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Happy Wednesday and Halloween Eve!! As a reminder, there is no school for students tomorrow, Thursday October 31 and Friday November 1. School will return for students on Monday November 4. In this issue TONIGHT - Super Chix Spirit Night Join the Family Council distribution list Telra Turkey Trot, November 26th 2025-2026 Academic Calendar A Night at the Hive, December 7th Telra Day at the Renaissance Festival - November 17 Uniform tip of the week - pants! Super Chix Spirit Night - October 30 Next Wednesday, come celebrate the start of the minibreak with dinner from Super Chix at 7828 Rea Rd in Stonecrest. Mention "Telra" with your order between 4-8pm and Super Chix will donate 20% back to our school. Want the Family Council Newsletter delivered to your inbox? If you want to hear more from our family council and receive the newsletter delivered to your e-mail address please complete this form . If you have any questions about family council, you can contact them directly via telrafamilycouncil@gmail.com . Telra Turkey Trot Join us for the Telra Turkey Trot on Tuesday, November 26th! Students will tackle a fun, fall-themed obstacle course and enjoy time outdoors. Athletic attire is encouraged for all participants. Families are invited to watch the excitement during their student’s scheduled time: 8:15-9:15 am  – 8th, 9th & select 5th-7th grade students (if your child normally has Friday Explore during Block 1, this is their time) 9:30-10:30 am  – 4th & select 5th-7th grade students (if your child normally has Friday Explore during Block 2, this is their time) 1:15-2:15 pm  – 2nd & 3rd Grade 2:30-3:15 pm  – Kindergarten & 1st Grade To sign up as a volunteer, please click here 2025-2026 Academic Calendar When is fall break in 2025? What's the first day of school? When does winter break begin? Find the answers to all your questions on the 25-26 calendar  - available now! A Night at the Hive - Telra at the Charlotte Hornets Join other Telra families for a night out at the Charlotte Hornets, organized by Family Council! Telra Day at the Renaissance Festival - November 17 Hear ye, hear ye! Good scholars of the realm, prithee attend closely to mine words, for a grand revelry doth approach with much haste!   In these moons past, with noses buried in parchment, our young squires and maidens have ventured through tales of yore, acquainting themselves with the venerable age of chivalry and the grand tales of King Arthur and the Renaissance period. The hour nighs to step forth from the confines of lore and breathe life into these chronicles.   Huzzah! Let it be known throughout the lands: Ye and thine kin are cordially bidden to join the Telra assembly at the esteemed Carolina Renaissance Festival on the Sun's day, the seventeenth of November. Prepare thyselves for a day teeming with historical pageants, attire of the olden days, and fancies most whimsical. Should there be murk and mystery o'er what may unfold, cast thine eyes upon the festival's scroll in the web of the world.   When to embark on this merry adventure? - Mark the 17th of November , from the 9:30am - 5:30pm. - The Telra kin shall claim their own in the stands of honour at the jousting tournament, come the hour of 2:15pm. - Mayhap we seize the chance for a painted memory together; thereafter, wander as ye wish, exploring the festival's rich tapestry at thine own pace.   How to journey thither? - Pledge thine attendance through yon digital form, that we may secure enough room in our reserved quarters: https://forms.office.com/r/4tAxFun5c9 - Exchange thy coin for passage here, good sire and dame: https://www.carolina.renfestinfo.com/buy-tickets - Fret not o'er tickets for younglings. See the script below. - Seek the path least astray: https://www.carolina.renfestinfo.com/driving-directions   What garb to don? - The 17th of November is tethered to a Time Traveler's feast: https://www.carolina.renfestinfo.com/special-event-weekends/timetravelers - Express thyself in costume, be it of medieval knights and fair maidens, champions of lore, characters of beloved tomes, or even in the spirited raiment of Telra!   What to bear with thee? - On this special Sun's day, young squires and maidens 'twixt the ages of five and twelve shall gain free admittance with but a humble offering of school wares. - Thy contributions shall be bestowed upon Classroom Central, merging merriment and charity, thus warming the cockles of our beloved community's heart.   In sooth, let us away, to make merry and indulge in the delights of yesteryears! The morrow awaits with open arms, ready to embrace our foray into the annals of history. Huzzah! Uniform tip of the week - pants! Pant style ✅ Students are expected to wear dress-style pants or skirts. ❌ Jogging or sweat pants are great for the gym or for weekends, but not at school. Pant colors ✅Telra neutrals: khaki or medium gray ❌ Any other colors (including black and navy)

Happy Friday! Next week is a short week for Telra as our students have Thursday and Friday off. I know many of our Telra Families appreciate the Halloween day off to enjoy some fun traditions with your friends, family, and neighbors. (And they enjoy having November 1 off to recover from a late night of revelry and candy.) In this issue 25-26 Calendar now available Super Chix Spirit Night - October 30 Telra Day at the Renaissance Festival - November 17 Technology use Dress code tips of the week 2025-2026 Academic Calendar When is fall break in 2025? What's the first day of school? When does winter break begin? Find the answers to all your questions on the 25-26 calendar - available now! Super Chix Spirit Night - October 30 Next Wednesday, come celebrate the start of the minibreak with dinner from Super Chix at 7828 Rea Rd in Stonecrest. Mention "Telra" with your order between 4-8pm and Super Chix will donate 20% back to our school. Telra Day at the Renaissance Festival - November 17 Hear ye, hear ye! Good scholars of the realm, prithee attend closely to mine words, for a grand revelry doth approach with much haste!   In these moons past, with noses buried in parchment, our young squires and maidens have ventured through tales of yore, acquainting themselves with the venerable age of chivalry and the grand tales of King Arthur and the Renaissance period. The hour nighs to step forth from the confines of lore and breathe life into these chronicles.   Huzzah! Let it be known throughout the lands: Ye and thine kin are cordially bidden to join the Telra assembly at the esteemed Carolina Renaissance Festival on the Sun's day, the seventeenth of November. Prepare thyselves for a day teeming with historical pageants, attire of the olden days, and fancies most whimsical. Should there be murk and mystery o'er what may unfold, cast thine eyes upon the festival's scroll in the web of the world.   When to embark on this merry adventure? - Mark the 17th of November , from the 9:30am - 5:30pm. - The Telra kin shall claim their own in the stands of honour at the jousting tournament, come the hour of 2:15pm. - Mayhap we seize the chance for a painted memory together; thereafter, wander as ye wish, exploring the festival's rich tapestry at thine own pace.   How to journey thither? - Pledge thine attendance through yon digital form, that we may secure enough room in our reserved quarters: https://forms.office.com/r/4tAxFun5c9 - Exchange thy coin for passage here, good sire and dame: https://www.carolina.renfestinfo.com/buy-tickets - Fret not o'er tickets for younglings. See the script below. - Seek the path least astray: https://www.carolina.renfestinfo.com/driving-directions   What garb to don? - The 17th of November is tethered to a Time Traveler's feast: https://www.carolina.renfestinfo.com/special-event-weekends/timetravelers - Express thyself in costume, be it of medieval knights and fair maidens, champions of lore, characters of beloved tomes, or even in the spirited raiment of Telra!   What to bear with thee? - On this special Sun's day, young squires and maidens 'twixt the ages of five and twelve shall gain free admittance with but a humble offering of school wares. - Thy contributions shall be bestowed upon Classroom Central, merging merriment and charity, thus warming the cockles of our beloved community's heart.   In sooth, let us away, to make merry and indulge in the delights of yesteryears! The morrow awaits with open arms, ready to embrace our foray into the annals of history. Huzzah! Technology use Parents, please help us reinforce the expectations of responsible technology use with your children. Students who have been assigned individual devices may not use another student's device without staff permission. Gaming is not allowed during school hours. Our team monitors usage as best we can and we block websites when we become aware of misuse. Please remind your child at home that school is not a place for video games. We want our technology to last - laptops must be properly placed in charging carts when not in use. Leaving them in lockers, cubbies, or unattended in public places is a violation of the policy. Our Technology Manager, Mr. Newton, has put together this letter to review with your child. Please reach out to ITHelp@telra.org with any questions or concerns. Dress code tips of the week Shoes ✅Low-top sneakers or tennis shoes ❌High top shoes (basketball shoes, Vans), ankle boots, Crocs, sandals, flip-flops Necklaces ✅Light necklace tucked under your top ❌Necklaces displayed outside your clothes

Bingo Night - Oct 18 Afterschool pickup etiquette Charlotte Math Club @ Telra - Oct 19 Make-up portraits - Oct 22 All Pro Dads - Oct 25 Coffee with the Leadership - Oct 25 Spirit Day - Oct 25 Trunk or Treat - Oct 26 (we need trunk volunteers now!) Basketball tryouts - Oct 29 Family Council Bingo night tomorrow - Oct 18 Enjoy an evening of food and games with fellow Telra families in the Telra gym Friday, October 18th from 6:00-8:00pm Pizza, chips, cookies, and drinks will be available for sale. (Along with $5 bingo cards!) Picking up your child from an afterschool activity? As we add more afterschool clubs, sports, and academic lab, we have larger numbers of children being dismissed around 4:45-5:00pm. If you're picking up your child from an afterschool activity, there is no car line service. Please park your vehicle and approach the main entrance to meet your child outside the front door. Valid parking areas Invalid parking areas Main Telra lot (most teachers will have vacated by this time) Lane 2 or 3 (we need these for through traffic) Pavilion lot (between the church and the school) Blocking a parking spot Along the curb in Lane 1 only Stopped in the exit drive from the parking lot Fall make-up portraits - Oct 22 Missed out on the first round of Fall portraits? Make-up photos are this coming week on Tuesday, October 22nd from 8:30am-10:30am  Need more information? Check here: www.ckvisuals.com/TI All Pro Dads - Oct 25 RSVP for next Friday's All Pro Dads meeting here Coffee with the Leadership - Oct 25 Coffee with the Leadership will resume next Friday, October 25th  from 8:30-9am .   Parking will be available in the pavilion lot after car line has finished. Come and grab a cup of coffee, have a chat with our leadership team, and meet other Telra families. Spirit Day - Oct 25 Friday, October 25th   is a Telra Spirit day. Students have the option of wearing a Telra Spirit Wear top in place of their regular uniform top, combined with regular uniform bottoms. Students can always wear their regular tops/bottoms! Trunk or Treat - Oct 26 Our 3rd annual Trunk or Treat is next week, but we need your help to pull this off! We are thrilled to celebrate this Halloween tradition with our wonderful neighbors at St. Francis, but might cancel if there is not enough interest. Decorate Your Trunk: If you're feeling creative, spooky, and want to be a part of the fun, we need families who would like to deck out their trunks and hand out treats to our students and families. Sign up here:   https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F49ABA82EABFEC25-51607848-trunk   There will be prizes for the best-decorated trunk! Please sign up by this Sunday, Oct 20. If we don't have enough trunk signups, we can't run Trunk or Treat! Treat Drive: We want to make sure we have enough treats to distribute to our trick-or-treaters and supplement the treats for families who are decorating a trunk! To help stock all the trunks, we'll be running a treat drive. You can contribute by dropping off treats at the front entrance to the school during school hours. Acceptable items include treasure box-style items, individually wrapped single-serving candy, rice krispie treats, granola bars, fruit snacks, pencils, erasers, pretzels, goldfish, and more. Here are all the essential details.... Date: Saturday, October 26th Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Location: Telra Parking Lot – 4150 McKee Road Parking : The main Telra parking lot will only be open to cars who have registered as decorating a trunk for the Trunk or Treat. Visitors can park in the Pavilion Lot, McKee Baptist Church lot, St. Francis Church lot, or at McKee Road Park across the road if the gate is open. What to Wear: We encourage everyone to get into the spirit by wearing costumes or fall/Halloween-themed attire, but it's not required. Feel free to get as creative as you like! Who's Invited: This event is for all Telra families, including siblings and friends not attending Telra. The more, the merrier! Food and Refreshments: We've got you covered! This year we will have BBQ and refreshments available for purchase, so please bring cash. Trunk or Treat promises to be a memorable event, and we can't wait to see you all there! Thank you for helping us make this day a success. Let's make it a spooktacular time! Basketball tryouts - Oct 29 Last chance to express your interest for Telra basketball teams through our form . Families who sign up will receive more information about tryouts on Oct 29!

We are back from Fall Break and well into the swing of things. This issue of the Telegram is chock full of events, extracurriculars, and volunteer opportunities to help your family get the most out of the Telra experience. ScreenStrong presentation tomorrow Volleyball Club and Let's Move Club Volunteer opportunities London calling Upcoming Events ScreenStrong on Thursday Oct 10 Join us tomorrow for a dynamic and practical presentation aimed at empowering families to establish healthy screen habits. The target audience is the whole family parents and kids (8+) alike. Parking is available in the Telra lot, the church lot, or at McKee Elementary across the street. Learn more and sign up. New afterschool activities posted Volleyball club (grades 4-9) and Let's Move Club (grades K-1) are starting next week. Learn more and sign up while spaces are available. And don't forget to check back often at our main Fall Extracurriculars page in case you missed something when we first announced it. Volunteer Eager to give back to help make the Telra community stronger? Visit our new Volunteering @ Telra page to find opportunities where you can pitch in. Every day, there's another chance to help. We'll continue to update it as new volunteer initiatives become available. International Adventure Want to see where Shakespeare was born? Or step inside William Wordsworth’s former residence at Rydal Mount and explore the quaint cobblestone streets of Haworth, where the Brontë sisters penned “Jane Eyre” and “Wuthering Heights”? Big news, Telra Institute students (grades 6+)! You can travel to England with Telra's own English teacher, Kathy Chao, in Summer 2025! Register for the information meeting to learn more about this exciting opportunity here . Upcoming Events Thursday, October 10 - 6:00-7:30pm ScreenStrong talk Tuesday, October 22 - 8:30-10:30am Makeup fall portraits Friday, October 25 - 8:15-8:45am Coffee with the Leadership Friday, October 25 - Spirit Day Students can wear Telra spirit wear tops with regular uniform bottoms (or their regular Telra uniform) Saturday, October 26 - 4:00-6:00pm Trunk or Treat Find all our events on the Telra Events Calendar

Fall Break is officially here! We hope you enjoy this week of respite. It's fast become one of our favorite things about Telra - an opportunity to catch our breath after a hectic start to the year, some time to relax at home or travel during temperate fall weather, and hopefully some off-season bargains. We have three announcements today about ways to extend your involvement with Telra outside the classroom through family, athletic, and intellectual pursuits. ScreenStrong at Telra - Kids' Brains & Screens talk on Oct 10 Basketball interest form - enjoy the fun of team competition AMC Math competition sign ups - stretch your problem-solving skills ScreenStrong at Telra - Thursday Oct 10 Ever since Telra launched 3 years ago, we've been adamant about creating a phone and smartwatch-free environment for children. It's taken a few years, but now, some districts , and even entire states are considering going phone-free at school. As school leaders, we know that great outcomes for our students rely on a strong partnership with parents, and there is plenty to learn and to struggle with when you are managing screen time in the home. This is why we are excited to host Melanie Hempe , founder of ScreenStrong , to come speak to our community about Kids' Brains & Screens. Please join us for a dynamic and practical presentation aimed at empowering families to establish healthy screen habits. The target audience is the whole family parents and kids (8+) alike. Thursday Oct 10 6-7pm Telra Institute Gym Seating is limited, so RSVP now to reserve your spot! And in case Telra's Oct 10 presents a schedule conflict for your family, you can register for a similar ScreenStrong session on Oct 8 hosted by our neighbors at St. Francis! Basketball We are still looking to launch a couple of Telra basketball teams in competitive play with the winter MARA league. There's still time to express interest for your child to be part of a team or as a parent coaching volunteer opportunity. AMC Math competitions Telra Institute offers its students free access to participate in the AMC Mathematics competitions,  but you must register here to take advantage so that the school can purchase an appropriate number of exams. What is the AMC 8? The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple-choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development of problem-solving skills. The AMC 8 provides an opportunity for middle school students to develop positive attitudes towards analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers.  The competition focuses on middle school mathematics topics, including counting and probability, estimation, proportional reasoning, elementary geometry (including the Pythagorean Theorem), spatial visualization, and interpreting graphs and tables. Some of the later questions may touch on beginning algebra topics, such as linear or quadratic functions and coordinate geometry. What is the AMC 10? The AMC 10 is a 25-question, 75-minute, multiple-choice examination in high school mathematics up to the 10th grade level. The AMC 10 is a gateway to further opportunities, including the AIME and USAMO. The content covers mathematics typically taught in grades 9 and 10, including elementary algebra, basic geometry (such as the Pythagorean Theorem), area and volume formulas, elementary number theory, and elementary probability. Advanced topics like trigonometry, advanced algebra, and advanced geometry are excluded.

Fall portraits - Monday and Tuesday Final orders being accepted online for GoPlaySave All Pro Dads meeting Telra Spirit Store ordering window soon Helping Hands - volunteer opportunity Coffee with the leadership Trunk or Treat Dress code tip of the week - jewelry Fall Portraits are this week! Monday, September 23rd – K-3rd Grade Tuesday, September 24th – 4th-9th Grade Need more information, check here: www.ckvisuals.com/TI Photos will be available online by Tuesday evening. Families will receive an email the next day with a link to view and order their child’s pictures.  For families who didn’t register online, physical proofs will be delivered to the school the day after Picture Day to be sent home, offering another chance for parents to order. Collecting final orders for GoPlaySave Thank you to everyone who participated in our GoPlaySave Fundraiser.  We've had several families ask if they can still purchase a book, and the answer is YES!  We have a few boxes remaining and you can order online here: http://goplaysavecharlotte.com/store/telra2025   Note: it will ask for a shipping address, but these books will still be sent home with your child.    If you still have a book at home that you did not purchase, please return it to school as soon as possible. Questions?  Email GoPlaySave@telra.org   All Pro Dads meeting this Friday Telra has a chapter of All Pro Dads - a group of dads dedicated to strengthening our relationships with our kids and we would love for you to join us. Check out the chapter page and RSVP here . Telra Spirit Store Reopens Mark your calendars! From October 1st to October 7th, you can place your orders for all your favorite Telra gear at the Telra Cotton Gin spirit store. Once the store closes on the 7th, production begins, with items taking about 10-14 business days to be ready. When ordering, families can choose to have their items shipped directly to their homes or opt for in-store pickup at Cotton Gin in Matthews. You’ll receive an email with tracking information as soon as your order is processed. Looking ahead, the Spirit Store will reopen on the first of each month for 7 days, ensuring your items are ready in time for our Spirit Days, celebrated on the last Friday of each month! A link to the store will be shared when the store opens! Note: You can also order spiritwear any time from our Lands' End store . Be sure to create an account at Lands' End to make sure you see the Telra logo options. Helping Hands – Volunteer at Telra We are seeking some "Helping Hands" to volunteer on Friday mornings from 9–11am. Volunteers will assist Telra teachers and staff with various tasks, such as copying papers, cutting out materials, organizing the lost and found, and reshelving books in the neighborhood libraries, amongst other things! Mrs. Waters or Mrs. Monago will be there to guide you on where to go and what needs to be done. If you'd like to help, please sign up using the link for an upcoming week. Thank you for supporting our Telra team! Coffee with the Leadership Coffee with the Leadership will resume next Friday, September 27th from 8:30-9am.   Parking will be available in the pavilion lot (after car line has finished). Come and grab a cup of coffee and have a chat with our leadership team and meet other Telra families. Trunk or Treat Save the date for the 3rd annual Trunk or Treat! We are thrilled to celebrate this Halloween tradition with our wonderful neighbors at St. Francis. Here are all the essential details.... Date: Saturday, October 26th Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Location: Telra Parking Lot – 4150 McKee Road Parking : The main Telra parking lot will only be open to cars who have registered as decorating a trunk for the Trunk or Treat. Visitors can park in the Pavilion Lot, McKee Baptist Church lot, St. Francis Church lot, or at McKee Road Park across the road if the gate is open. What to Wear: We encourage everyone to get into the spirit by wearing costumes or fall/Halloween-themed attire, but it's not required. Feel free to get as creative as you like! Who's Invited: This event is for all Telra families, including siblings and friends not attending Telra. The more, the merrier! Food and Refreshments: We've got you covered! This year we will have BBQ and refreshments available for purchase, so please bring cash. How you can help make Trunk or Treat a success Treat Drive: We want to make sure we have enough treats to distribute to our trick-or-treaters and supplement the treats for families who are decorating a trunk! To help stock all the trunks, we'll be running a treat drive. You can contribute by dropping off treats at the front entrance to the school during school hours. Acceptable items include treasure box-style items, individually wrapped single-serving candy, rice krispie treats, granola bars, fruit snacks, pencils, erasers, pretzels, goldfish, and more. Decorate Your Trunk: If you're feeling creative, spooky, and want to be a part of the fun, we need families who would like to deck out their trunks and hand out treats to our students and families. Sign up here:   https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F49ABA82EABFEC25-51607848-trunk   There will be prizes for the best-decorated trunk! Family Walk: Feeling festive? Bring your kids and come walk the Telra parking circuit to enjoy the treats. Costumes or Fall/Halloween-themed attire are encouraged but not required. The whole family is welcome, and no pre-registration is necessary. Trunk or Treat promises to be a memorable event, and we can't wait to see you all there! Thank you for helping us make this day a success. Let's make it a spooktacular time! Dress code tip of the week - jewelry Our goal is to minimize jewelry and accessories so we have a safe and distraction-free for active kids. Light, stud earrings or a small nose stud is permitted, but no other facial piercings. (No hoops or rings or dangly things that can get caught.) A light necklace is permitted, but should be tucked under the uniform top. (Keep it close to your heart, and out of sight!) A single bracelet or watch on each wrist is ok, but should not be excessively large or dangling. Smooth and non-bulky rings are ok. These restrictions minimize the risk of injuries during recess & PE and in crowded hallways.

Closing out GoPlaySave Carpool finder Athletic wear option Parent's Guide to Student Achievement Connecting with other Families Dress code tip of the week Closing out GoPlaySave We are still waiting on over 150 families to turn in their GoPlaySave book. Help us by returning these so we can close out our fundraising effort. Not participating? No problem!  Please return the book as soon as possible. Purchasing the book, or have orders?  Please send the payments in as soon as possible!  For your convenience, you may also pay online: https://www.GoPlaySaveCharlotte.com/store/telra2025   We will be reaching out this week to those who have sold 10 or more books to choose their prize!   Thank you to all who participated! Carpool finder Families have often asked us how they can get matched to others who are looking to share child drop-off / pick-up duties. We are excited to announce you can now join the Telra Institute community at SharetheRideNC by navigating to https://telrainstitute.sharetheridenc.org/ Once you create a profile, you can search for other Telra families in the system that are looking for car pool matches. This is a new service that we are introducing for Telra families, so please send any feedback to ithelp@telra.org Athletic wear option for Friday Explore Students now have the option to change into (solid-colored, text/graphic-free) athletic wear if they are participating in an athletic Explore option on Friday. This option is available only to grade 6-9 students who are participating in Basketball, Volleyball, or Track & Field on Friday mornings. Students will have time to go into the restroom to change at the beginning and end of their sessions (students who have Explore in 1st block can come to school in athletic wear). Please limit athletic wear to a solid, graphic & text-free t-shirt and shorts (minimal logo ok). Students always have the option to wear their regular Telra uniform. Parent's Guide to Student Achievement The Parent's Guide to Student Achievement is a document published annually by all districts and charter schools in North Carolina, informing parents about parent rights, school programs, and policies. Telra's PGSA is available available at this link and on the Telra Family Home portal in Teams for future reference Connecting with Other Families Your children are settling into the new school year. Now it's time to start thinking about how you can get more plugged into the Telra community. Here are a couple of things you can do now: Opt-in to the Parent Directory in Alma ( instructions ) so that you can see other families (and they can see you) Follow the Family Council newsletter and join their email list Dress code tip of the week - sweaters As the weather grows cooler, many students may want to bring an extra layer to wear indoors. Our dress code allows light top layers of sweaters, cardigans, vests, zip-ups, or sweatshirts. We want to minimize bulk or possibility of the fabrics getting caught, so look for fleece or tightly knit or woven fabric (never with a hood). Must be worn over an approved shirt or dress. Length: Waist/hip length or above (no long sweaters) Color: Telra neutrals; Telra blue or orange; navy, red, light blue, or light pink. And the general rule: All clothing items (with the exception of shoes and coats for outside wear) must be   solid colored and free of stripes, patterns, graphics, logos, or text.

Happy Monday, Telra Families! Read on for a big batch of miscellaneous updates on happenings at Telra Disc Golf tomorrow - now open to 5th graders and up Basketball - want to compete on Team Telra? Math Team - one more chance if you missed tryouts Charlotte Math Club - this Saturday Car line - keeping things moving! Bus system meeting Wed night - Get all your questions answere d Telra Family Home - in Teams Math tutoring (Free!) Technology take-home form Disc Golf Our new disc golf club starts tomorrow , and we've expanded capacity so that students in grades 5-9 can all take part. Sign up here . And once you've signed up, don't forget to update your dismissal plan to indicate disc golf on Tuesdays. Basketball This is our chance to field some competitive sports teams. Let us know if your child would like to participate in basketball this winter. Math Team Math Team meets again this Thursday and every Thursday. Normally, Math Team is open only to students who have qualified through the try-out. However, this Thursday is a special make-up day for any students who missed the tryouts last week. Read more about the team and be sure to update your  dismissal plan  to indicate Math Team for Thursday. Car line As we get faster at the afterschool dismissal process, we are bringing up the end time so that we can close dismissal sooner. Our aim is to be finished with the last car line dismissal by 3:55pm. (That makes for about a 20 min dismissal period between the 1st child in their car around 3:35 to the last child around 3:55.) Front end: Please avoid arriving prior to 3pm if you can. Timing your arrival for 3:25pm or later helps us minimize traffic jams for the school and for our neighbors Back end: Please plan to arrive by 3:50pm so that we can efficiently load and read tags in all lanes. That will help us achieve an on-time close at 3:55. Bus Transportation Parent meeting (A message from Travel Trax) Wednesday, September 11 from 6-7pm in the Telra gym This meeting is for anyone still seeking bus transportation, moving bus stop locations, or those who haven't received a scan card. This will be the final boarding call for all buses.    All Travel Trax transportation staff will present at the meeting to deal with any outstanding questions. Please attend the meeting rather than emailing/calling so that issues can be resolved right away. We will also be introducing the New Grey Route, Zonar setup, & Scan Cards. Telra Family Home in Teams Have you discovered the new Telra Family Home in Microsoft Teams? All students should be members of the Telra Family Home "Team" and if you click on the "Home" tab in the General Channel, you can find this portal with resources such as the Family Handbook and Code of Conduct. Don't see the Home tab? Click on Apps to expand your options. You can also look in the Files section of this team to find the same resources. Taking home your laptop Students in grades 4 and higher can be permitted to take their laptops home to complete their schoolwork. While we recommend leaving your laptop at school as much as possible (to keep it charged and prevent it from being forgotten or damaged), we understand sometimes students need a device of their own to complete their assignments. Parents must grant their child permission to take home a laptop by completing a form on Alma Start. Log into Alma and then click on "Alma Start Forms and Tasks" near your child's name. From there, "Begin a New Process" for School Year 2024-2025 called "Technology Take-Home Permission 2024-2025." In completing this form to take a device home, families are taking responsibility for any damage, and they must ensure the device comes back to school fully charged. (Some of the student laptops will work with USB-C chargers or families can purchase a universal laptop charger. ) Math tutoring Returning families might remember the ESSAM (Every Student Succeeds at Math) program that connected Telra elementary students with local high schoolers for free online math tutoring/enrichment. (Limited) spaces are available for Telra students in grades 3-5 for afternoon and Saturday sessions. Charlotte Math Club @ Telra Telra is once again home of the Charlotte Math Club . The first meeting of the academic year is this Saturday September 14, at 9:30am. The Math Club offers programs for nearly every level of budding mathematician, so we hope you can join us!

The new school year is well on its way, while kids and families are settling into their fall routines. Some updates and reminders as we welcome September! GoPlaySave Our annual coupon book fundraiser is underway. All families should have received one loaner book per family and one sales envelope per student. Please visit our GoPlaySave page to learn more about the program. Please remember to return books and/or orders to the box in the front office . (If you do not want to participate, you can return the book and envelope to this box as well.) If we somehow missed you, and you did not receive a book, please email GoPlaySave@telra.org Extracurriculars and Dismissal Plans If you are participating in any Telra afterschool activities, you must update your dismissal plans using our new tool to let us know. Merely signing up for an activity does not change your dismissal plans in our system. If your child would like to take part in the Math Team tryout this Thursday, updating your dismissal plan functions as your "sign-up." Be sure to update your plan by noon on Thursday! Is your child interested in playing on a Telra basketball team ? Are you interested in coaching a Telra basketball team? We have an opportunity to participate in the winter MARA basketball league. Let us know if you'd like to participate! Does your child want to try disc golf ? We have a new extracurricular offering. Sign up on the interest list. The Dismissals and Absences tool is also what we use now for reporting absences, doctor's notes, and scheduling early dismissal. Find instructions here . Please use the tool rather than emailing the front desk! We have over 600 students, and emails can easily be missed. We are trying to build a more reliable and robust system for everyone. School lunch A reminder that orders for school lunch must be placed by the Monday 2 weeks ahead of time . Example: Order by Noon on Sep 9, if you'd like to purchase lunch for the week of Sep 23-27. Place your lunch order and see if you can qualify for free lunch on our lunch page . Car line operations You may have noticed that our car and bus operations have steadily improved. Our staff is always diligently working to make things go faster, smoother, and safer for our students and families. A couple of notes about car lines: Please pay heed to the recommended arrival times for morning and afternoon car lines. Arriving too early for either process creates backups on McKee Rd and prevents our staff, neighbors, volunteers, and service providers from getting where they need to go. Aim to arrive between 7:45-8:05 in the mornings Aim to arrive between 3:35-3:55 in the afternoons Please use the car-line for drop off rather than walking your child to the door. Walking them to the entrance, while well-intentioned, can often make goodbyes more challenging and increase separation anxiety. By using the carline, you’re helping your child build confidence and independence while also keeping the flow of traffic moving smoothly. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us create a positive and efficient start to the day for all our students!

We are once again excited to host the GoPlaySave Telra fundraiser ! GoPlaySave is a popular Charlotte area coupon book, and our school can raise funds when our students sell these books to neighbors, friends, and family. Why do we do it? Proceeds from this sale help fund exciting opportunities for our students, such as field trips, field day, and more! Charter schools receive a minimum level of funding, so fundraisers like this help us to provide these extras. But of all possible fundraising sales, we chose GoPlaySave because we think it provides value to our families as well! Each book is $30 and is full of coupons for restaurants and attractions all around the Charlotte area. It’s a smart investment and easy to make your money back in just a couple of uses . Your friends, family and neighbors will love this book! What’s in it for YOU? Sell 5 GoPlaySave books, and get a FREE book! Get another FREE book for every 5 more books you sell! Earn rewards like passes to Victory Lane Karting, Sports Connection, Sky Zone, and Brixx! See our Family Rewards flyer for more details How does it work? One loaner book is sent home with the youngest student in each family. You can buy this book, or even better, use it to show potential customers what they will receive if they buy a book for themselves! Each student will also receive an envelope to record orders and enclose payments . Payment options: cash, check (made payable to Telra Institute, or credit card by using our school link goplaysavecharlotte.com/store/telra2025 ) You can even visit the link above to set up your own custom URL to share with others! Envelopes with payments should be turned in to the front office between Wednesday 9/11 and Friday 9/13. (Please don't bring these to your child's teacher.) All Orders (including those placed online) will be sent home with students to deliver to customers. There is no option to ship. If you are unable to help with our fundraiser, please return your book in the envelope with your child's name (so we know who it was returned by) to the front office as soon as possible, or before Sept. 13. Is this book for me to keep? This is not a free book and must be used towards a sale or returned to the school. We must collect and return unsold books to the vendor. Questions? Email GoPlaySave@telra.org Custom URL for credit card payments Set up your custom URL for credit card payments! Look for the "Start Selling" button on our school’s site by visiting the school site: goplaysavecharlotte.com/store/telra2025 Enter your student’s information Share the unique link with friends and family. They can pay with a debit or credit card. Deliver books to your customers, whether they pay online or in person Dates to Remember Today! - Sale kicks off Sep 11-13 - Sale ends! Students turn in orders to the front office. Please return any unsold books by this time! Sept 13-16 - Books will be sent home with students. Large order? Email GoPlaySave@telra.org to arrange for pickup

Explore is an opportunity for our 4th-9th grade students to "explore" an extracurricular or special activity on Friday mornings. Explore happens on Fridays in Block 1 if you normally have PE in Block 1, or in Block 2 if you normally have PE in Block 2. Parents, this is also a chance for you to volunteer! If you have a passion for one of the topics below and would like to share it with our students, let us know. If you have an hour or two available on Friday mornings and can commit to be with us every week for the first trimester (until Nov 26), we can include you in our planning and will be able to support more students in the activity you choose Basketball Step onto the court and immerse yourself in a dynamic and fun-filled basketball experience! In the Basketball Explore Block, you'll dive into skill-building drills, strategic gameplay, and team challenges designed to boost your game and have a blast. Whether you're new to the sport or looking to refine your techniques, this is your chance to develop your skills, make friends, and enjoy the thrill of basketball. Lace up your sneakers and come bring your A-game! Volleyball This year, we’ll be focusing on learning the basics of volleyball, including fundamental skills (such as serving, passing, setting, and spiking) and game rules (including scoring, rotations, and gameplay). I look forward to seeing you develop your volleyball skills and have a great time in EXPLORE class. Track and Field / Running Come and train like a champion! Our dynamic running class is packed with thrilling activities designed to ignite your passion for speed and endurance. Perfect for aspiring track stars and cross-country runners, this class is also a fantastic way to boost your performance in sports like soccer and football. You'll master techniques to run faster and more efficiently, all while staying in top shape and burning tons of calories. Study Hall Study hall is a designated period during the school day where students can focus on completing assignments, studying for exams, or working on projects in a quiet, structured environment. It provides an opportunity for academic support and self-directed learning, often with access to resources and a dedicated teacher. Debate The Debate Club at our school is an exciting space where students can develop their public speaking and critical thinking skills. Members engage in friendly debates on a variety of topics, learning to research, construct arguments, and present their ideas confidently. It’s a great opportunity for young minds to explore different perspectives and sharpen their communication abilities. Choir Join the choir to experience the thrill of performing exciting songs with friends and boost your confidence while having a blast! Discover how much fun it is to be part of a team that creates amazing music together. Math club The Math Club offers students the opportunity to practice challenging MOEMS (Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools) problems, sharpening their problem-solving skills. In addition to working on these math problems, students will explore a variety of puzzles when extra time allows, adding a fun and engaging element to the sessions. The club is designed to build both mathematical thinking and a love for creative problem-solving. Battle of the Books Participants engage in lively competitions where they answer trivia questions and complete challenges related to a selection of pre-chosen books. The goal is to test their knowledge, spark enthusiasm for reading, and encourage in-depth discussions about literature. This interactive format fosters both a love for books and a sense of camaraderie among readers of all ages. Ready? Make your selections by 1pm on Thursday, August 29:

Classes begin in earnest tomorrow August 26. Read on for some updates heading into the new week Car line entry times Updated placements and schedules iReady score access Car line reminders for safety and efficiency School uniforms Car line entry times Arrival and dismissal always runs slower than normal at the beginning of the school year as parents and students learn new patterns. We ask everyone to be patient with each other and with our staff as we work through this together. Our school buses will begin running on August 26, which will alleviate the car line somewhat. However, note that CMS (and McKee Elementary) are back to school this week, which means we need to enforce our normal limitations on early car arrivals: Morning car line - You will not be allowed to enter the Telra/church campus before 7:45am Afternoon car line -  You will not be allowed to enter the Telra/church campus before 3:05pm Plan to arrive after these times. Do not arrive early and camp out in the turning lane prior to these times. Drive on and find a place to turn around, or you might be blocking staff or before-care families that need to enter. It's critical that families shift their travel patterns to avoid arriving too early. Early arrivals contribute to McKee Elementary traffic and fill our parking lot, making it difficult for staff, visitors, deliveries, and emergency vehicles. More information on our Arrivals and Departures  page. If you're commuting from farther away and need a place to wait, consider the parking lot at 10800 Sikes Place . Please don't loiter in a nearby neighborhood and park your car in front of someone's home. Updated schedules and placements Telra staff have been hard at work over the last four days updating placements, schedules, and locker/cubby locations based on the testing during week 1. Instructional group changes have been made to ensure that each student is in the most appropriate instructional group for them to have an appropriate level of challenge and to maximize their growth. In other cases, overall schedule changes have been made to balance class loads or the streamline the day for students. Please log into Alma to confirm your child's schedule and locker location and note any updates for Monday morning. We will have updated printed schedules available for students in their 1st block class. iReady score reports Last week, students took the i-Ready diagnostics in reading and math, and some students took paper curriculum-specific math placement tests. i-Ready reading is used as a measure of readiness for specific reading courses, while i-Ready math serves as only a measure of growth, not a placement measure. Families can access their child's results in the iReady Parent Portal at any time. Visit i-ReadyConnect.com  and log in using the credentials below Username = Student ID number ( you can find this in Alma ) Password = telra Click on the For Families dropdown and select the For Families report . Enter the Telra District Report Code: NNXHJ4   For more help interpreting the scores, see the attached file: Car line reminders Some important reminders about morning and afternoon car line: Safety Parents,   do not exit  your cars Do not  let your children out of the car until a Telra attendant   approaches or motions for your child to exit Stay in your lane unless instructed to change by staff Efficiency Telra uses left-side exit from the car. Seat your children in the rear and on the left side of the car for faster (and safer) exit & entry. Make sure your children have all their belongings ready , and seat belts unbuckled before  the attendant comes to your car. Pull in as close as you can to the car in front (aim for 1-2 feet) If you need extra time/help loading or unloading, let a staff member know. They'll ask you to pull ahead to the curve (we call it "cone zero") where you no longer block traffic This is a great option if you have an injured or reluctant child! Remember, our processes for registering your dismissal plan and for car pool groups have changed since last year. School uniforms Students had a grace period in the first week of school, but staff will begin enforcing our uniform policy this week. Please be sure to read up (or listen to the fun audio explainer!) on our school uniforms page Uniform tips of the week Black and white are not approved colors All students wear sneakers - no dress shoes, sandals, or hightops Make sure skirts and shorts are the appropriate length - not more than 2 inches above the knee Grades 2+ must tuck in their shirts