Torringford Tigers
September 2024
A Message from Mrs. Galullo & Mrs. Austin
Dear Torringford Families,
We hope the transition back to school has been smooth for your family. Torringford School has been buzzing with positive energy! The students are already making new friends, learning new skills and getting acclimated to the structure and routines of their new classroom.
We launched the 2024-25 year with a school-wide read aloud of the book "I Promise" by LeBron James. This inspiring book encourages students to make positive choices, work hard, and believe in themselves. Its uplifting message aligns perfectly with our values of kindness, responsibility, and perseverance here at Torringford.
Throughout the year, our staff will be incorporating I Promise into classroom discussions and activities. We hope these promises—like being kind, helping others, and always giving your best—will spark great conversations at home as well!
By sharing this book together, we aim to foster a sense of community, helping our students understand the importance of teamwork and personal growth.
As a caregiver you are your student's first and most important teacher. When caregivers and families are involved in their student's education, the students do better and have better feelings about going to school.
There are many ways that you can support your student's learning at home and throughout the school year. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Develop a partnership with your student’s teacher.
- Support your student academically.
- Get involved with our Parent Teacher Organization.
- Support your student's learning at home.
Together we can ensure that your student has a positive school experience. We are here to support the success of your student and instill a love of learning.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Galullo & Mrs. Austin
Office Procedures
SCHOOL VISITORS
- All visitors must check in at the school office. Always bring identification when coming to the building. Visitors must be pre-approved with an appointment/volunteer opportunity through a staff member or the PTO. Visitors are asked to come alone with no extended family members. All visitors must sign in and out, indicate where they will be in the building, and wear a visitor's badge while on property.
DELIVERING ITEMS TO STUDENTS
- Occasionally students may forget their lunch or other important items. To minimize classroom disruptions, please bring these items to the front door and a staff member will happily deliver the item to the classroom.
LOST & FOUND
- Clothing and other items are picked up daily from the playground and the cafeteria and deposited in the bins/rack outside the cafeteria/gymnasium. If your child has lost an article of clothing, please remind him/her to check the Lost & Found.
- Lost eyeglasses are on display in the main office.
- Please label your child's belongings with their full name!
- All unclaimed items are donated to a charitable organization.
Feel free to call Melissa Smith or Julie Vold (860-489-2300) if you have questions or need assistance.
A Message from Our School Nurses
Is Your Child Too Sick for School? Attendance Guidelines for Illness
Please do not send your child to school if any of these symptoms or signs present in the previous 24 hours.
- Elevated temperature (100.0 or greater)
- Acute cold, sore throat or persistent cough
- Vomiting, nausea, or abdominal pain
- Repeated diarrhea
- Purulent discharge (anything other than clear discharge) from the nose or eyes resulting from a contagious condition
- Red, inflamed or discharging eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Suspected scabies, impetigo, acute skin rashes or eruptions, any skin lesion in the weeping stage, head lice or any other infectious condition.
Please do not send your child to school with instructions for the school nurse to determine if they are sick or injured. As a parent, you are the best judge of your own child's wellness and medical needs. You know your children best. If they don't seem well, they probably aren't. If necessary, keep them home and consult a health care professional.
To report your student's absence, please call the school office at 860-489-2300 (option 1) before 9:00 AM.
If you have any health concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to Nurse Allison or Nurse Denise!
Every Day Counts at Torringford School
Good attendance is a vital part of the educational process and is closely related to successful performance in school.
Every Day at School Matters!
Torringford Tigers signed a pledge promising to make EVERY day count by:
- Doing their best to come to school every day they feel well.
- Keeping track of their days at school and their absences.
- Asking for help from a trusted adult or school staff if something is keeping them from coming to school.
- Telling their friends they are missed when they are absent.
Our goal is for students to have 10 or fewer absent days by the end of the school year.
We want to focus on good attendance while still being mindful of your child’s health and safety.
We love seeing all of our students in school!
Principals' Coffee Hour
Welcome Back Night Thursday, Sept. 26th
Early Dismissal: 1:00 pm.
- 5:00-6:00 Students who have last names that begin with the letters A - L
- 6:00-7:00 Students who have last names that begin with the letters M - Z
SMILE - - Picture Day is Coming Soon
Retakes: Wednesday, November 20th
More information will be coming soon.
Mark Your Calendar
September 19: Early Dismissal (1:45); Teacher Professional Learning Community (PLC)
September 26: Early Dismissal (1:00); Welcome Back Night
October 14: Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day; NO school
October 17: Early Dismissal (1:30); Teacher Professional Learning Community (PLC)
Kindergarten Wonders
Fun and Learning in Full Swing!
Torri was excited to welcome new Torringford students at kindergarten orientation. Incoming kindergartners took a practice bus ride, toured the school, met their K teachers and got to see their classrooms.
Ready for Kindergarten!
We learn to enjoy and respect books in kindergarten. We are learning to use picture books.
During our Benchmark Foundations lessons, kindergarteners are learning to identify and write letters. We’re so excited about using our letters and sounds to become readers and writers!
Kindergarten students are learning to explore math concepts
through our hands-on, cooperative math workplaces!
Recess Fun!
First Grade Fun
Discover the Excitement!
Meet the first grade team! We are so happy to be back at school! We are off to a great start. We have been hard at work practicing routines and expectations as well as building classroom communities!
In math, we have been exploring many different manipulatives and learning how to use things like unifix cubes, dominos, and shapes as tools! Our students have been using manipulatives to measure, make patterns, sort, count and so much more!
We have been reviewing how to treat school supplies as well. Check out this fun project we did to practice using scissors and glue! We love how our rainbow names came out!
After reading the book Our Class is a Family, we made bracelets to remind ourselves how important it is to be a friend to all at school. We love spreading kindness in first grade!
Second Grade Scoop: Fun and Learning Awaits!
Community Building
In second grade, we have been discussing classroom expectations and what it means to be a classroom family.
Ms. Schone’s Class did team building exercises and students used watercolors to create self portraits as a part of our classroom community display.
Math
In math, students have been working on creating “beetle glyphs” (visual representations) to learn more about our classmates and their interests.
Reading
In reading, we have been learning and practicing routines for our literacy block. Students have been working as a class to practice skills such as rereading and examining text features to improve our comprehension.
Third Grade Thrills
What's Up in Class!
Third Graders have been getting straight to work as the “top dogs” of Torringford Elementary! We have been busy the first few days reviewing rules, routines, expectations and how to be leaders of our amazing school community!
Students in Mrs. Milano’s class had fun getting to know each other through a team-building activity where students had to work together to find common interests, record them, and build towers out of all of our common interests. Students identified thoughtful communication, listening to others, working together and including everyone as important pieces of teamwork!
Students also expressed their math interests through creating personalized “People Glyphs.” We have been talking about how we will be able to build a strong “Community of Mathematicians” this year, which includes accepting that we all learn differently and have different preferences (i.e. working alone or in small groups; showing our thinking through pictures, numbers or words!)
We are looking forward to an amazing new school year! Go Tigers!
A Message from Mrs. Farella
Summer Reading
Welcome Back Torringford Students and Parents!
As a reminder, please have your child bring back their summer reading list for a free bookmark and entrance into a raffle for a prize!
If you have lost the sheet you can print it out from the website at the link below.
I am extending the deadline for the raffle to Friday, September 20th
so try to have your students return them ASAP!
Meet the Staff at Torringford
Torringford Elementary School
Torringford School is a safe and welcoming community where we take care of people and foster positive relationships. Our team spirit supports and acknowledges everyone. Optimists persist to meet challenges with the flexibility and empathy to create healthy, enthusiastic, life-long learners.
Educate. Explore. Inspire.
Email: gaustin@torrington.org
Website: http://torringtontorringford.ss16.sharpschool.com
Location: 800 Charles Street, Torrington, CT, USA
Phone: (860)489-2300
Facebook: facebook.com/TorringfordTigers