Message from Dr. TRESler:

Dear Retriever Families,

For my message this week, I’m sharing an event very near and dear to my heart. I plan for our Veterans Day celebration at TRES each year to ensure that our students have an opportunity to recognize and honor our TRES family Veterans.
We are celebrating Veterans Day on Friday, November, 10, 2023. We will read information about Veterans Day on the morning announcements and students will have the opportunity to share with their classmates about the Veterans in their family. We are also welcoming our TRES family Veterans to lunch with their student(s)! We will have special tables reserved for our honored guests and their students.

First, if your child is sharing information about the Veterans in their family, please help them to create a mini-poster (8x10 or 11 x17). See my sample here. The students can do this electronically with Google Slide, Wixi (access under hcpss.me) or hand-drawn. Please note that these will be on display and may not be returned, so please do not use original photos. If you do not have access to a color printer, and your child creates via Google Slide or Wixi, please email to denise_snider@hcpss.org AND karen_johnson@hcpss.org. Include your child’s name and homeroom teacher and email by Tuesday, November 7th, to ensure printing time.

Please RSVP here by October 27, 2023 to join us for lunch. This will ensure that we have enough space and food. Due to space, we are asking that only our TRES Veterans join us for lunch on this day.

We are looking forward to thanking those who served our country!

Lunch Shifts by Grade:
Pre-K: 12:15-12:45
Kindergarten: 11:45-12:15
First: 11:15-11:45
Second: 12:45-1:15
Third: 10:45-11:15  
Fourth: 12:15-12:45
Fifth: 1:15-1:45

Warmly,
Dr. Tiffany TRESler, Principal TRES

Upcoming Events

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

• October 16-19 - Bullying Prevention Week (see below)
• October 16-20 - Digital Citizenship Week (see below)
• October 20 - Schools Closed for Students, Professional Work Day
• October 27 - TRES Spirit Day
• October 27 - Flu/Covid Vaccination Clinic at TRES (see below)
• October 28 - PTA Trunk or Treat
• October 31 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early. End of 1st marking period.
• November 10 - Veterans Day Lunch at TRES for our TRES Family Veterans. 

News and Information

Bullying Prevention Week Begins Monday

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. We will have Bullying Prevention Week at TRES October 16-19 to promote bullying awareness, including learning how to spot bullying, how to stop bullying, and how we can be more inclusive. Students and staff can participate in a spirit week along with engaging SEL lessons and community messages.  In addition, TRES school counselors are focusing their October lessons on bullying prevention.  Our Spirit Week activities to promote Bullying Prevention Week are:

• Monday, October 16 - Be YOUnique: Wear your favorite outfit.
• Tuesday, October 17 - You Are Not Alone; Wear matching clothes with a friend or group of friends.
• Wednesday, October 18 - Unity Day: Wear orange to send a visible message that no child should be bullied.
• Thursday, October 19 - Put Bullying to Rest: PJ Day! (no slippers please)

Digital Citizenship Week is 10/16-10/20
In Technology class, students learn habits and skills that help them use devices safely and responsibly at school, at home, and within the community. Next week serves as a wonderful opportunity to set and/or revisit guidelines for using Technology with your child and spark conversation about media consumption at home. Ms. Walker and Ms. Jenkins will be posting announcements during the week containing excellent resources that you can use  with your child that will help spark some conversations about technology use. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Walker (stacie_walker@hcpss.org) or Mrs. Jenkins (patricia_jenkins@hcpss.org).

FLU & COVID Clinic – Friday, 10/27.  Registration Closes 10/20
Each year, the Howard County Public School System works with the Maryland Partnership for Prevention to offer flu immunizations for our students.  This year, they will also be offering the latest Moderna COVID vaccine.  The flu and COVID vaccines are two separate vaccines, not a combined vaccine. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is safe to get a flu and COVID vaccine at the same time. If you have any concerns, please speak with your personal physician. If you would like your child to be vaccinated against the Flu and/or COVID at this clinic, please register HERE or scan the QR code below.  You are not required to provide your child’s insurance information. All in-school clinics will be closed to registration October 20th to allow our health room staff time to review and prepare the consent forms and make sure enough vaccines are ordered. If you have any questions, please call our health room at 410-313-2562.

HCPSS Health Services advises anyone who tests positive for Covid to follow the CDC guidance and HCPSS guidance related to communicable diseases. Please see this link.

Fan Expectations and Safety at HCPSS Athletics Events
High school athletic events serve as a wonderful opportunity for students, friends, families, staff and community members to come together in support of their favorite teams. To ensure these games are able to be safely enjoyed by all in attendance, it is imperative that everyone adheres to the rules, expectations and laws in place to ensure safety. 

All children who are in 8th grade or younger must be accompanied by an adult at all HCPSS athletics contests or will be turned away from entry. Adult supervision must continue for the entirety of the athletic contest. 

Athletic contests are considered extensions of the school day, and behaviors that violate the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct or Board of Education policies are subject to the same disciplinary measures as those that occur during the school day. Any students found to engage in inappropriate, illegal or dangerous behavior, including verbal and physical abuse at games, are subject to discipline, including the forfeiture of the game itself. Non-student spectators who violate event rules may be asked to leave the premises and may be banned for the remainder of the season. Additionally, the Howard County Police Department maintains a presence at games and will ensure all applicable laws are adhered to. 

Please note that substances such as tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol are illegal to have on school grounds. Furthermore, no spectators are permitted to be under the influence of these substances upon entering school grounds. 

HCPSS schools are welcoming environments for our friends around the county and state. All spectators are expected to display good sportsmanship to the athletes, coaches, officials, members of the marching band, cheerleaders and poms, dance teams, opposing fans, and everyone in attendance. Please show respect for all those around you.

TRES is Hiring! Join our Team!
Our school still needs a Lunch/Recess Monitor. To learn more, please call TRES: 410-313-2560 or email Tiffany Tresler at tiffany_tresler@hcpss.org.

HCPSS & The Council of Elders (TCOE) Community Academy - Navigating HCPSS
On October 14th from 9-10:30 a.m., parents and families are invited to attend a virtual session regarding how to effectively maintain communication with your child’s school. HCPSS staff will demonstrate how parents can monitor students’ performance by utilizing school system online resources. Additionally, families will receive strategies to help ensure successful parent-teacher conferences. This session is for families of students at elementary, middle or high. To register, please complete the registration form linked HERE.  Please see the TCOE Navigating HCPSS flyer for more information.

Two Programs Offered in Partnership with HCDrugFree
Free Parenting Classes - We are well aware of the ever-increasing pressures placed on students. The academic demands, social challenges, and rapidly changing world can be overwhelming. Guiding Good Choices parenting classes can equip parents and/or grandparents with the knowledge and skills to reduce the risk that their children will use drugs and alcohol or engage in other dangerous behaviors. These classes are for families with children 9 - 14 yrs. old and held over Zoom.  
Medication and Sharps Disposal Take Back Day - October 28 in the Wilde Lake Village Center Parking Lot from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Safely dispose of prescription medication, over-the-counter meds, sharps, vitamins, pet meds, vape devices, inhalers, and more!  Also, 100 medication lockboxes purchased by HCPSS will be given away for FREE!

GGCFall2023.pdf  

MedsSharps10-28-23.pdf 

Read And Earn A Sweet Treat
Nothing Bundt Cakes, located at 10730 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, is offering a special incentive for students.  “Books and Bundts” is a youth reading program through which students can earn a free Bundtlet and an award certificate for each month they read 400+ minutes. Students should track their progress on the attached form below and bring the completed tracker to the store to receive their sweet treat.  Happy reading!

Books & Bundts.PDF 

Tracker.PDF 

Volunteer Training Required for Volunteers and Visitors
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.  Please visit HERE for more information.  Thank you in advance for your gifts of service and time.

TRES PTA

Join the TRES PTA today! Learn more and sign up at Givebacks (memberhub.com). The PTA provides student enrichment, staff appreciation/teacher grants, and events. Without your yearly support, these events would not be possible. Joining does not require any time commitment.

Upcoming PTA Events:

• October 15 - Last Day to Register for the Retriever Run to Guarantee a TRES 25th Anniversary Shirt: Registration is open to all students, families, and community members. If you are not in town, support the PTA by registering for a shirt only.  5k prizes include: The Pearl Spa 1/2 Day Experience, Overnight Suite Stay at the Turf Valley Resort, Magnus Chess Academy Voucher, and Gift Cards from Feet First, Papa Johns, The Charmery, Autobahn Indoor Speedway, and Dream Auto Detailing. Not an expert runner? No problem, the PTA will select a few participants at random to receive prizes too! Registration will continue to be open until November 18th but shirts are not guaranteed. The Retriever Run 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run is scheduled on November 18th at 9am. REGISTER HERE.
• October 27 - TRES Spirit Day: Wear TRES colors or purchase spirit wear HERE.
• October 28 - Trunk or Treat, 3:00-5:00 p.m.: This is a school-wide event open to all TRES students and their families. Please sign up to volunteer or decorate your trunk. We need at least 20 trunks to hold the event (we currently only have 13 families volunteering). Donate candy/non-candy items from the wish list. You can leave your donation in the Candy Monster's Belly located at the school's front entry.
• November 1 - National Reflections Art Contest Submission Deadline: Students can choose to create an original piece of artwork based on this year’s theme, “I am Hopeful Because…” in one or more of the following categories: Dance Choreography, Visual Arts, Music Composition, and Photography. All artwork will be created at home and submitted electronically. See https://www.trespta.com/reflections.html.

Volunteers Needed for Walking Wednesday: Walking Wednesdays is a PTA-sponsored walking/running program that gets our K-5th graders' hearts beating faster as they run/walk for prizes during recess. This is 100% volunteer led and a great opportunity to encourage our children to be active as well as set goals and meet them. Please sign up HERE.

BWES Household Pantry Collection: Help our sister school, Bryant Woods Elementary, by donating household items for their onsite pantry. Sign up to donate pantry items HERE.

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.