Terrapin News
May 2023
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Hello Terrapins!
Our theme for May is focused on the virtue of courage, which ties in with our Terrapin Value of having a growth mindset, both for kids and adults. As we teach around this at school, please take a moment to reflect on the following:
Courage is the ability to do something difficult even when there is a risk. It also includes making good choices when faced with fear or obstacles. Courage can also be described as bravery. Bravery doesn’t mean being fearless but it means we do not let fear hold us back from experiencing new opportunities, developing our skills, or doing what is right. For some, courage might look like starting a new school, trying a new activity that stretches us, or learning new skills that take effort. Courage also looks like mastering a new skill even when frustrated, standing up for another person and admitting to one's mistakes. Having courage helps children to persevere against challenges, and in the process it raises their self-esteem.
Ways that families can support children at home:
Ensuring children know and understand what courage is and how it might show up in themselves or others.
Use everyday situations for your children to demonstrate courage. Encourage them to:
stand up to peer pressure,
refuse to go along with the crowd when the crowd is doing something wrong or dangerous,
participate in a new class,
master new skills and persist in the face of frustration.
Acknowledge and praise children when they demonstrate courage.
Use mistakes as learning opportunities rather than simply punishing them for their actions. Encourage them to face and admit their mistakes openly and honestly and help them find ways to make amends and identify actions for the next time they encounter a similar situation.
Be a supporter and a role model for your children on what courage looks like, sounds like and feels like.
Teach your children that sometimes asking for help takes courage.
Prepare them for new or unfamiliar activities and events. This helps provide the knowledge they need in order to show courage and will help them work through any fears they may have.
For more information please check out PBSKids.org.
On behalf of all of the Token Springs’ staff, thank you for your continued support and courage as we navigated all that we faced this school year. We wish you all a very safe and relaxing summer, filled with many adventures!
Michael Marincic, Principal
SPASD Free Vaccination Clinic
SPASD Professional Learning Center (220 Kroncke Drive, Ste #28)
Tuesday, May 2
3:30 - 7:30 p.m.
*click here for more information and to make an appointment
5th Grade Middle School Visit
Thursday, May 4
9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Mental Health Awareness Movie Day - Inside Out
Friday, May 5
SCOTS Meeting
Tuesday, May 9
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
https://linktr.ee/TokenSprings
SCOTS Family Movie Night - Finding Nemo
Friday, May 12
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
No School
Monday, May 29
Upcoming Field Trips
1st Grade (Connelly & Wilkinson)
Monday, May 1
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
3rd Grade
Friday, May 5
10:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
4th Grade
Friday, May 12
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Monday, June 5
9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
5th Grade
Safety Patrol
Tuesday, May 30
9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Music Concert/Informances
We hope you can join us for our upcoming music performances!
All performances will be taped and links will be sent out to families.
Token Springs Gymnasium
Tuesday, May 9 @ 1:50 p.m.
*featuring the 5th Grade Orchestra, Ukulele and Choir Clubs
Kindergarten Informances
Token Springs LGI
Friday, May 19
11:30 a.m. - Schmoldt
12:00 p.m. - Riege
12:30 p.m. - Smerda
1st Grade Informances
Token Springs LGI
Wednesday, May 17
12:30 p.m. - Gumbel
1:00 p.m. - Connelly
Tuesday, May 23 (NOTE: this is a date change from the previous newsletter)
12:30 p.m. - Wilkinson
1:00 p.m. - Stahl
2nd Grade Informances
Token Spring LGI
Monday, May 15
1:00 p.m. - Crase
1:35 p.m. - Peterson
2:05 p.m. - Muzzio
End of the Year Events
Mark your calendars for these end of the year celebrations!
Please watch your email for further information
5th Grade End of the Year Kickball Game
Friday, June 2 (Rain Date: Monday, June 5)
Time to be determined
Field Day
Tuesday, June 6 (Rain Date: Wednesday, June 7)
Families are encouraged to participate and volunteer!
5th Grade Ceremony
Thursday, June 8
Time to be determined but will take place in the afternoon
Last Day of School
Friday, June 9
*early dismissal at 11:10 a.m.
Helpful Links
- Please visit the Token Springs website for 2022-2023 Recess & Lunch schedules
- For further details about days off this school year, please visit our 2022-2023 school year calendar
Token Springs Reminders
Door Buzzer
When visiting the school, please continue to use our door buzzer system (located at the far right of the main entrance with a red sign). This is a district-wide protocol that will continue to help ensure the right people are in our building for the right reasons. Thank you for helping to keep our students safe!
Wellness Policy
Baked goods that are served or provided in the classrooms must be purchased, not homemade, and be in a wrapper which contains nutrition information and expiration date. For more information on the Sun Prairie Area School District's wellness policy, please click on the following links: Policy JHK, JHK-R
Planning on Chaperoning or Volunteering?
Are you planning on chaperoning field trips or volunteering at Token Springs this year? Criminal background checks are now completed online. If you have not had a criminal background check completed in the last 3 years, please take a moment to fill out the online criminal background check.
Did you know?
It can take up to two weeks for your background check to be approved. If you are planning on chaperoning any upcoming field trips or volunteering in the school, please take a moment to fill out the online criminal background check so that you are ready to go when these events occur.
Token Springs Virtual Art Fair
Each month we will be showcasing some artwork by some of our students.
Check out our talented 2nd Graders!
Volunteer Terrapins Program
The Volunteer Terrapin Program is in full swing. We love seeing all the families come in to help out!
Please feel free to sign up for multiple timeslots! Preview the available slots on our SignUpGenius and navigate the tabs on top to find the different opportunities available throughout the week. Once you find a slot(s), click on the button to sign up.
A reminder that all Volunteer Terrapins must complete the District Volunteer Application prior to volunteering at Token Springs. Please keep in mind that applications may take up to 2 weeks to process and you can reach out to the Token Springs main office to check the status of your volunteer application. Be sure to have your ID with you and sign in at the main office on your volunteer day and also make sure to check out in the office at the end of your volunteer time. This helps us keep track of who is in the building at any given time.
Moving this Summer?
Thank you for helping us keep our enrollment records accurate!
Mental Health Awareness Week - May 1st thru May 5th
Mental health is an incredibly important part of our overall health. According to Mental Health America, "46% of Americans will meet the criteria for diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their life..." Educating and advocating for mental health awareness is one small step we can do to help our Terrapins learn about the importance of mental health as well as support of Terrapins (students and adults) that have been diagnosed with a mental health condition! With that said, Student Services created a Mental Health Awareness Week calendar for the week of May 1st through May 5th. Along with student activities you will see corresponding Spirit Days!
A brief description of activities is below:
Monday: Bloom & Grow- Each student will receive a Bloom & Grow Flower handout. The goal is to identify and write positive affirmations that are personal to each student to use to continue to bloom and grow. Students can color and decorate their flowers however they'd like. Handouts will be provided and put in teacher mailboxes.
Tuesday: Message of Support- Chalk Our Walk. Write, draw and create messages of hope and support on the sidewalks of TS.
Wednesday: Mindfulness Art: Each student will receive a piece of magic model to create their own worry "rock". Students can use marker to add color. Once decorated, students will roll their magic model into a ball and lightly press their finger in the magic model to create a slight finger indentation. Place somewhere safe to let dry and harder overnight. Magic Model will be provided to each classroom. Teachers will need to use scissors to cut the Magic Model into 8 pieces. Magic Model was ordered on 4/24 and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll be here in time!
Thursday: Connect with Self-Building-Wide Free Choice: Teachers my choose to provide students with an opportunity to do something they love through a building wide free choice (10-15 min.)
Friday: Inside Out Movie Day! Ecosystems, grade levels or classrooms can organize in a way that works for them. There is an Inside Out word search link on the calendar for a supplemental activity if teachers would like to offer this as an additional option for their students. Please note this movie is PG; if you do not want your child to participate in this activity, please let your classroom teacher know.
Please let myself or a member of student services know if you have any questions or concerns in these regards!
Thank you,
Ashley Zweifel, School Counselor
608-478-5112
SPASD Free Vaccination Clinic
The 2023/24 school year is just around the corner and we want to remind you to check your child's immunization status to make sure they are up to date for school next year.
The Sun Prairie Area School District in partnership with SSM health is offering a FREE vaccine clinic for students, families, and staff age 5 and up!
- When: Tuesday 5/2/23 from 3:30-7:30pm
- Where: Sun Prairie Area School District - Professional Learning Center (220 Kroncke Drive, Suite #28, Sun Prairie WI 53590)
- What vaccines are offered? Tdap, Hepatitis B, Meningococcal, Polio, MMR, HPV, Varicella, Influenza, COVID-19
Click here for more information and to sign up!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4DA8AD2AA3FF2-sunprairieNew to SP? Enroll Now.
New Student Registration - 5K thru 12th Grade
Kindergarten Registration
Please note that as a SP4K student, your child is already enrolled in kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year. You will begin receiving information from your elementary school in the month of January.
Your kindergarten enrollment is based on the address we currently have on file for 4K. If you have moved during the 2022-2023 school year please make sure that the 4K office has your new address! If you have any questions or need to share a new address call the 4K office 834-6672
SP4K Registration
Summer School 2023
No School will be held on June 19, July 3 & 4
Summer School registration is now closed. Please check out the SPASD Summer School Page for further information.
What is SCOTS?
SCOTS or the School Community Organization of Token Springs is the Parent Group here at Token Springs. PTA... PTO... SCO... Same thing. Parents coming together to build a sense of community around our school. We organize events for afterschool, help show our appreciation to our dedicated staff, and can help facilitate things the school can't (like connecting parents via a voluntary directory).
We are a 501(3)(c) non profit. We are run by volunteers. We have a 5 member board this year (most in Sun Prairie, woot woot!), we have amazing volunteers that run Book Fairs, design Spirit Wear, create haunted houses, organize a Terrapin Trot, put together the Yearbook and so much more.
So if you have an event idea, email us at tokenspringssco@gmail.com and we will help make it happen. A Ga Ga Ball Tournament? A sidewalk chalk contest? A snowball fight? Bring the idea and we'll bring the resources and manpower to make the event happen. Our meetings happen the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 at Token Springs AND via zoom.
2022-2023 Officers
President - Amy Knock
Vice President - Kim Waetjen
Treasurer - Corine Friday
Secretary - Christy Tubbs
Parent Liaison - Tiffany Black
Parent Liaison - Brent Hyden
Parent Liaison - Kristen Lubenau
SCOTS Meeting
Tuesday, May 9th from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
NOTE: This is a date change from the SPASD calendar
This meeting will be held in person in the LGI as well virtually via Token Springs/Zoom
SCOTS Family Movie Night
Join us on Friday, May 12th from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. for a showing of Finding Nemo. This is a great opportunity to connect with the whole family and have fun outside of school hours! Refreshments will be available for purchase. Bring blankets, dinner, or your own snacks and drinks. The movie will be shown in the gym and cafeteria. We hope you can make it, and enjoy the night out with us.
Bus Lost & Found
Kobussen has a Lost & Found for items left on the bus. The driver keeps the lost item on the bus for a few days, then turns it in at the Kobussen terminal. If your child has a lost item don’t forget to check with Kobussen. Feel free to stop by the terminal at 1500 Forward Drive, Sun Prairie or call (608) 825-8700.
Token Springs Elementary School
Website: https://www.sunprairieschools.org/token-springs-home
Location: 1435 North Thompson Road, Sun Prairie, WI, USA
Phone: (608) 478-5100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TokenSpringsElementary/
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION
No student may be unlawfully discriminated against in any school programs, activities or in facilities usage because of the student’s sex (gender identity, gender expressions, and non-conformity to gender role stereotypes), color, religion, profession, or demonstration of belief or non-belief, race, national origin (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, homelessness status, sexual orientation, age, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. Harassment is a form of discrimination and shall not be tolerated in the District. It is the responsibility of administrators, staff members and all students to ensure that student discrimination or harassment does not occur.
(SPASD District Policy JB
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Spanish, please contact us at 608-834-6620. Si un estudiante, padre ó guardian prefiere tener esta información traducida en Español, por favor contactenos en el 608-834-6620.
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Hmong, please contact us at 608-834-6630. Yog tus me nyuam lub xiv los yog niam thiab txiv/tus neeg muaj cai saib xyuas tus me nyuam xav tau qhov ntawv ntawm no ua lus Hmoob, thov hais rau peb paub rau ntawm 608-834-6630.
NEW NOTICE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES ON SEX DISCRIMINATION, THE DISTRICT’S TITLE IX COORDINATOR, AND PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING OR FILING A COMPLAINT OF SEX DISCRIMINATION
The Sun Prairie Area School District (“District”) does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that the District operates. Title IX’s requirement not to discriminate in any education program or activity extends to cover, but is not limited to, District students, certain admissions processes, and District employment. To access the relevant policy and procedures you can go to the District’s website. For inquiries regarding how Title IX and the federal Title IX regulations apply to the District please contact the District’s Title IX Coordinator, (the Director of Student Policy & School Operations, 501 S. Bird Street, Sun Prairie, WI 53590, 608-834-6624 or by email at titleixcoordinator@sunprairieschools.org.)