5/1/26

👍You made it through the week! Weeks after vacation are always a challenge, but it does kind of feel good to be back in a routine.  We are in the home stretch now - crazy how time flies! Derby Day was such a fun way to end the week! 

🍎Teacher Appreciation Week and all of the other special days from throughout the year (SAC, nurses, paraprofessionals, food service, custodial staff, administrative assistants) will be celebrated the week of 5/18. The PTA has some special days planned for that week!

💻There have been some questions about evidence. What has been typically done here has been evidence toward your goals and a piece or two toward the other standards that your goal does not touch upon.  Don't go nuts trying to find something - you all do so much on a daily basis that hit upon every standard!  If you haven't already uploaded evidence, this is your reminder that it needed to be done. If you haven't included evidence that touches upon every standard, this is your chance to do so. 

🍴On 5/11 we have a half day PD. The plan for that day will be to work on transitions for next year/the fall.  More details to come, but know that we are all here for that afternoon.  I thought it might be fun to do a staff potluck.  If you'd like to participate, sign up here. 

👋I wanted to share some news.  Jeff will be leaving us on 6/19. He and his wife will be moving to sunny South Carolina.  TPS will not be the same without his sense of humor and fun personality. I know you all join me in wishing him well.  He said we can visit any time - right Jeff?!

Have great weekend!

Looking Ahead:

• Monday (5/4) - B Day
• Tuesday (5/5) - C Day
• Grades 3-8 Math MCAS
• Track Meet at Tahanto - 3:30
• Wednesday (5/6) - D Day
• Grades 3-8 Math MCAS
• Thursday (5/7) - E Day
• Friday (5/8) - F Day
• Wear Green Day for Mental Health Awareness Month!

4/17/26

 

🌞HAPPY VACATION!  It's well deserved - I hope you enjoy every second!

👮Heads up I have jury duty on the Monday (4/27) we return.  If I get "canceled" you will see me - but if not, you'll know where I am! ;-)

💗Thank you for welcoming folks into your classrooms this week.  I loved hearing about your experiences and what you observed!  Our hope is to do this again! There is so much we can learn from one another as there is so much happening in our little school every day that is amazing! Thanks Christina and ILT!

⭐Just a few notes about sub plans...

• Let's make sure that confidential information about students is secured in a binder or folder so that other students cannot view the notes you have left for either a sub or room coverage.  Please also leave a note about keeping it confidential and secured at the top of those notes!  
• I get that it is nice out and everyone wants to be outside. Trust me - I do too lol.  I have a favor to ask of you... please leave enough material/work for subs to use with students to cover the allotted time.  You can add suggestions that do not include going outside when/if they are finished with everything.  Not all subs know the expectations for outside or even the schedule of when other grade levels are out there.  I appreciate your willingness to work with me on this.  We are in the home stretch! We've got this. 

👉We have a staff meeting on the Wednesday we return.  The plan is to do some ILT-related work and debrief our walk throughs! We'll also talk about what to do in the event of shelter in place  (like what occurred today). 

💕I'd like to thank Kati and Cheryl for their commitment to TPS over the course of the year.  They have helped in countless ways with staffing needs.  Today was their last day in an "official" capacity.  Starting Monday 4/27, Dale will return to her former schedule (which has now been adjusted due to IEP changes - see scheduling changes here) and Jayna will be officially in the role of a 1:1 for a middle school student for the remainder of the year.   Thank you SO much Cheryl and Kati! Welcome Jayna!

🌊Thank you to Eileen for being a part of TPS again this year.  You have been a great support to us all!  We will miss your joy, sense of humor and presence around the school. Please please please come visit!

Have a great week off!

Looking Ahead:

• Monday (4/27) - C Day
• Tuesday (4/28) - D Day
• Wednesday (4/29) - E Day
• Track & Field Meet @ Littleton 3:30
• Staff Meeting
• Thursday (4/30) - F Day
• Friday (5/1) - A Day
• TPS Spirit Day - Wear your TPS spirit wear or red/white/black!

4/10/26

👏Thank you to everyone who helped make the first few days of MCAS go (mostly) smoothly. Any hiccups we had helped us prepare for the next round! I appreciate your patience and flexibility. 

💻MCAS Make Ups:  I cross referenced kiddos who were absent for MCAS to today's attendance and there are still some overlaps.  Let's plan on doing MCAS make ups on Tuesday 4/14.  Tara, our MCAS coordinator extraordinaire, will handle the session (thanks Tara!).  We'll plan to start right at 8:30 and this will take place in the Extended Day room. Please send your student at 8:30 with their chromebook and a pencil - we'll take care of the rest. 

😀Don't forget that our inspirational walk throughs are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday! I'm excited! If you haven't already done so, please sign up for a slot. I'd like everyone to take advantage of this opportunity. Thank you to the Christina and the ILT for their work on making this happen! 

⭐On Tuesday 4/14 from 3:00-4:00, HR will be here to discuss/answer questions about the Proposed Funding Model(PFA) for health insurance. This impacts EVERY district employee.  Please stop by the library to hear more about it and how it will affect you and your health insurance!  

🌄Trails Update:  There is a team of WPI students who are working on the trails on the TPS grounds. Please read their message below. 

\Our team is a group of four undergraduate students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) completing a community-based research project through the Worcester Community Project Center. The team consists of Evonne Pham, Isaac DeMartino, Delia Jasper, and Joseph Aiello, and the project is advised by Laura Roberts. As part of this project, we are working with the Princeton Open Space Committee and local stakeholders to evaluate the existing Thomas Prince School trail system and develop recommendations for improving accessibility. Our work focuses on assessing trail conditions, researching trail material, and proposing improvements to make the trails more accessible. We are looking for data from those in the TPS community to inform our recommendations going forward. If you have questions, you may reach out to us at gr-d26.accessibletrails@wpi.edu or our faculty advisor Laura Roberts at lroberts@wpi.edu. 

This team would really appreciate your feedback on THIS FORM.  They will also be available on  Wednesday 4/15 in the conference room 10:30-12:30 for you to check in and give any feedback on the trails.

 📅I shared this with families and am sharing it with you as well. 

As promised, I have compiled the list of "Save the Date" events for the remainder of the school year.  I will add this to the Electronic Blue Folder and will update this list as things get scheduled and will continue to reference it over the course of the next 10 weeks.  Please note that events could change based on weather or for a variety of other reasons - but at least you have an idea of what is happening for the rest of the year! You can also check out the TPS calendar for event dates and information.  Here is a snapshot of the list for you to see here as well. 

4/16  PTA Meeting @ TPS - 6:00PM

4/20-4/24 April Vacation

5/5 & 5/6  Grades 3-8 Math MCAS

5/11 Early Release@ 11:55AM

5/12 & 5/13 Grades 5 & 8 STE MCAS

5/13 Middle School Music (Band & Chorus) Concert @ WRHS - 6:30PM

5/19 & 5/20 Grade 8 Civics MCAS

5/25 Memorial Day - No School

5/27 PTA Meeting @ TPS - 6:00PM

6/5 Music Performance Grades k-2 - 9:30AM

6/5 Music Performance Grades 3-4 - 1:30PM

6/11 STEAM Night  - 5:00-7:00PM

6/12 Field Day!

6/15 Kindergarten’s Last Day (it will change if there is another snow day)

6/16 8th Grade Graduation @ WRHS - 5:30  (it will be moved if there’s another snow day)

6/17 8th Grade Dance/Celebration - 5:30-8:00 (it will be moved if there’s another snow day)

6/19 Junteenth - No School

6/23 Last Day of School Grades 1-12 @ 11:55 AM (unless there is another snow day)

Have a great weekend!

Looking Ahead:

• Monday (4/13) - D Day
• Cozy Day
• ILT
• Tuesday (4/14) - E Day
• ELA MCAS  Make Ups
• Spring Sports Day
• Wednesday (4/15) - F Day
• Monochrome Day
• Thursday (4/16) - A Day
• Dress like Adam Sandler Day
• Friday (4/17) - B Day
• Blue or Green Day
• Earth Day Clean Up

4/3/26

😂Congratulations for surviving April Fool's Day 2026!

👉FYI summative evidence is due 4/20. Need a refresher on whether or not this pertains to you? Check out the evaluation breakdown. 

🌍Elaine has begun organizing Earth Day Clean Up! We'll plan on cleaning up the TPS grounds on 4/17.  Sign up for an area to clean up here!  Matt will help us in supplying gloves and bags! Thanks Elaine and Matt!

💻MCAS is next week on Tuesday and Wednesday! Please check out this document for updates on schoolwide schedule changes, proctors and testing locations. I am also sharing the MCAS Folder for this year.  Proctors, here is the link to log in to Cognia. 

💬We have a staff meeting at April 8th. This time will be used as your PLC time to plan and review data. You do not need to meet in the library. 

★I will not be here on Monday as I have to attend a funeral.  John will be in charge. 

Have a great weekend!

Looking Ahead:

• Monday (4/6) - E Day
• Tuesday (4/7) - F Day
• ELA MCAS  gr. 3-8
• Wednesday (4/8) - A Day
• ELA MCAS  gr. 3-8
• Staff Meeting
• Thursday (4/9) - B Day
• Friday (4/10) - C Day
• TPS Spirit Day - wear your TPS gear!
• Glow Dance  (k-5) @ 6:00

3/27/26

 

📕I hope you enjoyed Community Reading Day!  I loved having community members here at school and experiencing what makes TPS so special! Thank you for all of the photos!!!

💻MCAS is not too far away.  Please check out this document for updates on schoolwide schedule changes, proctors and testing locations. I am also sharing the MCAS Folder for this year.  Proctors, here is the link to log in to Cognia.  You may need to reset your password (they have made me do it twice in the last few months). Please try logging in by next Friday so I can deal with any issues that arise before testing week!

🌍Elaine has begun organizing Earth Day Clean Up! We'll plan on cleaning up the TPS grounds on 4/17.  Sign up for an area to clean up here!  Matt will help us in supplying gloves and bags! Thanks Elaine and Matt!

Have a great weekend!

Looking Ahead:

• Monday (3/30) - F Day
• Tuesday (3/31) - A Day
• Wednesday (4/1) - B Day
• Thursday (4/2) - C Day
• TPS Play "Crumpled Classics" @ 6:00
• Friday (4/3) - D Day
• Red Sox Spirit Day! It's opening day at Fenway! Wear your Red Sox gear, your favorite baseball team or red/white/blue!
• TPS Play "Crumpled Classics" @ 6:00

3/20/26

💖Community Reading Day is next week (on 3/27)!  Our Community Readers will be arriving at TPS between 9:00-9:15 and will enjoy a small breakfast in the library until 9:30.  At 9:25, please send two Warriors from your class (to the library) at 9:30 to help escort your reader to your classroom!  We anticipate the readers finishing up by 10:00.  Readers will then need to be escorted back to the library by two Warriors (same or different) when they are all done!  Janna would like to share more information with you. Check that out here.  And here is the list of readers (b/c some may have changed).  Please take pictures!  Share them with me! I hope to make it to every room, but just in case, please take a few! The books the readers come to read are now yours for your classroom collections! Please add them to the read aloud list. ;-)

⭐Would anyone be interested in tutoring a TPS sixth grader (through the District for medical reasons)? If so, let me know. 

😉Please be sure to get those Panorama surveys done!

👉From Lara to 3-5 teachers: 

We are excited to offer a new professional learning opportunity focused on Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC). This series is designed to support teachers in strengthening student engagement, collaboration, and mathematical thinking while making strong connections to our Eureka Math curriculum. If you are interested in expanding strategies that promote student discourse and active problem solving, we encourage you to consider signing up.

---

Grant Funded Professional Learning Opportunity: Building Thinking Classrooms (Grades 2–5 District Teachers/Stipend $420)

Location: Glenwood Elementary Curriculum Pod
Dates: April 2, April 9, and April 16
Time: 4:00–6:00 PM
Presenters: Kayla Cordio, Kristine Miller, Susie Robichaud

WRSD elementary educators in grades 2–5 are invited to participate in a professional learning series focused on Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) instructional practices. This learning experience will support teachers in developing classroom structures that increase student engagement, collaboration, and mathematical thinking while connecting directly to our Eureka Math curriculum.

During these sessions, participants will explore the core routines and teacher moves that help students become active problem solvers. Teachers will leave each session with practical tools, classroom routines, and lesson ideas that can be implemented immediately in the classroom.

Who should apply:
Grade 2–5 classroom teachers interested in strengthening student discourse, collaboration, and problem solving in mathematics.

Participants are required to commit to all three sessions to experience the full progression of the work and build a complete set of strategies and materials for classroom implementation. 

Please sign up in through this Google Form if you are interested.

Thank you!  Lara

Have a great weekend!

Looking Ahead:

• Monday (3/23) - A Day
• Tuesday (3/24) - B Day
• Wednesday (3/25) - C Day
• Thursday (3/26) - D Day
• Friday (3/27) - E Day
• Wear your TPS gear or red/white/black!
• Community Reading Day!

3/13/26

 

📆The WRSD calendar for the 26-27 school year has been approved by the School Committee. You can find a copy of it HERE.

⏰Just a kind reminder that school begins at 8:15.  Trust me, I one hundred percent know and understand how life outside of school can impact our mornings, but I need to ensure our students are supervised at 8:15 when they walk through the doors.  If you believe you will be coming in at 8:15 or later, please shoot me a text or call Roger so we can make sure that your room is monitored. 

👉We have a staff meeting on 3/18.  To begin, you'll have time in your classroom/office to complete the District/Union survey.  If time should remain, please continue with your PLC time with your teammate(s).

🖳If you are an MCAS proctor and have not signed off on the training or filled out the nondisclosure form, please do so ASAP.

⭐Don't forget that 3/19 is an early release.  If you didn't see the email that came yesterday, here is the link to what your plans are for that afternoon! 

🗪Please read the message below from Molly Shveda, the District's Multilingual Specialist. 

Dear Staff,

It is once again time for FEL (Former English Learner) and Opt-Out monitoring. This process is essential to ensure we remain compliant and continue to provide the best support for our students.  

If you were notified via ELLevation that you have students requiring monitoring, please ensure you complete the necessary forms by the deadline provided in the reminder email. Please note that these automated emails from ELLevation occasionally land in SPAM folders, so I recommend checking there if you were expecting a notification.

If you have any questions or need support, whether it’s with filling out the forms or troubleshooting your ELLevation login, please reach out directly to MJ Shveda (mollyjane_shveda@wrsd.net).  Here is a brief video about how to complete forms in ELLevation.

Thank you for your continued support of our Multilingual Learners.

Best regards,  Molly Shveda

Have a great weekend! 

Looking Ahead:

• Monday (3/16) - B Day
• Tuesday (3/17) - C Day
• Wear green day!  
• Book Fair 
• Wednesday (3/18) - D Day
• Staff Meeting
• Book Fair
• Family Shopping Night @ the Book Fair  4:30-7:00
• Thursday (3/19) - E Day
• Book Fair
• 1/2 Day
• Friday (3/20) - F Day
• Wear your TPS gear or red/white/black!
• Grades k-5 report cards issued