TES Family News
Monday, August 16, 2021
Principal's Message
It has been so very nice to meet some of you at our meet the principal and “Popsicles in the Park” events. It will continue to be great as we plan more and more opportunities to reconnect with the school community. Please remember we are hosting our TES open house on Tuesday, August 17 from 4:00 – 5:00. You will have an opportunity to see your classroom and spend time with your teacher. Please also remember masks are required to attend.
Again, I am looking forward to starting the school year and having all students join us for in person learning five days a week. Together, I know we will work through all mitigation strategies in order to keep all our students and staff safe. Masks and hand washing are easy, everyday strategies that can help prevent the spread of the virus. By preventing the spread, we promote a healthy and consistent way forward. Keeping schools open is our goal! With your help, I know we can do all we can to make that happen.
As we get ready to open those doors on Wednesday, we are also planning all the parts of our school day that will engage students, challenge students and help us make learning meet the needs of our students. We will jump into instruction that is rigorous and geared towards moving students forward. We will work to create assessment opportunities where students can show us what they truly know and what they may need help with. We are excited to see what our students can do!
Bus Information
Bus stop information became available on Wednesday, August 11th at https://www.fcps.org/transportation/bus-stop-information-online.
Please visit the website to look up your child's bus number and pickup/drop off times. Also, plan to confirm the times closer to the first day of school as there could be changes.
If you need support regarding transportation, please call the school at 240-236-0900.
Free and Reduced Meal Applications
All families should have received a Free and Reduced Meal Benefits Application form with their child's teacher/class assignment letter. We ask for the form to be returned during our Open House event on Tuesday, August 17. Even if you think you will not qualify for meal benefits, or do not plan on accessing them, the information you provide can still help our school to access funding for materials, resources, and more.
Additional information, online application and printable application forms are included below...
- Information regarding Free and Reduced Meals (linked here)
- Online Application Form - English (linked here)
- Online Application Form - Spanish (linked here)
- Printable Application Form - English (linked here)
- Printable Application Form - Spanish (linked here)
Free Meals for ALL Students
FCPS Universal Mask Requirements
TES will have masks on hand to provide to students who may forget theirs or need a replacement.
Click here for more information: FCPS Requires Universal Masking for the Start of the 2021-2022 School Year
Thank you for helping to protect all those within our school community!
Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS)
This year we will focus on educating the whole child. TES will continue to implement curriculum that supports social emotional learning (SEL). Prompting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) lessons will be taught 2-3 times a week as classroom teachers conduct their classroom community building lessons and class meetings.
PATHS will teach SEL skills to help students succeed in school and life. These skills include
handling emotions constructively, behaving responsibly, making good decisions, and developing caring, positive relationships. SEL contributes to a positive school climate, improvements in academic achievement, and reductions in bullying behavior.
Please be on the lookout for PATHS resources classroom teachers may share with you this school year. We are excited for all the ways our PATHS lessons and curriculum will support the whole child instructional approach.
Contact Information
Email: karl.williams@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/tes/
Location: 806 East Main Street, Thurmont, MD, USA
Phone: 240-236-0900
Twitter: @KWilliams_fcps