Inside the Pride Upper Elementary School News - Volume 273

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

Published August 10, 2025

Volume 273

 

Adam Vinson - Upper Elementary School Principal

 

A MESSAGE FROM MR. VINSON

Week 1 was a huge success as we had a great week welcoming your students back on campus! We are extremely excited about this school year, and we cannot wait to see the growth and progress made by each student. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly (adam.vinson@tcslions.org) if you need anything here at the beginning of the year. Whether you are a new family or a long-time returning family, we want to ensure your child has the best experience possible. We consider it a high privilege to partner with you in your family’s educational needs, and we remain committed to doing all we can to serve you well this year.

  • Friday, August 22 = WELCOME TO THE ROAR - a block party style event for all of our new and returning TCS families

MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND BELOW!

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

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. 

Ephesians 2:8-9

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.

FILL IT TO THE BRIM

Mr. Vinson spoke from John 2:1-11 and emphasized the culture we desire at TCS of “filling it to the brim.” In John 2 we learn that the servants were commanded to fill the jars with water so that Jesus could miraculously turn the water to wine. The text emphasizes that the servants filled it “to the brim” which implies there was no more water that could have been added. Our goal at TCS is that our students do their very best with excellence just like these servants did that day. We want them to live out I Cor 10:31, so that whatever they do, they do it as an act of worship as they glorify God. Ask your child if they remember what “fill it to the brim” means!

STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT EVERY MONTH

We are making an adjustment to our “Lions of the Week” program for this year. Rather than doing a “student of the week” who is honored for a random act of kindness, we are going to acknowledge 4 students from each grade level who are specifically honored for exhibiting a character trait that we have been emphasizing all month long in our chapels and classrooms. For the month of AUGUST, we are focusing on HOSPITALITY and looking to honor our students  who go above and beyond to serve and welcome our new students to the TCS family.

DISMISSAL REMINDERS:

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. 

Please give us as much advance notice as possible so we can ensure the dismissal system is updated to reflect the change.

“SCOOP NIGHT”: Tuesday, August 12

Now that the first week of school is behind us, come “get the scoop” on 4th and 5th grades with a special presentation by our Upper Elementary teachers regarding procedures, curriculum, etc. We want you to be “in the know” about what is happening in our Upper Elementary this year!

LOCATION: The Gathering Place (School Cafeteria)

Join us for a special ice cream social right after! 

Our 4th grade presentation will begin at 5:30 pm (ice cream to follow), and our 5th grade presentation will begin at 6:15 pm (ice cream to follow). 

RSVP: https://forms.gle/KycJEdrnhC8Pq8hC9

FALL PICTURE DAY: MONDAY AUGUST 18

Don’t forget next week is our Fall Picture Day. These pictures are used for the yearbook so we are strongly encouraging each student to wear the chapel day uniform. Make-up dates will be announced at a later time for those who are absent.

UPPER ELEMENTARY SPIRIT WEAR

*New Upper Elementary Spirit Wear* - Our spiritual theme for the 2025-2026 school year will be “Bold as a Lion”. To help reinforce this theme, we will be selling both t-shirts and sweatshirts with the design below. Purchase your very own “Bold as a Lion” shirt here.

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 Melissa Lanier (melissa.lanier@tcslions.org) via your child’s 1st period teacher. 

  • WHAT IF MY CHILD IS SICK AND 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 SICK AND 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.

CELEBRATE YOUR CHILD’S BIRTHDAY AT SCHOOL

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 Assistant Principal, Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org), if you would like to schedule a day. 

  • PLEASE GIVE A 2-DAY NOTICE 

  • Send in prepackaged birthday treats purchased from a store for the homeroom class. 

  • Join your child for lunch (beginning in September) in the cafeteria.

IMPORTANT BACK-TO-SCHOOL DATES:

Check out our SCHOOL CALENDAR 

  • Tuesday, Aug 12: Scoop Night

  • Aug 18: Fall Picture Day (normal dress code)

  • Aug 25: House Color Day (rep your house)

  • Aug 28: College Football Dress Down Day

  • Aug 29: Remote Learning Day

  • Sept 1: Labor Day (No School)

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:

  • A weekly newsletter is found on your student’s homeroom Bulletin Board.

  • Lesson plans, assignments, etc…are found in the specific classes’ Topic tab.

UPPER ELEMENTARY RESOURCES

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CHECK OUT THE HELPFUL TOOLS BELOW REGARDING

THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR

25-26 SCHOOL CALENDAR - Stay in the know about upcoming breaks and holidays. 

PRE-ABSENCE FORM - Submit pre-planned absences 5 days in advance for approval.

UNIFORM POLICY - Note the minor changes/adjustments for this year.

UPPER ELEMENTARY SUMMER CONTACT LIST

OUR TEAM IS HERE TO HELP!