Turrill Family Newsletter

Dear Turrill Families,

Can you believe we've been in school for almost 7 weeks now? Time is flying! As we enter into the fall season, take the time to enjoy the leaves changing, football games, and family time together. Like the leaves, your children are changing each day, becoming more brilliant and unique. Fall field trips are being planned, parent teacher conferences are on the horizon, and everything will be flavored with pumpkin spice soon :) Just like us, everything in fall is #BetterTogether

Warmly,

Kelly Vangel

Principal, Turrill Elementary

• No School - 8/30-9/2
  

• 5th Grade Band Begins 9/3 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

• Popcorn Day - 9/6

• Parent Teacher Conferences - 9/16 & 9/18

• Book Fair - 9/16-9/19

• Boy Scout Fall Joining Night - 9/19 @ 6:00

• No School - 9/20 & 9/23

• Picture Retake Day - 9/24

• Kona Ice Day - 9/30

• Fall Student Count Day - 10/2

Parent Teacher Conferences will be Monday, September 16th and Wednesday, September 18th from 4:00-7:30. As in years past, we will be offering two options for conferences: ZOOM or face-to-face. Be on the lookout for a Sign-Up Genius next week to register for a conference time with your child's teacher.

Dear Parents of Band Students,

Band begins Tuesday, September 3rd. Your child should have brought home a newsletter from Mrs. Harrington on 8/27/24. If you missed this newsletter, please click on the link below.

Thanks!

Beginning Band Letter

Turrill will be hosting Kona Ice days at Turrill this year to spread a little frosty joy to our students. Kona Ice treats are $4.00 and will be served from 12:00-3:00 on the dates below. If you would like your child to enjoy a Kona Ice, you may send in $4.00 cash with your child on the day of the event (money must come in by 10:30). Funds raised from Kona Ice sales will go towards classroom field trips. Thanks!

• September 30, 2024
  

• October 30, 2024

• March 19, 2025

• April 30, 2025

• May 28, 2025

• June 11, 2025

Because we LOVE our grandparents and the special people in our lives, classrooms will be finding ways to honor our students' grandparents in September. You can make your family members feel special at home by doing some of these fun activities:

• Read a book with your grandfriends, grandparents, or grandfamily caregiver.
• Take a walk together through your neighborhood or favorite park.
• Share family stories of your favorite memories together, your family’s history, or look through a family photo album together.
• Go for an outing as a family (i.e. dinner at a restaurant, to the movies, skating rink, hiking, amusement park, etc.).
• Cook a meal together using your favorite family recipe.
• Do an arts and crafts activity.
• Have a virtual coffee or lunch date.
• Participate in an in-person or virtual family game night.
• Volunteer together in remembrance of 9/11 or attend a 9/11 memorial service event.
• Gather in person as a family and share kind words to honor those grandparents, grandfriends or older caregivers who are no longer here. Afterward, plant a tree or flower seed at a park, family garden, or special location to amplify their remembrance.

I am beyond excited to announce that we are partnering with The Positivity Project at Turrill this year for character trait building. The Positivity Project is currently used at both Rolland Warner and Zemmer campuses, as well as Schickler for 2024-2025. To learn more about The Positivity Project, click here to watch Of This, I'm Positive, as well as The Positivity Project's Founding Story

Be on the lookout for September Reading Logs! Students have a goal of reading at home for at least 20 minutes every day and completing a reading log throughout the month.

Reading with your child is a proven way to promote early literacy. One of the most important things you can do to prepare your child for his/her future is helping to make sure that your child is reading at grade level by third grade. You can influence your child’s success in school by making reading a daily routine in your home. Research shows that students who read at least 20 minutes per day score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests. Do you want to help your child to be successful in school? They simply need to read.

WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT MY CHILD? Read at home with your child daily (at least 20 minutes) with books they enjoy.

Some ways to do this:
- Read out loud to your child.
- Listen to your child read.
- Echo read (you read a line, then they repeat).
- Read together at the same time.
- Reread or retell favorite stories.
- Talk to your child about the reading.

As you read:

- Ask your child to share what they remember.
- Ask questions about the reading.
- Talk about your favorite parts.
- Talk about what you have learned.
- Talk about how the pictures in the book connect to the words on the page.
- Help connect the reading to your child’s life or other books they’ve read.

We're asking for your help with learning math facts this year. One of the biggest hurdles students can have in math achievement is not knowing basic math facts. Many students can solve elaborate equations and story problems, but can't do it efficiently because they don't know basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division facts. It's not glamorous, but it takes memorizing those pesky facts until students know they quickly. (You know... like we had to do when we were in school)

So what can you do?

• Make memorizing fun and play a game with it, like Red Light, Green Light
• Create flashcards with math facts
• Download an app or find a math fact website
• Quiz each other with math facts
• Use manipulatives, like fingers, cubes, beans, sticks, etc.

For more information on math skills by age level, click here

Hello LCS Families,

Please check out our latest bond and safety update as we approach the 2024-25 school year.

The video presentation regarding safety and security updates is in that link above and also HERE. Please watch and share as needed.

All of this information will also be shared on our Facebook page and at each building's registration night/open house. We will be at the Turrill parent-teacher conferences next month as well.

Calling all volunteers! Turrill has an amazing PTC that needs your help. Check out the newsletter below to find out more.

Please make sure to fill out the LCS Volunteer Application below if you plan to volunteer in your child's classroom, attend parties, chaperone field trips, or volunteer in other capacities.

Each year we need to seek input on our Family Engagement Plan. Below is a link to our plan. Please take some time to review it. If you see anything that needs revision or have any recommendations please email me at kelly.vangel@lapeerschools.org .

Turrill Family Engagement Plan 2024-2025

LEAF, the Lapeer County Education Attainment Fund, promotes fiscal responsibility in children and encourages them to save money for college. LEAF deposit days are listed below:

• November 12
• February 11
• March 18
• April 22

For more information on the LEAF program, please CLICK HERE.

Lapeer Community Schools is a proud district that offers Reading Recovery services at each elementary building. Reading Recovery is a short-term tutoring intervention that provides one-on-one tutoring to first-grade students who are struggling in reading and writing. The goals of Reading Recovery include promoting literacy skills, reducing the number of students who are struggling to read, and preventing long-term reading difficulties. Reading Recovery supplements classroom teaching with tutoring sessions, generally conducted as pull-out sessions during the school day. Tutoring is delivered by trained Reading Recovery teachers in daily 30-minute sessions over the course of 12–20 weeks. Reading Recovery was developed in the 1970s by Dr. Marie Clay and is practiced all over the world.

At Turrill, Mrs. Weidinger, Mrs. Oliver, and Mrs. Schuett teach Reading Recovery lessons to some very lucky first graders. Mrs. Vangel is also a Reading Recovery teacher, but is not currently seeing students. To learn more about Reading Recovery, click here or have a chat with Mrs. Vangel.

8:00 Office Opens

8:45 Student Drop off Begins

8:50 Students Allowed to Rooms

8:54 Classes Begin

2024-2025 Recess Schedule:

11:15-11:45 4th - 5th Grades

11:45-12:15 2nd - 3rd Grade and CI Classrooms

12:15-12:45 E5/KDG - 1st Grade

2024-2025 Lunch Schedule:

11:45-12:054th - 5th Grades

12:15-12:35 2nd, 2/3 Split, 3rd Grade, and CI Classrooms

12:45-1:05E5/KDG - 1st Grade

3:50 Dismissal

4:30 Office Closes

As in years past, we plan on offering programs during our intersession weeks. Stay tuned for more information regarding the programming and intersession themes. The dates for intersession are as follows:

1st Intersession: October 21-24 (Monday-Thursday)

2nd Intersession: February 18-21 (Tuesday-Friday)

3rd Intersession: March 24-28 (Monday-Friday)

We have two lovely Mental Health Specialists at Turrill - Miss Chittle and Ms. Schneider. Their role at Turrill is to provide a listening ear to students. They work on social skills, emotions, and so much more with students. Students are able to meet with Miss Chittle and Ms. Schneider with your permission by filling out an Informed Consent Form (pictured below). Informed Consent Forms will be available during Open House night as you meet your child's new teacher.

Click here to explore a valuable mental health resource from Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan.

Click here to access the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.

Email: kelly.vangel@lapeerschools.org
Website: http://turrill.lapeerschools.org/
Location: 785 S Elm St, Lapeer, MI 48446
Phone: (810) 667-2438
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Turrill-Elementary-1415374235385217/

Mission: We will use our talents and compassion to educate our students in order to create a world in which all children embrace the journey of learning.

Turrill Vision: We are a kind family built on trust.

Turrill Motto: Better together!