation will cover university transfer admissions agreements and guarantees, distinguished IVC Honors Program information, and an overview of the Irvine Valley Promise Program which provides students with two years of free tuition.
The first 1,500 registered attendees will enjoy free delicious burger meals from The Habit Burger and a free t-shirt for students. To register for the event, click here.
PTA Round Up
Hello Maverick Families,
Our PTA along with the Tustin School Management Association celebrated to special supporters of Tustin Connect at the yearly Community Dinner held at Angel Stadium this year, Mrs. Terry and Mrs. Sepulveda were each selected to be celebrated by the PTA and school for their hard work. Both of these huge supporters have made a significant impact on our school and in building the wonderful community we have. Thank you to them both.
If you haven't done so already, please consider joining our planning committees as they prepare for promotion and graduation. PTA supports with a financial contribution, but your time and creativity are invaluable to making those dollars come alive.
TC Spirit Wear is on sale! Visit the website https://www.tustinconnectpta.com/spirit-wear to get yours today! We have them in stock just purchase them and pick them up! You can order online via our website and show your receipt to the office, or you can bring cash or check to the office made out to PTA.
- T-shirt $10
- Dri-fit $15
- Jammie Pants $30
If you are interested in getting involved, we'd love the help! Please contact the office and we can connect you to our PTA. You can also reach out to our PTA President, Ziggy McBride via email at ziggy.mcbride@gmail.com.
Counselor Corner: Resources and link to workshops and more!!!
No word on a new member of the Wijnhamer family. As a reminder, while Mrs. W is out, Mrs. Harding will be supporting our students and families. Mrs. Harding is a well respected and talented counselor in TUSD for many years. We are so lucky to have her support and knowledge. She's great. Her email is bharding@tustin.k12.ca.us.
Also, you still have access to the recording of our last Principal/Counselor Coffee. We covered student credits and high school graduation requirements as well as a Q and A opportunity for families as well. You can view the meeting in case you missed it using this link.
Check out Mrs. Wijnhamer's Monthly Counselor Newsletter.
Our Counselor and Mental Health team have a great website with lots of resources to check out.
Free Online Tutoring Available for K-12 Students
Brainfuse HelpNow is an on demand, anytime, anywhere eLearning platform available for all ages and levels. Last week, it was announced that every Californian can now access free online tutoring available 24/7 through a new initiative offering homework help in every K-12 subject and skill-building resources for K-12 and adult learners.
Real-time homework assistance can now be accessed 24/7 here and on the websites of any of the 1,130 local public libraries around the state – click on the “HelpNow” link to reach a one-on-one tutor. The pilot program led by the State Library offers assistance in Math, Language Arts, and other core K-12 subjects in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. There’s no age limit to who can use the service. Adult learners can also access writing assistance, citizenship resources and other tools.
SORA Virtual Texts Collections
TUSD Resource Sora Summer Read
Sora Sweet Reads in an annual summer reading program designed for schools to encourage students to keep reading all year long. "Check out" the free collection of simultaneous use juvenile and young adult ebooks (and select audiobooks).
Login to Sora to access these and many any other great ebooks and audiobooks all summer long through Clever, TUSD Student Portal or soraapp.com using your TUSD Google login and password.
Student Request - SORA books – Here is a link to a Google Doc to send suggestions and recommendations for new books for our collections!!
Technology Questions/Needs - There's Help Available!
Important Upcoming Dates - Please check our school Website Calendar for all the latest!
April 22: Earth Day
April 22-May 2: CAASP Testing 3-8 grades
April 24: Maverick Hangout
May 6-9: Hope Week at TC High School
- Monday: Paint Rocks with Positive Messages
- Tuesday: TLC Workshop on Communicating 11am-12pm (limit 25 students)
- Wednesday: Pie Fineberg! (and any other staff that would like to participate)
- Thursday: Donuts/Bracelet making
May 8: Senior Breakfast and a Movie
May 15: K-3 Field Trip to Tanaka Farms
May 22: Kindergarten Graduation and Awards Ceremony, 5th Grade Promotion (Time TBA)
May 22: HS Pizza Day for Finals
May 23: 8th Grade Promotion 6 pm at the K-8 campus
May 30: High School Graduation 3 pm at the Tustin HS Stadium
Our Mission
Email: efineberg@tustin.k12.ca.us
Website: www.tustinconnect.org
Location: (K-8) 14741 North B Street; (9-12) 1151 San Juan Street
Phone: (714) 430-2052
Twitter: @tustinconnect