4/14 TOL K-6 Family Newsletter
April 14, 2024
π A Note from Mrs. Schlattmann
Dear TOL K-6 Families,
Thanks for a great first week back from break. It was wonderful to see so many eager students online!
We have 10 weeks of school left this year! That may seem like a long time, but I think the weeks will fly by. Join us in encouraging students to finish strong. Your help from home on this front is crucial! Thank you for your continued partnership.
Check out the Family Connections section below. Our last Family Engagement meeting on 4/9 was great. We heard from a TOL parent about some exciting ideas for families to collaborate and work together. We look forward to growing the possibilities for TOL families!
Sincerely,
Ruth Schlattmann
TOL K-6 Assistant Principal rschlat@tacoma.k12.wa.us
PE Meetup on Monday, 4/15
Join Ms. Mercurio at the Edison Annex for a PE Meetup from 2-3.
π Upcoming Dates
4/15 K-5 PE meet up @ Edison Annex, 2-3 PM RSVP
4/18 5th grade only Symphony Trip Permission Slip Required
4/18 K-12 Family Meet up at Foss Seaport Museum 5pm
4/19 K-8 TOL Rock hiding and play at Titlow Park, 1:30-3:00 RSVP
4/22 K-2 Meetup at Kandle Park, 2-3:30
4/22 3rd & 4th Meetup - Traveling trunk, 1:30-3PM RSVP
4/22 Middle School Virtual Field Trip 11:30 online
4/25 K-12 Toolbox Lab meetup, 1-3 PM RSVP
4/26 K-12 TOL at TPL, Swasey Branch, 2-3 PM RSVP
4/29 K-5 Salmon School w/ Museum of Glass at the Music Box 1:30-3PM RSVP
4/30 K-12 Toolbox Lab Meetup 1-3PM RSVP
5/1 K-8 Park Meetup- Star Center Playground
5/6 K-5 PE Meetup 2-3 PM
5/6-5/10 6th-8th grade SBA testing in person
5/8 K-8 Pierce College Science Dome 2Pm & 3PM showings RSVP
3rd & 4th grade meetup
Join us for special hands-on history learning with your classroom teachers and peers! We would love for a great turnout for you to learn together. The traveling trunks are provided by the Job Carr Museum. Come at 1:30 so you can enjoy all the lessons! You may drop off your child for this event and pick up at 3.
βοΈ K-8 Save the Date: June 20th
Graduations and End of Year Celebration for TOL K-8
Join us at the Star Center on the afternoon of June 20th for an End of Year celebration. We will celebrate moving on ceremonies for kindergarten and 5th grade, play field games, and enjoy popsicles. K-8 students and their families are welcome to join. More details to follow in the coming weeks.
π Family Connections
4/9/24 Family Engagement Meeting
At last week's meeting we previewed upcoming events. We also discussed the implementation of the new Student Information System, Synergy. Families can communicate with teachers through ParentVue and see report cards each reporting period. (The attendance freporting unction does not work for TOL as our attendance policy differs from the rest of TPS.) Next year, Tacoma Public schools will expand its usage of Synergy tools.
We also discussed family connections and ways to grow capacity with pods and expanded family contact.
Pods, Co-ops, and Family Contact Information
TOL parent of a rising 2nd grade and future kindergartener, TIffany Olague, spoke to our group about potential ideas for family connections. Ideas include pods or co-ops for at home learning. These collaborative partnerships among families could allow parents to share space and time for at home learning. Curious about learning pods, click here for more information about how some pods work.
Another idea was sharing contact information to allow families to connect outside of TOL sponsored events, support one another with transportations, and more. There are so many possibilities!
If you are interested in these possibilities and/or want to be a part of launching them, please reach out to Tiffany Olague via email at tolague204@gmail.com.
Thank you, Tiffany, for bravely presenting these topics that may benefit our whole community. We appreciate you!
π» TOL Monthly Learner Trait
April: Open-mindedness
What does this look like in your family? How can your student demonstrate open-mindedness as a student?
- This is the TOL tip of the week on open-mindedness on our social media platforms! If you don't follow us yet on Instagram, Facebook, or X (Twitter), check us out!
πͺ¨ K-8 #TOLRocks for Earth Day
If you weren't able to join in, we encourage you to paint your own rocks and write #TOLRocks on the back!
You can bring them to hide on April 19th at Titlow Park, followed by time on the playground. If you plan to join us, let us know here. Or, hide them in some of your favorite spots in your community!
We'd love to see pictures by tagging our page, and adding #TOLRocks on Instagram, Facebook, or X (Twitter).
π Virtual Recess with Ms. Mercurio
Students may join Ms. Mercurio for optional "Virtual Recess" sessions online in the coming weeks. We want to provide students with opportunities to connect and take a brain break with peers. Look out for meeting invites to show on student calendars. These meetings are optional. Students are encouraged to prioritize work completion and other meetings over recess when necessary.
3rd - 5th Grade Families: Action Needed
If you have not yet completed this form for your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader for state testing, please do so now. Sarah Lane sent you a message in Synergy ParentVue with more information on 4/8 if you have not yet completed this for your child.
- Mr. Dalmat's 3rd - 5th graders: If you have not received information from Sarah Lane about testing, this does not apply to your child. Check with Mr. Dalmat on your child's testing plan(s) in your 1:1s.
βοΈ π» Did you miss K-5 Trimester 3 supply pick up?
This link is also the link to request an appointment for laptop support.
π2024-2025 Enrollment
It's not too early to think about next year's enrollment. TOL students will automatically be enrolled in TOL again for the next school year. If you know of any prospective families who would like to enroll in Tacoma Online, please forward them our enrollment links!
2024-25 school year calendar available
You can see and download the calendar for the next school year here: https://www.tacomaschools.org/about/calendar
π Transportation changes and start times for TPS buildings in 24-25
Transportation changes would impact school start and end times for 2024-25 school year
Transportation changes to bus route schedules would impact school start times beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The need for a more efficient system drove the change. These updates reduce the number of bus routes, which will save about $1 million in transportation costs per year.
High school would start at 8:05 a.m. and end at 2:35 p.m.
Middle school would start at 7:40 a.m. and end at 2:10 p.m.
Some elementary schools would start at 8:40; some would start at 9. This will be determined in May and will be communicated to families at that time.
Questions? Please email us at info@tacoma.k12.wa.us.
At this time, we do not anticipate this affecting TOL start times for the 2024-2025 school year.
π³ Middle School Virtual Field Trip 4/22
Tacoma Online Middle School will be hosting a virtual field trip to learn about the challenges faced in Acadia National Park. Middle school students should see the virtual event on their Teams calendar. If a younger or older TOL student wishes to attend, they may receive an invite by emailing rfoster@tacoma.k12.wa.us. April 22 at 11:30.
π TPL Teen Time
Check out these in-person events for teens, hosted by Tacoma Public Libraries!
πΈ Extended Deadline - 4/19: K-5 Elementary Yearbook Submissions
This is the last call!
You can submit 1-3 pictures for the yearbook!
We ask for up to three pictures submitted per student, to include as many photos of different students as possible.
Categories of photos are: students . . . learning at home, with their pets, on field trips or at TOL events, participating in hobbies or activities they enjoy.
Submitting photos is giving permission to have them published in our yearbook. All photos must be school appropriate and are subject to approval to be published.
Photo submissions can be emailed to slane@tacoma.k12.wa.us and are due by April 19th.
Buy a K-5 yearbook today!
Only $6.03 total! There will be "All About Me" and "Memory" fill-in pages, so you may want one per child.
How to order: Login or set up an account at My School Bucks.
- Go to the Tacoma Online Elementary School Store, click on our yearbook item, and select the name of your K-5 child.
- Complete the payment/ordering process for the yearbook.
Other options for purchasing:
- By phone: Please use this option only if you cannot complete an order in My School Bucks. Call Brandi Prestegaard, TOL Office Coordinator, at 253-571-1546.
π Beyond the Bell, Club B, and Teen Late Night
Session 4 Registration Opens on March 29th
Session 4 clubs will run from April 22 β June 14. You can register on Compass: TPS Family App
Offerings for K-5 students include:
- Yoga Club (K-5, Tuesdays online & Thursdays in-person)
- Spanish Club (K-5, Mondays)
- Art Club (K-5, Wednesdays & Fridays)
- Girls Hearts on Fire (4/5, Mondays & Wednesdays)
- Running Club (K-5, Wednesdays in-person)
Offerings for Middle School Clubs include:
- Khanmigo AI club
- Gertie's Book Club
Register in the Compass family App.
π Summer Book-It at Home
Does your student love pizza? Consider signing up for Camp Book-It as a summertime incentive to help your learner stay motivated to read and earn free pizza!
πΆ 5th Grade Only
5th Graders go see Symphony Tacoma on 4/18
Symphony Tacoma is so thrilled to have fifth-grade students to be part of this yearβs Simply Symphonic program as part of Tacoma Schools district's field trips. Symphony Tacoma has been selected as a partnering orchestra with the Link Up program, a program of Carnegie Hallβs Weill Music Institute. This highly successful program educates fifth graders about important aspects of classical music and introduces them to a live orchestral experience with a 50-minute, daytime concert presented by Symphony Tacoma, a narrator, and lead singers. For many, this experience is their first time to visit the Pantages Theater and the first time to hear a full symphony orchestra live in concert.
Thursday, April 18th
Student drop off: 9:20 am at Music Box.
Program location: Pantages Theater
Program start time: 10:00 am
*TOL staff and chaperones will walk with students to Pantages Theater.
Student pick up: 11:15 am at Music Box
If you do not want to park, drive down Court C and a staff member will be ready to meet you so that you do not need to park.
Staff will be walking with students and chaperones from Music Box to the Pantages Theater and back.
π¨K-12 April Toolbox Lab meetups
We'd love to have a great turnout for our April Toolbox Lab meetups!
- Make your own game, superhero, jewelry, electrical circuit, cards, painting . . . you name it! It is a space for endless crafting and tinkering possibilities.
- Kids and adults enjoy the space! All K-12 students and families welcome.
- RSVP here for the April 25th and/or April 30th, 1-3 PM meetups.
April 25th will feature teacher appreciation crafts, but you still can DIY your own creations!
When you RSVP, Sarah Lane will send you the address and map for the Toolbox Lab before the event.
For any new to TOL families: Check out the Learning coach course.
It is important for at home learning coaches to support students daily while at Tacoma Online. Please consider taking this course to better understand how to help your learner. It may take about 1 hour to complete. In this course, you will learn about:
- The role of the learning coach
- PACE and PLPs
- Alternative Learning Experience (ALE)
- Academics: Nuts & Bolts
- Special Events & Experiences
- Next Steps: Learning Coach To-Do's
- End of Course: Check-in and Contact Information
π° TPS Family Newsletters
π Follow TOL on Social Media
π Contact Us
Website: https://tol.tacomaschools.org/
Phone: 253-571-1545
Address: 302 S. 9th Street, Tacoma WA 98402
TOL K-12 Principal β Shaun Martin β smartin2@tacoma.k12.wa.us
TOL 7-12 Assistant Principal β Paul Eliot β peliot@tacoma.k12.wa.us
TOL K-6 Assistant PrincipalβRuth Schlattmann β rschlat@tacoma.k12.wa.us
TOL Elementary Instructional Facilitator β Sarah Lane β slane@tacoma.k12.wa.us
Tacoma Online
Tacoma Online is a K-12 school that provides students an anywhere/anytime online school experience. Students engage in academic learning led by teachers. While students generally participate in learning activities from home, they are provided multiple forms of support.