Principal's Message...
As we mentioned above, the Virtual Lovefest is this Thursday. Details are below. In addition, we have lots of updates below from making your iPad more effective to Black History Month Resources and Free COVID testing. Check out all the good stuff and be sure to sign up here for the upcoming Lovefest, February 11th. There will be a 60s costume/virtual background contest, a super fun craft, along with a game, of course, prizes, and lots of fun. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out at (714) 430-2052 ext. 52103 or efineberg@tustin.k12.ca.us
Mr. Fineberg
Valentine's Day Lovefest
The PTA and Mr. Fineberg invite you to a schoolwide Valentine Social online party. The 60s themed “Lovefest” is coming up on Thursday, February 11th at 5:30 for Elementary School, 6:00 for Middle School, and 6:30 for High School.
Elementary and Middle School
There will be prizes for best costume/virtual background, games, and a craft project. You can attend by using this link to RSVP. Craft kits will be available for pickup in front of both the B Street and San Juan Street offices beginning this Wednesday up until the event on Thursday. Please make sure to check the sign to pick up the correct craft kit. The projects were designed for each age group. The Costume/Virtual Background contest will be judged on the best spirit and style for the combined Costume and Virtual/Real Background. You can make it 60s or Valentine's themed. Your teachers and Mr. Fineberg will be observing everyone and pick the top one or two to honor.
High School
Our Leadership Class and Mr. Fineberg are planning an awesome night of games. Please RSVP to be sure to join in on the fun! There will be prizes and extra credit available! You don't want to miss it.
Elementary Information
Mark Your Calendars: Dr. Seuss Read Across America is coming March 2nd. If you'd like to get a sneak peek at some of the great resources and ideas, check out this website.
iPad Issues?: Many of the recent iPad issues (apps freezing or auto-closing, apps not auto-updated, etc.) have been traced back to iPads running out of storage space. Please delete unnecessary files and apps to free up space for school-related apps to update and function properly.
3rd Trimester Student Learning Survey: On Monday morning, you'll receive a link via email to the survey. You will have the opportunity to make your preference for either In-Person or Virtual Learning for the 3rd trimester. The survey will be open from Monday, February 8th through Tuesday, February 16th.
Middle School Information
iPad Issues?: Many of the recent iPad issues (apps freezing or auto-closing, apps not auto-updated, etc.) have been traced back to iPads running out of storage space. Please delete unnecessary files and apps to free up space for school-related apps to update and function properly.
SORA Spotlight Black History Month: Check out these great titles on SORA for Black History Month.
SORA Spotlight (Middle School - Black History Month)
Math 6/7 Families: English Version Spanish Version
Math 8 Families: English Version Spanish Version
Algebra 1 Families: English Version Spanish Version
High School Information
SORA Spotlight (High School - Black History Month)
Summer CTE Internship for Rising Seniors: The TUSD CTE Summer Internship Program will be launched this summer. This exploratory opportunity will be for rising Seniors in the summer of 2021. See the flyer for more information.
Parent Night for our Free Online 24/7 Tutoring: All parents are invited to attend a free Parent Night Hosted by Paper, our tutoring provider. These are open for any parent to attend to learn more about the free online tutoring available 24/7 by Paper. These events are NOT exclusive to Tustin Unified, so parents from all over will be in attendance.
Feb. 9th at 3 pm Zoom Link to event
Feb. 9th at 6 pm Zoom Link to event
No Cost COVID Testing for In-Person Attending Students
Tustin USD is excited to announce no-cost COVID testing on a voluntary basis for all students who attend in-person for either hybrid learning, extracurriculars or athletics (flyer below). TUSD has partnered with LivingFit Nation to provide this opportunity on February 10 and 11 and will be hosted at two different locations in TUSD.
Here are the details:
- No cost
- February 10, 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Two locations: Estock Elementary 2/10 and Beckman High on 2/11
- The flyers have links with information on how to register and schedule your time for the two dates/locations
- Walk-ins will only be accepted after 3:30
- On your scheduled day, park and look for the pop-up tents set up in the parking lot
- Lab results are provided within 48 hours
- Students do not need to quarantine after voluntary testing
The TUSD Board of Education is committed to student and staff safety and is offering no-cost testing to help prevent the spread of the virus. TUSD strongly encourages you to take advantage of this opportunity.
Vision and Hearing Update
Mandated Hearing and Vision will not be completed in the usual manner this school year.
Please see the “20/21 Mandated Hearing and Vision Screening Update” document which provides educational information to parents to help them identify potential problems with their child’s hearing or vision.
Parents are encouraged to contact their health care provider, or call the school to arrange for screening with the school nurse, if they suspect there is a problem.
Virtual Musical Theater Classes: Registration Now Open
For parents and students of students ages 9-18: Sergestrom Center is offering an upcoming series of Virtual Musical Theater Classes taking place in February. Registration is now open and classes are first-come, first-served with limited space available. Use the link below to register as soon as possible to guarantee a spot for your student.
The February series includes a total of five live, online classes in musical theater, acting, and dance, and tuition for all five classes is $150. Classes range from 60-75 minutes and are taught live online by some of the industry's leading professional artists and educators. The February session dates, times, and registration are available through this link.
CLICK HERE to register today!
K-12 Digital Books Resource Spotlight
Tustin Unified has a growing collection of over 750 read-along titles available in Sora.
Read-alongs are a great way for students to experience picture books, beginning readers, and easy non-fiction in an eBook format with professionally recorded narration that plays while they read. Read-along features include:
Narration that you can start and stop
Text highlighting so the reader can follow along
Automatic page-turning and speed control
You can find read-alongs by logging into Sora through Clever, select Explore and look for the featured Fiction and Non-Fiction Read-Along collections!
Questions? Visit the TUSD Library Service eBooks & Audiobooks webpage OR contact your site library staff.
Important Upcoming Dates
K-5 Elementary Student Learning Survey: February 8th-16th
TC Virtual Lovefest: Thursday, February 11th 5:30 Elementary, 6 pm Middle, 6:30 High
President's Day Holidays(No School): Friday, February 12th, and Monday, February 15th
K-5 Trimester Ends: February 26th
Read Across America: March 2nd
6-12 Quarter 3 Ends: March 12th
PTA General Membership Meeting: Wednesday, February 3rd at 7 pm
Counselor Corner
Social-Emotional Learning at Home:
Topic: Flexible Thinking
Grade 6-12: 24/7 Virtual Tutoring for all Tustin Connect Students
That's right, all TC students have access to this terrific resource. Take a moment to check it out! It's terrific.
Paper/Grade Slam: Don't forget to use this 24/7 free tutoring service! You can even use it for college essay review and SAT and ACT prep. Here are links to a few resources.
How Do Students Use PAPER's Essay Review?
TUSD's School Opening & Safety Plan
The health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority as they return to school. When the new school year begins, the on-campus school will look much different than previous years due to new health and safety measures.
Tustin Unified has created a School Opening and Safety Plan that addresses how schools will meet the needs of students in the coming school year. The plan to reopen schools is based on current guidance from public health officials, state agencies, as well as your valuable input from the recent parent survey, and will be updated as the situation evolves. As a result, TUSD has put together two options that will address social-distancing requirements to keep TUSD students and staff safe while also supporting student learning.
For the 2020-21 academic year, Tustin Unified will provide families a choice of two instructional options, including the hybrid model – a blend of in-person and remote learning, and Tustin Connect (K-12) – 100% online virtual school with optional in-person instruction.
The TUSD School Opening and Safety Plan (English linked, Spanish below) covers the many procedures and protocols that are being put in place for a successful and safe reopening. The plan can also be found on the TUSD website at https://www.tustin.k12.ca.us.
PLAN DE SEGURIDAD Y APERTURA DE ESCUELAS PARA EL AÑO ESCOLAR 2020-21
Our Mission
Email: efineberg@tustin.k12.ca.us
Website: www.tustinconnect.org
Location: (K-8) 14741 North B Street; (9-12) 1151 San Juan Street
Phone: (714) 430-2052
Twitter: @tustinconnect