Welcome to the Twality Spotlight!

Welcome to the Twality Spotlight! 

We are excited to have this new blog set up to keep lines of communication open and share the great experiences that happen everyday at Twality Middle School with you.  Our goal will be to update this blog once a month with new information, student and staff highlights and important calendar information with upcoming events!  You are welcome to leave comments or questions at the bottom of each post.  You may always email Angie at aryan@ttsd.k12.or.us with any questions or concerns.

FALL CONFERENCES - OCTOBER 23-24

Thursday, October 23
8:00am-11:30am (11:30am-1:00pm - teacher lunch break)
1:00pm-4:30pm (4:30pm-5:30pm - teacher dinner break)
5:30pm-8:00pm (Child care available)

Friday, October 24
8:00am-11:30am

Sixth Grade Core Teachers:  Conferences are arranged by teacher teams.  If you have not received a conference appointment or letter, please contact your child's homeroom teacher.  Sixth graders who attend Math classes outside the homeroom team may drop in with the appropriate Math teacher during all conference hours. 

Seventh and Eighth Grade Core Teachers:  Grade level teams will host families on a drop-in basis.  Elective teachers and PE/Health teachers are also available on a drop-in basis.

Maps will be available in the lobby on conference days to help you locate the staff members you need to see. Please plan on attending the session most convenient for you and your student.  However, past experience suggests that the evening time between 5:30-8:00pm becomes crowded and may require longer waits for parents and students.  Please come during the other available times if you are able.  Be sure to bring your son or daughter! 

Child Care Available:  Thursday, 10/23 from 5:30pm-8:00pm

The Scholastic Book Fair will be open during ALL conference times.  Please stop by and take a look at some great books and help support Twality!

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT FEEDBACK

On August 27^th, Twality hosted our annual Back to School Night (BTSN).  As many of you know, the format was different from a traditional BTSN and the intention was to create a more interactive, community experience for students, parents, and teachers.   We asked for your feedback and approximately 140 teachers and parents responded.  A group of teachers and parents reviewed the feedback and will eventually come up with recommendations for next year.  We wanted to share some of the feedback with you.  

The positive feedback was strong:

• Parents enjoyed meeting their students’ teachers in a friendly, relaxed, and comfortable atmosphere. 
• 6^th grade parents appreciated being able to experience school with their child, meet their teacher, and visit the classrooms before the first day.
• Teachers appreciated having positive, genuine interactions with parents and students before school started, instead of more formal presentations and limited one-on-one interactions.  
• Teachers and parents liked celebrating together as one community. 
• Parents and teachers liked watching students get excited to see friends, get their schedules and meet teachers.
• Everyone loved Deer Creek’s Marimba band and the food trucks. 

While the responses were strong in building relationships and community, feedback indicates (and we agree) there is plenty of room for improvement.   

Generally improvement feedback included:

• Fee lines were too long and it was frustrating to find out it was unnecessary because of the on-line pay option.
• Signage was poor and information (schedule, maps, etc.) was unclear.    
• Parents were confused about the schedule and where to go, especially 6^th grade families. 

Most concerning was that many families were unclear that this event was the actual Back to School Night.   Despite repeated communication (e-mail, facebook, and postcard), the change in format led many parents to believe this was in addition to a more traditional BTSN.    Clearly, we should have communicated differently.   

The goal of this event was to build community, strengthen relationships with families, and provide information about classes, curriculum, and other school functions.  Teachers appreciated being able to connect with families before school began.Teachers were pleased that those connections with students have positively impacted their classrooms today.  This early event allows teachers to focus on planning and teaching without the distraction of preparing for back to school night in late September. 

We appreciate your honest responses.  If you missed the event or feel like you did not receive the classroom information you needed to support your student, please contact us at 503-431-5200.  It is important to us that you receive the information you need.  

If you are interested in working on the committee to make recommendations about next year’s event, please contact Angie Ryan at 503-431-5202. 

Here are a few pictures from Back to School Night! 

Deer Creek Marimba Band!

Twality teachers enjoying dinner

The food trucks were a big hit!

GREAT JOB, WEB LEADERS! 

Our WEB Leaders were wonderful with our new 6th graders at the beginning of the year!  They welcomed them with the warmth and compassion that we have come to expect from our leaders. 

ART IN THE BURBS! 

Please come and support the TTSD Foundation at Art in the Burbs the weekend of October 17-19 at Alberta Rider Elementary!  $2 suggested entry fee at the door.  

COMMON CORE AND SMARTER BALANCED

Interested in learning more about Common Core Standards and Smarted Balanced Assessment?  Attend TTSD's community event on October 14th from 6:30-8pm at Fowler Middle School.  Click here, and then click "Common Core and Smarter Balanced Assessment" for September's newsletter from Curriculum and Instruction Department. 

OCTOBER'S UPCOMING EVENTS! 

October 10th - NO SCHOOL - CLASSIFIED INSERVICE DAY
October 13 - Magazine Sale Prize Day - Commons
October 14-16 - Outdoor School for Rupp / Clark / Montplaisir classes
October 16 - Burgerville Restaurant Fundraiser - Hwy 99 location
October 20-22 - Outdoor School for Eto / Puhl / Cunningham / Elwyn-Pass
October 20-22 - Outdooor School for Taylor / Scholte / Bostwick / Young
October 23-24 - Scholastic Book Fair
October 23 - NO SCHOOL - FALL CONFERENCES
October 24 - NO SCHOOL - FALL CONFERENCES
October 28 - Fall Bus Evacuation
October 29 - ASA Cross Country Meet at Fowler Middle School 3:45pm-5:30pm
October 30 - Picture Retake Day!  Forms available in the main office
October 30 - ASA Soccer Jamboree -vs- Hazelbrook (Twality Soccer Field)
October 31 - Happy Halloween!  Costume Contest at all lunches