Town Center Principal Newsletter

We wanted to remind all families about the Classroom Fund that we ask parents to contribute to. The Classroom Fund is $25 a year, and it pays for the materials for both the winter and Valentines parties (snacks, craft/game, paper products, etc.). It also goes towards the class gift of three gift cards to the teachers (birthday, winter, and Teacher Appreciation Week). If you purchased a Trail Pass at the beginning of the year, your room fund was included in that cost. If you did not purchase a Trail Pass and paid for school supplies separately, your room fund was not included in that cost. Click here to donate to the Classroom Fun by September 30th. If you have any questions, please reach out to Heather Thurgood at president@towncenterpto.org

We are excited to launch Start with Hello Week at Town Center during September 18-22!

Program Overview

The Start With Hello program empowers students in grades K-12 to recognize loneliness and social isolation in their peers, offering effective strategies to reach out and help, and ways they can grow an empathetic and inclusive community. The program is designed around three goals that are accomplished using the program’s framework and reinforced throughout the program cycle.

Goals

The three goals of the Start With Hello program are to teach students how to:

• Recognize loneliness and social isolation in peers.

• Help their peers who may be lonely and/or socially isolated.

• Grow an empathetic and inclusive community.

Program Framework

The goals are accomplished using our three-step program framework:

1. See Someone Alone: learn how to recognize social isolation and loneliness.

2. Reach Out and Help: learn the benefits of helping peers who are lonely or socially isolated as well as strategies to overcome the challenges.

3. Start with Hello: learn ways to help peers who are lonely and socially isolated as well as help create a more connected and inclusive community.

Check out the graphic below to learn more about how we will reinforce these skills at TCE this year!

Please plan on joining us Friday, September 8th for a fun-filled day at Town Center! We have designated times throughout the day for "Special Friends" (family & family friends) to visit our learners' classrooms in order to see some of the great things they are learning and doing. Our campus book fair will also be open during this time. Please see below for grade-level specific visiting times and sign-up.

We ask that all families complete a volunteer background check at the start of the year. They do not carry over from year to year. Since the background checks take time to process, we ask that everyone complete one in case any type of volunteering opportunity (class field trip, Dad's Club, Room parent, class volunteer, field day, etc.) arises during the year that you are interested in. Please click on the link below to complete.

If you are interested in joining our Dad's Club, we'd love to have you. If you did not get a chance to sign-up at Meet the Teacher Night, please email Nick Walther at tceptodadsclub@gmail.com and be on the lookout for upcoming opportunities.

We look forward to the fall Book Fair! It will run Friday, Sept 8th - Thursday, Sept 14th, with a short sale the evening of Thursday, Sept 7th from 5:40- 7:00pm directly following Curriculum Night sessions.

Adults are welcome to join their child at the the book fair before or after school to purchase available books and trinkets. Make sure to stop in at the front office to print out a visitor's badge. Credit cards, Cash and Checks are accepted. Learners are also able to stop by the fair, without parents, during their recess time. We will be using a new company called Liverati as they offer a wider selection of books. Proceeds from the book fair will help our school purchase additional library books, author visits, and other needed library supplies.

• When exiting car loops during arrival and dismissal, follow the city signs requiring a right turn only.
• Be mindful of not blocking car loop entrances. If there is not room to pull up without blocking the entrance, please wait.
• Front and side car-loop areas are for families dropping off and picking up their child(ren). Parents in the loops will need to stay in their vehicle. If your child requires additional assistance to get out of the car, please park in one of our parking spaces.
• Use the designated crosswalks on both the front and side loop when walking across the parking lot. We have staff members at both arrival and dismissal in our crosswalk areas to support our kids in getting across the loop area safely.
• Keep handicap parking spots available for individuals that require them. Please avoid even briefly pulling into them to drop of your child if you do not have a handicap vehicle designation.
• Parking along the back curbs of the lots is not an option. You are welcome to utilize the Cozby library parking lot for overflow parking.

Thank you for your help in keeping our kids safe!

In order to qualify for Free & Reduced Meals, families are required to complete an application each year to determine their eligibility. CISD is encouraging our eligible families to complete an application online at www.nlappscloud.com.

Parents, guardians or students can add funds to their accounts in person at the school cafeteria via cash or check, or for a small fee, they can use the "My School Bucks" app to deposit funds with a debit or credit card. Visit www.coppellisd.com/childnutrition for more information about school breakfasts and lunches or to create or add funds to your child’s school lunch account.

We wanted to share some helpful information with our families that can be utilized at home during technology use.

Screen Guide

Screen Guide is a feature in Mosyle that allows parents to manage their learners’ iPads via the Mosyle ScreenGuide App. The ScreenGuide app offers controls like:

• Configure screen time limits Remotely lock the iPad
• Lock the iPad into an app
• Hide certain apps on the iPad

To get started, follow the steps found at screen.guide/school/72107. Learn more about the ScreenGuide App at bit.ly/AboutScreenGuide.

Monday, September 4th

No School - Labor Day Holiday

Thursday, September 7th

Kinder, 1st grade, & 2nd Grade Curriculum Night 5:00-5:40 PM

3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Curriculum Night 5:45-6:30 PM

Friday, September 8th

Special Friends Day

Last day to order grade-level shirts and spirit wear - https://www.towncenterpto.org

Friday, September 8th - Thursday, September 14th

Town Center Book Fair