TCE TIGER TALK Newsletter

Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 2, 2025

Friday, November 7th will be a scheduled Early Dismissal Day.

Elementary Schools will dismiss at 11am

Welcome to November, Tiger Creek families!

We have turned the last corner heading toward the end of the year and dead ahead is these fabulous Holidays. We want you to know that we try to give all of our families support if they need it because we know the holidays can be extra stressful. If you find you are ever in a tough spot, please always reach out to Mrs. Dills, Dr. Haynes, or me to let us know. There are varied resources available for families in need.

We know that because of the government shut down some have even greater needs. For this reason, we are doing a second canned food drive with the help of Primary Health Care. If you have extra canned goods and can help there is a box in our foyer you can contribute to. These canned goods will go to our TCE families that need them.

Welcome to the home stretch of 2025.

Mr. David Beard,

TCE Principal

We want to say THANK YOU to all of our Veterans

and also say that we hope all of our TCE families have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

November is a month to express thankfulness and one thing that I am thankful for is the opportunity that I have to see so many sweet smiling faces each day at Tiger Creek. We understand that as the months get colder sickness tends to creep into our homes. We want students to stay at home when they are truly sick (fever, vomiting, diarrhea). Nurse Sherri is a great resource to use if you need help determining if your child needs to stay home. Because we cannot predict when we will get sick it is important that we make sure to have good attendance on a regular basis. Here are some tips for making good attendance a regular practice:

1. Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.

2. Lay out clothes and pack lunches the night before.

3. Develop a backup plan for getting to school if something comes up. Have family members or neighbors on stand by to help out if needed.

4. Try to schedule doctors appointments during breaks or after school.

5. If your child does need to miss due to illness, reach out to the teacher to see what they can work on while they are out to prevent learning loss.

6. Remember being at school on time is just as important as being at school all day.

Mrs. Jayme Dills,

TCE Assistant Principal

Free Statewide 3rd Grade Georgia Milestones ELA Prep Tutoring Sessions. GaDOE has partnered with Tutored by Teachers to offer Georgia Milestones test prep for third-grade literacy/ELA from November 3 through 8. This statewide tutoring series will cover phonemic awareness, decoding, morphology, and comprehension. Information and Registration.

CCPS and the Georgia Department of Education are excited to provide you with resources to help protect your family online with Parent ProTech's on-demand platform at no charge!

Click here to Sign Up Your Parent ProTech access includes:

• A library of videos and guides to help parents make confident, informed choices about technology
• A complete K-12 digital citizenship curriculum for classroom use, meeting SB 351 requirements
• Tools that help families and educators make smart tech decisions to keep kids safe online

If you student was absent on picture day or they need to have their pictures retaken, we will be doing that on November 3rd.

Election Day - November 4th

You can check your voter status and more at: www.mvp.sos.ga.gov

Last chance to vote is Tuesday, November 4th.

Your voting precinct will be open 7am to 7pm!

ESPLOST is a voter-approved 1% sales tax dedicated specifically to funding capital improvements in local public schools. It cannot be used for salaries or daily operations — only for facilities, safety, technology, and transportation. The previous ESPLOSTs have helped fund both infrastructure of schools as well as fund curriculum and technology throughout our county.

Previous ESPLOST FUNDS were used here at TIGER CREEK:

Purchasing:

MAP Reading and Math Software

Benchmark Advance Grades K-5 (Reading & Language Arts Curriculum)

I-Ready Toolbox Grades K-5 (Math Software)

Lexia/I-Ready Intervention Seats (Reading Software)

Amria Learning Grades 4-5 (Reading Screener)

Pear Math Assessment

Playground Equipment

Upgrading:

TCE Auditorium Renovation

Phone Conversion

Sielox Safety Software

New Intercom System

Seal and Restripe Parking Lot

The School Board of Education is seeking community input to ensure that ESPLOST VII projects reflect the priorities of Catoosa County citizens. Citizens may provide input about ESPLOST VII projects by sending an email to esplostviiinput@catoosa.k12.ga.us

Click the pictures above to learn about more local food resources.

You may also use these 2 websites to locate local area food resources:

FoodFinder: https://foodfinder.us/ (Map of local food pantries)

• FeedingGeorgia: https://feedinggeorgia.org/ (Map of food banks)

  
  

We will have our Fall Catalog Fundraiser Kickoff on Tuesday, November 4th!

Look for your information packet to come home Tuesday.

This month we are showcasing our Custodians! These three hard working people take care of the school by cleaning up all our messes. It is a hard and endless job. We are very grateful for all they do.

Rex goes to school in November! Mr. Beard has issued Rex a chromebook and ordered a Rex-size student desk. "Rex must learn to read," said Mr. Beard. Students will counsel Rex on having courage, making friends, and facing hard challenges at school. Rex will need fellow students to write notes of encouragement, advising him on what it takes to succeed.

The November Character word is TRUST. Trust means to put your confidence in someone or something dependable. A great conversation starter would be to ask your child what it means to be dependable. When something dependable comes to mind, ask what feelings of trust they feel when they think of that dependable person or thing. Have them list trustworthy people in their life that they could turn to if they needed help.

Red Ribbon Week will be celebrated Oct. 29th, 30th, and 31st. This is a time to honor our police officers who work to keep our streets drug free and to give thanks for our healthy bodies. Students will be given pencils on the 29th, wear red on the 30th, and be given stickers on the 31st. Be sure to talk with your child about the importance of making healthy life choices and remaining drug free.

Calling all Santa Sack Sponsors!! If you would like to sponsor a student for Christmas, please email Cheryl Haynes at chaynes.tce@catoosa.k12.ga.us with your name, phone, and number of students you'd like to sponsor. Sponsors and wish lists will be paired November 1st and all gifts are due December 8th.

Click the virtual room above to learn about Growth Mindset.

If you or your business would like to donate to the Children's Fund, please contact:

Danielle Pettyjohn. Her email is dpettyjohn@catoosa.k12.ga.us

We are hitting the Holiday Season rush. The next two months, you and your families will have even more to do as we get ready for the holidays. We know that it can be hard for us as adults, to get the adequate amount of rest and sleep. It is even more important that our children get enough rest and sleep.

Why is adequate sleep important for kids? Sleep is especially important for kids and teens due to its impact on both mental and physical development. Adequate, quality sleep supports a child's mood, focus, immune system and overall growth. When children have a consistent sleep schedule, they're less likely to experience irritability, hyperactivity, and difficulty focusing. Sleep is a time for restoration and for children's bodies to recharge and retain the information they've learned throughout the day.

What is considered adequate sleep for children? Preschool (3-5 years) need 10-13 hours, including day naptimes. School-age (6-13 years) need 9-12 hours. Teens (14-17 years) need 8-10 hours. This is sometimes hard to do with our busy schedules but is especially hard during the next few months. It is important though to try and have your children get enough sleep. If you know it is going to be a late night for your family, try and have them take a short nap right after school.

Jill Bishop

TCE Academic Coach

On December 11th, 5 - 7pm PTO will host Cookies & Cocoa with Santa. Bring your student and take a picture and enjoy cookies & cocoa. More information to come home soon.

November PTO Meeting will be on Monday, November 17th at 6pm!

We will meet in the TCE Auditorium.

All parents are welcome to join us.

This month let's discuss the different types of school safety drills that we have. You may hear your student talk about one of these after we have a drill and this list will give you some information about the different drills. Students and staff practiced these drills throughout the school year to prepare students and staff for various emergencies by reinforcing safety protocols and reducing panic.

Fire Drills: This drills focuses on quick and safe evacuation of students and staff from the building to designated points in various locations away from the school. The goal is to familiarize everyone with the evacuation plan, test the effectiveness of emergency systems and to instill a quick, automatic response to fire alarms. Regular fire drills reduce panic during actual events by making the evacuation process a learned and automatic behavior.

Severe Weather Drill: This drill is to practice what to do in a sudden severe weather such as a tornado. Students & staff treat it as a real emergency and proceed to the inner halls and bathrooms away from doors and windows. The students will then follow safety steps of crouching low and covering their heads. By practicing this drill students will react quickly and safely during an actual event.

Bus Evacuation Drill: This drill focuses on students being able to safely exit from school buses in emergency situations.

Lockdown Drills: In this drill we practice the procedures when responding to a threat outside of the building or near the school campus.

Run, Hide & Survive Drill: In this drill we practice procedures when responding to an active thereat inside the building. This is an options-based response where staff & students are taught to adjust to the situation. Options include RUN, exiting the building as fast as possible when there is a clear evacuation route to move away from the threat, or to HIDE, barricade in a secure space to prevent the threat from reaching students & staff. Staff & students are taught to evaluate the situation accordingly and are aided by additional video and communication technologies when making that decision. As an active thereat can change at any moment. SURVIVE comes into play should the threat succeed in getting access to an area where staff & students are located. In t his case they are taught to do whatever it takes to defeat and/or escape the threat.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

You must have your ID to enter the building.

The Catoosa County's Stocking Full of Love applications will start later this month. Applications will be accepted starting on November 21st and will end at noon on December 4th. Eligible children must be residents of Catoosa County and between the ages of 12 months and 14 years old.

Here is the link for the application (REMEMBER it will not work until November 21st):

www.catoosacountystockingfulloflove.org

Our TCE Stocking Full of Love donation box will be set up in the front hallway starting on December 1st. We will be accepting unwrapped new toys for boys & girls of all ages. We will be accepting toys through December 15th. Please feel free to drop off any donations any school morning during December 1st-15th.

$1- collected Monday (11/3) - Friday (11/7) from 7:15 - 7:45 am

Students who purchase duck tape strips will then get to duck tape Mrs. Dills to the wall on

Friday, November 7th before half-day dismissal!

Winter will be upon us soon! The 2nd Quarter Celebration will be a Blizzard Bash! It will be on Thursday, December 18th- 60 tickets/points to attend

NO Major writeups

We are Ready!

We are Respectful!

We are Safe!

We help make our school TIGERRIFIC!

Have a talent you want to share! Join us for our annual Christmas at the Creek Talent Show on December 4th. If you would like to try out for the talent show, return your form as soon as possible!! We love to see our Tiger Creek Talent shine! Singers, Magicians, dancers, Gymnasts, Artist, Actors, Piano players, jugglers and many many other talents accepted! Be creative and give it a try! Auditions will be November 12th with the performance on December 4 at 6 pm If you have any questions, contact Mrs. Clinton!

Audition forms went home on Monday, October 27th. If you need one, see Mrs. Clinton or Mrs. Bridges

First Grade was the winner of the Coin Drive for the Tiger Pride/Renaissance Program! They received a pizza party and Mrs. Stoner spent the day teaching in an inflatable kitty costume!

Our first Growth semester awards will be January 9th. All students that show growth will enjoy a day on inflatables! So, remind your child to work hard and do their best! The students who show the most growth in each grade will be recognized!

Each month, each homeroom teacher selects the student who has shown the most growth, whether it is academic growth, behavioral growth, social growth or any combination of these. They may also select their student who demonstrates the character ed trait of the month such as responsibility, trust, etc... Congratulations to these students for showing GREAT Character and Growth!

To prevent injury of themselves and others: EACH STUDENT MUST WEAR TENNIS SHOES TO PARTICIPATE IN PE!

NO crocs, hey dudes, boots, flip flops, sandals or slides allowed!

Please see that your student is dressed appropriately for PE on their designated days. Students who do not have proper footwear will walk laps in the gym instead of participating in games.

PE Schedule by Homeroom Teacher for this 9 weeks:

Monday & Tuesday: Schmidt, Thomas, Vess, Helton, Cothern, McClure

Wednesday: McNair, Medina, Cross, Gray, Eberhart, Stoner

Thursday & Friday: Montoya, Collins, Kominczak, Saylor, Eaton, Pursley

It is very important for the school, particularly your child's teacher and school nurse to know about any health condition a child may have. If you have not already informed them and your child has a chronic health condition such as asthma, food allergies, diabetes or epilepsy, please inform us as soon as possible so that we can create an action plan for managing symptoms here at school. This is so important that the school nurse has the proper medication and doctor orders on the proper emergency medical steps if your child should have a medical emergency at school.

***Please note students are NOT ALLOWED to bring medications to school in their bookbags!

This is a major safety measure and please help us by abiding by it!***

The Title I Family Resource Center is a dedicated space in our school for families. Located in room 100, is a place to check out items to use with your children, work on school volunteer projects and also to obtain helpful info. Title I documents, community events and Parent Resources are all located here. We have books and materials that can be checked out by parents to use at home to help improve their student(s) reading and math skills. Contact Mrs. Bridges to check something out.

If you or someone you know needs help getting their GED, please email me, I have information and contacts to help.

You may have a teacher-parent conference at any time during the school year. If you have any concerns, please let the teacher/school know as soon as possible. If you have updated medical info, or want more information on the way your child learns or learning standards contact your child’s teacher by emailing the teacher, calling the school at 706-935-9890 and leaving the teacher a voice message or by sending in a written request to the teacher. Your child's teacher will get back to you as quickly as possible.

We value your input on TCE Title 1 Components such as the Policy, Budget, School Improvement Plan, etc... Parents are welcome to contribute comments at any time. If you have any questions/concerns, please see Mrs. Sara Bridges, Parent Involvement Coordinator, or our Administrators: Mr. Beard, or Mrs. Dills.

Additional Title 1 Information & Resources:

2025-2026 TCE Title 1 Annual Meeting

Testing in Georgia

Components of a Title I Schoolwide Plan

Georgia Standards of Excellence

How to Communicate with Your Child’s Teacher

2025-2026 TCE Parent & Family Engagement Policy

2025-2026 CCPS Parent & Family Engagement Policy

Title 1 Input Card

Mrs. Sara L. Bridges

TCE's Parent Involvement Coordinator

Email: sbridges.tce@catoosa.k12.ga.us

Click the above virtual room to learn all about Veterans Day!

Click the above virtual room to learn all about Turkeys!

Click above to learn all about the First Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims & Native Americans.

The Library at Catoosa offers a variety of services, such as monthly activities for all ages, an outstanding Genealogy collection, and over 100,000 items in print and audiovisual formats to check out. At the library, they provide free Internet, access to Microsoft Office programs, GALILEO, GADD, and so much more! Our Catoosa County Library is a member of PINES, a public library lending network of more than 300 libraries throughout Georgia. Click the link to see more of what is happening at your local Library!

https://www.catoosacountylibrary.org/

“See Something, Send Something” provides a platform to capture a photo of suspicious activity or send information with written text. Info received is sent directly to the Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center (GISAC) where tips are evaluated and provided to law enforcement across the state as needed. The application is available at no cost for iPhone and Android phone users, as well as iPad users.

The service, provided by My Mobile Witness, Inc., uses privacy protection software to safeguard users’ personal information and the integrity of tips. The system allows citizens to engage with GISAC without tracking locations or storing any personal information. Submitted tips are immediately removed from the mobile device and purged from the My Mobile Witness system following delivery to GISAC.

NOTE: This system is NOT intended for emergency situations. For situations requiring an immediate response, call 911 or your local law enforcement directly.

To download “See Something, Send Something,” click the correct phone type below: