News From the Ranch
February 22, 2026, Vol. 1, Issue 27
Dear TRE Family,
The highlight of the week was our amazing 3rd grade Wax Museum. Our TRE students did an awesome job researching, preparing speeches and posters, and presenting live at the Wax Museum. The energy in the MPR with our families joining us was amazing! Families, thank you for joining us and celebrating all of their hard work. Way to go 3rd grade Cool Coyotes!
As we close out the 2nd trimester, teachers are preparing for our upcoming Conference Week and student report cards. Please be on the lookout for communication regarding conferences. Not all families will have a conference for Spring Conferences. Teachers will reach out and make appointments with those they would like to meet with. If you have any questions, please connect with your child's teacher.
Highlights in this week's newsletter...
- Important Dates / Events
- Weekly Picture Highlights
- TRE Spirit Wear
- PTA Updates
- TUSD Community Updates
In partnership,
Mrs. Ciecek
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, Feb 23: Motivational Monday
Tuesday, Feb 24: Fit PE Wear
Wednesday, Feb 25: Early Dismissal
Thursday, Feb 26: Thoughtful Thursday
Music (Grades 2-5)
PTA Family Restaurant Night @Shake Shack
Friday, Feb 27: Wear TRE Spirit Wear
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Upcoming Events
Mar 2-6: Book Fair (NEED volunteers, see sign-up below)
Mar 2: Read Across America Day & Family Reading Night @TRE (4:45-6:00 PM) *Book Fair open
Mar 9-13: Spring Conference Week (K-5 minimum days all week)
Mar 13: Report Cards come home & available in Aeries
March 18: Learning Celebration & 30 Year Anniversary Celebration
April 27-May 1: TK Spring Conference Week (minimum days all week for TK only)
PICTURE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK
FAMILY READING NIGHT
BOOK FAIR will be open in the library as well. Come join us for some shopping or volunteer to help keep the book fair open that night! Happy reading!
LOST & FOUND
Please check the Lost & Found this week. PAL students helped to organize the clothes on hangers and items on tables to make it easier to sort through. We will be donating items after Friday, February 27th. We have LOTS of items in Lost & Found right now, located by the MPR and front green gates.
LCAP
Dear TUSD Families,
At Tustin Unified, we value your voice! Your input is essential as we set goals and actions for the 2026-27 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).
The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) guides how California distributes state funding to school districts, ensuring resources support both core and supplemental programs. The LCAP serves as a vital tool for transparency and community engagement in this process. You can explore the current Board Approved 2025-26 LCAP on our district website.
As we plan for the upcoming 2026-27 school year, we want to hear from you! Your feedback will help shape district priorities and guide updates to our LCAP. Please take a few moments to complete the 2026-27 LCAP Survey and share what matters most in your child’s education. The LCAP Survey was sent via Parent Square to all families.
We encourage all families to participate by April 11, 2026. If you have any questions, please contact the Educational Services Department.
With appreciation,
Stephanie Yang, Ed.D.
Director of Educational Services
Tustin Unified School District
2026-27 TUSD Enrollment Opens for Incoming Students
Enrollment opens Monday, February 2 for the 2026-27 school year. Students new to TUSD for the 2026-27 school year can visit our website to begin the enrollment process. Enrollment includes our application, required documents and forms.
Transitional Kindergarteners (TK) should enroll at their resident school by March 10 to be considered for priority enrollment. TK spots are limited.
For more information and to access our enrollment process, please visit the enrollment page on our website. For enrollment at TRE, email Sumitra Vittal (svittal@tustin.k12.ca.us) to make an enrollment appointment.
SPIRIT WEAR
This year TRE spirit wear will be available all year long on our BSN Sports webstore. Click HERE to explore all the awesome TRE spirit wear options with lots of customization available.
MESSAGES FROM PTA
BOOK FAIR IS COMING | MARCH 2-6
Please review the Book Fair Homepage for more information and to set up an e-wallet for your child to making shopping easier. Students will visit the Book Fair the week of March 2-6 during their usual library time. In addition to classroom visits, the Book Fair will be open for shopping on Monday, March 2nd during Family Reading Night, Wednesday for after school shopping (1:00-2:30 PM), and on Friday at recess times (only for those who have money or an e-wallet). THIS Book Fair flyer went home in Friday Folders this week.
We are in need of VOLUNTEERS to run the Book Fair. It takes a village to put on this awesome event for our students. Please join us for one or more volunteer time slots. Volunteer Sign-Up
FAMILY RESTAURANT NIGHT ~ SHAKE SHACK (2/25)
2026-2027 PTA BOARD
Our amazing TRE PTA is currently looking for parents to serve on the PTA board for the 2026-2027 school year. Below is a brief overview of each position and the time commitments of meetings.
- President
- Oversees the board and leads the PTA
- VP Ways & Means
- Leads all fundraising: Paws for a Cause, schedules restaurant nights, etc.
- VP Programs
- Coordinates w/event chairs to plan PTA events (movie night, trunk or treat, art, etc.)
- Secretary
- Takes minutes at all meetings
- Treasurer
- Handles bookkeeping and finances
- Financial Secretary
- Counts and deposits all money
- Historian
- Schedules volunteers and counts monthly volunteer hours
In addition to specific job responsibilities, board members attend monthly board meetings (in the evening, around 1 hour in length) and 5 association meetings (after school and about 1 hour in length).
If you are interested or have questions please email:
EARN & LEARN SCHOOL REWARDS
The class with the most Earn & Learn receipts submitted by 2/23/26 will win a class PIZZA PARTY at lunch! Let's turn those receipts in. TRE is still currently in 2nd Place. Let's get us to 1st Place for an even bigger donation prize to TRE PTA!
PURCHASE A YEARBOOK
New Year, New price! Support our PTA by ordering your child a Yearbook!
Every book purchase includes 2 FREE custom personalized pages -- create your child's, today!
Click the link to purchase: https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1017595149583332
Don't forget to upload your school event pictures, for the Yearbook Committee to use in the book! Upload School Photos" under your Yearbook To Do's in the App!
MARQUEE MESSAGE
TUSD COMMUNITY UPDATES
FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT @ TUSTIN HS
Family Literacy Night @ Tustin High School - Tuesday, March 3rd 5:00-6:30 pm
THS teacher and author, Deisy Castañeda-Price, will read her book The Wonder in Me, and lead a family activity. The book is ideal for ages 5-8 and has belonging as its theme. We will give five free copies of the book at the event, and everyone will take home a learning kit!
CalFresh ENROLLMENT EVENT IN TUSD
Families are invited to join in any of the upcoming CalFresh Enrollment Events at the various schools in Tustin Unified School District. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged. Here is the link to sign up for appointments - CalFresh Enrollment Appointments
TUSTIN FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
The newly opened Family Resource Center in Old Town Tustin offers support and resources to families, including free enrollment assistance to help individuals and families access quality healthcare, coverage and essential support programs. This includes Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, Covered California and more. Bilingual navigators are available.
TPSF Summer Academy
Class registration opens March 2, 2026 7:00 AM
TPSF Summer Academy offers two to four-week half-day sessions for Kindergarten through High School. After-class care is available directly through the school's site. Busing is offered from several school sites for a nominal fee. TPSF will be at Pioneer Middle School this summer.
TPSF Summer Academy Promo Video.
Summer Academy 2026:
June 8-18 (Monday - Thursday)
June 22 - July 2 (Monday - Thursday)
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
DINO DASH LOGO DESIGN CONTEST
TPSF is sponsoring the Dino Dash 2026 logo contest for middle and high school students in TUSD. Students have an opportunity to design a logo for the 2026 Dino Dash. The winning logo will be selected by the Dino Dash Steering Committee. View all guidelines and rules at dinosaurdash.net.
- The winning artist will receive a $500 prize!
- The winning artist’s teacher/department will receive a $500 prize!
- The design is due to TPSF by February 28, 2026!
All submissions are due to TPSF online by February 28, 2026. Please make sure everyone gets this information. Thank you and good luck!
NEWS FROM THE RANCH ARCHIVE
Click HERE to access an archive of all 2025-2026 News From the Ranch Weekly Newsletters
Tustin Ranch Elementary
Principal: Michelle Ciecek, dciecek@tustin.k12.ca.us
Secretary: Sumitra Vittal, svittal@tustin.k12.ca.us
Office Assistant: Karen Dillon, kdillon@tustin.k12.ca.us
Community Liason: Lupe Inutan, ginutan@tustin.k12.ca.us
Community Specialist: Maura Vaughn, mvaughn@tustin.k12.ca.us
Health Clerk: Victoria Lawrence, vlawrence@tustin.k12.ca.us
Website: https://www.tustin.k12.ca.us/tustin-ranch
Location: 12950 Robinson Drive, Tustin, CA, USA
Phone: (714)730-7580
Twitter: @trecoolcoyotes
TUSD Nondiscrimination Satement
The Tustin Unified School District prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment) or bullying based on a person’s actual or perceived ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, immigration status, national origin, religion, race or ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For questions or complaints, please contact Equity Compliance Officer: Stephanie Yang, Director Educational Service TK-12, 300 S. C Street Tustin, CA 92780, 714-730-7301 ext. 51318 | Title IX Coordinator: Stephanie Yang, Director Educational Service TK-12, 300 S. C Street Tustin, CA 92780, syang@tustin.k12.ca.us, 714-730-7301 ext. 51318 and Section 504 Coordinator: Michelle Everitt, Coordinator of Student Services, 1151 San Juan St. Tustin, CA 92780, 714-730-7301 ext. 51326.