The Gator Gazette

On Tuesday, 5th grade students shined, along with Mrs. Healy & Mrs. Kalasho) as they shared their learning around vertical thinking. Students spoke about the importance of putting their thinking down on the boards and then responding to other's thinking to spur even greater dialogue to problem-solve together! Talk about TEAMwork!!

Thank you to Rocco DiMorra for helping us capture this memorable moment. Rocco joined us after our Leader in Me assembly and, using his drone, snapped several photos of our entire student population.

We will be working with Rocco and his family to have a large print made and framed for our hallways. If we are able, we may also have 8"x10" photos for sale with all proceeds going to our Hurricane Relief efforts.

Thank you to our Parent Lighthouse Team and to all our Gators big and small who helped spread the word about this year's annual event. Although the air was more crisp than it had been recently, that didn't stop our community from making a difference!

For the past 4-5 months, I have partnered with one of our very own TC parents, Monika Hall Camilletti, as we talked about the benefits of a native flower garden on our TC grounds.

Fast forward to this fall and we are ready to tackle PHASE 1 of this project...with your help :)

If you would like to offer a hand, we can use your green thumb on Sunday, October 13th from 1:00-2:30.

Gardeners can plan to meet at the location pictured above (Northeast section of our school grounds) to help us get started with PHASE 1 of this wonderful outdoor beautification project.

To learn more about the "WHY" of this event, please click to the right --> The Beauty of Native Plants.

If you have questions about volunteering, please contact Monika directly: hallmon@umich.edu

As many of you are aware, Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage throughout the Southeast. The storm destroyed communities in several states, bringing catastrophic flooding to many states leaving them with nothing.

At Thornton Creek, “We Lead. We Make a Difference,” and with your support we would like to offer some relief to the community of Asheville, North Carolina who was affected like no other.

To show your support, you may send a monetary donation during the weeks of October 7-October 20th to school or click the link below to donate directly to the United Way of North Carolina. For those of you not aware, Ms. Boomer (a former TC teacher) retired to Asheville and was greatly affected by the hurricane. We would like to pay it forward to Asheville to share our support for her and the community.

---https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/1nSUgw?vid=1826er

Earlier this week on Tuesday, was Ada Lovelace Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women in STEM. Ada Lovelace, a mathematician born in 1815, is widely considered the world's first computer programmer for her invention of the computer algorithm! To celebrate, our lead STEAM teacher, Mrs. Becca Buck, wanted to share a special resource with you and our students.

A former colleague of hers created an amazing digital book collection on Epic in honor of Ada Lovelace Day. This collection features engaging books that highlight the contributions of women in science, technology, engineering, and math—perfect for inspiring our gators!

You can access the collection here. Whether you’re looking to spark a discussion or simply offer independent reading time, these stories are a great way to celebrate the legacy of Ada Lovelace and other trailblazing women in STEM.

With several fun occasions throughout the school year and a few of them coming up soon, now is a great time to review our school policies around these fun events.

Please read the following excerpt from our Student Handbook related to Parties / Treats / Holidays:

• Generally, classrooms celebrate the following days with class parties: Halloween, December holidays, Valentine's Day, and the end of the school year. Birthday celebrations can be noted with a small, non-food token. In an effort to support healthy life choices, the district is requesting your support in this matter. Please clear these tokens with your child’s teacher. Please note that invitations for birthday parties, other celebrations, or play opportunities taking place outside of school MAY NOT be distributed at school.
• In accordance with District policy, no weapons of any kind (real or toy) are permitted at school, and may not be included as a part of a Halloween costume. Students may be asked to remove masks or other portions of a costume that may interfere with their work or which might be disruptive to the rest of the class.

Of special note is the section regarding birthdays. Although we appreciate the joy and excitement that comes with a birthday, it is District policy that children may not bring food items to share with others either at school or in a "goodie bag". This includes candy as well as all food items.

Suggestions, if you are interested, might include purchasing a gift for the class in your child's name such as a book or pencils for each student. You might also donate playground items for the class or indoor recess items such as board games, card games, puzzles, etc.

With Halloween steadily "creeping" up on us, it is time to provide a few noteworthy items.

First up, Thornton Creek will be having our annual Costume Parade on Thursday, October 31st @ 9:15. As always, we will have two routes mapped out for the event. Route A will be for if the weather cooperates and we can parade around the OUTSIDE of the building. Route B will be for inclement weather, in which case we would parade through the building. Please know that families are welcome to attend regardless of the weather as we will be prepared to host either way :)

Second, each year I receive several inquiries as to what is acceptable or not as it relates to student costumes. Please see the "Costume Check" below for answers to most, if not all your costume queries.

COSTUME CHECK:

I am excited and ready for Halloween!

Let's see if my costume is ready too!

IS MY COSTUME...

Appropriate for school? (no pretend weapons & no bloody makeup)

Something I can sit, learn, and have fun in?

Something I can take off all by myself?

Something I am comfortable in?

If you answered YES to all of these questions...you are ready!

Please mark on your calendars that our traditional Turkey Trot is being moved from the week of Thanksgiving to the afternoon of November 1st.

Although this move jumps us up a couple of weeks, this was done as our beloved Mrs. Woodall will be going in for a total knee replacement in mid-November and thus, unable to "run" this event at our typical time in November.

We are thrilled to still be able to hold our annual trot and are appreciative of Mrs. Woodall's efforts.

Additional information to follow, but please mark that date on your calendars.

Northville Public Schools is still seeking individuals for Para Professional roles in the District. Specifically, we have current needs at Thornton Creek Elementary, Silver Springs Elementary and Winchester Elementary. Hours are 8:20 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. These positions adhere to the school year calendar and are benefit eligible with an hourly rate starting at $15.97. If interested, the application process can be started here: https://www.applitrack.com/resa/onlineapp/_application.aspx?posJobCodes=27909&posFirstChoice=Support%20Staff&posSpecialty=Paraprofessional by clicking on the "Apply" button for the K12 Paraprofessional posting found at the bottom of the page.

Each year, our 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade students demonstrate their growth and learning in music during an evening event called an "Informance". An informance is an opportunity for students to both perform and to share what they have learned about music over the course of the year.

Young readers rely on strong background knowledge to fully understand the books they read.

You can help your children expand this knowledge through reading, conversations, and hands-on experiences like family outings. The Michigan Activity Pass (MAP) offers library cardholders discounted access to cultural destinations, parks, and recreation areas across the state—a great way to make learning fun and memorable!

The Thornton Creek PTA is excited to produce a student directory for our families this year! We feel that students having others’ contact information helps forge friendships and builds our community. The directory is available to PTA members only in an electronic format on our MemberHub/Givebacks website! If you would like access, please become a PTA member by visiting the site below.

https://thorntoncreek.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

The directory will be published from the contact information that families already have on file in the MiStar / Parent Connection portal when they complete the annual registration. All students will automatically be included in the directory (unless you opt out).

The contact information that will be included (unless you opt out) will be:

• Student First Name, Student Last Name & Student Grade

• Teacher

• Parent / Guardian Name(s)

• Home Address

• Parent Email & Phone Number

*Please note: This directory is for personal communication only between Thornton Creek Elementary families. The directory MAY NOT be used for any commercial, solicitation, or sales purposes.

**As a PTA member, you can have your own MemberHub login and profile that will give you access to the directory. Create or update your MemberHub password here https://thorntoncreek.memberhub.com/join/78834b. Direct any questions to ThorntonCreekPTA@gmail.com

If you DO NOT want to have your student’s contact information published in the school directory, you may OPT OUT.

Complete the form below by Monday, October 21st to OPT OUT.

OPT OUT Google Form

If you are willing to have your contact information shared in the directory, there is no further action. Students will automatically be included.

*If you have a unique circumstance and need to change the information that will be available (e.g., the child lives at a different residence than the info in your MiStar / Parent Connection portal), please contact Cheryl Mills at ThorntonCreekpta@gmail.com to request special changes.

Directory coming soon!! Look for announcements in the Gator Gazette, and on our PTA Facebook page for directions on how PTA Members can access the directory.

Be in the know – learn more about what is happening in your child’s school and district
Tap into a network – meet school and district staff as well as fellow parents and connect with valuable resources
Be part of the solution – have a voice and help make positive changes in your child’s school

Next Meeting dates are:

11/6 @ 9:00 AM ( Wednesday meeting due to election day)

1/14 @ 6 PM - Grade 4 Presents!

2/11@ 9AM - Grade 2 Presents!

3/11 @ 9 AM - Grade 3 Presents!

4/8 @ 9 AM - Grade 1 Presents!

5/13 @ 9 AM

Join TC PTA Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/920347345361627

Race Details

Date: Sunday, October 13th

Location: 8 Mile Stadium (formerly Tom Holzer Field), Northville

Start Time:

• 5K Run/Walk: 9:00 AM
• Kids Dash: 10:00 AM

All ages and abilities are welcome! Whether you’re racing or walking, this event is a fantastic way to support Northville as we gear up for the week’s culminating event – the Baseline Blitz Tailgate on Friday, October 18th, before the big Northville vs. Novi football game.

Pricing:

• 5K Run/Walk: $30 (through October 12th), $35 on race day (online registration only)
• Kids Dash: $10 (through October 12th), $15 on race day (online registration only)

Click here to register!

Race Swag & Awards

All 5K and Kids Dash participants will receive a t-shirt (register by September 30th to guarantee your size).

Awards for top male and female finishers by age group and overall categories.

Website: https://thorntoncreek.northvilleschools.org/
Location: 46180 West 9 Mile Road, Novi, MI, USA
Phone: 248-465-2350
Twitter: @CreekGators