Tumwater News
August 3, 2021
Principal's Message
Just like many of you, I'm counting down the days until Tumwater Middle School's opening day of school with lots of excitement! Since the groundbreaking in 2015, our community has been anxiously awaiting the time when children from the local neighborhoods would attend middle school here. Moving from a vision to reality, breathing life into Tumwater Middle School has taken the dedicated work of educators and support staff, incoming students, and families. We hope you will join us for the school dedication on Thursday, September 2nd. Building tours will be held from 4:30 - 5:30 and 6:16 - 7:30. The dedication ceremony will be held on our patio and fields from 5:30 - 6:15. You're welcome to join us for one of the tour sessions and the dedication ceremony too. We're grateful to our community partners, including Market of Choice, who will be providing refreshments for the event. Shuttle buses will run between the upper parking lot of Cedar Mill Bible Church and Tumwater from 3:45 - 7:45 pm. On site parking is very limited, so please consider choosing to ride/walk, carpool, and/or using the shuttle.
Wednesday, Sept. 8th is the first day of school for 6th Graders, while 7th and 8th graders start Thursday, Sept. 9th. The first days will include many opportunities for students to get to know one other, become familiar with the building, and practice school routines. We'll be following guidance related to COVID-19 from the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education. Currently the guidance is that all K-12 students and staff will wear masks inside the building and on buses. Follow these links for more BSD Back to School Information, including a Back to School Checklist.
This newsletter will be published every two weeks with school news including upcoming events, community service opportunities, and celebrations of student learning and success. Throughout the year if you know about a unique student achievement to highlight, please email TMS-Communications@beaverton.k12.or.us.
During July I enjoyed meeting our summer camp students. Their energy and enthusiasm for trying new things, working together, and sharing their learning is exactly what makes middle school a magical place. I can hardly wait to meet all our students and welcome them to what is shaping up to be an incredible school year!
Warmly,
Jill O'Neill
Enrollment Verification
This week parents/guardians should receive Enrollment Verification emails to confirm enrollment at Tumwater and to update student information, including emergency contacts. Please review your student's information carefully and complete the verification prior to the first day of school. Click here for a how to guide and instructional video. Our Registrar begins August 16th and will be available to assist you after that time.
School Hours & Calendar
The school day is from 9:15 am - 3:50 pm. Students should arrive no earlier than 8:45 am and plan to depart by 4:00 pm, unless in a prearranged meeting with a teacher or school-sponsored club. Staff supervision is not provided before or after those times.
The cafeteria will open for breakfast at 8:45 am and is where all students who arrive prior to 9:05 will gather. Hallways will open to students at 9:05.
The district calendar is available here - scroll down for a pdf available in 9 languages.
School Supply List
Below are the suggested supplies for school this year. Tumwater is not partnering with any organizations that pre-package school supplies. We encourage you to reuse any items available at home and are able to support any students who need assistance with supplies.
Teachers will be helping students manage digital calendars and planning tools, so paper planners will not be distributed to students as they were at most middle schools before distance learning. Students who wish to use a planner are welcome to bring their own to school and we will have a limited supply available at school.
If you are in need of assistance with school supplies, please call the school office or email TMS-Communications@beaverton.k12.or.us.
Supply List:
- Backpack (without wheels)
- Reusable water bottle
- Earbuds/Headphones preferably with microphone
- 1 two-inch three-ring binder
- Notebook dividers for 7 subjects
- 7 college-ruled single subject notebooks (wireless or spiral)
- 1 college-ruled composition notebook
- Pencil pouch
- Pencils
- Pens (black or blue and one other color)
- Highlighters (4 colors)
- Colored pencils
- Eraser
- Handheld pencil sharpener
- Ruler with Standard & Metric
- Small sticky notes (for Language Arts)
- Scientific calculator (Math 6/7, 7/8, and AGS 1)
- Graphing Calculator (AGS 2 and AGS 3)
Optional:
- Chromebook case (9 x 11.7 x 0.8 inches)
Helpful supplies for use at home:
- 3x5 index cards
- scissors
- scotch tape
- glue sticks
Donations Accepted
The school office is accepting donations of any of the above supplies to share with other students. In addition, our art classrooms are seeking donations of the following household items to reuse:
- magazines
- newspapers
- adult size, button up, long-sleeved shirts for use as smocks
- Small plastic containers for water & paint (i.e. single serving yogurt, sour cream, etc)
Donations can be dropped off in the school office Monday - Thursday 8 am - 2 pm throughout the summer.
Band Instrument Preview Night - Weds., Sept. 1st
An open house for all students new to Band will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 1st from 4-6 p.m. It is a drop in event (no need to stay the entire time), with instrument demonstrations courtesy of the Beaverton Community Band. 6th Graders and others who haven't yet learned to place a brass or woodwind instrument are encouraged to select either the flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone for their first year of band, then can transition to another instrument in future years. Tigard Music will be present for families interested in instrument rental. There are several other businesses that provide instrument rental. However, if rental is not an option for your family, please contact the office or Music Director Paul Swardstrom and we can provide assistance.
Wondering if your student is in band? An email will be sent in mid-August to all band students reminding them of the preview night. We're still finalizing our schedules, but doing our very best to ensure students are placed in their most preferred classes. Schedules will be published in ParentVue/StudentVue in late August.
Artist in Residence: Toma Vila
The second session of Summer Camp included mural painting with Artist-in-Residence Toma Vila, who specializes in murals and is a member of the Yakima Nation. In his biography on the Confluence Library website he shared that "Bridge building, creating bonds through project work and others learning about art move me to share my culture, history and self with students." Tumwater Summer Camp participants brainstormed, sketched, and painted 4 murals that will be installed at our school this fall. Each is themed on community, culture, and nature.
Be a Backyard Scientist!
Looking for a community service opportunity that involves science? OSU is looking for a team of community scientists to follow Squash Bees as they gradually move through Oregon. People like you! Charting the movement of these bees through the state is both fun and easy. Learn more about Squash Bees and the research project here. Principal O'Neill has been participating and is looking forward to hearing your observations this fall.
Register for the Congressional App Challenge.
Join Tumwater's Volunteer Database
Email update_volunteer_locations@beaverton.k12.or.us in order to add your profile to Tumwater Middle School. Parents are not automatically moved from their elementary schools into the Tumwater volunteer database. All volunteers, chaperones, and visitors must have a completed background check.
New to the Beaverton School District?
Fill out a parent application. Follow the steps to create a username, password, and profile. The background check mandated by Beaverton School District is included in this application. Once a profile is created, volunteers will be able to update personal information, view and sign-up for open volunteer needs, and communicate directly with Tumwater's Volunteer Coordinator.
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Tumwater Middle School
Building knowledge and skills that empower students to change the world.
