Message from Dr. TRESler and Mr. Hiel:

Dear Retriever Families,

It has been a great week returning from winter break and the end of the first semester is approaching quickly (Jan. 19th). It’s hard to believe that we are nearly halfway through this school year! 

With many weeks of winter weather still ahead of us it’s important that you check your child’s emergency dismissal directions in Family File. You can log into HCPSS Connect to review your child’s unscheduled early school closing plans. Unscheduled early school closing includes early dismissal due to weather/snow. Please do not select that you will pick up your child at TRES if you are not able to provide transportation during the middle of the school day. If you have any questions, please contact the TRES front office at 410-313-2560. You can also view the Family File directions online. 

Warmly,
Dr. Tiffany TRESler, Principal TRES
Mr. Kory Hiel, Assistant Principal TRES 

Upcoming Events

Please visit the TRES calendar webpage to view important upcoming dates.

• January 12 - Deadline to Register for Cardboard Challenge (see below
• January 15 - Schools/Offices Closed; Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• January 17 - Early Dismissal, 12:15pm
• January 19 - Second Marking Period ends
• January 22 - Schools Closed; Professional Work Day
• January 23 - Folly Quarter Middle School Rising 6th Grade Orientation, 6-7pm 
• January 24 - Chorus Winter Concert, 7pm

News and Information

Cardboard Challenge Coming Thursday, February 15, 2024!  Students
Are Invited to ‘Be a Maker’ and Create a Cardboard Project Using Their Imagination and Engineering Skills.

• Who: TRES Retrievers! TRES students can work alone or with a partner. Projects with families and friends are welcome. Information was shared with students in library media classes this past week.
• What: You decide what to build using your imagination and engineering skills. Cardboard should be the main building material but you can use other recyclable materials and decorative pieces.
• Where: Projects will be shared in the TRES Gym and Cafeteria.
• When: Sign up to participate by Friday, January 12th. Link to Registration Form.  Bring your projects with you on the evening of the Cardboard Challenge, Thursday, February 15th, from 6:30-8:00 pm.

News From The Health Room
It is sometimes difficult to decide whether your child is too sick to go to school. As a general rule, a child should stay home if they have:

• A fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit
• Vomited (not caused by motion sickness or a gag reflex unassociated with illness)
• Diarrhea
• A very frequent cough
• Persistent pain (tooth, ear, stomach, etc.)
• A widespread rash

Most of these problems need to be discussed with your child’s healthcare provider to determine if an office visit is needed. Please keep your child at home when ill or having a fever (100F or above). Students should stay home until fever free WITHOUT fever reducing medication for 24 hours.

To help prevent the flu and other colds, please encourage your children to use good hygiene habits:

• Wash hands frequently
• Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

In addition to illness, cases of head lice are common during the cold weather months. Please encourage your child not to share items such as hats, earmuffs, brushes/combs, and hair ties with others. If your child complains of an itching scalp, please check their hair for evidence of head lice. Head lice are tiny bugs about the size of a sesame seed. Their bodies are usually pale and gray, but their color may vary. Lice lay and attach their eggs to hair close to the scalp. The eggs and their shell casings are called nits. Though head lice may be a nuisance, they don't cause serious illness or carry any diseases.

We remind all parents that you are the first line of defense. Daily inspections and nit removal are key to management and preventing reinfestation. The school nurse does not routinely screen for lice as research has shown this to be ineffective and a violation of privacy.

Thank you for your assistance in keeping TRES students healthy and ready to learn! Please contact the health room with questions (410-313-2562).

Cold Weather Reminder

As cold winter weather approaches, we want to remind you that students will still be going outside for recess. Please make sure you send your child to school with warm clothes. All clothing should be labeled with your child's name. Below you will find the HCPSS criteria we consider when having outdoor activities.

• Temperature and humidity
• Wind chill
• Heat index and air quality
• Age of students
• Length of time outdoors
• Adequacy of the children’s clothing
• Condition of the playground
• Falling precipitation (more than a sprinkle or mist)
• Thunder and lightning

Generally, it is assumed that students will be outside for recess, physical education, or any other outdoor activity when the temperature combined with the wind chill is not less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit or the heat index reading is less than 95.

Registration 1/6/24 for HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program Saturday Math Academy Spring Session

This year, the BSAP Saturday Math Academy will offer an in-person enrichment program for Howard County Public School System students in all levels of math for grades 3-12 based on course availability. Registration will take place online Saturday, January 6, 2024  from 9:00 a.m. until capacity is reached. Class space is limited.  Families can register by accessing the HCPSS Connect website. For more information, please visit HERE.

BSAP SMA Spring 2024 Flyer

Order Your TRES 2023-2024 Yearbook Now
See TRES 2023-2024 Yearbooks. Please visit HERE to order.

• You can order through March 22, 2024.  No orders will be accepted after this date. Please be sure to place your order if you would like a yearbook for your child.
• This year all purchases will be assessed a $1.99 charge that the vendor must pay for credit card transactions.
• Yearbooks will be distributed toward the end of the school year, once they have finished in production and are received at TRES.

Volunteer Training Required for Volunteers and Visitors

Anyone volunteering at school in any capacity, and parents joining their children for lunch, are required to complete volunteer training prior to their first visit.  Please visit HERE for more information.  Thank you in advance for your gifts of service and time.

TRES PTA

Thank you to everyone who participated in The Giving Tree and Gifts of Gratitude.  A special thank you to our chairs for these efforts, Sarah Knaup, Sara Cuomo and Stacy Johnson.  We truly appreciate the generosity of the TRES community!

Upcoming PTA Events:

• Wed, Jan 10th – PTA Meeting (TRES Cafeteria)
• Fri, Jan 26th – TRES Spirit Day: Wear TRES colors or purchase spirit wear here. 

NEW EVENT DATES:

• Fri, Feb 23rd from 6:30pm-8:30pm – Culture Night: Please save the date for an exciting celebration of cultures represented at TRES and in our community! WE WANT YOU! Come perform, provide a food dish, or host an activity, sign up at: http://tinyurl.com/2024-Culture-Night 
• Mon, Feb 26th – Walker's Restaurant Night
• Fri, Mar 15th – Financial Fun Night
• Fri, April 12th – Bingo
• Fri, May 17th – Retriever Rally

Collecting Photos for Yearbook: Email any photos for yearbook consideration to tresyearbookphoto@gmail.com. When you email images, please include some context in the message, including name of people in the picture, grade level(s), and event.

Community News and Events

The HCPSS Community News and Programs website makes it easy for families to find educational and recreational resources, events and after-school programs beyond the school day by non-profit organizations. Community organizations requesting their announcements be shared in school newsletters should visit community-programs.hcpss.org for more information. Questions should be directed to the Public Information Office at publicinfo@hcpss.org.