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

Published February 9, 2025

Volume 252

A MESSAGE FROM MR. VINSON

This Tuesday evening, February 11, the Coweta County Commissioners will vote on Trinity’s application to rezone the Property on Fischer Road for campus expansion. We need as many parents as possible to attend the County Commission Meeting to show support for this important step in Trinity’s growth.

• Where: 37 Perry Street, Newnan

• When: Tuesday, February 11, at 6:00 PM

• What to Do: Simply attend and show support for the campus expansion – no need to speak!

• Wear : Purple to represent Trinity!

Your presence will make a difference in demonstrating our commitment to providing the best opportunities for our students. Thank you for standing with us in this effort.

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

UPCOMING UPPER ELEMENTARY DATES:

• Feb 10 - House Color Day

• Feb 14 - Valentine’s Day Dress Down

  • (wear pink or red)

• Feb 17-21 - Winter Break

• Feb 27 - Family Night 

  • (no homework or assessments)

• Feb 28 - STEAM DAY

NEWS AND NOTES IN THE UPPER ELEMENTARY

G.R.A.C.E. WEEK

We are once again focusing on G.R.A.C.E. as we seek to remind our students what it means to appreciate and love the imago dei in every person. G.R.A.C.E. stands for Gender, Resources, Ability, Color and Ethnicity. Our focus is to show our students how people of the opposite GENDER, people of different economic status (RESOURCES), people who lack certain ABILITIES (viewed as disabilities) and people who look different, talk different, and act different (COLOR AND ETHNICITY) are still very much image bearers of God…a quality we often embrace about ourselves, but often fail to see in others. This week students will have a chance to work through passages of Scripture in their special week-by-week to better understand what the Bible has to say about each of these areas.

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

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 introduced the G.R.A.C.E. acronym in preparation to spend time discussing this next week. The students were encouraged to begin thinking through the truths we find all around us concerning how God created us. Students were challenged to think through these biblical truths:

G - ender: God makes us male and female intentionally.

R - esources: Be thankful, be content, be generous.

A - bility: God equips us all with different gifts so we can be the body of Christ.

C - olor and 

E - ethnicity: God designed us and called us to spread out to take dominion over the earth.

LIONS OF THE WEEK

• 4th Grade - Jacob Cornejo

• 5th Grade - Selah Henard

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. 

Hebrews 3:12-13

v. 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. v. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

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.