We are so thankful for a great start to this year! Trafalgar students and families have worked hard to learn our arrival and dismissal procedures, and our parent pick up line is really moving! Parents please remember to have your car tag with you for all parent pick ups, and please keep the tag visible until your child is in the car. If you do not have a car tag, please know you will have to park your car and go into the office to have your license checked prior to pick up. Thank you for helping us do all we can to keep our students safe!

Understanding our tardy procedures is also very important. Our tardy bell rings at 7:55am. That is the time our students should be in classrooms and ready to learn. If we have a line of cars on the street when the 7:55 bell rings, we will continue to allow students to enter without a tardy pass, however, if the bell rings and there are no cars in line on the street attempting to get in our gates, the last car through the gate when the bell rings will be the last student let in without a tardy pass. Cars entering the gates after 7:55 without a line in the street should expect their child to receive a tardy for the day. We also allow cars/students to begin entering school at 7:15, and we hold them in the breezeway of our entry until the 7:25 bell rings to allow them to enter classrooms. This complete process allows students 40 minutes to enter school in the morning which is ample time to accommodate all of our morning car riders. Thank you for helping us to make this process work for everyone! It is very important our students are ready to learn at 7:55am.

Walker/ Biker Parents: Please read the following important letter regarding walker/biker new processes. See image of letter below or click the following link to access the letter to print and return to school. https://docs.google.com/document/d/162IIhsSjOgr_KsLFsC4zs4GqCJjvci6PdJxw_YVeTgM/edit?usp=sharing

Spanish Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14g-DFhohvyyXHhpkTgbKjCVO4uJFnVhRt3FwThLZ5aU/edit?usp=sharing

Finally, thank you very much for remembering NOT to use the church parking lot for any parent pick up or drop off. We have promised to do our best to encourage our parents to follow our procedures and drop off and pick up all students on our campus. Your help and cooperation are appreciated!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Murphy & Dr. Williamson

Trafalgar School Counselor, Crystal Engelhart and her Fall FGCU intern, Madison Smith, are here to support students socially, emotionally, and academically.

For the month of August, they have focused on Responsibility as our character education trait of the month. Which also ties into our PBIS expectations as Trafalgar was Platinum recognition.

For the month of September, we will focus on the word:

Acceptance:

Recognition of the diversity of others, their opinions, practices and culture with a favorable reception. "Strength lies in differences, not in similarities." Stephen Covey

Please be sure your student has a water bottle with a name on it every day! We do not have cups for students. Thank you!

Click links for English and Spanish directions to the student launchpad.

Launchpad Elementary School

Launchpad Elementary (Spanish)

Beginning August 28th, parents may join their child for lunch in the patio area. Parents must have an ID and sign in the office before meeting the student at the patio. It is a good idea to send a note in the planner to give the teacher and your child a head's up that you will be coming. Parents are only permitted to have their own child join them for lunch, and siblings in other grades are not able to be excused from class in order to join. Thank you!

Trafalgar Elementary Enrichment Clubs 2023-24

We are pleased to announce that we will be offering a variety of enrichment clubs for our students. Please read each club description thoroughly to determine if the club is for your child’s grade level and that you will be able to drop off the child at the specified start time for a morning club and/or pick up your child at the dismissal of an afternoon club. Clubs begin the week of September 18 and end the week of April 8.

Student Council and Drama Club have special requirements. Parents do NOT sign their children up for them. The club sponsors will provide additional information. Student Council which will meet once per month after school on Mondays and Drama Cub which meets on Thursdays.

The club sponsors will receive a list of all children who have registered for their club and the list will be sent to all classroom teachers. You will NOT be sent home a confirmation that your child has registered for a club. If you sent the registration to school, your child is in the club. As the parent, YOU MUST WRITE IN YOUR CHILD’S PLANNER THAT THEY ARE GOING TO A CLUB ON A PATICULAR DAY OR THE CHILD WILL BE SENT HOME BY MEANS OF THEIR NORMAL DISMISSAL PLAN. If your child is participating in a morning club, there is no need to inform their classroom teacher. Morning clubs are 6:30-7:25 or 7:25-7:55 and after school clubs start at dismissal and at 3:00 PM. If your child is already registered in the Voyages Program for after school care, your child will be sent there when clubs end.

Arrival Policy for Morning Clubs

All members should be dropped off in front of the school at the designated start for that club time. Please do NOT allow children to get out of your car until you see the teacher in charge of that club open the breezeway entrance and begin unloading cars. Children who are left unsupervised prior to that time will be dismissed from ALL clubs. If your child is in the morning Voyages Program, the club sponsor will pick them up from the cafeteria.

Dismissal Policy for Afternoon Clubs

At the completion of an afternoon club, students may attend our afterschool program-Voyages, walk, bike or be picked up by car in order to return home. The enrollment form has an area for you to choose the way your child will get home from clubs. Please be sure to send a written note to the club sponsor if the way your child is to go home changes. If your child is being picked up after a club, they must be picked up by 3:05PM. Children who are not picked up on time will be held in the school office. Children who are picked up after 3:05 PM three times will be dismissed from ALL clubs.

Ecology Club (Fifth Grade attends 1st and 2nd quarter and Fourth Grade attends 3rd and 4th quarter) Sponsors: Ms. Sweeney, Ms. Mulloy, Ms. Corace, Ms. Shaynak, and Ms. Bennett

Mondays 2:10 – 3:00 PM

Ecology Club will have your child thinking about the world around them! Topics will cover the animals and plant life they will encounter here in Florida, as well as ways they can impact the environment. 5th grade will take an overnight field trip to The Florida Aquarium and 4th graders will take a day trip to the Everglades for an airboat tour.

Running Club (K-5th Grade)

Fridays 6:30– 7: 25 AM Sponsors: Ms. Corace, Ms. Hughes, & Ms. Palmer

The Running Club is for all students interested in developing their distance running skills. Programs will be individualized, and students carefully monitored. This club meets at a different time then the other clubs to allow children to change clothes (if needed) and eat breakfast before going to class. Track will meet at 6:30- 7:25 AM. Running Club members will be encouraged to participate in many local races as well as school events held this year.

Wave Art Club Sponsor: Mrs. Garcia-Valdez

Mondays (3rd -5th Grade) 7:25 – 7:55 AM Tuesdays (K–2nd Grade) 7:25 – 7:55 AM

Ride the Wave of Creativity! Our club will inspire and encourage creativity to unfold. Wave promotes excellence in Academic Achievement, Leadership, Citizenship and Service through the Visual Arts. Our members will also create works that will be displayed in the community.

Yoga Kids Sponsor: Mrs. Garcia-Valdez

Wednesdays (K-3rd Grade) 7:25 – 7:55 AM

Join us as we explore breath, movement, balance, and mindfulness.

We use songs, games, yoga cards and stories to introduce various kid-friendly yoga poses, including a brief resting pose to finish class.

Beginner Instrument Club: Sponsor: Ms. Gulseth

Tuesday 7:25 am-7:55am. 2nd and 3rd grade, limited spots available. Learn music on recorder, xylophone, drums, and more! Focused on music through aural/"by ear" and emerging literacy stages. All instruments are provided and remain at school. Performances in Winter 12/14 and Spring 5/2 are encouraged but optional for this club.

Advanced Instrument Club: Sponsor: Ms. Gulseth

Monday 2pm-2:45pm. 4th grade and 5th grade, limited spots available. Learn and compose music using xylophones, drums, ukuleles, and your voice! Focused on music through reading and writing. All instruments are provided and remain at school. Performances in Winter 12/14 and Spring 5/2.

Chorus: Sponsor: Ms. Gulseth

Tuesday 2pm-3pm. 4th and 5th Grade, limited spots available. Learn fun and challenging new songs throughout the year! Opportunities for community involvement, collaborations with other ensembles, as well as auditions for county and state level ensembles. Performances in Winter 12/14 and Spring 5/2, some additional performances TBA.

Band: Sponsor: Ms. Gulseth

Wednesday 2pm-3:30pm. 5th grade only, limited spots available. Learn the FUNdamentals of sound production on flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone. Instruments are not provided. Participation in band requires family involvement with equipment and encouraging at-home practice. Adults: Please email Ms. Gulseth for a copy of the Band Handbook. Performances in Winter 12/14 and Spring 5/2.

Please remember Spirit Shirts are only to be worn on Fridays. Uniform shirts are to be worn all other school days. It is also important to remember that sweatshirts must be plain with no writing, characters, or designs. Thank you!

September 1, 2023

Trafalgar Parents,

Florida State Statute 1012.42 recognizes that teachers at times must be assigned duties in a class outside the field in which the teacher is certified. The following teachers at Trafalgar Elementary are certified, but may be assigned one or more classes outside their areas of certification and are required to take appropriate steps to comply with the statutory regulation. The following teachers are engaged in training to add English for Speakers of other Languages to their certificate:

Thomas Alotta

Staci Campion

Rosemary Teague

Jessica Jenkins

Martha Smith

Megan McDaniel

Nicole Ospina

Jennifer Allo

Angelica Santiago

Thank you!

Lisa Murphy, Principal

AHERA Notification

Notification of the Presence of Asbestos-Containing Materials in the School:

Trafalgar Elementary has recently been inspected and certain asbestos-containing materials or assumed asbestos-containing materials such as: fire doors or roofing materials that are tested prior to repairs or removal as needed, may have been located in the school buildings. Please be aware that the School District of Lee County has an active management plan designed to ensure that the building is maintained safely for all occupants. These materials are being controlled in accordance with the Asbestos Management Program for the School and following the limitations and procedures of the policies and requirements of the Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Program of the School District of Lee County.

The report listing the location, quantities, and condition of all known materials and contains the details of the control procedures is available at the school office for your inspection during normal school hours. Copies of the whole or parts of the school’s asbestos file can be supplied to you at a cost of $0.15 per page.

Trafalgar Daily Transportation Changes Send email to: rachelrg@leeschools.net

Trafalgar Elementary Website http://tfe.leeschools.net/

Bus Location and Arrival Information https://wheresthebus.com/

Bus Number and Bus Stop Information https://mapnet.leeschools.net/

FOCUS Parent Portal http://focus.leeschools.net/

Create a FOCUS account English:

https://www.leeschools.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=31897655

Create a FOCUS account Spanish:

https://www.leeschools.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=31897653

Email: bethew@leeschools.net
Website: tfe.leeschools.net
Location: 1850 Southwest 20th Avenue, Cape Coral, FL, USA
Phone: 239-283-3043