TOQUAM MAGNET SCHOOL

Dear Toquam families!

We are so excited to have you back for an amazing school year. We have some important updates and reminders to share to help us all get off to a great start.

Important Reminders for Dismissal 😄

To ensure a smooth and safe dismissal, please make sure you have the Parent Pick-Up app downloaded on your phone. This app is required for all changes to your child's dismissal plan, including early pickups.

As a friendly reminder, please stay in your vehicle at all times while in the pick-up line. This keeps the line moving efficiently and ensures the safety of all students and staff.

Get Involved with the PTO NOW... We need you!

Our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is looking for two parents from each class to serve as Classroom Parents. Your support is essential and helps our school community thrive. If you're interested in volunteering, please let your child's teacher know.

Also, our PTO is planning a Back to School Bash on September 9th and could use your help. Please consider volunteering to make this event a success for our students.

Save the Date! 🍎🍏

Mark your calendars for our Open House on September 25th. Bring the whole family for an ice-cream social before you visit the classrooms. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the curriculum and all the exciting things your child will be learning this school year.

We are looking forward to a fantastic year filled with learning and growth. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

In partnership-

Principal Brooks🌺

August 28, 2025
Hello Toquam families,

Welcome back to school! We are excited to introduce the Multilingual Learner Teachers at Toquam for the 2025–2026 school year. We will be partnering with your child’s classroom teacher to support your child’s full access to the classroom curriculum.

Mrs. Angie Brown - Native Language Support
Ms. Cindy Lopez - Native Language Support
Ms. Amanda Blair - English as a Second Language
Ms. Alisa Mujakic - English as a Second Language
Mrs. Paula Mickels - English as a Second Language
Mrs. Asaka Niwa - English as a Second Language
Mr. Edward Wennerholm- English as a Second Language

Our goal is the development of your child’s English language proficiency and will communicate with you regularly about their progress. We encourage you to continue supporting your child’s English skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening at home.

Thank you for all you do,

The ML Team

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aO0-PSMmBx16YmVLxMbMU8JBu6ljWUnAxHN7aKYc72Q/edit?usp=sharing

As your school counseling team, we are excited to welcome back all students and families for the 2025-2026 school year! We look forward to getting to know your family and hope that you had an enjoyable summer break.

We each have a passion for education and will do our utmost to help support your child (ren) throughout our learning community. We are here to ensure that students are mentally, physically, and emotionally present in the classroom and available to learn. We also work with students to develop and maintain positive, constructive, and trusting relationships with others.

As school based mental health providers, we continuously advocate for the respect and dignity of all students. We also work collaboratively with local agencies to support the needs of our families. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out and we will do our best to assist you. Let's work together, so that our scholars can BELIEVE, ACHIEVE and SUCCEED here at Toquam!

Dr. Nikimya Ligon-Barnes, School Psychologist
Ryki Pearce, LMSW School Social Worker
Maria Swayne, MSW Bilingual School Social Worker

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qhlb0bnRSuYsFVTg4j7ZFoIS8abI9ykgWzfBMO5hJjE/edit?usp=sharing

KINDERGARTEN:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RAUxr3kFRt0LL7EoetS1ixu5TPZZJnXH2QeiNLoBD9U/edit

We are so excited to begin this new school year with you and your family. So many new beginnings. We have so many fun things planned.
The beginning weeks of Kindergarten, we will focus on practicing classroom Rituals and Routines! We will also agree upon some classroom rules together.
We are looking forward to a wonderful school year !
Things to work on at home…
Have your child practice writing their name. They can write in sand, with play-doh, in shaving cream or even make their name with cereal. Get creative and have FUN! Try RAINBOW writing !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEKAj2HtKaM
Weather: Please check to the weather daily and, dress your child appropriately. Kindergarten goes outside every day if the weather permits.

FIRST GRADE:

Welcome Back to School! We were so excited to meet and welcome our new first graders into our classroom! You are such an important part of our school community. We welcome your support and involvement to make this school year a huge success! Students are settling into daily routines and are eager to learn. We have been going in depth about expectations for 1st Grade and creating our class set of rules.

A few important reminders/dates:
- Open House is on 9/25/24 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- School starts at 8:45 each day
- Please check your child's black communication folder and send it back to school daily
-Please update pick up patrol for changes in dismissal everyday

We are excited for the year to come! Please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

SECOND GRADE:

Dear 2nd Grade Families,
We are so excited to welcome you to a new school year! Your children have already begun settling into routines, making new friends, and diving into learning with enthusiasm. As always, your support and involvement are essential to making this year a success, we’re so glad to partner with you. Please be sure to pack a small, healthy snack for recess and a water bottle to keep your child refreshed throughout the day. Also, don’t forget to sign up for REMIND so we can easily share classroom updates with you. Lastly, please keep your pickup patrol information up to date for dismissal.
What We’re Learning…
📚 Magnetic Reading: We’re thrilled to introduce Magnetic Reading, a new program that helps students become strong, confident readers. Through engaging texts and skill-building lessons, it supports every child’s growth with a balance of vocabulary development, comprehension, and knowledge-building.
📖 CKLA Knowledge Strand: Students build background knowledge and vocabulary through rich, content-based units on topics like ancient civilizations, Greek myths, insects, the Civil War, and westward expansion. These units help deepen reading comprehension and connect learning across subjects.
➗ Math (i-Ready): Our i-Ready Math program helps students master key skills such as addition and subtraction within 1,000, place value, time, money, geometry, and problem-solving. With a mix of direct instruction and adaptive online practice, students build both confidence and understanding at their own pace.
🌍 Social Studies: In social studies, students explore how communities work together, how leaders make decisions, and how life has changed over time. Using maps, timelines, and discussions, they learn about civics, geography, and economics in ways that connect to their own lives.
🔬 Science: Second graders investigate life, physical, and earth science through hands-on exploration. Units include plant growth, landforms, the properties of materials, and basic engineering design challenges—all aimed at building curiosity and critical thinking.
Dates to Remember:
Sept. 23–24: Rosh Hashanah – NO SCHOOL
Sept. 25: Open School Night – Elementary Schools (5-7PM)
Celebrations from the First Week:
We’re proud to be an AVID school! AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and focuses on teaching students important skills like organization, goal-setting, and collaboration to help them succeed now and in the future. Throughout the year, your child will practice these skills to become a confident, independent learner. It’s been such a joy to watch students connect with one another, embrace new routines, and dive into learning with excitement. Their curiosity, kindness, and energy are already shining through.
Warmly,

The Second Grade Team😅😍🤩

THIRD GRADE:

Grade 3 September Newsletter #1

FOURTH GRADE:

Welcome to Fourth Grade! We hope you had a great summer. We are so happy to welcome back our scholars! We will be learning a lot in the first few weeks and going over expectations. A few reminders for parents:
-Make sure you have the Remind app to communicate with your child's homeroom teacher.
-Please review your child's homework folder and student planner daily.
-Parents must sign the planner daily to ensure homework has been completed.
-Please submit any dismissal changes in Pick-Up Patrol by 2pm daily.
-Make sure you can log in to the parent portal and complete all forms promptly.
We look forward to an amazing successful school year!
In partnership,
Fourth Grade Team

FIFTH GRADE:

Welcome Back to School!

Dear 5th Grade Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to a new school year! We are thrilled to have your child in our 5th-grade class and are looking forward to an exciting and productive year ahead.

Communication with Teachers:
We want to ensure that we stay connected throughout the year. All 5th-grade teachers will be using the **Remind app** to communicate important updates, reminders, and announcements. Please make sure that you have signed up for Remind so you don’t miss any important information. If you haven’t yet signed up, please reach out to your child’s teacher for instructions on how to join.

AVID Binders and Homework:
This year, we will be implementing **AVID binders** as part of our organizational strategy to help students stay on top of their work. Your child will be bringing home their homework folder and agenda book each night. It is very important that you review and sign the agenda book every night that homework is assigned. This will help you stay informed about what your child is working on and ensure that they are completing their assignments on time.

Questions or Concerns:
We believe that communication between home and school is key to your child’s success. If you have any questions or concerns at any point during the school year, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher. We are here to support you and your child every step of the way.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a wonderful school year together!

Sincerely,
The 5th Grade Team

Reading Team Updates 9/25

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH: OPEN HOUSE 5pm-7pm (PTO Ice-Cream Social @ 5pm: Come Get the Scoop for this school year...🍦🍧🍨)