The TU Tribune

This 180 Seconds (or less) of Learning Podcast is your chance to learn about amazing things happening in the world of education and at Troy Union!

The podcast will be quick optimizing your time while giving you a chance to connect and learn with us. Our stories, will highlight the positive happening in education but we also hope some topics inspire you to do a 180 and possibly think about something differently. Either way, sit back and enjoy the next 180 seconds of learning.

Tomorrow is Curriculum Night and at Troy Union we make it a family affair. The format is a little different than a traditional Curriculum Night as we wanted to involve our students. We know that when our students are involved, our families are more likely to be involved. Our students are proud of their school and we want them to show you around so you can really see the spaces and people that are important to them. Here's what you need to know...

• Who: Troy Union Students and Families (We have 1,000 popsicles and those will be distributed until we run out). 1 popsicle per child. Thank you to Troy Boy Scouts and our PTO for providing the sweet treat.
  
• What: Troy Union Curriculum Night!
  
• Where: Troy Union - Students MUST stay with their families. Students should not walk the building without an adult during this event. The purpose of this evening is for students to take families through the building using our Scavenger Hunt template. We encourage 3-5 to enter through the main doors and K-1 to enter through the K-2 doors. Both will open at 6:00.
  
• When: Doors open at 6:00 (some students will bring the Scavenger Hunt Checklist with them while other students will pickup the Scavenger Hunt Checklist in their classroom...check with your child's teacher if you are unsure). This is an open house so we ask that families arrive no later than 6:40 as you will not have time to complete the Scavenger Hunt. Classroom doors will close at 7:00 and we ask that you exit the building at that time so our staff can get home to their families.
  
• Parking: Parking will be limited. Please feel free to utilize nearby subdivision streets or walk to Troy Union if possible. Please do not park on grass areas.
  
• Nut's and Bolts: Over the course of today and tomorrow, you will receive emails from our office and your child's teacher with nuts and bolts information to set your family up for success.
  

Thank you in advance for your support. We anticipate Troy Union is going to be very busy tonight and we appreciate your support. Attached is a sample Scavenger Hunt template but you do not need to print it ahead of time.

This past week, all K-5 students came together for an inspiring Character Education assembly with Mr. Cottone and Mrs. Cardozo (School Social Worker) focused on building a positive CULTURE at Troy Union. Using the book "Circles Around Us" as our guide, we explored how expanding our circles of kindness, embracing others, and creating a supportive community are essential to our school’s success.

The assembly highlighted the importance of each student’s role in making Troy Union a place where everyone feels valued and connected. Additionally, students were introduced to new school wide expectations for Recess, Lunch, and Hallways.

We are excited to see how our students will continue to grow these circles throughout the school year, contributing to a stronger and more unified community while connecting the learning directly to our Character Education language.

This year the PTO is offering a pre paid option for Bagel Fridays. $30 gets your child a bagel for all 18 bagel Fridays this year. We will be collecting money Wednesday, September 4th at Curriculum Night, please bring exact change.

There will also be a flyer sent home with your child to bring money. All pre paid money is Due Sep 17th. We will still be offering day of sales for $2/bagel. Prepaid orders include cream cheese.

Bagel sales provide a fun treat for students on a handful of Friday's while also funding a variety of PTO projects at Troy Union.

We kicked off the school year in the sweetest way possible with our annual “Popsicles and Playdate” event! Each year, our incoming Kindergarten students, along with their families, get a special opportunity to visit their new classrooms, meet their teachers, and drop off school supplies. This year was no exception, as our youngest students explored their new learning spaces, filled with excitement for the adventures ahead. The kindergarten students took part in a fun “Signing Day” photo opportunity, capturing the moment they officially became part of the Troy Union family! With their first school memories in the making, they headed out to the playground to meet new friends and enjoy some outdoor fun. Finally, the PTO provided refreshing popsicles, making it a perfect morning of play, connection, and community.

Our Troy Union Leadership Shirts and Spirit Wear Store is now open! Click here to order.

We encourage you to get your orders in asap, as the store is only open through Thursday, September 5th. This allows us to get our Leadership shirts before our Troy Union Fun Run.

• Full Day: 8:39AM-3:37PM (Students should not be dropped off and released from families until 8:30 and they will enter the building at 8:33)
• Half Day: 8:39AM-12:29P (Students should not be dropped off and released from families until 8:30 and they will enter the building at 8:33)

When dropping off your child please only park in designated spaces.

Each school day over 400 students arrive and depart from Troy Union. Our arrival and dismissal procedures have been implemented and refined to ensure the safety of our students, staff and community. Please read the following very carefully as some procedures have been modified. We ask for your patience as we strive to create a safe and efficient environment for our students during arrival and dismissal.

To ensure the safety of all, students and families should not congregate outside the school and it is important that you do NOT drop your child off at school until 8:33 at the earliest. If you arrive early then families should stay in their car. Students should not lineup outside their entrance.

Please see the attached message about Appropriate vs Inappropriate language choices at school. We take school safety very seriously at Troy Union and a simple conversation at home on this topic can go a long way.

• Troy Union Fun Run: September 26, in the AM
  
• 5th Grade Camp: October 14-16
• PTO Fun Fair: May 8, 5:30-7:30 PM (we are moving this from the fall to the spring to let the playground grass grow)
• Annual Makers Challenge: May 23
• Field Day: June 3

All dates are tentative and could be adjusted.

As a Troy School District building leader, I have had the opportunity to further my learning as an ALICE Certified Trainer. This extensive training affords me the opportunity to train members of our community to prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from a violent critical incident if one were to occur at Troy Union. We hope an event never happens but being prepared to respond in an emergency situation is a priority. Additionally, Troy School District staff continues to go through extensive training as well and we will continue this learning throughout the school year.

We will be conducting several Security Drills over the course of the school year. Staff and students will be aware of all drills prior so nobody is caught off guard. When each drill is announced our classroom teachers will be reviewing school safety protocols as a classroom community.

• September 13th (tentative) will focus on stranger danger at school and home while further defining what a Minimum Security Lockdown is. Furthermore, staff will reinforce that during an emergency it is important to listen to the teacher.

• September 20th (tentative) will focus on ALICE safety protocols (please see the attachment below for more information about ALICE or click here to visit the Troy School District’s website for more information). Our staff will specifically focus on Lockdown and Evacuate. Furthermore we will continue to reinforce that during an emergency, it is important to listen to the teacher to keep us safe.

We believe that we can teach children to be safe without scaring them. Our Troy School District protocols are designed to prepare students and staff for unsafe situations while taking their development into consideration. Please reach out if you have any thoughts, ideas, questions, or wonderings. Our goal is to always be prepared while reinforcing that school is incredibly safe.

Attached is an excellent resource we are sharing with our Troy Union families. "Parents Make the Difference" is a four-page, evidence-based newsletters that provides practical information for families and a comprehensive array of school success topics. This new to Troy Union resource is being shared with our families in partnership with the Troy Union PTO.

Looking for a rewarding way to spend a few hours each day? Consider becoming a noon aide at Troy Union! This role offers you the chance to make a positive impact on our students during their lunchtime, while also becoming a valued member of the vibrant Troy Union staff.

Whether you're looking to contribute to the school's positive CULTURE or simply want to get more involved, this opportunity might be perfect for you.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to Mike at mcottone@troy.k12.mi.us for further details!