If you are looking for a fun Halloween safety read aloud we recommend, The Adventures of Goobley and Wazy: A Safe Halloween, written by H.J. Connors. We want all students to have a fun and SAFE Halloween if they chose to go trick-or-treating. If you would like to view the read aloud, CLICK HERE the link (and download the video).
Tashua School Celebrates World Kindness Day 2024
World Kindness Day will be celebrated around the world on November 13, 2024. First introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day offers an opportunity to highlight good deeds in the community and the common thread of kindness.
As part of school-wide celebrations on this day, the Tashua Elementary School PTA Diversity Committee is seeking classroom volunteers to read aloud. Volunteers will coordinate with their child's classroom teacher to determine a time to visit the class and read 1 - 2 titles from the school’s Kindness Day book collection. One volunteer per classroom will be selected. In the event that more than one person per class is interested, volunteers will be selected using a randomizer. All volunteers must have a complete school volunteer form on file with the main office. If you are interested in being a volunteer reader, please complete this form by Friday, November 1st, 2024. Volunteers will receive a confirmation email by Tuesday, November 5th, 2024.
CHET Dream Big! Competition Submissions Due 11/4
K-12 students in Connecticut have the opportunity to enter the Competition and be awarded a scholarship of up to $20,000 to help pay for their future education! This competition is brought to you by the Connecticut State Treasurer’s Office as Trustee of the Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET).
This year, they will be awarding almost $350,000 in CHET 529 College Savings Plan – Direct Plan (“CHET 529 Direct Plan”) account contributions to students in grades K-12 and technology prizes to schools. For the winning students, we will be awarding:
- Three prizes of $20,000
- 24 prizes of $5,000
- 239 prizes of $500
To enter, students are asked to answer a question by submitting a drawing or painting, essay, or video. Younger students will be asked to answer a question focusing on lessons they’ve learned and their dreams for the future, and older students will be asked about an experience or person that has impacted them and how that will influence their future goals. Submissions must be uploaded by 11:59 p.m. on November 4. There is no cost to enter. For program details, rules and the entry process, visit: www.chetdreambig.com
Downloadable entry forms and flyers are available on the website as well.
A school in your district could be a winner too! Each school that is represented by at least one student’s entry will be eligible for a random drawing for a technology prize worth $5,000 (a total of 10 schools will win a technology prize). Please see the 2024 Competition Official Rules for more information on prize structure and awards.
If you have any questions, please email asavio@mintz-hoke.com. And thank you for your support!
Amanda Savio
The CHET Dream Big! Competition Team
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void outside CT and where prohibited. Open to legal U.S. residents residing in Connecticut who are at least 18 years old and are the parents or legal guardians of a student currently enrolled in a Connecticut school, grades K-12 as of 8/15/24. Begins 9:00 a.m. ET on 8/15/24; ends 11:59 p.m. ET on 11/04/24. Prizes will be a contribution to an eligible CHET 529 Direct Plan Account established for the benefit of the child whose parent or legal guardian submitted a winning entry. CHET Advisor 529 Accounts are not permitted for receipt of a prize. For Official Rules and eligibility, visit chetdreambig.com Sponsor: Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC, 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917.
Parent-Teacher Conference Update
For those of you who have already had your conference, I hope you found the information that your child's teacher shared with you to be helpful. As a reminder, Thursday, November 7th will be Early Dismissal for the last day of Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Following conferences, it is important to have a follow-up conversation with your child to acknowledge all of the accomplishments he/she has worked so hard to achieve as well as set goals for further improvement. Working with your child to establish concrete, specific goals, will help him/her to stay focused and be motivated to excel personally and academically. This goal setting practice, coupled with a structured weekly routine of homework, limited extra-curricular activities, healthy eating and plenty of sleep, is a solid recipe for success! Did you know, according to the CDC, the average elementary student, ages 6 - 12 years old requires between 9 - 12 hours of sleep each day?
Tashua Celebrates Veterans Day
In celebration of Veterans Day, we will be creating a bulletin board with pictures and a brief description of our honored Veterans. If you would like to recognize a current service member or Veteran, you may send in a picture with the name, location and military branch of service, the connection to your family or any information you would like to share. Directions for 2024 Veterans Day Submissions can be found using the link: 2024 Veterans Day Bulletin Board Project. Please make your submission by Wednesday November 6th.
Further, we will also be collecting any unopened/unwanted Halloween candy to be donated and delivered to Veterans at Homes of the Brave in Bridgeport. Please have your child bring any candy you wish to donate to school in a sealed zip-lock bag, marked Veterans donation. All donations are due by Thursday, November 7th.
Socktober LAST WEEK!
We are continuing to participate in the community service project
Socktober. Throughout the month, we are collecting new socks to be donated to The Bridgeport Rescue Mission. If you haven't made a contribution, please consider donating a pair of new socks to support this cause.
Don't forget to wear your crazy socks every Friday in October!
Elementary Lunch Menu
Please see below for the TPS Elementary October lunch menu. *Please note that menu options are subject to change. Elementary Meal Pricing
When children are not feeling well, parents struggle with the decision: Should I keep my child at home or send my child off to school? Often the way a child looks and acts can make the decision an obvious one. When making the decision whether or not to send your child to school, please observe the following guidelines:
- Fever: Students with a temperature of 100.4 are considered to have a fever. The child may return to school after they been fever free for 24 hours, without the use of fever reducing medication. See the CDC link to treating fever
- Diarrhea/Vomiting: A child with diarrhea and/or vomiting should stay at home and return to school only after being symptom free for at least 24 hours
- Conjunctivitis (Pink eye): Following a diagnosis of conjunctivitis by a health care practitioner, the child may return to school 24 hours after the first dose of prescribed medicine. See more information about Pink Eye...
- Rashes: A child with a suspicious rash should return to school only after a health care provider has made a diagnosis and authorized the child’s return to school. Some infectious diseases are most contagious in the early stages and the child may present with a rash. Some rashes are not due to infections and many are not contagious or occur at the end of the illness. See more information about rashes...
- Colds/Sore Throats/Cough: Children average 6 to 8 colds a year. If your child is fever free and their cold symptoms are well controlled they may attend school. If your child is experiencing such things as purulent (thick) nasal discharge, or uncontrolled cough you may consider keeping them home until their symptoms are better controlled. If your child is experiencing other signs of illness associated with green nasal discharge including any of the following: fever, earaches, headaches, cough, nasal congestion, productive “barky” cough, persistent cough, please consider having the child seen by your health care provider.
There are also times when a student may have a communicable illness, which requires they stay home for a period of time. Please notify the school nurse if your child has a been diagnosed with a communicable disease such as:
· impetigo, conjunctivitis ("pink eye")
· pertussis ("whooping cough")
· measles
· MRSA
· mumps
· rubella
Communicating with School Nurse:
If you child has a communicable illness such as, but not limited to those listed above please notify the school nurse as soon as possible so steps can be taken to avoid an outbreak at school.
Hand Washing:
Please reinforce with your child the importance of frequent hand washing, covering coughs and using tissues for clearing nasal congestion as a matter of routine health hygiene throughout the year. See the CDC page on Hand Washing
The Trumbull Schools Department of Nursing aims to help keep students physically, mentally, and socially able to attend school in order to be educated, participate in athletics, extra-curricular programs, and student activities The goal of the school nurse is to facilitate keeping the students in school and ready to learn. However, there may be times when students may not feel well enough to be in school. A sick child is less able to learn effectively or to participate in class in a meaningful way. If your child is not feeling well, please exercise your best judgment and do not send him/her to school ill. Keeping your sick child home prevents the spread of illness in our school community and it allows your child to rest and recover.
As always, please reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
Brenda Chamale RN BSN
Tashua Elementary School Nurse
P: 203 452-4434, F: 203 452-4432
Roaring Across America Update
Thunder is making his way across the country and has traveled 380 miles so far! That's about halfway between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania! Remember, students will earn a charm for every 5 miles completed (and Pumpkin Run participants, you will receive a special charm!) If you haven't submitted miles yet, you still can for previous weeks and they will count towards our goal! Students, parents and staff can all participate! Miles can be entered here: Roar Across America. Week 4 ends Sunday and week 5 starts Monday!!
PTA Reflections Contest
~ Let your creativity flow! ~
Tashua students are invited to participate in the National PTA contest by creating an original work
(painting, drawing, poem, essay, dance, video production, photograph, etc.) exploring the theme Accepting Imperfection. Submissions are due December 18th. Questions Email Tashuareflections@gmail.com
2024-25 Contest Requirements:
1) Students create an original work in one of the following categories:
Dance, Film, Literature, Music, Photography, Visual Arts Click here for Official Guidelines.
2) Print and Complete the Paper Student Entry Form here.
3) NEW Complete and Submit the Digital Student Entry Form here.
4) Submit your work and Paper Student Entry form to the Tashua's Office by December 18, 2024.
[Dance/Film/Music require original work submission via thumb drive]
5) NEW Email digital copies of ALL entries to ReflectionsCTPTA@gmail.com
Dance/Film/Music = MP4, MOV, AVI format
Literature = PDF file as 8.5"x11" digital pages
Phot/Visual Arts = JPEG, JPG, or PNG file
