Tashua Family Weekly Update
Mrs. Neumeyer, Principal
April 19 2024
Dear Tashua Families,
We had another exciting week at Tashua School! On Wednesday, we hosted a very successful 2024-25 Kindergarten Parent Orientation. This was a great way for parents of incoming Kindergarten students to visit Tashua, meet the staff and learn about our school. We look forward to our Tashua Tiger Cubs starting this fall!
As part of a school-wide assembly today, our first grade students presented on the "R" for RESPONSIBILITY in our T.I.G.E.R.S traits. Staff talked about what it means to be responsible for our actions and students sang "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." One important way to be responsible is to care for the earth. This Monday, April 22nd is Earth Day! The official theme this year is "Planet Verses Plastic." To celebrate Earth Day, we have some exciting things planned next week for our students.
We also kicked off our One Book, One School Event. The students enjoyed a fun reveal of this year's book, A Boy Called Bat. Students were given clues to guess the title and even had a guest visit from a skunk!
The youngest child of your family will be coming home with a parent letter, hard copy of the book, and a reading calendar this afternoon. As a family you can enjoy this book by reading together nightly or having your family members enjoy listening to the pre-recorded readings of each chapter that have been read by staff members. These readings will be posted on our website and can be found by clicking the link: OBOS Listen Online A Boy Called Bat .
A huge thank you goes out to our Fathers' Club for purchasing the books and for Mrs. McKenna for chairing our OBOS Committee, working to organize our efforts.
Tashua School Multicultural Night - We need your help!
Our Staff Diversity committee has been busy planning the Tashua's Multicultural Night scheduled for May 16th. To view the flyer for more information or to sign up to host a table or activity, please use the link: Tashua's Multicultural Night. We also need of a few donations for the event. If you are interested in helping, please use the link: Donations Needed.
Tashua Field Day - Volunteer Sign up!
Tashua Field Day is coming up on Friday, May 24 (rain date Friday, May 31) and we need your help to make this the best day of the year! If you have completed the district's School Volunteer Security Check, you may sign up to help run a game. Spots are extremely limited, so act fast!
Field Day - Friday, May 24 (Rain Date Friday, May 31):
Grades K-2 9:00 - 11:00 AM (Volunteers arrive 14 minutes prior to start)
Grades 3-5 1:00 - 3:00 PM (Volunteers arrive 14 minutes prior to start)
April is Arab American Heritage Month!
Thank you to the Tashua Diversity Parent Committee for their continued effort to educate and inform our school community!
According to the U.S. Department of State, the first people from Morocco and Lebanon immigrated to the land which would eventually become the United States in 1527. Those two men, from Morocco and Lebanon respectively, were considered the first "Arab Americans. An estimated 3.5 million Americans have Arab roots, according to the Arab American Institute, with ancestries traced to 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and others.
Celebrating the rich and diverse culture and contributions of the diverse population of Arab Americans, National Arab American Heritage Month has been observed during the month of April since 2017. The initiative for official national designation of the month was launched in 2017 by the nonprofit media and education organization Arab American Foundation and its sister organization Arab America. It began with support from a few states but gained momentum each year.
In 2019, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan), introduced a resolution to Congress to proclaim April as National Arab American Heritage Month. “It is my hope as a strong and proud Arab American in Congress that our nation can uplift our contributions in the United States by supporting Arab American Heritage Month,” Tlaib, a first-generation American, said about the resolution.
You can read the 2024 Presidential Proclamation here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/03/2024-07173/arab-american-heritage-month-2024
Take a look at the resources below to acknowledge and learn more with your family!
Web Resources:
https://www.state.gov/recognizing-national-arab-american-heritage-month/
https://arabamericafoundation.org/national-arab-american-heritage-month/
Children’s Books:
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/arab/
https://www.aclib.us/blog/middle-grade-books-arab-american-heritage-month
https://americanwritersmuseum.org/arab-american-heritage-month-book-picks/
https://www.clmp.org/news/a-reading-list-for-arab-american-heritage-month-and-beyond/
As a reminder, next week we will begin to administer the Smarter Balanced Assessments to our students in grades 3-5. For more information, please use the link: 2024 SBA Information Letter.
SBA Testing Schedule
Grades 3 - 5
English Lang. Arts
4/24 & 4/25
Math
4/30 & 5/1
Grade 5
Math Performance Task
5/2
Grade 3 & 4
Math Performance Task
5/7
Grades 5
NGSS - Science Field Test
5/7 & 5/8
In addition to the SBA assessments, we will be administering our district iReady assessments and Trimester 3 DIBELS during the end of April through May.
Again, we thank you for your continued support and partnership in ensuring the success and happiness of our students. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, suggestions or good news to share at: NeumeyeJ@trumbullps.org or contact me at school by calling 203-452-4433.
I hope you all have a wonderful spring break!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Neumeyer
Principal
TAKE NOTE
Class Placements 2024-2025
Although the start of the 2024-2025 school year is several months away, we will begin our class placement process after the April break. This is a very involved process, as we will strive to create balanced classes at each grade level. In addition to balancing the number of boys and girls in a class, we also strive to create academically balanced classes. The goal is to create classes in which each classroom teacher will be able to meet the needs of all learners. This is a very complex process.
As we begin this task, we will keep the following goals foremost in our mind:
- to consider the needs of all students and to maximize our ability to deliver appropriate instruction in accordance with students’ needs
- to consider any unique needs that any student might have
The process for assigning children to classes will begin with the current classroom teachers who will meet together by grade level with our reading consultants, math specialist, our social worker, and me. We will meet again several times to make any changes which we feel will benefit the groupings. Modifications will be made as necessary, resulting in the final lists.
I would also like to offer parents the opportunity to be a part of this process. While it is
impossible for me to accept requests from parents for specific teachers, you may write a letter to me explaining your child’s learning style and the type of learning environment you feel is best for your child.
In past years, some parents/guardians have made requests of current classroom teachers to place their children with particular teachers or students for the next grade. Please understand that
teachers cannot honor these requests; there is no reason to meet with teachers to discuss next year’s placement.
If you, as a parent/guardian, feel your child has a particular learning need in which we might be unaware, I ask that you inform me, in writing, of your child’s need. I will then bring this need to the attention of our teachers. This is not an opportunity to request teachers or classmates; it is merely an opportunity to make us aware of your child’s needs. No teacher names should appear in your letter. Further, the names of other students should also not appear in your letter, as your request could potentially impact another student’s learning needs. In order to meet our timeline, I must have your letter by Friday, April 26th: NO EXCEPTIONS.
All of these steps will be completed prior to the end of the school year. Throughout the months of July and August, new students who move into the Tashua district will be added to the lists. Students who move from our district will be removed from the lists. Occasionally there may be staff changes. In any of these instances, we may find that one change necessitates another. It is for this reason that we notify families/students of class placement in our August communications.
Please know we all take this process very seriously. We want the best placement for each child at Tashua School and we will work diligently to ensure that we reach this goal.
School Climate Survey
It's the time of the year when we would like to provide you with an opportunity to complete our School Climate Survey. This feedback from our families is integral in the district's effort to promote school improvement and educational accountability. The survey can be found by using the link, School Climate Survey and will be open until Friday, May 3, 2024. The survey results will be reviewed by our school-based leadership team, district leadership and the Board of Education to help guide our goals for the 2024-25 school year. Please know, your time and feedback is extremely valuable and greatly appreciated.
Additional Visit with Jerry Pallotta
Jerry Pallotta author of the “Who Would Win” series is visiting Trumbull High School on Tuesday May 7th for anyone in the area who would like to see him. This is in addition to visiting each elementary school. If you think you would like to attend please use this form to RSVP. Please note, you do not have to RSVP in order to attend, we are just trying to get an idea of the number of attendees in advance. Thank you. Jerry Pallotta
https://www.canva.com/design/DAF_UCDI_eU/CquOgSdYdRSTPsrR7KWAhg/view
Elementary Lunch Menu: April
Please use the link: Trumbull Public School Elementary Lunch Menu: APRIL
As noted in the Earth Week Activities flyer, on Friday April 26th, a meatless option of Mozzarella Sticks will be offered in addition to chicken drumettes in celebrations of "Meat-Free Friday."
UPCOMING EVENTS
APRIL
Literacy Month
Autism Awareness Month
Arab American Heritage Month
Financial Literacy Month
Garden Month
Month of the Military Child
Poetry Month
School Library Month
Monday, April 22
Earth Day
Passover Begins this evening
Tuesday, April 23
- Kindergarten Nature Center - Candling; 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Wednesday, April 24
- Administrative Professional Day
- ELA SBA Testing (CAT - Day 1); Students in grades 3-5
Thursday, April 25
- ELA SBA Testing (CAT - Day 2); Students in grades 3-5
Friday, April 26
- ELA SBA Testing Make-ups; Students in grades 3-5
Monday, April 29
- ELA SBA Testing Make-ups; Students in grades 3-5
- Passover ends this evening
Tuesday, April 30
- MATH SBA Testing (CAT - Day 1); Students in grades 3-5
CLASSROOM HIGHLIGHTS
Grade 4
Spotlight on Math
Ms. Sangeeta Gidwani
Tashua Elementary Math Specialist
Students in grades 4 and 5 are both enjoying their Geometry Unit. Grade 4 students are learning about different types of angles (right, acute & obtuse) and lines. They are classifying shapes based on attributes (such as parallel sides or right angles). Grade 4 students will end their unit with a study of symmetry. Grade 5 students are classifying 2-dimensional shapes in a hierarchy based on their properties. They are also learning more about scalene, isosceles and equilateral triangles. Ask your students about what they have learned and explore geometry all around us!!
GOOD NEWS / STUDENT NEWS
Congratulations to Roxana Ciszewski, Eloise Calorossi and Cooper Olsen for winning the chance to spin the P.B.I.S. Recognition Wheel. Keep showing your T.I.G.E.R.S. traits!
Alexis Squiccimarro participated in Scouts in Government and had the pleasure of shadowing Dr. Semmel and learned about all the different positions at Long Hill that make Trumbull Public Schools run smoothly!
A small but mighty group of Pack 164 Scouts helped clean up the post spring break garbage and trash at Tashua School Included in the group are Bailey and Lyla Wong, Nate Howard, Matthias Vasquez and Maegan and Benjamin Schreck. Thank you for helping keep Tashua clean!
Grade 2 Tashua Brownie Troop had a productive visit from Trumbull Fire and Police Department last night. They planned for Fire escape plans in their homes and learned tips to keep safe online and in the community. Then had time to explore the vehicles!
Tashua's Running Club is off to a great start and students are recording miles to participate in the upcoming Final Mile in May. Keep running Tigers!
If you have good news you would like to share please email Mrs. Holmes at holmesM@trumbullps.org and Mrs. Neumeyer at NeumeyeJ@trumbullps.org.
FROM THE DESK OF NURSE CHAMALE
UPDATES FROM THE PTA
PTA Fundraiser at Panera
Support the PTA by going to Panera tonight, April 19th!
Save the Date: Final PTA Meeting
Our final PTA meeting will be Thursday May 9th 7pm! Please come join us and learn about all the amazing things we have done this year and what we have in store for next year! We will also be voting in our chairs and teams for next year! If you are planning to chair next year and or want to be apart of our process we strongly encourage you to attend! A HUGEEEEE thank you to our entire community, we could not do this without you all!
Membership and Open Positions
Thank you to all of those who have showed their interest in continuing their positions and or some new faces wanting to join our PTA! The board will be meeting early may to solidify all positions to be voted in at our next PTA meeting 5/9 at 7pm! We do have a couple of positions that we have not heard of anyone having interest in, please read them below and reach out to myself if you would like to fill in these gaps.
- VP of fundraising (Executive Board Position)
- Adult Night Out chair or co chairs
- Yearbook co chair
- Hospitality Co chair
- School Beautification Chair or co chairs
Join the PTA
The link to join the Tashua PTA for the 2023-2024 school year is active! Follow the link to sign up for the PTA and any of our wonderful committees. http://tashuaschoolpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
Roaring into Spring Fair
Join us for our Roaring Into Spring Fair - Saturday May 4th from 11AM - 3PM
Tashua Elementary School 401 Stonehouse Road Trumbull, CT 06611
There will be carnival games, crafts, a cake walk, face painting, music, raffles, prizes, photobooth, bounce house, popcorn, Gourmet Grilled Cheese food truck, and ice cream!
*General Admission, or a wristband is needed only for children 15 years old or younger.
To sign up to attend, please us the link: 2024 Roaring into Spring Fair Sign up
Final Mile
Final Mile is looking for some parent volunteers! If your child is running in the Kids Marathon Final Mile and you would like to volunteer to help at the event on May 19, please click here for more details and sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E48ABA623A5F49-35979192-kids
2024-2025 School Supplies
2024-2025 School Supply Drive:
It’s that time of year again – already planning ahead for the next academic year!
Ever feel hectic around school shopping? Seeing the school supplies stocked in July and running low by the beginning of August? Well, our Supplies to Please drive helps to alleviate that stress!
Our Tashua teachers already compiled their list of supplies that all students will need for next year based on their grade level to help take the stress out of preparing our kids for next year. Since the kits are made in bulk, purchasing supplies through our drive gives you a savings when compared to getting supplies at Target or Walmart or Amazon.
It’s as easy as logging onto Supplies To Please, clicking on “Place Your Order” and using the credentials below:
Username: Tashua
Password: tash2024
Make sure that you are selecting the grade your child is going into for NEXT year. There is also an option to provide a monetary donation. This will be used to provide teachers with a Back to School care package with extra supplies to replenish during the year as well as wellness items, such as tissues, hand sanitizer, etc.
Orders can be taken up to June 19th and picking up the supplies will happen in August! We will not be purchasing any spare kits so act quickly and order your kit today!
Any questions, please reach out to Amanda Wagner at aldwagna@gmail.com.
Mabel's Labels Fundraiser
COMMUNITY CORNER
To register for the Trumbull Kids Triathlon, please use the link: Register for The Trumbull Kids Triathlon
Substitutes Needed in Trumbull Public Schools
There is a need for Trumbull Public School substitute teachers, substitute paraeducators, substitute secretaries and more. If you are interested in substituting in Trumbull Public Schools, please use the link: https://jobs.willsubplus.com/jobs?districtIds=1927
PARENT INFORMATION
Tashua Elementary School
401 Stonehouse Road Trumbull, CT 06611
203-452-4433
Tashua School Hours
Doors open at 8:20 AM
Regular School Hours: 8:35 AM - 3:20 PM
Early Dismissal Hours: 8:35 AM - 1:00 PM
Delayed Opening Hours
2 hour Delay – 10:35 AM – 3:20 PM
2 ½ hour Delay – 11:05 AM – 3:20 PM
Infinite Campus
Trumbull Public School Calendar
Tashua Parent Handbook
Please click: Tashua Parent Handbook
Volunteer Form
Please click: Tier 1 Volunteer form.
Tier 2 volunteer forms are only necessary if you will be working unsupervised with students.