Trask Family Newsletter
Week of 10/12/2026
Principal Update
Trask Families,
I hope everyone had a great weekend and stayed dry! Here's this week's newsletter. We have several updates, so please review them as a family. https://app.smore.com/n/hm91r
- IT'S BOOK FAIR WEEK!!! Create a Book Fair eWallet for your child NOW so they can shop cash-free, worry-free, and independently! It’s easy to set up and easy for others to contribute funds! Visit our fair page to set up your eWallet, preview the fair, and pre-order the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid!
- Throughout the year, students in grades 6–8 will take six NC Check-Ins: three in ELA and three in math; 8th graders will also take three in science, and 6th and 7th graders will take county science assessments. Dates are listed below. Please make sure your child arrives on time, and note that our schedule changes on testing days: the entire school tests at once, so early check-outs will not be available until testing is complete. Thank you for helping us protect the testing environment for every student. Our first ELA check-in is 10/20/26!
- We have been made aware that many of our emails are going into families' Junk/Spam folders. Please check those folders to ensure you aren't missing any important updates or information from our teachers and staff.
- Please Keep Toys and Fidget Items at Home. We’ve seen an increase in students bringing fidgets, squishies, stuffed animals, Tech Decks, and backpack tags to school. These items are being lost, broken, and argued over, and they’ve become a distraction from learning. Starting now, please keep these items at home. If a student brings one, we’ll ask them to put it away. If it continues, we’ll hold it and ask a parent to pick it up from the front office. Exception: if a fidget tool is written into your child’s IEP, 504, or behavior plan, that stays in place. Those are supports, not toys. Two things that would help: please check backpacks before school, and please don’t send anything your child would be upset to lose.
- Our community partners have informed us that more and more parents are using their parking lots for student drop-off and pick-up. This is making it difficult for them to serve their own customers and run their businesses. These partners work closely with us and support our school in many ways. We owe them the same respect. Please use our on-campus drop-off and pick-up routines. We know the lines can be slow, and we appreciate your patience, but our neighbors’ lots are not an alternative.
- PowderPuff is Friday 10/16 @ 4:00! Come out and support our 7th- and 8th-grade girls as they face off in a flag football game. Tickets are $5 at the gate. We will not accept Fan Club or Family Passes for entry. Our very own Coach Wilson will have her food truck, Taste of Taylor's, on site selling delicious food!
Have a great week!
Ms. Clark
Check your kids bag!
Over the past several weeks we’ve seen an increase in students bringing fidgets, squishies, stuffed animals, Tech Decks, and collectible tags for backpacks to school. What started as a few items has turned into something closer to a trend, and it’s causing real problems.
These items are being lost, broken, traded, and taken. Students are arguing over them, and valuable instructional time is going toward sorting out disputes that didn’t need to happen. They’ve also become a status symbol, which puts pressure on families and leaves some students feeling left out.
Beginning now, we’re asking that these items stay at home. If a student brings one, we’ll first ask them to put it away. If it continues, we’ll hold the item and ask a parent or guardian to pick it up from the front office.
One important exception: if a fidget tool is written into your child’s IEP, 504, or behavior plan, that remains in place. Those are supports, not toys, and your child will continue to have access to them.
Two things that would help us:
Please check backpacks before school.
Please don’t send anything to school that your child would be upset to lose. Middle school is a busy building with a lot of movement, and we can’t guarantee the safety of personal belongings. If it matters to your family, it’s safer at home.
Please use our drop off and pick up!
Our community partners have informed us that more and more parents are using their parking lots for student drop-off and pick-up. This is making it difficult for them to serve their own customers and run their businesses. These partners work closely with us and support our school in many ways. We owe them the same respect. Please use our on-campus drop-off and pick-up routines. We know the lines can be slow, and we appreciate your patience, but our neighbors’ lots are not an alternative.
Media Center Newsletter
Click here to check out the latest news from the Trask Library!!
Crossfire PTA Event!
We can’t wait for anther fun-filled family night at Crossfire! Pre order your tickets now before it sells out! Select Family Day event and choose October 23. Tickets purchased for these dates benefit Trask. Order here https://sportscarnival.com/.../crossfire.../schedules/1811
Scholastic Book Fair!
The Scholastic Book Fair will be here October 12th-16th! Create a Book Fair eWallet for your child NOW so they can shop cash-free, worry-free, and independently! It’s easy to set up and easy for others to contribute funds! Visit our fair page to set up your eWallet, preview the fair, and pre-order the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid!
Check your spam/junk folders!
Upcoming days off
Mark your calendars! No School
10/26/26
11/3/26
11/25-11/27
Rock Painting Club!
SPIRIT ROCK!
We are excited to offer families an opportunity to paint our rock to celebrate birthdays, accomplishments, business partners and events! Tell us what you want to celebrate and the design you plan on painting, select a date, and pay the fee using the link provided. Rock fees benefit Trask PTA which provides support and celebrations to all staff and students at Trask.
Rock Rental Fee: $25 (Sunday-Wednesday or Wednesday-Sunday) Please pay within three days of sign up here:
Here is a link to the Rock Sign Up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094FA8AE2AA5FFC52-65302076-paint
Upcoming Assessments!
Throughout the year, students in grades 6–8 will take six NC Check-Ins; three in ELA and three in math, with 8th graders also taking three in science and our 6th and 7th graders taking county science assessments. Dates are listed below. Please make sure your child arrives on time, and note that our schedule changes on testing days: the entire school tests at once, so early check-outs will not be available until testing is complete. Thank you for helping us protect the testing environment for every student.
ELA- 10/20/26
- 1/14/27
- 4/20/27
Math
- 11/17/26
- 2/17/27
- 4/21/27
Science
- 12/1/26
- 3/10/27
- 5/11/27
All County/State Arts Dates!
- 10/15
- 10/16
Orchestra
- 10/19
- 10/23
- 10/24
Orchestra Concert!
Mark those calendars for our first orchestra concert for the year!
10/20/26 in the Trask Cafe @6:00 PM
Upcoming Field Trips
7th Grade
- CLDA 10/22
Content Specific
- CTE Girls in Tech 10/22
End Of Grading Period
Parent & Caregiver Academy Events
Click the icon for details on each event:
October 19 | ML Literacy Parent Night (K-2 Families)
October 20 | ML Literacy Parent Night (Grades 3-5 Families)
October 22 | College & Career Planning Night
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
October 12, 2026 Digital Citizenship
Unity Day 2026
Breakfast and lunch menus
Sold Out Youth Foundation
NHCS will once again partner with the Sold Out Youth Program to provide fentanyl and substance abuse prevention education for students. On October 19, students @ Trask will participate in a lesson & be invited to pledge to stay alcohol- & drug-free, support healthy choices, and share their commitment with a parent or guardian. Parents are encouraged to review the parent letter for more information. (Spanish version).
Holiday Cards for Troops
A long-standing Trask tradition is spreading holiday cheer to military service members who are away from home during the holidays.
🪖 Students will create cards to thank and encourage our troops.
🎖️ We're collecting donations of holiday cards, stickers, cardstock, and other paper supplies.
⭐ Please send donations to your child's homeroom teacher (no glitter items)
Thank you for helping our students continue this meaningful tradition of kindness, gratitude, and service!
Trask Athletics
Tuesday:
Softball @ Williston
Cross Country @ Long Leaf Park
Wednesday:
Football @ Holly Shelter
Thursday:
Softball vs Holly Shelter (Shields)
Newsletter Updates:
PowderPuff is Friday 10/16 @ 4:00! Come out and support our 7th and 8th grade girls face off in a flag football game. Tickets can be purchased at the gate from $5. No Fan Club or Family Passes will be accepted as entry. Our very own, Coach Wilson will have her food truck, Taste of Taylor's, on site selling delicious food!
Q2 Tryouts start the week of 10/19. ALL students must have all of their paperwork completed in DragonFly by Wednesday 10/14 or it may prevent your child from trying out on the first day. No paper copies will be accepted.
Tryout Schedule:
🏀 Boys Basketball:
• 10/19: 6th Grade
• 10/20: 7th Grade
• 10/21: 8th Grade & 6th/7th Callbacks
• 10/22: Final Callbacks
⚽ Girls Soccer:
• 10/23: All Grades
• 10/27: All Grades
Thank you families for all of your support in making our Athletics Fundraiser a huge success!
Upcoming Dates:
10/14- Dragonfly Paperwork is due
10/16- PowderPuff @ 4:00
10/19- Boys Basketball tryouts begin
10/23- Girls soccer tryouts begin
10/28- Mandatory Q2 Sports Parent Meeting
PowderPuff 10/16 @ 4:00
Boys Basketball and Girls Soccer Tryout Schedule
Please pay close attention to the dates so your child attends on the correct date.
DragonFly Paperwork is due WEDNESDAY 10/14
DragonFly Paperwork is due WEDNESDAY 10/14 for boys basketball and girls soccer
Upcoming Dates
NHCS School Calendar English Spanish
October
10/12-10/16 BOOK FAIR!
10/15 Earthquake drill (10:15 am)
10/16 Powderpuff Game after school!
10/19 All County Orchestra
10/20 Full School ELA NCCI check in 1
10/21 - UNITY DAY - WEAR ORANGE!
10/22 7th grade CLDA trip #1
10/23 PTA Crossfire night fundraiser
10/23 End of grading period
10/23 All County Orchestra
10/24 All County Orchestra
10/26 Designated teacher workday - No School for students
10/27-10/30 SPIRIT WEEK!!!!
10/28 SIT meeting 3:45
10/29 Report cards sent home with students
November
11/2 STEAM NIGHT! 5:00-6:30! BIG SCHOOL EVENT!!!!!
11/3 No School - Undesignated workday
11/5 Pic Retakes
11/11 No School Veterans Day
11/16 SIT Team 3:45
11/17 NCCI Math 6-8 and Math 1
11/18 CTE Field Trip - Oatman
11/19 CTE Field Trip - French
11/23 ESL Field Trip
11/23 All County Band
11/24 All County Band
11/25 Undesignated Workday - No School
11/26-11/27 Holiday No School