Parent Information: Letter from the Principal

July 23, 2010

Dear TCDS Community Members:

I hope you are enjoying your summer. When school begins on August 16th, your child
will experience a challenging, well-rounded learning environment that is safe, respectful,
patriotic, and supportive. We continuously rededicate ourselves to this goal.

State Testing Results Have Arrived

If your child was a TCDS student in the 2nd-8th grade last school year, you will find enclosed with your letter your child’s AIMS or Stanford 10 scores. Please take some time to review the results with your child and note the areas of strength as well as areas for improvement. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding your child’s results.

Back to School Information

In the rest of this letter, I’d like to update you on back-to-school information and some new staff members at TCDS.

Back to School information, including classroom supply lists, athletic forms, the school calendar, the back-to-school packet, registration forms for before- and after-care, and information about school uniforms, is available on the school website. Just go to http://www.TCDCharterSchool.com and click on the links to the left and center of the page. Please note that the website is the source of information for beginning school and that there are no registration packets being distributed. If you do not have online access, please call or stop in the office for information.

Please click the Student Parent Association (SPA) link on the TCDS website to learn more about how you can be involved at Tucson Country Day School.

Meet and Greet Your Teacher Night is Friday, August 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

We look forward to seeing your family at this important event! We’re changing the structure of Meet and Greet, so please read the following information carefully in order to make the evening productive and successful for your family.

1. Before August 13th, please visit the TCDS website at http://www.TCDCharterSchool.com and print the “Meet and Greet” forms, consisting of:

Meet and Greet Cover Letter
Student Fees Form
Before and After Care, Extended Care and Day Camps Registration Form, if applicable to your family.
Classroom supplies list for your child’s grade level. You are encouraged to purchase the supplies and bring them to Meet and Greet.

Please read the Cover Letter and fill out the Student Fees Form, and come to Meet and Greet prepared to pay your children’s fees; options are outlined on the form. If you have questions regarding fees, please contact the office. Please note that we will be asking you to do some additional paperwork at Meet and Greet.

2. When you arrive at Meet and Greet, stop at the table located at the front gate to pick up additional back-to-school paperwork. When you have completed the paperwork, take it and your Student Fees form to the check-station. There you will pay your fees and receive your students’ class assignments. The check-in station will be arranged alphabetically by last name.

3. Now you may proceed to your classroom(s)! At 5:45 and again at 6:15, K-5 teachers will offer a short presentation to help you get to know them, their expectations and their classroom procedures. Please plan to attend one of these sessions with your child. Starting at 5:50, Middle School will hold a series of six 10 minute meetings in each classroom. You can follow your student’s schedule to meet each of their teachers.

4. Lunch Program. You may purchase lunch credits at Meet and Greet and sign up for lunch on the first day. Drop by the kitchen for details and enjoy some cookies and lemonade.

5. The Student Store will be open and school uniform shirts will be available for purchase at Meet and Greet.

6. After-school activity signups will be available for the following clubs: Boy Scouts, Garden Club, Karate, Chess, Instrumental Music, Drama Club, and KidzArt.

>Student Fee Information

The $50 curricular fee for kindergarten through 5th grade and the $75 curricular fee for Middle School are due the first week of school. It is highly encouraged that these fees be paid at Meet and Greet. Curricular fees are waived for students attending Kindergarten Enrichment. These dollars help us to cover the costs of items including but not limited to the Scholastic newsletter; science supplies; materials for P.E., Art, Music, Technology, and Spanish; math workbooks; P.E. uniforms; and lockers for Middle School students.

Activity fees ($50 per sport or activity) will also be accepted at Meet and Greet, and it is highly encouraged that students participating in Fall Sports pay their fee at this time. The fees may be paid later but must be received by the start of the season to ensure participation. Reminder: student athletes must have completed athletic forms including a current (less than one year old) physical exam form signed by a doctor in order to participate in try-outs, practices or competition.

Total fees (curriculum and activity) for any family are capped at $200.

If a tax credit donation of $200 or more per family is made, all curriculum and activity fees will be waived. Please see the student fees form in this mailing.

School begins on Monday, August 16

Please plan to bring your child a little early. Our parking lot has been expanded, and a new exit gives us 50 feet of separation from Academy of Tucson’s entrance/exit. Also, the power pole on the north side of Wrightstown Road has been removed, improving our visibility. Still, things can be a bit hectic on the first day, and more parents tend to linger, which is a good thing! Please be patient and courteous at the entrance, exit, and interior of the parking lot on the first day of school and everyday. Safety is our number one concern!

4th through 8th grade students begin their day with flag ceremony at 8:00 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.

Kinder through 3rd grade students have morning flag at 8:40 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m. Half-day kinders will be released at 11:45 a.m.

Extended Care is available (and required) for students who need to be on campus prior to 7:30 a.m. or longer than 15 minutes after their school day ends.

For Kinder Parents Only. Our second annual “Yahoo-Boohoo” event will occur on August 16th right after flag ceremony at 8:40. We will meet under the Ramada outside the Kinder rooms. Please take some time to meet, chat, share some refreshments and cheer one another up.

The lunch program will start on the first day of school! Lunch prices have been held steady at $3. The menu will be posted on the website prior to August 13th.

New Faces, New Places

I’m pleased to welcome the following new teachers and returning teachers with new assignments:

Kindergarten
Ms. Dena Siress
*Mr. Jason Wright

1st Grade
Ms. Lisa Abifadel

2nd Grade
Ms. Emily Smith

3rd Grade
Ms. Stephanie Lopez
*Ms. Kristen Maynard

5th Grade
*Mr. Scott Ayers
*Mrs. Kathie Josephs
*Ms. Amber Robinson

Middle School
*Ms. Alia Cruz, 7th grade Math
*Mr. Chidi Ugonna, 8th grade Math

* Indicates new full-time teacher at TCDS

Finally, I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as your principal and work with your children. We’re going to have a fantastic year. Mrs. Kappler, Mr. St. Amand, and I look forward to working with you to make the coming year a great one at Tucson Country Day School.

Warmest Regards,

Mark Saliba, Ed.D.
Principal