TOQUAM'S: AUGUST UPDATES

Welcome back, Toquam Elementary parents!

We hope you and your children had a wonderful and relaxing summer. The new school year is just around the corner, and we are so excited to welcome our students back!

As we prepare for another great year of learning and growth, we want to invite you to our annual welcome-back event. Our strong home-to-school partnership is a huge part of what makes our school community so special. We invite all families to join us for a STAFF versus PARENTS volleyball game and a free pizza truck lunch on Thursday, August 21st, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. It's a great opportunity to connect with other families and our amazing staff.

We also want to remind everyone about the importance of getting our scholars back into a healthy school routine. Starting now, you can help by getting them into the rhythm of going to bed and waking up early. This will help ensure they are rested and ready to learn each day.

We can't wait to see you on Thursday for some pizza, volleyball, and fun!

In partnership,

Principal Brooks

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27 IS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL... 😍🥰😘

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OUR CHILDREN. PARENTS PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD KNOWS HOW THEY ARE GETTING HOME. PLEASE PUT YOUR CHILD'S NAME ON EVERYTHING AS WELL AS YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

SEE YOU SOON-

PRINCIPAL BROOKS

Please join us on Thursday, April 21st from 12pm - 2pm for pizza at Toquam! We will also have a staff vs. parents volleyball game at 1pm! Please see flyer below for details!

On August 26th from 9am - 11am, please stop by and meet your child's teacher, and drop off supplies, change of clothes, and medication for the nurse. Parents, please bring your children so they know how to get to their classroom on the first day of school.

SPS will provide Universal feeding to all students.

2025-26 School Calendars, and Bus Assignments

Just a reminder that you can view and download the updated 2025-26 SPS Calendar in English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole and Ukrainian on our website. As you begin to make childcare arrangements and other plans, please take a moment to note school holidays and early release days, including the new dates for parent teacher conferences.

Teacher assignments (K-5) will be available in PowerSchool by 6 pm on Wednesday, August 20.

Bus assignments for students who qualify for bus transportation will be available in PowerSchool beginning on Friday, August 22 at 5 pm.

Transportation information for the 2025-26 school year will be available on Friday evening, August 22. Bus assignments for returning students or new students who registered before August 13 will be posted in PowerSchool at that time. Bus routes by school will be posted on the website by Monday, August 25.

Please note, bus routes are adjusted annually based on projected enrollment and the home addresses provided by parents. Bus routes, bus numbers, bus stop locations, and pickup/drop-off times are subject to change annually.

New Bus Tracking App for 2025-26: First Student, the SPS Bus Transportation vendor, has launched FirstView 1.0, an updated mobile application for tracking your child’s bus. Parents must download and install FirstView 1.0 for iOS or Android AND create a FirstView 1.0 account to track their child’s bus in 2025-26. The previous First View app has been disabled. The FirstView 1.0 District Code for Stamford Public Schools is: H2Z4S. You must enter this code to create an account. Download the parent registration guide (English) (Spanish) for detailed instructions with graphics.

DID YOU KNOW? •

Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school. • Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.

• Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.

• Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.

• Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in life.

• Thursday, August 21st : 12noon-2pm: Pizza Truck & Volleyball Game @ Toquam (Bus transportation available: Pick up at Domus, 12noon and return at 2pm)
• Friday, August 26th: Kindergarten Orientation: 8am -10am...
• Tuesday, August 26th: 9:00am-11am: Meet & Greet (meet your child's teacher, drop off supplies, spare change of clothes, and medication to the nurse)
• Wednesday, August 27th, First Day of School

Our goal is to be kind and considerate to our neighbors with the amount of traffic on Ridgewood during drop-off and pick-up. We ask you to follow the following rules:

• PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE 🚩
• DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
• STAFF WILL OPEN PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FOR STUDENTS TO EXIT VEHICLE
• PUT CAR SEATS ON DRIVER SIDE
• STUDENTS CAN ENTER THE BUILDING AT 8:30AM
• FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF STAFF MEMBERS
• BE CONSIDERATE & KIND
• BE ON TIME 🙂

Cooperative Educational Services (CES) will provide in district support to Stamford students. We welcome them to our campus. Welcome to Toquam!!!😃

Are you ready to make a real difference in our school community? The Toquam Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) is looking for passionate and dedicated parents and guardians like you to help us make this school year the best one yet!

The PTO plays a vital role in supporting our students, teachers, and staff. We organize fun events, fundraise for important school initiatives, and create a strong, connected community for our families. Your involvement, whether big or small, directly enriches the educational experience for every child at Toquam.

We need your unique skills, ideas, and energy! Whether you're a master planner, a creative thinker, or just have a few hours to spare, there's a place for you on our team. By joining the PTO, you'll get an insider's look at what's happening at Toquam and have a direct hand in shaping our school's future.

Interested in learning more? Please look for our table at the upcoming Meet & Greet event on August 26th from 9-11am.

Let's work together to make this a year of incredible success and unforgettable memories for our kids. We can't wait to welcome you!

Families are strongly encouraged to review the 2025-26 SPS Family Guide which is available in English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole, and Ukrainian. This guide provides an overview of topics important to all families, including curriculum and assessments; attendance and absences; behavior and discipline; bus transportation; closings and delays; health and wellness; magnet schools; meals; parent involvement; personnel; school registration; safety and security; student data; and more. 😉