Keeping you plugged into the exciting things happening at the Upper Elementary School
Published August 27, 2023
Volume 184
Adam Vinson - Upper Elementary School Principal
A MESSAGE FROM MR. VINSON
This week, we will have our first Remote Learning Day of the school year! On Friday, September 1, all students are expected to remain off campus with an expectation of completing remote school work for the day. Remote Learning Days are designed to help grow our staff through professional development while also giving our students a break from the normal school day. Our goal is to couple these days with regularly scheduled breaks in order to increase the flexibility for family travel plans. While Remote Learning Days do give our students a day off from campus learning, we still expect students to complete the work sent home. All students are expected to submit their Remote Learning Day work by Tuesday, September 5, when we return from the Labor Day holiday. Please check Blackbaud for your child’s Remote Learning assignments. Middle school students should expect around 1-1 1/2 hours worth of work for the day.
(pictured l to r) Mrs. McBurnett, Mrs. Lanier, Mr. Higgins, and Mrs. Hanson
Check out our list of administrative faculty below who can help support you with all of your needs throughout this year.
UPPER ELEMENTARY ADMIN TEAM: WE ARE HERE TO HELP!
4th Grade Academic Coordinator - Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org)
Mrs. McBurnett can assist you with any academic-related needs for 4th grade.
5th Grade Academic Coordinator - Melissa Lanier (melissa.lanier@tcslions.org)
Mrs. Lanier can assist you with any academic-related needs for 5th grade.
Director of Student Life - Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org)
Mrs. McBurnett oversees our special events and field trips while also handling our middle school counseling duties.
Director of Student Development - Dylan Higgins (dylan.higgins@tcslions.org)
Mr. Higgins oversees the spiritual development of our student body while also assisting with discipline issues.
Upper Elementary RTA Coordinator - Kasey Hanson (kasey.hanson@tcslions.org)
Mrs. Hanson can assist you with makeup work due to any extended absences.
HOW ARE WE DOING?
Let me know how our team is doing in keeping you informed about your child’s education this year. If you are lacking communication regarding one of your child’s classes, please let me know so I can help! adam.vinson@tcslions.org
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: UPCOMING UPPER ELEMENTARY DATES
Aug 28 - House Color Day
Students are encouraged to wear a house color shirt
Normal dress code bottoms required
No hats!
Aug 31 - Favorite Football Team Spirit Day
Students may wear their favorite football team jersey or t-shirt
No hats except for TCS hats!
Sept 1 - Faculty Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL
Sept 4 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Sept 18-22 - Homecoming Week
LAST WEEK IN CHAPEL
Coach Settle spoke to our students from Ephesians 2:8-9 (our current memory verse) regarding the way of salvation - by grace through faith and not by our good works. Students were challenged to understand that by making salvation possible in this way, God receives the glory and man has no grounds for boasting.
LIONS OF THE WEEK
Students who have been recognized by their teachers for setting a good example and making right choices during the school day.
4th Grade - Carson Rock
5th Grade - Hilton Scott
HOUSE FOCUS: THE LEWIS HOUSE
Our House System at TCS is designed to introduce our elementary and middle school students to important historical Christian figures who exhibit character qualities that we hope to see exemplified in our own student body as well. This week, we are focusing on the LEWIS HOUSE.
Character Trait to Remember :
Reflect God’s Glory Through Your Creativity
Who was he? C.S. Lewis, or Clive Staples Lewis, was a Christian author most known for his writings about good and evil in the land of Narnia in the Narnia Chronicles.
Learn more about C.S. Lewis by watching the video we showed in chapel this week.
THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE:
As you may notice, our 4th-8th graders memorize the same verses each year. These memory verses are selected intentionally based on the promises and truths they contain that are so relevant for our students as they learn to follow Jesus. Our hope is that these 20 verses will be remembered for years to come after being memorized for multiple years in Upper Elementary and Middle School.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (SAME AS LAST WEEK)
v.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, v.9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
BLACKBAUD CLASSROOM INFORMATION
Blackbaud is going to be your main source of information this year. Once you login, you will see a drop down arrow in the top left corner to choose which student’s information to look at. When you click on your 4th or 5th grade student, you will see summary information, and then when you scroll down, you will see each of your student’s classes. Each class is clickable. Please click on your student’s homeroom class to see the weekly newsletter for 4th or 5th grade. Once you are in your student’s homeroom class, it will open up the Bulletin Board. Here is where you will find the clickable link for the newsletter that will be added each week. Any important information for the week will be found here.
To find information on each specific class, you will go back to the main page for your student and click on each individual class. Again, when you click on the desired class, it will open to that class’ Bulletin Board. Here you will find helpful information such as what to do should your student be absent. For information regarding lesson plans that will include the plans for the week, homework assignments, and any upcoming tests, quizzes, or projects, you will need to click on the “Topics” tab.
To recap:
Weekly newsletter is found on your student’s homeroom Bulletin Board.
Lesson plans, assignments, etc…are found in the specific classes Topic tab.
HOUSE COLOR DAY
Be sure to rep your House by wearing your house color on Monday, August 28. Students should wear normal dress code pants/shorts or jeans. No hats allowed.
FAVORITE FOOTBALL TEAM DRESS DOWN DAY
The new football season is about to be underway so we are giving our students the chance to express themselves by wearing their favorite team jersey or t-shirt on Thursday, August 31. NO HATS except TCS hats.
SUMMER READING REWARDS
This upcoming week we are celebrating our students who participated in our summer reading program. We are excited to reward our students for their hard work! Students who submitted their summer reading program will receive a variety of rewards this week, including ice cream!
JUST READ QUARTER 1
We want to invite all of our 4th and 5th graders to participate in our voluntary reading program this year called “Just Read”. Appropriately named, we “just want our students reading” outside of class time independently. Students should use the form below to record their reading for Q1 (first 9 weeks of school). Completed forms should be returned to your child’s homeroom teacher at the end of Quarter, with a prize coming from Mr. Vinson to all who complete the challenge!
***EXCLUSIVE UPPER ELEMENTARY SPIRIT WEAR ITEMS*** - Check out the link below for accessing upper elementary t-shirts and hoodies for this year!
UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RESOURCES
HOUSE SYSTEM COMPETITION
Check out who is leading the competition at www.tcshouses.weebly.com.
23/24 SCHOOL CALENDAR: Stay in the know about upcoming breaks and holidays.
DRESS CODE OVERVIEW - Check out this year’s guidelines
PRE-ABSENCE FORM - Submit pre-planned absences 5 days ahead of time for approval.
GENERAL REMINDERS
REMINDER: BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Would you like to celebrate your child’s birthday this year? Consider one of the following options as a way to make their day special.
Purchase birthday cart treat items from our snack cart for your child’s homeroom class for $25. Email our Director of Student Life, Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org), if you would like to schedule a day.
PLEASE GIVE A 2-DAY NOTICE SO PREPARATIONS CAN BE MADE
Send in prepackaged birthday treats purchased from a store for the homeroom class.
Join your child for lunch (beginning in September) in the cafeteria.
REMINDER: ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES
The following steps should be taken for reporting absences for 4th - 8th grade:
Send excuses for absences, including doctor’s notes to attendance@tcslions.org.
Send PRE-ABSENCE REQUESTS (family trips, etc.) to Kasey Hanson (kasey.hanson@tcslions.org) via your child’s homeroom teacher.
If your child has to miss class this year due to sickness or quarantine, check out our process below for getting your child caught up on missing work and assignments. Please also notify the nursing team to make them aware of surgeries or long-term illnesses at nurses@tcslions.org.
WHAT IF MY CHILD IS ABSENT 1-5 DAYS? - Have your child connect with their teachers upon their return to the classroom. We will not send makeup work home for sick absences of this length through our Return to Academics program.
WHAT IF MY CHILD IS ABSENT 5+ DAYS? - Reach out to Kasey Hanson (Return to Academics Coordinator) so we can best determine a makeup plan for your child. Mrs. Hanson will help collect makeup work for you to simplify the process.
NOTE: If your child is sick, we want your child to focus on resting and healing before worrying about missing assignments. Please know our teachers will work diligently to help your child catch up once they are feeling well enough to complete assignments.