In Touch with TG
January 26, 2023
Dear Toll Gate Families,
Tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 27th is our Day of Service and we are so excited to assemble Jared Boxes for Capital Health in Hopewell.
We continue to strengthen our character muscles through service learning and acts of kindness. Our Character Strong program incorporates these skills and strategies in their weekly lessons.
Students are invited to wear You Matter shirts or TG gear to show their school spirit.
Have a great night,
Jane-Ellen
Upcoming Events
JANUARY 2023
Friday, Jan. 27 - Day of Service
FEBRUARY "Spread the Love" Month
Wednesday, Feb. 1 - World Read Aloud Day
Monday, Feb. 6 - Kindergarten Registration Opens
Monday, Feb. 6 - School Counselor Week
Tuesday, Feb. 7 - TG All Hands Planning Meeting 7 pm zoom
Monday, Feb. 13 - Spirit Day Mustache Monday, donate shelf stable milk
Monday, Feb. 20 - Schools/offices closed, President's Day observance
Tuesday, Feb. 21 - Snack Sale> glazed donuts from PQM
Thursday, Feb. 23 - Toll Gate All Hands event 7 pm
Please click the link for the HVRSD 2022 - 2023 District Calendar
Toll Gate School Updates
Monday, Feb. 6 | Kindergarten Registration Opens
Registration instructions are found on the New Student Registration page.
Required registration forms are found on the Registration Forms page.
Important Health Information from the elementary school nurses can be found here: Health Information
Upon completion of the forms, please either make an appointment with the registrar's office, scan and email them to registrar@hvrsd.org, or place them in the drop box located outside the Administration Bldg at 425 S Main St. Pennington NJ 08534. If you have any questions, please call the registrar's office at 609 737 4002 ext: 2306
Please do not submit kindergarten registration forms prior to Monday, February 6, 2023.
TG Day of Service | Friday, Jan. 27
Donations Being Accepted Now!
Thank you for all the donations for our Jared Boxes. We are so excited to build the boxes tomorrow afternoon.
Look for pictures on social media and the Toll Gate website.
Character Strong | Perseverance | Week 4
Our theme of the month for February is Honesty. We have some great activities planned for our Gator Groups in February.
Consider having a conversation with your child about what they learned this month about Perseverance. Listed below are some great ways to start that conversation:
For students in grade k - 2:
PurposeFull Pursuit:
We have all demonstrated Perseverance in our lives. Many of us have seen people practice Perseverance in ways that have inspired us. Stories are powerful tools for connecting as a family. Protect time this week to share stories about Perseverance with each other (you can use the story prompts to get started). At the end of the conversation, think of 1 way you can practice Perseverance this week.
Conversation Starters:
- Can you describe the difference between getting stuck and having Perseverance?
- How does engagement help you to Persevere?
For students in grades 3-5:
PurposeFull Pursuit:
We have all demonstrated Perseverance in our lives. Many of us have seen people practice Perseverance in ways that have inspired us. Stories are powerful tools for connecting as a family. Protect time this week to share stories about Perseverance with each other (you can use the story prompts to get started). At the end of the conversation, think of 1 way you can practice Perseverance this week.
Conversation Starters:
- What sort of feelings do you have when trying to figure out something challenging?
- How can we Persevere through challenging feelings and why is it important or worth it?
Look for next month's PurposeFull People Parent Newsletter in my newsletter next week.
Toll Gate All Hands Committee
WHAT IS TOLL GATE ALL HANDS ALL ABOUT?!
Toll Gate All Hands is a parent-led group in collaboration with school administration that
focuses on driving a culture of inclusion at Toll Gate. All parents are welcomed and
encouraged to participate in Toll Gate All Hands!
In 2021 and 2022, we used a survey to gather ideas from parents about the topics and types of events they’d like to see from Toll Gate All Hands. We continue to use this input to guide our planning!
Past events organized by Toll Gate All Hands have included a Courageous
Conversation with parents; family viewing of “Zootopia” with sharing and discussion
about diversity and empathy; and a “book club” event for families with read alouds and
small group conversations about many types of diversity.
In 2023, Toll Gate All Hands is planning two events: the first is a parent discussion on
the evening of February 23 about how to have difficult conversations with children about
social issues and current events; and the second is a family service event in the spring
(date TBD).
We would be thrilled to have more parents join us to plan and execute this year’s
events. Our meetings are held on Zoom on the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. We
welcome you to join our meetings and hear more! If you aren’t able to join the calls but
would like to get involved, please contact Mrs. Lennon to connect about opportunities.
SAVE THE DATE | Feb. 23rd | TG Media Center | 7 pm
Sneak Peek for Feb. 23rd:
How to teach kids to talk about taboo topics
"When one of Liz Kleinrock's fourth-grade students said the unthinkable at the start of a social studies class, she knew it was far too important a teachable moment to miss. But where to start? Learn how Kleinrock teaches kids to discuss taboo topics without fear -- because the best way to start solving social problems is to talk about them."
Author Visit | Thursday March 9th
Author in Residence: Tami Charles Visits Toll Gate
Renowned author, Tami Charles, is coming in person on March 9 to Toll Gate! The TGPTO, in partnership with HVEF is proud to offer students the opportunity to meet and interact with a NYTimes best-selling author.
Former teacher. Wannabe chef. Tami Charles writes picture books, middle grade, young adult, and nonfiction. Her middle grade debut novel, Like Vanessa, earned Top 10 spots on the Indies Introduce and Spring Kids' Next lists, three starred reviews, and a Junior Library Guild selection. Her recent titles include a picture book biography, Fearless Mary, humorous middle grade novel, Definitely Daphne, and forthcoming titles published by Sterling, Charlesbridge, Candlewick Press, and more. When Tami is not writing, she can be found presenting at schools both stateside and abroad.
Click Here to place your order
Kindly, place your order by Tuesday, February 7, 2023, to ensure delivery by her visit in March.
Any questions, please contact Author in Residence Committee member
Bonnie Lieu, bonnie.lieu@gmail.com.
Principal Read Aloud This Week
The award–winning creators of The New York Times best sellers What Do You Do With an Idea? and What Do You Do With a Problem? return with a captivating story about a child who isn't sure what to make of a chance encounter and then discovers that when you have courage, take chances, and say yes to new experiences, amazing things can happen.
In this story, a child is visited by his first chance and unsure what to do with it, he lets it go. Later on, when a new chance arrives he reaches for it, but this time he misses and falls. Embarrassed and afraid, he begins ignoring each new chance that comes by, even though he still wants to take them. Then one day he realizes that he doesn't need to be brave all the time, just at the right time, to find out what amazing things can happen when he takes a chance
The final addition to the award-winning What Do You Do With…? picture book series created by New York Times best-selling author Kobi Yamada and illustrator by Mae Besom, What Do You Do With a Chance? inspires kids of all ages and parents alike to find the courage to go for the opportunities that come their way. Because you never know when a chance, once taken, might be the one to change everything.
Toll Gate Grammar School
Email: janeellenlennon@hvrsd.org
Website: tgg.hvrsd.org/o/tgg
Location: 275 South Main Street, Pennington, NJ, USA
Phone: 609-737-4008
Twitter: @tollgategrammar