February 1, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week we honor the life of Tyre Nichols, a young 29 year old who was a beloved father, son, avid skateboarder and creative photographer. It is heartbreaking to see, hear and read about the tragic loss of another black person due to police brutality. Black people deserve to feel safe in this country and world, and in our schools.

We, like you, grieve for Tyre Nichols. We are grieving with our Black, Indigenous and People of Color community, and we are here to support you in any way we can. Talbot strives to be an anti-racist school where everyone belongs. As a community school we are committed to all members of our school community feeling safe and welcome. We embrace all races and skin colors, all national origins and ancestries, all religions, all disabilities, all genders, and all kinds of love. We are committed to racial equality and are constantly learning how to best serve all the young people that come to us. We will continue to engage our staff and community in challenging conversations that force us to address our implicit biases and acknowledge our privilege. We will continue to ask the hard questions because we know that engaging in hard conversations makes us stronger.

RESOURCES:

• How to talk to kids after incidents of mass violence

• 8 Tips for Talking to Your Child About Racial Injustice

Friendship Day (AKA Valentine’s Day!)

On February 14, many classrooms at Talbot celebrate Friendship Day. Students are invited to bring in friendship cards (aka valentines) to share with each member of their class. Cards can be homemade or purchased. Any cards that have individual pre-packaged treats attached are allowed, but due to Covid, any unwrapped or homemade treats are not allowed. It is not expected that you have your child participate in a Friendship Day card exchange. Please check with your child’s teacher if there will be a friendship card exchange happening in their class on Valentine's Day as not all classrooms participate. Also, as a 5-2-1-0 school that promotes healthy habits, we do not have Valentine’s Day parties with lots of candy, cupcakes or other sugary treats. Any candy included with a valentine will be sent home with students to enjoy with their family after school.

Morning Drop Off Reminder

Thank you for following our arrival routines and dropping students off at the community side doors. Please remember that the bus circle is not to be used at arrival or dismissal times. The visitor loop is only to be used for PK students and students in the Bridge program. Thank you for working with us at morning drop off and dismissal by following the posted signage, keeping traffic flowing smoothly, and, most of all, maintaining safe conditions for our students. Your patience and efforts are deeply appreciated!

Mid-Year Attendance Reminders

Attendance matters and every day counts! Building a habit of good attendance is your child’s ticket to success in school and eventually on the job. Some absences are unavoidable. We understand that children will get sick and need to stay home, especially to prevent the spread of Covid. It’s important to support your children’s good attendance at school when they are healthy, and to communicate with the school when your child will be absent due to illness. As we prepare to take a short break from school over February vacation, we want to express our gratitude for everyone who makes it possible for our students to come to school every day, on time, and ready to learn. Attendance matters and every day counts!

Beautiful Blackbird

Art Teacher Chad Hart has been doing an art project with First Graders inspired by the book ‘Beautiful Blackbird’ from Coretta Scott King and award winner Ashley Bryan. This book is about appreciating one’s heritage and discovering the beauty within. Students read the book in Art class, taking care to look at the images closely, and understand the true meaning of the story. The book tells of Blackbird, who was voted the most beautiful bird in the forest, with his shiny black feather reflecting all the colors of the rainbow. The other birds, who were colored red,yellow, blue, and green, were so envious that they begged Blackbird to paint their feathers with a touch of black so they could be beautiful too. Although Black-bird warns them that true beauty comes from within, the other birds persist and soon each is given a ring of black around their neck or a dot of black on their wings—markings that detail birds to this very day. The students’ art was made using cut-paper collage, and a gloss medium to make their blackbird shiny and reflective.

Upcoming Events:

• February 1: Early Release, 1:10 Dismissal
• February 8: Early Release, 1:10 Dismissal
• February 9: PTO, 5:30
• February 14: Friendship Day
• February 15: Early Release, 1:10 Dismissal
• February 17: Mismatch Day- Wear a mismatch outfit, hairstyle, or socks, etc. Have fun with it!
• February 20-24: February Break, No School
• March 16-17: Parent Teacher Conferences, Early Release Days, Dismissal at 11:10.

 

Sincerely,

Ann Hanna

Principal