Elementary Newsletter
From the Desk of Mrs. Buchanan-Rivera
Dear Families
I hope you enjoyed your Christmas break! The students were certainly eager to reunite with peers and continue their learning! You should have received report cards this month. Please connect with your child’s classroom teacher if you have any questions regarding assessments or progress of learning. It is important to understand how learning objectives are assessed and what techniques or strategies can be used for improvement. Continue to keep the lines of communication open. We are all here for the success of your student!
I am excited to see how God works through the lives of the children as the year progresses!
Important Dates
Every Wednesday
Chapel
January 23-February 3Spring Club Registration
February 1
Blood Drive in honor of Danielle Tooley
February 6
PTF Meeting 6:30 PM in the Media Center
February 6
Spring Semester Clubs begin
February 7
K-12 Next Step Open House 6:30 PM
February 7
Dad’s Club Meeting at 6:30 PM in the Media Center
February 8
K-4 Bump Day
*Students experience a glimpse of their prospective grade level for the 17-18 school year.
February 13
Future of the School Address, 6:30 PM (JK Stevens Commons)
February 20 & 21
No School
President's Day and Faculty PD Day
K-12 NEXT STEP
TPCS invites all current and prospective families to our fall K-12 NEXT STEP Open House information event on Tuesday, February 7th at 6:30 pm at Traders Point Christian Academy. Why would you come to our Open House since you are already enrolled? Current TPCS families will learn the latest news about TPCS and be able to meet your future teachers and check out what your child will experience next year. Join us if you did not attend our Fall open house. Prospective families will experience who we are as Traders Point. After an opening session at 6:30, all families may visit classrooms, talk with our faculty at all K-12 grade levels, tour the academy facility, visit with TPCS parents and students to hear their perspectives about Traders Point or attend a breakout session on Financial Aid. Kindergarten families will meet at 6:30 with our KG staff to learn about kindergarten. Families who want to tour the new Knights campus under construction can arrive early at the academy for tours at 5:45 pm. Contact admissions@tpcs.org for more information.
Assistant to the Principal
My family dynamic is changing with the addition of a baby girl in April. Therefore, an Assistant to the Principal position was posted to recruit an amazing leader who could serve as an interim Principal during my maternity leave. A committee of Professional Learning Community leaders and administrators interviewed a variety of applicants with many strengths. However, the committee believed that God called Angela Ruiz to be here at TPCA for this specific transition.
Angela Ruiz served as a Principal and Title One Director at Clinton Central Elementary. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and finished her Master’s degree in educational administration from Indiana Wesleyan. Angela is also a product of Christian education and has a mother who still actively teaches within an ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) school.
I am eager to work in partnership with her over the next couple of months. She will do an outstanding job during my leave. Angela will start on February 6, 2017. We are providing all families the opportunity to meet Angela in person on February 7th during our NEXT STEP event at 6:30pm. My maternity leave will commence following Spring Break.
Please know that I will continue to be the main point of contact until Spring Break. Following the break, Angela Ruiz will be the point person as the interim Principal. In upcoming weeks, I will provide more information on how you can contact her directly. Thanks in advance for your support! We hope to see you on February 7th!
Media Center News From Mrs. Herr
Maker Week Success: All students participated in another Maker Week during the days leading up to Christmas break. The students had a great time problem-solving many kinds of design challenges. Students created marble runs, bridges from popsicle sticks, chain reaction devices, and objects from magnetic pieces. They showed amazing creativity and perseverance to make their ideas work!
Book returns: Please continue to be diligent about helping your student(s) to remember to return their library books. Any library books that were due before Christmas break should now either be returned or renewed. Books that are not returned (that were due in December) will be charged to student accounts at the end of January. Thanks in advance for your assistance!
Learning About Philanthropy in Miss Marowelli’s Room
The study of Economics has led to many teachable moments and discussions surrounding the topic of money. Not only did applicable students want to participate in Mini Mall, but as a class we also wanted to learn about a different type of an event – a Nonprofit. In contrast to the Mini Mall experience, the students learned that a nonprofit organization is established for purposes other than making money. As the students investigated nonprofit organizations, they decided it would be best to learn more about the concept through an expert.
Leaders from Art with a Heart alongside of representatives from the organization, YPII (Youth Philanthropy), visited our class. Collectively, they taught us the purpose behind nonprofit organizations, why nonprofit exists, and the meaning of philanthropy. They also brought along a furry friend (dog) named Daisy, to introduce us to another nonprofit in the area called, Paws and Think! The visit sparked wonderful dialogue from the students about how being a Christian enhances our understanding of why philanthropy is so important! It was a beautiful chance to learn from some of our nonprofit leaders in the area, and we are excited to take what we have learned and put it into action!
February Reading Challenge
Mrs. Herr is embarking a new reading challenge for ALL students this month! Each class will determine a particular reading goal. The goals across K-4 will be posted in the Eagle's Nest. Thus, all grades will be aware of goals and how they can achieve them collectively.
Reading Challenge Incentives:
- The top classroom in K-4 will receive an ice cream party!
- The top reader in each class will receive a king-sized Hershey bar.
- If ALL classes reach their goal, Mrs. Herr will dress as a superhero, dye her hair blue for ONE DAY, and visit classes to hand out candy. In order for this to happen, EACH CLASS has to reach their goal!
Happy Reading!
ISTEP+ and IREAD-3
Third Grade Only
IREAD-3 will take place in March. As a reminder, this test is a determining factor for grade level placement. Teachers are working diligently to prepare students. However, if you are concerned about your 3rd grade student's progress in literacy, please connect with your student's teacher who can offer some great strategies or tips that align with the data of your learner.
Many teachers have already sent resources well in advance and throughout the year to assist in testing efforts! We do not want students to worry about these assessments and have encouraged each child to do his or her best!
A Visiting Martial Artist
Mr. Matthew Tucher, a 3rd-degree black belt and instructor at Martial Arts College (Level 10), will visit our campus on Wednesday, February 1st. He will have an interactive presentation about discipline, focus, and respect. The students will have an opportunity to hear from this speaker during their specials. Mr. Tucher has worked with Heritage Christian School and many other educational sites to share his expertise with audiences. TPCA K-6 art teacher, Jennifer Miller, is actively involved in martial arts and created this experience for students.
We are excited to have this guest speaker visit our campus!
100th Day of School Celebration
Lunch Volunteers
We would love to have more parent volunteers during our lunch hours! Here are a few of the main responsibilities that are needed during this time:
- Cleaning areas for eating (tables)
- Assisting children as needed (open water bottles, yogurt containers, etc.)
- Keeping children focused on their lunch to maximize time
- Helping to monitor students
Lunch shifts are as follows:
- 11:00-11:30 K-2
- 11:35-12:00 6-8
- 12:05-12:35 3-5
- 12:40-1:05 HS
Thanks in advance for your consideration and please connect with Mrs. Lisa Carr, our Volunteer Coordinator, for more information. We also intend to hire a cafeteria monitor for consistency. If the description above interests you, please contact Mrs. Buchanan-Rivera at ebuchanan@tpcs.org.