TRES Retriever Report January 9, 2026

Message from Dr. TRESler and Mr. Hiel:

Dear Retriever Families,

We have all settled back into our routines following the winter break and look forward to the Cardboard Challenge on January 15th (see information below) and the rescheduled PTA Cultural Night on January 30th. We are also approaching the end of the second marking period on January 23rd. We encourage you to review your child’s grades in Canvas and contact your child’s teacher should you have any questions ahead of the grading period deadlines.

As a school community, we began module/concept 5 in the Zones of Regulation curriculum. We learned about ways to check in to identify how we are feeling throughout the day. You can read the Bridge to Home connection for concept 5 here.

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

Upcoming Events

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

  • January 14 - Chorus Winter Concert, 6:30pm
  • January 15 - Yearbook Group Photos
  • January 15 - Cardboard Challenge, 6:30-8pm (see below)
  • January 16 - First Grade Field Trip, Robinson Nature Center
  • January 19 - Schools/Offices Closed
  • January 21 - Kindergarten Field Trip, Glenwood Library
  • January 21 - Winter Beginning Band/Orchestra Concerts, 6:30pm
  • January 22 - Parent/Teacher Conference Scheduling Opens at 8:00am (see below)
  • January 22 - Early Dismissal, 12:45pm
  • January 23 - 2nd Quarter Ends
  • January 26 - Schools Closed
  • January 30 - Parent/Teacher Conference Scheduling Closes at 4:00pm (see below)
  • January 30 - PTA Cultural Night, 6:30pm (see PTA News below)
  • February 5 - Early Dismissal 12:40pm; Afternoon In-Person Teacher Conferences/Evening Virtual Conferences
  • February 6 - Early Dismissal 12:40pm; Afternoon Virtual Conferences

News and Information

The Cardboard Challenge is Next Week! Students are invited to create a cardboard project using their imagination and engineering skills.

  • Who: TRES Retrievers! TRES students can work alone or with a partner. Projects with families and friends are welcome.
  • What: You decide what to build using your imagination and engineering skills. Cardboard should be the main building material but you can use other recyclable materials and decorative pieces.
  • Where: Projects will be shared in the TRES Gym and Cafeteria.
  • When: Thursday, January 15th from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Bring your projects with you on the evening of the Cardboard Challenge. You are also welcome to attend the event even if you don't have a project to share.
  • Sign Up to participate by Friday, January 9th. Link to Registration Form: https://forms.gle/bDn731KdffuwVes67

Parent-Teacher Conference Registration Opens January 22
Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 22nd, 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 - more information about conference scheduling will be shared before Jan. 22nd. We are still hoping that our new long-term substitute teacher will be starting soon.
  • 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

Counselors' Corner - A Message from Mrs. Wolf and Ms. Diaz
Welcome back and happy new year to all!  We want this to be a year when Retrievers continue to work hard and work together so everything clicks in 2026.  In our most recent TRESmission video installment, students hear a review of expectations and ways to be successful.  Some fifth graders also deliver an important message on respecting others and celebrating diversity.  At home, you can take a peek at this 15- minute video for a chance to: hear common language/approaches, see Retriever Award recognition, join in acknowledgement of recent music performances, and see a flurry of footage from our Blizzard of Belonging.   Keep taking care of each other, TRES!

Link to January's 15-minute TRESmission video
Resource: Top 10 New Year's Resolutions to Make with Your Family

Road to Kindergarten
If you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2026, please join HCPSS for a Kindergarten information session. All sessions will begin promptly at 6:30pm. No registration is required and child care is available at each session for children ages 2 and older. In the event the in-person sessions are cancelled due to snow, please join the virtual event on 1/28. For more information, please visit HERE.

  • Monday, January 12 @ Centennial High School
  • Tuesday, January 20 @ Guilford Park High School
  • Wednesday, January 28, Virtual Event Hosted by the Howard County Library.

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

Registration for BSAP Saturday Math Academy is Tomorrow, 1/10
The HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program Saturday Math Academy Spring Session is approaching! The BSAP Saturday Math Academy will offer an  in-person enrichment program for Howard County Public School System students in all levels of math for grades 3-12, based on course availability. Registration will take place online on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 9:00 am until capacity is reached. Class space is limited. Families can register by accessing the HCPSS Connect Website on the registration date. For more information, please visit HCPSS News.

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 22nd: Blowfish Poke Clarksville Fundraiser, 11:00AM-8:30PM
  • 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
  • January 31st: Last Day to Order See's Chocolate for Valentine's Day
  • 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!
  • 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.