Dear Secondary School Families:
Happy Friday! With the recent splash of sunshine and mild temperatures, I think it’s safe to say that spring is in the air. If you are a snow lover, the good news is that we live in upstate New York - old man winter is more than capable of returning without much notice. I saved a photo of my front lawn taken on May 10, 2020; I was quite surprised to wake up to a fresh layer of snow. We will have to wait and see what early spring 2021 has in store for us. Looking ahead on the calendar, I want our seniors and their families to know that it’s Tamarac’s intention to hold important milestone events over the final leg of the year. Leadership has been working with our PAC committee and senior class advisors to plan for important milestone events such as prom, a senior picnic, and graduation. We anticipate further guidance from New York State which will allow us to firm up plans and provide you with all the details as soon as we have them. Although it will look a little different, we are very much looking forward to the possibility of a prom on May 14. We want you to know that these events are our minds - thank you for your continued patience as we plan as much as we can until we have the required guidance. To quote motivational speaker Tony Robbins, “Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” Rest assured, we are going to do everything in our power to make the end of the school year a memorable experience for our students!
Diamond Nursing Home Cards: Tamarac sophomore and treasurer of the High School Student Senate, Ella Riganti organized an activity to help bring cheer and comfort to nursing home residents of the Diamond Nursing Home in Troy. The Student Senate has been collecting items to donate to the residents including puzzles, books, blankets, personal hygiene items and much more. To add to these items, we had some caring students write letters and cards to the residents. Great job Ella, High School Student Senate, and our 6th grade students!
PTSA: Have you ever thought about getting more involved with school through the parent teacher organization? The Brittonkill PTSA is the backbone of our school. They are looking for volunteers and officer positions for the 2021-2022 school year. Please consider this great opportunity to help out and have a voice. A survey to gauge interest is attached below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSek5JVb820YtMs2X-A0UYXKYOFghDND5IwV3IlCtf9HrgNbCw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0
Mode of Learning: A reminder that the window for fully remote students to switch to in-person/hybrid learning for quarter 4 opens on Monday and closes on Friday, March 26. For our fully remote families, this is the last opportunity to switch your child to in-person/hybrid learning. Please reach out to your child’s counselor and/or email our Assistant Principal, Mr. White at jwhite@brunswickcsd.org if you would like to make the switch. The new quarter begins April 12.
Water Bottles: Please remind your middle school child to pack a reusable water bottle for recess. As the weather warms up students will be outside getting more exercise. Personal water bottles are a safe and an environmentally friendly alternative to using cups or water fountains. Thank you for your consideration.
Yearbooks: The staff is working hard to make The 2021 Tamarac High School yearbook as unique as this school year. For the first time the yearbook will cover the full school year! Order your copy for $63 (plus tax). The deadline for ordering is April 16.
http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A05396450
Tie Dye Day(s): An annual tradition to ring in spring is Tie Dye Day for all K-12 students. This year will mark the 19th time Tamarac holds this event which was originally started by a retired Chemistry teacher. Here is the schedule for next week for students to have a little fun by wearing Tie Dye clothing:
3/16 BLUE COHORT
3/17 RED COHORT
3/18 WHITE COHORT & K-6
Free Tutoring: A reminder that RPI students are offering free “virtual” tutoring every Saturday until May 1 for all Brunswick students.. This is a tremendous opportunity to consider if your child is behind and needs additional support.
Health/Wellness: **IMPORTANT** Please be sure to complete the daily screening survey before sending your child to school each morning. Your child should be kept home if they are experiencing any symptoms consistent with COVID. If your child’s symptoms are improving AND they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine, they may return to school with a note from their doctor with an alternate diagnosis clearing them to return to school OR a copy of their negative COVID test result. We appreciate your help in keeping our school safe for everyone!
Weekly Calendar:
Monday 3/15: WHITE COHORT Tuesday 3/16: BLUE COHORT Wednesday 3/17: RED COHORT Thursday 3/18: WHITE COHORT Friday 3/19: 7-12 Virtual
Spring ahead! A reminder that daylight savings time begins at 2:00 am on Sunday, March 14. We will be losing an hour of sleep but at least we gain more daylight! Be well and enjoy your weekend! #TamaracStrong
Sincerely,
Ken Rizzo
Principal, Tamarac Secondary School
