Tashua Family Weekly Update

Dear Tashua Families,

This week we recognized the importance of Veterans Day by holding a school-wide assembly to honor those who have served our country to protect our freedom. We were fortunate to have several veterans join us. The assembly opened with a flag ceremony by the Tashua Scouts, followed by the National Anthem sung by our very own, Mrs. Congdon. Mr. Cohen then led the students in signing the anthems of the branches of the United States Armed Forces including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force. A special thank you to the veterans for their service and to those who attended the event!

In addition, we created a bulletin board with pictures and brief descriptions of honored veterans.The bulletin board will stay up for awhile as we continue to add photographs to honor our family and friends. We also collected candy to be donated for veterans to enjoy.Thank you to all sent in photos and who donated candy. Thank you to Mrs.McKenna for going above and beyond to help us to celebrate and honor those who have served our country!

Fifth grade students, Eliana Lea and Mika Franco were Tashua's honorees for the 26th Annual Elementary Celebration of the Arts! This event is hosted by the Connecticut Association of Schools

and schools across Connecticut select students to be recognized who demonstrate outstanding abilities in the performing or visual arts and maintain a high level of citizenship and skills. Congratulations to both students for being honored!

Tashua's Picture Retake Day is scheduled for Friday at 9:00am. If you will be requesting a retake, please print out the flyer below and send to school with your child.

The time has come for our Strings, Band and 5th Grade Chorus Winter Concert! The students are excitedly awaiting their evening performance in the Madison Middle School auditorium on Thursday, Dec 3rd at 7:00pm. Be sure to save a seat for any student in orchestra or band to join you if you are staying for chorus. No students will be able to sit or wait anywhere else. There is an in-school performance for the Tashua students the same day – please remember to bring your instruments to school! Don’t forget to practice 30 mins a day!

Please click on the link to view the concert letter and learn about drop off times, attire and more: 2026 Winter Concert Letter.

The 2026 Trumbull Police Association Coloring Book Contest is underway! Each student in grades K-4 came home with a coloring book earlier this week. Please use the link: 2026 Police Coloring Contest Letter for more information. To participate, please submit one colored page to the office. The deadline to enter is Monday, November 30th. A $25 gift card and goody bag will be award to a Tashua student in each grade level in grades K-4.

World Kindness Day is celebrated around the world annually on November 13th. First introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day offers an opportunity to highlight good deeds in the community and the common thread of kindness.

We encourage families to label items such as water bottles, lunch boxes and outerwear so that if they are misplaced they can be returned quickly.

Lost & Found: Please have students check the Lost & Found. Items will be donated to a local organization at the end of each month.

Lost Items on the Bus: Any items left on the bus are brought to the Bus Depot at the end of the day. Please call Durham at 203-261-4329.

November is celebrated as Native American Heritage Month, or as it is commonly referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. It is also an opportune time to educate all Americans about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges. We invite you to look at the resources below!

Did you know that Native Americans have been living in North America for over 15,000 years? It is estimated that about 60 million Native Americans were already living here when Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. There were over 600 different tribes, each with their own language, customs, government, and traditions. The Golden Hill August Tribal Nation has a reservation right here in Trumbull, CT. Tribal members first encountered Europeans during the beginning of the Pequot War in 1637. Tribal lands were restored in Trumbull in the 1870s. You can learn more about the Golden Hill August tribal nation by clicking here:https://portal.ct.gov/sde/publications/teaching-native-american-studies/golden-hill-paugussett-tribal-nation/gptn-history-and-culture

Events and Resources:

https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/native-american-heritage-month.htm

https://ctvisit.com/getaways/native-footsteps

Books:

https://smcl.org/blogs/post/books-for-native-american-heritage-month/

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/must-read-books-by-indigenous-authors/

https://www.nypl.org/blog/2019/11/05/9-books-native-american-heritage-month

https://www.powells.com/list/native-american-heritage-month

• EARLY DISMISSAL for Students on Tuesday, November 17th for Teacher Professional Development.

Kind regards,

Mrs. Neumeyer

Tuesday, November 17

• Early Dismissal; 1:00 PM for students

Wednesday, November 25

• Early Dismissal; 1:00 PM
• Turkey Trot 🦃🦃🦃

Thursday, November 26

• No School, Thanksgiving Day

Friday November 27

• No School, Thanksgiving Recess

The students enjoyed a Terrific Taco Tuesday this week! Students were given the option of chicken, beef or bean tacos with many topping choices including lettuce and tomatoes sent directly from the farm! Students who ordered chicken noodle soup with vegetables, enjoyed butternut squash, acorn squash and sweet potatoes in their soup directly from the farm as well.

Thank you to all families who participated in Challenge #2. Math Challenge #3 is now available and ends Nov. 19th. We hope to see strong participation rates in all grades. Each month, random winners will be chosen from each grade for recognition over the loud speaker. At the end of the school year, if your child participates in 12 or more challenges, they will be part of a special recognition ceremony. All students can participate in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. Click here to access the new challenge and find solutions for Challenge #2: https://www.mathinaction.org/tashua-school.html

If you have any questions, please email Ms. Gidwani at sgidwani@trumbullps.net.

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed! If you are interested in supporting the Tiger Den again this year, we invite you to check out our 2026 Tiger Den Wishlist. Contributions are completely optional, and we are deeply grateful for your support in any form!

Please see below for the November lunch menus:

November Elementary Breakfast Menu

November Elementary Lunch Menu

First Graders had a special visitor during recess this week! One of our Trumbull Police School Safety officers took some time to meet the students while checking the grounds. The children were excited to spend time with one of our community members!

Our fourth grade students presented the I for Integrity in our T.I.G.E.R.S traits at the Veterans day assembly this Wednesday and talked about how we can show integrity at school and at home. Please use the links below to access two read aloud books that are a great resource for our students! A Bike Like Sergio’s by Maribeth Boelts and The Empty Pot by Demi.

Grade 2 classes visited the Math Lab to find different ways to represent a 3 digit number using hundreds, tens and ones OR only tens and one OR only ones. The students worked in partnerships and truly amazed their teachers! Ask your students how many ways can they make the number 317? You will be amazed at their flexibility and understanding of place value representations.

Congratulations to Teddy Decker for winning a chance to Spin the P.B.I.S. Recognition Wheel. Keep showing your Tiger Traits!

Congratulations to the following students for being the winners for Tashua Math Challenges 1 & 2: Amber Birmingham, Dominic Birmingham, Donovan Birmingham, Giselle Birmingham, Theodore Ciarletto, Brody Gleason, Viran Gogineni, Desmond Kaplan, Olivia Lin, Ben Schreck, Carson Tsyrulnik, Frederic Tomasino.

Thomas Ciarletto won the Boys 7 2026 US Kids Golf Colonial Williamsburg Classic, his first Regional win. He was three strokes off the lead going into the final round, birdied the last two holes to tie for the lead with two other golfers, and then won the playoff!

Theo Ciarletto enjoying being Principal with Mrs. Neumeyer by winning the chance after spinning the P.B.I.S. Recognition Wheel.

When children are not feeling well, parents struggle with the decision: Should I keep my child at home or send my child off to school? Often the way a child looks and acts can make the decision an obvious one. When making the decision whether or not to send your child to school, please observe the following guidelines:

• Fever: Students with a temperature of 100.4 are considered to have a fever.The child may return to school after they been fever free for 24 hours, without the use of fever reducing medication.
• Diarrhea/Vomiting: A child with diarrhea and/or vomiting should stay at home and return to school only after being symptom free for at least 24 hours
• Conjunctivitis (Pink eye): Following a diagnosis of conjunctivitis by a health carepractitioner,the child may return to school 24 hours after the first dose of prescribed medicine.For more information, use the link:
• https://www.cdc.gov/conjunctivitis/prevention-infographic/
• Rashes: A child with a suspicious rash should return to school only after a healthcare provider has made a diagnosis and authorized the child’s return to school. Some infectious diseases are most contagious in the early stages and the child may present with a rash. Some rashes are not due to infections and many are not contagious or occur at the end of the illness.
• For more information, use the link:
• https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/rashes.html?ref=search&WT.ac=msh-p-dtop-en-search-clk
• Colds/Sore Throats/Cough: Children average 6 to 8 colds a year. If your child is fever free and their cold symptoms are well controlled they may attend school. If your child is experiencing such things as purulent (thick) nasal discharge, or uncontrolled cough you may consider keeping them home until their symptoms are better controlled. If your child is experiencing other signs of illness associated with green nasal discharge including any of thefollowing:fever, earaches, headaches, cough, nasal congestion, productive “barky” cough,persistent cough, please consider having the child seen by your healthcare provider.

The Trumbull Schools Department of Nursing aims to help keep students physically, mentally, and socially able to attend school in order to be educated, participate in athletics, extra-curricular programs, and student activities The goal of the school nurse is to facilitate keeping the students in school and ready to learn. However, there may be times when students may not feel well enough to be in school. A sick child is less able to learn effectively or to participate in class in a meaningful way. If your child is not feeling well, please exercise your best judgment and do not send him/her to school ill. Keeping your sick child home prevents the spread of illness in our school community and it allows your child to rest and recover.

As always, please reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Brenda Chamale RN BSN

Tashua Elementary School Nurse

P: 203 452-4434

F: 203 452-4432

bchamale@trumbullps.org

Our Tashua Holiday Sale is live! Save 20% on all Tashua spirit wear now through December 10th, plus free shipping on orders over $85. Keep an eye out for flash sales up to 35% off! Start your holiday shopping today and check a few gifts off your list. SHOP HERE: https://1stplace.sale/17565

Thank you to all of our 4th and 5th grade students that have registered for Continental Math League! As a reminder the program runs weekly on Wednesdays and will being next week, November 18th. The program will run promptly after school and parent pick up will be in front of the school at 4:15pm.

For more information, please use the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14f-3LvHNxh-NRFxZ_WviQHkpcrKIWTGc/view?usp=sharing

An opportunity for your child to express themself! PTA Reflections inspires students to reflect on a specific, student-submitted theme to create original artwork. This year's theme is What My Culture Means to Me! (Fun fact - This national theme was submitted by a student in nearby Wilton, CT!)

Get your creative thinking cap on and design an original work exploring this year's theme in one of the following categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts. Use this inspiration sheet or the National PTA website to help with ideas!

Steps to enter:

1. Students create an original work exploring the theme “What My Culture Means to Me”. Click here for official rules and guidelines by category.

2. Complete the CT PTA Reflections Entry form.

3. Email your digital entry to ReflectionsCTPTA@gmail.com with the file name equal to the student's name and entry title.

4. Drop off your original artwork at the Tashua main office and/or email Tashua PTA at TashuaReflections@gmail.com to confirm your submission. Participants will receive recognition, and entries will be displayed in the Tashua lobby at the end of the school year!

Your student’s name and/or other identifying information should not be visible on or within the submitted entry so that the entry can be judged on a “blind” and unbiased basis.

Entries are due to the CT PTA by February 1, 2027. Entries will be reviewed by the CT PTA for school and state placement.

Questions? Contact Janet Howard or TashuaReflections@gmail.com.

Tickets go on sale THIS MONDAY, November 16th with Early Bird Pricing!

Our school is fundraising with Mabel’s Labels! If you’re not familiar with Mabel’s Labels, they make personalized, durable, waterproof labels. They are great for everything from shoes, to clothing tags, water bottles and backpacks! You can customize them with your name and a design, and they are dishwasher, laundry and microwave safe. Mabel’s Labels also offers clothing stamps and silicone bands for water bottles! This is a great way to ensure your items don’t end up in the lost & found or mixed up. To support our fundraiser visit campaigns.mabelslabels.com and select Tashua Elementary School PTA (Trumbull). You can pick out whatever labels or products you want, and it will ship for free directly to your house! Thank you for supporting us!

Join or Renew your membership today!

The Father's Club has a new Executive Board this year and we are excited to welcome new members! If you would like to join the Father's Club or know more about what we do, please email TashuaFC@gmail.com.

President: Jeff Wagner
Vice President: Keith Himmel
Treasure: Jon Arena
Secretary: Jim O'Connor

If you child will be absent or tardy, please inform the Tashua School Office prior to the start of the school day. You can report an absence by calling 203-452-4433 or via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal (More/Absence Requests).

Tashua Elementary School

401 Stonehouse Road Trumbull, CT 06611

203-452-4433

Tashua School Hours

Doors open at 8:20 AM

Regular School Hours: 8:35 AM - 3:20 PM

Early Dismissal Hours: 8:35 AM - 1:00 PM

Delayed Opening Hours

2 ½ hour Delay – 11:05 AM – 3:20 PM

Volunteering

All individuals seeking to volunteer in the Trumbull Public Schools must complete a “School Volunteer Security Check” form annually. Please use the form: Volunteer Form Tier 1. If you will be volunteering UNSUPERVISED, please complete a Tier II form which includes a DCF Background Check. Please use this form: Volunteer Form Tier II

Transportation

Phone Number: 203-452-4321

Transportation Action Report: CLICK HERE.

BusZone App: BusZone Directions.

Lost Items: Durham Bus Depot 203-261-4329.

Infinite Campus Parent Portal

2026-2027 Tashua Parent Handbook

Volunteer Form Tier 1