Inside the Pride Upper Elementary School News - Volume 275

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

Published August 24, 2025

Volume 275

 

Adam Vinson - Upper Elementary School Principal

 

A MESSAGE FROM MR. VINSON

We have had an incredibly smooth start to the new school year and can’t thank the LORD enough for all that He is doing on our campus. We are so grateful for your prayers and support throughout this month. For our new families, please reach out if there is anything we can do particularly for you or your student. We consider it a privilege to have you here as part of the Trinity family and want to make sure your start to the year is just as smooth. For everyone, please check out the updated information below as there are several exciting things happening as we wrap up August and head into September.

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

IMPORTANT BACK-TO-SCHOOL DATES:

Check out our SCHOOL CALENDAR 

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

  • Aug 27-28: Benchmark Testing (ELA/Math)

  • Aug 28: College Football Dress Down Day

  • Aug 29: Remote Learning Day

  • Sept 1: Labor Day (No School)

  • Sept 22: Homecoming Parade

  • Sept 22-25: Spirit Week

  • Oct 6: Fall Picture *Retakes*

HOUSE COLOR DAY: REP YOUR HOUSE!

Our first House Color Day of the year is coming up on Monday, August 25. Students are encouraged to wear a colored shirt that corresponds to their house (please no hats). Check out your child’s house assignment and color below. 

  • 4th Grade = Nee House (ORANGE)

  • 5th Grade = Wycliffe House (BLACK)

FOOTBALL DRESS DOWN OPPORTUNITY

The college football and NFL seasons are kicking off soon and to give our students the chance to celebrate, we are inviting them to dress down on Thursday, August 28 by wearing t-shirts and sweatshirts to support their favorite team! Normal dress code/uniform standards apply for shorts/pants and shoes. Please no hats except for TCS hats.

REMOTE LEARNING DAY INFO

In anticipation of our upcoming Remote Learning Day on Friday, please see the information below about how remote learning days will be handled this year. 

Overview

  • 1 assignment total each remote day

  • Assignment should take around 30 minutes to complete 

  • Assignment will be graded for a “Daily Work” grade

*Please look for specific information from your child’s teacher about this week’s Remote Learning Day assignment. 

Remote Learning Schedule:

  • August 29 - SCIENCE Assignment

  • October 10 - MATH Assignment 

  • December 19 - BIBLE Assignment 

  • January 16 - HISTORY Assignment

  • March 27 - English Assignment

Coffee with the Principal Meeting

We are kicking off our special parent/principal gatherings on Thursday, September 11 from 8:15-9:15am in the school cafeteria. You are invited to join Mr. Vinson as we discuss new initiatives this school year along with ways we can keep improving in the offerings we make available to your family. Mark your calendars now and complete the RSVP form below if you are able to attend. 

Topics to Discuss:

  • Update on news and notes for the 25-26 school year

  • Sage Dining improvements

  • Academic rigor assessment

  • Communication efficiency 

RSVP for Thursday, Sept 11: https://forms.gle/vHLex1PD1sjzQ2Xx6

Our beginning of the year benchmark testing will take place on August 27 and 28 with students being assessed in Math and ELA. Please encourage your child to do their very best as these tests are used to monitor student growth in learning throughout the school year. Additional testing will take place in December and May. These tests help inform our teacher instruction while also helping us to evaluate curriculum selection too. 

CHESS CLUB

Coach Rodney Lewis and Championship Chess present a systematic, fun way to build chess skills during chess instruction and supervised play. Studies show that chess improves math, reading and problem solving and our methods connect these academic benefits to our classes. 

ELEMENTARY DRAMA CLUB

3rd-5th grade will be presenting WILLY WONKA JR and we still have spots left!

For information on dates and how to be involved, please explore the following links: Details Dates


Please email Lizzie Perez with any questions - lizzie.perez@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.

THIS WEEK IN CHAPEL

Mr. Vinson spoke from Acts 28:1-6 and the story of Paul being bitten by a snake. Tying in the current memory verse (Ephesians 2:8-9), Mr. Vinson emphasized that good works won’t make us okay with God, but God does make us okay with Him through the work of Jesus. While the natives in the story felt like their god was going to judge Paul for being a murderer, we learned that Jesus was Paul’s advocate before the one true God!

LIONS OF THE MONTH: AUGUST FOCUS 

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. 

At the beginning of September we will honor 4 students from each grade level who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to welcome and acclimate other students to the new school year.

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.

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!