Timber Ridge News

• Monday, November 24 - Friday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
• Friday, December 19: Last day of school before Winter Break

The Timber Ridge Parent Teacher Organization [TR-PTO] helped to support our students and families in a variety of ways during the month of October:

• On Oct. 23, our Book-O-Ween Literacy Night was a success as students with their family members came in spook-tacular costumes! With the support of the PTO’s Halloween costume drive, families had an array of costume options for kids that needed one.

• Thank you to all who have contributed food to our Timber Ridge Food Pantry.

• Shout out to Prospect High School’s Scrubs Club for collecting items needed for the school store.

• A special thank you to Kathy Zordan for connecting our school to a couple of organizations whose invaluable partnerships provide resources for our students and families as needs arise. Families are encouraged to reach out to their classroom therapist if they need a little extra help.

• Panera’s Day-End Dough-Nation Program

• Good Neighbors Network

We are looking forward to our upcoming Holiday Store, which will be open for business following the Thanksgiving Holiday.

We are always looking for new members to join us!

If you have questions or would like to join, please email us at timberridgepto@nsseo.org.

Please “like” us and follow us on Facebook at Timber Ridge PTO - Parent Teacher Organization

Together we make a difference!

Our focus for this month has been on the importance of change; we cannot stop the pace of life and change is part of the growth process. With ending first quarter this month, we took time to check in with students on their goals and what they want to focus on in Quarter 2. We also let our students know that you cannot change everything at once, so we helped them focus on the main growth areas to help with their focus!

This past month, we had a wonderful Book O Ween Literacy Night where we heard some spooky stories and shared some laughs with some awesome craft and activity stations!

Also, we have a brand new mural once you walk into the building. We wanted a mural that represents all of the unique talents, strengths and personalities here at Timber Ridge, that all are welcome and that we come together to create one beautiful community! We believe our artist, Kevin Loesch, delivered!

Building on Healthy Habits:

Did You Know?

• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.

• Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty.

• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.

• By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

• Missing 10%, or 2 days a month, over the course of the school year, can affect a student’s academic success.

Help your student stay engaged!

• Find out if your children feel engaged by their classes, and feel safe from bullies and other threats.

• Make sure your teens are not missing class because of challenges with behavioral issues or school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, contact the school and work with them to find a solution.

• Monitor your teen’s academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors when necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.

• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.

• Encourage your child to join meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs.

• Support your students if you notice signs of anxiety, and if needed, seek advice from your school or health provider

Timber Ridge’s overall attendance for October was 92%! Let’s see if we can do even better for the month of November!

Spotlight on STEM

Spooky STEM News: October Edition

We've had a wonderfully spooky and creative month in our STEM labs! Students across all grade levels applied their critical thinking, engineering, and coding skills to some fun, Halloween-themed challenges.

Primary Students: Dash Robots & Daring Mazes

Our youngest students dove into the world of robotics and coding! They successfully participated in Halloween-themed STEM challenges, including designing and building a complex maze for our Dash robots.

Elementary & Junior High: Haunted House Engineering

Students in Elementary and Junior High put their engineering design skills to the test by constructing elaborate Haunted Houses out of cardboard.

The creativity and craftsmanship were truly amazing! They not only focused on the structural integrity of their houses but also incorporated unique elements to make them extra spooky.

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Family STEM Challenge: The Great Gourd Drop!

Here is a fun, seasonal challenge you can do together as a family to practice physics and engineering!

The Challenge:

Design and build a device that will safely transport a small pumpkin or gourd (or a raw egg, if you prefer a classic twist!) from a high vantage point—like the top of a staircase, a balcony, or even just holding it high—to the floor without breaking or damaging the gourd/egg.

Materials You Can Use:

• Newspaper

• Straws

• Tape

• String or Yarn

• Rubber bands

• Plastic bags (for air resistance/parachute)

The Goal:

Focus on cushioning the landing and/or using air resistance (a parachute) to slow the descent. Discuss concepts like impact force and gravity as you build!

Timber Ridge school maintains the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program to further support our students. PBIS is a proactive approach to establishing behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.

PBIS Positive Behavior Newsletter - October Edition

Celebrating Student Success!

We are thrilled to share the exciting positive behavior incentives that took place last month! Our students continue to demonstrate outstanding behavior, and we love finding creative ways to celebrate their achievements.

Level 2 Incentive: Spooktacular Bingo Fun!

Our Level 2 students, who consistently met their behavior goals, were treated to a special Halloween-themed Bingo event!

• Prizes Galore: Every single student was a winner! All participants earned full stamp cards to redeem for rewards.

• Sweet Success: Of course, it wouldn't be Halloween without treats! Students also took home a selection of yummy candy.

It was a morning filled with fun, friendly competition, and positive reinforcement!

Level 3 & 4 Incentive: Movie Day Treat!

Students who achieved Level 3 and Level 4 earned a relaxing and entertaining movie experience!

• The Feature Presentation: Students enjoyed watching the animated hit, 'Hotel Transylvania', in the multipurpose room.

• Classic Snack: No movie is complete without popcorn! Everyone received delicious, buttery popcorn to enjoy during the film.

Keep Up the Great Work!

A huge shout-out to all our students and staff for making our school a positive and supportive learning environment. Let's continue to work together and look forward to the next round of exciting PBIS incentives!

The Timber Ridge Wolves are off to an exciting start in their indoor soccer season!
With a current record of 0–1, our athletes are already showing outstanding sportsmanship and determination. Coaches have been impressed with the team’s teamwork, effort, and positive attitudes both on and off the court.

Players are eager for the upcoming games and continue to build their skills each week during practice. Whether celebrating a great play or supporting one another after a tough moment, the Wolves embody what it means to compete with heart and integrity.

We look forward to seeing their hard work pay off as the season continues. Go Wolves!

Are you aware of any events or opportunities outside of school that might benefit some of our Timber Ridge students or families? If so, please share them with us! Please reach out to either mwagrowski@nsseo.org or nmilne@nsseo.org to help spread the word. We’d love to share any information that might help to support opportunities or resources outside of Timber Ridge!

• Monday, November 24 - Friday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
• Friday, December 19: Last day of school before Winter Break