Together We Grow

Welcome to November’s edition of Together We Grow 2026–2027! As autumn settles in and we move into the second quarter of the school year, this season of gratitude is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your child's progress and keep the learning momentum strong.

Consistent routines are key—Attendance Matters, and making sure your child is present every day helps them stay confident and connected as holiday breaks approach. In this month's issue, we are highlighting key skills in Reading, Math, Speech, Gifted, and Self-Care, along with helpful resource links to support learning at home. If you ever need additional information or can’t find a specific resource, please reach out to your child's school.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, dedication, and everything you do to support your child’s education. We could not do it without you!

Thanks,

Dr. Bruce Prescott

This month, your child (8th-12th Grade) will continue to participate in Student-Led IEP activities designed to empower them to take an active role in their learning. During these activities, your child will:

• Learn the purpose of an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
• Explore the 13 areas that may qualify a student for an IEP
• Begin researching and understanding their own area of exceptionality
• Review their “IEP at a Glance” with their case manager, giving them insight into their services, accommodations, and supports

These activities are part of our ongoing effort to help students develop self-advocacy skills, set goals, and actively contribute to the development of their Annual IEP.

Please contact your child's case manager for additional information.

🏐Special Olympics Volleyball : Friday, December 4, 2026

🤸Special Olympics Gymnastics Meet: Friday, January 29, 2027

🎳Special Olympics Bowling: Friday, February 19, 2027

🏀Special Olympics Basketball Tournament: Friday March 19, 2027

🎽👟Special Olympics Track and Field: Friday, April 30, 2027 @ Bryant High School

The second nine weeks marks a pivotal mid-year period focused on building academic stamina, deepening comprehension, and navigating winter routine shifts. This guide provides actionable strategies and high-quality digital resources across Reading, Math, Speech & Communication, Gifted & Enrichment, and Self-Care to support learning at home.

1. Pre-K & Kindergarten

2. Elementary School (Grades 1–5)

• Reading:

  • Fluency & Comprehension: Read 15–20 minutes daily. Ask open-ended questions like, "Why do you think the main character made that choice?" or "What was the main idea of this non-fiction chapter?"

  • Vocabulary: Introduce 2–3 new vocabulary words weekly during mealtime conversations.

• Math:

  • Fact Fluency: Practice addition/subtraction (Grades 1–2) or multiplication/division (Grades 3–5) for 5 minutes daily using physical flashcards or math games.

  • Real-World Application: Involve your child in cooking (measuring fractions), calculating grocery totals, or telling time on analog clocks.

• Speech & Communication:

  • Expressive Speech: Encourage your child to share a 2-minute "Daily Highlight" using complete sentences, proper volume, and clear speech sounds (r,l,s,thr, l, s, thr,l,s,th).

  • Active Listening: Practice summarizing what family members say during dinner conversations before responding.

• Gifted & Enrichment:

  • Passion Projects: Support a 2-week mini-project on a topic of interest (e.g., space, marine life, ancient history) resulting in a drawing, model, or short booklet.

  • Critical Thinking: Solve age-appropriate logic puzzles, Sudoku, or tangram challenges together.

• Self-Care & SEL:

• Homework Routines: Establish a dedicated quiet workspace free from screens and distractions.

• Frustration Tolerance: Model "take three deep breaths" when encountering challenging homework or multi-step math problems.

3. Middle School (Grades 6–8)

• Reading:

  • Text Evidence & Analysis: Encourage your student to cite specific evidence from the text when discussing news articles, novels, or informational texts.

  • Root Words: Review common Greek and Latin roots (e.g., bio, chron, geo) to unlock unfamiliar academic vocabulary.

• Math:

  • Algebraic Thinking & Ratios: Connect math to real life by calculating sales discounts during winter shopping, sports statistics, or recipe scale-ups.

  • Error Analysis: When homework errors occur, ask your child to explain where the process broke down rather than just giving the correct answer.

• Speech & Communication:

  • Structured Debate: Discuss current events or family decisions (e.g., weekend plans) by requiring respectful argument building using "I agree/disagree because..." statements.

  • Non-Verbal Awareness: Discuss eye contact, posture, and tone when speaking in front of peers or adults.

• Gifted & Enrichment:

  • Cross-Curricular Inquiry: Connect history and science by researching the historical context of scientific breakthroughs.

  • Introductory Coding: Introduce introductory block coding or basic Python syntax to build problem-solving resilience.

• Self-Care & SEL:

• Digital Hygiene: Establish a screen-free "wind-down window" 45 minutes before sleep to protect sleep quality during busy academic weeks.

• Time Management: Help your middle-schooler break large 2nd nine-weeks projects into manageable daily tasks using a visual planner.

4. High School (Grades 9–12)

• Reading:

  • Rhetoric & Source Evaluation: Discuss news articles by evaluating perspective, primary sources, author intent, and bias.

  • Synthesizing Texts: Encourage reading across genres—comparing non-fiction articles with classic or modern literature addressing similar themes.

• Math:

  • Financial Literacy & Statistics: Discuss household budgeting, interest rates, tax basics, and evaluating statistical charts presented in media.

  • Concept Mapping: Have your student teach concepts back to you—explaining why a mathematical formula works strengthens memory retention far more than memorization.

• Speech & Public Speaking:

  • Formal Communication: Practice eye contact, professional tone, and eliminating filler words (um, like, so) for upcoming class presentations, interview prep, or scholarship essays.

  • Constructive Listening: Teach students to summarize conflicting viewpoints accurately before delivering a counter-argument.

• Gifted & Enrichment:

  • Independent Research & Capstones: Encourage participation in science fairs, literary competitions, or dual-enrollment/AP extension projects.

  • Mentorship & Career Exploration: Arrange informational interviews with professionals in fields your student finds intriguing.

• Self-Care & SEL:

• Stress & Burnout Prevention: Encourage balanced scheduling between academic deadlines, extracurriculars, physical movement, and rest.

• Mindfulness & Self-Advocacy: Guide students on how to email teachers respectfully when requesting help or clarifying assignments.

Free & High-Quality At-Home Resource Links

1. Reading & Literacy

• Reading Rockets: Evidence-based reading strategies, phonics activities, and home reading guides.

  Reading Rockets

• PBS KIDS Reading: Early literacy games, rhyming activities, and interactive storybooks for Pre-K through 2nd grade.

• CommonLit: Free library of news articles, poems, and short stories with comprehension questions for Grades 3–12.

• Project Gutenberg: Over 70,000 free classic e-books for middle and high school readers.

2. Mathematics

• Khan Academy: Comprehensive, self-paced math instruction and practice exercises from Early Math through AP Calculus.

• Bedtime Math: Fun, quick daily math stories and real-world word problems designed for parents and kids to solve together.

• XtraMath: Free, efficient practice tool designed to help elementary students master basic math facts.

• Illustrative Mathematics Resources: Problem-based math tasks that encourage deep conceptual understanding.

3. Speech, Language & Communication

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) - Public Resources: Developmental speech and language milestones, articulation guidance, and communication activities.

• Home Speech Home: Practice word lists, articulation drills, and language development activities for home practice.

• TED-Ed Student Talks: Video resources and guides to help students draft, practice, and deliver engaging short speeches.

  Think Academy

  
  

  
  

4. Gifted & Academic Enrichment

• National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Family Resources: Parent guides for supporting gifted learners, nurturing creativity, and managing asynchronous development.

• Mensa for Kids: High-level reading lists, activity plans, logic challenges, and lesson plans for advanced learners.

• Smithsonian Learning Lab: Millions of digital museum resources, artifacts, and interactive collections for deep independent research.

5. Self-Care & Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Resources and frameworks for promoting self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making at home.

• Child Mind Institute: Expert guidance on youth mental health, managing school anxiety, building resilience, and setting screen limits.

• Mindful Schools Resources: Simple mindfulness practices, breathing exercises, and focus tools for students of all ages.

Parents of high school students in grades 11 and 12 should contact the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services(205-554-1300) for the purpose of completing an application for adult support services. I also recommend that parents consult with ADRS about postsecondary service possibilities and procedures.

Transportation services may be available through Handi-Care (https://www.handi.care/). Handi-Care is a new for-profit transportation company in Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas. They take medicaid, which may help with the cost.

Transportation services may also be available at Tuscaloosa Transit Authority. Parents are encouraged to go to the website: Tuscaloosa Transit Authority; click on Demand Response Services; click on ADA Application and Rules to learn about how to access the services; click on Reasonable Modifications to learn more about requirement.

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WHAT IS DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY?

Success By 6 of United Way of West Alabama is proud to provide Dolly Parton's Imagination Library books FREE to children from birth to 5 years of age living in Bibb, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa counties. Once a month, your child will receive a new book by mail. You only need to do two things: register your child and pledge to read the books to him/her. Please, climb on board Dolly Parton's Imagination Library!

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Email: webmaster@tusc.k12.al.us
Website: https://www.tuscaloosacityschools.com/
Location: 1210 21st Almon Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404, USA
Phone: (205) 759-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TCSBoardofEd
Twitter: @TCSBoardofEd