Thank you so much for your patience and grace as we work through some technical issues. When we partner together, we can make it through the tough times!

Please praise your children this week for working hard at school. Ask them about new routines they have been learning and ways they are making our school community better because they are a student at our school.

We are feeling some growing pains, however! To the best of your ability, use our pick up and drop off loop if you transport your children. When adults and children are walking through our back parking lot it slows down our buses and becomes more of a safety concern. Take some time this weekend to review the pdf below.

Thank you in advance for keeping our children safe as we efficiently transport them to and from school!

*Spend extra time with your child at the bus stop and have them pick out landmarks that they can see from a bus window. This helps your children to know when it is their turn to get off the bus.
*Get to know other families at your bus stop. Older students can be great role models and helpers to younger students. Learn each other's names and exchange phone numbers so you can support each other as needed.
*If you have multiple children on the bus, get them in the habit of watching for each other when they get off the bus. We have had some older students in the past forget to remind younger siblings to get off the bus at their stop, which can lead to issues.
*Make sure your child knows their first and last name and at least the first few letters of both. They should also know their bus stop. If they do not, please make your child a tag to hang on their backpack with the information. (Try to use the same bus stop name that was sent to you by transportation.)

Thanks for attention to this advice!

Our school district has put together a Transportation FAQ. This link will be a useful resource for you.

It's important that we know when your students are absent. We appreciate that you call or submit the attendance form when they are sick or have an appointment. Please do all you can to have your students in school when they are well. If they're not here, they miss out on important learning and relationship building.

Please see our Tanglen Attendance page for reporting absences and tardies. You can fill out the form on that page or call the Attendance line at 952-988-4910. More about attendance in the attached document. Print and hang on your fridge.

We also know that we have a school community FILLED with problems solvers and creative thinkers. What ideas do you have to help us provide healthy snacks for all of our students? For many of our families, it places an extra burden on finances to need to provide snacks. Put your brains to work...if you have ideas to help us efficiently get healthy snacks into the hands of all of our students, contact the PTO (LHTanglenPTO@gmail.com) or me (Jim.Hebeisen@hopkinsschools.org) with your ideas.

Our first PTO meeting of the year is Monday, September 11 from 6:30 PM to 8 PM in the Tanglen media center. Please join us to learn more about the ways PTO supports our community and how you can get involved. On the agenda is a vote for the proposed budget for the school year. This is a great time to learn the how and why around our budget and to share ideas for how we can grow. Free childcare is available during the meeting.

A big thank you to all the families who joined us at the open house and signed up to volunteer with the PTO this year! Please be on the lookout for a follow-up email from our board president Jen Cameron.

SAVE THE DATE for the Tanglen Block Party September 28th from 4-7pm- FREE for all families, The Tanglen PTO provides free food, Ninja Anywhere course, DJ, a photobooth and always a few fun surprises! A perfect way to kick off our biggest fundraiser of the year! Celebrate back to school, Connect with fellow Tanglen families, and get registered for our fundraiser with raise

Craze Big changes coming for Dr. Hebeisen and his famous Tanglen TATTOO if we meet our fundraising goal this year! Stay tuned!!

Stock the Lounge link- https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/tanglenpto

Let's stock the staff lounge to kick off the school year and welcome our incredible Tanglen staff back to the building! Check out this registry at Target for inspiration or send items directly to the school!

Amazon wishlist- link-https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/38UUW5X45BIPC?ref_=wl_share

Spread a little cheer and check out the Tanglen Staff Amazon Wishlist to help provide some supplies and games for classrooms. Check back throughout the year for updates!

Tanglen PTO Website- https://tanglenpto.myshopify.com/

Your one-stop shop for the events calendar & updates, spirit wear shopping, and all the latest news to stay connected to our Tanglen community!

Tanglen PTO Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/tanglenelementaryschool

Follow our Facebook page to stay up to date on activities and events throughout the year, as well as school-day activities and updates from the district.The Tanglen PTO wants to

Jen Cameron - PTO President

We also know that we have a school community FILLED with problems solvers and creative thinkers. What ideas do you have to help us provide healthy snacks for all of our students? For many of our families, it places an extra burden on finances to need to provide snacks. Put your brains to work...if you have ideas to help us efficiently get healthy snacks into the hands of all of our students, contact the PTO (LHTanglenPTO@gmail.com) or me (Jim.Hebeisen@hopkinsschools.org) with your ideas.

We are fortunate that all of our students will be using the latest edition of Apple iPads as their technology devices. One challenge with the new devices is that they no longer have a traditional headphone jack. They only accept USB-C connections.

Our school will be purchasing headphones that will be shared among students as needed. We recognize, however, that many students like to have their own headphones that do not need to be shared.

District tech team members have been researching the types of headphones that will work the best with our new devices. If you choose to purchase your child their own set of headphones (or a dongle which would allow the students to use a more traditional set of headphones with the adaptor) follow the links below to see the recommendations. You may certainly buy a different type of USB-C headphones, however the recommended headphones seem to be a good quality for the price. At this time, we do not envision students needing a microphone with the headphones, however, one of the recommended headphones does have a built-in microphone. Be aware that if you decide to purchase and use a dongle with a more traditional set of headphones, the dongles may need to be replaced if lost or broken.

Kensington USB-C Hi-Fi Headphones (K97456WW),Black ($22.91)

Kensington Hi-Fi USB-C Headphones with Mic (K97457WW), Black ($25.66)

Apple 3.5 mm to USB-C Dongle ($9.00)

If you purchase your own set of headphones, please label them with your child's name. Thanks!

Birthdays are important! Teachers have different ways of recognizing the birthdays of students in their classes to make the students feel special.

We have a responsibility to help students establish and maintain lifelong, healthy eating habits. The District Wellness Policy (533) states, “Community building activities and celebrations that involve food during the school day should be limited. ”

We also have seen an increase in food allergies and sensitivities in our students. Many allergens are not easily found on food labels, which can lead to issues. As a result, edible birthday treats at Tanglen are not allowed. Individual teachers decide on age-appropriate ways to recognize birthdays within the school day. Some examples include: special activities chosen by the birthday child in conjunction with the teacher, families donating a book to the classroom library, allowing a child’s special guest to come read a book to the class, extended break time, etc. Your child’s teacher will provide more information about birthday celebrations.

Join us on September 12th, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Eisenhower Community Center's Board Room for a vital collaboration between caregivers, school leaders, and district staff to enrich our Somali scholars' educational experience. Your involvement is crucial for a successful academic journey. We look forward to seeing you there!

This week, I am finding much joy in children's hugs, eye smiles, pride from students in trying their best, and small steps toward our goals. I am grateful that you share your children with our school community. Your presence makes Tanglen a better place to learn, work, and grow. Thank you!