Tiger Tales
Taft Elementary Newsletter - October
A Note From the Principal
Can you believe we're almost through the first quarter?! This Friday is the end of the first quarter, and students will be staying home while teachers work on report cards. Parent teacher conferences will kick off on Wednesday for most of our families. Conferences will be held Wednesday evening after school and all day Thursday. (We will be holding some conferences early for families that need interpreters.) If you haven't already returned your conference sign-up forms, please get those back right away so that we can find a time that works well for you.
I'm happy to say that we've made considerable improvements with our attendance so far this year. As of this morning, our Chronic Absenteeism rate is down to 15% (from a staggering 28% at the end of last year). As a reminder, students are considered chronically absent if they miss more than 10% of the days they are enrolled. Unfortunately, we still have 44 students that have exceeded that mark. We've been talking to kids about the difference between "Big Sick vs Little Sick." The attachment below is a great refresher. We want students to understand that sometimes we may not feel our best, but we still have to go to school (or work). 😉 We want to develop strong work habits as early as elementary school. Please help us reach our school wide attendance goal. Students are happier, have better relationships with peers and teachers, AND do better in school when they attend regularly.
On Wednesday of this week, your child should be coming home with their new Taft Tiger Pride t-shirt that has our attendance motto, "Less than 9 and always on time!" on the back. These shirts were sponsored by a donor that wants our students to take pride in their school and be here every day. We're encouraging EVERY child and staff member to wear their Taft Tiger Pride shirt on Thursday to celebrate a successful first quarter.
Sincerely,
Mr. Lowe
Annual Notification Regarding Public Release of Student Directory Information
The Boise School District complies with federal law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) as it relates to the release of student directory information to the public. To learn more, log on to www.boiseschools.org and navigate to Parents & Patrons > Parent Information > FERPA Form. Or, please call the Clerk of the Board at 208-854-4123 to obtain a copy of the FERPA form.
Playground Fun!
Free Meals for Our Students!
This school year, all children in the Boise School District will receive free breakfast. Additionally, our school is now participating in the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), qualifying for free meals, including lunch, for the next four years.
Key Points:
No Applications Needed: You don't need to complete an application for free or reduced-priced meals for students at our school.
Other Schools: If you have students at other Boise School District schools that are not CEP, applications may still be necessary for those students to receive free or reduced-priced lunch benefits.
Complete Meals Only: The free meal benefit applies only to complete student meals. Additional items like milk or a second entrée require money on the student's meal account or cash payment.
For more information on meal prices, menus, and meal applications, visit Food & Nutrition Services at Boiseschools.org.
Counselor's Corner
Heidi Gudmundsen, M.S., LPC
Counselor
Hello Taft Families. I can’t believe we are almost done with the first quarter of the school year. Below are the topics we are focusing on in our counseling lessons
Kindergarten - We are continuing to work on feelings. We will be focusing on what to do when we have big emotions. We will discuss safe hands, personal space, and I messages.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 4th/5th Combo class - We are continuing to work on the 12 Tools in our toolbox. Here is a link to learn more about the Toolbox tools.
5th Grade: We will be reviewing our Sources of Strength and the BrainTree. To learn more about the curriculum please go to the Sources of Strength Website.
6th Grade: We will be reviewing our Sources of Strength, the BrainTree and looking at how emotions show up in our bodies. To learn more about the curriculum please go to the Sources of Strength Website. We will also have a special speaker for the Ada County Probation office come and discuss the laws that affect 6th graders.
If you would like your child to participate in Operation School Bell, a program that provides free back to school clothing for elementary students, please sign the orange Operation School Bell permission slip. It should have been sent home during the first week of school. If the permission slip has been lost, please don’t worry, just send me an email or call me and I will add your student(s) to the list.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call or email me.
Heidi Gudmundsen, MS, LPC
W.H. Taft Elementary School Counselor
208-854-6189
heidi.gudmundsen@boiseschools.org
Boise School District
Pronouns: She, her, hers
www.boiseschools.org/everythingspossible
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Reading Rocks
Demi Miller
Reading and Math Intervention Specialist
Family Engagement Coordinator
Family Portrait Night: A Picture-Perfect Evening!
At the end of September, we hosted our annual and highly anticipated Family Portrait Night, an event our school community looks forward to every year. Families came dressed to impress, ready for a professional family photo that will serve as a lasting memory of their time at Taft Elementary.
In addition to the keepsake photo, each family selected a beautiful frame to take home, ensuring these special moments are treasured for years to come.
The excitement didn’t end there! Families also enjoyed a delicious pizza dinner, participated in a creative art activity, and had access to valuable resources.
We love bringing our families together to create meaningful memories and strengthen the bonds that make our Taft community so special. We look forward to many more years of this wonderful tradition!
Thank you for your support in making Taft Elementary a fantastic place for our children to learn and grow!
Join the TAFT FAMILY COLLECTIVE or add your name to our volunteer list to participate in school-wide or classroom events. [Sign up here!]
For more information; Taft Family Engagement Plan
Family Engagement Coordinator: demi.miller@boiseschools.org
Family Portrait Night
Teachers are Learners Too!
Loren Bailly
Learning Coach
The Book Nook
October Books
The days are getting shorter, the leaves are turning colors and fall is officially here!
Creepy Crayon! (Creepy Tales!) by, Aaron Reynolds and Illustrated by, Peter Brown
Summary: From the team behind the New York Times bestselling Creepy Carrots! and Creepy Pair of Underwear! comes the third in this hilariously spooky series about a young rabbit and his peculiar encounters—featuring a sinister crayon!
Jasper Rabbit has a problem: he is NOT doing well in school. His spelling tests? Disasters. His math quizzes? Frightening to behold. But one day, he finds a crayon lying in the gutter. Purple. Pointy. Perfect. Somehow…it looked happy to see him. And it wants to help.
At first, Jasper is excited. Everything is going great. His spelling is fantastic. His math is stupendous. And best of all, he doesn’t have to do ANY work! But then the crayon starts acting weird. It’s everywhere, and it wants to do everything. And Jasper must find a way to get rid of it before it takes over his life. The only problem? The creepy crayon will not leave.
Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/zHB12jY1xpA?si=EA1R9yXPJFwqxjYL
Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky Treat (A Click Clack Book) by, Doreen Cronin Illustrated by, Betsy Lewin
Summary: Farmer Brown does not like Halloween. So he draws the shades, puts on his footy pajamas, and climbs into bed.
But do you think the barnyard animals have any respect for a man in footy pajamas? No, they do not. For them, the Halloween party has just begun. And we all know these critters far prefer tricks over treats.
There are big surprises in store for Farmer Brown!
Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/cb8qh_a3-vg?si=FISdCCbSeX5znOpj
Eerie Elementary: The School is Alive! by, Jack Chabert Illustrated by, Sam Ricks
Summary: Eerie Elementary is one scary school!
Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/7g5QozZ8hug?si=5ZPSoqzPhA8hUyDS (Chapters 1-3)
Community Schools Update
Jenny Hirst
Community Schools Coordinator
Community Schools Coordinator Update!
Thursday Oct. 10th: Tiger Talks are Back!!
Tiger Talks are for parents and guardians of Taft students. These hour-long groups help us get to know one another, meet Taft staff, learn about our school, ask questions, give ideas and learn from one another! The topic on Oct. 10th is: "Reading your student's report card: How to understand testing and reports" Join us in the Taft Clubhouse on Thursday Oct. 10th at 8:45am. For questions or more information, contact Jenny Hirst, jenny.hirst@boiseschools.org
Taft Student Jobs Program
In September, we held our Student Jobs Fair, where 5th and 6th grade students could learn about various ways to help our school. There were 9 different types of jobs available and students talked with staff “employers” and then completed a job application if they were interested in the position. Interviews took place, and we now have over 50 students hired and reporting to their jobs during lunch recess or teacher-approved times in the day. Our student employees are helping: Fill water bottles for Kindergarten classes, create “cool pack” (ice packs) for Nurse Sarah, open boxes and place food items on Taft Family Food Pantry day, help Mrs Enrico deliver important messages at the end of the school day, and more!
Student Job Fair
Cultural Liaisons
In September, we invited 6 parents to help support Taft in bridging the gap between our school and parents new to the school! Each of these wonderful families represent some of the cultures and languages that make up the rich tapestry of Taft Elementary. Our Cultural Liaisons will provide an extra layer of support to parents new to Taft.
Cultural Liasons
Rahim
Emmanuel and Musa
Musa - Swahili and French Liason
Hanaa
Arabic and KurSpeaking Liason
Community Partners Spotlight
We continue to be supported by amazing community partners! This month, we spotlight:
Kount- An Equifax Company
For years, Kount has supported STEM related supplies for Taft, has funded our parent field trips and so much more! This year, they have sponsored our orange reusable Taft Family Food Pantry bags for each Taft student! It was a beautiful site to witness our students pour out of the building with brand new shopping bags sporting our Taft logo on one side, and Kount on the other! How grateful we are to the this organization for their generosity
SAVE THE DATE! Frankenstein’s Closet, Oct. 23rd Your child will have the chance to select a free Halloween costume (with adult permission) during the afternoon of Oct. 23rd (or after school with parent). In the weeks leading up to this event, please consider donating gently used Halloween costumes to help replenish supplies of this generous non-profit! Orange bins will be in front of the school throughout the month of October.
Congratulations Mrs. Hirst on your Golden Apple Award!
Grade Level Highlights
Maya Mitchell
Lane Mathern
Kindergarten
Kindergarten is off to a fantastic start!
Our kindergarten students are off to a fantastic start this year! We’ve been exploring letters M, P, A, and S, and our little learners are already blending sounds to read words and sentences. In math, we’re working hard to count and identify numbers, building a strong foundation for future learning.
In addition to academics, we’re focusing on showing our Tiger Pride by being kind and responsibleTaft Tigers. We’re so proud of the growth and enthusiasm our students are demonstrating. Keep up the great work, kindergarteners!
Congratulations Mr. Lowe for winning the Friend of School Psychology Award!
Save the Date for our Fall Taft Tiger Book Fair!
Taft Tiger Fall Book Fair
Monday, November 11th - Friday, November 15th
8:15am - 4:00pm
Monday, Nov 11, 2024, 08:15 AM
Taft Elementary School, West Anderson Street, Boise, ID, USA
Calendar of Events
- October 11 End of First Quarter - Elementary Pre K-6 No School
- October 16 No School Pre K
- October 17 No Pre K-6 Elementary classes - Parent Conferences
- - Elementary evening conferences will be held Wednesday, October 16 and Thursday, October 17 until 7:30 pm
- - Junior High evening conferences will be held Wednesday, October 16 and Thursday, October 17, 4 - 7 pm
- - High School evening conferences will be held Tuesday, October 15 and Wednesday, October 16, 4 - 7 pm
- October 18 No School Pre K-12
- November 25-29 Autumn Break - No School Pre K-12
- December 18, 19, 20 Secondary End of Semester Testing - Early Release *7-12
- December 19 Early Release K-6 to work on Report Cards, No School Pre K
- December 20 End of First Semester - Early Release K-6 to work on Report Cards, No School Pre K
Stay Connected
Email: tim.lowe@boiseschools.org
Website: taft.boiseschools.org/
Location: 3722 West Anderson Street, Boise, ID, USA
Phone: (208) 854-6180