

The Talbot Sunday Update
November 3, 2024
Important Dates
- Tuesday-5th Grade Class President Elections!
Wednesday-Community Meeting
Early Release on Wednesdays - Students Dismissed at 1:10
ME Audubon to PK-Ryan Eastnan's Class
Veterans' Day-November 11th-No School
Student Conferences-November 21st and 22nd
Saety Drill
Lockdown Drill-Monday Morning
We will be having practice lockdown drill tomorrow morning. This is one of the required safety drills that we conduct throughout the school year.
Upcoming Fall Conferences
Dear Families,
It is hard to believe that the middle of November has arrived! We are busy as we prepare for our fall conferences that will be starting soon. You should be hearing from your child’s teacher with some options for conference times through Reach My Teach. As a school, we hope that all of our families will make attending their child’s conference a priority. As educators, we know that family engagement improves school readiness, student achievement, and social skills. We hope to see everyone at our conferences.
During our fall conferences, teachers will share children’s academic and social progress as well as identify learning goals for the coming months.
Successful Conferences-
- A Two Way Conversation
Like all good conversations, parent-teacher conferences are best when both people talk and listen. This is a great time to find out whether your child is meeting school expectations and academic standards.
- Emphasis on Learning
Effective parent teacher conferences focus on how well your child is doing in school and how he or she can do even better.
- Opportunities and challenges
Just like you, teachers want your child to succeed. You will hear positive feedback about your child’s progress and areas for improvement. Be prepared by thinking about your child’s strengths and weaknesses beforehand. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about ways you and the teacher can help your child with some of his or her challenges.
Pumpkinfest 2024
Pictures from Pumpkinfest 2024!
Grant Money for Talbot
This year, with much support from Alissa Bourque our community school coordinator, Talbot received over $20,000 from the Foundation for Portland Public Schools for some exciting programming! Thank you to all Talbot staff who were integral in suggesting projects, writing grants, and executing these exciting ideas that are sure to support student and family learning, appeal to student interests, and infuse JOY at Talbot. Examples of some of the grant projects:
- A trip for the PreK students to the Wabanaki Exhibit at the Children's Museum
- The Children's Museum & Theater of Maine will visit Talbot with their performance Elephant & Piggie's "We are in a Play".
- Parkour for Kids
- Talbot Odyssey of the Mind Team
Have you updated the Family Portal?
It's really important that we have updated information about your family! If you have not already done so, please complete the annual parent/guardian portal update on Infinite Campus as soon as possible.
Online updates include changes to phone numbers, email addresses, emergency contacts, addresses, media release forms, walking permission slips and much more. To access the portal update, please go to:
https://ic.portlandschools.org/campus/portal/parents/portland.jsp
Health Guidance for Maine School Children
Avoid keeping children at home unless they are too sick to participate in regular activities. If your child has a compromised immune system or is at high risk for complications from common illnesses, please talk to your school (school nurse if available) about developing a plan with you and your child's health-care provider to keep your child healthy and safe while attending school.
Some of the normal conditions children may experience, but don't usually require them to stay home from school might include:
- a mild cold with runny nose or occasional cough
- a mild upset stomach with no other complications
- a mild rash with no other symptoms
- treated head lice
- mild eye irritation without fever
- pain or eyelid redness
- menstrual cramps and/or other symptoms
- mild anxiety or sadness
- fever has gone away and they are not taking fever reducing medicine
If you are worried that your child may be suffering from anxiety, talk with your teacher, the school nurse, social worker or other school staff and/or the child's health care provider to discuss the challenge and identify what support or intervention might help your child stay in school.
This document is not meant to take the place of CDC/DOE/School Department guidance about illnesses such as Covid-19 and flu.
(Document Attached Below)
Talbot Community School Principal