TRES Retriever Report January 23, 2026

Message from Dr. TRESler and Mr. Hiel:

Dear Retriever Families,

With winter weather in the upcoming forecast this weekend, we wanted to remind you to double check and update your child’s emergency closing dismissal information. You can view your child’s emergency dismissal information HERE. 

Following HCPSS Policy 9090- Wellness through Nutrition and Physical Activity guidelines, we have outdoor recess on most days that the weather is at least 20 degrees (real feel temperature). Please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor recess with hats and gloves available. Please reach out to one of us should you need support to secure these items for your child. We also have a large number of items in our lost and found again, and we encourage you to visit TRES to check the lost and found if your child is missing their warm weather gear. 

Warm Regards,
Dr. Tiffany TRESler, Principal
Kory Hiel, Assistant Principal

Upcoming Events

Please visit the TRES calendar webpage to view important upcoming dates)

  • Parent/Teacher Conference Scheduling Window is Open (see below)
  • January 23 - 2nd Quarter Ends
  • January 26 - Schools Closed
  • January 30 - Parent/Teacher Conference Scheduling Window Closes at 4:00pm (see below)
  • January 30 - PTA Cultural Night, 6:30pm (see PTA News below)
  • February 4 - Schools Closed
  • February 4 - Report Cards Issued, 4pm
  • February 5 - Early Dismissal 12:40pm; Afternoon In-Person Teacher Conferences/Evening Virtual Conferences
  • February 6 - Early Dismissal 12:40pm; Afternoon Virtual Conferences
  • February 10 - Vision & Hearing Screening (see below)
  • February 16 & 17: Schools/Offices Closed
  • March 3 - Early Dismissal 12:40pm

News and Information

Parent-Teacher Conference Registration Window Open Through January 30
Registration is open for winter conferences, which will be held February 5 and February 6. When scheduling conferences for multiple children, please allow one full conference time between your meetings to allow for transitions both in person and virtually. The conference scheduling window closes January 30th. See Directions How to Register.

  • On Thursday, February 5th, and Friday, February 6th, all elementary schools will close 3 hours early for parent-teacher conferences.
  • On February 5th, afternoon conferences (1:00-4:00 pm) will be held in-person only. If a teacher decides to host evening conferences, these conferences will be held virtually. 
  • On Friday, February 6th, all conferences will be held virtually.
  • Parents should schedule a conference with their child’s MATH teacher only. 4th grade G/T students in Mrs. Lebowitz's math class will not need conferences at this time as math conferences were already held in the fall for these students.
  • Parents of students in Mrs. Vitale's 4th grade math class - we will not be scheduling parent conferences with her during the February conference window. A separate communication was sent to student families.
  • If you would like to request a conference with a related arts teacher, please email that teacher directly. Each related arts teacher has limited conference spots. 
  • Related arts will be hosting one office hour during the conference window. The office hours are for general questions about the content area and expectations. Office hours should not be used for questions specific about your child. The office hours schedule will be shared with parents from the teachers’ Canvas pages

Vision & Hearing Screening
Initial screening:  Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Re-screening:  Tuesday, February 24, 2026
The Howard County Health Department (HCHD) will be performing Vision Screenings for all Pre-Kindergarten students and Vision & Hearing screenings for Kindergarten and First Grade students. The HCHD will also be screening students grades 2-5 who have been referred by teachers, and students who are newly enrolled from out of state who do not have a record of prior vision & hearing screening within the last 12 months. Please see the attached HCHD letter for more information. If parents/guardians have questions or wish to opt out, please contact school nurse Kelly Weiss (kelly_weiss@hcpss.org) in writing.  

Hearing.Vision Parent Letter.pdf 

Counselors' Corner - A Message from Mrs. Wolf and Ms. Diaz
This past week, there was no school on Monday as we honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Throughout the year, we have been sharing and reinforcing messages that focus around kindness, empathy, and ways to support others with a sense of belonging and inclusion.  In our recently released January TRESmission video (15 min), we discuss topics of "diversity" and "equity."  Feel free to utilize the additional resources below to support further discussion and dialogue at home:
National Geographic KIDS article
I Am Martin Luther Kind read aloud
MLK Jr. Coloring for Kids

In January and beyond, let's remember MLK Jr --- the man AND the MESSAGE--- as we challenge ourselves and our students to make the dream happen each and every day in our own little way.  next up:  Random Acts of Kindness in February.  Stay tuned!

Memory Book Cover Contest Update
Congratulations to the following students whose artwork will be featured on the front or back cover of the TRES 2025-2026 school year memory book!

  • Front Cover: Kinley Beigel, 5th grade
  • Back Cover: 
    • Kindergarten: Mila Kothari
    • 2nd Grade- Japna Bajaj
    • 3rd Grade- Rishaan Ganguly
    • 4th Grade- Mason Weszka

Thank you to all of the students who submitted art for the contest. Look for information in the coming weeks regarding ordering yearbooks.

HCPSS Summer 2026 Program Information
Information for Summer 2026 will be updated on the Summer Programs webpage on January 23 for the following programs:

  • BSAP Summer Institute (Entering Grades K-9)
  • Gifted and Talented Summer Institutes for Talent Development (Entering Grades 1-8)
  • Innovative Pathways High School (Entering Grade 9 and Current Grades 9-12) 

Registration is Open for FAMILY Read the Rainbow Scheduled for 1/27
This FREE and VIRTUAL event, scheduled for January 27th at 6pm, is open to all. Participants will engage in a read aloud of the book Like THAT Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally by Lee Wind, followed by a discussion with the author. The first 50 families with children in grades 5 and under who register for the program will receive a free copy of the book, courtesy of our partner, CARY. 

Flier
Register HERE

Dismissal and Attendance Notification Information
Please read HERE for important information regarding school notification of dismissal changes and student absences.

Volunteer Training Required Every Year for all Visitors and Volunteers - Take 5 Minutes to Complete Now and You're Set for the Year!
COMPLETE THIS GOOGLE DOC (no paperwork required). Anyone volunteering at school in any capacity, and parents joining their children for lunch, are required to complete volunteer training prior to their first visit every school year. Thank you in advance for your gifts of service and time.

School Schedule
The TRES Daily Schedule including arrival and dismissal times, and lunch/recess times for all grades, can be found on our school website under the “ABOUT” tab.  

TRES PTA

JOIN THE TRES PTA TODAY!  

PTA TRES Directory: All PTA members now have access to a TRES Directory that can be used to plan events, playdates, and more. Email TRESPTA1@gmail.com if you have not received the directory.

Join or donate HERE. 

NEW UPCOMING PTA EVENTS AND INFORMATION: TRES PTA JANUARY NEWSLETTER and TRES PTA EVENTS CALENDAR 25-26

  • January 30th: Cultural Night Rescheduled Date, 6:30-8:30PM
    • TRES students and their families can celebrate our diverse community with an evening full of student-led performances, including dance, music, and more. 
    • If you plan to attend — or create a heritage table — please make sure to register in advance here: Cultural Night RSVP
    • Please note that food will not be served at this event, as the gym is unavailable on this rescheduled date
  • January 31st: Last Day to Order See's Chocolate for Valentine's Day
  • February 2nd: Reflections Awards Ceremony, 6:30PM School Cafeteria
    • Students who participated in this year's Reflections competition, and their families, are invited to the school-level awards ceremony. Light refreshments will be served.
  • February 4th: Rosie’s Delicatessen Fundraiser 7am-7pm
  • 5th Grade Activities Update: Survey response needed by February 14th
    • The 5th graders have all received their special signature 5th grade shirt! Shout out to Sarah McConnell and Mrs. Determann for their hard work in organizing that tradition. Thank you to everyone who contributes to the PTA in membership or donations for making this a tradition we can continue year after year. Students will wear these shirts to the 5th grade end of year picnic June 5th.
    • We are considering a TRES night at Camden Yards but would like to see if there is enough interest. Please indicate your response on this survey link by February 14th!
    • Simulated Congressional Hearings (SCH) will be May 21st! We will be looking for volunteers to help with this event. More to come!
    • We are hard at work making sure this 5th grade year is a fabulous one for our TREaSures!! We will be looking for volunteers to help set up the 5th grade end-of-year picnic on June 5th as well as to contribute to making the event a success! Please keep an eye out for more information, or reach out to Lisa (lgpaddy@gmail.com) or Sarah (scmcconnell@gmail.com) if you are interested. 
    • 5th grade yard signs - We are looking for a sponsor willing to ensure that ALL 5th grade students get a yard sign this year! This group of students started at TRES during COVID and we just want to be sure ALL students get a special recognition at the end of the year that families can display with pride. If you or your business would be willing to sponsor, please reach out to Lisa Paddy (lgpaddy@gmail.com)
  • TRES Yearbook Pictures Needed by February 15th
    • We have an album set up in the Yearbook Software for people to submit photographs for consideration for the yearbook. Thank you for the Boo Bash pictures already!
    • Please submit pictures from Pajama Days, Orchestra Concerts, Holiday Celebrations, etc. Use TRES Yearbook Pictures Link
    • Password: TRESYearbook1!
  • February 24th, Barrington Tap & Table Fundraiser 11am-9pm
  • Seeking PTA Sponsors: The TRES PTA is looking for businesses or individual sponsors to augment our operating budget. If interested, email TRESPTA1@gmail.com.  See: TRES PTA Sponsor Letter

Stay in Touch: Visit www.trespta.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/trespta.

Community News and Events

The HCPSS Community News and Programs website makes it easy for families to find educational and recreational resources, events and after-school programs beyond the school day by non-profit organizations. Community organizations requesting their announcements be shared in school newsletters should visit community-programs.hcpss.org for more information. Questions should be directed to the Public Information Office at publicinfo@hcpss.org.