Keeping you plugged into the exciting things happening at the Upper Elementary School

Published January 12, 2025

Volume 248

A MESSAGE FROM MR. VINSON

Happy long weekend! We hope you have enjoyed the extended time at home and that you remained safe and warm throughout the storm on Friday. As a quick reminder, due to the cancellation of school on Friday, work or assessments that were originally due on Friday will now be due on Monday unless otherwise communicated by the teacher. Please make sure your child is ready to submit any work and is prepared for any assessments as we return to campus this week.

UPCOMING UPPER ELEMENTARY DATES:

Jan 15 - 100 Days of School
Jan 17 - Grandparents’ Day
Jan 17 - Remote Learning Day
Jan 20 - MLK Holiday (No School)
Feb 7 - Super Bowl Dress Down Day
- (wear your favorite team jersey)
Feb 10 - House Color Day

NEWS AND NOTES IN THE UPPER ELEMENTARY

YOU’RE INVITED: COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL

We are excited to host our 3rd “Coffee with the Principal” for this school year! Our next gathering is scheduled for Thursday, February 13 at 8:15am. Mark your calendars and plan to join if you are able. Topics of discussion will include:

Semester 2 Events - What special activities and trips are planned for the Spring Semester?
Clubs - What challenges have we faced with clubs and how might we overcome those challenges in order to offer more clubs next school year?
2025-2026 Ideas - Speaking of next school year, as we think through adjustments and improvements for next year, what would you like to see added or emphasized in anticipation of 2025-2026?

Want to join us for this time of fellowship and discussion? SIGN UP HERE

QUARTER 2 PRIDE PERFORMERS

Congratulations to the following students who are being acknowledged by their teachers for their hard work and outstanding effort during Quarter 2. These students were identified as individuals who sought to do their very best by “filling it to the brim” in the classroom. Great job upper elementary students!

4th Grade ELA - Jacob Cornejo
4th Grade Math - Lilly Koenig
4th Grade History - Grady Paschal
4th Grade Reading - Reagan Bartlett

5th Grade ELA - Sara McEwen
5th Grade Math - Kate Culpepper
5th Grade History - Cam Calvert
5th Grade Reading - Livia McMichael

100 DAYS OF SCHOOL CELEBRATION

We will hit the 100th day of school mark on Wednesday, January 15. To celebrate, students are encouraged to wear bright, neon colors to highlight the “brighter” side of all they have accomplished so far!

BOOK FAIR

The Book Fair is coming this week! We will be taking the 4th graders to shop on MONDAY 1/13 and the 5th graders on TUESDAY, 1/14 during the school day. These will be the only days that we will be taking students to shop. Just a reminder that the fair runs from Monday, January 13 - Friday, January 17th in Building 5 in the 1st-floor Student Lounge! Parent Night is Tuesday, 1/14 from 4-7pm if you would like to come and shop with your child. Be sure to remind the grandparents to stop by on Grandparent's Day on Friday, 1/17, too!

REMINDER: GRANDPARENTS’ DAY AND REMOTE LEARNING

Don’t forget that coming up on Friday, January 17, we will be celebrating our Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day at TCS. This will also serve as a remote learning day too.

JUST READ QUARTER 3

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 Q3 (third 9 weeks of school). Completed forms should be returned to your child’s homeroom teacher at the end of the Quarter with a prize coming from Mr. Vinson to all who complete the challenge!

Just Read Form Q3

Weekly Updates and Information

THIS WEEK IN CHAPEL

Mr. Vinson began the second semester looking to Psalm 119:68 about God’s goodness. He shared with the students that because God is good and because God does good, it is good for me to do all that he tells me to do. The students were challenged to take the truth of who God is and to follow in obedience for joy and satisfaction.

LIONS OF THE WEEK

4th Grade - Janonvia Tipton
5th Grade - Joe Gilbert

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 Goodness. 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.

Galatians 6:7-8

v. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

v. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

HOUSE SYSTEM COMPETITION

Check out who is leading the competition at www.tcshouses.weebly.com.

UPPER ELEMENTARY ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM:

WE ARE HERE TO HELP!

Principal

Adam Vinson (adam.vinson@tcslions.org)

Director of Academics and Student Development

Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org) - Mrs. McBurnett helps oversee our academic program while also handling discipline.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Kristn Peavy (kristan.peavy@tcslions.org) - Mrs. Peavy provides direction and guidance related to each grade level’s curriculum.

Academic Coordinator

Melissa Lanier (melissa.lanier@tcslions.org) - Mrs. Lanier oversees our class placement and return-to-academics process for students who have been absent.

Director of Spiritual Development

Wesley Lassiter (wesley.lassiter@tcslions.org) - Mr. Lassister oversees the spiritual development of our student body.

UPPER ELEMENTARY HELPFUL LINKS AND REMINDERS:

24/25 SCHOOL CALENDAR - Stay in the know about upcoming breaks and holidays.

PRE-ABSENCE FORM - Submit pre-planned absences 5 days ahead of time for approval.

DRESS CODE OVERVIEW- Check out this year’s guidelines.

RIDING HOME WITH A FRIEND?

If your student will be going home with another student during dismissal, please send an email to receptionist@tcslions.org OR tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org.

WANT TO CELEBRATE YOUR CHILD’S BIRTHDAY?

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.

IS YOUR CHILD SICK OR ABSENT?

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 Melissa Lanier (melissa.lanier@tcslions.org) via your child’s homeroom teacher.

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 Melissa Lanier (Return to Academics Coordinator) so we can best determine a makeup plan for your child. Mrs. Lanier 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.

NEED TO ACCESS 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.

Inside the Pride Upper Elementary School News - Volume 248