Tomahawk Talk

Dear TIS Parents/Guardians,

As we move further into the school year, we are continuing to help our students build stamina...not only academically, but behaviorally. Stamina means staying focused, working through challenges, managing frustration, and making good choices even when we are tired or excited.

We are beginning to see an increase in behaviors that require reminders and redirection, particularly on our school buses. Please remember that the bus is an extension of the school, and all school rules and expectations still apply. Students are expected to follow driver directions, remain appropriately seated, keep hands and feet to themselves, use appropriate language, and treat others with respect.

Please take a few minutes this week to remind your child that SOAR doesn’t stop when they leave the classroom. Safety, Ownership, Attitude, and Respect matter in the hallways, cafeteria, playground, and on the bus.

Building independence and self-discipline takes practice - and when home and school reinforce the same expectations, our Eagles RISE! 🦅

In Partnership,

Dr. Ematrudo

Principal

Arrival:

- Student Drop-Off: 8:15 AM - 8:40 AM

- Students are tardy after 8:40 AM

Dismissal:

- Parent Pick-Up: 3:10 PM

- Bus Dismissal: 3:15 PM

Monday, September 21st:

• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: The Palette (selected 5th graders)
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Girls Who Run
• 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Good News Club

Tuesday, September 22nd:

• 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM: Strings

Wednesday, September 23rd:

• Fall Picture Day
• 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM: Strings
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Science Fair Success Club
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Girls Who Run

Thursday, September 24th:

• Starbase: Parks' Class
• 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM: Strings
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Student Leadership

Friday, September 25th:

• Starbase: Parks' Class

Monday, September 28th:

• Starbase: Parks' Class
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: The Palette (selected 5th graders)
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Girls Who Run
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Math Field Day (selected students)
• 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Good News Club

Tuesday, September 29th

• Joe Corbi's Fundraiser ENDS
• Starbase: Parks' Class
• 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM: Strings
• Parent Drop-Off: Grab a Drink and Donut for $5

Wednesday, September 30th:

• Starbase: Parks' Class
• 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM: Strings
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Science Fair Success Club
• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Girls Who Run

📸 Fall Picture Day is Wednesday, September 23! Individual student photos will be taken for our school yearbook and will also be available for families to purchase. No money or order forms are needed on picture day - ordering information and payment details will be shared at a later time.

n the past few days, many families have jumped in to help our fundraiser by getting registered and sending support invitations to friends & family around the country...Thank you!

To reach our goal, we need EVERY student to register online and add at least 10 contacts. Each student that gets registered will be entered to win from over 1,000 different prizes including Apple Air Pods, MacBook Pros, Visa Gift Card, and more.

Get Registered NOW at: FundPrizes.com

Thank you for your support!

This year marks an important change for our third-grade students. Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, the Third Grade Success Act includes requirements related to promotion and possible retention at the end of third grade.

At the end of the year, all third-grade students will take the West Virginia General Summative Assessment (WVGSA) in English Language Arts and Mathematics. A student who scores “Does Not Meet Standard” in ELA, mathematics, or both is considered to demonstrate minimal understanding of grade-level content. Under the Third Grade Success Act, this performance can lead to a recommendation for retention in third grade.

This makes the WVGSA especially important for our third-grade students this year. While we never want a single assessment to define a child, it is important for families to understand that third-grade WVGSA performance now has potential implications for promotion to fourth grade.

That is also why the work happening throughout the year matters. We are using student data to identify skill gaps, provide targeted reading and math intervention, monitor progress, and ensure students have opportunities to strengthen grade-level skills well before the spring assessment.

Our goal is no surprises at the end of the year. If your child has been identified with a reading or mathematics deficiency, we will continue communicating with you about progress and the supports being provided.

For our third-grade students, every instructional day matters. Attendance, effort, intervention participation, classroom learning, and building the stamina to work independently all help prepare students to demonstrate what they know on the WVGSA and be ready for fourth grade. 🦅

PASS volunteers provide academic and student support to students on a one-to-one ongoing basis, generally 30 minutes per week.

Our Destination is Graduation!

Your assistance is key to ensuring the academic success of PASS students! Sign-up TODAY to become a PASS Volunteer.

Research shows that on-going personal involvement enhances the education of students as they progress through the educational system and impacts their decision to remain in school.

A PASS volunteer may assist a student with a particular area of study or spend time talking with a student in an effort to provide encouragement and support.

The Tomahawk Social Studies Fair is coming up! Students in grades 3–5 who are interested in history, geography, people, or the world around them are encouraged to participate. Students may complete an individual or group project and will have the opportunity to build research and presentation skills along the way.

Interest and permission forms are due September 25. Interested students will meet during the school day on September 25 to learn more about the process. The Tomahawk Social Studies Fair will be held Friday, December 11, and winners will advance to the Berkeley County Social Studies Fair.

Please keep in mind that this is an independent project, not an after-school program. Students will meet several times throughout the process for guidance with research and presentation strategies, but the project itself will be completed independently. We encourage families to talk with their child about the commitment and responsibility involved before signing up.

We’re excited to see the topics our students choose to explore! Questions? Please email Mrs. Otto at botto@k12.wv.us

Start your Tuesday with a treat while supporting the Tomahawk PTO! On Tuesday, September 29, from 8:15–8:40 AM, grab an Alani energy drink AND a donut for just $5. Please bring exact cash only. All proceeds go directly to the Tomahawk PTO to support our students and school. 🦅

We know students love their Nee-Dohs, fidgets, slime, and other fun toys, but we are asking families to please help us keep these items at home. These items have become a distraction during the school day and can easily be lost, traded, damaged, or cause disagreements between students.

Unless a fidget or sensory item is specifically provided or approved by the school as part of a student’s individual needs, personal toys should not be brought to school.

Thank you for helping us keep classrooms focused on learning and prevent unnecessary distractions!

If your child misses school for a doctor’s appointment, we must receive documentation from the medical provider in order to code the absence as a medical excuse. Please remember to upload or send in the doctor’s note within three (3) days of their return to school.

Without documentation from the provider, the absence must be coded as a parent note, and families are limited to 10 parent-note excuses per school year.

Sending in that documentation helps us make sure your child’s attendance record is accurate, and keeps those parent notes available for when you really need them!

Next to starting the day with a full night’s sleep and a good breakfast, regular attendance at school or class is essential to student academic success. Students cannot learn if they are not present and prepared to learn.

Beginning Tuesday, September 8, BCS families/caregivers will receive notifications if their student has been marked absent from school. To be sure you are receiving school messages concerning your child’s attendance, please make sure your Annual Forms and Information Update is complete so we have the correct contact information.

Under WVDE Attendance Policy 410, excused absences are absences that meet approved criteria, and documentation is required within three (3) days of the student’s return to school. Excused absences may include failure of a bus to run, judicial obligations, death in the family, military obligations, medical or dental appointments with a doctor’s note, a chronic medical condition when a school meeting is required, and personal illness or injury of the student or a family member, limited to 10 days per school year. Unexcused absences include all other absences that are not approved under WVDE Attendance Policy 410, including absences related to vacation.

It is also important to understand chronic absenteeism, which occurs when a student misses 10% or more of the school year. This includes both excused and unexcused absences. Regular school attendance leads to student success, so every day in school matters.

Attendance notifications will be sent to the primary caregiver according to the following schedule:

• High and Middle school messages will be delivered at approximately 9:45 a.m.
• Elementary and Intermediate school messages will follow at approximately 10:45 a.m.

Should you have questions after receiving an attendance message, please contact your child’s school.

Drop-Off Procedures:

• Drop-off begins at 8:15 AM. Please do not arrive on school property before 8:00 AM, as staff are still arriving.

• If you are coordinating drop-offs between multiple schools and need somewhere to wait, the Hope Community Church parking area is an option.

• Drop-off ends at 8:40 AM. Students arriving after 8:40 must be signed in through the office.

• Please remain in your vehicle and follow staff directions through the designated drop-off lanes.

Late Arrivals:

• Students are considered tardy after 8:40 AM.
• If your child arrives after this time, they will need to be signed in by a parent or guardian in the school office. This helps us keep track of attendance and ensures your child's safety.
• Parents arriving after 8:40 AM will need to park in a designated parking spot and walk to the main office.

• Please do not arrive prior to 3:00 PM and wait on school property for afternoon dismissal.

• Beginning today, vehicles that arrive too early will be asked to leave and return at the appropriate time.

• If you are coordinating pick-ups between multiple schools and need somewhere to wait, the Hope Community Church parking area is an option.

• Once pick-up begins, please remain in your vehicle, display your car tag, and follow staff directions.

Note: If your child needs to be added to parent pick-up on a day they are not normally scheduled, please call the office before 2:30 PM. Last-minute changes can disrupt our dismissal procedures and may not allow enough time for the classroom teacher to receive the notification. Thank you for helping us ensure a safe and smooth dismissal for all students!

Monday, September 21

Breakfast: Egg and Cheese Breakfast Wrap

Lunch: Tangerine Chicken OR Cheese Lasagna Roll-up with Garlic Toast

Tuesday, September 22

Breakfast: Cinnamon Glazed Pancakes

Lunch: Cheeseburger OR Side Salad and Cheesy Breadstick

Wednesday, September 23

Breakfast: Cereal

Lunch: Popcorn Chicken OR Cheesy Pull Apart Bread

Thursday, September 24

Breakfast: Turkey Sausage & Egg Bagel

Lunch: BCS Loaded Nachos OR Cheese Quesadilla with Guacamole

Friday, September 25

Breakfast: Blueberry, Powdered OR Chocolate Donut Holes

Lunch: Whole Grain Chicken Nuggets OR Pizza

Monday, September 28

Breakfast: Banana, Blueberry, Lemon OR Pumpkin Bread

Lunch: Breaded Chicken Tenders OR Cheese Lasagna Roll-up

Tuesday, September 29

Breakfast: Cinnamon, Blueberry, Maple OR Confetti Snack N Waffle

Lunch: Salisbury Steak with Brown Gravy OR Side Salad with Cheesy Breadstick

Wednesday, September 30

Breakfast: Whole Grain Cinnamon Roll

Lunch: French Toast Sticks w/ Three Cheese Egg Bit OR Cheesy Pull Apart Bread

Has your child's emergency contact information changed? Does your child have allergies, require medication at school, or have special dietary or medical needs? Keeping this information up to date helps us provide the best care and respond quickly in the event of an emergency.

Parents/caregivers of all Berkeley County Schools students are required to complete an Annual Forms & Information Update each school year. Please submit one update for each student, even if your information has not changed. To save time, use the "Fill Again" option at the end of the form to pre-fill information from your previous submission.

What's Included

✅ Student Information
✅ Home Language Survey
✅ Emergency Contacts
✅ Medical Information
✅ Special Dietary Needs
✅ Special Education Services
✅ Photo & Media Release
✅ Parent Permissions
✅ Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement

✅ Student Handbook Acknowledgement

Students are not permitted to use cell phones during the school day. **Cell phones should be powered off and in the student’s backpack at all times.* We also do not allow students to use smartwatches for communication purposes during the school day. Students who violate these expectations will receive consequences based on the BCS discipline matrix and parents/guardians will be asked to pick-up the device.

Our main office will contact parents/guardians if there is an emergency or for any other necessary reason. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Minors:

*Classroom-managed behaviors. Teachers will provide verbal warnings, redirect students, remind them of expectations, re-teach behaviors, and inform parents of minor incidents. Consequences may include: loss of recess time, lunch detention, loss of privileges, referral to school counselor, etc. Repeated violations of minor behaviors will become major offenses (habitual violation of school rules).

Examples of minor behaviors:

• yelling out

• out of seat

• inattentive behavior

• interrupting instruction

• minor disrespect

• talking during instruction

• minor peer to peer conflict

• name calling (non-Title IX)

• inappropriate language

• invading personal space

• touching another student WITHOUT intent to harm

• rough play

• refusing to open a book, complete an assignment, work with another student, work in a group, take a test, or do any other class – or school-related activity not listed herein.

Majors:

*Administrator-managed behaviors. Possible consequences include: in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, lunch detention, loss of privileges, referral to school counselor, etc.

Examples of major behaviors:

• Bullying/Harassment/Intimidation: A student will not bully/intimidate/harass another student. According to W. Va. Code §18-2C-2, “harassment, intimidation or bullying” means any intentional gesture, or any intentional electronic, written, verbal or physical act, communication, transmission or threat that:

• A reasonable person under the circumstances should know will have the effect of harming a student, damaging a student’s property, placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person, and/or placing a student in reasonable fear of damage to his or her property;

• Is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening or emotionally abusive educational environment for a student; or

• Disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school.

• Disrespectful Conduct Toward Peers or Staff: done with intent to harm and/or repetitive. Note: repetitive behavior may be defined as bullying. Major disrespect includes: screaming, throwing items (chair, desk, sharp object, etc. with intent to hit peer or staff), or profane language indecent act/gesture.

•False Fire Alarm: setting-off the fire alarm knowingly and willingly without cause.

• Habitual Violation of School Rules: evidence of previous interventions; minimum of 2 prior parent conferences (phone or in-person). Student’s behavior is consistently impeding on the learning of others.

• Physical Fight with Intent: Engaging in a physical altercation using blows with intent to harm or overpower another person or persons.

• Possession/Use of Weapon: As defined in WV Code §61-7-2, a “dangerous weapon” means any device intended to cause injury or bodily harm, any device used in a threatening manner that could cause injury or bodily harm, or any device that is primarily used for self-protection. Dangerous weapons include, but are not limited to, blackjack, gravity knife, knife, knifelike implement, switchblade knife, nunchaku, metallic or false knuckles, pistol, or revolver. A dangerous weapon may also include the use of a legitimate tool, instrument, or equipment as a weapon including, but not limited to, pens, pencils, compasses, or combs, with the intent to harm another.

• Sexual Misconduct: Exposing oneself publicly and indecently, displaying or transmitting any drawing or photograph of a sexual nature, or committing an indecent act of a sexual nature on school property, or on a school bus, or at a school sponsored event.

• Technology Misuse: Violating WV Code 126CSR41, WVDE Policy 2460, Educational Purpose and Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources, Technologies and the Internet.

• Threat to a Student or Staff Member: Severely disruptive, imminently dangerous, illegal, and/or aggressive behaviors are willfully committed and are known to be illegal and/or harmful to people and/or property. The inappropriate behaviors include, but are not limited to: verbal, written, electronic and/or illustrative communications intended to offend and/or humiliate.

• Use/Possession of Tobacco Product: usage or possession of tobacco products on school property (cigarettes, vapes, jewels, chewing tobacco, etc.).

• Vandalism: • done with intent and/or cannot be easily cleaned or repaired.

If you need to contact us, please call the office at 304. 754.3171 or email the following personnel:

- Dr. Ematrudo, Principal: kematrudo@k12.wv.us

- Ms. Aliveto, Assistant Principal: cari.aliveto@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Ponton, Student Assistance Facilitator: mponton@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Locke, School Nurse: kimberly.locke@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Kline, Finance: ekline@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Boyd, School Counselor: megan.boyd@k12.wv.us

- Ms. Thomas, School Counselor: katlyn.thomas@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Kercheval, Registrar: kimberly.kercheval@k12.wv.us